SOCIAL DEMOCRATS ACCUSE HRT OF UNEQUAL COVERAGE OF THEIR RALLIES

ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Social Democratic Party has forwarded a protest letter to the leadership of Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) complaining that the HRT intentionally did not offer objective and correct information on this party's activities. #L# The SDP insists on being given the equal treatment which other political parties enjoy in HRT broadcasts, and asks for objective coverage of its rallies. According to the letter issued on Monday evening, major omissions have so far been made by Croatian Television's flagship news programme (Dnevnik) which, according to the SDP, covers to a larger extent rallies of the Croatian Democratic Union or some other parties than events organised by Social Democrats. The Social Democrats also assert that this is not accidental, and that "a clumsily phrased apology" saying that the HTV has not yet defined criteria for covering political parties' activities simply does not stand. Tuesday's issue of the Jutarnji List daily quotes HRT head Mirko Galic as saying that the content of the programme is exclusively within the jurisdiction of the programme leadership. Galic reiterated that offering objective and unbiased reports is the legal obligation of the institution. The daily says that the HTV information programme's editor has announced a written response to the SDP's protest. (hina) ms