Newspaper sale highlights transparency, international tension

Michael Hedges January 27, 2008

Turning government owned enterprises into private companies is considered a positive step, even more so when governments divest interest in State owned media. A lack of transparency in privatization, brought to light by NGOs, has a way of diminishing any positive result. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Balkans.

Bosnia Herzegovina (BiH) is a divided country in a tense and fractious region. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily ethnic Bosniacks and Croats, and the Republika Srpska, primarily ethnic Serb, co-exist within BiH, largely peacefully, under the authority of the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia Herzegovina (OHR). Both entities have made fleeting efforts at reforms mandated by the OHR. A third entity, the 200 km2 Brcko Federal District, was created in the northeast corner of BiH.

Press freedom in BiH, in the mix of other human rights issues, has concerned international organizations and NGOs. Corruption, too, has been a long-term concern. The reaction by BiH leaders has been sharp and to the point: if the NGOs don’t like it, get out. The OHR had planned to wind down its activities last year. Its mandate was extended because of rising regional tensions over Kosovo independence. 

International corruption monitor Transparency International (TI) caught the ire of Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik after reporting the recent privatization of State owned oil company Gacko was less than transparent and, quite likely, illegal. PM Dodik ordered his Ministry of Justice to sue the TI office in BiH, reported January 9 by B92. He also threatened to cut all contact with TI BiH.

The following day (January 10) OHR Deputy Raffi Gregorian met with media and NGOs to reinforce “the important watchdog role an independent press and civil society perform.”

“Republika Srpska media is veiled in darkness and torture,” he added. Officially, Gregorian is chiefly responsible for the Brcko Federal District, considered a well-functioning, multi-ethnic example for BiH.

True to form, the major political party in Republika Srpska called for all Bosnian Serb politicians to break off contact with Gregorian. This tit-for-tat prompted an editorial in newspaper Nezavisne novine (January 13) criticizing media and NGOs who complain, reported RFE/RL.

Last week (January 25) Republika Srpska Investment and Development Bank sold most of the governments’ interest in Glas Srpske, a newspaper publisher and distribution company to competitor Nezavisne novine and Integral Inzinjering, a major construction company. The buyers are paying €1.9 million and will invest an additional €2.2 million over the next three years.

Keywords:media in the Balkans,press freedom