Radio Brod Key Dates

Radio Brod - Key Dates

1992

A number of journalists from former Yugoslavian state radio and television services, as well as newspapers which were no longer able to publish, fled the country and settled in Paris.

They made contact with a number of French humanitarian and libertarian groups and decided that to establish a radio station broadcasting from outside Yugoslavia in order to provide an impartial news and information service.

August 1992

The organisation, Droit de Parole (The Right to Speak), was formed and initially negotiated an option to use a land-based transmitter in Hungary, a plan which was later abandoned in favour of using a ship-based transmitter.

1993

early 1993	A former Antarctic research vessel was chartered,re-named Droit de Parole and equipped as a radio station.
31st March 1993	After being fitted out as a radio ship Droit de Parole sailed from Marseilles for the Adriatic
7th April 1993	Test broadcasts for Radio Brod (Radio Boat), start at 11.00pm
early April	The Droit de Parole had to return to port after a few days to have some technical problems rectified and storm damage repaired.
17th April 1993	The ship returned to sea and transmissions of Radio Brod recommenced
1st June 1993	Regular programmes start for Radio Brod
June 1993	The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) received representations from the Serbian authorities in the former Yugoslavia alleging that the offshore station's frequency was illegal, because it was one allocated to Yugoslavia and Radio Brod's transmissions were interfering with the Montenegrin State Radio.
28th June 1993	The St. Vincent and Grenadines Government withdrew its registration of the Droit de Parole and Radio Brod was forced to close as its vessel was now technically stateless.
30th June 1993	The radio ship sailed to the Italian port of Bari, while the Droit de Parole organisation approached the ITU requesting the allocation of an official frequency to enable Radio Brod to resume its transmissions.
early August 1993	After Radio Brod had been off the air for nearly four weeks the authorities in St Vincent agreed to reinstate the ship's registration on a temporary basis for a period of three months, and consequently the station was able to return to the air.
late 1993	Radio Brod obtained further funding from the European Commission and the Emergency Humanitarian Aid Office, enabling it to continue broadcasting until February 1994.

1994

28th February 1994	With the cessation of funding from its main source, the European Commission, Radio Brod was forced to close at midnight.
7th March 1994	The station made a brief return for a few days, but closed again while new sources of funding were sought. Ultimately this funding was not forthcoming and Radio Brod never returned to the air.

8th April 1992

The US recognises the independence of Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

19th August 1992

To protect Shiites in southern Iraq, the US, Britain and France agree on a plan to shoot down Iraqi military aircraft that enter a zone that begins just south of Baghdad.

20th January 1993 William Jefferson Clinton becomes the 42nd President of the United States.

8th April 1993

The Republic of Macedonia is admitted to the United Nations.

13th April 1993

NATO air action including enforce the UN ban on unauthorised (Serbian) military flights over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

27th June 1993

In response to the attempted assassination of former US President, George Bush, President Bill Clinton orders a cruise missile attack on Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad.

30th December 1993

Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations.

28th February 1994 US fighters shoot down four Serbian fighter aircraft flying in the prohibited zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

8th March 1994

The IRA launch the 1st of 3 mortar attacks on London's Heathrow Airport.