HND REQUESTS EVALUATION OF CONSTITUTIONALITY OF PENAL CODE CHANGES

CHANGES $ ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) adopted a resolution on May 10 condemning recent events that threatened freedom of the media in Croatia, the Croatian Journalists' Society (HND) told a press conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. The resolution related to changes in Croatian criminal legislation which affected the media, the police interrogation of a "Nacional" journalist, legal action against editors and journalists of "Nacional" and "Feral Tribune" weeklies, the government's financial pressure on "Novi List" daily and "la voce del popolo" dailies, temporary closure of "Panorama" weekly, and a threat of closing Zagreb-based Radio 101, said HND president Jagoda Vukusic, who had taken part in the EFJ meeting in Cyprus. The EFJ resolution called on the President and Government of Croatia to observe international standards of democracy, human rights and freedom of the press. HND had drafted a media bill and its lobby would try to push it through Parliament as an alternative to a bill drawn up by the Justice Ministry, Vukusic said. HND filed a request to the Constitutional Court to assess the constitutionality of recent changes to the Penal Code under which state attorneys are obliged to protect the honour and reputation of the five highest state officials as part of their duty. HND said that those changes were in violation of Constitutional provisions guaranteeing the equality of citizens before the law and freedom of expression and banning censorship. HND also demanded the evaluation of constitutionality of changes to the Basic Penal Code which provide for penalties for publication of state and military secrets. (hina) vm jn 151819 MET may 96