Mesić, Kosor Head Into Second Round of Presidential Election

Zagreb, Croatia, January 5, 2005 – Incumbent President Stjepan Mesić and challenger Jadranka Kosor will compete in the second round of Croatian presidential elections, to be held on January 16.

The State Electoral Commission released official results of the first round of voting, according to which President Mesić earned 48.92% of the vote, with Ms. Kosor trailing with 20.3%. The full official results of the first round of voting, held on January 2, are as follows:

1. STJEPAN MESIĆ                                              1.089.273             48,92%

2. JADRANKA KOSOR                                         452.123                20,30%

3. BORIS MIKŠIĆ                                                   396.068                17,79%

4. ĐURĐA ADLEŠIĆ                                             59.790                   2,69%

5. SLAVEN LETICA                                               57.748                   2,59%

6. LJUBO ĆESIĆ                                                    41.21                     1,85%

7. IVIĆ PAŠALIĆ                                                     40.635                   1,82%

8. ANTO KOVAČEVIĆ                                          19.143                    0,86%

9. MIROSLAV BLAŽEVIĆ                                     17.847                    0,80%

10. MIROSLAV RAJH                                            14.766                    0,66%

11. DORIS KOŠTA                                                 8.270                      0,37%

12. MLADEN KEŠER                                            7.056                      0,32%

13.TOMISLAV PETRAK                                        2.614                      0,12%

Because no candidate earned more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off will be held, as is determined by the Republic of Croatia’s election law.

According to the Constitution, a president is elected to no more than two consecutive five-year terms. In a parliamentary system, as is the case in Croatia, the President of the Republic is the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, who acts as official representative of the Republic at home and abroad.