Reasons for Skaka's Arrest: Fictitious Education, Formula E Bolide, Public Lighting, and Hiring Advisors

By Istraga.ba

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Former Sarajevo Mayor Abdulah Skaka allocated budget funds to associations and companies where members of his and his advisors' families were engaged. These funds were spent non-purposefully.

These decisions are precisely the basis for the long-term investigation conducted by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office. If you click here, you can read all the details about the suspicious dealings of the former mayor and still current ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Qatar.

However, the list of suspicious dealings for which the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office arrested Skaka does not include the Eyof and Vidikovac cases, where NiP, Our Party, and SDP cadres (Vice President of the Federation Igor Stojanović, Jasmin /Kemal/ Ademović, and Kenan /Denis/ Zvizdić) had close business ties with Skaka.

The City Administration, as we have learned, has filed charges against Skaka for the Vidikovac case as well, but the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office has not yet opened an investigation in this case. However, an investigation has been opened due to the illegal hiring of four advisors and the non-purposeful spending of budget funds.

In the following, we will cover the suspicious dealings for which Skaka was arrested, while in the coming days we will publish details about Skaka's connections with Kenan Zvizdić, son of the Deputy President of People and Justice, Denis Zvizdić.

Fictitious Education for Statehood Day - Sister's Association

Lamija Skaka is Abdulah Skaka's sister. As early as 2013, she spoke on behalf of the association "Bedem," which was engaged in promoting the historical values of old crafts.

In December 2019, Abdulah Skaka, as the mayor of Sarajevo, approved 18,000 KM to the association "Bedem" for the project "Education of Youth on the Importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina Statehood Day."

Photo: Istraga.ba

A report on the expenditure was submitted a year later, and the largest item was - "representation in fuel." Part of the money was also paid to the agencies Fine line Sarajevo, Agencija produkcija, and Level Up.

Due to suspicion of abuse of position in this case as well, the Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation against Abdulah Skaka.

Financial Aid to Medical Agency BIMA

Faris Fočo, a People and Justice cadre, in his capacity as president of the Medical Association BIMA, requested assistance in October 2017 to finance the International Health Fund project. The Director of the Foundation was Dino Hadžihalilović, the husband of Skaka's advisor Maja Hadžihalilović.

The City Administration approved 10,000 KM in this case. The money was not spent purposefully. Skaka transferred an identical amount to BIMA's account in 2020. The money was also spent non-purposefully then.

Halid Skaka, the mayor's brother, also worked in this association, while Uzeir Skaka, Abdulah Skaka's first cousin, is still active in this association today. This is also one of the reasons why former mayor Abdulah Skaka was arrested.

Formula E Bolide

Skaka's advisor Maja Hadžihalilović submitted a proposal to the Mayor's Office in November 2018 to approve 53,000 KM for the transport and exhibition of a Formula E bolide in Sarajevo.

After carrying out a "redistribution of budget funds," Skaka signed a contract with the company "Seca Sport Europe" in November 2018. Approximately 54,000 KM was soon transferred to this company.

After that, Skaka approved an additional six thousand KM to the company VIA Media for "preparation of the Formula E setup."

Given the suspicion that the money was spent illegally, the Prosecutor's Office decided to arrest former mayor Abdulah Skaka for this case as well.

Public Lighting "Rajski Do"

In November 2017, the mayor of the Municipality of Trnovo from Republika Srpska requested assistance for co-financing public lighting in that municipality.

In December 2017, Skaka and the mayor of Trnovo, Dragomir Gagović, concluded an agreement on financing public lighting for the returnee population.

Since funds for such purposes were not planned in the Budget of the City of Sarajevo, Skaka carried out a redistribution of budget funds.

Photo: Istraga.ba

In April 2021, the City of Sarajevo transferred 15,000 KM to the account of the Municipality of Trnovo. What is controversial is that Skaka's weekend house was in this area, and it received lighting.

Due to suspicion of committing a criminal offense in this case, the Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of the former mayor of Sarajevo.

Hiring Advisors

Maja Hadžihalilović, Nedim Tvrtković, Erna Čolić, and Ensar Eminović were advisors to Mayor Skaka.

During their advisory mandate, the Municipality of Trnovo announced a competition for the employment of several civil servants. After becoming civil servants, they were transferred from Trnovo to the City Administration of Sarajevo.

This was also a reason for the arrest of the former mayor of Sarajevo, Abdulah Skaka.