Six Years Since Mass Protests: Radončić and Zubac Removed, Four Premiers Resigned

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – Six years ago, dissatisfied citizens took to the streets in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica, Mostar, and several other BiH cities. The gatherings grew larger during the day, leading to clashes with police and an escalation in which buildings of cantonal governments, municipalities, institutions, and in Sarajevo the building of the BiH Presidency were set on fire. 

In clashes with the police, a large number of citizens and police officers were injured. 

Reinforced police forces suppressed the demonstrators in the afternoon hours, and a number of violent demonstrators were arrested. After some time, Salem Hatibović and Nihad Trnka were convicted for setting fire to the BiH Presidency building. 

Citizens demanded the resignations of cantonal premiers and social justice, and they continued to gather in the following days on the main Sarajevo thoroughfare. 

The spark of the protests began on February 4 and 5 in Tuzla, where aggrieved workers from several companies sought resolution of their fate. By February 7, thousands of citizens had taken to the streets in Tuzla. Citizens managed to break through the police blockade and set fire to the Tuzla Canton Government building. The protests spread to other cities. 

In addition to institutions, the premises of HDZ BiH and SDA in Mostar were set on fire on February 7.

The protests achieved the resignations of the premiers of Zenica-Doboj, Tuzla, Sarajevo, and Una-Sana cantons. 

Due to the February 2014 protests, the SDA requested the dismissal of the then BiH Security Minister Fahrudin Radončić, who was dismissed on March 13 by votes of SDA, SDP BiH, SNSD, PDP, and SDS deputies. 

Accountability was also sought from the then Director of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) Goran Zubac, because he refused to send SIPA's Special Unit to protect the BiH Presidency building. Zubac was dismissed in August 2015. 

The BiH Court sentenced him to a suspended sentence of one year in prison, after the BiH Court confirmed the first-instance verdict finding Zubac guilty of the criminal offense of negligent work in service.