HDZ HOLDS THE KEY Ljubiša Pandurević is an acceptable name for SIPA Director, but how will the BiH Council of Ministers appoint him?

By: A. Vrabac

The appointment of the Director of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) has been on hold since September last year.

Although the entire procedure was completed, and a ranking list with three names was submitted to the BiH Minister of Security, the BiH Council of Ministers never considered the appointment.

We remind you that Darko Ćulum, Ljubiša Pandurević, and Slobodan Radinković were on the list.

The then BiH Minister of Security, Nenad Nešić, stated in the show "Istraga sedmice" (Investigation of the Week) in September that the name Slobodan Radinković had been agreed upon within the "Serb corps" for the position of SIPA Director.

However, besides choosing the third-ranked candidate, Nešić also disqualified Radinković based on a recording in the possession of security agencies, in which two members of the criminal underworld mention him in June last year in the context of him "going to a position in SIPA and that they will have him even higher," while in Doboj they will place their man who will watch over them. Radinković is the head of the Police Administration of the MUP RS in Doboj.

Due to this information, Nešić was clearly told that Radinković could not count on the votes of the "trojka" (the coalition of SDP, NiP, and NS), nor the HDZ, and that point never appeared on the agenda of the BiH Council of Ministers.

Darko Ćulum continued to lead SIPA even after his term expired, and the appointment of the SIPA Director remained an unresolved issue of the state coalition.

In December, Nešić was arrested, and in January, he was dismissed after resigning. The position of Minister of Security remained vacant, and the duties of the Minister are being performed by Ivica Bošnjak, Deputy Minister of Security and an HDZ BiH official, under the authority of the Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto.

Given that the Deputy Director of SIPA, Zoran Galić, who fled BiH in July last year to avoid arrest for abuse of office, was dismissed in October last year, and that the situation regarding unconstitutional activities of the leadership and bodies of the BiH entity Republika Srpska has become complicated since February this year, SIPA is practically decapitated today.

One of the unconstitutional laws passed by the National Assembly of RS is the one prohibiting the work and operation of SIPA on the territory of RS. On March 18, Darko Ćulum resigned as SIPA Director and responded to the call of the President of RS, Milorad Dodik, to leave SIPA and join the MUP RS. However, the BiH Council of Ministers did not dismiss Ćulum due to the obstruction of ministers Srđan Amidžić and Staša Košarac, as SIPA would otherwise be left without any leadership. Thus, Ćulum is still the director of SIPA on paper because he does not come to the SIPA building, but he is also an advisor in the MUP RS.

According to Patria's information, an attempt is now being made to reach an agreement to appoint a SIPA Director, which requires the vote of Staša Košarac. First, for that item to be on the agenda, and then for him to vote for the proposal. The only possible proposal from the list of successful candidates is Ljubiša Pandurević.

What is stated as controversial regarding Pandurević is his connection with Nenad Nešić. However, it is actually about Ljubiša Pandurević's brother, Dragiša Pandurević, who is indeed friends with the arrested Nešić. Dragiša Pandurević is a prosecutor in the Prosecutor's Office of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, while Ljubiša Pandurević is a long-time employee of SIPA.

Given that talks are underway between the parties of the "trojka" and the opposition from RS regarding a new parliamentary majority, the issue of appointing the SIPA Director has also been put on the table.

However, no appointment in the BiH Council of Ministers can be made now without SNSD. Unless the BiH Minister of Security from the ranks of the opposition from RS is appointed soon, which would also lead to a change in the Collegium of the BiH Council of Ministers and thus ensure the passage of decisions.

However, the key to resolving this situation lies with the HDZ and Dragan Čović. Although the HDZ has held several meetings with the opposition from RS, and Čović has called them new partners, the time that is passing shows that there is no agreement there. In the meantime, the HDZ has initiated amendments to the BiH Election Law, which is also a test for new partners. As time passes, the HDZ has less and less desire to participate in the elimination of SNSD from power.

The procedure for electing the Deputy Director of SIPA has also been halted because members from the Serb ranks have blocked the quorum. It is uncertain when the session will continue and the ranking list will be determined, and the registered candidates are close to HDZ structures.

And while political games are underway, the security situation in BiH is becoming increasingly complex, and there is no resolution in sight regarding the attack on the constitutional order carried out by the leaders of the entity and the National Assembly of RS, even though there is an arrest warrant.