HRT COUNCIL FAILS TO REPLACE KOSOVAC, GALIC TO RETURN MANDATE TO SABOR

ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - Croatian Television (HTV) editor-in- chief Obrad Kosovac was not replaced at Friday's session of the Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Council because the proposal by HRT director general Mirko Galic for Kosovac's replacement did not receive majority support at the session. After the result of the voting was announced, Galic said he would return his mandate to the Croatian National Sabor. Although the Council unanimously supported Galic's draft programme for 2000, in which he announces the transformation of the HTV into a public television, his proposal for Kosovac's replacement was supported by seven out of 14 Council members who attended the session, with two votes against and five abstentions. Galic believes that by refusing to accept Kosovac's replacement the Council has made him lose his face in the start because it did not replace the man who openly opposed his programme of changes. That is why he said he would return his mandate to the Sabor, which had appointed him HRT director general so that the necessary changes could be implemented. Members of the Council who did not support Kosovac's replacement urged Galic to give up returning his mandate to the Sabor because their opposition to Kosovac's replacement did not mean that they did not trust Galic, but that they opposed procedural mistakes in the preparation and conduct of the session. Ljerka Mintas Hodak (Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ), Jadranka Kosor (HDZ), Vladimir Paar (Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences), Stjepan Lice (Catholic Church), Branko Lovrec (other religious communities), Silvija Letica (Croatian Homeland Foundation) and Nada Gacesic-Livakovic (actors) objected that Kosovac's replacement had not been included in the session's agenda, but was suggested by Galic while he was presenting his programme. "The replacement of the editor-in-chief was not included in the agenda because I told Kosovac on three occasions to offer his mandate to the Council and until yesterday he promised he would do it," Galic told the HRT Council, adding he did not need their support in principle but concrete personnel changes if he was to establish a public television. "Galic is lying because I have been telling him openly the whole time that I will not resign nor offer my mandate, but I want the Council to discuss my work," Kosovac said after the session. Kosovac objected to Galic's proposal for his replacement already during the session, stressing he did not feel any guilt or shame for what he had been doing as HTV editor-in-chief in the past 10 months. He claimed the current authorities were getting even with people who created HTV's programme during the mandate of the old authorities and compared it with purges which followed the clamp- down on the Croatian Spring movement of 1971. The HTV is one of the best things in Croatia, and dismissals are not demanded by the viewers because they are satisfied with the TV programme, Kosovac claims. HRT Council chairman Ivo Skrabalo announced a new session for April 10, with only one item on the agenda - the proposal for Kosovac's replacement as HTV editor-in-chief. The Council today adopted Galic's proposal for abandoning the "3 X 24" programme and the change to a 24-hour programme only on the first channel, whereas the second and third channels would broadcast programmes in line with HTV's capacity. Galic also announced the increase of the TV subscription fee and a revision of HRT's business operation. (hina) rml