International media organisations and public broadcasters have warned the European Commission that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s BHRT is near collapse due to long-term financial obstruction and political inaction. They say its shutdown would end independent state-level journalism, fuel disinformation, threaten regional stability, and urge urgent domestic and EU intervention to secure sustainable funding.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), leading international media freedom organisations, and public service media from across Central and Eastern Europe have issued a joint open letter to the highest levels within the European Commission expressing grave concern over the critical situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s public broadcaster, BHRT.
BHRT, the country’s only state-level public service media, is now on the verge of total collapse as a result of long-term financial obstruction and political inaction. The letter warns that the broadcaster’s collapse would represent a major threat to media freedom, democratic stability and regional security.
BHRT’s crisis stems from the illegal withholding of its legally mandated RTV-fee revenues by RTRS since 2017, depriving it of more than €46 million and preventing the broadcaster from paying salaries, pension contributions and essential operating costs. Despite weeks of peaceful protests, no political representative has engaged with BHRT employees, even as Parliament met in the same building.
The letter underscores that the disappearance of BHRT would eliminate the only independent, state-level source of information, deepen the influence of foreign-backed disinformation networks, and undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU accession process. With the closure of Al Jazeera Balkans and the downsizing of N1, the shutdown of BHRT would leave Bosnia and Herzegovina without any mainstream public-interest television journalism. This would be particularly devastating in a country where surveys show higher public trust in the media than in any other institution.
The signatories urge BiH authorities to take immediate measures to prevent BHRT’s collapse, including ensuring legal RTV-fee distribution, establishing a sustainable funding model and resolving unpaid pension contributions.
They also call on the European Commission and international community to intervene without delay, stressing that the potential shutdown of BHRT is not only a media freedom crisis, but also a security risk with regional implications.
The letter was signed by a broad coalition of international organisations and CEE public service media, including: EBU, ECPMF, South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), PEN International, EFJ, IFJ, AEJ, IPI, Article 19, Index on Censorship, RSF, as well as the public broadcasters AMPTV, RTCG, ČT, Czech Radio, TVP, BNR, BNT, LSM, RTVSLO, Suspilne, RTK, LRT, RoR, RTSH, ERR, MKRTV.
This unified response reflects the growing urgency of the situation and the recognition that public service media are essential pillars of democracy and peace across Europe.
(This article was published first HERE)
