An impartial, accountable, and efficient judiciary is essential for Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&amp;H) to make progress on its EU path.
 
In that sense, the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) within the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) is essential in guaranteeing that all judicial office holders and HJPC members in B&amp;H promote these principles and adhere to the highest ethical standards.
In the Analytical Report accompanying the European Commission’s Opinion on BiH’s application for EU membership, the EU recommended a strengthening of the “operational autonomy and independence in decision-making of the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel” as well as reducing the potential for “undue interference”. 
Restoring citizens’ trust in their judiciary requires, among others, ensuring that the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel can enforce its mandate independently and impartially, free from any undue pressure and personal attacks on the integrity of its members. We support the functional independence of the ODC and its important work and we support all efforts to ensure it remains free from interference with its investigations.

We support the functional independence of the ODC and its important work and we support all efforts to ensure it remains free from interference with its investigations

EU Delegation Building: Ensure that the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel can carry out its mandate independently

U.S. Embassy and Swedish Embassy, EU and OSCE Delegation: An impartial, accountable, and efficient judiciary is essential for B&H to make progress on its EU path

More than 80 percent of Covid-19 patients who have to be intubated in Brazil have died since the start of the second wave of infections ravaging the country, according to researchers.

The mortality rate since February 15 -- 83.5 percent -- is far higher than in countries such as Mexico, Britain, Germany or Italy, highlighting how the South American country's hospitals are struggling to deal with a surge of infections that has pushed many to the brink of collapse.
-It shows the fragility of the health system, which was already suffering from years of under-investment and got overwhelmed by the large number of cases- Fernando Bozza, a researcher at leading public health institute Fiocruz, tolf AFP on Monday.
His research team partnered with the University of Sao Paulo to compile data from public and private hospitals on the clinical outcomes of Covid-19 patients with severe breathing difficulty who are intubated and put on ventilators.
A first study of 250,000 patients from February 15 to August 15 last year that was published in The Lancet medical journal found the mortality rate for intubated patients in Brazil was 78.7 percent.
That figure was already well above the number for Britain (69 percent), Germany (52.8 percent), Italy (51.7 percent) or Mexico (73.7 percent).
But now the rate is even worse, amid an explosion of severe cases in Brazil, Bozza said.
-Some hospitals are so overwhelmed they have to intubate patients outside the intensive care unit. That's the case for 17 percent of hospitals in the northern region- he told AFP.
His team found big differences in patient outcomes by region and between public and private hospitals.
Impoverished regions such as the north and northeast had mortality rates for intubated patients of around 90 percent, while the figure was 79.8 percent in the wealthy southeast -- and just 25 percent at prestigious Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo.
Brazil's average daily death toll from Covid-19 has nearly quadrupled since the start of the year, to more than 2,600.
Experts blame the surge partly on a local variant of the virus that is believed to be more contagious.
Nearly 314,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Brazil, second only to the United States.

Average daily death toll  has nearly quadrupled since the start of the year, to more than 2,600

A first study of 250,000 patients from February 15 to August 15 last year that was published in The Lancet medical journal found the mortality rate for intubated patients in Brazil was 78.7 percent

More than 80% of intubated Covid patients die in Brazil

Data was withheld from World Health Organization investigators who travelled to China to research the origins of the coronavirus epidemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.

He made the comments to the agency’s member states as a WHO-led team that spent four weeks in and around Wuhan, China, in January and February released its final report to the public.
China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team, one of the team’s investigators has already said, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the global pandemic began.
-In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data- Tedros said. -I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing.-The conclusions that the virus origins remains incomplete likely means that tensions over how the pandemic started - and whether China has helped or hinder efforts to find out, as the United States has alleged - will continue.
Although the team concluded a leak from a Wuhan-area laboratory was the least likely hypothesis for the virus that causes COVID-19, Tedros said, the matter requires further investigation, potentially with additional missions back to China.
-I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough- Tedros said. -Further data and studies will be needed to reach more robust conclusions.-The WHO team’s leader, Peter Ben Embarek, told a separate virtual press briefing on Tuesday that it was “perfectly possible” COVID-19 cases were circulating in November or October 2019 around Wuhan, potentially leading to the disease spreading abroad earlier than documented so far.
He said the team felt political pressure, including from outside China, but that he never was pressed to remove anything from its final report.

Tedros: Further data and studies will be needed to reach more robust conclusions

A logo is pictured outside a building of the World Health Organization (WHO) during an executive board meeting on update on the coronavirus outbreak, in Geneva, Switzerland, February 6, 2020.

Data withheld from WHO team probing COVID-19 origins in China

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to B&amp;H Osamah Dakhel R. Al-Ahmadi handed over a large number of packages of dates to institutions and humanitarian organizations in B&amp;H today at the 'King Fahd' Cultural Center in Sarajevo.

-We have gathered to launch a project to donate 50 tons of dates of exceptional quality to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is just a continuation of the work of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the field of improving the humanitarian situation in the world in general- he told reporters.
As he pointed out, every year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organizes a program to help friendly countries in the world and wants to share with them this ancient agricultural product known for its nutritional and health value.
The assistance is intended for various categories of society in B&amp;H.

The assistance is intended for various categories of society

Every year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organizes a program to help friendly countries in the world and wants to share with them this ancient agricultural product known for its nutritional and health value

Saudi Arabia donates 50 tons of dates to B&H

The 18th session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina is being held in Sarajevo today. SBB MP Edita Đapo asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H Bisera Turković about her activities in order to procure the vaccine, but also about her relationship with the B&amp;H Parliament.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Bisera Turković has not attended the sessions of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of B&amp;H since she was elected to the Council of Ministers of B&amp;H. This shows her attitude towards this respected House and towards the citizens, stated Đapo.
Đapo pointed out that when looking at the European continent, and beyond, it was confirmed that the highest mortality caused by coronavirus was recorded in B&amp;H.
- Furthermore, it is unfortunate that we are the only country that receives the vaccine as a charity. This especially refers to the territory of the Federation of B&amp;H, where due to omissions in the procurement of one million vaccines found by the Ambassador of B&amp;H to Russia, citizens - especially Bosniaks - are the most endangered.
Having in mind these facts, as a member of the B&amp;H Parliament, Đapo asked the following Minister Turković:
-Why didn't you take all necessary actions when you received a letter from the Ambassador of BiH to Russia on the possibility of direct procurement of vaccines, in the sense that you urgently sent the letter to line ministries, urged after a few days, demanded that the issue is put on the agenda given the fact that you are the Vice-Chair of the Council of Ministers? Minister Turković, why didn't you submit the ambassador's act to the Coordination Body for Natural and Other Disasters, which you allowed to be completely extinguished, and we witnessed at the beginning of the pandemic while the Minister of Security was Fahrudin Radončić who led this body that all the needs of the whole of B&amp;H and measures for the whole country were coordinated there?
Since Minister Turković did not attend the session, it seems that it is more important for Turković to visit Oman and other Arab countries today, instead of negotiating with the producers as soon as possible the delivery of vaccines for our country and its citizens, said Đapo.

Instead of procuring vaccines and saving lives, Foreign Minister Bisera Turković is touring Arab countries, Đapo said

Edita Đapo: The Minister is visiting Arab countries instead of working on vaccines procurement

Đapo asked Turković: Why did you ignore the letter of our ambassador to Russia?

Members of the B&amp;H Presidency today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy, Luigi Di Maio.

Members of the Presidency welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy and thanked him for the bilateral visit, despite the conditions aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic.
They also expressed gratitude for Italy's continued interest in developing good and friendly relations with B&amp;H, which is also due to the dedicated engagement of Ambassador Nicola Minasi and the Italian Embassy in B&amp;H, who was part of today's delegation.
The participants in the meeting exchanged information on the political processes caused by the pandemic and on ways to combat the spread of COVID-19, as well as on the problems in the process of procuring COVID vaccines.
They also discussed the need for EU support to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans in the fight against the pandemic, not only in response to the humanitarian and health crisis but also in mitigating the socio-economic consequences.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy said that Italy advocates for the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans and the continuation of the process of reforms and European integration of B&amp;H.
They emphasized the importance of the continuous support of the Republic of Italy within the EU in the next steps of Bosnia and Herzegovina's accession to the EU, and the continuation of the fulfillment of 14 key priorities from the Opinion of the European Commission.
The Presidency members said that B&amp;H, as a maritime country, wants to make a constructive contribution to all processes concerning the protection of the Adriatic Sea as a common good.
The two sides pointed out that Italy is one of the most important partners of B&amp;H in the framework of economic cooperation and foreign trade. Special emphasis was placed on the participation of young people from B&amp;H and the Western Balkans in the processes within the EU, which concern the future of the EU and the Western Balkans as an integrated part of the EU.
The migrant crisis and the ​​security aspect were also discussed, as well as the provision of conditions for the coordination of migration processes, stated the B&amp;H Presidency.

The participants in the meeting exchanged information on the political processes caused by the pandemic and on ways to combat the spread of COVID-19

They also discussed the need for EU support to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans in the fight against the pandemic, not only in response to the humanitarian and health crisis but also in mitigating the socio-economic consequences

B&H Presidency members thank Minister Di Maio for Italy’s continued support

The Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H has formed a case and started checks related to the circumstances of covering up the murder of Salko Džaferović, which happened eight years ago in the Sarajevo neighbourhood Stup, the "Avaz" portal has learned.

According to Nesad Džaferović, the son of the victim Salko, this murder was covered up by the main disciplinary prosecutor Alena Kuraspahić Nadarević, because her father Zaim Kurspahić, was driving the car that killed Salko Džaferović on the sidewalk in Stup.
This fatal event happened exactly on 19th of September 2013., but Zaim Kurpahić, who was behind the wheel, was never held criminally responsible.
According to the information that "Avaz" has, after lawyer Ifet Feraget filed a criminal report a few days ago on the authorization of Nesad Džaferović, an acting prosecutor was appointed who is checking all the allegations from the report.
Our sources from the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H claim that this case is already being worked on and that Chief Prosecutor Gordana Tadić wants everything to be thoroughly checked and examined.

Prosecutors are interested in why this case, which was at the SC Prosecutor's Office for eight years, was never completed and who helped Kurspahić amnesty her father from criminal responsibility, considering the instructions given by the Prosecutor's Office of the Federation that certain irregularities had been established.
Due to these circumstances, several persons will soon testify in the Prosecutor's Office, so that, after eight years, all facts and circumstances can be re-established, and the case from the SC Prosecutor's Office will be handed over to state prosecutors.
The then Chief Prosecutor of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office was Dalida Burzić, and today she is a judge of the Court of B&amp;H, who is otherwise a good friend of Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević. The case was also led by Aida Topalović, the then deputy Burzić and also a good friend of Kurspahić, as evidenced by the photos from Kurspahić's wedding.
All of them will have to give statements based on the new circumstances from the report and the allegations of victim's son Nesad.

The wind in the back of this case could also be given by the Office for the Fight against Corruption of the SC, headed by Erduan Kafedžić, and assisted by the American prosecutor with international experience Eric Larson. Larson has been in the position of advisor since July last year.
This case has already also been received by the Anti-Corruption Office. The cover-up of the murder in this case reveals why the State Prosecutor's Office protects certain holders of judicial office and to whom debts are being returned.

Salko Džaferović was killed in a car accident in Sarajevo in 2013. by Zaim Kurspahić, the father of the current Chief Disciplinary Prosecutor of B&H, Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević

The Prosecutor's Office of B&H is checking who covered up the murder of Salko Džaferović and why

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Tuesday handed over a donation in the form of COVID-19 protective equipment worth around 15,000 KM to the City of Mostar.

The Mayor of the City of Mostar, Mario Kordić, said that this was a very important donation.
-These are mostly protective suits, masks and other equipment that is needed for fighting the pandemic and which will come in handy given that we are in the third wave, and we are all witnessing that this is a very aggressive and difficult wave. Both health centers of the City of Mostar are still fighting very successfully, and this donation will further help us in all this- said Kordić.
He once again appealed to the citizens to adhere to all prescribed measures.
The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to B&amp;H, Ji Ping, said that "the Chinese embassy decided to donate the said equipment according to the needs of the Mostar Health Center and with the support of the Dragan Čović's Office."
-I am glad that we are in Mostar today and that we are contributing to your fight against the coronavirus. I hope that you will return to normal life and economic development as soon as possible- said Ping.
He added that the Chinese people are currently also still fighting the Covid pandemic.
-Every day in mainland China there are more than 10 imported cases from abroad, and we no longer have new local cases. As for the fight against the pandemic, the most important thing is to be disciplined and to respect preventive measures, as well as measures for self-isolation, because prevention comes above all else- the Chinese ambassador pointed out.

Kordić: These are mostly protective suits, masks and other equipment that is needed for fighting the pandemic and which will come in handy given that we are in the third wave

Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to B&H Ji Ping

Chinese embassy donates valuable protective equipment to the City of Mostar

In the past 24 hours, 3,918 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 1,143 were positive for SARS-CoV-2. New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H. 

A total of 538,893 samples have been tested so far, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 110,116 individuals.
In the past 24 hours, 53 new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H.
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 3,662, the FB&amp;H Public Health Institute announced.
In the last 24 hours, at the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Srpska, the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, the University Hospital in Foča and the hospitals of Sv. Vračevi in ​​Bijeljina and Sv. apostle Luke in Doboj tested 1,327 laboratory samples, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 623 people.
In the last 24 hours, 33 deaths have been reported to the Republic of Srpska Institute of Public Health in which the presence of the coronavirus has been confirmed.
So far, 52,882 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Republic of Srpska, and a total of 2,644 people have died in whom a coronavirus test has been confirmed.
Brčko Districts of B&amp;H registered 101 new cases of coronavirus infection. Six people died, 157 samples were tested and 30 people recovered.

3,918 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&H

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 1,867 people in B&H, with 92 deaths

France registered 37,014 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the public health authority announced Sunday.Another 131 people died in hospitals, taking the country’s death toll to 94,623.The latest figures for infections brought the country’s case count to more than 4.54 million.A total of 27,712 people are being treated at hospitals with 4,872 in intensive care.The number of people in France who have been vaccinated since Dec. 27 last year now exceeds 7.79 million, including more than 2.674 million who received their second jabs, according to Health Ministry data.On March 16, the one-year anniversary of France’s first nationwide lockdown, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said “the pandemic is playing overtime. We are in what looks like a form of a third wave[…]characterized by the variants.”Two days later, Castex took his first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine as its administration was resumed nationwide following an eight-day suspension due to safety concerns.A week later on March 25, the country banned outdoor gatherings of more than six people to stem the spread of the disease as a third wave of infections peaked with a record 45,000 new cases.-The trend is accelerating almost everywhere- said Health Minister Olivier Veran, who announced restrictive measures in Aube, Nievre, and Rhone, taking the total of semi-confined administrative divisions to 19.The diagnosis of 45,000 cases was last recorded in October, when France announced a second lockdown. Veran, however, refuted the possibility of a third lockdown.The situation remains most worrying in the northern areas of the Paris region of Ile-de-France and Hauts-de-France and Provence in the south, which have been witnessing increased hospital admissions.Admissions to ICU units include younger patients, many of whom are infected with rapidly spreading variants.Since originating in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 2.78 million lives in 192 countries and regions.Over 127 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries surpassing 72 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.The US, Brazil and India remain the worst-hit countries in terms of cases.

Another 131 people died, taking country’s death toll to 94,623

A total of 27,712 people are being treated at hospitals with 4,872 in intensive care

France reports over 37,000 new coronavirus cases

Ethiopia on Monday enforced strict coronavirus measures, banning travelers with COVID-19 positive status from entering the country for an indefinite time.

In a statement last Thursday, the Health Ministry had said the new measures were introduced as the country grappled with an “alarming” increase in the number of cases.
Accordingly, travelers known to be positive for coronavirus will not be allowed to enter Ethiopia. Earlier, travelers would have to self-isolate or quarantine.
The law enforcement bodies will tighten monitoring with the police empowered to arrest anyone without a mask or any group of people making physical contact.
Violators, the statement said, may face up to three years behind bars and fines.
-The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading faster than ever- Health Minister Lia Tadesse had said in the statement, adding more than 700 ICU beds have been exhausted and the country has no more capacity to admit critical patients.
Ethiopia, a Horn of Africa country with more than 110 million people, has so far recorded 200,500 cases, 2,801 deaths and 154,323 recoveries.
On March 13, on the very anniversary of the first case of COVID-19 was announced, Ethiopia launched a vaccination program with the jabs received under the COVAX facility – the world’s largest collaborative platform that aims at ensuring equitable distribution of vaccines across the globe.
It plans to vaccinate 20% of its population by the end of 2021.

Horn of Africa nation grappling with alarming increase in infections, says Health Ministry

Travelers known to be positive for coronavirus will not be allowed to enter Ethiopia

Ethiopia enforces stricter COVID-19 travel measures

Slovakia's prime minister agreed to step down from his post amid disagreements in the coalition government on the purchase of Russia-made Sputnik V novel coronavirus vaccines.

Igor Matovič announced on Sunday that he had agreed to step down as prime minster on the condition that he swap posts with Finance Minister Eduard Heger.
Government coalition partners accepted the conditions and have announced that their coalition would continue.
Tension between the coalition partners erupted when Matovič made a deal to buy the Sputnik V vaccines without the knowledge of other partners.
Labor, Youth and Family Minister Milan Krajniak from the ZA LUDI Party (For People) said the prime minister should resign due to the agreement with Russia.
Later, Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Sulik from the SAS Party (Freedom and Solidarity) resigned.
Matovič on the other hand, defended the deal vaccine, saying it would speed up vaccinations in the country.

Igor Matovič agrees to step down on condition of swapping posts with Finance Minister Eduard Heger

Slovakian premier resigns amid Sputnik vaccine row

Russia has agreed a deal for more than 60 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in China from May, the jab's developer said on Monday.The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has financed the development of the vaccine, said it and Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co. "have agreed to cooperate on production of over 60 million doses" of Sputnik in China.The RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund that has backed the development of the vaccine, said that the amount of the two-dose vaccine would be enough to vaccinate some 30 million people, adding that production would begin in May.-Cooperation with Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech will enable us to produce Sputnik V in China, thus increasing the capacities to provide additional amounts as we see rising demand for the Russian vaccine globally- CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement.The West has accused Beijing and Moscow of using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout.Russia and China have rejected claims that they are seeking to use coronavirus vaccines to project their influence and accused Western countries of hoarding vaccines to the detriment of poor nations.The Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in 57 countries, with a total population of more than 1.5 billion people.

The West has accused Beijing and Moscow of using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout

Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co. "have agreed to cooperate on production of over 60 million doses" of Sputnik in China

Chinese firm to make 60 mn doses of Russia's Sputnik vaccine

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, recently handed over respirators and other medical equipment for the Republic of Srpska in Krnješevci. The donation was taken over by the Chairman of the Presidency of B&amp;H, Milorad Dodik. During the handover, Vučić also revealed the price of respirators that Serbia procured last year.

- Serbia bought many respirators, the exact number is 2,200, and they were procured in the most difficult moments. No one in the world has announced the price yet. Today you can buy them cheaper, the price then ranged between 18 and 35 thousand euros. On average, 25-27 thousand euros - said Vučić.

According to the testimony of the director of KCUS, Sebija Izetbegović, the trial in the "Respirators" case continued in Sarajevo, in which the Prime Minister of the Federation Fadil Novalić, the suspended head of the Federal Civil Protection Administration Fahrudin Solak, the FB&amp;H Minister of Finance Jelka Milićević and the owner of the company "Srebrena malina" Fikret Hodžić were accused of disputing the purchase of 100 devices for 10.5 million KM.
Sebija Izetbegović, who has long been speculated to have been the main operative behind the action, generally denied any connection to the case during her testimony, answering questions most often with "I don't know" and "I don't remember". During the trial,the prosecutor showed communication via Viber from April 28th, which Edita Kalajdžić, Secretary of the Government of the Federation, sent to another witness, Hasan Ganibegović: „Seb. is caling, respirators are bad, it's horror, we are in a huge problem,if it's true, and it probably is. „

One of Fadil's respirators, which Sebija Izetbegović, according to the witness, said were a horror, cost the citizens of the Federation 105,000 KM, or about 53,700 euros. Vučić revealed that the maximum price of the best one at that time was 35 thousand euros.
The Novalić's are paid far more, and as far as their quality is concerned, they can hardly be among the top ones. In the initial findings of the expert, it was determined that they do not have even the minimum necessary essential characteristics for adequate treatment of patients in intensive care units.
Dr. Almir Badnjević, director of the metrology laboratory "Verlab", warned that there is a system error in the software in the respirators and that when the oxygen concentration increases to 100 percent, the lungs can burst at that volume.

The Belgrade company "Professional Medical", which was supposed to install these devices at KCUS at the end of last year, stated that respirators do not have good flows when changing oxygen concentrations, which was confirmed by the director of that company, Jovan Roganović.

Prior to that, he discovered something about the price and type and claimed that he had previously sold them in the region at a price of 10 to 15 thousand dollars.
In the story of respirators, everything is controversial - from their quality, through purpose, to - ultimately - the price, which is many times higher than the best one that was offered on the market at that time. Now the greatest hope remains that the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H will be able to expose to the end the extent of the obvious damage caused to the citizens of FB&amp;H.

<h2>Respirators are on, people are dying</h2>

Although they received negative marks for almost a year, in February this year, the disputed respirators were verified and put into operation, and only at KCUS, 30 of them are currently activated. At the same time, the number of daily deaths from coronavirus in March in B&amp;H is counted in tens daily.

We bought them in the most difficult time, and the prices ranged between 18 and 35 thousand euros, said Vučić. The FB&H government provided 10.5 million KM for 100 Chinese portable respirators

Novalić welcomed the respirators at the Sarajevo airport

Fadil paid 53,700 euros for one respirator, and the most expensive was 35,000 euros

Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to B&amp;H Reinout Vos and his wife Corien Vos visited the memorial to the fallen Dutch soldier today during their stay in the municipality of Kalesija, accompanied by the Mayor Sead Džafić.

The soldier Jeffrey Broere lost his life in the shelling of the settlement of Jajići in 1995. On this day of that year, projectiles were fired from Serb positions on Vis and the surrounding hills at the civilian population of Jajići, as well as at the UNPROFOR observation post. Twenty-one-year-old Jeffrey Broere, a soldier in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was killed on that occasion.
Ambassador Vos thanked the citizens of Kalesija and Mayor Džafić who did not forget Private Broere, who was killed a few days before his birthday.
-The locals of Jajići erected the plaque to his memory and as a sign of gratitude that he stood in defense of them and their homes- said today Mayor Džafić.
During their stay in the municipality of Kalesija, Ambassador Vos and Mayor Džafić discussed cooperation and projects in that municipality, for the implementation of which the Dutch Ambassador promised assistance.
There was also talk about issues in the field of economy, the construction of a park in the city center and a preschool institution for the construction of which the Kingdom of the Netherlands could allocate certain funds.

The soldier Jeffrey Broere lost his life in the shelling of the settlement of Jajići in 1995.

Ambassador Vos thanked the citizens of Kalesija and Mayor Džafić who did not forget Private Broere, who was killed a few days before his birthday

Ambassador Vos thanks Kalesija citizens for preserving memory of Private Broere

Name of Nina Ratkušić, judge of the Municipal Court in Mostar,is quite familiar to the B&amp;H public. She is one of the few holders of the judicial office who dared to speak publicly and in the media about the pressures and mobbing to which she was exposed in her workplace by her superiors, specifically from then, and now dismissed, President of the Court Divna Bošnjak.

<h2>She trusted the State Prosecutor's Office</h2>

Only because she decided to oppose, that is, persistently reject the verbal orders that "arrived" from the president and stubbornly defend her position, Ratkušić "earned" reports, which, as she claims, were false, and in the end, the whole thing resulted in disciplinary proceedings.

According to the report filed by Bošnjak, disciplinary proceedings were conducted against Ratkušić for disciplinary offenses of conduct in or outside the Court that harms the reputation of the judicial office, as the first point, and for negligence in the performance of official duties.
When disciplinary proceedings were initiated against her, Ratkušić, as she tells us, placed great faith in the State Prosecutor's Office. But she experienced "how things go" on her own.

- The lawsuit against me contained two counts, one related to the fact that I verbally attacked Divna Bošnjak and, as evidence, the Prosecution submitted a video, which I never managed to open. We even examined it twice and both times the expert said that it could not be opened because it was done in Photoshop, an image editing program, so we were unable to prepare the defense.

However, the Council ignored this! They released that video, which shows me standing alone, where you can't see where I'm going and where you can't tell in which part of the building I'm in. That was their key proof that I attacked Divna Bošnjak. This was the key evidence of the Prosecution, ie Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević, who is in charge of the proceedings, and in the first count, due to misconduct, they initially convicted me of reducing my salary by 25 percent during six months, which, by the decision of the Second Instance Disciplinary Commission, they changed to a public reprimand about 15 days ago - Ratkušić tells us.

She emphasizes in particular that during the proceedings, the statements of two key Prosecution witnesses were contradictory.

- So, there is no evidence at all, because the video shows nothing and the statements of the witnesses are contradictory, but they continue with the lawsuit. My defense has now filed an appeal - she states.

She states that there have been charges against her before, which were rejected, and when that did not "work", the former president, as she says, gives a verbal order to a judge to pass over one multimillion case to her.
- I did not take that subject officially, but it was passed on to me by some magic - states Ratkušić.
Regarding that subject, as she says, articles were published on certain portals with her and a photo of Alena Kurpsahić-Nadarević, in which the two of them are placed in the same context.
After Kurspahić, Ratkušić explains, was publicly called out, the Office of the Disciplinary Prosecutor filed a lawsuit against her for negligence in the performance of official duties, ie for not resolving the subject of execution, which is urgent.
According to Ratkušić, she was never told whether there was a report of the party against her, whether they acted ex officio on the basis of articles or any other procedure.
- They never told me on what basis they initiated the procedure, and I addressed them with such a request on three occasions. This was important to me because, if a party reported me, then I had to be excluded from those cases. So, Alena Kurspahić and Alma Hasanović never answered me - says Ratkušić.

She explains that this is a really complex case, which involved two large business entities in Herzegovina, and that numerous illegalities were committed through the procedure, including the fact that, as she claims, expert associate Vladislav Lukić, after published articles on one portal about keeping the item in a drawer, tried to delete the documentation from the CMS. Fortunately, she says, the ICT officer did not allow him to do so, so she submitted evidence to the State Prosecutor's Office.

- We have pointed out and emphasized the principle of officiality, ie that the Prosecutor's Office, upon learning of the acts, is obliged to initiate an investigation against certain persons. Alma Hasanović then said that proceedings would indeed be initiated and she looked very interested. However, other disciplinary proceedings had to result from my disciplinary proceedings, if nothing else,the investigation and criminal proceedings against Divna Bošnjak.
Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević, as the managing prosecutor, had to do that, because my disciplinary proceedings showed who was acting in the case, what was being done, that it went beyond the scope of real jurisdiction, that an attempt was made to delete documentation that ICT did not allowed, therefore, these are serious disciplinary offenses. But she did not initiate disciplinary proceedings and now that expert associate, imagine that, is competing for a judge - warns Ratkušić.

All these facts with evidence, as she states, were published in other media as well. It was Ratkušić who resorted to media appearances when she saw that, as she points out, the system and the State Prosecutor's Office were failing, even though she was asked to trust them.

-Imagine how the State Prosecutor's Office and Alena Kurspahić-Nadarević perform, and they have no previous judicial experience. In order for disciplinary prosecutors to know how to conduct a disciplinary offense, they must be veterans in the judiciary.
There is no doubt that Alena Kurspahić has certain spheres of interest to selectively initiate proceedings and investigations. The biggest problem is their conduct ex officio, where they terminate the investigation without any explanation to the injured party, and conduct an investigation against someone and mount evidence. It is my great happiness that I am represented by a family member, believe me, if anyone else would have given up on this. And that is the biggest problem that in State Prosecutor's Office they are guided by personal interests, and not by professional and moral ethics. We saw what colleague Ifet Feraget said, and what Mr. Nesad Džaferović said about the death of his father.
Until a few years ago, I would not have believed it if I had not experienced it on my own, that disciplinary proceedings are conducted selectively, and that the Council is not a corrective factor. I sincerely hope that the new convocation of the HJPC will put an end to that and that it will make the right moves so that this does not happen again - says Nina Ratkušić.

She also says that if the complaint she filed is not accepted, because the public reprimand issued to her is unfavorable for her, since, as she claims, she did nothing, she will go to the Constitutional Court, and then, if necessary, to the Court in Strasbourg.

<h2> Supplement to the 2016 application in a case that was formed two years later!?</h2>

- To make matters worse, on one occasion, at one hearing, Alma Hasanović submitted an amendment to the application dating from 2016, two years before the case in which I was accused was formed at all! So that case did not exist, and she submits that supplement to the application, where the names of five other judges stand. My name is not there, and no investigation was conducted against those judges, let alone the charged - says Ratkušić.

<h2>She sent three requests, but she was not granted</h2>

- It is an interesting thing that only I have a master's degree and I am in the phase of writing a doctoral thesis. Both master's and doctoral degrees relate to civil law, ie litigation, damages and family law. I was assigned to the Executive Department. The unwritten rule is that when a place is opened for a misdemeanor or litigation, the one who is the last to be executed, that is, the one who came first and wants to cross, is allowed to do so.

I sent three requests, I was not approved, and three judges who came after me were appointed. So, my status is not promising, and only one thing changed after my media appearance. No more illegal actions are explicitly requested and the relationship is more formal, that is, the CMS system and e-mail are used more, as official correspondence, and not popularly "Here I am to tell you what to do" - says Ratkušić.

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U.S. Embassy and Swedish Embassy, EU and OSCE Delegation: An impartial, accountable, and efficient judiciary is essential for B&H to make progress on its EU path

More than 80% of intubated Covid patients die in Brazil

Data withheld from WHO team probing COVID-19 origins in China

Saudi Arabia donates 50 tons of dates to B&H

Đapo asked Turković: Why did you ignore the letter of our ambassador to Russia?

B&H Presidency members thank Minister Di Maio for Italy’s continued support

The Prosecutor's Office of B&H is checking who covered up the murder of Salko Džaferović and why

Chinese embassy donates valuable protective equipment to the City of Mostar

COVID-19 confirmed in 1,867 people in B&H, with 92 deaths

France reports over 37,000 new coronavirus cases

Ethiopia enforces stricter COVID-19 travel measures

Slovakian premier resigns amid Sputnik vaccine row

Chinese firm to make 60 mn doses of Russia's Sputnik vaccine

Fadil paid 53,700 euros for one respirator, and the most expensive was 35,000 euros

Ambassador Vos thanks Kalesija citizens for preserving memory of Private Broere

Nina Ratkušić: Alena Kurspahić selectively initiates proceedings and investigations