OPPOSITION'S JOINT BILL ON ELECTIONS IN PARLIAMENT THIS WEEK

( Editorial: --> 2080 ) ZAGREB, Sept 21 (Hina) - The Croatian opposition will this week forward into parliamentary procedure a joint bill on elections which envisages multi-party election control, but not a special list for Croatian immigrants. "Tomorrow we will withdraw two (separate) bills from parliamentary procedure, and forward a joint one in two to three days", Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic told reporters in the break of a closed Monday session which gathered the presidents of six opposition parties. "We still have to work on some minor details", he said. Earlier this summer, two separate bills on elections were forwarded into parliamentary procedure, one by the Social Democratic Party and the Croatian Social Liberal Party, and another by the Porec Group, which gathers the Liberal Party, the Croatian People's Party and the Istrian Democratic Party. The opposition is of the opinion that a joint bill on elections could alleviate disagreements. If the ruling Croatian Democratic Union okays the opposition's bill, there would be no more diaspora electoral lists, which have been contested by the international community in the past. In order to vote, Croatian immigrants should report their legal place of residence in Croatia. In the contrary, they would have to notify relevant bodies 15 days prior to the elections and vote in a Croatian Embassy. The opposition has suggested that elections for the House of Representatives be held according to a mixed system. Two thirds of representatives from state lists would be elected in line with a proportionate electoral system, while one third would be elected through a majority system in electoral units. In case a candidate failed to receive 25 per cent of the vote, the elections would have to be repeated. Elections for the House of Counties would be scheduled according to a two-round majority system. In order to become a parliamentary representative, a candidate should receive more than 50 per cent of vote. Croatia would be divided into 63 electoral units, and three representatives would be elected per county. The electoral threshold would be five per cent for all parties and coalitions. During the pre-electoral campaign, the parties and the coalitions would have only one hour of paid presentation time on the state television. Presentation would run one minute at the longest. As for pre-electoral campaign coverage in other media, the opposition plans to draw a special law. (hina) ha 212259 MET sep 98