BHRT's debt exceeds 34 million KM: 503 employees earn less than 1,000 KM, no money for raises for all staff

(Patria) - The debt of the Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT) at the end of September 2024, for taxes, contributions, fees, and other charges, amounted to 34,342,802 KM.

Today, this debt is even higher, and with the increase in the minimum wage to 1,000 KM, BHRT is facing a new crisis. They have appealed to the state authorities several times, but there has been no concrete response. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Edin Forto, under whose jurisdiction the new Law on the Public RTV Service falls, admitted at a public hearing in Parliament that there is no solution for that law. While there is no solution, BHRT's financial deficit is growing.

The January salary has not yet been paid to BHRT employees, and a new calculation is required for 503 employees because their salaries were below 1,000 KM. Regarding other salaries, the BHRT management told the Union that there is no money for linear salary increases.

Thus, after the new calculation, journalists' salaries will also be 1,000 KM, with no difference compared to other employees who do not participate in the creation of media content. BHRT has 800 employees, and 60 percent received salaries below 1,000 KM.

In April 2024, BHRT confirmed to Patria that the issue of pension contributions remains open. According to Patria's information, pension contributions have not been paid for over 90 months.

"We are trying to settle all obligations towards employees, so all net salaries, meal allowances, and transportation allowances have been paid, while the issue of pension contributions remains open," was BHRT's response to Patria on April 16, 2024.

Although the inspection has acted multiple times and imposed fines on BHRT, the situation has not changed.

Some workers have sued BHRT due to unpaid obligations, and Belmin Karamehmedović could also appear in court as the responsible person at BHRT because someone made the decision not to pay contributions to the workers. Although Karamehmedović's mandate expires in February, he could remain in this position for some time longer.

The case of a BHRT worker who meets the conditions for retirement but cannot have his pension calculated due to unpaid contributions shows that the accumulated problems are starting to surface.

Amer Švraka has seven years of unlinked service, and he has been employed for 40 years.

"As soon as I reached 40 years of service, I received a paper, a decision stating that I was retired. I signed the decision on June 5, 2024, as Karamehmedović was not there but was traveling. The same day, I submitted it to the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund. When I obtained my service record, I saw that the year 2016 was not paid at all, then 2021, 2022, 2023, and part of 2024, with some amounts for other years. At the PIO Fund, they told me that my social contributions (health insurance) were recognized, but that I could not retire because I did not have enough years of life. I have 40 years of service, but I cannot get a pension until the missing service is paid. And I have been stuck for months. I don't know what to do. They begged me at the company not to sue them," Švraka told Faktor.

The payment of salaries to BHRT workers is expected next week, and a few days ago, the Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić visited BHRT. However, it is evident that the authorities are interested in taking control of RTV FBiH, rather than solving the accumulated problems at the state public service.

(A. Vrabac)