Mandate expired, no tender, Primorac is untouchable: Will Čović's son-in-law avoid public hearing on BHANSA again?

(Patria) - The continuation of the public hearing of the management of the Air Navigation Services Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHANSA) before the Commission for Transport and Communications of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament has been scheduled for Monday, May 18.

At the previous two scheduled hearings (January 20 and February 11), Director Davorin Primorac, whose mandate expired on March 25, and Deputy Director Tomislav Marinković did not appear, citing sick leave, even though they were at work between these two dates.

The second Deputy Director, Sanjin Hadžiomerović, did not appear at the first hearing, while he did attend on February 11, as did the Chairperson of the BHANSA Council, Sanja Škuletić-Malagić, and they answered the questions of the Commission members.

In early April, state representative Šemsudin Mehmedović sent questions to the BHANSA Council regarding why a tender for the appointment of a director had not been announced.

“I emphasize that Davorin Primorac has been in the position of BHANSA Director for 11 years. Sanja Škuletić-Malagić, Chairperson of the BHANSA Council, stated at the public hearing of the BHANSA management before the Commission for Transport and Communications of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, held on February 11, 2026, that the Agency Council had informed the Council of Ministers of BiH about the expiration of Davorin Primorac's mandate. The BHANSA Council was obliged, in accordance with the Law on BHANSA, to announce a tender no later than January 2026, however, the tender was not announced,” stated Mehmedović.

Mehmedović points out that it is symptomatic that Škuletić-Malagić is the head of the cabinet of the Minister of Transport and Communications, Edin Forto, and also the Chairperson of the BHANSA Council. Forto had previously proposed amendments to the Law on BHANSA that would allow Davorin Primorac to remain in the position of director for an unlimited number of terms. However, the law was not supported at the session held on February 28, 2024.

Otherwise, the public hearing is conducted in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives and the Law on Parliamentary Oversight, in order for the members of the Commission for Transport and Communications to obtain necessary information about the work and operations of BHANSA, and to determine why the BHANSA management, contrary to the Law on Parliamentary Oversight, refuses to attend the Commission's sessions. Also, the purpose of the hearing is for the Commission to check whether BHANSA is acting in accordance with the Law on BHANSA, which is why the requested materials on financial operations and employees in BHANSA have not been submitted to the Commission even after urgent requests, and to review the work and operations of BHANSA in the period from January 1, 2024, to November 26, 2025.

Given that the invited person is obliged to inform the parliamentary body conducting parliamentary oversight in writing about the reasons for their inability to attend at least 48 hours before the start of the session, there is a possibility that an notification will arrive from Director Primorac's office during tomorrow or over the weekend stating that he will not attend the public hearing again.