RESPIRATOR CASE: Government received different information than the one considered by the Staff

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - In the continuation of the trial for abuses during the import of respirators, a witness for the State Prosecution stated that a sentence regarding the procurement of 100 respirators was added to the Information on the procurement of medical equipment that was considered by the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina last year.

Enes Memić, who was the secretary of the Federal Civil Protection Staff, said that he later determined that a sentence was added to the Information on the procurement of medical equipment and protective gear for the period from March 23 to April 3, 2020.

He confirmed that he recently received a request from the defense of the Federal Prime Minister Fadil Novalić to provide a certified copy of the Information to the Government, and that he determined that there are two versions. He explained that he decided to conduct a mini-investigation because he read about the controversial sentence in the media.

"I established that the Information with that sentence went to the Government, and that sentence was not considered by the Staff," Memić told defense attorney Vasvija Vidović.

To the questions of the accused Jelka Milićević, he said that he determined that the sentence about the procurement of 100 respirators was added by Sanita Alagić, assistant director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) for finance. He added that Alagić confirmed to him that she did it, but that she doesn't know why.

Memić said that the Sector for Protection and Rescue Measures of the FUCZ, which he heads, is generally responsible for compiling information. When asked how he knew which version was sent to the Government, the witness replied that Alagić also told him that.

For abuse of office during the procurement of respirators, along with Novalić, the suspended director of FUCZ Fahrudin Solak, director of the company "F.H. Srebrena malina" Fikret Hodžić, as well as the company itself, and the Federal Minister of Finance Jelka Milićević, who is charged with negligent work, are accused.

Memić also spoke about the adoption of the decision to allocate seven million convertible marks (KM) for the procurement of medical equipment at a telephone session on April 1. He said that the Head of Staff (Solak) told him to include that item on the agenda, and that Alagić sent him the decision by email.

The witness said that he understood that the decision was coordinated between the Head of Staff and the Commander (Milićević).

"First there was communication with the Head of Staff, and I think later with the Commander as well," said Memić.

He said that during the session, the amount was increased from the initial five million to seven million after Milićević called him. He added that he left the conversation to Alagić since she is in charge of finances.

The witness confirmed that the decision to allocate was signed by Solak instead of Milićević.

Milićević's defense questioned the witness regarding the claims that the agenda was coordinated by Solak and Milićević even after March 25, when the Staff's work was changed based on the Government's decree. Defense attorney Mirela Kanlić presented several documents to the witness in which it is stated until March 25 that they are submitted "with the consent of the Commander and the Head of Staff", and after that date it only states "at the request of the Head of Staff".

To the defense attorney's questions as to whether later acts mean that coordination was not requested, the witness answered affirmatively, adding that it was in accordance with the decree.

Witness Nusreta Kandić, employed at FUCZ, spoke about mail registration. Documents related to "Srebrena malina" were presented to her, some of which, as she stated, were registered and some were not. Some documents have different respirator markings.

"Everything that arrived, we registered," said Kandić.

Jasmina Imamović and Nermina Fejzić, employed in the FUCZ accounting department, were heard as witnesses. They explained how payments are made, and payment forms for more than ten million KM were presented to them.

Both witnesses said that payments are made based on an invoice, and that in this case, the payment was made based on the offer from "Srebrena malina".

Fejzić stated that Alagić took the file related to "Srebrena malina" several times.

The trial continues on December 10.