How did Minister Ramo Isak's friend lose several hundred thousand marks he received from Germany?

(Patria) - The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Federation of BiH, Ramo Isak, was questioned today at the premises of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) on the order of the FBiH Prosecutor's Office (POSKOK), which initiated investigative actions against him.

After today's questioning, Isak stated that he was "only a witness and nothing more" at SIPA.

As Istraga learns, POSKOK suspects Isak of attempting to extort several hundred thousand marks from businessman Hadžo Mušović, his former close friend and business associate, through blackmail and coercion.

According to information obtained by Istraga, Mušović received large sums of money from a German citizen over a longer period for allegedly developing his business in Glamoč.

It is precisely this money that Ramo Isak allegedly tried to obtain by force, in order to collect a debt from Mušović, to whom he had lent money a few years prior.

Hadžo Mušović previously had several companies in Zenica and Glamoč involved in agriculture and animal husbandry, food production, and wood processing.

Mušović closed all these companies at the end of 2022, explaining it was "due to interference with their business by the authorities".

He claimed that numerous inspections visited him, constantly checking on him and thus "hindering" his work, and that he was forced to pay the state "a form of protection money".

In other statements, he claimed that "local criminals extorted over three million KM and about 20 cars" from him and that the institutions did nothing to protect him.

A few months before closing his companies, in April 2022, Mušović, along with 13 other individuals, was arrested in the "Eagle" operation, conducted by FUP on the orders of the Zenica Prosecutor's Office in the areas of Zenica and Kakanj.

During the operation, approximately 400,000 marks, weapons, forged documents, and about 30 expensive vehicles were found on the suspects.

The arrested group was suspected of a series of criminal offenses - association for the commission of criminal offenses, illegal trade, forgery of documents, tax evasion, money laundering, giving gifts and other forms of benefits, disclosure of official secrets, and receiving gifts and other forms of benefits.

Interestingly, among those arrested were several members of the MUP of ZDK - inspectors Ajdin Kokić and Izudin Dautović, and police officers Muris Muslić and Adnan Hakanović. Some of the arrested individuals were closely connected to the ASDA party, whose president in ZDK at the time was Ramo Isak.

Before his arrest, Hadžo Mušović stated that Ramo Isak was blackmailing him and demanding large sums of money.

In media statements, Isak denied blackmailing his former business partner, but stated that Mušović owed him several hundred thousand marks for loans received from Isak and his wife.

This money was paid to Hadžo Mušović in cash, with notarized contracts. According to these contracts, Isak and his wife paid Mušović over 600,000 marks.



- If I don't collect on time, I will go to court, and as for Mr. Mušović, I don't owe him anything except a friendly coffee, I think the best of Hadžo Mušović.

Hadžo Mušović spoke with me for an hour last night, Hadžo and I have a correct relationship. He called me to be a little more patient regarding that debt because he has some financial problems, and that's it - Ramo Isak told Žurnal four years ago.

Explaining why he lent Mušović so much money, Isak said that he was his friend and business associate who had done business with Isak's company several times.

Regarding the origin of the hundreds of thousands of marks that Ramo Isak and his wife paid to Mušović in cash, Minister Isak spoke in September 2023 for the program Istraga sedmice.

- There is no interest on that, it is a loan to a person with whom I had a business relationship, I have money and I don't hide it, cash is not a problem.

Maybe I have much more in cash, maybe this is just a trifle - said Isak, claiming that it was not "dirty" money and that he could explain its origin.

- I can secure 10 million by phone right now... I lent maybe 500-600 thousand KM, I don't even know exactly, not everything is in cash, some is also through the account...

Ramo Isak has never taken a single mark from anyone, Ramo Isak has only given amounts like these and larger. This man hasn't returned my money, but I'm not worried. I won't go bankrupt for 360,000 KM. For me, this is a ridiculous amount, what can I do about it - Isak added.

The close relationship between Ramo Isak and Hadžo Mušović is also evidenced by the messages they exchanged at one time.

"The city laughs at me, I was ready to give my life for you" - Isak wrote to his friend Mušović after they clashed over alleged loans.

"The city laughs at everyone" - Mušović replied.

Isak then tried to arrange a meeting with Mušović to resolve the dispute over the money, but without success. His friend wrote to him that he could not come to the meeting because he did not feel well, and finally told him: "And tell Šaban not to follow me and take pictures at every step."



Four years later, the unresolved private and business relations between Hadžo Mušović and Ramo Isak have clearly escalated and are now the subject of a POSKOK investigation.