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OSCE sees progress in draft law on Croatian Radio-TV
ZAGREB 18 December 2002
ZAGREB, 18 December 2002 - The latest draft law on Croatian Radio-Television (HRT), currently before Parliament, is an improvement on previous drafts and with a few changes, could provide a good basis for a new law, according to the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia.
"The latest changes are a clear step forward towards an acceptable legal framework for the transformation of HRT into a genuine public service broadcaster," Ambassador Peter Semneby said in a letter to the Minister of Culture on Wednesday.
He was referring to the conclusion of an analysis of the latest proposal carried out by OSCE media consultant, Professor Karol Jakubowicz, engaged by the OSCE.
"Additional steps need to be taken to achieve this aim, though, and the recommendations provided by Prof. Jakubowicz to the Government gives useful advice on what still remains to be done," Semneby said.
Prof. Jakubowicz, in his capacity as a consultant for the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, visited Croatia from 8 to 10 November to give technical advice to the government on aligning broadcast media laws with European standards. On 28 November he produced an extensive study of the draft law which was sent to relevant Government officials.
After the Government sent a new Draft Law to Parliament on 5 December, Prof. Jakubowicz reviewed the revised text and provided the OSCE and the Government with a new analysis.
The latest analysis recommends changes in order to strengthen the independence of the HRT Broadcasting Council and to ensure the programming independence of Radio and Television. The analysis also suggests further clarification of the internal structure and relations between HRT bodies.
The analysis underlines that Croatia's priority in the reform of its media legislation should be to adopt a Law on Broadcasting Media which aligns with relevant EU and Council of Europe directives and provides the basis for the democratic organization of both public service and private broadcasting.
"The latest changes are a clear step forward towards an acceptable legal framework for the transformation of HRT into a genuine public service broadcaster," Ambassador Peter Semneby said in a letter to the Minister of Culture on Wednesday.
He was referring to the conclusion of an analysis of the latest proposal carried out by OSCE media consultant, Professor Karol Jakubowicz, engaged by the OSCE.
"Additional steps need to be taken to achieve this aim, though, and the recommendations provided by Prof. Jakubowicz to the Government gives useful advice on what still remains to be done," Semneby said.
Prof. Jakubowicz, in his capacity as a consultant for the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, visited Croatia from 8 to 10 November to give technical advice to the government on aligning broadcast media laws with European standards. On 28 November he produced an extensive study of the draft law which was sent to relevant Government officials.
After the Government sent a new Draft Law to Parliament on 5 December, Prof. Jakubowicz reviewed the revised text and provided the OSCE and the Government with a new analysis.
The latest analysis recommends changes in order to strengthen the independence of the HRT Broadcasting Council and to ensure the programming independence of Radio and Television. The analysis also suggests further clarification of the internal structure and relations between HRT bodies.
The analysis underlines that Croatia's priority in the reform of its media legislation should be to adopt a Law on Broadcasting Media which aligns with relevant EU and Council of Europe directives and provides the basis for the democratic organization of both public service and private broadcasting.