ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - In its airing the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) does not allow any additional party campaigning and is strictly applying rules adopted by the Parliament, the Commission for supervising the implementation
of the rules of conduct of the HRT during electoral campaign said in a statement Wednesday night. The HRT thus replied to Wednesday's statements made by the spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Croatia, Peter Palmer, which could lead to the conclusion, the statement said, "that the Croatian television (HTV) is, during these days of official electoral capmaign, indicating bias in reporting and that it is reporting in opposition to the Regulations about the HRT's Conduct during the electoral campaign which was adopted by the Croatian National Parliament". The HRT added that it has an obligation to react, taking into account the fact that it had
ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - In its airing the Croatian Radio and
Television (HRT) does not allow any additional party campaigning
and is strictly applying rules adopted by the Parliament, the
Commission for supervising the implementation of the rules of
conduct of the HRT during electoral campaign said in a statement
Wednesday night.
The HRT thus replied to Wednesday's statements made by the
spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) in Croatia, Peter Palmer, which could lead to the
conclusion, the statement said, "that the Croatian television
(HTV) is, during these days of official electoral capmaign,
indicating bias in reporting and that it is reporting in opposition
to the Regulations about the HRT's Conduct during the electoral
campaign which was adopted by the Croatian National Parliament".
The HRT added that it has an obligation to react, taking into
account the fact that it had so far not received one relevant
complaint from political parties participating in the campaign.
Although the rules clearly define the role of public officials in
the campaign, the HTV in the electoral capmaign cannot and must not
neglect its informative function, informing the public about
relevant events from domestic politics, but not allowing for any
party to receive additional advertising on its news programmes, the
statement said.
"Due to such programme policy and rules it is obligated to follow,
for example on the central news programme on December 16 there were
no individual events in which state officials were participants and
who could be taken for having a campaigning function (as was Prime
Minister Matesa's presence at the opening of the Rijeka oil
refinery plant or the handing out of keys to 48 flats to Homeland War
soldiers by Vice-Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak).
The same criteria were used by the HVT at the opening of a telephone
switchboard in Vinkovci by Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, and in the same news
programme, the news that Vladimir Seks had opened a new sports
gymnasium in Osijek had not been aired.
Out of the same reasons the HTV removed from its programme Zeljka
Ogresta's talk show with guest Mate Granic," the statement said.
"Taking into consideration all the invested efforts and changes in
the programme which were recognised by the OSCE, the Croatian
Helsinki Committee and other organisations supervising HTV's
broadcasts, we cannot help but feel that Palmer's tone today was in
contrast to the tone of talks so far, and can be interpreted as
political pressure in the middle of the electoral campaign," the
HRT said.
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