Nikšić announced fight against corruption, then cut funds for building that would house 'federal USKOK'

(Patria) - The Government of the Federation of BiH, led by Nermin Nikšić, has cut funds intended for the construction of the Palace of Justice, which is supposed to house special departments for combating corruption and organized crime, during the rebalancing of the FBiH Budget, writes Istraga.ba.

Let us recall that in this year's FBiH Budget, proposed by the former FBiH Government led by Fadil Novalić and approved by the current parliamentary majority of the Trojka and HNS parties, 3.5 million marks were allocated for the construction of a building to house the so-called Federal USKOK. However, during the last Budget rebalancing, Nikšić's Government proposed, and the ruling parliamentary majority adopted, the proposal to transfer the funds intended for the construction of the building to other positions.

“Fighting corruption – we are continuing where we left off,” was the title of a Facebook post by Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić on July 2nd this year.

“The first step is to find adequate space. The construction of the Palace of Justice, a dedicated facility for housing special departments, is necessary for us to improve the working conditions of courts and prosecutor's offices, but our country does not have time to wait for its construction as a condition for the law to take effect. Instead, we will find accommodation in one of the existing buildings. The FBiH Government will assist in all technical aspects to enable judicial bodies to start prosecuting cases of organized crime and corruption as soon as possible,” Nikšić wrote after a meeting with the heads of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH.

Five months later, the FBiH Government has not secured “alternative accommodation” for USKOK to start its work, and the funds for the construction of the building have been reallocated. The latest Budget rebalancing is proof of this.

As can be seen in the document published at the beginning of November in the Official Gazette of FBiH, the 2023 Budget planned an allocation of 3.5 million KM for the FBiH Palace of Justice Project. The Budget rebalancing removed 3.4 million from this position, meaning only 100,000 KM remained for the building that would house the alleged federal USKOK. With only 45 days left until the end of the year, even these 100,000 KM will not be spent. Thus, the Federation of BiH will likely remain without a special department for combating corruption this year, and next year as well, which, according to FBiH Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić, cannot wait.

Let us recall that on January 9th of this year, the then FBiH Prime Minister Fadil Novalić signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the President of the HJPC, Halil Lagumdžija.

“This document relates to the establishment and construction of the 'Palace of Justice of the Federation of BiH', a new and purpose-built facility that will house the Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Supreme Court of FBiH with Special Departments, as well as the FBiH Judicial Police. The signed Memorandum also creates conditions for the establishment of Special Departments for the Suppression of Corruption, Organized and Inter-cantonal Crime within the Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Supreme Court of FBiH, as well as ensuring conditions for the implementation of the Law on the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime in FBiH. This includes ensuring the necessary spatial capacities, equipment, and material-technical resources for the work of the Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Supreme Court of FBiH with Special Departments,” the HJPC announced.

Before this meeting, the FBiH Government proposed a Budget that included funds for the Palace of Justice. However, at the beginning of May, after the High Representative suspended the FBiH Constitution and imposed the FBiH Government, the new federal prime minister announced a decisive fight against corruption.

“We adopted a set of anti-corruption laws in 2014, and they came into effect in mid-2015. The previous Government ensured that this set of laws never came to life, remaining merely words on paper. We are continuing where we left off in 2015; we will not seek excuses, we will find solutions to begin a serious fight against corruption and organized crime,” announced Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić at the beginning of July.
However, the fight against corruption ended very quickly.
Four months later, the only concrete step Nikšić took was the cancellation of funds for the construction of the Palace of Justice, which was supposed to house the Special Department for Combating Corruption.