13 SEATS FOR HDZ; 27 FOR OPPOSITION IN DUBROVNIK COUNTY ASSEMBLY

( Editorial: --> 7773 ) DUBROVNIK, Oct 12 (Hina) - According to the first official but incomplete results of a local election in Dubrovnik-Neretva County held on Sunday, the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 13 seats in the county assembly, followed by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) and the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) with ten seats each, the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) with three, and the Independent List and the Liberal Party (LS) with two seats each. The election was scheduled in the wake of the county assembly's dissolution in line with an inter-party agreement. The county electoral commission reported that the turnout was 61.72 per cent. The assembly has 40 councillors, including 30 elected by proportionate system from the parties' lists of candidates, and ten elected by majority system in electoral units. A total of 12 parties' lists of candidates and 44 candidates in electoral units took part in the election. According to the Croatian Law on Local Government and Self- Government, the constitution deadline for the county assembly's new composition is 60 days after the electoral results are issued. (hina) ha jn 121724 MET oct 98