ELECTORAL COMMISSION BELIEVES LESS VOTERS TO TURN OUT IN SECOND

ZAGREB, Feb 4 (Hina) - President of the State Electoral Commission Marijan Ramuscak on Friday said that he believed that about ten per cent less of the electorate would turn out for the presidential run off February 7. Citizens are expected to vote for the third time in little over a month and are already fed up, Ramuscak believes. Ramuscak commented that everything is ready for the second round of the presidential elections. Over 40,000 members of voting commission have been appointed to participate in organising 7,038 polling booths within the country and abroad. Ramuscak considered the election campaign has been correct noting that the commission had received 3 objections only yesterday. The only objection considered as founded is one submitted by Mesic's election headquarters regarding a film entitled "Poetry and Revolution", screened on OTV, an independent TV channel. The commission concluded that the film could be partially considered in favour of Budisa's campaign and that OTV was obliged to give equal timing to each candidate. In response to an objection by the OSCE relating to the first round of the elections, the Commission has organised a training session for electoral committee members. In addition, two Commission members have been sent to Mostar to monitor the voting process. (hina) sp