How and why the further operation of the KJP 'Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir' veterinary station was jeopardized

(Patria) - Following the press conference of the Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton, Mr. Zlatko Mijatović, on March 4, 2025, employees of the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. Sarajevo Ilidža, remind the minister that Sarajevo Canton is the founder of this self-financing company.

The veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. Sarajevo Ilidža is part of the farm, registered by the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton in 2012, and to this day holds a permit issued by the same ministry, in accordance with the Law on Veterinary Medicine of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, valid until April 15, 2025.

The relevant Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton issued a temporary operating area permit to KJP “Veterinarska stanica“ d.o.o. Sarajevo on September 2, 2024, which also covers the area where the farm of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. Sarajevo Ilidža is located, thus not acting fairly towards the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o.
The veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. did not receive any written explanation for the reasons for not issuing it an operating area permit, even though it performed veterinary supervision within its scope of work on the aforementioned KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. farm.

By issuing a temporary operating area permit to KJP “Veterinarska stanica“ d.o.o. Sarajevo, the operation and status of the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. have been jeopardized.

This places a financial burden on the budget of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o., jeopardizing the further operation of the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o., and consequently the work of its employees.

Doctors from the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. have repeatedly sent letters to the management of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. regarding the resolution of the operating area issue and the extension of the permit for the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o., as well as all the losses that may result from its expiration (the valid permit expires on April 15, 2025).

Following a series of meetings between the management of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. and the doctors of the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o., the company's management has taken a series of steps to resolve this issue and sent numerous letters and urgent requests to the relevant ministry, but have not yet received any official response.

The question arises: what is the stance of the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton towards KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o.? Is the relevant ministry attempting and aiming to shut down the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o., which is of crucial importance to this company, as it has existed within the aforementioned company for many years without problems.

If the aforementioned veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. were to be shut down, the company would face an additional financial burden by paying for veterinary services from another veterinary station to which the Ministry of Economy has granted a temporary operating area permit. This financial burden jeopardizes not only the operation of the veterinary station of KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. but also the operation and survival of this cantonal company and its 80 employees.

We fear that behind all of the above lies some other plan of a negative nature for the KJP “Poljoprivredno dobro Butmir“ d.o.o. farm, given the strategic importance of the location where this farm is situated and the land it possesses, which is significant for Sarajevo Canton, warn the veterinary station and the management of KJP PD Butmir.