MESIC: MEDIA SHOULD INFORM, NOT INDOCTRINATE

LJUBLJANA, May 10 (Hina) - The media should inform and not indoctrinate, which is what they often did in collusion with politics in the past decade, with a few honourable exceptions, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in a speech at a congress of the International Press Institute in Ljubljana on Friday. #L# The Croatian president participated in a round table discussion called "A Vision of the Balkans", which was also attended by Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic and Bosnian Presidency member Zivko Radisic. Commenting on the role of the media, Mesic said they had to free themselves from the deadly grip of politics and eliminate inflammatory language which often dominated their reports. A very important element in the stabilisation of all former Yugoslav countries is the need to face the truth, whatever it may be, and individualise guilt, Mesic said. Former Yugoslav states need help and not tutorship in developing democracy as they all have their history, culture and tradition, he said. (hina) rml sb