CROATIA IS IN PERIOD OF WAITING - OSCE

ZAGREB, Jan 13 (Hina) - Croatia is in "a period of waiting" for significant progress to be possible on key issues of our work," spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Mark Thompson, told a regular news conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. "There are times when one feels this real will for movement in the country, and times when one doesn't. This is one of those times when we don't feel it," Thompson said. He added that the OSCE was waiting for the "waiting period" to pass and for significant progress to be felt in the process of return of refugees and displaced persons. The overall situation in the Danube region remains calm and stable, Thompson said. The number of housing related incidents continues to fall, he added. Speaking about electronic media in the Danubian area, he recalled that four local radio stations were active with temporary permits which should have been valid until the end of last year, until a tender for permanent licenses was opened. The Croatian maritime Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Ministry "assured us that the stations would be able to keep working as they were until the end of the tender process. Permissions would be prolongs and no preconditions were mentioned in early November," Thompson said. In mid-November the tender was announced. However, the radio stations received letters from the Ministry, "demanding substantial fees for extending their temporary licenses for a further half year," the first payment of which was due a week after the letter was sent," he stressed. Croatian authorities should show more understanding for the "tiny stations in a deprived region". "The key word in this story is trust," Thompson stressed, adding that the trust between the authorities and the individual should be reciprocal. (hina) lml