Prime Minister: Enough time to prepare for EP elections

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said on Friday that six weeks before the elections for the European Parliament (EP) was enough time to motivate citizens and convince them of the importance to go to the polls, saying however he was aware that the turnout would probably be lower than at usual parliamentary elections.

President Josipovic announced earlier on Friday that he had adopted a decision to hold the EP elections on April 14. The PM later held a press conference and commented on objections heard in the public relating to the date of the elections and that there would not be enough time to explain the importance of the election which would probably result in a low turnout.

The PM said he was not afraid that we would not be able to convince citizens of the importance of going to the polls for the EP elections.

He added that the number of people voting at the election would perhaps not be as high as for parliamentary vote or for the referendum on Croatia's EU accession but that there was no indication that the number of voters would be any higher if the EP elections were held at the same time as local elections, he said.

Milanovic pointed out that funds for the elections had been secured and repeated that democracy had a price and election procedures and democratic institutions costed.

(Hina)



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