HDZ BIH MOOTS ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN IN BOSNIA NOT BE COVERED BY MEDIA

( Editorial: --> 5285 ) MOSTAR, Aug 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) must have an equal and correct approach towards all candidates in the upcoming elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, president of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Ante Jelavic, said in Mostar on Saturday. Jelavic was accompanied by Jadranko Prlic, the party's vice- president and the party's primary candidate for the Bosnian Federation Assembly. Prlic said it was the stance of the party that the HRT should not cover the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, because it was a story only for local television stations. Commenting on Friday's invitation of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to all candidates and representatives of all Croat parties taking part in the elections to a meeting in Zagreb, Jelavic said it proved that the "Croatian President has an equal approach towards all Croat candidates and political parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina, aimed at maintaining Croat sovereignty and equality in Bosnia- Herzegovina". "The (HDZ BiH) Presidency stresses that the right of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina to have available programmes in Croatian is more important that a short-term coverage of the election campaign of the HDZ BiH. Not wishing to be the cause for action by international factors against Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Presidency moots that all Croatian media in Bosnia-Herzegovina, including all those transmitting the central news and 'Motrista' show in Bosnia-Herzegovina refrain from any further coverage of the electoral campaign in Bosnia-Herzegovina," said the HDZ BiH Presidency which held a meeting in Mostar on Saturday. The Media Expert Commission (MEC) which is a part of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) mission, on Thursday sent a request to Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) to urgently change its manner of presenting political parties participating in the September elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The MEC will decide after the elections whether the HRT will be allowed to continue broadcasting in Bosnia. (hina) lml 221737 MET aug 98