Bosnia and Herzegovina budget stalled over BHRT funding dispute

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina approved a 1.58 billion KM budget for the current year on 21 May and forwarded it to the state Presidency, as required by law. The Presidency rejected the draft, sending it back to the Council, because the budget did not allocate funds for the BHRT housing‑reconstruction programme. The split vote recorded Željko Komšić opposing, Željka Cvijanović supporting, and Denis Bećirović abstaining.

Sources note that a provisional arrangement was discussed to finance BHRT through the Ministry of Transport and Communications, a pool that also contains funds earmarked for the Republika Srpska, making RS unlikely to back the plan. The lack of BHRT financing also delayed the adoption of the 2025 budget. Critics say the deadlock violates the law on financing state institutions. With the country in an election year, the budget remains in limbo until the Presidency reconvenes after the October elections.

A cited remark explains the provisional deal: “Navodno je načelno dogovoreno da se novac za BHRT obezbijedi ne iz budžeta, već iz sredstava koja raspoređuje Ministarstvo transporta i komunikacija…”.