"We have agreed that the transfer of powers be carried out as defined by relevant laws and that it be completed by the end of this week," said Igor Dragovan, secretary-general of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which heads the Kukuriku coalition that won the December 4 parliamentary election.

Dragovan said that according to statements by HDZ secretary-general Branko Bacic, after the parliament holds its inaugural session on Thursday and the government is confirmed on Friday, incumbent Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor would transfer her powers to new PM Zoran Milanovic at government headquarters, and outgoing ministers would transfer their powers to their successors at their respective ministries.

"Following the transfer of powers, we will be ready to assume responsibility at government and all ministries," Dragovan said.

Bacic said that there were no problems at today's talks and that agreement was reached relatively quickly.

The incumbent ministers and the Prime Minister have done everything they were expected to do, including reviews and reports on what has been done, said Bacic.

Asked why the caretaker government had relieved of duty a large number of state secretaries, Bacic said that some state secretaries had been relieved at their own request, probably to leave to new posts.

He declined to reveal the names of possible HDZ candidates for the posts of two deputy parliament speakers, saying only that one should wait for the party bodies to decide on the matter.

Dragovan said that the inaugural session of the parliament would be discussed on Tuesday also with other opposition parties.

Asked if he still insisted that Jadranka Kosor alone could be HDZ president, Vladimir Seks, who was in the HDZ delegation along with Martina Banic and Branko Bacic, only briefly said that he meant every word of what he had said.

Aside from Dragovan, the Kukuriku coalition was represented at today's talks also by Neven Mimica and Tomislav Saucha.