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.

Leader of the main opposition party in Croatia, the centre-left SDP, reacted to this news on Facebook.

“The role of the state as a regulator is, among other things, to protect public interest and the interests of users from the race for profits,” Grbin wrote, adding the state has failed to do that in the case of N1 in two ways.

“First, when, due to politicisation of (public broadcaster) HRT they missed the opportunity to turn HRT4 into a relevant and serious news channel. Second, when, by failing to bring legislative framework in line (with EU laws), they have essentially allowed N1 to be shut down on one cable platform,” he wrote.

“It is unacceptable that the people should lose one of the few impartial news channels. This is why I expect the (Culture and Media Minister) Nina Obuljen-Korzinek to send the new law on electronic media in the procedure as soon as possible, for that law to be fully in line with EU legislation and for it to work to the benefit of the people, instead of enabling censorship,” Grbin wrote.

(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.)