ZUBAK WARNS OF ATTEMPTS TO STIFLE MEDIA IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ( Editorial: --> 2758 )

( Editorial: --> 2758 ) SARAJEVO, 21 Nov (Hina)- The Croat member of the Bosnian Presidency Kresimir Zubak on Friday asked the High Representative for the implementation of the Dayton agreement, Carlos Westendorp, and his deputies, Jacques Klein and Hans Schumacher, for their comment on the situation in electronic media in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in particular on the right of the Croat people to information in their mother tongue. In a letter sent to the highest representatives of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zubak recalled that the intolerable situation in the electronic media had been already brought to the attention of the international community several times. Although Bosnia-Herzegovina had adopted the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages, which guaranteed the right to information in their mother tongue to all citizens of every state signatory to the Charter, the Muslim-Bosniak authorities were doing everything to prevent, hamper and prohibit the broadcasting of the small number of local Croat TV stations, as well as of Croatian Television programs, the letter said. The aim is clear - to prevent Croats from receiving information in their mother tongue as well as to prevent non-Croat viewers of HTV programs from receiving highly compromising information about the Muslim-Bosniak authorities, Zubak said. Zubak also stressed the recent forcible prevention of broadcasting of HTV programs in the areas of Tuzla and Zenica. He requested the Office of the High Representative to finally take a stand on this problem, asking whether the Office was able to secure the implementation of the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages. (hina) rm 211709 MET nov 97