Croatian Broadcaster Accused of Political Purge

Croatia's public broadcaster, Croatian Radio-Television, HRT, is continuing to replace editors and journalists in what critics have called a politically inspired purge of alleged leftists.

One anonymous source complained to BIRN that the removals were being done according to purely political criteria.

"Those removed are ones perceived as leftists even though 80 per cent of those removed have nothing to do with the left. They do not touch figures who represent no threat to the new authorities? who keep their heads down and do what the authorities say," the source said.

The same source said that the new management was presenting the changes "as minimal and necessary" and as being enacted "because the public is unsatisfied" with the broadcaster.

The strongest party in Croatia's new government, the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, says staff changes are necessary because HRT had become a de-facto voice of the former ruling Social Democratic Party, SDP.

Earlier this month, parliament, now dominated by a centre-right coalition, removed the former head of HRT, Goran Radman. Parliament then made Sinisa Kovacic the acting head.

Kovacic, who will have six months in the post, axed 21 people in only ten days, removing many from leading and editorial positions.

Besides the removals at HRT, the controversial new Culture Minister, Zlatko Hasanbegovic, axed the council for non-profit media in January.

The council, which manages state financing of non-profit media that deal with non-mainstream topics, was dissolved early although its term should have ended in October.

Hasanbegovic has hinted that the state may no longer finance non-profitable media, some of which are openly critical of the new right-leaning government.