KS Government: NIP's Minister of Economy Takes Over Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Who Will Replace Mesihović?

(Patria) - At the next session of the KS Assembly, Adna Mesihović is expected to assume the mandate of a representative, effectively ceasing to be a minister in the Government of Sarajevo Canton. The date of the next KS Assembly session is still unknown.

Mesihović was on the list of the Movement for New Generations (ZNG) during the last general elections in 2022, but only the founder of ZNG, Damir Marjanović, won a mandate.

After ZNG became part of the government in November 2023, securing two ministerial positions, Mesihović was appointed Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of KS, and Afan Kalamujić became Minister of Finance of KS.

Mesihović was arrested on April 10 this year on suspicion of abuse of office and illegal employment in the Ministry. She spent two months in custody, and in June, her detention was lifted and restrictive measures were imposed. KS Prime Minister Nihad Uk requested the Commission for Selection and Appointments to suspend her, and this suspension remains in effect.

Marjanović resigned his representative mandate, and on July 24, the Central Election Commission awarded the mandate to Adna Mesihović (on the Bešić list), although Marjanović had announced that Tarik Jažić would enter the KS Assembly, assuming Mesihović would likely not accept the mandate.

However, given that she is under suspension and that her dismissal was a topic among the Trojka parties, she decided to accept the mandate as a representative in the KS Assembly. If she professionalizes, she would have guaranteed monthly earnings of over 3,000 KM until the end of the mandate, until the next general elections and the election of new representatives.

Incidentally, since her arrest in the "Koverta" operation and subsequent suspension, the Ministry was led by Minister of Justice and Administration Darja Softić-Kadenić (Naša stranka). She confirmed to Patria that she is no longer acting Minister of Higher Education and that the leadership of the Ministry was taken over by Zlatko Mijatović, Minister of Economy of KS and a cadre of the People and Justice party (NIP), as of July 17.

The Trojka parties have yet to reach an agreement on who will take over the Ministry of Higher Education after Mesihović officially assumes the representative mandate.

NIP is most interested in this position, but this party already manages the Ministry of Education, so the Trojka parties will need to agree on who will get this extremely important portfolio in the KS Government.