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Doc. 8658
7 March 2000
Ad hoc Committee to observe the presidential elections in Croatia (24 January and 7 February 2000)
Report
Bureau of the Assembly
Rapporteur: Mr Takis Hadjidemetriou, Cyprus, Socialist Group
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Croatia joined the Council of Europe on 6 November 1996. The 2000 presidential elections were the third since the country gained independence in 1991, the first presidential elections being held in August 1992 and the second ones in June 1997. The most recent elections in the country were the parliamentary elections of January 2000.
2. A monitoring procedure of Croatia's honouring of obligations and commitments accepted on admission to the Council is still in progress.
3. Early January 2000, the President of the Croatian Parliament and acting Head of State, Mr Vlatko Pavletic, informed the President of the Parliamentary Assembly that presidential elections would be held on 24 January 2000 and that, if no candidate reached an absolute majority in the first election round, a second round should be held two weeks later.
4. At its meeting on 10 January 2000, the Bureau of the Assembly decided to set up an Ad Hoc Committee to observe the presidential elections.
5. Based on proposals from the political groups, the following Ad Hoc Committee was set up:
European Democratic Group:
Mr Daniel Goulet (France) - Chairman (elected as such by the Ad Hoc Committee);
Socialist Group:
Mr Takis Hadjidemetriou (Cyprus) - Rapporteur (appointed as such by the Ad Hoc Committee);
Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group:
Mr Jelko Kacin (Slovenia).
6. Mr Bogdan Torcătoriu provided secretarial services for the Ad Hoc Committee.
7. Preparations for the election-observing assignment were made in close cooperation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Croatian parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The Ad Hoc Committee cannot but thank both for the most efficient and unfailing cooperation.
8. The Ad Hoc Committee met the Ambassador of Italy to Zagreb, Mr. Fabio Piglia Poco (Ireland, the current holder of the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, having no embassy in Zagreb), as well as the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission to Zagreb, led by Mr Nikolai Vulchanov.
II. THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD
9. On 10 December 1999, President Franjo Tudjman died, after more than one month of hospitalisation. After the Constitutional Court ruled on Mr Tudjman's "temporary incapacitation" on 26 November, Mr Vlatko Pavletić, the President of the Parliament, was proclaimed acting President of Croatia.
10. During the parliamentary elections held on 3 January 2000, the electorate voted decisively in favour of the former opposition. The Ad Hoc Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly to observe the parliamentary elections considered that progress had been marked towards meeting Croatia's commitments as a member of the Council of Europe. The elections took place within a new legislative framework that remedied some concerns expressed by the international community after previous elections in Croatia.
11. Nine party-nominated and independent candidates competed for presidency:
1. Mr Drazen BUDISA, Social Democratic Party, Croatian Social Liberal Party (SDP, HSLS);
2. Mr Mate GRANIC, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ);
3. Mr Stjepan MESIC, Croatian People’s Party, Croatian Peasant Party, Liberal Party, Istrian Democratic Diet (HNS, HSS, LS, IDS);
4. Mr Anto DAPIC, Croatian Party of Rights (HSP);
5. Mr Ante LEDIC, independent;
6. Mr Slaven LETICA, independent;
7. Mr Tomislav MERCEP, Croatian Popular Party (HPS);
8. Mr Ante PRKACIN, New Croatia (NH);
9. Mr Zvonimir SEPAROVIC, independent.
III. VOTING
12. The official number of voters who voted on 24 January was 2 677 561, for a 4 251 109 registered voters (62,98% voter turnout). The ballot was organised in 7038 polling places. The results of the first round of elections are shown in annex 1.
13. On the day of the first round the Ad Hoc Committee divided into three to visit polling stations in Zagreb and outlying regions. No major irregularities have been observed by any member at the polling stations.
14. The Ad Hoc Committee of the PACE and OSCE/ODIHR held a joint press conference the next day. A joint statement, including the main findings and conclusions of the observation, and a PACE press release were issued (annexes 2 and 3).
15. As a result of the first round, the two candidates receiving most of the votes were Mr Stjepan Mesic (41,11%) and Mr Drazen Budisa (27,71%). The second round, which took place on 7 February 2000, was won by Mr Stjepan Mesic, with 56,01% of the votes (Mr Drazen Budisa won 43,99% of the votes). The voter turnout was 60,88%.
16. The Ad Hoc Committee did not observe but the first round of the elections. As for the second round, the OSCE/ODIHR statement is appended (annex 4).
IV. CONCLUSIONS
17. The presidential elections of 24 January and 7 February 2000 in Croatia, as it was the case with the parliamentary elections, marked further progress in fulfilling the country's commitments as a member of the Council of Europe.
18. Throughout the elections the people wanted to pass on a firm message for the need of further democratisation of the country, something they hoped would materialise through the newly elected President who, according to them, should be someone that would respect and at the same time promote all democratic principles and values.
19. However, in order to ensure further improvements in the future electoral processes, the Ad Hoc Committee calls on the Croatian authorities to take measures to eliminate concerns that still exist, as:
- on the Law on Citizenship granting ethnic Croats born abroad and having no permanent residence in Croatia the right to Croatian citizenship and the right to vote;
- on the fact that a large number of refugees in neighbouring countries, mostly members of the Serb minority of Croatia, remain effectively unable to assert their citizenship and therefore exercise their right to vote;
- on the risk of discrimination and intimidation associated with the ethnic identification on voter lists.
Annex 1
Complete official results of the election of the President of the Republic of Croatia
Total REPUBLIC OF CROATIA |
Data collected on 25.01.2000 at 4.16 pm | |
Number of polling stations |
7 038 |
|
Number of processed polling stations |
7 038 |
100 % |
Number of voters |
4 251 109 |
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Number of voters who voted (according to ballots) |
2 677 561 |
62,98 % |
Number of valid ballots |
2 664 339 |
99,51 % |
Number of invalid ballots |
13 212 |
0,49 % |
Candidates |
Number of votes |
Percentage |
1. Stjepan Mesić HNS |
1 100 671 |
41,11 % |
2. Dražen Budiša HSLS, SDP |
741 837 |
27,71 % |
3. Dr Mate Granić HDZ |
601 588 |
22,47 % |
4. Slaven Letica Neovisni kandidat |
110 782 |
4,14 % |
5. Anto Dapić HSP |
49 288 |
1,84 % |
6. dipl. Ing. Ante Ledić Neovisni kandidat |
22 875 |
0,85 % |
7. Tomislav Merčep HPS |
22 672 |
0,85 % |
8. Ante Prkačin NH |
7 401 |
0,28 % |
9. Dr Zvonimir Šeparović Neovisni kandidat |
7 235 |
0,27 % |
Data processing – GRADSKI ZAVOD ZA AUTOMATSKU OBRADU PODATAKA GRADA ZAGREBA
Annex 2
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ELECTION of the PRESIDENT 24 January 2000 REPUBLIC OF CROATIA |
INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
PRESS RELEASE
STATEMENT OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
Zagreb, 25 January 2000 – The 24 January 2000 election of the President of the Republic of Croatia marked further progress in fulfilling the country’s commitments as a participating State of the OSCE and as a member of the Council of Europe.
Nine party nominated and independent candidates were able to register and compete effectively for the presidency. Their campaigns, which included unrestricted meetings with the electorate, were dynamic. Party proxies and domestic as well as international observers were able to monitor the work of election commissions. The State Election Commission was able to remedy some deficiencies of the legislative framework for the presidential election (adopted in 1992) by implementing relevant regulatory improvements from the parliamentary elections and decisions of the Constitutional Court.
In a marked contrast to previous elections, the State broadcaster HRT was noticeably more balanced, in general, providing neutral and objective coverage of candidates’ campaign activities. Within the legally mandated free air-time, candidates enjoyed equal conditions and were able to convey their message to the electorate. However, a domestic non-governmental organization, GLAS 2000 Coalition, established to provide voter education, engaged in a partisan political campaign partly through paid advertisements.
On election day, the 63% turnout indicated continuing voter confidence in the electoral process. Some 4,000 non-partisan domestic observers were able to monitor polling day procedures. In general, polling and vote-count procedures were conducted in a calm and orderly manner, and voters were able to express their political will freely. However, some irregularities were observed, including lack of privacy for voters, in particular in some of the war-affected areas.
The polling in Bosnia and Herzegovina was marred by irregularities, again raising concerns about the integrity of the process there. Polling in Novi Travnik, Mostar, Capljina, Livno, and Siroki Brijeg was flawed. Multiple voting and failure to use ultraviolet ink to prevent such voting, secrecy of voting, failure to verify identification documents, and inadequate checking of voter registers were noted by observers. Polling commissions in some precincts failed to perform their duties in a neutral and professional manner.
Despite the progress noted, important concerns continue to fundamentally impede Croatia’s democratic development. These concerns include: (1) the Law on Citizenship granting ethnic Croats born abroad and having no permanent residence in Croatia the right to Croatian citizenship and the right to vote; (2) a large number of refugees in neighboring countries, mostly members of the Serb minority of Croatia, remain effectively unable to assert their citizenship and therefore exercise their right to vote; and (3) the risk of discrimination and intimidation associated with the ethnic identification on voter lists was retained for this election, though it was irrelevant.
Other important concerns relate to the effective participation of political parties in the work of election commissions, the accuracy and transparency of voter registers, and the vague procedural provisions of the election law. Gaps in the election law for the identification of voters without a permanent residence in Croatia and the authorities’ reluctance to release reliable information on their numbers raise further concerns. In addition, the segregation of internally displaced voters between two categories and the disproportionate number of polling stations provided to each category, in effect, discriminated between voters of Croat and Serb ethnicity.
The OSCE and the Council of Europe will monitor the follow-up to the above concerns, and stand ready to continue the dialogue with the Parliament, the Government and other authorities of Croatia with a view to addressing these concerns.
The International Election Observation Mission wishes to express appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office for Cooperation with the OSCE, the State Election Commission, and the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia for their assistance and cooperation during the course of the observation.
The International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) is a joint effort of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov heads the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission. Senator Daniel Goulet leads the Parliamentary Assembly delegation of the Council of Europe.
The OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission was established in mid-November 1999 in Zagreb for the parliamentary election and continued for the presidential elections from 10 January 2000, covering the 21 counties throughout Croatia. Their observation includes the pre-election preparations and the election campaign. The European Institute for the Media undertook a long-term media monitoring. On election day, the IEOM deployed more than 300 short-term observers, including parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from three political groups. Observers visited more than 1,000 polling stations out of the 7,000 across Croatia and all 24 polling stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For further information, please contact:
• Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR EOM in Zagreb (+385.1.483.6186);
• Ms. Elsa Fenet, OSCE/ODIHR Election Advisor in Warsaw (+48.22.520.0600);
• Mr. Bogdan Torcatoriu, Council of Europe in Strasbourg (+33.388.41.32.82).
Annex 3
Press release
Croatian presidential elections - 24 January 2000
STRASBOURG, 27 January 2000: - COUNCIL OF EUROPE Parliamentary Assembly observers said : "These presidential elections confirm the maturity and the motivation of the people of Croatia, already expressed during the parliamentary elections. Croats' political will to live in a democracy has been proven once again. They are sending a strong message, without any ambiguity, both to their leaders and to the international community. Since now, Croatia will have huge responsibilities and becomes a strong anchor for the Stability Pact. "
A delegation from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), led by Daniel Goulet (France, EDG), observed the presidential elections in Croatia, on 24 January.
The PACE delegation made observations in Zagreb and outlying regions. It shared its observations and agreed a joint statement as part of the International Election Observation Mission, together with the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
It considered that the election of the President of the Republic of Croatia marked further progress in fulfilling the country's commitments as a member of the Council of Europe and as a participant State of the OSCE.
In general, polling and vote-count procedures were conducted in a calm and orderly manner and voters were able to express their political will freely. However, some irregularities were observed, in particular in some of the war-affected areas.
Concerns still exist:
on the Law on citizenship granting ethnic Croats born abroad and having no permanent residence in Croatia the right to Croatian citizenship and the right to vote,
on the fact that a large number of refugees in neighbouring countries, mostly members of the Serb minority of Croatia, remain effectively unable to assert their citizenship and therefore exercise their right to vote, and
on the risk of discrimination and intimidation associated with ethnic identification on voters lists.
Press Contact
Christiane Dennemeyer, Council of Europe Press Service
Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 63 - Fax. +33 3 88 41 27 89
E-mail: [email protected]
Annex 4
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ELECTION of the PRESIDENT 24 January and 7 February 2000 REPUBLIC OF CROATIA |
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INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
PRESS RELEASE
STATEMENT OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
Second Round of Presidential Elections
Zagreb, 8 February 2000 – The 7 February 2000 second round election of the President of the Republic of Croatia confirmed the progress in fulfilling the country’s commitments as a participating State of the OSCE.
The two candidates who received the highest number of votes during the first round of voting on 24 January 2000 were able to compete effectively for the presidency. Their campaigns, carried out mainly through the media, continued to be dynamic. Proxies, predominantly of the two competing candidates and non-partisan domestic as well as international observers were able to monitor the work of election commissions. Seven non-partisan domestic NGOs were accredited to observe the work of voting committees, and it is highly encouraging that one of those, GONG, was able to deploy a large number of observers for a third time in one month.
The State Election Commission addressed some problems observed during the parliamentary and first round presidential polls. In particular, the SEC replaced all members of some 18 voting committees in Bosnia and Herzegovina where voting was marred by serious irregularities during the parliamentary and first round presidential polls, and conducted training for the newly appointed members.
As during the campaign for the first round on 24 January, the State broadcaster HRT provided generally neutral, balanced and objective coverage of candidates’ campaign activities. Both candidates enjoyed equal conditions and were able to convey their message to the electorate.
In Croatia, generally, polling and vote-count procedures were again conducted in a calm and orderly manner, and voters were able to express their political will freely. The voting committees carried out their duties professionally and generally according to the prescribed procedures. However, irregularities were observed in some polling stations, including lack of adequate equipment to ensure privacy for voters and safely sealed ballot boxes. Additionally, some polling station premises remained unsuitable. These irregularities resulted mainly from vague instructions issued by the supervising authority.
Polling in Bosnia and Herzegovina improved, mainly due to the action taken by the State Election Commission and the efforts of the members of the committees. However some polling stations were crowded and some irregularities were observed. These included a lack of rigour and consistency in applying and checking for ultraviolet ink, checking voter identities and voter lists. Overall the vote count was adequate but some committees failed to follow the prescribed procedures.
Despite the progress noted, the International Election Observation Mission remains concerned with the following issues that fundamentally impede Croatia’s democratic development: (1) the Law on Citizenship granting ethnic Croats born abroad and having no permanent residence in Croatia the right to Croatian citizenship and the right to vote; (2) a large number of refugees in neighboring countries, mostly members of the Serb minority of Croatia, remain effectively unable to assert their citizenship and therefore exercise their right to vote; and (3) the risk of discrimination and intimidation arising from the identification of voters’ ethnicity on voter lists which was retained for this election, though it was irrelevant.
Other signifficant concerns relate to certain lack of uniformity of the electoral process, the non-participation of political parties in the work of election commissions, the accuracy and transparency of voter registers, particularly for voters without permanent residence in Croatia, and the vague procedural provisions of the election law. Gaps in the election law for the identification of voters without a permanent residence in Croatia and the authorities’ reluctance to release reliable information on their numbers raise further concerns. In addition, the segregation of internally displaced voters between two categories and the disproportionate number of polling stations provided to each category, in effect, discriminated between voters of Croat and Serb ethnicity. Although political parties have received individual polling station results from the State Election Commission for the parliamentary elections, efforts should be made to provide these in a more timely manner for all precincts and for the three elections held during the past month.
The OSCE will monitor the follow-up to the above concerns, and stands ready to continue the dialogue with the Parliament, the Government and other authorities of Croatia with a view to addressing these concerns.
The International Election Observation Mission wishes to express appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office for Cooperation with the OSCE, the State Election Commission, and the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia for their assistance and cooperation during the course of the observation.
Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov heads the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR).
The OSCE/ODIHR IEOM was established in mid-November 1999 in Zagreb for the parliamentary election and continued for the presidential elections from 10 January 2000, covering the 21 counties throughout Croatia. The observation included the pre-election preparations and the election campaign, as well as polling and counting procedures. The European Institute for the Media undertook a long-term media monitoring. On election day the IEOM deployed more than 200 short-term observers, who visited more than 1,200 polling stations out of the 7,000 across Croatia and all 24 polling stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For further information, please contact:
• Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR EOM in Zagreb (+385.1.483.6186);
• Ms. Elsa Fenet, OSCE/ODIHR Election Advisor in Warsaw (+48.22.520.0600).
