ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - Some members of the National Minorities' Council said at Wednesday's founding session they doubted that the elections for councils and representatives of national minorities, scheduled for May 18, would be
adequately held.
ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - Some members of the National Minorities'
Council said at Wednesday's founding session they doubted that the
elections for councils and representatives of national minorities,
scheduled for May 18, would be adequately held. #L#
Minorities are not ready to go to the polls on May 18, Furio Radin
said, and added that government decisions and instructions on
elections did not specify how the elections would be implemented
and that a deadline for electoral campaigns and media blackout had
not been set. He therefore requested that the elections be
postponed.
Zdenka Cuhnil said it also was not clear who will implement
additional elections for local councils, which have not yet been
called, nor who will go to the polls. Radin stresses that numerous
municipalities and towns have not yet changed statutes even though
they were ordered to.
Sinisa Tatalovic pointed to the possibility of holding joint
elections, namely that elections for national minorities be held
along with the parliamentary election. He added, however, that the
parliamentary election would be held soon and minorities,
particularly those who gained that status for the first time,
needed time to prepare.
Some members of the National Minority Council disagree.
Milan Djukic said there were no reasons for a delay.
The government decided to call the election for the National
Minorities' Council with an aim to 'raise' the entire system (of
minority self-government) in 2003 and turn a new page in the life of
minorities, Vice Premier Goran Granic said ahead of today's
founding session.
The Council at the end concluded that it would request of the
Justice Ministry and the electoral commission to interpret
elections and enable minorities to prepare for them.
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