ZAGREB, Jan 25 (Hina) - Monday's presidential election and the pre-electoral campaign proceeded in full order, peace and safety, in keeping with democratic achievements, Croatian Assistant Interior Minister Josko Moric told reporters
in Zagreb on Tuesday. Despite several instances of disturbance of public peace and order and minor incidents, the regular electoral process and pre-electoral campaign were not disturbed, Moric said. Presidential candidates held a total of 235 pre-electoral rallies, with Drazen Budisa and Stipe Mesic, the two running for the second electoral round on February 7, having held the most. Speaking of incidents, Moric said on election day the chairman of the electoral commission in Klinca Selo, a village in northern Croatia, was attacked. Other incidents included an attempt to destroy a ballot box in Raslina, a village in the southern coastal area, and six instances of d
ZAGREB, Jan 25 (Hina) - Monday's presidential election and the pre-
electoral campaign proceeded in full order, peace and safety, in
keeping with democratic achievements, Croatian Assistant Interior
Minister Josko Moric told reporters in Zagreb on Tuesday.
Despite several instances of disturbance of public peace and order
and minor incidents, the regular electoral process and pre-
electoral campaign were not disturbed, Moric said.
Presidential candidates held a total of 235 pre-electoral rallies,
with Drazen Budisa and Stipe Mesic, the two running for the second
electoral round on February 7, having held the most.
Speaking of incidents, Moric said on election day the chairman of
the electoral commission in Klinca Selo, a village in northern
Croatia, was attacked.
Other incidents included an attempt to destroy a ballot box in
Raslina, a village in the southern coastal area, and six instances
of disturbance of public peace and order at polling stations. A man
with a heart condition died at a polling station in Bjelovar,
northern Croatia.
During pre-electoral campaign, police ensured tight security for
three presidential candidates, Budisa, Mesic, and Mate Granic,
Moric said. The Interior Ministry also recorded several written and
telephone threats against the candidates, as well as several
anonymous reports on planted bombs.
Police on January 14 prevented the attempted stoning of a
presidential candidate who entered the second electoral round in
Ladjevac, Brod-Posavina County. On January 20 police received an
anonymous report on the possible assassination of a candidate.
Moric declined to give more details on which candidate was the
victim of the above mentioned incidents. He pointed out the threats
did not interrupt or disturb earlier scheduled candidates'
presentations, adding it was known nothing serious had taken
place.
Among minor incidents, Moric mentioned the damage done to candidate
Ante Prkacin's car in Bjelovar, a verbal attack on Slaven Letica
when he was collecting signatures at Zagreb's central square, the
throwing of mandarins at a Drazen Budisa rally in Dubrovnik, and
several fights which broke out at rallies.
Moric also mentioned two incidents which took place during pre-
electoral campaign time and can be connected with the presidential
election. An explosive device was planted in front of the house of
the president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) branch in Hvar,
and a SDP plaque was taken down from the party's building in Split.
There were also 12 instances in which candidates' posters were
destroyed or damaged. On election day, an unknown man using a
vehicle of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
took down and destroyed a poster of candidate Anto Djapic in Erdut,
eastern-most Croatia.
(hina) ha mm