Bosnia’s top judicial official submitted a criminal complaint on Tuesday against unknown persons “employed in or connected to” Bosnia’s Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA BiH), arguing that they are trying to incriminate him and take over Bosnia’s justice system.
The move came after local media published a recording that allegedly appears to prove his involvement in influence peddling.
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The Istraga.ba investigative journalism portal released an audio recording on Thursday which allegedly features the head of Bosnia’s High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HCP), Milan Tegeltija, discussing the possibility of naming the sister of former HJCP member, Miljana Buha, as a judge in a Banja Luka court.
The HJPC is the institution that appoints judicial officials in Bosnia.
According to Istraga.ba, Buha insisted on the appointment of her sister, Sanja Cegar, and Tegeltija can allegedly be heard saying that the “tactic” should be left to him.
Both Tegeltija and Buha denied the allegations in statements for N1, arguing that the recording proves the opposite – that they agreed such an appointment would be a conflict of interest.
Tegeltija’s criminal complaint states that on November 26, “edited audio content” was published as a result of continuous, systematic and long-term illegal monitoring, recording, eavesdropping targeting him. This was, he alleged, done by Bosnia’s Intelligence – Security Agency “or some of its parts and persons associated with this agency” who wanted him removed from the post of HJPC President.
He stressed that any illegally obtained recording can not be accepted as evidence.
In his explanation, Tegeltija argued that the goal of these illegal activities is to create a negative public opinion that would force the HJPC to initiate proceedings and build a case based on the illegally acquired recordings in order to remove him from the post and introduce a “full political-intelligence and para-intelligence control” of Bosnia’s judicial system.
This would represent an attack on the constitutional system and the separation of powers in the country, he argued.
According to the HJPC head, people employed in the OSA BiH or people close to them in the judiciary and other institutions, as well as the media, are involved in this attack.
