HDZ OFFICIAL SAYS RESIGNED TV DIRECTOR TO ENTER PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

( Editorial: --> 6681 ) ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - The resigned director of Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Ivica Mudrinic is allegedly to take a new post at the Office of the Croatian President. This is what Franjo Greguric, an influential member of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), told a special session of the Croatian National Parliament's House of Representatives. Greguric did not specify which post Mudrinic might take. "I cannot confirm it", Mudrinic told Hina today. He recently requested the parliament to relieve him of duty as HRT director. The Committee for Elections, Appointments and Administration proposed that the Lower House relieve Mudrinic of his duty and replace him by Ivica Vrkic, current deputy chairman of the National Trust Establishment Committee, starting August 1. Mudrinic attended only the end of today's discussion on his relief and Vrkic's appointment. He did not explain the reasons for his resignation nor did he inform the few representatives attending about his two years heading HRT. HDZ representatives Greguric, Vladimir Seks, Luka Bebic and Milivoj Kujundzic thanked Mudrinic for his contribution primarily to HRT's technical advancement. They defended everyone's right to hand in a resignation when they think it necessary. It remains unclear whether international community pressure for the transformation of HRT from a state into a public television is the reason behind Mudrinic's resignation. Greguric said he did not know whether this was the case or if the resignation was prompted by pressures from Forum 21, a group of journalists advocating independent media. However, Greguric said, the time "has matured for a general democratisation of Croatia, including the media." (hina) ha jn 091727 MET jul 98