Polling stations opened across Croatia at 7 a.m. Sunday in the presidential runoff in which 3,860,000 eligible voters are choosing between incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, supported by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, the candidate of the opposition Social Democrats (SDP).

Election silence went into force at midnight on Friday and ends at 7 p.m. today when polling stations close.

As in the first round of the vote on December 22, there are 6,533 polling stations, of which 6,409 in Croatia and 124 in 47 foreign countries, including 44 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Polling stations in Eastern Australia opened first, at 9 p.m. on Saturday Croatian time, while those in Los Angeles will be the last to open, at 4 p.m. on Sunday Croatian time.

A record 24,333 observers will oversee the runoff of Croatia's seventh presidential election, including over 14,000 from the HDZ and nearly 9,000 from the SDP.

The State Electoral Commission will release the first results at 8 p.m. today.

Eleven candidates ran in the first round, with Milanovic winning 29.6 perecent of the vote and Grabar-Kitarovic 26.4 perecent. The turnout 14 days ago was 51.19 perecent