ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) expects Croatia's State Electoral Commission to instruct the foreign ministry as early as today to arrange the opening of more than six polling stations in
Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) for upcoming elections in Croatia, top party officials said on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Independent Democratic Serb Party
(SDSS) expects Croatia's State Electoral Commission to instruct
the foreign ministry as early as today to arrange the opening of
more than six polling stations in Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) for
upcoming elections in Croatia, top party officials said on
Thursday. #L#
SDSS president Vojislav Stanimirovic and vice president Milorad
Pupovac told reporters they had asked Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula to reconsider his stance and request more polling stations
for Croatian Serb refugees and emigrants residing in SCG. They
added the SCG government had understanding for this request.
"In the contrary, Minister Picula would directly influence the
fairness of elections," said Pupovac.
Stanimirovic stressed the SDSS thought it unacceptable that the
Croatian foreign ministry had decided to open only six polling
stations in SCG -- two in Belgrade, two in Kotor, and two in
Subotica.
The party asks that the ministry ensure 12 polling stations in SCG
or at least open them also in Novi Sad, Sombor, Zrenjanin, and
Sremska Mitrovica.
Stanimirovic recalled that there would be 30 polling stations in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, saying this was discriminating against
Croatian Serb refugees and emigrants in SCG, especially because the
polling stations were as much as 100 km from their places of
residence.
(hina) ha sb