EU Criticism: Dodik and the 'Trojka' Stifle Media Freedom in BiH

(Patria) - There has been no progress in the area that guarantees freedom of expression and media, and the protection of journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a section of the BiH Progress Report towards the EU.

This segment is key priority 12 in the EU analysis.

"Political pressures, intimidation, and harassment of journalists have continued, including physical and verbal attacks, without adequate institutional follow-up. Political influence on public broadcasters persists, and their financial sustainability is increasingly at risk.

The Law on the Public Broadcasting System remains unchanged, and legislation at the entity level is still not harmonized with this law.

Criminal penalties for defamation in the Republika Srpska entity continue to seriously affect freedom of expression and media freedom and have an increasingly negative effect.

The legislative initiative of the Canton Sarajevo on sanctions for online 'fake' news, if adopted, could be misused to restrict media freedom. Any such norm must fully respect the standards of freedom of expression.

Last year's Commission recommendations have not been implemented and remain in force. Bosnia and Herzegovina should, in the coming year, specifically:

→ ensure the protection of journalists and systematic institutional monitoring of threats and violence against them;

→ ensure the financial sustainability and political independence of public broadcasters and harmonize entity legislation with the state Law on the Public Broadcasting System;

→ adopt laws on transparency of media ownership and criteria for public advertising; and ensure the decriminalization of defamation throughout the country," the Report states.