From the HJPC, they decisively reject the connection between the election of the Chief Prosecutor and Tegeltija's new mandate

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH has once again stated in response to the Patria news agency that the competitions for judicial leaders, chief prosecutors, deputy chief prosecutors, and court presidents in BiH, which were previously announced, will be annulled and re-announced after the amendments and supplements to the Rules of Procedure of the HJPC of BiH enter into force, which provides for such a provision in the transitional and final provisions, i.e., 30 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette of BiH.

However, the delay in the process of electing the Chief Prosecutor increasingly casts doubt on certain manipulations from the HJPC, according to our sources. The story that Milan Tegeltija, the president of the HJPC, is deliberately prolonging the election of the Chief Prosecutor, conditioning it on his re-election, is decisively rejected by the HJPC.

- All kinds of speculations are completely unfounded, do not correspond to reality, and we have no intention of commenting on them further - said the HJPC.

Otherwise, Tegeltija's mandate expires in July this year, which is precisely why connoisseurs of the situation suspect that the president of the HJPC is slowing down the process.

However, this institution says that the Amendments to the Rules of Procedure, adopted by the HJPC of BiH at the session held on May 11, 2018, in accordance with the HJPC of BiH's Action Plan for the implementation of the European Commission's recommendations, are the only obstacle on the path to electing the Chief Prosecutor.

- During the process of harmonizing the Rules of Procedure related to appointments, appointment procedures for leaders were not carried out in order to elect judicial leaders according to the Rules of Procedure that improved the criteria for electing judicial office holders and which are harmonized with EU standards, all in coordination with the European Commission - the HJPC adds.

Since the formation of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH in 2003, three chief prosecutors have headed this judicial institution. Besides Goran Salihović, Marinko Jurčević and Milorad Barašin also held this high judicial position. Currently, Gordana Tadić has been acting Chief Prosecutor for a long time, and she is given the highest chances in public to become the Chief Prosecutor.

By decision of the HJPC of BiH, Tadić has been performing the function of acting Chief Prosecutor since 28.09.2016.