They don't take their 'tentacles' off GRAS, has the court case (not) taught the responsible parties a lesson?

By Ernad Metaj

As soon as the new management of GRAS, with the support of the KS Government, managed to stabilize this company, the specters of shady traders accustomed to making good money from old and faulty vehicles have once again loomed over it. According to Patria's findings, GRAS has received an offer to purchase used buses, mostly CNG-powered. Most of the vehicles are 15 years old or more, and everything resembles the scenario of purchasing 34 buses for which a procedure is currently underway in the Tuzla judiciary.

Under the guise of a favorable price, it seems that individuals would again try to avoid public procurement. It is interesting that the offer comes at a time when GRAS intends to purchase five used buses through public procurement, but LPG-powered.

We were unable to reach GRAS Director Senad Mujagić, but Patria's sources close to his office say he is in great distress. The offer comes from circles that lobbied for him, and past practice has shown that GRAS has not benefited from such vehicles.

"During the procurement for which individuals are now being prosecuted, 34 CNG buses were purchased, of which only a few are operational today. On the other hand, the experience with LPG vehicles has been significantly better, with only one out of nine purchased breaking down," one of the managers at GRAS told us, insisting on anonymity.

Through public procurement, GRAS wants to buy newer vehicles. The oldest can be from 2011. The value of the procurement is around 800,000 KM for five articulated vehicles. Funds for the procurement have been secured because the KS Government approved GRAS to sell the old tram line and use the proceeds to purchase some of the necessary vehicles.

Public procurements are always uncertain due to the possibility of appeals. They have not been absent this time either; two bidders have appealed. One is Gradski i prigradski saobraćaj from Tuzla, whose owner is accused of the aforementioned disputed procurement. Among other things, according to information from GRAS, they dispute the procurement of LPG vehicles, while it is known that GRAS procures CNG at unfavorable prices from 'Junuzović'.

In practice, we have 'Junuzović' complaining and offering older buses through another company belonging to the Junuzović kopex group. This could soon be dealt with by investigative bodies, as well as the KS Anti-Corruption Office, to which a letter has been sent. It states that the president of the KS Communal Economy Trade Union, Adnan Himzanija, who is accused along with Junuzović for the earlier procurement in which the GRAS Trade Union, led by Himzanija at the time, also participated, is again involved. The information that the GRAS director, although against procurement outside of tenders, has nevertheless sent a commission to inspect the buses, confirms that this could make sense.

"I don't believe that the current director will agree to make procurements in that way. CNG vehicles are also a problem for us due to refueling, as we currently only have a night slot, and it's limited. In addition, CNG filling stations are significantly far from GRAS, not on the route of regular lines, and this creates a loss from the start because the vehicles cover a significant number of kilometers without passengers," says our source close to GRAS management.

The problem with old CNG vehicles also includes their homologation, as well as expensive certification and bottle replacement. The new management has started well, obligations to employees have been settled, and the arrival of the first new trolleybuses from Belarus is expected from the new year, so it would be a shame to ruin the reputation again due to unsafe and old vehicles.