UNITED STATES RELAYS CROATIA COMMENTS AND CRITICISMS

WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Government knows very well which steps the United States have to take unless its cooperation with the International Criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) quickly and significantly progresses, US Ambassador to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), David Johnson, said on Friday. Johnson's speech before the OSCE permanent committee in Vienna focused on the upcoming elections in Croatia. They provide a unique opportunity for us to support Croatia's further transition into a democratic state, he said. He expressed concern that no agreement has as yet been reached about the electoral law and electoral units. Another problem is also the right to vote for persons living outside of Croatia and the constant state control over the media, Johnson said. Scheduling elections during Christmas holidays would be a clear sign of an effort to discourage voting and control. The elections can be described as free and fair only if foreign and Croatian observers are enabled to access voting stations and supervise the counting of votes, he said. He warned that a motion of a draft law on elections mooted by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) did not clarify why the representation of the Serb minority was being decreased in the Parliament. Johnson called on the Croatian Government to make possible for all citizens, notwithstanding their ethnic background, equal right to vote. (hina) lml