ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - If the Croatian parliament endorses a Social Democratic Party (SDP) amendment to the Final Bill on the Croatian news agency Hina requesting that members of Hina's Steering Council be appointed at the
government's proposal, the parliament will still have the final word and claims that this would allow politics to influence the work of the agency are unfounded, the chairman of the parliament's Committee on the Constitution, Rule Book and the Political System, Mato Arlovic, said on Wednesday. During today's discussion on the final bill on Hina, the SDP parliamentary bench said they would request that Hina's Steering Council be appointed at the government's proposal, instead of at the proposal of the Committee on the Constitution, Rule Book and the Political System, as suggested initially. Jadranka Kosor of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said such a solution would allow politics to interfere in the work of the new
ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - If the Croatian parliament endorses a Social
Democratic Party (SDP) amendment to the Final Bill on the Croatian
news agency Hina requesting that members of Hina's Steering Council
be appointed at the government's proposal, the parliament will
still have the final word and claims that this would allow politics
to influence the work of the agency are unfounded, the chairman of
the parliament's Committee on the Constitution, Rule Book and the
Political System, Mato Arlovic, said on Wednesday.
During today's discussion on the final bill on Hina, the SDP
parliamentary bench said they would request that Hina's Steering
Council be appointed at the government's proposal, instead of at
the proposal of the Committee on the Constitution, Rule Book and the
Political System, as suggested initially.
Jadranka Kosor of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said such a
solution would allow politics to interfere in the work of the news
agency, stressing Hina should distance itself from politics.
The HDZ is the only party which opposes the bill, even though, Kosor
says, it supports in principle the passing of a new law because the
existing one is out-of-date.
Kosor said the criteria for the appointment of the Steering Council
were unclear and warned they could lead to difficulties similar to
those which occurred during the appointment of the Croatian Radio
Television (HRT) Council.
On behalf of the HDZ, Kosor praised the work of Hina journalists,
stressing they "work hard, but keep a low profile."
Explaining the bill, Arlovic said it regulated Hina's
transformation into a public institution.
Hina will be able to act autonomously, except in extraordinary
circumstances.
Under the bill, the agency will become a legal entity and be given
the right to own the currenty state-owned real estate it has had at
its disposal so far.
Under the bill, Hina would no longer be financed directly from the
state budget, but through contracts with the users of its services.
The state would become one of its subscribers.
The bill also regulates Hina's internal organisation. The agency
will be managed by a five-member steering council, composed of one
Hina employee, and one media, legal, financial and information
expert.
The steering council would be appointed by the parliament upon
completed public competition.
The parliament is expected to voice its opinion about the bill on
Thursday. Today's session resumed with a discussion on draft
amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court.
(hina) it sb