Bosnia’s top judicial institution, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), has on Wednesday called the treats the chief prosecutor received because of her investigation into the controversial procurement of overpriced Chinese ventilators the most brutal attack on the country's judiciary so far.
On the first day of a two-day session of the HJPC, the head of the institution which names and disciplines judicial officials, Milan Tegeltija, asked for the threats Chief Prosecutor Gordana Tadic to be discussed. She received them following statements by officials of the main Bosniak party in the country, the Party for Democratic Action (SDA).
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Prosecutors named the Prime Minister of Bosnia’s Federation (FBiH) region from the SDA, Fadil Novalic, a suspect in a controversial procurement of 100 ventilators from China by a company that runs a raspberry farm and that has no history in dealing with medical equipment.
It turned out that the purchased ventilators were overpriced and unfit for treating COVID-19.
The SDA reacted to this immediately, saying that Novalic’s detention represents “a continuous attack on Bosniaks” by the state prosecutor.
Bosnia’s former Security Minister, Fahrudin Radoncic, told media on Monday that he asked for additional police protection for the Chief Prosecutor, Gordana Tadic.
He named the threats as one of the reasons for his resignation a day later.
Tegeltija told N1 earlier that it is the obligation of the HJCP to protect judicial officials and that the judiciary must operate without pressure.
HJCP member Ruzica Jukic said on Wednesday that there is a “political persecution” ongoing against prosecutors due to the ‘Ventilators’ case.
Another member of the institution, Slavo Lakic, asked whether such attacks are supposed to represent a message to the judiciary that it should ask politicians whether to prosecute someone.
The HJPC members requested a special declaration on the pressure on the judiciary to be put together in order to provide support for prosecutors so they can continue working on all future cases without fear.
