Operation Ranch: Ivanković Lijanović, Ajanović, Čamdžić, Šerifović and A.P. arrested

The Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton and members of the Federal Police Administration of FBiH, in continuous coordination and cooperation, today carried out Operation Ranch and searches at a larger number of locations in FBiH across three cantons (Posavina, Tuzla, and West Herzegovina) and arrested Jerko Ivanković Lijanović, former Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and Vice-President of the People's Party Work for Betterment, Suad Čamdžić, advisor to the minister in the previous convocation of the FBiH Government, Mersed Šerifović, Vice-President of NSRZB and President of the Cantonal Board of this party in Tuzla Canton, Edin Ajanović, former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in the Government of TK and currently Minister of Trade, Tourism and Transport in the same Government, and another person from Odžak who was responsible for monitoring the effects of financial support in agriculture in FBiH, it was announced from the TK Prosecutor's Office, reports the bh. news agency Patria.

Lijanović is suspected of having, while holding the position of minister in the FBiH Government, organized an association, which included other suspects, to commit the criminal offense of abuse of position and authority, related to the payment of agricultural incentives in the Tuzla Canton and wider in FBiH for a period of at least three years, from 2011 to the end of 2014.

This concerns payments of incentives under public calls from the FBiH Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in 2011, 2012, and 2013, for co-financing agricultural exporters of plums and cucumbers from FBiH, and for capital investments in agriculture in the same area.

Lijanović is suspected of organizing an association that conditioned farmers to pay half of the incentives received in cash to members of the association, during and after the payment of agricultural incentives. There are grounds for suspicion that Lijanović and members of the association illegally acquired about 700,000 KM during this period, and that, also by conditioning farmers, they attempted to acquire a larger amount of money for themselves, which some farmers did not agree to.

This operation was preceded by a complex and intricate investigation led by the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of TK in cooperation and synergy with FUP investigators, which lasted about a year.

By order of the Chief Cantonal Prosecutor, an investigative team of the Prosecutor's Office was formed, which continuously cooperates with FUP investigators in working on this case. After the arrest, the suspects will undergo criminal processing and will be handed over to the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor's Office and questioned in the coming period.

TK Prosecutor's Office previously filed indictments against incentive recipients in TK

Also, this Prosecutor's Office previously filed 12 indictments against recipients of agricultural incentives within the project "Rural Development Model" and the public call issued by the aforementioned Ministry in 2012 for capital investments in agriculture, charging them with the criminal offense of deception when obtaining loans or other benefits. Five more investigations are ongoing in connection with the same.

The accused are charged with having, despite being aware and knowing that they had not realized capital investments in agriculture in the period from June 2010 to the end of 2011 as defined by the Public Call from 2012, but much earlier, illegally exercised that right. The 12 indictments state that by committing the criminal offense, they illegally acquired property benefits totaling 530,000 KM. These are incentives paid to farmers in Čelić, Kalesija, Tuzla, Kladanj, Gradačac, and Srebrenik.

In accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code of FBiH, the Prosecutor's Office requested the confiscation of property benefits from the accused from the competent courts.

More information will be presented to the public after the five suspects are handed over to the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor's Office, at which time an official order to conduct the investigation will be issued and the suspects will be questioned.

Incidentally, Lijanović was also arrested in September 2010 and released on October 24, 2014.