TALKS REGARDING ELECTION LAW NEXT WEEK

ZAGREB, June 3 (Hina) - The ruling Croatian Democratic Union's chief negotiator Vladimir Seks and the coordinator of the opposition six, Radimir Cacic agreed that a meeting be held next Wednesday to discuss a draft version of an election bill. Seks forwarded the draft version to the opposition six on Tuesday. Seks will hold a meeting on Monday with other parliamentary opposition parties and representatives of national minorities. Seks Thursday commented on criticisms made by the opposition six to the offered election model. Seks firstly commented on the proposal that the number of representatives elected from Croatian citizens who do not have residency in Croatia, should be determined on an average at the state level and not electoral units where the lowest number of voters turned up to elections. Seks said that this would violate the constitutional principle of equal rights to votes and would mean an under representation of citizens who do not have residency in Croatia. "This is the reason we why we opted for the solution that the we base our measurement on the unit with the lowest number of electors", he said. Seks also reflected upon demands that the number of representatives to be elected in each electoral unit in Croatia, be increased. The HDZ draft notes 12. The HDZ and opposition did not discuss this matter, Seks said. "We left this for later,. This number was suggested as a possibility however, this is still to be discussed", he said. Related to comments that the election threshold of five per cent was not appropriate in those electoral units where the number of MP's would be 12, Seks said that not all the opposition six members themselves had the same opinion on this issue. "I'm, not sure whether their current coordinator is speaking on behalf of the opposition six or on behalf of his own party", said Seks. He reminded that despite the fact that opposition party benches had signed an agreement with the HDZ, individual party officials in some parties (Croatian People's Party - HNS and the Liberal Party - LS), had expressed their disagreement to the signing. Reflecting upon comments that related to the number of representatives for national minorities, Seks reminded that the agreement between the HDZ and the opposition had only made note of two viewpoints. The opposition six is steadfast with its proposal of the election law while the HDZ has based its solutions on recommendations by the expert working groups, which requires at least five representatives - the HDZ proposal states five. In response to statements made by the president of the Serb National Council (SNV) Milorad Pupovac that during talks with President Tudjman he was given a promise that the Serb minority would not be given less rights in the proposed election law than it already enjoys, Seks said, "the President of the Republic did not make any such promise to SNV representatives". Seks reminded that he too was present at that meeting. Commenting on a statement by Pupovac that the Serb minority would demand an unfixed quota, Seks said that "they can demand this however, this will never be allowed". Speaking about regulations for Croatian Radio Televisions election advertisements, Seks said, "I would like the opposition six to come up with set of draft regulations which we could consider including, however, they have not offered any suggestions". Seks reported that a draft bill on the law on electoral units was being worked upon intensively. "I would like suggestions from the opposition six on this matter, even though I do not expect them to do so, as this requires intensive efforts", concluded Seks. sp/jn