Cantonal Prosecutor's Office opens case on allocation of 800,000 KM from the Cantonal Budget to the Semir Halilović Foundation!

The Foundation for the Protection of Historical Facts „Pravednost“ Sarajevo, founded in September 2013 by Semir Halilović, son of Sefer Halilović, president of BPS, has so far received 800,000 KM from the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton, with two decisions signed by ministers Faid Hećo (BPS) and Muharem Fišo (BPS).

Given that this is a large sum of money allocated from the Cantonal Budget to a foundation whose founder is Halilović, who is also a BPS representative in the Cantonal Assembly, the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office responded to the Patria agency's question about whether an investigation into the allocation of these funds has been initiated:

- We inform you that the mentioned case is in progress – stated the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office.

According to the register of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Foundation Pravednost was registered at the address Ćemaluša 6, which is also the seat of BPS. However, the address has now been changed, and the authorized person is Medina Delalić.

In addition to Halilović and Delalić, the founders also include Nusret Halilović, Sead Gajević, and Smajo Halilović.

The Foundation Pravednost first received 200,000 KM in the same year it was founded. This money was supposed to be used for providing legal assistance in favor of suspects and accused former members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in war crimes cases for 2013 and 2014, but according to data obtained from Minister Fišo, the money allocated for 2014 was least used to help suspects.

According to reports submitted by the Foundation Pravednost, funds were allocated to 18 individuals in amounts ranging from 1,500 KM to 5,125 KM, as well as to legal defense teams for the accused in the Trusina and Igman cases, 10,000 KM.

Reimbursement of costs for preparing expert reports for the defense of accused members of the AR BiH in proceedings before BiH courts amounted to 73,000 KM. For the purchase of relevant documents for the „Silos“ case, i.e., the case of eight accused from Hadžići, 4,100 KM was spent, while 16,000 KM was spent on the production of video materials. According to the signed agreement, the Foundation had a budget of 40,000 KM for employee costs for each tranche received.

In response to the Public Call published in April 2015, the Foundation Pravednost submitted two projects worth 200,000 KM: providing financial assistance to participants of the 1992-1995 defensive-liberation war suspected/accused of war crimes in BiH courts. The second project was the purchase of documents, audio and visual materials, and the production of documents and other materials related to the war.

And for the fourth public call published on February 15, 2016, the Foundation Pravednost applied again. Minister for Veterans' Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton Muharem Fišo confirmed in June 2016 that he had given money to the Foundation Pravednost.

On the other hand, Minister Fišo never answered the questions we posed, which concerned the total funds allocated to the Foundation Pravednost, the control of the funds previously allocated by the Ministry to the Foundation for the Protection of Historical Facts „Pravednost“ Sarajevo, and whether the funds were used for their intended purpose.

While the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office is conducting actions in this case, the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs published a new Public Call for associations for financing/co-financing programs and projects in 2017 on January 25.