ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) - Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Director Ivica Vrkic on Tuesday sent a letter to US Ambassador William Montgomery saying he was unpleasantly surprised at the way Montgomery described to the media a meeting
between HRT officials and a monitoring group, which took place on June 25. At the meeting, European Union ambassadors and the US Ambassador protested with the HRT director against the difference in the amount of time dedicated to individual party events, objecting to the unequal treatment of more important political parties in relation to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). In today's letter Vrkic said one could conclude from Montgomery's statements in the weekly "Globus" of July 2 and the daily "Jutarnji list" of July 3, 1999, that he (Vrkic) had not even tried to answer to those objections presented at the meeting in question. For the sake of the public, I have the obligation to descri
ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) - Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Director
Ivica Vrkic on Tuesday sent a letter to US Ambassador William
Montgomery saying he was unpleasantly surprised at the way
Montgomery described to the media a meeting between HRT officials
and a monitoring group, which took place on June 25.
At the meeting, European Union ambassadors and the US Ambassador
protested with the HRT director against the difference in the
amount of time dedicated to individual party events, objecting to
the unequal treatment of more important political parties in
relation to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
In today's letter Vrkic said one could conclude from Montgomery's
statements in the weekly "Globus" of July 2 and the daily "Jutarnji
list" of July 3, 1999, that he (Vrkic) had not even tried to answer
to those objections presented at the meeting in question. For the
sake of the public, I have the obligation to describe the course of
the meeting, Vrkic said.
Answering to Montgomery's objection regarding the unequal coverage
of gatherings of the HDZ and the Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS), marking the 10th anniversary of the two parties, Vrkic said
it was not possible to request the same coverage because one of the
parties had been re-elected several times in the past ten years,
whereas the other one had considerable oscillations in the
elections.
Vrkic said he nevertheless accepted the objection regarding the
unequal coverage of the HDZ, even with the reason as presented at
the meeting. However, the HDZ coverage "could in no way be identical
to that of the HSLS because the HDZ is still the ruling party and as
such generates more events of which it is necessary to inform the
public", Vrkic said.
Vrkic also stated at the meeting that he was convinced "that the
mandate resulting from election results would be used by the HSLS in
very much the same way as it is being used by the HDZ, and that it is
simply a matter of creating a process of objective information,
which cannot be achieved overnight".
It is in this light that "one should also consider the published
interview with President Tudjman, which is considered by most
viewers as the creator of Croatia, its first president and the
person who was the crucial figure in the establishment of the new
Croatia, and his appearance in the public is always followed with
great interest".
Twenty-four per cent of all viewers watched parts of the interview.
Also, "Jutarnji list" ran the interview with Tudjman, as head of the
state, in two parts.
Commenting on Montgomery's objection that no opinions of
Opposition politicians could be heard following the interview with
Tudjman, Vrkic said that "Opposition politicians always have the
opportunity to express their views in HTV shows (U krupom planu,
Press klub, Motrista etc), which is an opportunity the President
does not use".
The HRT director also remarked that one could conclude from
Montgomery's statement that there was no progress or changes on
Croatian Radio Television, which was in opposition even to the
findings of the monitoring group, as well as of other objective
observers.
(hina) jn rml