FORUM 21 MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY

ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - In one year of its work, Forum 21 has managed to prove that democratic dialogue is possible, even though the new law on Croatian Radio Television (HTV) has not solved problems plaguing HTV and is only a small step in further attempts to transform the state television into a public one, Forum 21 President Damir Matkovic said on Tuesday. Matkovic said this at tonight's ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Croatian association of journalists. The association also presented two awards - the "Gold Megaphone" award went to academician Ivan Supek for his consistent support to the ideas promoted by Forum 21, while the "Tin Scissors" award went to Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) main secretary Drago Krpina for his "staunch opposition" to those ideas. Forum 21 will continue to support the adoption of a solid law on telecommunications which would secure the process of transformation of HTV into a public television to continue, Matkovic said. The first anniversary of Forum 21 was celebrated in Zagreb's Journalists' House in the presence of numerous guests and fellow journalists. (hina) rml