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| Croatia votes amid economic uncertainty | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Croatians are going to the polls in parliamentary elections with the ruling conservative HDZ party beset by corruption scandals and a poor economy. | |
| Opinion polls suggest the centre-left Kukuriku coalition will win enough votes to form a majority in the 151-seat parliament. | Opinion polls suggest the centre-left Kukuriku coalition will win enough votes to form a majority in the 151-seat parliament. |
| The main opposition leader, Zoran Milanovic, has vowed a "budgetary diet" to avoid a credit rating downgrade. | The main opposition leader, Zoran Milanovic, has vowed a "budgetary diet" to avoid a credit rating downgrade. |
| The next government is expected to lead Croatia into the EU in 2013. | The next government is expected to lead Croatia into the EU in 2013. |
| Whoever does form the next government will have to push through a tough budget to avoid a downgrade in Croatia's credit rating, tackle rising unemployment and pursue the anti-corruption fight, says the BBC's Balkans correspondent Mark Lowen. | Whoever does form the next government will have to push through a tough budget to avoid a downgrade in Croatia's credit rating, tackle rising unemployment and pursue the anti-corruption fight, says the BBC's Balkans correspondent Mark Lowen. |
| The opposition Kukuriku alliance, led by the Social Democrats of Mr Milanovic, have promised austerity measures and steps to revive industry and attract foreign investment. | The opposition Kukuriku alliance, led by the Social Democrats of Mr Milanovic, have promised austerity measures and steps to revive industry and attract foreign investment. |
| Current Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has refused to approach the IMF for a loan, but Mr Milanovic says he would not rule it out as a "last resort". | Current Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has refused to approach the IMF for a loan, but Mr Milanovic says he would not rule it out as a "last resort". |
| Opinion polls suggest Kukuriku will win an outright majority in Sunday's election. | Opinion polls suggest Kukuriku will win an outright majority in Sunday's election. |
| The economy is struggling out of recession, with growth in 2011 estimated at 0.5%-1% as the European sovereign debt crisis undermines its recovery. | The economy is struggling out of recession, with growth in 2011 estimated at 0.5%-1% as the European sovereign debt crisis undermines its recovery. |
| Although the HDZ government has instigated an anti-corruption drive that has put party leader and former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in court, a number of other officials have been implicated. | Although the HDZ government has instigated an anti-corruption drive that has put party leader and former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in court, a number of other officials have been implicated. |
| Croatia is due to sign a European Union accession treaty next week that will allow it to formally join in 2013. | Croatia is due to sign a European Union accession treaty next week that will allow it to formally join in 2013. |