No details from ZDK Prosecutor's Office: Police questioning children and parents, Ajdinovići reopening

ZENICA, (Patria) – The Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Zenica-Doboj Canton has ordered the ZDK Ministry of Interior to question children and their parents who experienced stomach and other health issues on August 22 during their stay at the Sports and Recreation Center Ajdinovići near Olovo.

The News Agency Patria has confirmed that the questioning has begun, and if necessary, additional expert assessments will be conducted, after which the prosecutor will make a final prosecutorial decision. The Prosecutor's Office of ZDK does not wish to discuss the details of the findings submitted by the Institute for Food Safety in Zenica.

"Within the aforementioned case, an Order was issued to police officers of the ZDK Ministry of Interior, Olovo Police Station, to carry out specific measures and actions and collect certain documentation. Upon completion of this, the acting prosecutor will make a decision on issuing orders for any additional expert assessments to establish the factual situation and make an adequate prosecutorial decision. Due to the stage of the case, unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with more information at this moment," stated the ZDK Prosecutor's Office for Patria.

More than ten children, including a girl from Slovenia who were on sports preparations, experienced health issues such as weakness, headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting after dinner at the facility, and were transferred to the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo. The CCUS reported that two children had a more severe clinical picture. The children exhibited symptoms of food poisoning.

The Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs of ZDK banned food preparation at SRC Ajdinovići on August 23, took samples of food, water, and from work surfaces, and on August 30, the inspection sealed the facility. The owner of Ajdinovići, Nermin Helać, informed the public that the facility was ceasing operations and that 50 workers were losing their jobs.

Today, the Inspection visited the Ajdinovići facility again and lifted the ban on operations. Lawyer Senad Pećanin, who represents SRC Ajdinovići, stated that the inspectors had previously acted unlawfully.

"The procedure of taking samples of water, food, and swabs from work surfaces in the kitchen was illegal, without minimum sanitary and hygienic conditions and equipment from the inspection team that collected and transported the samples."

Pećanin claims that the analyses and findings from CCUS and the Institute in Zenica showed that the case of stomach issues among a dozen guests was not related to food, drink, or work surfaces at SRC Ajdinovići.

The owner of the facility has decided to reopen it.