A total of 1.4 million or 42 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots by 16:00 hrs in relation to a 55.2 percent turnout by 16:00 hrs in 2000.
Data on the turnout was submitted by 5,656 of the 6,557 polling stations (86 percent).
The figures about the turnout were affected by the fact that relevant information has not been submitted by polling stations in Rijeka and Karlovac, towns with a large number of voters.
The elections are proceedings in a peaceful and tolerant atmosphere, Crnic said, adding that this assessment could not be affected by some minor incidents.
The police reported an anonymous call from a phone booth in Sesvete outside Zagreb on explosive devices having been planted at some polling stations, but this proved to be a hoax.
An activist of the GONG election monitoring association from Split reported to the police an incident involving actor Boris Dvornik, who appeared at the polling stations under the influence of alcohol and tried to hug the activist, who pushed him away, to which he slapped her.
Boris Miksic is the only of the 13 presidential candidates who filed objections with the State Election Commission. The Commission accepted as founded his objection about a daily running an affirmative article about one of the candidates.
The Commission dismissed Miksic's objection that Stjepan Mesic and Jadranka Kosor are the only candidates who will have monitors overseeing the work of the Commission after the arrival of election results.
The Commission's work can be monitored by political parties and NGOs, and through them by independent candidates like Miksic, Crnic said.
Out-of-country voting was completed in a dozen countries, including China and Malaysia, where a 100-percent turnout was reported. There were 11 eligible voters in China and 14 in Malaysia.
The Commission today again called on the media to observe the 48-hour electioneering ban and not publish estimates about the outcome of the vote before midnight.