MOSTAR, Oct 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) has refused a recent decision of the Provisional Election Commission, which in the opinion of this party, brings Bosnian Croat into an unequal
position, HDZ leaders told news conference in Mostar on Friday. The party's president Ante Jelavic said the Commission's decision meant that Bosniaks (Moslems) in six cantons with a Moslem majority could thus exert crucial influence on the election of 19 or 20 Croat deputies of all 30 Croat MPs in the Federation's House of Nations, complaining that on the other hand, Croats could not impact the election of Bosniak representatives. The party's presidency on Thursday night held an extraordinary session and threatened to boycott the vote in case the disputable rule was not changed. The HDZ BiH will perhaps call on Croats in
MOSTAR, Oct 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-
Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) has refused a recent decision of the
Provisional Election Commission, which in the opinion of this
party, brings Bosnian Croat into an unequal position, HDZ leaders
told news conference in Mostar on Friday.
The party's president Ante Jelavic said the Commission's decision
meant that Bosniaks (Moslems) in six cantons with a Moslem majority
could thus exert crucial influence on the election of 19 or 20 Croat
deputies of all 30 Croat MPs in the Federation's House of Nations,
complaining that on the other hand, Croats could not impact the
election of Bosniak representatives.
The party's presidency on Thursday night held an extraordinary
session and threatened to boycott the vote in case the disputable
rule was not changed.
The HDZ BiH will perhaps call on Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina not to
participate in the general election, and will perhaps organise a
referendum for them to express their stands on their position in
case the Provisional Commission fails to alter the decision,
Jelavic added.
"This is the gross violation of the Constitution of the Bosnian
Federation (the Croat-Moslem entity) which stipulates that Croat
representatives in the federal parliament's House of Nations
should be elected by the Croatian benches of deputies in cantonal
assemblies, while Bosniak are elected by the Bosniak benches in
cantonal assemblies," Jelavic asserted.
Jelavic believes this is a part of the dirty electoral fraud and of a
broad scenario for the political elimination of the HDZ BiH, as well
as for the de-constitution of the Croat people in Bosnia.
He described the Commission's decision as also an attack against
the constituent Bosniak people since in three Croat-populated
cantons, where according to the 1991 census 25,000 Bosniaks lived,
they could not elect any of their representatives for the
aforementioned House.
According to Jelavic, it is also not logical that Croats, whom there
were only 80 in the current Gorazde canton under the 1991 census,
can now elect their one representative in the federal parliament's
House of Nations.
(hina) jn ms