CRO TELEVISION REJECTS OSCE OBJECTIONS TO COVERAGE OF ELECTION CAM PAIGN

PAIGN ZAGREB, 1 July (Hina) - At its session held in Zagreb Tuesday, the Croatian Radio and Television (HTV) Board rejected objections by the observers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) saying that during the recent presidential campaign, the opposition candidates Vlado Gotovac and Zdravko Tomac had not received the same treatment in television program as the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) candidate, Franjo Tudjman. #L# HTV information program editor-in-chief Obrad Kosovac and Croatian Radio editor-in-chief Ivanka Lucev said that the OSCE statements were incorrect, and added that Croatian television and radio 'covered all activities of the presidential candidates in a fair manner and in line with their own regulations'. Commenting on a statement that Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) candidate Franjo Tudjman had been given a disproportionate amount of time to that his opponents had received, Kosovac said that television had not covered only the campaign but also the President's everyday activities. "No one can hold it against us that we covered important events such as the visit by Madeleine Albright, the military parade at Jarun or 'The Peace Train for Vukovar," Kosovac said. HRT General Director Ivica Mudrinic announced more elaborate minorities' programs for autumn. (hina) rm mm 011823 MET jul 97