ZAGREB, Feb 5 (Hina) - Elections in the Croatian Danubian area would take place simultaneously with elections in other parts of Croatia and the exact date of elections would be announced on 11 February at the latest, Croatian Deputy
Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic said after Wednesday's session of the Coordination for the Peaceful Reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area. The decision about the elections in the Danubian area was within the jurisdiction of the Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein and the Croatian government would make the decision for the rest of Croatia, Kostovic said.
ZAGREB, Feb 5 (Hina) - Elections in the Croatian Danubian area would take
place simultaneously with elections in other parts of Croatia and the exact
date of elections would be announced on 11 February at the latest, Croatian
Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic said after Wednesday's session of the
Coordination for the Peaceful Reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area.
The decision about the elections in the Danubian area was within the
jurisdiction of the Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein and the
Croatian government would make the decision for the rest of Croatia,
Kostovic said. #L#
Croatia would fulfil all technical preconditions for the holding of
the elections, in line with the EU Security Council Presidential Statement,
he said.
When all details about the elections are established, Administration
Minister Davorin Mlakar will hold a press conference, most probably in
Osijek, at which he will announce who can vote and how, the rules of the
election campaign and so on.
As part of preparations for the elections, 57,000 Croatian documents
of all kinds have been issued in the Danubian area.
Indicating the interest for Croatian documents, Kostovic cited the
example of Vukovar, in which 70 persons were protesting against them and 900
were being issued the documents, which was the ratio of those who were
obstructing the reintegration and those who accepted reality, he added.
Members of the Coordination received a report about the technical
preparations for the elections, that is, the measures agreed on with UNTAES,
and about the fulfilment of a proclamation guaranteeing employment to all
persons who had been employed till 30 September 1996 in public companies and
services. The deadline for the reintegration of public companies expires on
28 February.
Members of the Coordination also discussed the current state of
affairs in the Croatian Danubian area and the severing of relations between
Serb and Croatian representatives.
"This is not very concerning because our ministries received orders to
continue with their work and some issues can be resolved with UNTAES,"
Kostovic said.
"The Serbs themselves said that this was temporary, for a few days,
and I think that they are going to hold some kind of assembly session today,
when they will take on new stances," Kostovic said, adding "This cannot
disturb the peaceful reintegration, because the Letters of Intent and other
views clearly state what needs to be done".
Recalling statements about the postponement of elections, Kostovic
stressed that that was the wish of Serbs "extremists and those so-called
cooperative Serbs".
"Even this several-day delay was intended to postpone the elections
and wait for orders from Belgrade about how to behave. They have now
received the orders and now they, at least a part of them, will behave
well," Kostovic said.
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051925 MET feb 97