Some 40 Croatian Radio Television Journalists Sign Petition against Programming Director

May 16th, 2008

Zagreb, May 16 (CP) – Some 40 Croatian Radio Television (HRT) journalists have signed a petition against programming director Domagoj Buric who wrote a memo inciting more ‘homeland’ emotions being expressed in an upcoming TV show.

Journalists of the ’30 in the Shade’ show have received a memo earlier signed by the programming director Buric demanding of them to spice-up the show with sentiments that would denote to the ‘boys from the other side of the border’ that the Croats are still very much into strong homeland feelings.

The signatures do not represent a petition, but rather a call to the HRT general manager and professional organisations to state their views on this and not a demand for the sacking of Buric.

The move by Buric is reminiscent of the early 1990’s when HRT was very much a force which promoted homeland feelings and where people who were against such conduct or did not have the right blood cells, as they might have been Serb or part-Serb were being expelled from work and banned from entering the HRT building regardless of their expertise and ability.