Kulanić responded to Selmanović: Allegations about public tender and illegal employment are untrue

(Patria) - Responding to the text "Fabricated dismissal and public call: Will the Trojka once again appoint its own shame?" in which the Sarajevo Canton Assembly delegate Faruk Selmanović accused the current cantonal authorities of attempting to rig the tender for the director of the Sarajevo Memorial Center, the dismissed director Ahmed Kulanić reacted.

The denial states - "I hereby refute the untrue allegations in detail:

Regarding the dismissal of the director and the tender procedure

The claim that my dismissal is a manipulation, and that it is a "farce" without explanation, represents a combination of ignorance, malice, and complete disregard for the law. Every director of a public institution is dismissed upon the expiration of their term – this is a legal procedure, not a political act. The consent of the Sarajevo Canton Government is a mandatory step in this process, and additional explanation is not required when the term expires by operation of law.

The public tender for the election of a new director was announced on July 3, 2025, transparently and openly. The announcement is – as its name suggests – public, and it is an opportunity for all qualified individuals, including delegate Selmanović, to apply.

Regarding alleged illegal employments

The insinuation of illegal employments during my term is untrue. All tenders were publicly announced, in accordance with laws and regulations, as well as all communication channels of the Sarajevo Memorial Center, which was not the case before. I remind you that my predecessors from Mr. Selmanović's party used to publish announcements in daily newspapers in Herzegovina, while the institution's headquarters are in Sarajevo, and employment occurred through the "bring-a-friend" method.

Specifically, the delegate refers to the case of an employee who was hired before my arrival, and who was later found not to possess the required certificate. Instead of being fired, we tried to give her a chance to provide the document through systematization and a transitional period of one year. Unfortunately, the certificate has not been provided to this day. For this reason, fines were imposed, 3,000 KM to the institution and 1,000 KM to me personally, not to the employee. Therefore, it is not a matter of "arbitrariness," but an attempt at a legal and humane solution to an inherited problem. However, unfortunately, this is now becoming the subject of daily political disputes.

Regarding the logo and symbols

The claim that I "tried to remove the lily from the Memorial Center's logo" has been clarified many times and represents political manipulation. The visual identity was created in cooperation with experts, without any intention of belittling the symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Army, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After certain public reactions, it was decided to retain the existing visual identity. Everything else is a fabricated interpretation intended for attack, not a serious fact. Here I remind that the Memorial Center is a place that cherishes the values of both the Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which delegate Selmanović (un)intentionally omits in his interpretations.

Regarding the merger with the Fund

The claim that the "Memorial Center sought a merger with a Fund that does not exist" is a complete falsehood. It is a technical implementation of a legally binding decision and court instruction based on which the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton is carrying out the merger process.

Regarding work results

The claim that there were "no results" during my term is not only an insult to me personally, but also to all employees who have diligently built the institution from anonymity. In the last four years, we have realized dozens of events, exhibitions, research projects, conferences, round tables, international partnerships and agreements, and publishing and educational programs. The Center has become relevant in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond its borders. Delegate Selmanović, although regularly invited, has never attended our events, so it is clear that his claims are not based on facts, but on pre-formed political positions.

Regarding political hypocrisy

The delegate's concern for the "Bosniak identity" should not be selective. The same people who are accusing me today of "destroying symbols" signed contracts with MTEL from Banja Luka when they managed the Center, while simultaneously managing BH Telecom. That act speaks much more about "attacks on symbolism" than anything they are trying to attribute to my term.

Finally, I would not have reacted if I had not been directly targeted in this case, with personal insults and labels like "shame," which speaks more about the delegate's level of culture and education than about me. I am a university professor, accomplished both before and after my term as director. I ask openly: what is Mr. Selmanović without the Party?

I especially emphasize that the Sarajevo Memorial Center must not become a tool for political disputes, nor a subject of pre-election spins. This denial is not a polemic, but a necessary defense of the professional, legal, and dedicated work of the team that has elevated this institution to the level of a recognized and respected institution of memory, truth, and dignity," the denial stated.