Forto called on public broadcasters BHRT and FTV to sign the contract with Elektroprivreda BiH on RTV fee collection as soon as possible

If we were to adopt a new Law on the public RTV system that everyone would agree on, both entities and the state level, such a law would enable stable collection of the RTV fee and stable financing of the Public Service, said the Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, for BHRT.

However, he points out that it is first necessary to solve the existential problems of BHRT workers who have not yet received their January salary, nor a hot meal.

"It is necessary to sign the contract with Elektroprivreda on the collection of subscriptions within the Federation of BiH as soon as possible, and that is something that will provide short-term stability to the Public Service, and if we want long-term stability, then we must talk about amending the law," Forto stated.

He emphasized that it is necessary for the managements of Radio Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Radio Television of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to agree as soon as possible on the method of collecting the RTV fee.

"If you ask me, they should sit down together now and not leave the room for the next three days until they reach an agreement," Minister Forto pointed out.

He also commented on the necessity of appointing a new management of FTV, because the current one's mandate expired more than 10 years ago.

"I don't know if they are illegal, someone else needs to determine that, their mandate has expired, but no one has dismissed them. The task of the Federal Parliament is to appoint a new Supervisory Board as soon as possible... We are essentially talking about the survival of the workers, which is why it is necessary to sign the contract with Elektroprivreda as soon as possible," Forto stated.

He also referred to the multi-million debts of Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) to BHRT.

"RTRS left the collection system that had been functioning until 2017, and they completely disrupted this system in a very irresponsible way. That case is in court, and I hope the court will rule in favor of BHRT, which sued RTRS for leaving the collection system," Forto said.

He stated that the fight for a better position of the Public Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina will not end only with the one-time aid from the Council of Ministers, which recently approved funds in the amount of four million for BHRT and three each for the entity governments, which should redirect the money to the entity broadcasters.

"We must create a system in which the Public Service does not depend on any government, any minister, and that it is something that is a long-term solution, and then we can deal with the internal organization of the Public Service, the quality of the program, etc..." Forto concluded.