CROATIAN LOWER HOUSE ELECTS PRESIDENT, FIVE VICE-PRESIDENTS

ZAGREB, Feb 2 (Hina) - Zlatko Tomcic of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) was elected president of the Croatian National Sabor and House of Representatives on Wednesday. Today's constituent session of the House of Representatives also elected five vice-presidents - Mato Arlovic and Zdravko Tomac of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Baltazar Jalsovec of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), and Vlatko Pavletic and Ivic Pasalic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). #L# Tomcic's election as Sabor president received unanimous support. In line with constitutional regulations, as of today Tomcic is also the Acting Head of State and will hold the office until the election of Croatia's new president in the second round of presidential elections on Monday, February 7. Tomcic is the fifth president of the House of Representatives since 1990. The office was also held by Zarko Domljan, Stjepan Mesic, Nedjeljko Mihanovic and Vlatko Pavletic. Addressing the lower house, Tomcic said a true parliamentarism had to start functioning in the House of Representatives. The new parliamentary composition is urged to give Croatia a new democratic and social content, a "state where the atmosphere of freedom will last longer," he said. Tomcic thanked the lower house for their trust and promised to perform his duties conscientiously. Tomcic also thanked Vlatko Pavletic for a democratic transfer of authority and Josip Torbar, who chaired the lower house until Tomcic's election as the oldest MP. Vice-presidents Jalsovec and Pavletic also received unanimous support whereas Arlovic, Tomac, and Pasalic were elected by a majority vote. The House of Representatives finished the morning part of its session with the election of the parliamentary leadership. The session continues in the afternoon, when 19 working bodies are to be elected. (hina) rml