Public Service of BiH in a Dilemma: Workers Without Salaries, 15 Shows Canceled on BHT

(Patria) - Some shows will no longer be on the BHT program from today, while the duration of others will be shortened, a decision by the BHRT Collegium, consisting of General Director Belmin Karamehmedović and program editors.

One of the most-watched shows, 'Jutro za sve' (Morning for Everyone), will now last two hours instead of three, from 7 to 9 AM, due to resource problems.

The following shows have been removed from the program: "Jedan" (One) (interview) by Benjamin Butković, "Odbrojavanje" (Countdown), "Putevi zdravlja" (Paths of Health), "Nova avantura" (New Adventure), domestic documentary program, "Propuh" (Draft), "Thinking Box", "Art Depo", "Moja zemlja" (My Country), "DVS" - Cannes Film Festival, "Identiteti" (Identities), "Global", "Konačno petak sa Majom Miralem" (Finally Friday with Maja Miralem), "Inbox", "Trend".

Thus, from today, the Public Radio-Television Service of BiH will not fulfill its legal obligation regarding program content.

What is devastating is that the hosts and journalists who worked on the shows being removed from the program do not know whether they should come to work today, whether they will be reassigned, or what they will do.

The difficult financial situation of BHRT is most felt by the workers, who last received their salaries on April 8, and 150 KM at the beginning of May. Since then, not a single mark has been paid to them.

For tomorrow, May 28, the BHRT Union has announced a protest gathering in the BHRT building.

The BHRT Management Board has again sent an invitation to RTV FBiH to reach an agreement on the distribution of the collected RTV fee, which is held in the account of Elektroprivreda BiH. BHRT demands that 50 percent of the collected fee be paid to them, and 25 percent to RTV FBiH. RTV FBiH rejects such a distribution and calls on the BHRT Management to be reasonable and reach an agreement.

On May 8, BHRT interrupted services for RTV FBiH, so they only broadcast news and the Dnevnik (Daily News), and the Municipal Court in Sarajevo issued an urgent interim measure ordering BHRT to restore their signal.

After that, RTV FBiH filed criminal charges against the management and members of the BHRT Supervisory Board.