The verification of the assets of judges and prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the establishment of a special department is providing initial results for officials, but for those who monitor it is a show that hides the essence. The President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sanin Bogunić, recently announced the first lawsuits against judicial office holders who have not declared their assets in a timely manner.
Every day, an increasing number of judicial office holders are declaring their assets, the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina recently boasted. The verification system was established in a short time, said Sanin Bogunić and announced the lawsuits.
SANIN BOGUNIĆ, President of the HJPC of Bosnia and Herzegovina
“What I can say is that very soon, I cannot say exactly, but very soon, lawsuits will be initiated against those office holders who have not declared their assets for 2023 and 2024.”
However, there are a large number of objections from organizations that monitor the entire process. The Balkan Investigative Network called it a show for the public, i.e. a pretense that a systematic check of judges and prosecutors is being implemented. They point out the unfilled Department without ensuring the independence of its work, but also the essential problems.
DENIS DŽIDIĆ, Director of BIRN
“Only the property records of persons living in the same household are checked, which means that judges and prosecutors who have children who have already moved away can transfer everything to them and it is absolutely not checked. On the other hand, persons in the same household can just write a message saying that they refuse to have their property checked and then their property is not checked.”
Announcements of lawsuits for unscrupulous judges and prosecutors who have not declared their property can be useful if they ultimately result in the disclosure of their property, says a legal expert from Transparency International.
DAMJAN OŽEGOVIĆ, Transparency International BiH
“What is essential here is that there is no obviously effective mechanism that would force them to publish it on time, in a timely manner, and there is no sanction that would be threatening enough that if they do not publish or do not publish it on time, they would be punished. That it would consequently force them to publish their files, that is, their assets.”
Given that this is a process supported and closely monitored by the European Union, the Department for Verification of Assets and Interests is also assisted by a European expert mission. From the statement of the Head of the European Union Delegation to our country, it is clear that problems are visible despite the emphasis on positive developments, BHRT writes.
