ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Organisation for Security and Cooperation +in Europe (OSCE) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) +missions to Croatia asserted that by supporting last week's +amendment to the Law on Croatian Radio
Television (HRT), proposed +by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench to the Croatian +National Sabor's (parliament) House of Counties, an excellent +opportunity for the democratic reform of Croatia was missed.+ At a press conference, held on Wednesday, representatives of both +missions expressed their satisfaction about the international +community's decision to participate the donors' conference on the +reconstruction of Croatia.+ The amendment to the Law on HRT contains only a minor number of +references, delivered in the past six months by the Council of +Europe and the OSCE mission to Croatia, said OSCE mission's +spokesman, Mark Thompson.
ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
missions to Croatia asserted that by supporting last week's
amendment to the Law on Croatian Radio Television (HRT), proposed
by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench to the Croatian
National Sabor's (parliament) House of Counties, an excellent
opportunity for the democratic reform of Croatia was missed.
At a press conference, held on Wednesday, representatives of both
missions expressed their satisfaction about the international
community's decision to participate the donors' conference on the
reconstruction of Croatia.
The amendment to the Law on HRT contains only a minor number of
references, delivered in the past six months by the Council of
Europe and the OSCE mission to Croatia, said OSCE mission's
spokesman, Mark Thompson. Thompson posted only minor touch ups to
the Law on HRT, and the Television is to remain under the Croatian
National Sabor's control.
He said that because of the insistence to adopt the law in short
procedure, representatives did not have enough time to become
familiar with the remarks to the HDZ's proposal by the Council of
Europe's media experts.
The HDZ itself asked for the Council's opinion, i.e. Sabor's vice-
president, Vladimir Seks, said Thompson.
The remarks will be delivered to the Croatian Government and Sabor
on Wednesday, and OSCE believes these will be useful during the next
discussion on the media reform, Thompson said.
UNHCR mission to Croatia's spokesman Andrej Mahecic read a section
of the Article 11 Commission (of which the UNHCR is a full member)
statement, to reporters. The statement expresses support to the
reconstruction plan, made by the Croatian Government.
The statement, however reads that the implementation of the
return's programme is irregular, and that it was necessary to
abolish any discrimination which is slowing down the process of
return of refugees and property return.
The statement reads that the Mission is aware of the Croatian Prime
Minister's persuasivness, that the Croatian Government Mission's
assertion, and that he will take necessary steps so the
implementation of the return plan would be more successful. On the
basis of that belief the Commission welcomes the Government's
proposal that the Reconstruction and Development Conference
schedules for December 4 and 5 in Zagreb, said Mahecic.
(hina) it jn/sp