JOURNALISTS' REP REFUSES MEMBERSHIP IN CRO RADIO-TV COUNCIL

ZAGREB, Feb 15 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND), Jagoda Vukusic, on Monday refused membership and participation in the work of the Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) Council. "It will remain so as long as politics stays in the editorial boards of Croatian Television (HTV), which should be a public television. A HND representative will return to the Council once profession has overruled politics," Vukusic told the beginning of the HRT Council constituent session on Monday, which she shortly left. Zlatko Canjuga, president of the Zagreb City Assembly, has been elected president of the HRT Council with 17 votes for and two against. Council members adopted a report on the realisation of Croatian Radio and HTV programme directions in 1998. Also passed was a decision on launching a bid for tenders for the appointment of Croatian Radio and HTV editors-in-chief. Canjuga, a member of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, suggested that parliament, in line with the respective law, appoint a new HND representative in the HRT Council. Apart from HND's Vukusic, the HRT Council has remained without two representatives of a six opposition party group, which refused to suggest its representatives, and without a representative of religious communities. (hina) ha jn