KS Tourist Board to Seek Protection from Premier Konaković in Court

Announcements by the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Elmedin Konaković that the KS Government will take over the KS Tourist Board next week have been deemed illegal, writes Patria.

Director of the Tourist Board Šemsudin Džeko explains that the prime minister cannot take over something he did not establish. The Tourist Board will seek justice in court as early as Monday. He assesses Konaković's actions as an attempt to demonstrate force.

Last week, Konaković visited the KS Tourist Board unannounced, accompanied by the cantonal Minister of Internal Affairs. The deputy cantonal prosecutor was also with them. They announced placing the Tourist Board under the jurisdiction of the KS Government.

Džeko described the behavior of Prime Minister Konaković as brutal pressure on the leaders of the KS Tourist Board. He will protect the institution he represents by all legal means.

- The Tourist Board was founded by restaurateurs, hoteliers, and other tourism workers of Sarajevo Canton. The Tourist Board has its governing bodies. It has its statute by which it operates. Also, cantonal inspectorates can control the legality of the Tourist Board's operations at any time. Konaković cannot now manage something he did not even establish – Džeko warned Patria.

The prime minister accuses that the collection of taxes from tourists visiting Sarajevo needs to be improved. Džeko says he agrees with the idea, but explains that it is not the Tourist Board that should control restaurateurs. The right address is the cantonal inspectorate. The prime minister should work on a strategy to increase tax collection from tourists with them. The role of the Tourist Board is to promote the tourism potential of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And that it does so well, says Džeko, is shown by the reports on the number of tourists visiting Sarajevo.

- KS was visited by 145,216 tourists in the first five months of this year, which is an increase of 11.8 percent compared to 2015. 277,423 overnight stays were realized, which is an increase of 15.3 percent compared to last year – states Džeko.