IVICA VRKIC TAKES OVER AS CROATIAN RADIO TELEVISION DIRECTOR

( Editorial: --> 0596 ) ZAGREB, July 29 (Hina) - Ivica Vrkic on Wednesday took over the duties of management board chairman and director of Croatian Radio Television (HRT) from Ivica Mudrinic. Mudrinic told reporters that in his two-and-a-half year period as chief of HRT, conditions had been created for transforming HRT from a state institution into a public broadcaster in the European spirit, but of course respecting Croatian uniqueness and standards. Outlining his plans, Vrkic said he wanted to maintain the current level of subscriptions but improve programmes, so that most of them were domestic and reflected the real interests of developing Croatian society. The Croatian National Parliament's House of Representatives named Vrkic as HRT director on July 10, discharging Mudrinic from his duties. He resigned to take up another as yet unknown post. The changeover officially comes into effect on Saturday, according to the parliament decision. (Hina) mbr /as 291731 MET jul 98