ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - The Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) Council will answer to Culture Minister Antun Vujic's letter about changes to the HRT Law when it meets in full, the Council members who convened for Thursday's session
concluded. The session was not held due to lack of quorum.
ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - The Croatian Radio-Television (HRT)
Council will answer to Culture Minister Antun Vujic's letter about
changes to the HRT Law when it meets in full, the Council members who
convened for Thursday's session concluded. The session was not held
due to lack of quorum. #L#
In his letter to HRT's leaders, Vujic demanded an urgent opinion on
the implementation of the current HRT Law, particularly regarding
relations between the HRT Council and the HRT Steering Council and
their relationship with the director, editors-in-chief, and the
editorial boards, as well as regarding ways of improving the law, on
whose amendments the Culture Ministry is working on.
Vujic demands the opinion, among else, due to the separation of HRT
into two public institutions, Croatian Radio and Croatian
Television.
Before HRT Council president Vlatko Silobrcic decided today's
session would not be held due to lack of quorum, some members
slammed Vujic's letter and mainly agreed with member Ante Covic
that it constituted a "blow to television, which would already be
the talk of the international community if the HDZ was in power".
This vehement reaction is due to a part of the Vujic letter which
quotes criticism levelled at HRT during past debates on an upcoming
media law.
The criticism pointed to a drop in professionalism, editorial bias,
privatisation of some programme sections, disregard for
professional criteria in the appointment of editors, inappropriate
evaluation of certain events, and the turning of certain bodies
into mouthpieces for political options.
Covic dismissed the criticism as groundless, claiming the
incumbent HRT Council had made television make a "historic step
forward by depoliticising the programme and freeing it from the
influence of the centre of political power."
Covic maintained a debate on changes to the HRT Law was unnecessary.
Everything was decided on when what he called the parastate body of
the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Ivica Racan met on
Monday to debate the electoral law and changes to the HRT Law.
According to the HRT Council members who convened today, the
Council's answer to the Vujic letter should be of similar content.
(hina) ha sb