VSTV to appoint two chief cantonal and four state prosecutors today

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina at today's session should appoint new chief cantonal prosecutors of the Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton and the Prosecutor's Office of Una-Sana Canton.

According to the established scoring list, candidates for chief prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton are Tomislav Ljubić and Dražena Pejanović, and for chief prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of Una-Sana Canton Fadila Amidžić, Jasmin Mesić and Amir Midži. The VSTV should also select four state prosecutors. After all appointments, VSTV members will also discuss a joint letter from the Head of the Delegation and Special Representative of the European Union Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy Ellen J. Germain and Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Bruce Berton, which was sent on Tuesday. The letter criticizes the work of the VSTV regarding the appointment of holders of judicial functions, which is often delayed or these processes take a long time.

"Recent developments could affect future financial assistance, while visible progress in the judicial reform process would ensure further significant support from the EU, the US and other international investments, which in turn encourage that progress," the letter states, among other things.

The proposed agenda includes the formation of a commission to conduct interviews with candidates for the position of judges of the Constitutional Court of the Federation of BiH, which was also warned about in the letter from international officials.

We recall, the President of the VSTV Milan Tegeltija last week found himself at the center of a corruption affair when a video recording was published in which he talks with businessman Nermin Alešević about a specific case in the Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton. Tegeltija denied involvement in corruption, nor did he step down from the position of President of the VSTV. On Wednesday, protests were held in front of that judicial institution by citizens who demanded the resignations of VSTV members. The Prosecutor's Office of BiH opened a case in this matter. SIPA inspector Marko Pandža, who was filmed taking a bribe of 2,000 KM to "fix" Tegeltija, has been temporarily suspended pending the completion of disciplinary proceedings.