Sick heifers delivered at night without passports and documents

Prosecutor's Office in the RS could soon start an investigation about sick heifers procured for returnees to Eastern Bosnia as a subvention by Federal Minister of the Internally Displaced Population and Refugees, Edin Ramic (SDA).

As many as 17 farmers from Srebrenica, Osmak and Zvornik filed a complaint about their heifers getting sick and dying. Veterinary inspector found out that the animals arrived under rather dubious circumstances, and that some of them suffered respiratory system inflammation. Several heifers had a severe viral infection.

Farmers were enraged when they found out that the infection spread to the existing livestock.  The animals are under constant veterinary observation and care, but some just cannot be saved.

Mile Janjic, Director of Veterinary Station in Srebrenica, said to Patria that he is primarily concerned about the fact that heifers arrived in Srebrenica without documents. They either had no passports or the ones they had were questionable. He informed veterinary inspectors in charge who should now start a full-scale investigation.

According to the contract between Federal Ministry of the Displaced and company Mujanovici d.o.o., the farmers were supposed to receive pregnant heifers under very good conditions. It was agreed that farmers participate with 30% of the total cost per heifer, and 70% would be the Ministry's contribution.

The shady business behind procurement of heifers was discovered when the animals started dying. The web portal Žurnal reported that the heifers were not brought up in BiH but were imported from Romania. Žurnal also wrote that price per unit was not higher than 1.500 KM, which is the price farmers paid per unit (30%). The money allocated by the Ministry for participation in the cost of 70% is vendor's profit!

Muris Mujanovic, the owner of Mujanovici farm, considers the entire affair a political campaign. He denied for Patria that the heifers he delivered to the Eastern Bosnia were imported from Romania. He told us that the heifers were raised at his own farm.

- There is valid supporting documentation, said Mujanovic.

He also denied that the heifers he delivered had been sick.

Reports by veterinary experts that Patria is in possession, confirm that the heifers were sick and without valid documents.

- It is common that an animal gets sick during the transport, but what is worrying in this case is that the animals did not have valid supporting documents. They also did not spend prescribed time in the quarantine where the experts would observe their health condition. It was also discovered that the animals were transported under very poor weather conditions. Some of them arrived late at night. Why was it all done in such a way? That can make one really suspicious about this whole case, said one of the vet inspectors working on the case.