ZAGREB, July 5 (Hina) - Negotiations between the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party and the "Opposition Six" will continue on Wednesday, July 7, with a meeting of an inter-party working group for drawing up changes to the
Law on Croatian Radio Television (HRT). This decision was adopted at three-hour talks held on Monday behind closed doors between HDZ's negotiator Vladimir Seks and the July coordinator of the "Opposition Six", Drazen Budisa. Both officials said today's talks represented progress in reaching a final agreement on the election legislation. They said the meeting had helped clear some misunderstandings and interpretations of regulations from the May agreement between the HDZ and the Opposition Six. The two sides also agreed that the laws on elections, constituencies and changes to the Law on HRT should be adopted on the same day. They agreed that the amended Law on HRT should go into force
ZAGREB, July 5 (Hina) - Negotiations between the ruling Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) party and the "Opposition Six" will continue
on Wednesday, July 7, with a meeting of an inter-party working group
for drawing up changes to the Law on Croatian Radio Television
(HRT).
This decision was adopted at three-hour talks held on Monday behind
closed doors between HDZ's negotiator Vladimir Seks and the July
coordinator of the "Opposition Six", Drazen Budisa.
Both officials said today's talks represented progress in reaching
a final agreement on the election legislation. They said the
meeting had helped clear some misunderstandings and
interpretations of regulations from the May agreement between the
HDZ and the Opposition Six.
The two sides also agreed that the laws on elections,
constituencies and changes to the Law on HRT should be adopted on
the same day. They agreed that the amended Law on HRT should go into
force four days after its adoption and be applied within 30 days
after its going into force. Seks said this decision was aimed at
securing the application of the amended law before the elections.
Seks and Budisa agreed that the single election threshold at the
upcoming elections should be five per cent and that each of the ten
constituencies have an equal number of candidates. Agreement was
also reached on the principle of determining constituencies,
namely, that municipal and town borders be respected, except for
the City of Zagreb, because of the large number of voters.
Budisa today presented several Opposition suggestions, about which
Seks is to give a statement later. As regards the non-fixed quota,
the Opposition suggests that it be calculated on the basis of the
state average of all nine electoral units. The Opposition does not
agree with the postal vote.
To enable inspection into voters' lists, the Opposition suggests
that every citizen eligible to vote be notified and enabled to check
voters' lists. According to Budisa, in that way voters would be able
to react timely in case there are mistakes in the lists.
Budisa added this method had already been used in Croatia, it was
not expensive and secured the credibility of the lists.
The Opposition also expected Seks to give a statement on the
election date, Budisa said, reminding that Seks was requested to
give his statement in early December at the latest.
Once the election date is determined, it will be clear until when
the election law has to be adopted and whether and when an
extraordinary parliament session will be called, said Budisa,
recalling a previous agreement that the election law should be
adopted at least four months before the elections.
(hina) rml