OPPOSITION DEMANDS THAT LAW ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS BE FORWARDED TO THIRD READING

ZAGREB, June 25 (Hina) - The Croatian National Sabor's House of Representatives on Friday discussed a final bill on telecommunications. A motion by the Head Committee for Maritime, Transport and Communications, according to which, the bill is to be forwarded to the third reading, was endorsed by the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Liberal Party (LS), and the Istrian Democratic Forum (IDF) / the Croatian People's Party (HNS). The MPs stressed it was necessary to request the Agency for the Protection of Market Competition to give its opinion, due to a possible monopoly, granted to Croatian Radio Television (HRT) over other radio and television stations by the law. Representatives of the HSLS, the SDP, the LS, and the IDF / the HNS believe that the law privileged the position of Croatian Television (HTV), because HTV has a possibility to broadcast commercials and to collect the subscriber fee, which makes it a better competitor than other television stations. The four parties of the Croatian Opposition believe that the new law on telecommunications should provide equal rights and obligations to all television and radio stations. (hina) it jn