After new abuse of beneficiaries at the Pazarić Institute, director's dismissal demanded, Hurtić offers help

(Patria) - The Union of Persons and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of the FBiH issued a statement demanding the urgent dismissal of the management of the Pazarić Institute after new footage of abuse of beneficiaries was released by Al Jazeera Balkans.

"Three months in government cabinets, our request for the dismissal of the director of the Pazarić Institute is gathering dust, and no one is officially commenting on this matter. Not even when inquiries and urgings are sent! From the Minister of Labor and Social Policy, at a meeting on June 27, 2023, we received information that he is 'satisfied with the work of the director of Pazarić,' and as we have seen, there is no comment on the footage that was broadcast. Is this the final position of the Government regarding our request? - the Union points out.

The Union of Persons with Disabilities of the FBiH also demands and requests that an urgent meeting be held within two days with the Prime Minister and relevant ministers in the Government of the Federation of BiH, where we expect to hear clear positions regarding our requests and future activities.

And from the leadership of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, we demand that they urgently proceed with organizing a thematic session on the position of persons with disabilities, at which conclusions and deadlines binding for the Government will be adopted. We remind the public that we submitted the request for this session more than six months ago. Even after numerous inquiries and urgings, no one has responded so far!

The Union of Persons and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of the FBiH calls on all associations and organizations of persons with disabilities and families of children with developmental difficulties to join forces in fighting against injustice and the catastrophic situation in which our population finds itself.

"We call on all those who have knowledge of any form of violence or mistreatment of service users in social welfare institutions in the Federation of BiH to finally speak up and report these cases. We call on all honest and dedicated employees in social welfare institutions to distance themselves from such actions and to stand publicly and fully in defense of the dignity of users, as well as their profession. This must stop once and for all, and persons with disabilities must finally realize the rights they are entitled to. We will never give up," the Union of Persons and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities of the FBiH states.

After the broadcast of the report, the Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, Sevlid Hurtić, spoke out, condemning any form of violence against children, especially when it comes to children with disabilities.

He considers it necessary for all institutions in the country to start applying regulations on the method of working with children, which would be in the best interest of this population, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, and other factors.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH advocates for the establishment of a code of conduct for all officials working with children. Also, an effective system of supervision over their work would be necessary to prevent unwanted situations, i.e., the consequences of inhumane and unprofessional treatment of children. One of the effective measures missing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should be introduced into practice as soon as possible, is the establishment of a national preventive mechanism that would monitor inhumane behavior in all closed-type institutions.

Minister Hurtić further stated that he is placing all the expert and professional assistance that this ministry possesses at disposal, in order to improve the protection of children from any form of violence.

At the Pazarić Institute, the federal Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Adnan Delić, and the director of the Pazarić Institute, Samir Suljagić, will address the media at 7 p.m.