Although the majority of opposition deputies walked out of the session, saying the HDZ was stigmatising and wishing to politically enslave the HRT, HDZ deputies continued to criticise, announcing they would not endorse either the financial report, because of forged figures, or the programmes report, because of anti-Croat programmes, notably in the "Latinica" talk show.
HRT manager Mirko Galic dismissed the HDZ's accusations that the financial report was doctored. "The HRT is financially stable and those speaking of misuse should prove it," he said.
Responding to frequent queries about salaries on the HRT, Galic said the average net salary in 2004 was 5,670 kuna and that his was 20,000 kuna. He dismissed as unfounded accusations that tens of thousands of kuna had been paid for managerial fees.
HDZ deputies insisted that the HRT had not paid 171 million kuna in taxes.
The ruling party's deputies were most critical of "Latinica", notably Monday's talk show on late President Franjo Tudjman's legacy. They said the latest show was founded on lies, forged Croatian history, undermined and negated the values of the Homeland War as well as the defence of Croatian generals indicted by the Hague war crimes tribunal.
Chairman Zdenko Ljevak said he would request the HRT's programmes and financial leaders to take a position on the parliamentary debate at tomorrow's Programmes Council session.
Speaking to the press in a break of the discussion, Galic said he did not intend to resign and that the HDZ's criticisms or announced rejection of the programmes and financial reports were not reason for that.
Galic said he would step down only when he could not ensure stable business and independent journalism on the HRT. He added that only the HRT Programmes Council could give him a vote of no confidence.