Citizens of Vogošća 50 Days Without Heating: Criminal Charges Announced Against Those Responsible in Front of the Sarajevo Canton Government Building

(Patria) - Residents of Vogošća, who have been without central heating produced and distributed by the company BAGS-Energotehnika for more than 50 days, held a press conference today in front of the Sarajevo Canton Government building.

At the press conference, they announced they would file criminal charges against BAGS director Enis Džihanić, Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Nihad Uk, and Sarajevo Canton Minister of Public Utilities Bojan Bošnjak, who is currently in custody.

Nisveta Huskić, a representative of the citizens of Vogošća, said that residents pay for heating throughout the year and that they have not received heating, even though an agreement signed on November 14 guaranteed they would get heating and that the Government had secured 900,000 KM for the purchase of fuel oil for the company BAGS-Energotehnika.

- That has not happened to this day. The Government, the Prime Minister, and the BAGS director are shifting blame onto each other, adding some requests for papers that may or may not exist, we cannot determine. The company BAGS is always missing one paper, a stamp, another certified copy, and it goes in circles. Not a single mark has gone to BAGS - she said.

She emphasized that the Prime Minister is behaving nonchalantly and claims he has done everything in his power.

- The Canton does not have the money it allocated. They were only allocated on paper. We demand that this situation be resolved and that our heating be turned on. The company is owned by the Sarajevo Canton Government. They are not the founder, but the majority owners of the company. We have been paying bills all year and we want to have heating - she stated.

Due to cold radiators, an increased number of Vogošća residents are seeking medical help, and the activation of Sarajevo Canton's commodity reserves has been requested. Dženana Bundić, a resident of Vogošća, pointed out that they had a meeting with the BAGS director, who outlined the problems he has with the Ministry of Public Utilities.

- They are still looking for some paper so that the money can be paid into their account, and they haven't received a single mark from those fictitious 900,000 KM. The famous fuel oil supplier is the sole one, Hifa oil, which should be called out because it advertises itself as a socially responsible company, but refuses to respond to purchase orders sent by the BAGS director. Yesterday, they did not send a proforma invoice for eight or nine purchase orders. This is a scam. The Prime Minister is also asking for a paper - she said.

Bundić said there are two scenarios.

- One scenario is that they intended, and knew as early as March, to sell the company BAGS. Most likely, allegedly, Hifa is involved because they have fuel terminals and something they need. The second scenario is that the Ministry has no money and that the 900,000 is fictitious on paper. The second scenario is very possible, but the first is certain. We are just a stumbling block - she stated.

Residents of Vogošća stated that they have taken steps, and in addition to criminal charges, they also announce a blockade of the main road.

- If we do not get heating within seven days, we will permanently block the main road. We will take turns in shifts until they turn on our heating - they emphasized.

They also reiterated that the Vogošća Municipality cannot do anything about this issue, and that Mayor Migdad Hasanović had proposed that the company BAGS be handed over to the Municipality, reports Faktor.