UPPER HOUSE LACKS QUORUM TO VOTE ON CROATIAN RADIO TV BILLS

( Editorial: --> 8473 ) ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament's House of Counties on Tuesday concluded a debate on two bills concerning Croatian Radio Television (HRT), but the lack of a quorum put off a vote until later in the week. The two bill on amendments and annexes to the HRT Law were proposed by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench and Croatian People's Party (HNS) MPs Srecko Bijelic and Radimir Cacic. While opposition MPs claimed the HDZ was offering changes only because of international pressure and wanted to create the illusion of change at the HRT, government deputies stated their proposal resolved the key issue of transforming the HRT into a public television service. On behalf of the HDZ bench, Miroslav Prpic suggested that both bills should be further debated until they can conform to the highest international democratic standards. Ivan Ninic (Social Democratic Party) said the SDP welcomed the HNS proposal that the HRT Council members from public institutions be named directly, i.e. that they need not be confirmed by the Parliament, as has been proposed by the HDZ. Zeljko Pecek (Croatian Peasants' Party) said the HSS supported the efforts of both bills to, as he put it, democratise the state television and improve the production and transmission of programmes. SDP deputy Ratko Maricic said HRT subscription fees were a tax just like car taxes, while the HDZ's Dragutin Bracun held that subscription fees should remain obligatory as they protected the copyright of television production houses. The Croatian upper house also ended discussion on the final bill on the salaries of authorised state auditors, which was proposed by the House of Representatives Finance and State Budget Committee. Discussions also ended on a final bill on changes and additions to the Law on Administrative Fees. Due to the lack of a quorum, a vote on all the bills will take place on Friday when the House of Counties continues its 14th session. (Hina) rm mb /mr 212205 MET apr 98