CROATIAN GOVERNMENT DROPS CURRENT MASS MEDIA BILL

ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - The Croatian Government dropped the current Mass Media Bill and decided to start the elaboration of a new bill which would entirely regulate the issue of freedom of mass media, it was concluded today at the meeting of Coordination for Interior Politics of the Croatian Government, presided by Deputy Premier Vladimir Seks. The new bill would be made following the acts in the democratic European countries and the principles established by the conventions of the Council of Europe. At the meeting, at which editors-in-chief of the Croatian media were also present, Deputy Premier Seks suggested that the new act be called Freedom of Mass Media Act, as a similar act in France is called. Apart from all the competent and interested persons in Croatia, experts from the Council of Europe will also be invited to participate in the elaboration of the bill. The Act will depart from the principles of the European convention on the rights of man (Council of Europe), adopted by the Croatian Parliament, and also from other international documents in that sphere. It was concluded that the discussion on the new act be fully open to the public. (end) j-jt 041602 MET nov 93