The Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, and the Director General of BHRT, Belmin Karamehmedović, signed today in Sarajevo the Agreement which, based on the decision of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, secures 4 million BAM for the Public Broadcasting System of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Along with other obligations, a sustainable public service is an essential prerequisite for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entry into the EU. This is not a permanent solution to the issue of sustainability, but it is the support that BHRT needs in this difficult period. In addition to private media, Bosnia and Herzegovina must have something that it also comes under the auspices of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely public services, such as BHRT, and therefore finding its sustainable financing is of great importance,” said Forto.
He emphasized that it is necessary to organize the collection and distribution of the RTV tax within the FBiH.
A new attempt at an agreement between BHRT and FTV was announced for Wednesday, organized by Elektroprivreda BiH.
“As soon as possible, BHRT and FTV should sign a contract in order to continue collecting the RTV tax in the FBiH. There remains the question of a solution related to the legal basis. RTRS left the RTV subscription system and violated it in 2017. I hope that this the case that is in court should be resolved as soon as possible in favor of BHRT”, Forto pointed out.
When asked when the funds from the BiH Council of Ministers will be operational, that is, when BHRT workers can expect a salary that has not yet been paid, Forto said that he did not know exactly, that it was an administrative matter.
“The agreement remains to be signed and other administrative matters to be completed. But it is a question of the day when the funds will be operational,” emphasized Forto.
General Director of BHRT Belmin Karamehmedović pointed out that the funds that should be transferred from the Council of Ministers of BiH are important for BHRT.
“It will enable us, in this very difficult situation in which we have found ourselves since the beginning of this year, to fulfill part of our obligations within a period of two to three months. The funds will be used in the best possible way. It is necessary to find financing solutions of the public services of BHRT and FTV until the law is amended at the state level. RTRS left the public broadcasting system in 2017. We hope that this will be resolved in the ongoing court case,” concluded Karamehmedović.
The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina previously, at the proposal of the Minister of Communications and Transport Edin Forte, adopted a decision that provided four million BAM for the Public Radio and Television Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina for studio and production capacities for the production of signals in HD resolution, and three million BAM each to the governments of the entities to encourage the development of the electronic media sector.
In addition, the funds transferred to BHRT are intended to pay off the rights to broadcast the European Football Championship in 2024 and the Summer Olympic Games in 2024, the relevant ministry announced earlier.
This decision seeks to ensure the financial stability of public services, which is one of the EU’s 14 priorities for joining the negotiations, to enable the sustainability and functionality of the Public Broadcasting Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to create conditions for the support and improvement of the telecommunications and electronic media sector in BiH.
Elektroprivreda BiH invited the managements of BHRT and FTV to a meeting on Wednesday, where solutions should be offered for the continuation of the collection of RTV tax.
In view of this, the earlier decision to deny services to Federal Television is suspended, said BHRT General Director Belmin Karamehmedović, in the hope that an appropriate agreement will be reached at the meeting.
