Eurasia Press & News
SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
The state court in Sarajevo on Friday (April 24th) pressed charges against former Federation of BiH (FBiH) Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic and former Finance Minister Dragan Covic for embezzling nearly 4m euros. Investigators say that between 1999 and 2000, when the pair were in office, they stole state funds to buy private properties without government approval.
Bicakcic and Covic are among 50 officials suspected of illegally purchasing real estate. The list also includes incumbent FBiH Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic, accused of using government funds to purchase a flat while head of a public enterprise. Brankovic’s Party of Democratic Action says it will request his resignation if the charges are proved.
In other news Friday, High Representative Valentin Inzko said the Office of the High Representative has been trying to close its operations in BiH for the past three years, but local politicians have failed to secure the necessary stability. His remarks came at a press conference, following a meeting with Austrian Minister of European and International Affairs Michael Spindelegger. He was responding to allegations by Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, who claimed the international community is behaving like “occupiers”.
