VIENNA, May 21 (Hina) - The poor turnout at Sunday's local polls in Croatia may be explained with election saturation as well as with discontent over the quality of living, parliamentary speaker and president of the Croatian Peasants'
Party (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic said in Vienna on Monday. "Presently the economic situation in Croatia is such that it slightly generates hopelessness. The poor turnout is a consequence of a certain discontent among Croatian citizens with the quality of living," said Tomcic. He added the population was tired of elections, having had to go to the polls at an average once a year this past decade. Commenting on the good results of the opposition's strongest party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Tomcic said they were none the less poorer than last year's. He explained HDZ's success with stabilisation within the formerly ruling party and the population's discontent with the quality
VIENNA, May 21 (Hina) - The poor turnout at Sunday's local polls in
Croatia may be explained with election saturation as well as with
discontent over the quality of living, parliamentary speaker and
president of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic said
in Vienna on Monday.
"Presently the economic situation in Croatia is such that it
slightly generates hopelessness. The poor turnout is a consequence
of a certain discontent among Croatian citizens with the quality of
living," said Tomcic. He added the population was tired of
elections, having had to go to the polls at an average once a year
this past decade.
Commenting on the good results of the opposition's strongest party,
the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Tomcic said they were none the
less poorer than last year's. He explained HDZ's success with
stabilisation within the formerly ruling party and the
population's discontent with the quality of living and the economic
situation.
HDZ president Ivo Sanader voiced satisfaction with the results. The
HDZ won the majority of the vote in 14 out of 21 counties and came
second in five, which makes it the first and strongest party in the
state, he told reporters in Zagreb.
Sanader said his party was open to cooperation and coalition with
every political party where it might lead to better living.
The president of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), Ivan
Jakovcic, is glad his party has won 50.1 percent of the vote in
Istria County.
He invited other parties to talks on joint governing. In Pula, the
county largest town, where the IDS won only ten assembly seats,
Jakovcic offered forming a big coalition with everybody except the
HDZ. If this fails, the IDS in Pula will be a strong opposition, he
said.
The first on the Pula Independent Town List, attorney Loredana
Stok, and the president of the Istrian Democratic Forum, Luciano
Delbianco, were glad the election of their candidates had broken
"the political conformity of the IDS" in Pula and that "the multi-
party system (has finally) taken hold."
(hina) ha sb