ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on Monday voiced concern about the low turnout at Sunday's elections for minority councils and called on the government to
organise additional elections in areas where they were not held.
ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on Monday voiced
concern about the low turnout at Sunday's elections for minority
councils and called on the government to organise additional
elections in areas where they were not held. #L#
The head of the OSCE Mission, Peter Semneby, said that the elections
for members of minority councils and minority representatives in
counties, towns and municipalities were well-organised, but
stressed that "the low voter turnout could negatively impact their
legitimacy".
"We urge the Government to organise additional elections in areas
where elections were not held and assist minority associations in
ensuring a higher turnout next time", Ambassador Semneby said,
adding that minorities should be given more time to prepare the
elections.
The OSCE reminds that the elections were held for fewer than a half
of the 470 councils.
Reports by the non-government organisation GONG which monitored
the elections confirm the Mission's opinion.
"The elections are a key step in the implementation of the
Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities which was
adopted last December and welcomed by the OSCE, the EU and other
international organisations", according to a press release of the
OSCE Mission.
"The Government should also take immediate steps to implement
overdue local and regional elections originally scheduled to take
place by 23 March 2003 to ensure adequate representation for
minorities in local and regional government as provided by the
Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities," Semneby
said.
(hina) rml sb