SDP/HSLS ELECTION HEADQUARTERS: MESIC CONTINUES TO STATE UNTRUTHS

ZAGREB, Jan 27 (Hina) - The electoral headquarters of the SDP/HSLS coalition on Thursday said presidential candidate Stipe Mesic continued to state untruths on the financing of his and counter- candidate Drazen Budisa's campaign. The electoral headquarters of the coalition which won January 3 parliamentary elections and supports Budisa said Mesic had done so most recently in interviews to the "Jutarnji List" and "Vecernji List" dailies on January 25, and at a January 26 press conference. By stating that he has spent US$61,300, and Budisa US$160,000 on television campaigning, Mesic has almost doubled Budisa's costs and greatly reduced his own, the coalition's electoral headquarters said in a statement. If a second on air during prime-time costs US$106, and given that Mesic's commercials were in heavier rotation than Budisa's, it is evident that Mesic is stating untruths also regarding the cost of his own television campaigning, the statement said. To avoid further manipulation with the costs of presidential campaigning, Budisa's electoral headquarters called on Mesic to publicly state, together with Budisa, all data regarding costs and donors' names prior to the February 7 run-off. This would be the best way for Mesic to prove that behind him there are no suspicious people or money of suspicious origin, said the statement. The statement also refutes allegations that "Klariko Voce", a fruit company, has ceded its paid time-slots in the media for Mesic's campaign. The company's order forms for commercials are dated January 11, which the SDP/HSLS headquarters believes indicates the time-slots were intended for Mesic. (hina) ha