GOTOVAC: HDZ HAS NOT INVITED "OPPOSITION SIX" TO DISCUSS SITUATION IN PARLIAMENT

PARLIAMENT ZAGREB, Nov 23 (Hina) - The current spokesman for the Croatian Opposition bloc (consisting of six opposition parties), Vlado Gotovac, said on Monday that the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was stepping up pressures against the media, especially the press, as part of its preparations for the pre-election campaign. "We have discovered that reporters' phones had been systematically tapped and that reporters had also been exposed to other forms of pressure, such as threats to lose their jobs", Gotovac said. Condemning those pressures, Gotovac said that the "Opposition six" supported those media which tried to inform the Croatian public in full freedom and give a critical comment on the Croatian political reality. Answering a journalist's question, Gotovac said he had not been officially invited by the HDZ to discuss the situation in the parliament and the election law. Asked whether there would be any changes in the "Opposition six" if Vido Bogdanovic replaced Zlatko Tomcic as the new president of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Gotovac said the bloc did not interfere with the inter-party questions, adding however, that he had no doubts as regards the HSS's credibility as a partner. (hina) mm rml ab