SDP OFFICIAL REJECTS HDZ'S INVITATION FOR TALKS

SIBENIK, May 8 (Hina) - A parliamentary representative of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Antun Vujic, on Saturday rejected a proposal by Vladimir Seks of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for HDZ and Opposition representatives to meet outside of Zagreb next week and try to reach a consensus on a new election law. "The SDP wants to discuss the election law openly and publicly because it has nothing to hide from Croatian citizens", Vujic told a news conference in Sibenik, southern Croatia. "There is no need for a 'Croatian Dayton'", he added. The most sensitive election issue - forms of participation and representation of the Croatian Diaspora in the parliament - is being intentionally misinterpreted, the SDP official said. "The SDP's stand is clear - Croatian emigrants have the right to vote. However, a Diaspora vote cannot count more than a vote of a Croatian citizen", said Ivan Ninic, an SDP representative in the House of Counties. Croats living in Bosnia-Herzegovina are a constituent people, which means that "they cannot use their right to vote in another state", Ninic said, adding this did not mean the SDP did not have a sense of responsibility towards Bosnian Croats. Vujic and Ninic believed there would probably be no consensus on the election law because of the HDZ and its wish to remain in power. (hina) rml