Russian TV stations banned in the EU, but available in RS and parts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Seven cable operators in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to distribute the programs of six Russian state television stations that were banned by the European Union four years ago for spreading disinformation, justifying aggression against Ukraine, and hybrid warfare.

Among the sanctioned media outlets are Russia Today (RT), Russia 24, and Sputnik, whose programs spread pro-Kremlin narratives and, for example, deny the genocide in Srebrenica.

Some of the operators broadcasting these channels in BiH are owned by Telekom Srbija.

What do they say from the EU?

"We encourage and expect BiH to ensure full implementation of EU restrictive measures, including those against Russia and Belarus," the European Commission told Radio Free Europe (RFE).

They emphasized that information manipulation and foreign interference, including disinformation, pose a growing threat to democratic societies.

They added that the EU is increasing its support for partners in the Western Balkans to combat disinformation and other hybrid threats, and that Russia is accompanying its aggression against the Ukrainian people with an information and propaganda war on a global scale.

"The Kremlin regime has transformed state media into instruments of information manipulation and information warfare," the European Commission told Radio Free Europe, adding that this is why the EU has imposed sanctions against Russian state media, including RT and Sputnik.

The distribution of the channels Russia Today and Russia 24 via terrestrial and cable signals has been banned in the EU due to their disinformation campaigns, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine in February 2022.

The sanctions include a ban on distribution in the EU via cable and satellite operators, IPTV platforms, online applications and advertising. The EU stresses that this is a “security measure” and not a standard media regulation, aimed at reducing disinformation and foreign policy influence in the region.

EU countries have not blocked access to their websites.

Social networks, such as YouTube, Meta, and TikTok, have restricted or blocked the distribution of Russian state media content.

“Russia’s interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina is simply to stop its further integration into NATO and delay its integration into the EU,” Ahmed Kico, a retired intelligence officer and co-author of the book “Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans – Aspects of Geopolitics and Hybrid Warfare,” told Radio Free Europe.

He says this is a "hybrid war against BiH", a country that has had candidate status for EU membership since 2022.

"Russia is not doing this alone, but through its media in the region, and is also receiving significant help from some media from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina that ostensibly support Europeanism and NATO, but essentially want the status quo," Klitso added.

Who distributes Russian channels in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Most cable operators from the Federation of BiH stopped distributing Russian state channels in 2022, in line with EU measures and without an official decision from the authorities.

"In 2022, we sent a request to the Communications Regulatory Agency of BiH to stop the distribution of audiovisual media services for the aforementioned channels [RT, Russia24]," Tuzla-based cable operator TX TV, one of 40 cable operators in BiH, told Radio Free Europe.

However, sanctioned channels remained available in certain parts of the country through seven operators.

According to the list of programs reported to the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) of BiH, the channels Russia Today and Russia 24, among others, are available via the “ELTA-MT” network in the Tuzla area and “Logosoft” in the Sarajevo area, in the entity of the Federation of BiH.

Logosoft is owned by Telekomunikacije Republika Srpska (m:tel), a majority-owned operator of Telekom Srbija.

In the Republika Srpska (RS) entity, sanctioned channels are available on five cable operators, two of which are owned by m:tel, while the rest are private, according to data from business registers.

REL has repeatedly contacted the operators distributing the sanctioned channels, but they have not responded to questions.

What does the regulator say?

For a cable operator to legally distribute a foreign television program, it must submit a contract with the copyright owner to the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) of BiH.

RAK BiH can fine television stations if they violate laws in BiH by broadcasting, for example, content containing hate speech or intentionally presenting false information, but it cannot ban a channel from broadcasting.

"RAK BiH has no specific comments," the state regulator told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in response to Radio Free Europe's broad question about whether this institution has any obligations regarding the distribution of foreign channels that are under EU sanctions.

We were also interested in whether anyone had made any complaints regarding any show or part of a show that was distributed and broadcast in BiH on Russian channels.

RAK BiH is headed by Draško Milinović, the former director general of Radio Television of Republika Srpska and one-time advisor to former president Milorad Dodik. Dodik maintains ties to Russia and has met nine times with Russian leader Vladimir Putin since the start of the war in Ukraine.

What has been emphasized so far by the EU?

The European Union has repeatedly stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina must implement restrictive measures against Russia, including banning the broadcasting of sanctioned Russian state media.

The EU created the so-called framework of restrictive measures for BiH in 2011, but they have not been used and implemented to date.

In progress reports on BiH, the European Commission has regularly warned of the need to close the space for foreign influence and manipulation of information.

Reports highlight that the country still lacks a comprehensive framework to counter hybrid threats, while public institutions remain vulnerable to cyberattacks and foreign policy influence.

"We are concerned about malicious foreign interference and disinformation campaigns by foreign actors in BiH, especially Russia and China, as well as their transmission through local media and political structures," it says, among other things.

In its latest resolution on BiH, the European Parliament expresses deep concern about Russian propaganda on the public broadcaster of Republika Srpska, condemns the RT channel's broadcast as a violation of EU sanctions, and calls for support for BiH in the fight against disinformation campaigns.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković (People and Justice, FBiH) previously stated that he supports sanctions against Russia, but their implementation in the state government is being blocked by RS ministers.

On the other hand, Minister of Foreign Trade Staša Košarac (SNSD, RS) claims that “BiH sanctions against Russia do not exist” as long as people who follow RS policies are in state institutions.