ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - A spokesman for Voice 2000 association for election monitoring on Tuesday said two presidential candidates from the former Opposition should explain their understanding of the parliamentary system. Spokesman
Vladimir Primorac believes that leading presidential candidates are neglecting their promise about introducing changes to the current political system, i.e., replacing the current semi-presidential system with a parliamentary one, by changing the Constitution. "Apart from common places that the new president will initiate changes to the Constitution, we haven't been told how and when they intend to do that," Primorac told reporters. As the presidential campaign is nearing the end, two candidates (Drazen Budisa and Stipe Mesic) seem to be taking the lead. Primorac believes it would be good for the two candidates to say how they imagine the politica
ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - A spokesman for Voice 2000 association for
election monitoring on Tuesday said two presidential candidates
from the former Opposition should explain their understanding of
the parliamentary system.
Spokesman Vladimir Primorac believes that leading presidential
candidates are neglecting their promise about introducing changes
to the current political system, i.e., replacing the current semi-
presidential system with a parliamentary one, by changing the
Constitution.
"Apart from common places that the new president will initiate
changes to the Constitution, we haven't been told how and when they
intend to do that," Primorac told reporters.
As the presidential campaign is nearing the end, two candidates
(Drazen Budisa and Stipe Mesic) seem to be taking the lead.
Primorac believes it would be good for the two candidates to say how
they imagine the political system and what they understand under
the parliamentary system.
Explaining that he did not favour any of the two candidates,
Primorac said the latest opinion polls showed that Budisa would win
30, whereas Mesic would win 50 per cent of the vote.
Polls also show that Mate Granic is losing support and that he was
being, Primorac said, eliminated from the campaign by life and
politics. Primorac does not find this surprising because, "people
do not believe the HDZ any more."
Primorac said a change could also be achieved by changing the
behaviour of the future president, without changing the
Constitution.
"There is a possibility for the President not to use a series of
presidential powers," he said, adding the President in the semi-
presidential system must be active and appoint the premier,
ministers, ambassadors, but he does not have to use his other
powers.
As examples of intolerance in the campaigning, Primorac mentioned
candidate Anto Djapic, who stated that Serbs should not be allowed
to return to Croatia. Another example of intolerance was the
destruction of Budisa's election material in Djakovo.
Voice 2000 and the Croatian Legal Centre have consulted the
Constitutional Court regarding Obligatory Instructions VI which
refer to the voting of voters who cannot go to the polls
(hospitalised persons, invalids, etc). With these instructions,
the National Electoral Commission has introduced terms such as
"timely" registration and "being accessible". Those are
generalised terms which lack precision and allow the possibility of
arbitration by voters' committees, Primorac said.
Asked whether the statement that if Budisa was not elected
president, promises given before the parliamentary election would
not be fulfilled was an ultimatum, Primorac said it was rather "hard
propaganda."
(hina) rml