HDZ PRESIDENCY SUGGESTS JANUARY 3 AS DATE OF ELECTIONS

ZAGREB, Nov 26 (Hina) - The Presidency of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) at Friday's session unanimously decided to suggest to acting President and president of the Croatian National Parliament Vlatko Pavletic that parliamentary elections be held on January 3, 2000. #L# "In discussing the issue, the HDZ Presidency took into consideration the expressed views of the Catholic Church and the Croatian Bishops' Conference who held that elections should not be held between Christmas and New Year's," HDZ secretary-general Drago Krpina told reporters after the session Friday night. The Presidency also unanimously adopted a decision according to which the HDZ would in no way carry out an electoral campaign on Christmas Eve, Christmas or Saint Stephen, December 24, 25 and 26, nor on New Year's Eve, December 31. Krpina refused to say when Pavletic, who on Friday assumed the duties of President of the Republic during his temporary disability to perform his functions, would set a date of elections, but stressed the decision was now in the hands of the Parliament president. Stressing that this recommendation by the HDZ Presidency was on a path to a compromise solution, Krpina said he saw no reason for any more time to be wasted on talks (with the Opposition Six alliance) surrounding the issue, because, "in a way, it has been harmonised". He said "a consensus has obviously not been reached" directly on the date of elections, but it has been reached indirectly because the Opposition had requested that the elections be held in January of next year. The HDZ presidency at the session did not discuss the date of a session of the HDZ Head Committee. In reply to a question why the President's doctors' consultation had not issued a statement concerning his state of health on Friday, HDZ vice-president Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, said a statement from Thursday was still in power, that is, that there was no change in the President's health condition. (hina) lml