The media committee last week adopted two conclusions - the first recommending that parliament reject the report on the work of Hina's Steering Council from May 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011, with an annexe for the period from May 1 to December 31, 2011; and the second recommending that the Steering Council relieve Hina's director and appoint an acting director.
Sprem said the Committee on the Constitution had to state its opinion on the second recommendation, after which parliament would vote on the annual report discussed yesterday.
Parliamentary parties agreed during during Thursday's discussion that Croatia needed Hina as a public provider of unbiased and accurate news services and that the government should help the national news agency to overcome the present financial difficulties.
But the ruling parties and the opposition disagreed over the recommendation to reject the Steering Council's annual report and relieve of duty the director and appoint an acting director, as suggested by the ruling coalition, saying Hina's director could not be relieved by a parliamentary committee.
Part of the opposition said the recommendation for the dismissal was a synchronised attempt between part of the ruling coalition and part of the opposition at a political replacement, labelling it as a blow to press freedoms in Croatia.
During the discussion, it was also said that Hina's Steering Council answers to parliament, which can request the dismissal of the council, but the media committee has not requested that, which means that it is satisfied with the report, yet it is asking for the dismissal of the director. This, according to part of the opposition, is contradictory and represents political pressure on the media.
The government gave a negative opinion to the Steering Council's report earlier this month, saying it had not acted in line with the powers envisaged by the Hina Act.
The government criticised the Council for failing to take the necessary steps and pass a general act that would enable the reorganisation and restructuring, business rationalisation, and financial consolidation of this loss-making public institution.