ZAGREB, Jan 3 (Hina) - At 7AM Monday, 6,502 polling stations, at which citizens are to cast their ballots for the parliamentary elections opened in Croatia. Today and yesterday, 152 polls were open in 47 countries, at which persons
without permanent residence in Croatia are casting their ballots. This is the first time that elections in Croatia are held on a Monday, therefore the day of elections, January 3, was proclaimed the day of rest. The total of 3,827,123 voters are expected to cast their ballots at polls which are to remain open until 19.00 hours Monday. The list of voters without permanent residence in Croatia, namely the Croatian Diaspora, includes 350,372 voters, which means that the electorate for the parliamentary elections includes the total of 4,177,495 voters. A total of 140 representatives will be elected in ten constituencies in Croatia, each constituency electing 14 deputies. The Diaspora will elect its representa
ZAGREB, Jan 3 (Hina) - At 7AM Monday, 6,502 polling stations, at
which citizens are to cast their ballots for the parliamentary
elections opened in Croatia.
Today and yesterday, 152 polls were open in 47 countries, at which
persons without permanent residence in Croatia are casting their
ballots.
This is the first time that elections in Croatia are held on a
Monday, therefore the day of elections, January 3, was proclaimed
the day of rest.
The total of 3,827,123 voters are expected to cast their ballots at
polls which are to remain open until 19.00 hours Monday. The list of
voters without permanent residence in Croatia, namely the Croatian
Diaspora, includes 350,372 voters, which means that the electorate
for the parliamentary elections includes the total of 4,177,495
voters.
A total of 140 representatives will be elected in ten
constituencies in Croatia, each constituency electing 14
deputies.
The Diaspora will elect its representatives to the Croatian
National Sabor today and tomorrow in a separate, 11th constituency.
However, the number of Diaspora deputies will be determined by the
so-called non-fixed quota, that is, their number will depend on the
average number of votes needed for one parliamentary seat in
Croatia.
In another separate, 12th constituency, which is made up of the
whole of Croatia, members of autochtonous minorities (324,238)
will elect five deputies to the Sabor.
The three most numerous minorities - Serbs (251,366), Hungarians
(36,284), and Italians (17,995) will have one deputy each in the
Sabor.
Members of the Czech and Slovak minorities, Austrians, Germans,
Ruthanians, Ukrainians and Jews will elect one joint
representative.
The election will be implemented by 66,520 voters' committees and
will be supervised by about 1,000 foreign and 5,869 monitors. It is
expected that the election will be covered by some 300 domestic and
foreign reporters, which is twice the number of journalists
following the last parliamentary election.
The first incomplete and unofficial election results will be
announced by the National Electoral Commission at 00.30 on January
4. Until then, a media blackout is in force.
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