Lagumdžija's Farewell Move: Brković to Head Sarajevo Cantonal Court?

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

Halil Lagumdžija has been the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina since February 2021, but he did not receive new confidence from the judges, and Izo Tankić will sit in the HJPC representing the judges. Lagumdžija's mandate expires on February 8, but until then, Lagumdžija has one goal – to appoint the president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo.

Thus, the regular session of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina is scheduled for February 5 and 7, 2025.

And precisely on February 5, meaning before Lagumdžija's mandate expires, the president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo will be elected, for which three candidates have applied. Lagumdžija's wish, who also has a double vote in the HJPC, is the election of Dženana Brković as the president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo.

The realization of the plan for Brković to be appointed president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo began, according to Patria's information, last year, when Brković was appointed judge of the Cantonal Court Sarajevo precisely so that she could apply for the position of president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo.

Brković held the position of president of the Municipal Court in Zenica from November 1, 2019, to June 30, 2024. From December 1, 2008, to October 31, 2019, she was a judge at the Municipal Court in Zenica. She became a judge of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo on July 1, 2024, and is now applying for the position of president of the Cantonal Court.

Her opposing candidates for the position of president of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo are long-time judges of this court, Anabela Bogdan – Krstović and Jasenka Potogija.

However, Lagumdžija, who heads the HJPC, is lobbying for Brković and wants her appointment before his mandate expires. It is not yet certain whether he will have the majority for his intentions, but his intentions have been made clear.

Although Lagumdžija is now stating that he is pleased to be returning to the Court of BiH, we remind you that he lobbied heavily for a new mandate in the HJPC.

Before the election itself, Lagumdžija exerted pressure on the judges of the Court of BiH. He unilaterally sent them a letter in which he called on his colleagues to support him again. However, the support ultimately failed to materialize. Tankić was supported by twenty-two judges of the Court of BiH, while Lagumdžija was supported by 16 judges.

Incidentally, his mandate was marked by numerous scandals, primarily involving the Director of the HJPC Secretariat and his close associate, Admir Suljagić.

It is now evident that Lagumdžija wants to use his remaining powers to ensure his candidate reaches the top position. Lobbying in judicial institutions always attracts special attention because the judiciary is expected to be impartial and free from political and personal influences, which has not been the case in BiH for a long time.