FBiH Government Subsidizes Čović's Media Outlet with Budget Funds: Only TV Herceg-Bosne Can Apply for the Tender

(Patria) - The devil is in the details, and one detail from the latest issue of the Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH reveals that the FBiH Government intends to subsidize RTV Herceg-Bosne with at least one million marks. At the same time, this devilish detail that favors Dragan Čović's television, which broadcasts under the name of the joint criminal enterprise Herceg-Bosna, eliminates all cantonal televisions in the Federation, as well as all private televisions based in Sarajevo. Here's what Nermin Nikšić, Elmedin Konaković, and Dragan Čović have come up with, writes Istraga.ba.

“The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at its 102nd emergency session held on August 6, 2024, adopts the decision on approving the program for the expenditure of part of the funds 'current expenditures-subsidies' to public enterprises – improvement of RTV activities, determined by the budget of the Federation of BiH for 2024 to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Program for the expenditure of part of the funds 'Current transfers and other current expenditures – Subsidies to public enterprises-improvement of RTV activities' in the amount of 3,000,000.00 KM, determined by the Budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024 to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications in budget item 18, economic code 6144 of the Budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024 ('Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH', No. 7/24), is adopted. Funds in the amount of 3,000,000.00 KM for the implementation of the Program from point I. of this decision are secured in the Budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024 ('Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH', No. 7/24). The distribution of funds determined in point I. of this decision will be carried out based on a conducted public call, in accordance with the general conditions for participation and specific criteria for distribution established by this decision,” the FBiH Government Decision states.

At first glance, it seems that everything is fine, and that all (public) televisions from the Federation will have the right to apply for the public call to receive money from the Budget. However, Article VI of this decision effectively eliminates all media except the public service of the Federation of BiH (FTV) and Čović's RTV Herceg-Bosna.



“General conditions for participation that applicants must meet in order to apply for budget funds are:

1) That the applicant is classified as a public RTV broadcaster in the register of broadcasting license users and is registered with the competent court in the Federation of BiH,
2) That the applicant has not been allocated funds by the Decision on the use of part of the accumulated surplus of revenues over expenditures of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina realized as of December 31, 2023 ('Official Gazette of BiH', No. 14/24),
3) That the user's request relates to a project implemented in 2024,
4) Digital signal MUX A, Velež zone, and Bjelašnica zone,
5) That they broadcast radio and television programs in the Federation of BiH.
6) That they have representative offices in at least 3 cities or municipalities in the Federation of BiH,
7) That they broadcast their own production news programs,
8) Detailed project description,
9) Completed, signed, and certified project application forms,” the Decision states.

We have bolded the key details. And here is the explanation.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into nine digital regions named after the largest relay stations from before the war. Digital signals are broadcast via MUX A and MUX D.



Only five televisions in BiH broadcast their programs via MUX A, namely – BHRT, RTRS, FTV, Hayat TV, and RTV Herceg-Bosne. All other televisions, especially cantonal ones from the FBiH, broadcast their programs via MUX D. Since the FBiH Government stipulates that only televisions broadcasting via MUX A can apply for the tender, this means that only five televisions meet this condition. However, three of these five televisions do not meet other conditions. Thus, condition number 1 is an eliminator for RTRS, as this television is not registered in the Federation. For BHRT, condition number 2 is an eliminator, which stipulates that this media outlet has not previously received funds from the CRA. BHRT has already received them. Hayat is out of the game due to condition number 5, as it does not broadcast radio programs. Therefore, RTV FBiH and RTV Herceg-Bosne meet the prescribed conditions. Because only these televisions are registered in the Federation, have representative offices in at least three cities, broadcast programs via MUX A, in the Bjelašnica and Velež zones, and broadcast radio programs.



The FBiH Government, thus, while covering itself with alleged transparency, has favored RTV Herceg-Bosne.

Let us recall that at the end of January this year, the leaders of the Trojka parties (SDP, Our Party, NiP), HDZ, and SNSD agreed in Laktaši on the distribution of money from the CRA (Communications Regulatory Agency).

“37 million KM has been collected from CRA funds. Of that amount, 10 million KM goes to media (40% to BHRT, 30% to media in Republika Srpska, and 30% to media in the FBiH, paid to governments for further distribution),” the Laktaši Agreement states.

The Council of Ministers of BiH later implemented this decision, allocating four million marks to BHRT and transferring three million KM each to the entity governments, which they are to distribute to televisions in both entities.

The FBiH Government, as is already clear from the decision of August 6, will only formally announce a public call, as only two televisions can apply – FTV and TV Herceg-Bosne. According to Istraga.ba's information, the public service of the Federation of BiH (FTV) will receive two million, while RTV Herceg-Bosne will receive one million marks.

“Radiotelevizija Herceg-Bosne (RTV HB) is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian radio-television media in the Croatian language owned by 22 municipalities, cities, and cantons with a majority Croatian population. We are the only public media in the Croatian language that, through its work, tries to compensate for the lack of media space and the absence of a channel in the Croatian language on public RTV services and systems,” it is stated on the official YouTube channel of RTV Herceg-Bosne.