Apart from Croatia, 12 Croatian representatives to the European Parliament will be elected on Sunday, June 9, in 40 countries, at 98 polling stations and at two polling stations in peace operations, and the number of countries and places is smaller compared to the European elections before five years, but also on the recent parliamentary ones.
Five years ago, Croatian representatives to the European Parliament could be elected in 46 countries, at 119 polling stations, and in April of this year, parliamentarians could be elected in 41 countries at 110 polling stations.
Based on the information received, the proposal was accepted that polling stations in Albania and Romania are not designated for the June elections, and that a polling station be designated in Lithuania, in the Croatian embassy in Vilnius, stated the State Election Commission (DIP), which designates polling stations in abroad.
It does this in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, taking into account the assessments received from them on the possibility of organizing these positions in individual diplomatic and consular missions.
At the principle level, when determining polling stations abroad, for example, the security situation in the receiving country, ensuring the minimum conditions for the appointment and work of polling committees, the possibility of ensuring the secrecy of voting, etc., are taken into account, explains the SEC.
There are 37 polling stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, six fewer than in the parliamentary elections
The most polling stations, 37, were determined in Bosnia and Herzegovina, six less than in the parliamentary elections - one less each in Sarajevo, Livno and Orašje, and three less polling stations in Mostar.
In Germany, one less polling station was designated in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart, for a total of eight, two each in Munich and Stuttgart and one each in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.
Four polling stations each were designated in the USA (Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago) and Australia (Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth).
The polling stations for the European elections will be the first to open and the last to close in these countries. Voting begins on Saturday, June 8 with the opening of polling stations in Australia at 23 p.m. our time, and ends on Monday, June 10 at 4 a.m., with the closing of the last polling station in Los Angeles.
On election Sunday, three polling stations will open each in Serbia (one in Belgrade and two in Subotica) and Italy (in Rome and in Trieste and Milan), and two each in Montenegro (in Podgorica and Kotor), in Austria ( both in Vienna), in Hungary (in Budapest and Pécs), Switzerland (Bern and Zurich) and in Canada (in Ottawa and Mississauga).
In all other countries, Croatian voters will be able to vote in one place, and these countries are Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Republic of South Africa, Qatar, China, Kosovo, Netherlands , Norway, Poland, Portugal, RS Macedonia, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Great Britain.
12 candidates for 300 places
In contrast to the parliamentary elections, in which representatives were elected in 12 constituencies, in the European elections, the whole of Croatia and the rest of the world form one constituency. While voting takes place in parliamentary elections abroad for two days, voting takes place in European elections for only one day.
In the June elections, 25 lists with 300 candidates will compete for the favor of the voters, which means that there are 25 candidates for one parliamentary seat.
The voter votes by circling the ordinal number in front of only one of the proposed lists, and on the chosen one he can also circle the ordinal number in front of the name and surname of the candidate he wants to see in the European Parliament, that is, give him a preferential vote.
Croatian MEPs can also be elected by citizens of another EU member state with residence or residency in Croatia. The condition was that by May 9, they would request to be registered in the Croatian Register of Voters.
The elections in June will be the fourth European elections for Croatia. The first were held on April 14, 2013, before the official entry into the EU, on July 1 of that year. At that time, 12 representatives were elected, and their mandate lasted only one year, because the following year, in 2014, regular European elections were held. The last European elections were held in May 2019.
Source: Hina
Photos: Pexels
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