ZAGREB CONFERENCE ON FREE PRESS

ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - The conference on "The Legal Frameworks of Freedom of the Press; European Standards on Freedom of the Press, Privatization of Publishing and Distribution" commenced today in Zagreb. The conference is organized by the Federation of the International Editors of Journalism and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) under the sponsorship of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Representative of the International Helsinki Federation for the Human Rights Christine von Kohl said that it should be in the interest of the governments of the independent countries to have journalism which might make critical comments. According to Christine von Kohl, such journalism could contribute to strengthening the authorities and not to weakening. Commenting on the Croatian Government's bill on the electronic media, Croatian lawyer Silvije Degen added that the purpose of such a bill was to preserve the state monopoly over the key Croatian media. Head of the Information Office of the Croatian Foreign Ministry Mr. Ante Babic responded to the comment of Mr. Degen saying that the Croatia would pass the law which would make it possible for the privately-run television stations to work effectively and successfully. The conference on the legal frameworks of freedom of the press is to continue tomorrow when discussion on the ownership, monopoly and publishing as well as distribution of the press is to take place. 252034 MET nov 93