CROATIAN JOURNALISTS' SOCIETY WRITES OPEN LETTER TO OPPOSITION

ZAGREB, Dec 2 (Hina) - The Croatian Journalists' Society (HND) requested of the ruling Croatian Democratic Party (HDZ) and six opposition parties to reach a consensus on establishing a parliamentary commission of inquiries which would probe cases of possible media abuse by intelligence services. The Society forwarded an open letter with its request to the president of the HDZ, Franjo Tudjman, and leaders of the 'opposition six', the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Liberal Party (LS), Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Istrian Democratic Forum (IDS) and the Croatian People's Party (HNS), ahead of their meeting on Thursday. "Out request for a parliamentary investigation and the establishment of control over intelligence services, sent out at the beginning of the affair, has in the meantime been fortified by the unequivocal admissions of those in authority that the media and reporters were being manipulated, followed and wiretapped," the HND said. In democratic societies a reporter represents the eyes and ears of the public and he/she must not be "intimidated, hindered, followed and wiretapped," as in that case, he/she is no longer the issue, it is the entire public on behalf of which the reporter works," the statement signed by HND president Jagoda Vukusic stressed. (hina) lml jn