MP'S DISAGREE AS TO DOUBLE VOTING RIGHTS FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES

ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament was unable to resolve during Wednesday's debate the dilemma whether national minorities should be given an additional right to vote at coming parliamentary elections. #L# The clubs of national minorities, the Liberal Party, and the Croatian People's Party/PGS/SBHS feel that contenting said right without a prior credible interpretation by parliament might bring into question the regularity of the ballot. Deputies' clubs of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the Croatian Bloc, and the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) said that when parliament adopted the Constitutional Law on National Minorities' Rights and amended the Election Law, MPs clearly expressed the political will that ethnic minorities should not have double voting rights. Vesna Pusic of the HNS/PGS/SBHS club said one could argue that ethnic minorities were entitled to two votes. The Constitution and the Constitutional Law on their rights provide for the possibility that parliament secure through election legislation so-called positive discrimination for national minorities, she said, adding that the Election Law did not prohibit double voting. Furio Radin of the national minorities' club of deputies said the view under which national minorities should choose between the general and special voting rights brought them in an unfair position. By choosing the special right to vote, ethnic minorities would renounce the general right to vote which is guaranteed to all Croatian citizens, he said. Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly said denying national minorities the double voting right would bring parties which consistently advocate minorities' rights into an unjust position too. The parliamentary Constitution and Legislation Committee took the view that ethnic minorities should vote only once, like all other nationals. Luka Trconic of the HSS insisted that parliament should give a credible interpretation of the Election Law so as to remove all uncertainties before the polls. The HDZ club was against such a credible interpretation. Vladimir Seks said the Constitutional Law on National Minorities' Rights clearly stipulated that ethnic minorities elected a minimum five and a maximum eight parliamentary deputies. In case of positive discrimination, this figure would be exceeded, he added. In the continuation of the current session over the next two days, parliament should provide an interpretation of the Election Law. Otherwise, ethnic minorities will remain in doubt as to whether they may vote for both the national minority and the party slate or choose between the two. (hina) ha sb