Complaint filed against GRAS director Ahmetspahić: Lack of staff, but a pensioner is paid a director's salary

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A group of GRAS employees has filed a complaint against the company's general director, Almir Ahmetspahić, Zoran Miljuš, and Salko Šehović, citing, as they stated, "suspicion of negligent work in service and abuse of position".

They added that the complaint was addressed to the President of the GRAS Assembly, Avdo Vatrić, and if there is no reaction from him, the complaint will be forwarded to the Federal Police Administration and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton.

"We are filing a complaint against the aforementioned individuals who enabled Haris Kadić to gain unlawful financial benefit, to the detriment of the KJKP GRAS budget and the Sarajevo Canton budget, as the Canton is the founder of GRAS. The aforementioned individuals enabled Kadić to receive a director's salary even after he ceased to be an executive director and became only an employee in GRAS's commercial department, thus appropriating a larger sum of money in the form of the difference between the salary he receives and the salary he is entitled to based on his position," states the complaint from the group of GRAS employees who suspect illegal activities.

They add that for the period in question, "while he has been receiving a director's salary without justification, contributions for that salary have also been paid for him, despite the fact that the said individual has a total of over 41 years of service and started his employment on May 14, 1979.".

"We ask both you and the general director Almir Ahmetspahić whose interest it is to keep a person on the budget payroll who, according to the law, should have retired long ago, and fully retired, as he meets the legally prescribed conditions. If it were a person who is an expert in some field, we would understand. As it is, we get the impression that Ahmetspahić is trying to turn GRAS into a Doncafe company, because he appointed Miljuš as financial director, who, with his (in)action and (lack of) knowledge, drove Doncafe to Serbia. Gentlemen, please do not allow Ahmetspahić to drive GRAS to Serbia with the help of his executive directors and those he pays as if they were directors, even though they are not. We ask you to take all necessary actions to protect the company's financial interests, because Kadić, in addition to receiving a higher salary and should have retired long ago, with Ahmetspahić's approval, only comes to work when he needs to arrange and rig tenders with Miljuš according to Ahmetspahić's orders," the complaint states.

It is added that the aforementioned individuals "are currently arranging a tender for tires with Mirza Čengić from the company CENTROTRADE. The said individuals have been negotiating with Mirza for days, with the help of former executive director Senad Međedović, one of those who have also benefited from GRAS's financial interests.".

"The tender documentation is nearing completion, and the said individuals are tailoring it exclusively for CENTROTRADE so that everyone is happy. This is probably why Ahmetspahić is keeping Kadić in the company and in commissions that allow him influence over others, as well as on a salary he is not entitled to, and despite the fact that he should have retired long ago according to the law. Kadić is just one example where Ahmetspahić, through abuse of position, enables his subordinates to rob GRAS. There is also Senad Međedović, Professor Mustafa Mehanović, who works at GRAS and charges a full daily wage while lecturing at the Faculty of Transport, which has given Ahmetspahić a master's and doctorate. There are also numerous work contracts, payments to lawyers for concluded proceedings, as well as a 30% salary supplement for years to the same individuals for enabling various malversations and organized robbery of GRAS," writes the complaint from the group of GRAS employees.

The employees place their hope in federal and cantonal investigative bodies.

"Gentlemen from the Federal Police Administration, please look into organized crime at GRAS. You won't even have to dig much, as the same people are committing the same robberies in the same way," the complaint stated.

According to our findings, the employees suspect that the reason for Kadić's continued employment at GRAS, despite meeting the retirement conditions, is that his contributions have not been paid.

At the same time, the employees are asking Vatrić to verify the information that there are two acting secretaries at GRAS.

According to their statements, Zornić Nermina was appointed to the position of acting secretary and went on maternity leave. GRAS now has another person who is also the acting secretary of the company, and both are receiving salaries. They expect an answer from Vatrić.

The employees also provided us with Mr. Kadić's PIO statement, but we cannot publish it due to the protection of personal data.