MOSTAR TELEVISION EDITOR RESIGNS

MOSTAR, Aug 21 (Hina) - The editor-in-chief of Bosnian Croat-run Mostar television, Veselko Cerkez, resigned on Thursday, the television said. Cerkez announced his resignation in a short letter to Stipe Maric, head of the union of the Croat-dominated districts of Mostar, Mile Puljic, president of the municipal committee of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, and Ante Kristo, director of Mostar television. Cerkez thanked the three officials for their "support and understanding", without citing the reasons for his resignation. Late last week, the election appeals subcommittee of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission decided to take off three Mostar HDZ candidates from a list of candidates for elections over "the inflammatory language" of Mostar television. The OSCE accused the Mostar branch of the HDZ of "financing Croatian Television Mostar, a local television disseminating the political ideas of the HDZ." (hina) vm 212205 MET aug 97