Bosnia De-Mining Boss Grilled Over Corruption Claims

Dusan Gavran, head of the country’s centre for removing mines, BHMAC, has been questioned over claims that he misused his public position and was engaged in corruption.

Dusan Gavran, director of the Bosnian Mine Action Center, BH MAC, was questioned on April 24 by the State Prosecutor on suspicions that he had misused his position and was involved in corruption.

Gavran is under investigation for offences related to misuse of position and authority, receiving bribes and misusing public documents.

‘The suspect is under investigation for activities related to demining and over suspicions that he abused his official position and made illegal profits,’ Boris Grubesic, of the Bosnian Prosecutor’s office, said.

Police earlier raided his home and offices and took away documents related to the case.

BHMAC on Thursday said it hoped the matter would soon become transparent and that it would not affect the de-mining process in the country.

‘The process of de-mining in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a large humanitarian undertaking, because it depends on donors and their grants and, owing to that, we have to be completely transparent to the public,’ a press release said.

‘We hope that after this, the negative media reports about BHMAC will end so that the process of humanitarian de-mining can be completed,’ it added.

Bosnia is one of the most contaminated countries in terms of mines, which are believed to be present in  2.4 per cent of the country’s territory.

BHMAC’s goal  is to free the country of mines by 2019 but this is unlikely owing to a lack of funds.

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