UNTAES ISSUES STATEMENT ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN DANUBE REGION

ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - The UN Transitional Administration (UNTAES) in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Sunday's presidential elections were held "in safe, secure and free conditions" and that "not a single act of violence or intimidation occurred" in the region under its control. UNTAES deployed 105 observers to assist OSCE monitors in overseeing the election process at 146 polling stations in the region. Croatian and international journalists were given access to the region, the statement said. UNTAES underscored that "the local population had once again demonstrated their civic and political maturity by participating in the elections and by casting their votes to elect the presidential candidate of their choice." However, UNTAES estimated that the Croatian Administration Ministry had failed to fulfil its obligations and update the voter lists so that "a large percentage of the local population could not verify their names on the voters' list prior to election day." "Voters' lists were not accurately updated since the local elections on 13 April, despite repeated assurances of the Ministry of Administration. "The Ministry gave written assurances to UNTAES that 7,580 eligible voters identified during the April 1997 elections had been added to the lists and that an additional 16,357 persons who had received Croatian citizenship documents from 12 April till 6 June would also be on the lists. "However, the final voters' lists contained several thousand names less than on the lists adjusted during the April elections," the statement said. For that reason, UNTAES estimated that 10 per cent of voters who came to the polling stations before noon "were unable to vote and thus were in effect disenfranchised." UNTAES expressed deep disappointment over the Croatian government's failure to fulfil its obligations. (hina) vm 172019 MET jun 97