[REVISION HISTORY]

Bosnia and Herzegovina RTRS-BHRT financial dispute

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-19 12:21 UTC → 2026-08-21 01:01 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A dispute has emerged in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the freezing of Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) accounts. The District Commercial Court in Banja Luka blocked the accounts due to multi-year debts owed by RTRS to the state broadcaster, BHRT. BHRT has accused RTRS and authorities in Republika Srpska of attempting to influence the judiciary through political pressure. Specifically, BHRT acting general director Belmin Karamehmedović stated that RTRS has used its platform to criticize Judge Gordana Marić after she rejected an objection to the account freeze. BHRT has called on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council to protect judicial independence. In response to claims by Finance Minister Srđan Amidžić that the freeze is a political attempt to dismantle institutions in Republika Srpska, Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury Muhamed Hasanović clarified that the action is strictly the result of a court decision. Hasanović accused Amidžić of acting as a spokesperson for “political propaganda from Banja Luka” and criticized the pattern of attacking judges when rulings do not align with government interests. Following these tensions, BHRT filed a formal complaint with the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) against RTRS. BHRT alleges that RTRS committed gross violations of the Code of Program Content during broadcasts in mid-August 2026, specifically citing breaches of accuracy, fairness, and impartiality. The complaint claims RTRS used public resources to conduct a political battle and attempted to exert undue pressure on the judiciary by naming Judge Marić and suggesting how judges should act in active proceedings. Recently, the bank accounts of RTRS were unblocked following financial assistance from the Government of Republika Srpska, which enabled the broadcaster to pay July salaries. While the freeze was linked to legal costs and debts, including a Sarajevo court ruling requiring BHRT to pay RTRS over 17.7 million KM, structural issues persist.

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