Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr. Dragan Čović Held a Working Meeting with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

“Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH) Dr. Dragan Čović held a working meeting today with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, Jan Braathu, who is on a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 26 to 28 May. The meeting was also attended by Member of the House of Representatives Darijana Filipović and the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Brian Aggeler.

Officials discussed the current political moment in BiH, the European path, as well as peace, stability, and territorial integrity. Particular emphasis was placed on European reforms, the state of media freedom, and the protection of the media and media activity as key components of any developed and democratic society. The discussion also covered the need to protect the rights of the Croatian people to a RTV service in their mother tongue, as well as amendments to the BiH Election Law.

Deputy Speaker Čović emphasized the unconditional commitment to the stability and progress of BiH, particularly stressing the urgent need to implement the remaining reform steps so that BiH can officially begin the negotiation process with the European Union. In this context, he informed Representative Braathu about the upcoming session of the House of Peoples, where the Draft Law on the Court, the Draft Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, and the Election Law — aimed at ensuring additional protection of the constitutional order of BiH and the constituent peoples as the overarching principle — will be considered. Emphasis was also placed on current challenges and further steps towards achieving European standards in the field of media protection and media freedom in BiH.

Representative Braathu presented an overview of the situation of media freedom in Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting the recommended steps in line with OSCE assessments, which are consistent with the process of European integration. He underscored the importance of the rule of law, media independence, and the provision of necessary protection in their daily work.

Officials expressed satisfaction with the meeting and the exchange of views on current topics, and expressed expectations for future cooperation regarding media freedom and the general and European progress of BiH, emphasizing the importance of cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, led by Head of Mission Ambassador Brian Aggeler, which continues to intensify.” (Statement from the Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples, Dr. Dragan Čović)