We have seen the open letters from RS PM Dodik and SDP President Zlatko Lagumdzija related to public broadcasting and the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The existence of BiH is internationally guaranteed and cannot be called into questioned by one or another political party or constituent people. To suggest otherwise through tiresome, irresponsible and provocative statements is to merely distract from the serious political and economic problems facing this country.
OHR/EUSR notes that the SDP promised to support BiH’s road to the EU but then did everything in their power to undermine it this month. Recently Dr Lagumdzija seems to be more active in criticising the International Community than working on the European future of this country.
Rather than attacking legitimate state institutions or the High Representative, the SDP and SNSD would do better to explain their plans to promote their social democratic principles, instead of engaging in tit-for-tat attacks in the media. Certainly this recent behaviour seems far from what one should expect from parties with their purported political legacies.
We are mindful that PBS reform has been an outstanding reform since 2000 and many governments have had the opportunity to make progress in restructuring and reforming the public broadcasting system since then. It remains a requirement for the road to Europe and the International Community is firmly committed to a multiethnic, editorially independent and financially sustainable public service that operates in the interests of all BiH’s citizens.