PARLIAMENT DISMISSES HRT DIRECTOR, ABOUT TO APPOINT NEW ONE

ZAGREB, March 16 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament House of Representatives on Thursday dismissed Ivica Vrkic from his post as director of the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT), and motioned Mirko Galic as its new director. The ruling six-party coalition thinks Galic would be able to transform the HRT into a public medium. Although opposition MPs mostly have nothing against Galic's appointment, they had criticised the new authority during the Parliament discussion that it wants to urgently set up its man on the HRT to dismiss some editors and place the most powerful medium under its control. They found arguments for this claim in a recent statement uttered by vice-premier Zeljka Antunovic that "change of duties must be implemented at the HRT urgently". The ruling coalition dismissed the complaints, stressing that by appointing Galic the six parties wish to enable the HRT's transformation from a state and party into a public medium, which is a part of their programme. MPs of the ruling coalition held that changes at the HRT were being introduced too slowly. They accused the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of having had applied pressure on the HRT in the past ten years, dismissing the unsuitable and employing unqualified and politically suitable reporters and editors. Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) MP, Djurdja Adlesic, announced the Parliament would discuss a new law on the HRT in a month. The discussion on HRT's new director at the Lower House completely shaded a discussion on the draft government budget for this year, which began on Wednesday and was interrupted Thursday. The discussion will continue after the Parliament appoints Mirko Galic to his new post, which is expected Thursday afternoon. (hina) lml mm