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Croatia

[HR] Radio and Television Transmitter Network Separated from Croatian Radiotelevision

IRIS 2002-6:1/30

Kresimir Macan

HRT, Croatian Radiotelevision, Zagreb

On 4 April 2002 the Croatian Government passed a decision on the division of Hrvatska radiotelevizija (Croatian Radiotelevision) into two companies - Javna ustanova Hrvatska radiotelevizija (Public service Croatian Radiotelevision) and dionicko drustvo Odasiljaci i veze (shareholder company regarding Transmitters and links) 100% owned by the Republic of Croatia. The newly-formed transmission company will be in charge of transmitting the national public radio and TV programmes, other commercial programmes on the air in Croatia as well as of the satellite Croatian distribution as Eutelsat partner on behalf of Croatia. The company has an initial capital of HRK 138.5 mio. (EUR HRT 18,5 mio.) and 345 employees. The Government's interest in the company will be represented through the function of the Minister for maritime affairs, traffic and communications, while the Supervisory board comprises 5 members (one from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Traffic and Communications, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Space Planning and one representative of the employees). The former Minister of Maritime Affairs, Traffic and Communications was elected as president of the three-member Board of management of the new company on 12 April 2002. The new company is expected to start to operate autonomously as of 1 May 2002.

The division is a consequence of the new Zakon o Hrvatskoj radioteleviziji (Law on Croatian Radiotelevision) that envisaged this division to take place by 1 January 2002 and will enable faster digitalization and privatization of transmission network in Croatian.