ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - The highest turnout at elections for councils and representatives of Croatia's national minorities by 11 am on Sunday was recorded among members of the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) minority.
ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - The highest turnout at elections for
councils and representatives of Croatia's national minorities by
11 am on Sunday was recorded among members of the Bosniak (Bosnian
Muslim) minority. #L#
Fifteen national minorities are voting for members of their
councils and 13 for their representatives on the county, city, or
municipality levels.
By 11 am, 39 percent of Bosniaks cast their ballots for council
members at the county level, 72 percent at the city and 19 at the
municipality level, Ivica Crnic, president of the State Election
Commission, told a news conference.
Only members of the German minority accounted for a turnout higher
than 25 percent by 11 am, while the turnout among Hungarians,
Macedonians, Slovaks, Slovenes, and Ukrainians was around ten
percent.
Of the 245,636 eligible voters among the Serb minority, 8,772 or
3.55 percent went to the polls by 11 am on the county level. The
turnout in cities was virtually identical, while in municipalities
it was slightly over seven percent.
The Roma did not vote for representatives at the county level by 11
am, while the turnout for councils in cities and municipalities
ranged from six to 17 percent.
Less than one percent of Austrians and Italians cast their ballots
by 11 am.
Crnic said the first hours of the voting had proceeded in full order
and without even one incident.
He did not ascribe the relatively poor turnout to lack of
information among the constituents or short deadlines, saying the
deadlines for this election were the same as for all others.
Crnic said the turnout might indicate the attitude of national
minorities to the new form of their organising.
The costs for the election are estimated at 22 million kuna (EUR2.9
million) and will be covered from the state budget, said Crnic.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) ha