Kovačević: The mafia in power does not want the BiH Prosecutor's Office to start uncovering corruption and crime

Goran Kovačević, a professor at the Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies in Sarajevo, speaking on TV Hayat in the show “Vijesti u 7”, discussed the security situation in the country, reports the Patria news agency.

He specifically commented on the recent attempted robbery of a casino, where a security guard used a weapon to save his own life and that of a female employee.

- Generally speaking, if you look at the crime of robbery, such as we had the opportunity to see during the attempted casino robbery, there are many factors involved, but I do not deal with technical protection, which this type of security falls under. The most qualified person to answer that question is the advisor to the member of the BiH Presidency, Mirsad Ćatić, who was the owner and is now the director of the largest private security agency. I think that based on the facts and data he receives from the field, he would be very much qualified to answer this question - said Kovačević.

He added that it is necessary to increase cooperation between the police and security agencies, which would contribute to preventing such criminal acts.

- But, if you look at the fact that the police are in conflict with each other, that you have the State Investigation and Protection Agency in conflict with the RS Ministry of Interior, it is very difficult for any cooperation between the police to happen, let alone between the police and a security agency - Kovačević emphasized.

Answering the question of how the police and security agencies could cooperate, Kovačević said „primarily through sharing information, in more expeditious responses, in having contact persons, and not behaving towards each other as competitors“.

The professor also clarified whether the security guard had the right to use a weapon.

- Well, the very fact that the person pointed a weapon at him says a lot. The security guard made a decision to use a weapon and assessed that there was a certain possibility that the perpetrator of the criminal act would use a weapon. So, he was protecting his life and in this case he had the right to use a weapon - Kovačević explained.

He also commented on the fact that there are more and more robberies and thefts in broad daylight.

- There is a lot of weapons on the streets and you have a big problem with that area of security, but generally, if you look at the bigger picture, it is clear to you where the cause of it all is. For about twenty days now, we have been receiving political messages, nicely packaged by the media, that this is almost 1992 and that war is being prepared. Citizens are in great chaos, people are frightened, afraid, they don't know what is happening. You see that coalitions are being formed for the interests of individuals, these coalitions function at certain levels, at others they don't, because certain demands are not met and needs are not satisfied. You have the example between gentlemen Radončić and Izetbegović, who are currently creating a big problem in the FBiH. You have the actions of Milorad Dodik in the RS, who is creating a bad security situation in BiH.

You will learn about the state and the work of its institutions through the media. I still hear the words of the President of the Court of BiH, who said that in this country there is a judicial mafia and how someone who hears such a thing from the president of the state court can believe that they will report a criminal act, for example, to the Prosecutor's Office, when they know that there is a possibility that the criminal will come to them tomorrow and say you reported me. In such a situation, citizens are left to fend for themselves - says Kovačević.

The professor also answered the question that statistics show that the number of criminal acts is decreasing.

- Statistics in the end show one thing, it is a general indicator of how many criminal acts have been reported, but one should also look at the structure of criminal acts. We have seen an increase in the number of serious criminal acts such as rape, attacks on life, serious robberies and thefts. That shows what the security situation is, nothing else. I must note that from that statement about the judicial mafia, one should single out the state Prosecutor's Office, which is the only one doing its job in all segments and lines of work set before that Prosecutor's Office.

And, all the media and political games are happening precisely around this Prosecutor's Office. All other agencies are neglected and not doing their job until that is resolved. As is known, as of December 31 this year, the Prosecutor's Office will no longer be focused solely on war crimes, but will begin to deal primarily with corruption and organized crime, and that, unfortunately, does not suit the political mafia in power at all. The question is what security will be like after that.

A better solution is for citizens to understand that the Prosecutor's Office is doing its job and not to fall for various stories from political centers of power, and that is the only mechanism that can bring about a catharsis of this society and cleanse all levels of government and administration of the criminals who are currently dominant in those services - added Kovačević.