Croatian Deputy-PM accuses state television of bias

First Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia Tomislav Karamarko has accused Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) of bias against the governing right-wing coalition, according to a report by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

Mr Karamarko, who is also president of the leading party in the government coalition, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), accused HRT of being “in the service of one party” and aiming “for the destruction of the political cooperation between HDZ and MOST”, the two parties in the coalition. Mr Karamarko has demanded that HRT director general Goran Radman resign from his post, arguing that the station must “at last begin to act professionally, objectively and not like a supporter and party member”.

Mr Radman was named director general of HRT in October 2012 by parliament, at the time under the control of a centre-left coalition. While the director general’s term lasts for five years, he or she can be ousted by parliament.

A number of journalists have raised fears that Mr Karamarko will attempt to gain control over HRT and favourable coverage for the government by enacting dismissals at the organisation, particularly among the editorial staff.

President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association, Saša Leković, told BIRN that Karamarko was acting inappropriately, adding that every government wants to change HRT’s director-general, but that he was particularly troubled by “potential purges of editors and journalists at HRT”.

Editor-in-chief of weekly newspaper Novosti, Ivica Đikić, argued that there was “absolutely no truth” in Mr Karamarko’s claim that HRT is biased against the current coalition, suggesting that his statements are intended “solely for the purpose of intimidating the public, journalists and HRT’s journalists”.

Berislav Jelinić, editor-in-chief of weekly newspaper Nacional, however, stated that the governing coalition is within its rights to remove HRT’s director general and to be dissatisfied with HRT, although this cannot be based on “personal and ideological views”.

Source: Balkan Insight