UNOFFICIAL RESULTS OF CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

ZAGREB, Nov 25 - According to the latest unofficial results of Croatia's parliamentary elections, released by the State Electoral Commission at 10.00 hours on Tuesday, Nov. 25, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leads in eight of ten constituencies as it has won 35 percent of vote on national average.

The State Electoral Commission said that it had counted ballots from all polling stations in ten constituencies, and that it was yet to process returns from one polling station in constituency no. 11 for the expatriate community and from several polling stations in constituency no. 12 designed for ethnic minorities.

The HDZ should have 62 seats, and the Social Democrat Party (SDP) and its coalition partners (Istrian Democratic Assembly, Libra, Liberal Party), which are leading in two constituencies, should have 43 seats. SDP has won 23 percent of vote on average.

The Croatian People's Party (HNS) has won 7.4 percent of vote on average and, together with the local party, Primorsko-Goranski Union (PGS) should have 11 seats, while the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) has won 6.57 percent of vote and earned nine seats. The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) has won almost 6 percent of vote or seven seats and with the Zagorje Democratic Party (ZDS) a total of eight.

The Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) will be represented in parliament for the first time, having won three seats.

The coalition of Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and Democratic Centre (DC) has won 5,7 percent of vote and earned three seats.

The party list of Croatian Democratic Peasant Party (HDSS) won one seat.

According to unofficial results from the constituency no. 11, designed for the expatriate community, the HDZ is leading with 57.89 percent of the vote and is expected to win four more seats in Croatian Parliament, or total of 66.

In constituency no. 12, designed for ethnic minorities which elected eight deputies, the Serb minority, which has the right to three deputies, elected Vojislav Stanimirovic and Milorad Pupovac of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) and Milan Djukic of the Serb People's Party (SNS) to represent it in parliament.

The Hungarian minority will be represented by Jene Adam, the Italian minority will be represented by Furio Radin, while the Czech and Slovak minorities will be represented by Zdenka Cuhnil.

Nikola Mak will be the deputy of the Austrian, Bulgarian, German, Polish, Roma, Romanian, Ruthanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vlach and Jewish minorities, while Semso Tankovic will represent the Albanian, Bosniak, Montenegrin, Macedonian and Slovene minorities.

According to the information from the State Electoral Commission, the average national vote turnout was 68.7 percent. In 1999, turnout was 70.77 percent.

Croatian Parliament will have 152 members, eight of them will represent minorities and four Croatian expatriate community. Thus far, Parliament had 151 members, with five representatives of minorities.

There will be 27 female members of the Parliament, or three less than in the Parliament formed in year 1999.

The formation of the next cabinet will formally occur within a 30-day period following the new parliament’s first sitting which is likely to occur in December.