HDZ PRESIDENCY TO DECIDE ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ON DECEMBER 26

ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - At a session of the extended Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Main Committee on December 26, the ruling party will decide on who will be their presidential candidate. The HDZ Presidency has obligated the Main secretariat to draw up rules about the election of the candidate, after which staff will be selected within the HDZ, party vice-president Nikica Valentic said after the session Wednesday night. He refused to answer which candidates the HDZ is considering. The HDZ president will be elected at an extraordinary fifth general assembly of the party. Until then the HDZ will be led by the Presidency according to the current temporary rule book, HDZ secretary-general Drago Krpina said. The temporary rule book was adopted at the 16th session of the HDZ Presidency, during the temporary disability of the president of the party to perform his duties. Valentic said the date of presidential elections had not been set yet, but that the date must correlate with constitutional and legal deadlines. The decision on scheduling presidential elections will be brought by the Government, he said. (hina) lml