Viewers using the services of A1 provider in Croatia will no longer be able to watch United Media channels N1 and Sport Klub as of March 29, as the companies have not reached an agreement on continued cooperation.

The news, as well as the facts on the state of the media market in Croatia, was first reported by N1 TV.

A1 tried to keep this information hidden from its own users even though, under its own rules still available on the A1 telecom website, they are obligated to announce any changes to their offer 30 days in advance.

In only 13 days, A1 will stop airing N1, the most-watched cable news programme in Croatia. All that in the run up to local elections in Croatia.

However, the complete truth is this: Telecom operators are free to do that since, for years, Croatia has not liberalised its market, or brought it in line with EU legislation.

Croatia is the only EU member country in which two telecom operators, instead of the free market, are setting the conditions and prices, ultimately creating media conditions in which they can eliminate and shut down free and independent channels.

They have already taken Discovery channel off the air in Croatia. They have taken Eurosport channels off the air in Croatia. All that, only because the market is not free, because the electronic media law has not been brought in line with European rules in years.

As A1 has announced taking N1 out of its offer, Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen-Korzinek made another promise to liberalise and amend the law on electronic media.

“What I can announce are certain improvements in the framework of the electronic media act… I believe it’s in everyone’s interest to find an agreement so that all channels which the people want to watch are available to them,” the minister said. “It’s in our interest to (pass the law) as soon as possible, but it’s hard to say whether that will be in two, three, or four weeks. The most important thing is to put forward a law that will regulate our media market in the best way possible.”

After her clear statement on the procedure which may last two or four weeks, we will remind Minister Obuljen-Korzinek of those words.

As we will continue reminding our viewers – who are watching us right now – of how many more days they can keep watching N1 television via A1.

(Operating in Croatia as part of United Group are the telecom operator Telemach Hrvatska, as well as television channels and websites Sport Klub and N1, Nova TV, Doma TV, and Dnevnik.hr.)