Police in BiH have become party militias, and prosecutors dependent on politicians!

Police in BiH have become party militias, said Srđan Blagovčanin, Executive Director of Transparency International BiH, in an open interview with the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP). The head of the BiH branch of the most famous international organization for promoting transparency and fighting corruption sharply criticized BiH's political elites, calling them criminal organizations. However, he also lashed out at the political dependence of prosecutor's offices and the war between police chiefs, NAP reports.

NAP: In BiH, there is constant talk about the fight against corruption, but there are still no visible results. Why is that, and why does everything end with announcements of the fight against corruption?

BLAGOVČANIN: BiH is still at the beginning of the fight against corruption. We are, therefore, in a phase where it is clear to everyone that corruption is omnipresent, and that political elites are criminal organizations, led by leaders of political parties.

Given that these same political leaders have completely unlimited power and control over all institutions and resources within their ethno-national fiefdom, it is clear that they are trying in every way to prevent the fight against corruption. That is their most important interest, to protect themselves and their own wealth from prosecution. I am sure they will not choose means to continue doing this, and this is a very dangerous situation, bearing in mind that in this game, the stakes are their own freedom and illegally acquired property; they are ready to go all the way.

NAP: The system of those responsible for the fight against corruption is set up so that prosecutors are at the top of the pyramid. They lead investigations and effectively control the work of police agencies. To what extent is this the reason for the situation you described?

BLAGOVČANIN: The key problem, in my opinion, is the complete dependence of prosecutor's offices on political centers of power. Of course, this dependence is multifaceted and manifests itself in different ways. We have seen that the few cases that were initiated against high-ranking officials ended without final verdicts. It was tragicomic to hear excuses about the disappearance of documentation on the way between two institutions, or about the lack of certified copies, or about the impossibility of determining jurisdiction.

The problem also lies in communication and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutor's offices. We see that these days there is a real war between police agencies and even between prosecutor's offices. Of course, there is also a problem in the capacities of the prosecutor's offices themselves, i.e., their professional and staffing competence. But it is clear that this is, nevertheless, a smaller problem than political control of the judiciary.

NAP: What needs to be done so that prosecutor's offices can more strongly and decisively engage in the fight against crime and corruption?

BLAGOVČANIN: First of all, strengthen the position of the judiciary, especially the prosecutor's office, and eliminate political influence. It is necessary to limit the currently practically unlimited discretionary power of the prosecutor's office to decide on initiating or not initiating investigations and their duration, against which there is no effective and clear legal remedy. Also, improve cooperation between the judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

NAP: Unfortunately, almost all heads of the largest police agencies are currently under criminal charges (filed against each other by Zubac, Selimović, Lukač). What can citizens expect in such situations when those who should fight crime and corruption have suspicions on their backs that they have committed such acts?

BLAGOVČANIN: As we can all see, there is complete chaos in law enforcement agencies at the moment. This is the best indicator that the leaders of these agencies are exponents of political centers of power and that law enforcement agencies are, to a large extent, party militias. This is a very dangerous situation that could escalate, especially with the intensification of the pre-election campaign, and lead to practically open conflicts between factions and agencies loyal to certain political parties and leaders.

Likewise, such party militias can be used against critics of the government, such as the media and non-governmental organizations. We see that blacklists and hit lists are already being made. An atmosphere of lynching and chaos is being created. I think the international community must also become more actively involved in solving this problem in order to avoid a very likely escalation.

NAP: How did you experience and how do you experience the citizens' protests that are still ongoing, but with reduced intensity?

BLAGOVČANIN: The protests have definitely increased the fear of the ruling political elite of their own citizens. The political elite, i.e., the ruling parties, are now trying, through cosmetic acceptance of citizens' demands, while simultaneously intimidating and using police repression, to prevent a possible escalation of protests, which will certainly happen given the catastrophic economic and social situation and the brutal and systemic plunder carried out by the ruling parties.

NAP: How realistic is it to expect a "Sanader case" to happen in BiH? Is BiH ready for such a thing, i.e., does it have the will and strength to prosecute such individuals?

BLAGOVČANIN: Such a thing can be expected to happen only when EU pressure grows to the point where it can no longer be ignored. TI BiH has proposed that a list of the most blatant cases of political corruption that need to be prosecuted be made for BiH as well, as was the case in Serbia. Such a thing would certainly facilitate the work of the judiciary and avoid the political connotations of prosecuting political corruption that systematically occur here.