ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - Negotiations between the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and six parties of the Croatian Opposition on a new electoral model will continue within the next several days. In the meantime the Opposition Six
should give its opinion on a HDZ draft model according to which Croatian citizens without the permanent residence in Croatia would exercise the right to vote and the right to be elected. This matter, which is practically the only contentious issue, was discussed by representatives of the ruling party and the Opposition Six, namely the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), the Croatian People's Party (HNS), the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), the Liberal Party (LS), and the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), on Monday, during the third round of negotiations. According to the president of the HDZ parliamentary bench, Vladimir
ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - Negotiations between the ruling Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) and six parties of the Croatian Opposition
on a new electoral model will continue within the next several
days.
In the meantime the Opposition Six should give its opinion on a HDZ
draft model according to which Croatian citizens without the
permanent residence in Croatia would exercise the right to vote and
the right to be elected.
This matter, which is practically the only contentious issue, was
discussed by representatives of the ruling party and the Opposition
Six, namely the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Croatian Social
Liberal Party (HSLS), the Croatian People's Party (HNS), the
Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), the Liberal Party (LS), and the
Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), on Monday, during the third
round of negotiations.
According to the president of the HDZ parliamentary bench, Vladimir
Seks, the HDZ preferred an expert working group electoral model
according to which Croatia would be divided into several electoral
units, and have a proportional representation electoral system.
Seks offered two models on voting of the Croatian Diaspora.
According to the first model, political parties and citizens would
propose their candidates for "Diaspora's spots". Those candidates
would be listed on a separate ballot. The number of candidates from
the Diaspora would be regulated by a law, namely six or seven.
The motion is only a modification of proposals made by the ruling
party so far, and of the existing "separate ballot", coordinator of
the Opposition Six Luka Trconic said.
Trconic assessed the division of the right to vote for Croatian
residents and the Croatian Diaspora as absolutely unacceptable
The second model Seks presented is a system of unfixed quota, in
which the number of mandates of candidates from the Diaspora would
be established depending on the number of voters.
This motion, proposed by professor Mirjana Kasapovic, a member of
the group of experts who worked on the new electoral legislature,
would be considered when other issues were solved, Trconic said.
He proposed a several-day-long recess. During that time, Trconic
would acquaint presidents of parties with models, and the
Opposition Six would manifest its opinion by the end of the week.
Seks agreed and, unlike Trconic, was convinced that an agreement
would be reached.
(hina) it jn/ms