Mehmedović and Emrić: Political Control over the BiH Prosecutor's Office Threatens the Constitutional Order of the State

(Patria) - At today's press conference, held in the lobby of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of the Mixed Club of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Šemsudin Mehmedović and Jasmin Emrić, spoke about political control over the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and demanded urgent accountability from holders of judicial functions.

Speaking about the state of the judiciary, Šemsudin Mehmedović stated that the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina is under direct political influence, which, as he noted, is realized through the actions of Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić and prosecutors close to him.

"Laws in Bosnia and Herzegovina obviously do not apply equally to everyone. While urgent proceedings are conducted against individuals, holders of political power who openly undermine the constitutional order of the state remain protected," Mehmedović said.

Mehmedović specifically pointed to the failure to prosecute Milorad Dodik, Radovan Višković, and Nenad Stevandić for attacks on the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the months-long inaction of the BiH Prosecutor's Office regarding criminal reports against Borjana Krišto and former SIPA director Darko Ćulum.

He also warned of what he described as an organized practice of assigning key cases to certain prosecutors with the aim of rendering them meaningless and halting them, and demanded urgent accountability from Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić and a reaction from the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH.

Jasmin Emrić spoke about allegations from an anonymous criminal complaint concerning the actions of Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić, prosecutor Vedrana Jovičić, and OSA director Almir Džuvo in the case against Milorad Dodik.

Emrić stated that the complaint contains serious allegations of abuse of official position, favoritism towards suspects of attacking the constitutional order, and obstruction of the lawful functioning of institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"It is a very serious fact that the anonymous complaint describes in detail allegations of organized action aimed at avoiding criminal responsibility for Milorad Dodik, despite existing decisions of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Emrić emphasized.

Speaking about the work of judicial institutions, Emrić also warned of the indifferent attitude of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH towards submitted complaints and requests for lawful action.

"Such inaction by judicial institutions directly encourages further anti-Dayton and secessionist activities against the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Emrić stressed.

Mehmedović and Emrić jointly stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be a state governed by the rule of law if the judiciary acts selectively and under political pressures, and called on the domestic and international public to seriously consider the state of the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"A state without an independent judiciary becomes a space of political arbitrariness and institutional insecurity. Therefore, the accountability of holders of judicial functions can no longer be delayed," concluded Mehmedović and Emrić.