OSCE CONCERNED ABOUT TV SHOW ABOUT JUDICIARY

ZAGREB, Feb 5 (Hina) - The possible prosecution of a Croatian Television anchorman over a contentious show which tackled the judiciary in Croatia might have a negative impact on the media and journalists researching corruption, maintains the OSCE representative for freedom of the media, Freimut Duve. The OSCE (Organisation for security and Cooperation in Europe) official forwarded a not to that effect to the Croatian Foreign Ministry yesterday, while Hina received a copy on Tuesday. Duve wrote the note to Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in connection with a polemic surrounding anchorman and author Denis Latin's show Latinica, aired on state television last week, which tackled the judiciary in Croatia. The broadcast elicited stormy reactions, including the intention of the state prosecutor's office to press charges against some participants over their comments on ongoing court proceedings, which the office considers as coercion against judiciary officials. Duve says it would be very unsettling if the state prosecutor's intention to file charges against Latin undermined the considerable headway Croatia has recently made in the field of the media. Such a measure could adversely affect the media and journalists researching corruption, he says. (hina) ha