Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry in Sarajevo, Muhamed Ajanović, and the Chief Educational Inspector of the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs, Dalila Hakalović, who were arrested yesterday, have been handed over to the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office. They are suspected of several criminal offences, including abuse of position or authority and trading in influence.
The arrests were carried out as part of the continued police operation “Envelope”. Following the latest developments, the University of Sarajevo Rector’s Office stated that it had been exposed to pressure from cantonal inspection authorities for more than a year.
Ajanović and Hakalović were transferred from the premises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton to the Prosecutor’s Office, where they will be questioned.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Sarajevo Canton, the investigation concerns a series of actions allegedly undertaken by Ajanović in cooperation with Hakalović, former Minister of Higher Education Adna Mesihović, and another suspect, with the aim of securing an illegal extension of Ajanović’s mandate as dean of the Faculty of Dentistry.
Prosecutors claim that Ajanović relied on close personal connections to remain in office. The alleged group ensured that official instructions were issued which prevented the announcement of a public competition for the dean’s position. The investigation further alleges that they planned amendments to the University Senate’s statute that would have enabled Ajanović to secure a new term.
Rector of the University of Sarajevo, Tarik Zaimović, said the university had long been exposed to excessive and unlawful pressure from inspection bodies, noting that more than 350 inspections were conducted within a short period.
“Everything else is a consequence of inspections believing they could do whatever they wanted at the university, acting outside the legal framework. They saw themselves as interpreters, judges and prosecutors at the same time, using repression to enforce their will, and we have been witnessing this daily,” Zaimović said.
The Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs stated that it is committed to acting promptly and lawfully, emphasizing that it fully supports investigative and judicial institutions in clarifying the case, despite the fact that its chief education inspector is among the suspects.
Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Nihad Uk said that the “Envelope” operation demonstrates that no one is untouchable.
“If the allegations are proven, this represents systemic corruption, which we intend to put an end to by strengthening the capacities of the Prosecutor’s Office and the courts,” Uk said.
Journalists and analysts following political developments describe the “Envelope” operation as another indicator of deep-rooted corruption, reinforcing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s poor ranking in European corruption indices. Journalist Amina Čorbo Zećo stated that long-standing allegations surrounding the dean point to an organized system of abuse.
“At the first hearings, we will learn more about the system they created. Unfortunately, this shows that society has reached rock bottom,” she said.
Operation “Envelope” began in April with the arrest of former minister Adna Mesihović and three other individuals. The Faculty of Dentistry in Sarajevo and the Cantonal Government buildings have since been searched several times. Authorities confirm that this case is not the only scandal to have shaken the current Sarajevo Canton government.
