HDZ BIH ASKS CROATIAN MEDIA NOT TO COVER ITS CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

( Editorial: --> 5684 ) MOSTAR, Aug 24 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia- Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) on Monday said it welcomed international efforts to reform the media sector in the country, but at the same time urged Croatian media not to cover its campaign for the September elections. The party's election headquarters released a statement, carried by the Bosnian Croat news agency Habena, which said "once again today we welcome the efforts of the Office of the High Representative for the reconstruction of TV BiH (Television Bosnia-Herzegovina), the establishment of the IMC and all other measures for formulating legal regulations in the media sector of Bosnia-Herzegovina". At the same time though, the HDZ BiH said it "assessed that in the course of the election campaign, a series of international representatives had sought motives to prohibit the broadcasting of television programmes in the Croatian language in BH, and as an excuse for withholding that right for the Croat people used the alleged large representation of the HDZ BiH in programmes in the Croatian language". The HDZ BiH emphasised how it was "more important for the right of Croats in BH to have programmes in the Croatian language, rather than the short-term following of the HDZ BiH's pre-election campaigns". "Not wanting to be the motive for the activities of international factors against the Croat people in BH, the HDZ BiH demands that the HRT (Croatian Radio Television) as well as all other Croatian media in BH to stop following the continued course of the HDZ BiH's pre- election campaigns, not entering into the rights of other political parties participating in the September elections, to have a media presence on those programmes," ended the HDZ BiH election headquarters statement, carried by Habena. (Hina) mbr 242248 MET aug 98