Dević and Bandić Agree: The Troika Appoints Directors Loyal to Politics, Hence We Have the 'Adis Mešić Case' and Other Examples!

(Patria) - After the Sarajevo Municipal Court issued a ruling permanently revoking the Certificate/Confirmation by which Adis Mešić, director of the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs, initially obtained employment as an inspector in the CAIA and for which the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office determined contained false information but due to the statute of limitations no criminal proceedings will be initiated, some cantonal deputies have reacted.

Incidentally, Mešić had the support of the People and Justice party for his appointment to the director position, and previously he was appointed acting director four times, about which a separate proceeding is ongoing at the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office.

Although they were aware that the appointment was illegal, the Sarajevo Canton Government, composed of NIP, NS, and SDP, appointed Mešić as acting director without the participation of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was expelled from the Sarajevo Canton Government. Ministers from the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina refused to vote for Mešić and warned that the action was illegal.

The head of the SDA Club in the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, Mahir Dević, told Patria that such collusion between politics and individuals permanently harms justice, undermines the entire legal system, and creates legal uncertainty.

"Obviously, not all individuals are equal before the law. This is not just a situation with the CAIA, but about a dozen directors appointed by the Troika to positions, who forged diplomas, work experience, or managerial work experience, and were not held accountable for committed criminal offenses and the acquisition of illegal property benefits," Dević stated.

He believes that this is how the Sarajevo Canton is being destroyed.

Incidentally, on the agenda of the 11th working session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly is also the CAIA report for 2022, and the last continuation was held on February 21, when not all items were considered.

Dević says he has no information on when the continuation of this session will be held, but that it is up to the Speaker of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, Elvedin Okerić, who is obstructing the continuation of work and consideration of this report.

The head of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina Club, Muamer Bandić, told Patria that he has been pointing out for a long time serious precedents regarding the appointment of Troika party cadres to director positions who do not meet the requirements for those positions.

"Unfortunately, the Troika parties appoint directors who serve particular interests, not the legally prescribed conditions for those positions, which has not been recorded in the Sarajevo Canton until now. This has become a serious problem in the Sarajevo Canton because there are a number of reports to the Office for the Fight against Corruption and the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office that certain cadres do not meet the requirements, but regardless of warnings from the opposition or participants in competition procedures, the ruling coalition gives mandates to precisely those individuals. This indicates the existence of intent on the part of the current power holders, i.e., a higher degree of determination to act illegally.

The conduct of the Prosecutor's Office is very interesting, as it allows such reports not to reach a final conclusion but drags out proceedings for so long that such acts ultimately become absolutely statute-barred. A serious question arises as to how lawful the actions of such directors are, if they did not meet the requirements, and ultimately how lawful was the exercise of the right to salary for individuals who did not meet the requirements for those positions," says Bandić.

After this information, which was confirmed by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office, and then the ruling of the Municipal Court that acted on the proposal of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office to seize the disputed certificate, the priority is to consider the CAIA report as soon as possible, but also for Director Mešić to answer the questions of the deputies of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly.