MOSLEM DEPUTIES ALTER ACT ON FEDERAL RADIO AND TELEVISION

SARAJEVO, July 1 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of Bosnia- Herzegovina's Croat-Moslem Federation on Thursday adopted an act on the federal radio and television by a close majority vote and despite opposition of Croat deputies, as the adopted text considerably deviated from the act previously agreed upon by the Forum of Federation and greeted by federal authorities. During the Sarajevo session, most of MPs voted for the adoption of a great number of amendments to the draft bill, although the Office of the High Representative insisted on the passage of the original text. One of the amendments provides for the Federal Television to be actually a subtenant of the current RTV BiH from which it would rent facilities and equipment. The former proposal said the current Radio Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTV BiH) should lease necessary offices to the federal television for six months and get compensation from a part of the federal television subscribers' fees. The head of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia (HDZ BiH) bench, Mato Franjcevic, said the adopted amendments had essentially changed the draft bill and deviated from previously reached agreement between top Croat and Moslem officials in the Bosnian Federation. The law must be passed by the federal the House of Nations in the identical form as the one adopted by the lower house, in order to come into effect. But the text with these amendments is not likely to be endorsed by the upper house. The House of the international High Representative already warned that all attempts to alter the act agreed upon by the Forum of the Federation would be regarded as attempts of obstruction. The High Representative has authority to impose any law he considers important and on which parties in Bosnia cannot agree. (hina) ms