HDZ BIH INVITES CALLS FOR REFERENDUM BEFORE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER

SARAJEVO, Oct 18 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia- Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) intends to organise a general referendum, before the elections scheduled for November 11, among the Bosnian Croat population to express their opinion what kind of a country they would wish to live in, party officials reported Wednesday. At a press conference held in Sarajevo, vice president of the HDZ BiH Marko Tokic said that a formal decision on the holding of the referendum should be passed by the general parliament of Bosnian Croats. The HDZ is trying to organise a session of the parliament between October 24 and 28. The HDZ also wishes that the referendum be held between November 4 and 8. According to Tokic, this would be an opportunity for Croats to voice their opinion on the way they would realise and protect their equality and sovereignty in Bosnia-Herzegovina which is a must after the change of a regulation of the way of electing representatives to the houses of people of the state parliament and the parliament of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Tokic said consultations on the issue with other Croat parties and institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina are in the progress. With an exception of the Croatian party of Rights of Bosnia- Herzegovina, which regularly supports acts of the HDZ BiH, no other Croat party in Bosnia-Herzegovina showed understanding for the HDZ BiH initiative. (hina) it jn