RAMUSCAK: MESIC 56%, BUDISA 44%; ELECTIONS TO BE REPEATED AT ONE POLLING STATION

ZAGREB, Feb 8 (Hina) - According to results gathered from all polling stations in Croatia and abroad, presidential candidate Stjepan Mesic of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) won 1,433,299 votes or 56 percent, whereas his rival Drazen Budisa of the Croatian Social Liberal Party/Social Democratic Party (HSLS/SDP) bloc won 1,125,957 votes or 44 percent in the second round of the presidential election, the head of the National Electoral Commission, Marijan Ramuscak, told reporters at noon on Tuesday. #L# A total of 60.88 percent of the electorate went to the polls, which is five per cent less than in the first round and ten percent less than at the January 3 parliamentary election. A total of 17.79 percent of registered voters went to the polls outside of Croatia. Most of them, 77.44 percent, voted for Budisa, whereas Mesic won 22.56 percent of the vote. Ramuscak said the voting would be repeated on Sunday, February 13, at a polling station in Karlobag. The reason for this is extra ballots found at the polling station. Final official results will be announced on Friday, February 18, after the expiry of deadlines for objections and complaints. Ramuscak estimated that the presidential election would cost 51.1 million kuna (around US$6.8 million). The parliamentary election cost 62.7 million kuna (US$8.36 million). (hina) rml