The former prime minister of the Federation (FBiH) entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fadil Novalic, reported to the state prison in the evening hours on Thursday, his lawyer confirmed for N1.

Novalic was convicted of abuse of office in a connection to the procurement of one hundred respirators from China worth 5.4 million euros in April 2020, immediately after the declaration of a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic. The respirators were found to be inadequate for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

The others convicted in the case are Fahrudin Solak, the former director of the FBiH Civil Protection Authority, who reported to serve his sentence on March 15, and Fikret Hodzic, owner of the company “Srebrena malina” who reported to serve his sentence on March 14.

Bosnia's former official convicted over controversial purchase of ventilators: “Yes, I am going to prison”

All three had previously submitted requests for a postponement of their prison sentences, the day before they were supposed to report to prison.

Then they appealed the decisions of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but to no avail.

Novalic was sentenced to four years in prison by the final verdict on January 27, 2024, Solak to six, Hodzic to five, and the company FH “Srebrena malina” to a fine of about 100,000 euros.