HDZ requested 800,000 BAM for RTV Herceg Bosna, FBiH Government refused: We do not finance media

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The HDZ BiH Club attempted through an amendment to the FBiH Budget for 2022 to secure funding for RTV Herceg Bosna in the amount of 800,000 BAM. In an election year, this money would have been used for the campaign of political parties, primarily HDZ and Dragan Čović. 

From HDZ, they requested that within the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications, led by HDZ member Denis Lasić, a new economic code 6144 be opened – subsidies to public enterprises – Subsidy for RTV Herceg Bosna, as support from the FBiH Government. The amendment was submitted on March 18. 

Upon reviewing the proposed FBiH Budget published on the FBiH Parliament website, there is an economic code 6144 under which subsidies to public enterprises are listed, including EP BiH and EP HZHB, Railways of FBiH, BH Pošta, JP Hrvatska pošta, subsidies to public enterprises for pension service integration, subsidies for airports in Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla, Bihać, etc.

This HDZ amendment was rejected by the FBiH Government with a very precise explanation:

„The FBiH Government emphasizes that during the analysis and consideration of all relevant information provided in the financial request of the budget user, it was not determined that the user had requested planning of a subsidy for Radiotelevision of Herceg Bosna RTV HB. Likewise, in the previous period, there was no practice of directly financing media outlets,“ states the explanation of the FBiH Government.

The HDZ BiH Club accepted the explanation of the FBiH Government, and the House did not even vote on this amendment before the vote on the Budget for 2022. The Budget was adopted, and at today's session, it should be confirmed by the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament.