Three hirings disputed in the Ministry of Higher Education, the same individuals were first engaged under service contracts

(Patria) - In the operation "Koverta" carried out this morning by the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of the Sarajevo Canton upon the order of the acting prosecutor, the Minister of Higher Education Adna Mesihović and her assistant Dženitu Viteškić were arrested.

They are suspected of the criminal offense of abuse of position or authority. More precisely, they are suspected of illegal employment in the Ministry, concerning a competition from December 2024 for three positions.

One position was reserved for Arijana Turković, who was ranked first for the position of Expert Associate for Youth Support, while the other two positions were filled by individuals who had already been engaged under service contracts in this Ministry. These are E.R. and A.S. The investigation will determine whether there was favoritism in the hiring process.

Incidentally, Mesihović, Viteškić, Turković, and another hired individual are from the same political party, For New Generations, led by Damir Marjanović, a current representative in the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton. After the expulsion of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Government of the Sarajevo Canton, Marjanović secured two ministries in the Government of the Sarajevo Canton based on his influence in November 2023. Besides higher education, a cadre from ZNG also oversees finances. He also requested several other positions in public cantonal companies, so the Employment Service of the Sarajevo Canton is managed by ZNG member Amina Džonlagić. According to the register of service contracts, Minister Mesihović engaged a larger number of individuals and paid them monthly compensation ranging up to 1,500 KM.

Early this morning, the apartments of the suspects and the offices of the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton were searched. Documentation and other items that may serve in the further criminal proceedings were found, announced the Prosecutor's Office of the Sarajevo Canton and the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of the Sarajevo Canton.

In December 2024, Minister Mesihović and Minister Kalamujić stopped the payment of salaries for 2,700 employees because they disputed the legality of Rector Tarik Zaimović. The minister even requested the appointment of an acting rector, which the Senate of the University of Sarajevo rejected. In mid-January this year, the court registered Rector Tarik Zaimović in the court register, and a court proceeding is ongoing between the University of Sarajevo and the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton.

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SKANDAL U AKADEMSKOJ ZAJEDNICI Mesihović i Kalamujić ne daju plaće uposlenicima UNSA-e dok se ne imenuje v.d. rektora

(Patria) - Više od 2.700 uposlenika Univerziteta u Sarajevu danas neće dobiti novembarsku plaću zbog zahtjeva Ministarstva za visoko obrazovanje da se imenuje vršilac dužnosti rektora jer je izbor rektora Tarika Zaimovića poništen. Iz Ministar

Although it has been speculated over the past few months that Marjanović's ZNG should leave the Government of the Sarajevo Canton or lose one ministry, this has not happened so far. However, this operation now sheds new light on that process as well.

Also, the Minister of Finance of the Sarajevo Canton, Afan Kalamujić, initially refused to support the Proposal during the preparation of the Budget of the Sarajevo Canton for 2025, and after corrections, he voted for it, and it was sent to the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton, which adopted it on March 28.

It is known that Marjanović has been interested in the higher education sector in the Sarajevo Canton for years, and through the minister, he gained control over certain processes.