Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr Denis Zvizdić, met with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

"The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH), Dr Denis Zvizdić, met today in Sarajevo with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Mr Jan Braathu, with the aim of strengthening cooperation in the field of promoting and protecting media freedom in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The meeting focused on the current state of media freedom in the country, the challenges faced by journalists, and the importance of a legislative framework that safeguards independent and responsible journalism. The need for continued dialogue between the legislature and the media community was also emphasised, with full support from international partners.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Mr Braathu, underlined the importance of transparency, the safety of journalists, and the fight against hate speech, and offered expert and technical support in the process of aligning national legislation with European standards.

Speaker Zvizdić expressed his gratitude to the OSCE for its continued cooperation and support, and reaffirmed the commitment of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina to contributing—through its legislative and oversight functions—to the creation of a safer and freer media environment.

The meeting was held in the spirit of open dialogue and partnership, with a shared message that media freedom is a cornerstone of every democratic state, and that the attempts by the ruling majority in Republika Srpska to place the media and civil society under full political control—through the criminalisation of defamation or the labelling of NGOs as “foreign agents”—are unacceptable." (Statement from the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Denis Zvizdić)