SDP AND IDS FORM PRE-ELECTION COALITION IN ISTRIA CONSTITUENCY

UCKA, Sept 20 (Hina) - The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) party on Saturday signed a pre- election coalition agreement under which the two parties would draw up a joint list of candidates for parliamentary elections in the eighth constituency, which covers Istria County. #L# The agreement was signed by SDP leader Ivica Racan and IDS leader Ivan Jakovcic in the "Dopo Lavoro" restaurant near the Ucka tunnel in Istria. Racan told reporters that the list would consist of seven candidates from each party and that it would be headed by an IDS candidate. Jakovcic said that the names of candidates would be known by October 20. Asked about the date of elections, Racan said that they would be held in the second half of November and that the exact date would be set in the next few days. He added that by October 15 the present government had to complete some of the work relating to Croatia's efforts to join the European Union. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with today's agreement, describing their parties as "a victorious coalition that will bring political stability". Slavko Linic, a member of the SDP presidency, said that the purpose of the SDP-IDS coalition was to win eight out of 14 seats in the eighth constituency. (hina) vm