2.1 Million KM Spent on Service Contracts in the Public Sector of Sarajevo Canton in 2024, Anti-Corruption Office Identifies Irregularities

(Patria) - Based on data from the Register of Service Contracts, the Sarajevo Canton Anti-Corruption Office conducted an analysis of service contracts concluded in 2024 in public sector bodies in Sarajevo Canton.

Based on data entered by institutions in Sarajevo Canton via the web application into the Register of Service Contracts of public sector institutions of Sarajevo Canton, funds in the amount of 2,166,739.59 KM were allocated from the Budget of Sarajevo Canton for this purpose in 2024.

The analysis showed that the amount of funds spent on service contracts by month was highest in October 2024. That was also the election month when local elections in BiH were held.

In that month, 231,585.54 KM was spent on service contracts.

The largest amount of funds spent in 2024 on service contracts was by the state administration bodies of Sarajevo Canton, amounting to 853,058.59 KM, followed by institutions in the field of culture and sports of Sarajevo Canton, amounting to 593,628.00 KM.

The institutions with the highest amount of money spent on service contracts in 2024 are: the Sarajevo National Theatre, the Ministry of Education of Sarajevo Canton, and KJKP "Gradski saobraćaj" d.o.o. Sarajevo.

The Ministry of Education of Sarajevo Canton, headed by Naida Hota-Muminović, had 169 service contracts in 2024, while the Institute for the Development of Pre-University Education had 108. This is an institution under the purview of this Ministry, and the report on the work of this institute sparked a heated debate at yesterday's continuation of the session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly.

The Department for Handling Corruption Reports of the Sarajevo Canton Anti-Corruption Office identified irregularities related to the conclusion of service contracts in institutions that are budget users of Sarajevo Canton.

"This concerns a larger number of persons engaged in jobs that are prescribed within systematized positions, and the Office has submitted this information for further action to the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs and the Administrative Inspectorate of Sarajevo Canton," the report states.

The analysis conducted by the Anti-Corruption Office identified irregularities as well as weaknesses regarding engagement through service contracts.

"At the level of Sarajevo Canton, there are no defined uniform rules and procedures regarding the engagement of persons based on service contracts, the amount of compensation, contract duration, reporting on completed work, required professional qualifications, etc. Service contracts are often concluded for jobs whose performance is envisaged by systematized positions in the rulebook on internal organization of a specific institution (the practice of so-called 'hidden employment'). In the context of state administration bodies in Sarajevo Canton, this means that persons are engaged based on service contracts for jobs of basic and supplementary activities, which are determined by special regulations.

Practically, this means that persons are engaged through service contracts (without a public competition) for jobs that are systematized as regular jobs in institutions. In accordance with regulations, public institutions can conclude a service contract exclusively for performing one-time, specific jobs that are outside the institution's core activity, and compensation is paid for that contract, not a salary," the report states.

The full analysis can be seen HERE