ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - The bill on telecommunications is a step forward in relation to the law which currently regulates that sector, however, it will have to be finalised, MPs at the Croatian National Sabor's House of
Representatives said on Thursday. The bill, which the Lower House started debating yesterday, envisages the breaking up of the Croatian Telecommunications' (HT) monopoly over telecommunication services and their liberalisation, in line with conditions set by the World Trade Organisation. Sabor's working bodies and representatives welcomed Croatia's drawing closer to European legislation criteria, however, added the bill would not completely solve the issue of market competition, namely it would have to be postponed until 2003, when HT's monopoly over the immovable network should be broken up. As regards the establishment of an institute for telecommunications, which should be an independent re
ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - The bill on telecommunications is a step
forward in relation to the law which currently regulates that
sector, however, it will have to be finalised, MPs at the Croatian
National Sabor's House of Representatives said on Thursday.
The bill, which the Lower House started debating yesterday,
envisages the breaking up of the Croatian Telecommunications' (HT)
monopoly over telecommunication services and their
liberalisation, in line with conditions set by the World Trade
Organisation.
Sabor's working bodies and representatives welcomed Croatia's
drawing closer to European legislation criteria, however, added
the bill would not completely solve the issue of market
competition, namely it would have to be postponed until 2003, when
HT's monopoly over the immovable network should be broken up.
As regards the establishment of an institute for
telecommunications, which should be an independent regulating body
in the area of telecommunications, parliament committees and MPs
agreed that the issue of its financing has not been regulated, nor
was it clear how it would be independent. The MPs also wanted to know
whether the establishment of such a body was justified.
Andjelko Gabric (Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ) believes the bill
suited Croatian Television (HTV) but put private commercial
television and radio stations in an unfavourable position.
Marin Jurjevic (Social Democratic Party, SDP) also expressed fears
that the bill would enable Croatian Ratio-Television (HRT) to
retain its monopoly over the media market. Solutions presented in
the bill would enable the HRT to choose competition on its own, he
added.
At the beginning of today's session, Petar Zitnik (Croatian
Peasants' Party, HSS) protested because "the Gornji grad (Zagreb's
historical centre where the Parliament and Government buildings
are situated) is cordoned off by the police".
Police have been positioned in all streets leading to St Mark's
Square, where the Government building is situated, due to the
announced protests of workers from the chain of department stores
"Nama" and the footwear factory "Buducnost" from Ludbreg near
Zagreb.
(hina) jn rml