International Community in BiH: From Criticism to Congratulations for Corrupt Judiciary

(Patria) - The election of Gordana Tadić as the new Chief State Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina has raised numerous questions about the work of this judicial institution. The opposition, as well as the non-governmental sector, have expressed concern following Tadić's election as chief prosecutor, primarily due to her close ties with the HDZ. On the other hand, Bruce Berton, head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, congratulated the election of the chief state prosecutor, stating that he expects progress in the processing of criminal offenses in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The OSCE had previously warned about shortcomings in the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including deficiencies over the past three years, during which Tadić served as acting chief prosecutor.

'Criticism then praise'

The state of the judiciary was discussed before the UN Security Council in November 2018 by the High Representative in BiH, Valentin Inzko. He warned of serious shortcomings in the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inzko emphasized that final decisions of judicial authorities are still not respected in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as is the case with several rulings of the Constitutional Court of BiH. 

“In addition to the non-implementation of court decisions, BiH also faces deep public disappointment regarding the seemingly questionable ability of the criminal justice system to address corruption and tackle the problem of organized crime,” said Inzko, also noting the unresolved murders of two young men in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, David Dragičević and Dženan Memić. 

Bruce Berton, head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, pointed out the fragmentation of BiH's judiciary in December 2018. He highlighted the need to strengthen judicial capacities through quality education for holders of judicial functions in BiH, with priority given to handling criminal cases, including the prosecution of war crimes, the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as illegal human trafficking and hate crimes.

Yesterday, Berton welcomed the appointment of Gordana Tadić as the new chief prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH. “We hope that the chief prosecutor will commit to ensuring a strong, transparent, independent, and efficient judiciary in BiH, ready to address challenges affecting the country's stability, including corruption,” Berton said.

'Prosecutor does not see corruption in BiH'

BIRN editor Denis Džidić told the Patria agency that he is not optimistic regarding the election of prosecutor Tadić. He recalled that in her presentation, Tadić stated that the situation regarding corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not systemic and that the Prosecutor's Office can handle it, although the problem of systemic corruption, Džidić warns, is very much present in Bosnian society.

“So, the fact that the chief state prosecutor in BiH does not see systemic corruption in the country as a problem is truly concerning,” said Džidić, whose media outlet has been monitoring the work of the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region for years.

“In 2018, the State Prosecutor's Office filed only six indictments for corruption, three of which were for corruption within the institution itself,” Džidić said.

The latest State Department report on the respect or violation of fundamental human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, published in April 2018, addresses numerous life problems of BiH citizens, listing among the problems “corruption in government institutions.”