CROATIAN PAPERS TO CONTINUE BEING PUBLISHED

ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - Croatian publishers will probably be able to continue publishing newspapers, as their distribution company "Tisak" will be financially rehabilitated by banks. Unable to pay regularly for sold press, Tisak, which distributes some 75 percent of all daily and other printed media in Croatia, brought Croatia's press in a difficult financial situation. The media are unable to pay their debts to printers who announced they would stop printing newspapers and magazines. Representatives of publishers and the Tisak company held talks with Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa on Wednesday regarding the issue. According to the president of the Europa Press Holding management board, Ninoslav Pavic, "Vecernji list" daily director Branko Lovric, "Nacional" weekly director Ivo Pukanic and "Vjesnik" daily director Ivan Bozicevic, Matesa gave assurances that Croatian banks would rehabilitate Tisak, which will solve the publishers' problems. Privredna Banka, Zagrebacka Banka, Splitska Banka, Dalmatinska Banka, Rijecka Banka and Dubrovacka Banka will thus become major stock holders in the distribution company, while its owner, Miroslav Kutle, will be left with a minority stock, the publishers said. A French distribution company, "Hashett", has offered to invest into Tisak and become a minority share holder. (hina) lml