At this election, Croatian citizens will elect MEPs who will represent their interests in the European Union. It is the right that all EU citizens enjoy. The Croatian Parliament on 22 February unanimously amended the law on the election of Croatian members of the European Parliament under which these direct elections will be held before Croatia’s accession to the European Union, scheduled for July 1, 2013. On 1 March, the Croatian President published the decision that Croatian citizens will vote for their deputies to the European Parliament on 14 April. The relevant legislation also introduces open slates for the first time in Croatia’s election practice, which means that apart from voting for the slate of their favourite party, voters can also circle the candidate they deem to be the best choice as a Croatian MEP. After next year’s EU wide European Parliament elections, the number of croatian MEPs will have be reduced to 11 under the decisions of the Lisbon Treaty. Croatia currently has 12 observers in the European Parliament, who were appointed by the Croatian Parliament in March last year, according to the representativeness of political parties in the national parliament.

 

Source and more information on the website of the EU Delegation to Croatia