How the HJPC Spends: Over 3 Million on Salaries, 175,684 KM on Travel

The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council spent 6,414,114 KM of the planned 7,779,773 KM in 2015, writes the Patria News Agency. Salaries of HJPC employees are regulated by two laws: the Law on Salaries and Allowances in the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Law on Salaries and Other Allowances in Judicial and Prosecutorial Institutions at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The largest portion of the spent funds was allocated to salaries, amounting to 3,242,406 KM. However, it is known that HJPC members hold sessions once a month, meaning they regularly receive salaries for effectively 10 to 15 hours of work. The Council's sessions are held once a month and last for two days on average.

Incidentally, the Law on the HJPC of BiH and relevant laws on courts and prosecutor's offices have established procedures that grant certain authorities to the HJPC of BiH in the budgetary process for courts and prosecutor's offices. Thus, according to the Law on the HJPC of BiH, the HJPC BiH participates, according to its own assessment, in the process of drafting annual budgets for courts and prosecutor's offices, makes proposals, according to its own assessment, regarding the annual budget proposed by state bodies or governments for courts and prosecutor's offices, makes and submits, according to its own assessment, proposals for budget amendments proposed by state bodies or governments or the Judicial Commission of Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the competent legislative bodies, collects and analyzes reports, as well as necessary information on the budget and revenues for courts and prosecutor's offices to ensure statistical data for the efficient operation of courts and prosecutor's offices, advocates for adequate and continuous financing of courts and prosecutor's offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supervises and advises courts and prosecutor's offices on appropriate and effective techniques and procedures related to budget, management, and leadership, and initiates training in this regard.

An interesting item in the Report on Budget Execution for 2015 relates to travel expenses. The HJPC spent as much as 175,684 KM on travel, and 138,082 KM on employee expense reimbursements.

HJPC employees do not spare on telephones either, with bills paid amounting to 49,929 KM in 2015.

The duties of the HJPC include, among other things, appointing judges and prosecutors, receiving appeals, and conducting disciplinary proceedings, supervising the professional development of judges and prosecutors. The Council consists of 15 members, the majority of whom are judges, prosecutors, and lawyers, while two members are individuals who do not hold judicial office. Their mandate is four years, and they can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Before the salaries were published, in April 2015, the Council also opened its sessions to the public, which can be followed from another room via video link.