$ TIA ZAGREB, 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) on Friday issued an extensive statement on the media situation in Croatia, calling on the whole Croatian public, political parties, non- government organizations, groups
and individuals, to unite their efforts in the defence of freedom of the media and in widening those freedoms, which was a precondition for freedom and democracy in general.
CROA
$ TIA
ZAGREB, 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) on Friday
issued an extensive statement on the media situation in Croatia,
calling on the whole Croatian public, political parties, non-
government organizations, groups and individuals, to unite their
efforts in the defence of freedom of the media and in widening
those freedoms, which was a precondition for freedom and democracy
in general. #L#
HHO expressed concern about a complaint filed against the
acquittal of the editor-in-chief and a journalist of the satirical
weekly 'Feral Tribune', who were acquitted by Zagreb Municipal
Court. The two journalists were accused of offense and libel
against the President of the Republic of Croatia.
In connection with this, HHO proposed the transfer of legal
responsibility for offense and libel against high state officials
from criminal into civil law.
The decision of the Council for Telecommunications to
allocate a broadcast permit to 'Radio Globus 101', which is a
section of 'Globus Holding', owner of the weekly 'Globus', 'has
revealed the real political background of the 'Radio 101' case'.
HHO recalled that it had warned the public about attempts
aimed at creating a monopoly on the distribution of newspapers, as
well as about the fact that 'companies owned by Kutle and Pavic
(including 'Globus') were trying to unite local TV and radio
stations into one network, which would create a total monopoly by
several people on the whole publishing, distribution and electronic
network in Croatia'.
At the end of the statement, HHO said that a recent session of
the governing party's head committee had revealed the fact that
authorities were not going to give up their intentions of reducing
basic civil freedoms and human rights in Croatia.
(hina) rm jn
131847 MET dec 96