Helez admits discrimination against Bosniaks in appointments of directors in BiH institutions, but takes no action in the Council of Ministers

Minister of Defence of BiH Zukan Helez submitted a response to state MP Šemsudin Mehmedović regarding all appointments of directors of state institutions during the mandate of the current Council of Ministers of BiH.

Mehmedović stated in his question that out of all appointed directors, only three positions were held by Bosniaks, which is less than 20 percent, although the Constitution and laws stipulate that they must constitute 50 percent.

“Eight Serbs and six Croats were appointed, and in addition to the ministers from HDZ and SNSD, ministers Helez, Konaković, and Hurtić also voted for such appointments. It is paradoxical that the ministers from the Bosniak constituent people themselves contributed to the systemic discrimination of Bosniaks, thereby grossly violating the Constitution and laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

Based on the responses received by MPs Mehmedović and Jasmin Emrić during 2025, it was determined from 67 BiH institutions that as of December 20, 2024, there were 7,966 people employed, and that out of the total number, only 41.8 percent were Bosniaks, meaning 664 fewer Bosniaks, 431 more Serbs, and 246 more Croats than the legally stipulated number.

Mehmedović has repeatedly raised concerns about the role of Anita Markić, director of the Civil Service Agency of BiH, who was also appointed during the mandate of the Council of Ministers of BiH.

“Serbs and Croats consistently ‘excel’ in competitions, while ‘there are not enough qualified and educated Bosniaks,’ especially when members of the competition commissions are appointed by Anita Markić,” he stated.

The analysis of the appointed directors clearly shows that there are 17 directors and one general secretary. The table that Patria published earlier, and which we are repeating now, is missing the name of Marko Kubatlija, director of the Agency for Promotion of Foreign Investments, who is a cadre of Nenad Nešić's DNS. Although Kubatlija was found to have a conflict of interest, and APIK received other complaints against him which were submitted to the BiH Prosecutor's Office, the BiH Council of Ministers does not wish to dismiss him.

In his response, Helez states that appointments within the jurisdiction of the BiH Council of Ministers are carried out in accordance with the dynamics of needs due to the termination of mandates of appointed persons for various reasons, and according to the competition procedure under the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Agency of BiH.

“The imbalance in appointments to management positions has been identified, and the Deputy Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers has publicly expressed opposition to the actions of the Civil Service Agency of BiH. In his work, the Minister of Defence is committed to the application of constitutional and legal norms that prescribe proportional representation from among the constituent peoples and others. I will insist on these principles until the end of the mandate of this convocation of the BiH Council of Ministers,” the response from the BiH Ministry of Defence states.

It should be noted that there are positions held by directors whose mandates have expired, but the BiH Council of Ministers has not yet made new appointments. Such is the case with Draško Milinović, director of the Communications Regulatory Agency, whose mandate expired in 2024. Only one application was received for the announced competition, that of Milinović, whom the CRA Council proposed for director. Due to political (in)circumstances, this appointment was never put before the BiH Council of Ministers, and Milinović remained in the position. If the BiH Council of Ministers officially appoints him, his new mandate will only begin from the date of appointment.

Another name is Darko Ćulum, director of SIPA, whose mandate also expired in July 2024. The procedure was completed, but the BiH Council of Ministers never declared itself on the ranking list. Ćulum remained in the position even after a four-month resignation and departure from SIPA to a position as advisor in the MUP RS. Ćulum returned to SIPA in mid-July, and no one mentions his dismissal due to the expiry of his mandate anymore, even though a deputy director of SIPA, Dragan Andrić, was appointed, who could manage SIPA if Ćulum were dismissed. Instead of Ćulum, Bosniak staff began to be retired from SIPA based on Ćulum's decisions.

Appointments made by the BiH Council of Ministers

There are also appointments made by the director of the Civil Service Agency of BiH ex officio, after the Council of Ministers of BiH failed to do so within 30 days. Such is the case in the BiH Statistics Agency, where the director Vesna Ćuzić was appointed for a second term, and two deputy directors, Radmila Čičković for a second term and Bahrija Čikarić, for whom this is the first term of four years.

ADS also issued a decision appointing Pejo Đurašinović to the position of managing civil servant – director of the Agency for Market Oversight of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for a second four-year term, starting from August 15, 2025.

A Decision was also made appointing Eduard Šakota to the position of managing civil servant – deputy director of the Agency for Market Oversight of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for a second four-year term, starting from August 15, 2025.

(A. Vrabac)