The HNS and IDS presidents, Radimir Cacic and Ivan Jakovcic respectively,and Vesna Pusic, the HNS presidential candidate who failed to make it into thesecond round last Sunday, pledged their support at a meeting at SDPheadquarters in Zagreb.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Josipovic said he had received thesupport of Vesna Pusic and the IDS candidate, Damir Kajin, and of theirparties.

Asked for a comment on the decision by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union(HDZ) not to recommend either candidate to its membership, Josipovic said hecould understand the HDZ's position, but called on all voters, regardless oftheir party affiliation, to vote for him if they supported his "NewJustice" platform.

"Every vote is welcome," Josipovic said when asked if he neededvotes of the HDZ electorate.

Asked if the cooperation between the SDP, the HNS and the IDS meant that thethree parties were planning a coalition for an early parliamentary election,Josipovic said it had nothing to do with a parliamentary election.

Pusic called on voters to cast their ballots for the SDP candidate, sayingthat in that way Croatia would have "a decent, pro-Europeanpresident".

The HSU issued a statement saying it would back Josipovic in the secondround of voting, because "Croatia needs a president who can properly,professionally and morally represent the interests of Croatia and performpresidential duties."

The Green List also called on its voters to support the SDP candidate in theJanuary 10 runoff, saying in a statement that Josipovic gives hope that as apresident he will push for "a balanced and sustainable development ofCroatia on its path to European Union membership" and will encourage afurther crackdown on corruption and organised crime.