'BH Novinari' ('Bosnia-Herzegovina Journalists') Association condemned the attack on a vehicle used by the public broadcaster RTRS crew, which took place in a Sarajevo central street on Thursday during a press conference in Bosnia's Presidency building.

A still unidentified person verbally attacked a crew member of RTRS, the public broadcaster in Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity, while the cameraman and reporter were attending a press conference in the State Presidency building.

The journalist association demands from the Sarajevo Canton police to urgently investigate the incident and take necessary measures towards the perpetrator, which would create conditions for free and safe work of all journalists and media crews regardless of media outlet they represent and regardless of which part of Bosnia they come from to Sarajevo.

Media freedom and safety of journalists are democratic values, guaranteed by the Constitution and law provisions, which is why no one is entitled to the right to question those values or violate them, said the association.

‘BH Novinari’ demands from competent institutions to more efficiently sanction those who breach the right to media freedom and who jeopardise the safety of journalists.

According to RTRS, driver Slobodan Vaskovic who was waiting in the car on Thursday was verbally attacked by an unknown person who spat on and hit the vehicle.

The Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior confirmed to N1 that the incident was reported and that the competent prosecutor was informed about it.