Statement of the OSCE Mission to BiH regarding interruption of regular programming on Federal Television

SARAJEVO, 8 May 2024 - Following the unfortunate interruption of regular programming on Federal Television, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) calls upon BHRT and RTVFBiH to find an urgent and workable solution that ensures consistent and reliable access to vital information for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Establishing and maintaining a politically independent and financially stable public broadcasting system is necessary to protect the fundamental right of access to information and foster a vigorous and healthy media environment, cornerstones of functional democracy and reflective of OSCE commitments.

Authorities at the State and entity levels must uphold this responsibility, including by identifying a solution for the sustainable and systemic funding of all public broadcasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby fulfilling a longstanding recommendation of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM).