Amir Zukić Arrested, Searches of Apartment and Offices

General Secretary of the SDA Amir Zukić was arrested this afternoon, confirmed for the Patria agency by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office.

He is suspected of criminal offenses of association for the purpose of committing criminal acts, accepting a reward or other forms of benefit for influence peddling. 

Zukić was arrested as part of the continuation of Operation Bosna, which was carried out in August 2016. At that time, Esed Džananović, director of distribution at Elektroprivreda BiH, Safet Bibić, Ramiz Karavdić, Nedžad and Senad Trako were arrested. They were ordered into custody and released on November 24, 2016. On January 9, 2017, a three-month custody was again ordered for them.  

The Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office charges the five suspects with organizing a group and, using their influence, employing persons in public companies, health and higher education institutions in the Federation of BiH by demanding and receiving money or other forms of benefit.

From the very beginning, three prominent names from the top of the Party of Democratic Action were linked to these arrests: Amir Zukić, Asim Sarajlić, and Mirsad Kukić.  

As the Patria agency learns, Džananović made hires at Elektrodistribucija on the orders of Amir Zukić. The investigation was extended to Zukić himself and resulted in today's arrest. After criminal processing at the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior, Zukić will be handed over to the jurisdiction of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office. The SDA premises used by Zukić and the apartment where he lives were searched.

In addition to Zukić, his driver Seid Fazlagić was also arrested, suspected of aiding the perpetrator after the commission of a criminal offense. 

What Džananović stated

As Žurnal reported at the end of December, in the Decision of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo issued on December 16, 2016, it is stated: "The benefit that the Council finds that the suspect Džananović accepted in exchange for the aforementioned mediation (employment) is the retention of his function, i.e., position at work and in the political party of which he is a member."

The Judicial Council bases its conclusion on the testimony of witnesses and the statement of the suspect Džananović, given on August 27, 2016.

The suspect Džananović, as stated in the Decision, himself stated in his testimony that he was appointed to the position of executive director for distribution at Elektroprivreda BiH "as a qualified party cadre," and that he carried out instructions for illegal employments on the orders of high-ranking persons from the party.

"When he accepted this function, he knew he had to act according to the party's instructions," it is written in the mentioned court document.