Dispute over HRT director appointment in Croatia

The proposal by the Croatian Parliament’s Committee for Information, Informatization, and Media to appoint journalist Dražen Miočić as the Director General of the public broadcaster HRT has triggered significant political and legal controversy.

Opposition parties, including Možemo! and SDP, protested the appointment, arguing that the process violates the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) by allowing political influence over public media leadership. Following the committee’s vote, Možemo! announced intentions to notify the European Commission of potential violations, claiming that the lack of transparent, pre-agreed selection criteria was designed to facilitate political selection.

In response, the Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, defended the process, stating that national legislation was updated in March to align with EU regulations and that consultations with the European Commission had occurred. The debate has also been characterized by public disagreements regarding media independence, with former HRT director Mirko Galić warning of increasing political pressure on journalists, a claim met with criticism from media professionals.