Mektić Accuses Salihović of Leaking Information, BiH Prosecutor's Office Announces Defamation Lawsuit

After some media outlets reported that the Chief Prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, Goran Salihović, is verifying the validity of the diploma of BiH Security Minister Dragan Mektić, a reaction followed. Mektić said he immediately demands that Salihović do so because he did not finish his faculty on Mars but in Zagreb, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

- I believe Goran Salihović is conducting the investigation tendentiously and is trying to put pressure on me so that I do not speak about inaction, trading in cases, and leaking information. He is also involved in leaking information from key corruption affairs such as the Bobar Bank and Pavlović Bank cases - said Mektić. 

Mektić accused Salihović of not dealing with real investigations and uncovering major corruption scandals, but rather manipulating cases and revealing information.

- I believe that BiH, given the state of corruption it is in, must be pulled out of that state. Corruption in this country is the greatest evil, and it results in this economic situation with such a level of unemployment and standard of living for citizens. We are not only at the bottom in Europe, but unfortunately also at the very bottom of the world - said Mektić, adding that Salihović is pressuring him so that he does not speak about his actions that undermine the dignity of the BiH Prosecutor's Office.

- He can no longer remain in that position. It would be best if he realized that he has done nothing in all this time and left, and that someone else comes who will initiate things in BiH and restore citizens' faith in the rule of law - said Mektić. 

Mektić also added that information about Milorad Dodik and the purchase of a villa in Belgrade, as well as in the cases of Pavlović and Bobar banks, was leaked through Salihović.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office reacted to Mektić's statement, stating that the BiH Prosecutor's Office operates in accordance with the law and no one has the right to pressure when prosecutorial decisions will be made.

- The BiH Prosecutor's Office will not allow anyone, not even the Minister of Security, to exert pressure for the sake of making prosecutorial decisions for the purposes of someone's election campaign, because we do not wish to participate in that. Prosecutorial decisions in cases will be made when all necessary investigative actions and activities are carried out, in the interest of justice and citizens, and not at a time when it is politically convenient for someone.

We do not wish to comment on the untruths and insinuations that Mr. Mektić has been presenting in the media over the past two days, who has already provoked reactions from professionals and the public due to his illegal interference in the jurisdiction of the police and judiciary, and for the lies and untruths concerning the Chief Prosecutor, proceedings will be initiated based on a defamation lawsuit - the BiH Prosecutor's Office stated.