BHRT staff to stage protest over €51 mil debt crisis threatening public service

Simultaneously, from the same location, BHT1 television and BH Radio 1 will air a multi-hour special program titled "Don’t Shut Down BHRT," dedicated entirely to the crisis, its causes, and the consequences for BiH citizens.

The editorial boards of BHT1 and BH Radio 1 issued a joint statement to state institutions, the international community, and the public, warning that BHRT is in the "final stage of collapse" because laws enacted by the Parliament itself are not being enforced. The letter specifically highlights that for years, the violation of the RTV System Law by Radio-Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) has been tolerated, with its debt to BHRT exceeding 100 million Bosnian marks (approx €51,129,000). "This debt represents an existential threat to BHRT’s survival," the statement emphasized.

Financial shortfalls, outdated technology, limited field reporting, and the departure of quality staff are severely compromising the public service’s fundamental mission to inform and serve citizens. BHRT has warned that if the ultimate goal of weakening the institution is a country without a public media service, citizens should be informed of this intention.

BHRT, one of the region's oldest state public services with an 80-year tradition, stressed that its closure would leave BiH as the only country in Europe without a public RTV service. Employees called on citizens, colleagues, and civil society organizations to join the peaceful protest at 10 am on November 27, in a "joint fight for the survival of one of the most important and long-lived institutions of the state of BiH." Political figures, whom the staff deem most responsible for the situation, were explicitly not invited.