HDZ PRESIDENCY RESCHEDULES GENERAL CONVENTION FOR APRIL

ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Presidency on Friday decided to reschedule the party's general convention from March 15 to the second half of April, due to the need to conduct inter-party elections. "Taking into consideration views presented by HDZ county committees that more time is needed for good and meaningful implementation of inter-party elections, the HDZ Presidency has decided to reschedule the general convention for the second half of April this year," read a statement issued after last night's session, held under the chairmanship of the party's acting president, Vladimir Seks. The HDZ Presidency will next week establish the calendar of inter- party elections and determine the exact date of the general convention. The session also stressed the need to draw up a new party programme and statute, which should be adopted at the upcoming convention. The Presidency will consider the appointment of working groups in charge of drawing up those documents at its next session. The Presidency also concluded that the five chairman's seats in House of Representatives working bodies offered to the HDZ were "below the share of HDZ representatives in the House of Representatives and the offer does not respect the basic democratic principles." The Presidency decided that Seks should continue negotiations with the parliamentary majority and try to secure participation of HDZ representatives in the House of Representatives' working bodies which would be proportionate to the number of HDZ MPs. (hina) rml