JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION PROTESTS OVER INCIDENT IN ZNJAN

( Editorial: --> 5939 ) ZAGREB, Oct 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) on Monday sent Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa a protest over the behaviour of police towards journalists who had covered the Pope's visit to Split. The HND asked Matesa to find those responsible for the "unacceptable oversights" by the Croatian Interior Ministry in the organisation of security during Pope John Paul II's visit to Split, because of which journalists were unable to do their work. "The HND does not undervalue the importance which your Government gave to the security of Pope John Paul II, but we believe that the public should know who was responsible for the oversights committed at its cost," the HND statement said. On Sunday morning police prevented a group of 100 domestic and foreign journalists from entering the fenced part of the shore of Znjan bay where the mass was being held. When they saw the popemobile arriving to Znjan, the journalists moved the barriers and, after a minor clash with the police, they entered the area where the service was to be held in order to do their job. Later about 50 Croatian and foreign journalists, with passes to cover the Pope's visit to Split, demanded Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic's resignation. The police showed "incredible rigidity" towards journalists and media representatives, the demand said. On Sunday night the Interior Ministry released a statement which said that those journalists had arrived late to the event and were only held back until the popemobile had passed by, after which they were allowed to enter the area where the mass was being held. The Ministry said the police showed maximum tolerance towards the journalists. Yesterday's protest by 50 domestic and foreign journalists was joined on Monday by the HND's Journalists Group of Court Reporters, and Association of Croatian Photo-Journalists president Fedja Klaric, who claimed that the police in their actions had prevented photographers from doing their work not only at Znjan but also before the St Domnius Cathedral in Split. (Hina) mbr jn 051727 MET oct 98