ZAGREB, Dec 24 (Hina) - Yugoslavia did give its approval for the organisation of voting in all Croatian diplomatic and consular offices on Yugoslav territory, but it missed the deadline and was therefore listed among the countries in
which it is not possible to implement elections for the Croatian National Sabor, officials with the State Electoral Commission and the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb said on Friday. "The Yugoslav Government has given its consent for the voting of Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia in the elections for the Croatian National Sabor, that is, for organising the voting in all Croatian diplomatic and consular offices in Yugoslavia", Vladimir Curguz, charge d'affaires at the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb, told Hina today. The Yugoslav diplomat said he had informed the "Return Home" civil committee of this in a letter today. The Zagreb-based committee, which is representing the interests of
ZAGREB, Dec 24 (Hina) - Yugoslavia did give its approval for the
organisation of voting in all Croatian diplomatic and consular
offices on Yugoslav territory, but it missed the deadline and was
therefore listed among the countries in which it is not possible to
implement elections for the Croatian National Sabor, officials
with the State Electoral Commission and the Yugoslav Embassy in
Zagreb said on Friday.
"The Yugoslav Government has given its consent for the voting of
Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia in the elections for the Croatian
National Sabor, that is, for organising the voting in all Croatian
diplomatic and consular offices in Yugoslavia", Vladimir Curguz,
charge d'affaires at the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb, told Hina
today.
The Yugoslav diplomat said he had informed the "Return Home" civil
committee of this in a letter today. The Zagreb-based committee,
which is representing the interests of Croatian Serb refugees in
Yugoslavia, said they had informed the OSCE Office in Zagreb of the
Yugoslav consent.
The State Electoral Commission confirmed to Hina that Yugoslavia
had not given its consent within the set deadline - Wednesday,
December 22, at midnight.
Therefore, the Commission on Thursday informed Yugoslav
authorities about its additional decision regarding out-of-
country polling stations, listing Yugoslavia among the countries
in which it is not possible to organise elections, and instructing
Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia to vote at the Croatian general
consulate in Pecs, Hungary.
The Yugoslav diplomat did not want to give any details as to when the
Yugoslav consent had been sent, but he said there was a possibility
that the deadline might have been missed. He also added this should
not be the reason for denying Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia the
right to vote.
The civil committee "Return Home" protested timely with Yugoslav
authorities urging them to give their approval for organising the
elections in Croatian diplomatic and consular offices, the head of
the committee's executive body, Albert Kralj, told Hina.
Kralj said the possibility of voting in Pecs was not the best
solution for most domestic and exiled Croatian citizens in
Yugoslavia, except for Vojvodina Croats living near Subotica.
According to Kralj, the return committee favoured the possibility
for Croatian citizens from Yugoslavia to vote at polling stations
in Vukovar, Ilok and Beli Manastir. A total of 80,000 Croatian
citizens in Yugoslavia have the right to vote in the Croatian
elections, he said.
Kralj said he would meet OSCE officials in Zagreb on Monday to
discuss the issue of (non-)participation of Croatian citizens in
Yugoslavia in the elections.
The Association of Refugees in Yugoslavia on Thursday asked the
Yugoslav foreign minister to intervene so that polling stations in
Croatian diplomatic and consular offices in Yugoslavia may be
opened.
(hina) rml