Opposition says theatre bill gives enormous powers to theatre managers

Zagreb - A draft bill on theatres was commended by MPs of the ruling HDZ party on Wednesday, while the opposition criticised it, noting that it gave enormous powers to theatre managers and directors and objecting that managers would be appointed by executive and not by representative bodies, as is the case now.

Theatre managers will become impossible to replace, while theatre councils' powers are reduced to a mere bureaucratic role, said Marijana Puljak of the Centre party.

Why does not the law define conditions for the appointment of a theatre manager? asked Katarina Nemet of the IDS.

The bill gives enormous powers to theatre managers and directors, which may be abused, said Urša Raukar Gamulin of the Green-Left Bloc, noting that the relevant stakeholders could not present their objections in the process of making the bill "in a transparent and maximally inclusive way".

The bill will serve the interests of the ministry and not the profession, it serves allegedly to strengthen the minister's position while restricting the labour rights of theatre artists, said Davor Bernardić of the Social Democrats.

Sabina Glasovac of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said the bill would condemn artists to lifelong precarious work, and put older as well as undesirable workers in an unfavourable position.

Why are decisions on theatre managers and cultural councils made by the executive authorities? asked Anka Mrak Taritaš of GLAS.

Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek draw a parallel to the ministry level, where the minister appoints directors and steering councils.

We believe there will be a lot less politicisation and exposure of theatre directors to discussions that have little to do with culture, she said, with HDZ MP Damir Habijan adding that reports on the performance of theatres had often been used in city councils for political score settling.

It would be better for representative bodies to continue appointing theatre managers, Social Democrats MP Željko Pavić insisted.

The minister said that a mayor is not just any person and has electoral legitimacy and that directors of cultural institutions have the right to a four-year term.

Some of the opposition MPs, including Nino Raspudić (Bridge) called the new law Lex Blažević, an allusion to the role of Marin Blažević, manager of the Croatian National Theatre (HNK) in Rijeka, in making the bill.

Zlatko Hasanbegović (Homeland Movement) said the key motive for the new law is "an attempt to salvage the failed term of Marin Blažević, who is known for his anti-Croatian, anti-artistic and anti-theatrical ideological exhibitionism... which was possible owing to his being a personal favourite of the minister."

The minister said that her decision not to confirm decisions by two city councils (on the replacement of theatre managers in Split and Rijeka) was based on the fact that the procedure did not comply with the relevant law.

I will confirm the appointment of every theatre manager chosen by a local government body in a legitimate, legally prescribed procedure, she said.

Author: Hina