SDP's policy is clear, you're either with us or you can leave: New recording of Mioković and Spahić's conversation paints a picture of Sarajevo's government!

By Rasim Belko @rasimbelko

Ademir Spahić, the dismissed head technician of the Sarajevo Canton Health Center Public Institution, has become a victim of political persecution by the Social Democratic Party, from which he was expelled for publicly expressing his views.

However, the leadership and responsible persons in the SDP did not want to stop at Spahić's expulsion. The Cantonal Committee of SDP Sarajevo launched an operation to "remove" Spahić from the position of head technician, as they did not have the option to dismiss Spahić through their man at the head of the Sarajevo Canton Health Center Public Institution, Milan Mioković.

So far, in addition to Spahić's media appearances, two recordings of his conversations with Mioković have been released, in which Mioković conveyed to Spahić that the SDP does not want him in any "high level" position within the Sarajevo Canton Health Center Public Institution.

The story of the SDP cadres' attack on Spahić is another indicator of how political structures treat health and all other public institutions and companies.

Spahić has the right to his opinion and to express it publicly, which is guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. The SDP, as an interest association, has the right to expel a member, under the same right by which someone joins the party. However, no one, not even the SDP, has the right to endanger Spahić's existence or career simply because he is no longer a member or because he is releasing incriminating information to the public.

The institutions of this country must protect both Spahić and anyone else, because changing, leaving, or being expelled from a party must not be grounds for conditioning and blackmail, or persecution.

In Spahić's case, the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs did not resolve the case properly, but it did indicate irregularities in his dismissal. The whole story will evidently end up in court, as Spahić announced.

The Patria News Agency is in possession of a recording in which Mioković conveys a message to Spahić from the Sarajevo Canton Minister of Health Enis Hasanović and the Minister of Culture and Sports Kenan Magoda, both SDP cadres.

SDP's policy is clear, you're either with us or you can leave: New recording of Mioković and Spahić's conversation paints a picture of Sarajevo's government! pic.twitter.com/qNt8OfgouK

— Patria (@AgencijaPatria) June 6, 2024

Mioković: I went there, I barely, I swear on my life, like this…

Spahić: Where did you go?

Mioković: The minister called me. The people agreed, I didn't see that tram driver, but I don't give a damn. The others said, ok, ok, let Dado nicely write, what's the word, his resignation, let him move there, let him not be in the media and…

Spahić: Who said that?

Mioković: Everything's ok, I was there, I spoke with Kenan and with the minister. He also went there and something, someone, that other one, probably talked to that third one, and it's ok.

Health centers in the Sarajevo Canton are places of large crowds, reduced capacity, insufficient number of doctors and medical staff, and even those who work are poorly paid.

Instead of dealing with problems that would improve citizens' lives and facilitate treatment, Adnan Šteta and the Cantonal Committee of SDP are persecuting dissidents and undermining institutions!