Academic Vitomir Popović said that RTRS is a “thorn in the side” of those aiming to create a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina and weaken the Serb political position.
“The current public broadcasting system in Bosnia and Herzegovina serves no one and nothing, and if it serves anything, it works against the interests of the Serb people,” Popović said during an appearance on the program Drugi ugao.
Criticism of the Constitutional Court
Popović also criticized the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stating that it has long operated beyond the framework defined by the Constitution.
“When it comes to property rights, the Court has completely reversed the thesis. In this specific case, it acted as if it were a supreme court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which it is not and cannot be, nor does it have such authority,” he said.
He added that the Court concluded there had been violations of certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to property and the right to a trial within a reasonable time, but insisted that such conclusions were unfounded.
Legal concerns and institutional issues
Popović pointed to a number of legal concerns, including the composition of the Court and the absence of judges from the Serb people, which he said is contrary to constitutional provisions.
He also argued that the decision could harm Republika Srpska.
Regarding disputes between RTRS and BHRT, Popović said RTRS’s right to fair access to court had been violated.
“If there is no unified corporation account where the broadcasting fee would be collected, as required by law, then to which account should RTRS fulfill its obligations? This decision is unenforceable,” he stated.
“Scandalous decisions”
Popović concluded that the Constitutional Court has made several controversial decisions, including one allowing judges over the age of 70 to extend their own mandates, as well as adopting procedural rules that, in his view, sometimes stand above the Constitution.
Source: RTRS
