He was speaking at his election headquarters shortly after midnight, afterthe State Electoral Commission released the preliminary results of Sunday'spresidential election, according to which he will compete against the SocialDemocratic Party's Ivo Josipovic in the January 10 run-off.

"Croatia needs a determined and capable president who won't beinfluenced by any party and who won't be a party pawn remote-controlled by (SDPpresident) Zoran Milanovic," said Bandic, who was expelled from the SDPafter deciding to run in the presidential race, although Josipovic won the SDPprimaries.

Croatia needs an independent and brave candidate from real life, from thepeople, and not from an abstract party laboratory, he added.

Bandic also claimed that Josipovic was "a product of the SDP's innerleadership".

"When Milanovic didn't dare to run for president, he pushed IvoJosipovic into the wringer. Croatia doesn't need such a president," hesaid.

Bandic went on to say that over the last decade, as the mayor of Zagreb, hehad shown that he knew, would and could as well as that he had a vision inrunning the capital which he said he would apply to the entire Croatia.

He thanked his election team for their hard campaign work so far, sayingthat hard work for January 10 would begin as early as tomorrow, "for a newCroatia and a new president".

Bandic also thanked all those who voted for him and those who would do so inthe run-off.

Josipovic came first and Bandic second in the first round of the elections.