MACEDONIAN TV STATION A1 APOLOGISES TO CROATIAN AMBASSADOR

( Editorial: --> 6170 ) SKOPJE, Oct 6 (Hina) - Editor in-chief of the private Macedonian television station A1 Aco Kabrano apologised on Tuesday to the Croatian Ambassador to Macedonia Vitomir Miro Lasic for the disproportionally intoned news on the beatification of Zagreb's Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. A1 Television announced on Saturday, October 3 that the Pope John Paul II "beatified the war criminal Stepinac". The news was followed by scenes from a movie depicting World War II Nazi camps of death. The Croatian Ambassador submitted a protest on the report stressing that "Croatians consider blessed Alojzije Stepinac a martyr, and with the Pope's decision, this was then the official attitude of the Roman Catholic Church". By its tendentious, improper and scandalous reporting, A1 Television has insulted not only Croatians but all the Catholics and religious people in the world, Lasic said. In his apology Kabranov emphasised that the reporter gave his personal point of view on something he was not familiar with. His point of view is based on an assumption, therefore A1 Television apologises to viewers, Kabranov added. The apology was aired in Monday's prime time news report. (hina) it jn/sp 061434 MET oct 98