"Economic activity is contracting, unemployment is growing, prices are increasingly higher and it's become unbearable," he said, adding that after eight months in office, the government should at least indicate that it had a programme to stop the negative trends.

Karamarko said the trends should have been stopped and positive processes launched by now.

Asked by the press if the HDZ would be a tough opposition, he said the HDZ was always a constructive opposition and that it attacked because there was no other way.

He said the HDZ would like the government to succeed for the sake of everyone, so that the credit rating was not downgraded, adding that the party would step up its criticisms and proposing solutions.

He said the HDZ had an economic platform and that it would outline it when it suited the party best.

Karamarko accused the government of creating a fierce anti-enterprise climate and killing medium enterprises which he said should be the backbone of Croatia's economy.

He said the HDZ was consolidating to prepare as well as possible for next year's local elections.