CRO PRESS PUBLISHERS HOLD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT'S CHIEF-OF-STAFF

ZAGREB, 25 Jan (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman's Chief- of-Staff Ivica Kostovic and presidential advisor on political affairs Vesna Skare Ozbolt on Monday met representatives of Croatian press publishers regarding the case of the company "Tisak" and its debt to the publishers. According to a statement from the President's office, the meeting expressed support for the model the Government proposed with the aim of solving the problem. Kostovic and Skare Ozbolt expressed support for the publishers' proposals since distributing press is of extreme importance for the functioning of the whole society, the statement read. The meeting emphasised that the problem must be solved with participation of all interested banks involved in the operation of "Tisak". The meeting also expressed conviction that a favourable and speedy solution would be found in talks between the Government and bank representatives. The extensive indebtedness of the leading Croatian press distributor to the publishers has threatened the further publishing of the majority of Croatian papers and magazines. Since publishers believe that the rehabilitation of "Tisak" is a far better solution than its bankruptcy, representatives of all interested companies and banks have agreed that the best solution to the problem would be for the banks which are "Tisak's" major creditors to become its majority owners. An agreement in principle, according to which Hrvatska Postanska Banka and Privredna Banka Zagreb will take over about 80 per cent of "Tisak's" shares, was reached at the end of last week. If other banks-creditors agree to the proposed solution, "Tisak" would be able to return its debt to the publishers very soon. This would enable the publishers to settle their debt to the printing offices. (hina) jn rml