The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) confirmed that they are working on the “Viaduct” case due to the debt of the government of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity towards this Slovenian company.
As they said, the notification from the Office of the Attorney General of BiH was received on March 28th, and along with the complaint from a law firm, it was assigned to the acting prosecutor.
The earlier case relating to this matter is under the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities in Banja Luka.
In the meantime, BHANSA employees have again requested from the Council of Ministers to resolve the Viaduct case. A resolution is expected at the session on Tuesday.
BiH Air Navigation Services Agency (BHANSA) employees also appealed to the BiH authorities to find a solution for the debts in the Viaduct lawsuit. Over 500 workers are at risk, they expect their salaries to be reduced by over 40 percent. Stress at work, they add, cannot be compared to what they are now going through in a story in which they are collateral damage.
But this is not just about employee salaries. Budgets are directly losing out through revenue this agency generates in international air traffic, and the economy is directly affected through a reduced number of flights if they are prevented from working.
The Minister of Transport proposed, let us recall, that accumulated funds from the state budget – in the amount of 50 million BAM – be given as a loan to this BiH agency, which is acceptable to its representatives. On the other hand, BHANSA is obliged to return these funds to the state budget after the account is unblocked.
In order for the proposal to pass, the consent of the Council of Ministers is necessary. While waiting for a final solution, the Municipal Court in Mostar issued a decision to seize the property of the Central Bank in Mostar. The decision is not final, an objection has been filed. The legal team of Viaduct states that the money must be collected.
The House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly, in its conclusion at the last session, proposed to the Council of Ministers that the money for Viaduct be found through planned funds for capital projects. One of the largest for which legal obligations have not yet been established is the building of the Indirect Taxation Authority in Banja Luka. Members of Parliament have also requested that the Prosecutor’s Office investigate the circumstances of the Viaduct case.
