Re-dressing the state: Enormous sums paid for Border Police of BiH clothing

The audit report of the Border Police of BiH for 2015 showed irregularities in the public procurement procedure, which was carried out by the Department for Public Procurement and Logistics whose members were simultaneously members of the Public Procurement Commission, writes the Patria News Agency.

What does the equipment for each member of the Border Police include? It includes one winter and one summer jacket, two pairs of winter and two pairs of summer trousers. Three winter and three summer shirts, two pairs of summer and winter socks each. This also includes one sweater and one official tie, and one pair of shoes.

The audit objected to the procurements made by the Border Police due to the lack of adequate control. However, subsequent calculations cast complete doubt on the problematic spending of funds from the state budget, which is funded by the citizens of BiH.

Just like with cars, and all other public procurements, especially clothing and footwear, the Border Police did not comply with the Public Procurement Law. Shirts and t-shirts were purchased for one million and 893 thousand KM, trousers for 900 thousand KM, socks for 111 thousand KM, and jackets for one million and 90 thousand KM.

In all these cases, according to the audit report, legal procedures were not followed. The price of shirts at almost 46 KM per piece was therefore suspicious to many.

If you look at other items, the situation is even more problematic. According to this, the prices are enormous and impossible to find even in fashion houses in BiH. Namely, each of the four pairs of socks for 1820 members of the Border Police cost 15.25 KM.

Even if you were looking for special socks, you wouldn't find them anywhere in BiH at this price. One winter and summer jacket cost 299.45 KM each. Do you remember any jacket costing 300 KM in our local stores? One pair of trousers even cost 123 KM. We have already written that a shirt cost 46 KM. And all of this was procured in bulk.

The problem lies with the difference between winter and summer clothing for our border guards. Namely, police officers overheat in the summer because this expensive equipment is enriched with polyester, which is unfortunately the main component of the Border Police's clothing.

Therefore, the auditors, by warning about the criminal activities in public procurements for the Border Police, have in a way warned the public. Simple mathematics reveals even more dire details. Is there accountability within the Border Police? And who in the state bodies is above this institution?