The High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, has issued a decision resolving the problem of the functioning of seven BiH cultural institutions, including the National Library of BiH.
The NUBBiH has been in a complete financial and legal blockade for months. The library has been unable to provide services to citizens, publishers and the academic community, all due to the lack of management structures.
“Today, I issued an order supporting the work of the NUB, and six other cultural institutions of importance to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Schmidt.
With my order, I have given the Council of Ministers a 60-day deadline to the BiH Parliament to propose a law that would resolve the management of these institutions, which are important for BiH, the High Representative emphasized.
The lack of a management structure has brought the National and University Library of BiH to the brink of closure, which has left BiH citizens with no access to key scientific and cultural resources.
The NUBBiH has been unable to issue certificates for the publication of works, which is an international obligation.
This meant that professors in the Federation of BiH could not advance, students could not receive new textbooks, and writers could not publish books.