CROATIA LEFT WITHOUT PERMIT Will the purchased helicopter sit in a hangar waiting for EASA certification?

(Patria) - The story regarding the procurement of a helicopter for Sarajevo Canton continues. Thus, today the party "Naprijed" spoke out again, stating that Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Sarajevo Canton (and other cantons and entities), should have the best and most modern helicopters and does not want to politicize the story about the procurement of the aircraft.

"As a serious political movement, with expert people, specialists who know the subject matter – we want to sabotage suspicious public procurements and point out to the public where irresponsible actions of individuals from the authorities will lead them.

 We are fully aware of the need for technical equipping of police structures, which is also part of our program! None of the officials from Sarajevo Canton have yet answered the question of when the helicopter they are buying will take off for its first test flight?

No one doubts the functionality of the helicopter, but we point out the problem of obtaining a certificate from EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) without whose permit the helicopter cannot fly. According to available information, the procedure for obtaining a permit cannot be completed in less than 48 months. Most likely for this reason, two members (out of nine) of the Procurement Commission of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton did not sign the procurement decision," they say from Naprijed.

Will the purchased helicopter sit in some hangar waiting for EASA certification, while the citizens of this country look at the sky and again go in circles due to captured institutions?

"Naprijed" only lobbies for the citizens of this country and does not hide that orientation. It is absolutely irrelevant to us from whom the helicopter will be bought, which is why we do not mention the names of bidders in our statement. However, it is symptomatic that in such a serious, international tender, only two bidders appear, one of whom was immediately disqualified.

"If they already refer to the environment, why did they not see that Croatia did not obtain permits for two identical helicopters, so in the neighboring country in October 2023, the delivery deadline, which was 15 months, was broken. Apart from that, the specification of their helicopters is completely different: they have a sea rescue kit and cameras each worth over a million euros.

As for the claim that neighboring countries have such a helicopter and that they fly regularly, that is true, but these are very old helicopters whose permits were obtained long ago and are only renewed, which is completely irrelevant and unimportant in the saga about the procurement of a helicopter for the needs of Sarajevo Canton.

It is frightening and dangerous that something is being procured that will not be functional at the time of purchase and will cost the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina around thirty million KM.

Obviously, for the Minister of Sarajevo Canton, the names of the experts from NAPRIJED are most important, so that they can be persecuted in the media and in every other way. We will carefully analyze every activity and inform the public about it!" it is further stated.