SOCIAL DEMOCRATS TO FORMULATE SLATES IN TWO WEEKS

ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - The head committee of the ruling coalition's Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Wednesday formulated requirements for candidates who will run in upcoming parliamentary elections. Slates will be defined in two weeks' time. #L# SDP president Ivica Racan will continue to head the party's election headquarters. Talking to reporters after the head committee session, Racan outlined the conditions SDP candidates will have to meet in order to make it onto slates. They will have to make a good presentation of SDP views in parliament and in public, be experts in specific social areas, and their conduct must not compromise the party, he said. Representatives of the executive authority, mayors and municipal heads will not be listed on SDP slates, Racan said, adding that the party would be strict in this matter. Women will make up 40 percent of slates, youth 20 percent and non- partisan candidates 30 percent. Commenting on an International Republican Institute poll according to which opposition parties are more popular than the ruling coalition ones, Racan said he was not impressed by public opinion polls even when they are not positive. (hina) ha