Process of electing FUP Director Halted

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Independent Board of the Parliament of FBiH received the resignation of the Director of the Federal Police Administration, Dragan Lukač, at today's session, informing them that he is withdrawing from that position effective January 28th of this year, confirmed the President of the Independent Board, Sead Bardak, for the Patria agency.

Given that the Independent Board adopted a conclusion at today's session to request an opinion from the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) regarding three members of the Independent Board, in relation to the Code of Conduct adopted by the HJPC at the end of last year, specifically whether they can perform the duties of a member of the Independent Board in relation to the functions they hold in the judiciary, today's session was adjourned.

As Bardak stated, once they receive the HJPC's opinion, they will continue the session and their work. According to the HJPC Code of Conduct, it is stipulated that holders of judicial functions cannot be members of organizations connected to law enforcement agencies, including boards and commissions for selection and appointment, and boards for the dismissal of police leaders.

Branimir Orašanin, a judge of the Court of BiH, and prosecutors Mirko Miličević and Zdenko Kovač have been members of the Independent Board since May 2018, and the Code of Conduct was adopted at the end of 2018.

Should the HJPC confirm that the three members of the Independent Board are in a conflict of interest, the Independent Board would then lack a quorum, which requires a minimum of five members.

Due to this situation, the process of electing the Director of the Federal Police Administration has also been halted. Eight candidates applied for this position: Zoran Čegar, head of the Uniformed Police Sector of the Federal Police Administration, Ivica Bošnjak, deputy director of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies, Ensad Korman, an official of the FUP, Zoran Galić, director of the BiH Border Police, Mustafa Hujdurović, inspector at the FUP, Milan Galić, current police commissioner of the West Herzegovina Canton, Ljuban Frljić, head of the Operational Center of the MUP SBK Travnik, and Robert Perić, head of the South Čapljina Field Office of the GP BiH.

Dragan Lukač and Zlatko Miletić served two terms each at the head of the FUP.