What weaknesses did the “Nešić” case reveal?

Read me this news.

The chronology is as follows: the case involving the recently arrested Nenad Nešić was formed in 2019. Four years later, in January 2023, he sits in the chair of the Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such things should not happen, according to experts, from whose statements it can be concluded that there should not be a single stain on the way to the position of security guard.

And not only them – recently the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, Milanko Kajganić, pointed out this problem directly, without any hesitation.

“We believe that the security checks that are carried out during the appointment of persons in the security sector should make radical changes, they should not be formal, but real, because that is the only way we can prevent such crimes and fight against them,” said Kajganić, speaking about the action in which Nešić and six other people were arrested, on suspicion of million-dollar crime in “Roads of Republika Srpska”, in which the current Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina was once the director.

When Nermin Pećanac, the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, was supposed to come to that position, the checks were, judging by his words, thorough, to say the least.

“That was, I think, in 2001. I had to pass all the checks. The court was asked if I had any case, they asked the prosecutor’s office and the Tax Office if I had any debts, i.e. unpaid taxes”, recalled Pećanac in a statement for “Nezavisne novine”.

It was, he says, a thorough check in a series of competent institutions and the whole process lasted 10-15 days.

“However, later, as time went on, it all eased. We now see that some places have almost become a safe house for people who, to put it mildly, have been compromised”, Pećanac points out.

10-15 years ago, he adds, it was impossible for you to be convicted twice and hold the position of Minister of Internal Affairs, and he confirms that he is referring to the current Minister Rama Isak.

“Simply, now those security checks mean nothing. Everything is for the sake of order,” said Pećanac.

Security expert Safet Mušić, who, as he says, participated in the creation of security questionnaires, which are used for security checks, points to two segments – that questionnaire needs to be refined, and at the same time, its consistent application is necessary.

“Unfortunately, I think that Nešić’s case is not the only one. He came more into the focus of the public, but in the recent period we had some other similar situations, where and according to those procedures, which must now be respected when we talk about the Law on the Protection of Secret Data, some of the high-ranking officials, who are currently in office, especially in the security sector, they would not pass that security check”, said Mušić for “Nezavisne novine”.

In general, as he adds, the position of the chief prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is completely correct, with the fact that, he believes, the Prosecutor’s Office should have reacted earlier.

“Even as the questionnaire is, if it is done thoroughly and professionally, it can answer its basic purpose, which is to carry out detailed checks, especially for persons in the most responsible positions, primarily in the security sector, i.e. in police and security agencies . I think that, if the current questionnaires for security checks were to be used, a good number of current officials would not pass the detailed security checks”, said Mušić for “Nezavisne novine”.

Kajganić, let’s remind you, along with Nešić, recently also mentioned Bojan Cvijetić, the former advisor of former BiH Minister of Security Dragan Mektic.

“We have significant problems with unauthorized leaks of information from all high-level security institutions. We also took several actions against about twenty people from the Sky group, where they shared information with organized criminal groups. That’s why the adviser of the former security minister is currently on trial,” Kajganić said.

How it all (doesn’t) work in BiH is evidenced by a number of examples. As a reminder, Sadik Ahmetović, who was a minister in the period 2009-2012, was sentenced to six months in prison for abuse of office, Selmo Cikotić was sentenced to three years in prison and is in prison in Vojkovići, and Dragan Mektic is still under investigation.

Source: independent.com