ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The Croatian National Electoral Commission's head, Marijan Ramuscak, called on eligible voters to go to the polls as many as possible and elect the President in the second round of the presidential ballot,
scheduled for Monday, February 7. "I call on citizens to cast their ballots and exercise, thus, their constitutional right to decide who will be the President of the Republic. They should always bear in mind that those who do not go to the polls actually let others who vote to decide," Ramuscak said on Sunday. Everything is ready for the presidential run-off, which will be held in Croatia and abroad from 07.00 am to 07.00 pm Monday, he informed. Ramuscak described the 15-day-long campaigning for the second round of the election as somewhat fiercer compared to the electioneering before the first round of the vote. The campaigning before the second round was carried out corre
ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The Croatian National Electoral Commission's
head, Marijan Ramuscak, called on eligible voters to go to the polls
as many as possible and elect the President in the second round of
the presidential ballot, scheduled for Monday, February 7.
"I call on citizens to cast their ballots and exercise, thus, their
constitutional right to decide who will be the President of the
Republic. They should always bear in mind that those who do not go to
the polls actually let others who vote to decide," Ramuscak said on
Sunday.
Everything is ready for the presidential run-off, which will be
held in Croatia and abroad from 07.00 am to 07.00 pm Monday, he
informed.
Ramuscak described the 15-day-long campaigning for the second
round of the election as somewhat fiercer compared to the
electioneering before the first round of the vote. The campaigning
before the second round was carried out correctly as well and there
were just three complaints, the Commission's head added.
He assessed that ten percent less voters might appear on tomorrow's
election as against the turnout registered in the first round of the
presidential election on January 24.
In six weeks citizens have gone to the polls three times and they are
tired of it a little, Ramuscak maintained.
The Electoral Commission is to announce first unofficial results
shortly after Monday's midnight and up to that time returns can be
processed from polling stations where some 95 percent of voters
cast ballots, Ramuscak said.
The question remains, however, whether Croatia will know then who
is its second President. Ramuscak forecast that a narrow margin
might be between the two contestants - Drazen Budisa and Stipe
Mesic. In that case, data which will later be processed can change
the first unofficial results and bring about the different final
official result.
The two candidates who contest the second round of the presidential
ballot are Drazen Budisa of the Social Democratic Party/Croatian
Social Liberal Party (SDP/HSLS) coalition and Stipe Mesic of the
Croatian People's Party (HNS).
(hina) ms