SDP MOST SUCCESSFUL IN ZAGREB CITY ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has won the most seats in the Zagreb City Assembly, 15 out of a total of 50, the Zagreb City Electoral Commission reported on Monday according to complete data for Sunday's elections. The SDP is followed by the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) with ten seats, the Croatian People's Party (HNS) with nine, the Social Democratic Action of Croatia/Liberal Party (ASH/LS) coalition with six, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) with five, the Democratic Centre (DC) with three, and the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) with two seats. The list of candidates of the SDP/Croatian Pensioners' Party coalition has won 20.98 percent of the vote, the HNS list 19 percent, the HSLS list 14.81 percent, the ASH/LS coalition list 12.55 percent, the HDZ list 11.60 percent, and the DC list 6.77 percent of the vote. The parties making the Zagreb Alternative, namely the six parties which prior to yesterday's elections were the Opposition in the Zagreb City Assembly, won in all 12 electoral units. Representatives of eight of a total of 28 parties which ran at the elections will enter the City Assembly. According to data from all 625 polling stations, 232,226 out of a total of 688,996 eligible voters cast their ballot. Commenting on the poor electoral turnout, 33.7 percent, the government's commissioner for the City of Zagreb, Josip Kregar, said there were several reasons, the most important according to him the voters' jadedness with the frequency of elections, four in five months. A lame pre-electoral campaign and the early closing of polling stations, at seven p.m., also contributed to the poor electoral turnout, Kregar said. He added there had been no complains about irregularities in the elections. The deadline for filing complaints is 48 hours. (hina) ha mm