Murselović accuses Softić and Arapčić: Are there million-dollar drug affairs in Tuzla?

The Anti-Corruption Commission of the Tuzla Canton Assembly received a report that members of the legislative and executive authorities of this canton are under pressure from lobbies to make illegal changes to the essential drug list in this canton, says Muhamed Murselović, president of the Anti-Corruption Commission, in a statement to the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

He accuses the highest party leaders of the local SDA, Tarik Arapčić and Safet Softić, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of being involved in pressure and lobbying, and of protecting their own financial interests.

According to him, several representatives reported being subjected to various pressures from political centers to allow the company „Zada Pharmaceutical“ from Lukavac to participate with more than 60 percent in the essential list.

The Federal Ministry of Health also reacted, he says, but the pressure did not stop. As he warns, the entire essential list is worth more than 40 million marks, and the lobbies' interests are strong. Some politicians are even being threatened, Murselović claims, that they will not be on party lists if they do not support the adoption of the new essential list.

- We have also filed a criminal complaint with the authorities and expect the matter to be investigated. There was already an attempt to change the list in the Assembly and practically allow the company to have such a position that drugs are procured only from it. We received a report from Mijo Krešić, a member of the Anti-Corruption Commission, that this is an attempt to illegally change regulations in favor of one company – says Murselović.

He states that the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Tuzla Canton Assembly is asking the competent prosecutor's office to investigate the case, as well as the role played in all of this by the relevant cantonal minister Alen Kamerić, the head of the Lukavac SDA Arapčić, and Softić. The Speaker of the Federal Parliament Softić, in a statement to Patria, says that these are absurdities.

- God forbid, I heard about these accusations. These are ordinary absurdities that have connections with the current events in Tuzla Canton – Softić told us briefly. However, Murselović says he has different information.

- They are connected with the company „Zada“, it's not in the papers, but we have clear information. The company is in big trouble and has blocked accounts, but it is still desired to give it the right to be the sole supplier of medicines. That is why we are requesting a swift investigation by the prosecutor's office – says Murselović.