From the moment the foundation stone was laid back in 2006 to date, the first State prison was built, but its doors remain closed for prisoners. It was closed as soon as it was opened, and Bosnian taxpayers are paying for it every day that it is not operational.

Of the total 78 million marks (approx. € 39.8 million) needed for its construction, Bosnia provided € 6.4 million, The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) provided 19.3 million marks (some € 9.8 million) worth of loan funds, donations made up for € 12.1 million, and the EU’s technical assistance amounted to € 1.7 million.

“We were warned, recently, that donors who donated € 11 million for the prison’s construction could ask for the return of their funds because they see Bosnian institutions as irresponsible. We have to take this warning seriously,” Bosnia’s Justice Minister Josip Grubesa said for N1. “It’s difficult to say when the prison will open its doors to prisoners, but the Ministry will ask the Council of Ministers to discuss this matter as soon as possible.”

The warning came from Europe, but Minister Grubesa did not want to say from whom exactly. He also refused to tell the names of Bosnian ministers who are against the State prison from working.

First problems appeared back in 2006 when the foundation stone was laid. Construction began in 2014, and it ended in 2017. From then, a trial that ended in November 2018 was supposed to resolve all the technical issues.

“Could this have been done earlier – it probably could, but considering all the problems and obstructions, we faced its good that it ended when it did. The building exists, and the creditors and donors praised us for successfully building such a demanding facility,” head of the Project Implementation Unit, Zoran Basic, told N1.

The Project Implementation Unit was out of funds by the end of 2018. Four of its employees left the Agency, and their phone was cut off.