ROUND TABLE ON DRAFT ACT ON TELEVISION

ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - A bill on Croatian RadioTelevision (HRT) proposed by Democratic Centre (DC) MP Vesna Skare-Ozbolt on Monday inspired a debate by journalists in the Press House which led to the conclusion that the law on HRT should not be brought hastily and that it would be worthwhile to adopt the law in a package with two other laws - on telecommunications and the media. #L# MP Ozbolt pointed out that the bill was proposed with the intention to present an alternative to the government's bill on HRT. Ozbolt proposes that HRT be given the legal status of a company instead of a public institution and that the radio and television should be divided and become financially independent, the television should have two channels while the radio should have three as well as introducing service activities to collect levies, for transport needs, maintenance and general accounting. The chief director and his team would be decided upon by a nine- member programme council familiar with the media as well as representing the public. Members of the council would be selected by the Croatian Sabor with a three-quarter majority and would have a five year mandate. Editor-in-chief of Croatian Television Jasna Ulaga-Valic wondered why there should be any urgency in adopting the law on HRT, and suggested that provisions be more precise so that there would not be any need for amendments in practise. She pointed out that it was necessary to decide whether public television was desired as suggested by the Council of Europe or a state-run television which would take the country back to the past. Ulaga-Valic estimated that public television guaranteed that people running the television did not have a political background. She believes that at the moment there are some slight signs of a public television because for the first time it is evident that politics has no influence on HTV even though it wishes to. Editor-in-chief of Croatian Radio Dusko Radic said it was necessary to continue moving away from politics and to divide administration staff from those determining the contents of programmes. He believes that the current model used in HRT was a good model and that the Radio and Television should be separate financial units in the same company. The president of the HRT Council, Vlatko Silobrcic, said the Council exclusively represented the public. He opposed HRT be - formed as a company because it should remain a non-profit organisation. Nenad Stazic considers that the current law does not separate HRT from politics and that members of the HRT Council are not apolitical. He added that it was in the Radio's interest to become independent and that only subscription fees could preserve it from other commercial stations. Antun Vrdoljak opposed the idea of separate the Radio from Television because that would bring the Radio into a difficult financial position. He believes that by introducing a third institution - service activities - this could only increase administrative costs and by doing away with Channel 3, Croatian sport would be endangered. He supported the idea that the Croatian Sabor had a final say in setting up the HRT Council and editorials because this could avoid the current government in attempting to 'cement' their people into these institutions. Ivan Zvonimir Cicak believes that the law on HRT should be adopted after the remaining two laws are adopted (telecommunications and information). Goran Milic noted that if HRT were to be set up as a company, it would be necessary first to resolve the issue of Value Added Taxes because the VAT totalling 250 million kuna (34 million euros) could destroy this institution. Veljko Djuretic from HTV suggested an expert analysis prior to any decision being made about the division of Radio from Television or the abolishment of Channel 3. Slaven Letica believes that the Television should be organised as a non-profit organisation rather than a company. (hina) sp sb