Financial 'autonomy' of the University of Zenica: They bought alcohol, paid for a party, and all contrary to the Public Procurement Law!

(Patria) - Amendments to the Law on Higher Education proposed by the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton and sent to the parliamentary procedure under urgent procedure have caused a storm of reactions at the University of Zenica.

Accusations have been made that the Government should be the guardian, not the destroyer, of academic autonomy, and that universities must remain free from political influence in order to fulfill their mission: to educate young generations, promote research, and serve as a platform for the free exchange of ideas.

The justification from the Government, led by Prime Minister Nezir Pivić, is that the proposed amendments aim to introduce order into financial operations and that academic freedoms at this higher education institution are not being jeopardized in any way.

However, there has been extravagance and arrogance on the part of the university management, best illustrated by the invoices in our possession. Namely, the company Apel promet d.o.o. PJ Trgovina 2 Fojnica issued an invoice to the University of Zenica for delivered drinks, juices and water, but also beer, wine, and spirits, in the amount of 908.60 KM!



Apel promet d.o.o. Srednja Bosna Travnik is registered as a company for the employment of persons with disabilities, its founder is the Association of Veterans with Disabilities – SBK, and the head of the company is Ekrem Julardžija, who is considered a close associate of the controversial professor of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Ilhan Bušatlić, who is also one of the closest associates of the current rector Jusuf Duraković.

Perhaps the connection between Julardžija and Bušatlić is the reason why the University of Zenica was invoiced for goods at significantly higher prices than on the market. For example, juices that were paid for at 1.7 KM can be bought at much lower prices even in retail. The same applies to the purchased alcoholic beverages.

Another invoice is questionable. A hotel in Zenica issued an invoice to this University for 6,600 KM for catering services provided, which was for a New Year's party organized by the University for its employees.



The party caused headaches for many, some from the alcohol delivered two days earlier, and the financial accounting department due to the question of how to justify this expense.

The entertainment was not included in the Public Procurement Plan, which is why they found themselves in conflict with the Public Procurement Law, nor can it be justified as representation, which created room for malversation and non-transparent spending of financial resources.

Instead of a conclusion, we remind you that the Report on the Operations of the University of Zenica in 2023 stated that the Public Procurement Plan was realized at only 64.2 percent, and procurements of works, goods, and services in the amount of 88,660.47 KM were carried out contrary to Article 17 of the Law on Public Procurement of BiH, which prescribes the conditions for initiating the public procurement procedure.



Simply put, the procured works, goods, and services were not planned in the Public Procurement Plan for 2023, which is why they could not have been procured. This is apparently clear to everyone who knows the laws, but not to the "financially autonomous" management of the University of Zenica.