Prosecutor's Office and Mektić Received Complaint: Pressure on Commission During Cadet Recruitment in Border Police

The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Security of BiH received a complaint regarding alleged irregularities during the recruitment of the 8th class of cadets into the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of this year.

The letter states that ruling political parties demanded from the president of the Commission for Cadet Recruitment, Fahrudin Ibrić, as well as his assistant, Kemal Barjaktarević, to provide a group of cadets, with strong political support, with the questions that would be on the written test in advance, but that they refused to do so.

- We ask the Prosecutor's Office of BiH to verify the stated allegations - it is stated in a comprehensive letter to the Prosecutor's Office, reports the Patria agency.

Out of 84 candidates for the 8th class of BP BiH cadets who underwent a medical examination, 14 were assessed as medically unfit to perform the duties of a police officer, which was also confirmed by the BP BiH earlier. It is alleged that even among such candidates, there were those with political recommendations.

The letter received by the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Security also mentions the name of Zijad Srabović, Deputy Director of the Border Police of BiH, as one of the BP officials who exerted pressure to have certain individuals admitted into the ranks of the Border Police.

Professor at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies in Sarajevo, Dr. Goran Kovačević, says he cannot comment on the specific case until the information is confirmed by official investigative bodies, but that the general rule should be that only the best кадров work in the Border Police. The political, economic, and all other stability of the country depends on the Border Police.

- Without the active work of the Border Police, it is impossible to effectively combat any form of security threat. Illegal drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human trafficking, organ trafficking, terrorism, illegal migration... To successfully combat these challenges requires the greatest commitment from the Border Police - believes Dr. Kovačević.

- It is especially important to emphasize that the porosity of borders implies very serious problems for the state and society, for the political, economic, ecological, and military-defense sectors, as it allows the presence of disruptive elements, who, if everything were as it should be, would not have the opportunity to act and disrupt the security of a certain state - says Dr. Kovačević, adding that placing the Border Police under political influence is a bigger problem than in any other case.

For Dr. Jasmin Ahić, also a professor at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies in Sarajevo, the Border Police of BiH is one of the better agencies in the country, but he points out as a drawback the mechanism of internal transfer of staff from one border crossing to another, which, according to Ahić for Patria, can be misused or used as a sanction for certain staff.

The Border Police of BiH has previously been shaken by scandals due to nepotism, as well as due to the admission of convicted criminals into the ranks of the Border Police, including serious offenders and drug dealers.