Bosnian Court decided Sunday to release Fadil Novalic, the Prime Minister of the Bosniak-Croat Federation (FBiH) entity, and other two suspects in an allegedly criminal procurement of ventilator after the Prosecution demanded 30-day custody for them.
The Prosecution proposed 30-day custody for Fadil Novalic, Fahrudin Solak, the suspended director of the FBiH Civil Protection Administration and Fikret Hodzic, the owner of “Srebrena Malina” company, involved in a controversial procurement of 100 ventilators worth 10,5 million Bosnian marks, or €5.2 million, from China.
The Court banned all three from meeting with witnesses and discussing the case.
Earlier the Prosecution confirmed they requested the 30-day custody on suspicion that they committed the following criminal offences:
Fadil Novalic; conspiring to commit criminal offences:
– Abuse of position or authority,
– Receiving an award for trading influence or receiving some other form of benefit,
– Money laundering,
Fahrudin Solak, conspiring to commit criminal offences:
– Abuse of position or authority,
– Receiving an award for trading influence or receiving some other form of benefit,
– Money laundering,
– Forgery of an official document,
Fikret Hodzic: conspiring to commit criminal offences:
– Abuse of position or authority,
– Receiving an award for trading influence or receiving some other form of benefit,
– Money laundering,
– Forgery or destruction of business or trade books or documents,
The public became interested in the case due to the fact that in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic crisis, the medical equipment meant for the needs of the FBiH's healthcare system, was procured by an agricultural company “Srebrena Malina.” The value of the procurement of 100 Chinese ventilators was 10.5 million Bosnian marks, which is over €5 million.
Earlier, members of Bosnia's special police agency SIPA conducted a search on several locations, including the premises of the FBiH Civil Protection Administration, the FBiH Public Health Institute, FBiH Government and the company “Srebrena Malina,” on the order of the Prosecutor's Office. Certain items, documents and mobile phones of several officials, including Prime Minister Novalic's mobile phone, were confiscated.
The Prosecutor's Office said that the team of prosecutors took a number of necessary actions to determine all the circumstances of this procurement from the moment they took over the case on May 4 and that intense work continues daily.
