ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Wednesday met the president of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), Anto Djapic, and the president of the HSP bench Boris Kandare, to discuss an election law model. Present at
the talks, which took place following a meeting between Tudjman and the president of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), was also the president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary bench, Vladimir Seks. As regards the problem of voting by Croatian citizens who do not have permanent residence in Croatia, Djapic suggested to Tudjman that the final solution to the new election law should absolutely guarantee the right of those citizens to elect and be elected. Djapic believes that the next move should be made by the parties which support the cancellation of the special Diaspora list. Asked whether the HSP believed that the number of Diaspora representatives was d
ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on
Wednesday met the president of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP),
Anto Djapic, and the president of the HSP bench Boris Kandare, to
discuss an election law model.
Present at the talks, which took place following a meeting between
Tudjman and the president of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS),
was also the president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
parliamentary bench, Vladimir Seks.
As regards the problem of voting by Croatian citizens who do not
have permanent residence in Croatia, Djapic suggested to Tudjman
that the final solution to the new election law should absolutely
guarantee the right of those citizens to elect and be elected.
Djapic believes that the next move should be made by the parties
which support the cancellation of the special Diaspora list.
Asked whether the HSP believed that the number of Diaspora
representatives was disputable, Djapic said a compromise should be
reached on the issue, for the sake of Croatia's relations with the
international community.
"Maybe the number of representatives of Croatian citizens living
abroad should be at least seven and not smaller than the number of
minority representatives", Djapic said.
From the standpoint of the Constitution and laws, the presence of
minority representatives in parliament is very questionable,
Djapic said, adding the compromise must not be detrimental to the
Croat people.
We have supported the proportional election system and proposed a
mail ballot, which exists in Canada and the United States, Djapic
said. The mail ballot would refer to Croatian citizens living
outside of Croatia, and "enable a much larger number of Croats, who
have not been able to vote due to technical reasons so far, to take
part in the elections", he said.
According to Seks, President Tudjman called on all political
parties in Croatia to reach a consensus on the disputable election
law for the sake of stability, Croatia's national and state unity
and neighbouring countries.
"One should reach a compromise, because the Opposition Six has made
a serious concession, which was not noticed", Seks said.
The Opposition Six has made a "Copernican turnabout" and accepted
the interpretation of the Constitution according to which all
Croatian citizens, regardless of whether they have permanent
residence in Croatia or not, have the right to elect and be elected,
Seks said.
As regards representation in parliament, the Diaspora should have
advantage over minority representatives, Seks said.
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