ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman on Wednesday talked with the leader of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Zlatko Tomcic, and the head of the HSS parliamentary bench, Luka Trconic, on the election model.
Present at the talks was Vladimir Seks, the head of the parliamentary bench of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). After the talks, Tomcic told reporters he had wanted to get confirmation whether the HDZ was ready to talk about the reduction of the number of deputies who would represent the Diaspora. We again discussed the number of six or seven MPs, but it has not been technically defined how they may be elected, Tomcic added. Seks confirmed that President Tudjman agreed on the reduction of the number of the Diaspora's deputies to six or seven in the Sabor House of Representatives and that the number of them should be similar to the number of deputies of national minorities. Conce
ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman on
Wednesday talked with the leader of the Croatian Peasants' Party
(HSS), Zlatko Tomcic, and the head of the HSS parliamentary bench,
Luka Trconic, on the election model.
Present at the talks was Vladimir Seks, the head of the
parliamentary bench of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ).
After the talks, Tomcic told reporters he had wanted to get
confirmation whether the HDZ was ready to talk about the reduction
of the number of deputies who would represent the Diaspora. We again
discussed the number of six or seven MPs, but it has not been
technically defined how they may be elected, Tomcic added.
Seks confirmed that President Tudjman agreed on the reduction of
the number of the Diaspora's deputies to six or seven in the Sabor
House of Representatives and that the number of them should be
similar to the number of deputies of national minorities.
Concerning the way of electing the Diaspora representatives to the
parliament, Tomcic said he had his proposal in line with
suggestions given on Monday by leaders of the Croatian Social and
Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Drazen
Budisa and Ivica Racan respectively. According to the proposal,
there would be no particular list of candidates for the Diaspora,
but its representatives should be elected from parties' lists just
as other candidates for MPs.
"I have not received the concrete response whether the HDZ
advocates the stand that there should be a special list for the
Diaspora or Diaspora candidates should be included into parties'
election lists. It is obvious an issue on which there will be more
talks," Tomcic said.
Asked whether the number of constituencies was mentioned, the HSS
leader answered that he had clearly told Tudjman that his party did
not insist on any specific solution but would be co-operative in
negotiations on seeking the best solution on the number of
electoral units.
The HDZ official Seks added that during today's talks President
Tudjman was acquainted with proposals for a new election model.
As regards speculation which have appeared in some media and the
political public that firm and precise agreement has been reached
with Racan and Budisa (leaders of the SDP and HSLS opposition
parties), according to which a new election law would provide for
one constituency in Croatia, I declare it is not true," Seks
stressed.
President Tudjman was acquainted with the proposal and told me, as I
am the head of the HDZ parliamentary bench, to consider it at talks
with representatives of other opposition parties, Seks explained.
A possibility still exists of the proportion representation with
several constituencies, Seks said.
The way of proposing and electing representatives of the Diaspora
is still open. Clear and precise agreement has not been reached on
this issue either, Seks added.
(hina) jn ms