Croatia will hold presidential elections on Dec. 27 to find a successor for veteran reformer Stjepan Mesic, who is nearing the end of his second term.

The new head of state will oversee the final stages of Croatia's European Union membership talks, which Zagreb hopes to complete next year and join the bloc in 2012.

Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor's government formally called the election on Friday, state news agency Hina reported after a cabinet session.

If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of votes, the two strongest candidates face a second round on Jan. 10.

Earlier, Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polancec resigned after a series of corruption scandals led to widespread public calls for him to step down.


Reuters