OSCE TELLS HRT TO INCLUDE NON-CROAT PARTIES IN ELECTION COVERAGE

( Editorial: --> 5629 ) SARAJEVO, August 24 (Hina) - The Media Experts Commission (MEC) on Monday said it was not satisfied with the response to its complaints against programmes broadcast by Croatian Radio Television (HRT) and the requests for the broadcaster to consistently obey elections rules and regulations valid in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Tanya Domi, chairperson of the MEC which is a part of the OSCE mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, sent a letter to HRT director Ivica Vrkic today in which she expressed her concerns over the manner in which the HRT intends to continue covering activities of parties registered to participate in September's elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina. In her letter, a copy of which was sent to Hina, Domi expresses concerns over Vrkic's promise that the HRT will report in its daily political and news programmes only about the activities of nine Croat political parties from Bosnia-Herzegovina. "The HRT evidently intends to continue disregarding the Provisional Election Commission's (PEC) Rules and Regulations on media," Domi states in her letter, stressing the fact that the election rules which the HRT disobeys in its policy and practice are made to guarantee equal access to the media by all political parties. What this actually means is that the right to be equally represented in all media which broadcast in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the HRT, should apply to all political parties and their candidates, not only those representing Croats. Domi's letter sent to Vrkic today requires that he personally take further measures to fulfil the MEC's conditions regarding the coverage of election activities beginning August 20. (Hina) jfk /mbr 241915 MET aug 98