PARLIAMENT'S MEDIA COMMITTEE ENDORSES HINA BILL

ZAGREB, July 11 (Hina) - Parliament's media committee endorsed in first reading on Wednesday a Hina bill moving transforming the Croatian news agency from a state institution into a public medium, as well as a new method of financing the agency's activity. The bill, moved by parliament's Constitution, Rule Book and Political System Committee, states that a new Hina law is necessary as the current one, from 1990, is not adjusted to the Constitution. The bill has been harmonised with European standards for news agencies, emphasises principles of editorial independence, and excludes the possibility of any ideological, political or economic control over Hina. According to the bill, Hina would not receive part of its funds directly from the state budget, as has been the practice. Its owner, the state, would become one of the contractual users of the agency's information services. The status of Hina's journalists would be regulated by a work agreement and the Labour Act. Journalists would have an important say in the election of the editor-in-chief who, as well as the manager, would be elected in a public tender. The agency's development guidelines would include, among else, increasing the number of correspondents at home and abroad. MPs should vote on the bill by the end of the week. (hina) ha sb