FBiH Chamber of Commerce becomes new major cluster after Jašarspahić and irresponsible attitude

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

---

The question that most people in BiH are currently seeking an answer to is who is being tested for coronavirus in BiH and based on what criteria, why we are at the bottom of the European rankings in terms of the number of tested individuals, as Dr. Harun Drljević from the Medical Chamber announced yesterday. On the same day last week, the Federation of BiH had 127 tests performed, while Slovenia had 4,700, with a similar population size. 
Today, we have performed 590 tests.

Whose decision is it to act this way in the Federation of BiH, and who will, and certainly must, answer for such decisions from the competent institutions in the Federation of BiH. 

What particularly worries the entire public in BiH is the way individuals from the largest and apparently most dangerous cluster, the one from Konjic, are being treated. After the public learned that the president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, Mirsad Jašarspahić, tested positive for coronavirus on March 24, many were understandably concerned, as he, after attending a celebration in Konjic on March 11, held a meeting with associates and the director of Igman Konjic two days later at the Chamber of Commerce, met with businessmen, held press conferences, appeared in the media, and participated in sessions of the FBiH Government and the Economic and Social Council of the FBiH. 

This is what the public knows so far about his contacts and movements. The biggest dilemmas and questions we are publicly asking are: How many people from the above-mentioned list have been tested so far, and who are they, and what are the results? 

Who determines, and based on what parameters, who among them was contacted and allowed to be tested, and who was not, despite requesting a test? Have the employees of the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, where the infected person worked and held meetings, been contacted and tested, and is this institution a potential new cluster, considering that in addition to President Jašarspahić, another person from Ilidža, an employee of this Chamber, has also tested positive? In the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH in Sarajevo, 23 people are employed, and according to our information, only President Jašarspahić and one of the employees, a young woman who was hired by this Chamber a few months ago, have been tested so far. 

We are clearly asking the question: who determined, and according to what criteria, that A. K., whose test showed positive, should be tested, and not other employees of the Chamber, including President Jašarspahić's closest associate, Almin Mališević, who is in daily contact with President Jašarspahić while performing his duties, and subsequently communicates and coordinates activities with all other employees in the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH? 

Or the employee who recently worked as a secretary in Jašarspahić's office, and who has been complaining of a fever for days? Or, perhaps the most at-risk person, President Jašarspahić's personal driver.

Are the responsible parties aware of the magnitude of the problem that could arise due to their irresponsible attitude in this situation with Jašarspahić and the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH? Why, despite a large number of requests and demands, has the owner and an employee of the restaurant at VTK and the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, who is also the drummer in Hanka Paldum's band and played at the celebration in Konjic, I. F., not been tested yet? 
We remind that 73 people are employed at VTK, and 23 people work at the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, who are in potential contact with this person. 

Are those responsible for people's health in this situation aware of the problems this situation can cause and how much public distrust there is in the scope, process, and selection of testing in the Federation of BiH?
This and many other questions must not and will not remain unanswered, and we believe that the Prosecutor's Office will have sufficient reason to get involved based on this information. Especially considering the situation with the deceased driver from Konjic, about which the Veterans' Association of Konjic publicly wrote. 

"The infected person was not tested even though he had clear symptoms on March 17 that indicated he was already infected. He contacted the emergency service, the chief epidemiologist, and received the answer that there were only three tests and that they were used according to priorities. We have information that there were 50 tests and that some were tested multiple times. We note that this infected person was only tested in Mostar at the infectious disease department on March 22, but by then it was too late," say this Veterans' Association, whose letter we have seen. 

The veterans of Konjic further demand to know who the priorities are: the infected or members of the crisis staff and their families.

The questions we have publicly asked are of the utmost importance for the entire public in Sarajevo and the whole of BiH, and we expect urgent answers, just as we expect reactions from all relevant institutions in the country regarding these issues and findings.