The trial of Alisa Ramić-Mutap, her father Zijad Mutap, two police officers Josip Barić and Hasan Dupovac, and Muamer Ožegović, an employee of the Chrystal Hotel from which surveillance cameras recorded everything, continued today with questioning of Muriz Memić, a Prosecution witness.
After the hearing, lawyer Ifet Feraget also addressed the media.
-So, approach the victim, express your condolences, apologize in advance for asking questions and because you are just doing your job, that means the legal profession. So, this is not a simple case. However, to say that the accused in this case are victims and not Muriz Memić is below the level of the Bar Code - he pointed out.

- The words of the esteemed judge Branko Perić without any underlying intention, I have known Judge Perić for a very long time like other judges, and I can only say that this is a presentation of the highest European standards in the trial. I filed a criminal complaint against Dalida Burzić and other 44 known persons and several unknown persons on October 5, 2018. And it was based on Article 7, paragraph 2, item b.
Asking the question of what this harmful consequence has occurred and seeking proof of it means that you do not understand the essence of the legal provision. It is not enough to read the law, but to understand it, because the law is only then understood. You can read it but you didn’t understand it. Mr. Pribe recently stated that the Memić and Dragičević cases are a test for B&amp;H justice. Therefore, to expect his report to mention ongoing cases would not be professional, but he could not help but to say what he said as a guest two months ago in a show, when he said they follow everything, and that those two cases are the test.
Judge Branko Perić repeated that today when he said that through these two murders, huge damage was inflicted on B&amp;H justice. I do not want to prejudge, but I think that this is one big step in the right direction and what I have already said is not enough to administer justice, it should be seen that justice is administered. Ordinary citizens need to feel and see that justice is being done. So it is a small problem if you are judged by a court that is much more professional than any other court and this is the most professional court in the country. So if your problem is that you are being tried by the most professional court, then you need to say why - said Feraget.

<h2>I don't want this to happen to anyone again</h2>

- This was very emotional today, as expected. There are no problems with cross-examination, Muriz Memić has already answered that question. So when you would wake him up he can at any time of the day or night, unfortunately, and I can say that it was very stressful, a large number of judges and prosecutors followed this, and as far as I heard there were a lot of tears. So, I don't want this to happen to anyone again, not Alisa Mutap, not the lawyers, not anyone. People, we must come to our senses, do not say in vain let justice prevail and let the world perish. It is better for this society and state to fail, but for us to solve the Memić and Dragičević cases.
If we don’t resolve this, sometimes someone will remember these words. Believe me, we will stay in this same place for the next 50 or 100 years, because it will not occur to anyone after Muriz and Davor to fight for truth and justice. I warned Muriz Memić that this is a windmill, that it will last a very long time, but that he must remain calm and that he must not take any wrong steps. I think that today it is slowly being seen that justice is being done, without prejudice, all the accused are innocent until proven otherwise - concluded Feraget.

I think it is slowly being seen that justice is being done, without prejudging anything, he pointed out

Feraget: Today's hearing was very emotional

Ifet Feraget: It is better for this society and state to fail, but for us to solve the Memić case

In the "Diploma" affair, in which Denis Prcić, owner of the American University in B&amp;H, and Osman Mehmedagić, director of the ISA Intelligence and Security Agency, were arrested earlier, the B&amp;H Prosecutor's Office expanded the investigation to several people because there is a high degree of suspicion that others forged diplomas from the American University in B&amp;H, which are used by employees in B&amp;H institutions.

<h2>There is no evidence of graduation</h2>

According to information that „Avaz“ has, one of the forged diplomas was identified as a diploma from the American School of Public Administration, which is in the possession of Amina Pekić, the sister of Mehmedagić's close associate Muhamed Pekić.
Today, she gave a statement in the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H, as a suspect, which is confirmed by photos from the scene.
The Prosecution obtained information that there was no evidence of graduation in Pekić's personal file, but Bisera Turković and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by her, refused to forward the requested information to the Prosecutor's Office. However, members of the SC MUP last week, on the order of the Court of B&amp;H, seized Pekić's personal file and forwarded it to the Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutors believe that Pekić, with a forged diploma, is working in the B&amp;H diplomatic mission in Brussels with NATO, as an employee of the B&amp;H MFA.
The Prosecution considers that the use of a forged diploma in such an important place represents "a serious shame for B&amp;H and a huge damage to the reputation of B&amp;H in the world", about which the B&amp;H MFA has already written.

<h2>They ignored the act of the Prosecutor's Office</h2>

However, it is indicative that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H and Bisera Turković for months refused to submit the personal file Pekić in the form of information and photocopies and thus knowingly obstructed the investigation.
They ignored the act of the Prosecutor's Office on June 25 this year and did not want to submit the requested information, which is why a court order was requested.

Pekić, with a forged diploma, works in the B&H diplomatic mission in Brussels with NATO, as an employee of the B&H MFA

Amina Pekić was questioned by the Prosecutor's Office of B&H

"Diploma" affair: Amina Pekić, sister of Osmica's intelligence officer, was questioned in the Prosecutor's Office of B&H

A meeting of ambassadors with high-ranking RS officials began in East Sarajevo. According to our reporters from the scene, officials from smaller Bosnia and Herzegovina entity arrived earlier, and vehicles with diplomatic plates could be seen in front of the RS Government Administrative Center building.

The ambassadors of the Quint invited the President of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, the Prime Minister, Radovan Višković, and the President of the National Assembly of the RS, Nedeljko Čubrilović, for talks.

According to "Avaz", the main topic will be the unblocking of B&amp;H institutions through a boycott of voting at the sessions of the Presidency of B&amp;H, the Council of Ministers of B&amp;H and the Parliament of B&amp;H, but also the announcement of withdrawal of consent for the HJPC and AFB&amp;H.
As Nedeljko Čubrilović, the president of the NARS, said earlier, Milorad Dodik should also come to the meeting.

The ambassadors of the Quint invited the President of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, the Prime Minister, Radovan Višković, and the President of the National Assembly of the RS, Nedeljko Čubrilović, for talks

"Avaz" on the spot: Meeting of ambassadors and RS officials has started

In the past 24 hours, a total of 751 newly infected people with coronavirus were registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a total of 3,331 samples were tested, while 31 deaths were recorded as a result of the infection.

A total of 2,494 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 494 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
In the past 24 hours, eight people died in the Federation of B&amp;H. The total number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 6186, according to the entity's Institute of Public Health.
In the last 24 hours, the entity of Republic of Srpska tested 699 laboratory samples, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 232 people. 
In the last 24 hours, 23 deaths have been reported.
In the Brčko District of B&amp;H, 25 new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered, out of a total of 138 people tested.&nbsp;

The entity of Republic of Srpska tested 699 laboratory samples, and coronavirus  was confirmed in 232 people

In the Brčko District of B&H, 25 new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered

COVID - 19 confirmed in 751 people, 31 deaths in B&H

A meeting of ambassadors of the Quint with high-ranking B&amp;H officials from entity of Republic of Srpska, will be held in Sarajevo today. This was confirmed for "Avaz" by the President of the National Assembly of RS Nedeljko Čubrilović.
The meeting will be attended by the ambassadors of the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and representatives of the Delegation of the European Union.
They invited President of Republic of Srpska Željka Cvijanović, Prime Minister Radovan Višković and RS National Assembly Speaker Nedeljko Čubrilović for talks.
According to information that "Avaz" has, B&amp;H Presidency member Milorad Dodik will also attend the meeting.
The assumption is that the main topic will be the unblocking of B&amp;H institutions through a boycott of voting at the sessions of the B&amp;H Presidency, the B&amp;H Council of Ministers and the B&amp;H Parliament, but also the announcement of the withdrawal of consent for the HJPC and the AFB&amp;H.
Čubrilović says he still does not know the exact location of the meeting and is on his way to Sarajevo.
- I know that RS President Cvijanović and Prime Minister Višković will be present at the meeting. I think that the member of the Presidency of B&amp;H, Milorad Dodik, will also be at the meeting. I don't know about the others - Čubrilović told us.

The meeting will be attended by the ambassadors of the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and representatives of the Delegation of the European Union

Milorad Dodik: Čubrilović told "Avaz" that a member of the Presidency of B&H is also coming

"Avaz" finds out: Milorad Dodik is coming to a meeting with the ambassadors of Quint

The recent crisis of heavy good vehicle (HGV) drivers has been causing a backlog of containers at UK ports and a major shipping company started diverting vessels from those ports.

Maersk, a global Danish shipping and logistics company, said it is now re-routing at least one container ship to other ports in Europe because of the backlog.
A company spokesperson said high demand for shipping space and the HGV driver shortage caused a space problem for containers at the largest berths at Felixstowe port, which handles more than one third of UK shipping cargo, adding that other countries are experiencing the same problem.
Speaking to Financial Times, Maersk's global ocean network chief Lars Mikael Jensen said they had to stop operations on a ship “because there was nowhere to discharge the containers.”
- Felixstowe is among the top two or three worst-hit terminals - he was quoted by the British daily.
He said: "We are having to deviate some of the bigger ships away from Felixstowe and relay some of the smaller ships for the cargo.
- We did it for a little while over the summer and now we're starting to do it again. -- In order to make sure that goods would be widely available in the UK for Black Friday and Christmas, we have started to re-route one of out two (to) three big vessels calling at Felixstowe weekly - a Maersk spokesperson was quoted to have said by inews.
- The main factors behind this situation are high demand and lack of land distribution capacity as empty containers are not being removed at normal or average speed due to truck driver shortages.-The British International Freight Association told Sky News that dwell times had almost "doubled to just shy of 10 days over the past fortnight.”
The problem is partly caused by the pre-Christmas shipping peak.
The UK is short of around 100,000 HGV drivers according to local reports and the problem has caused a fuel delivery crisis across the country, prompting motorists to queue up and panic buy, then actually causing a fuel shortage at petrol stations.
The government brought in a few hundreds of military personnel, of which 100 are drivers, and invited foreign drivers on a special work visa to solve the problem.
The fuel shortage has been mitigated with a series of other precautions after around two weeks of crisis.

Danish shipping company Maersk says it diverts 1 ship per week away from Felixstowe port due to lack of empty space

Maersk, a global Danish shipping and logistics company, said it is now re-routing at least one container ship to other ports in Europe because of the backlog

Cargo shipped to UK hit by logistics problems

German coalition talks are approaching the "moment of truth" as the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) are trying to overcome their main differences, party leaders announced in Berlin.

When exploring a possible joint government alliance of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, groundbreaking decisions could be made by Friday, FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing told media representatives on Tuesday, adding that the "moment of truth" is imminent.
Wissing said the aim is to create a "basis for decision-making" by Friday as to whether the respective bodies can be recommended to start formal coalition negotiations.
It is now a matter of clarifying the big questions, Wissing added.
SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil said all relevant topics have now been discussed.
- What we are currently doing in the context of the explorations is first of all to clarify the big questions that we know pose hurdles. It is … also a kind of litmus test to determine whether partners and interlocutors are able to clarify big questions with one another in such a way that everyone can find a feasible way of finding a solution.-However, he added, there is still a long way to go and that the challenges are not too small.
Meanwhile, Green party Managing Director Michael Kellner said: "It's not always easy to find solutions between two parties, but the fact that we want to build bridges between three parties – that was noticeable."
The number of similarities has increased and the number of differences has decreased. There were still things to be clarified, he added.
The main sticking points in the exploratory talks are differences on tax and financial policy.
On Sunday, FDP's Wissing had said: "Everyone we talked to knows our demands: no tax increases and no loosening of the debt brake."
The general secretaries of the parties and their staff are scheduled to hold further exploratory coalition talks in Berlin on Wednesday and Thursday.

Social Democrats, Greens, Free Democrats still differ on tax, financial policy as negotiations pick up speed

German coalition talks nearing "moment of truth"

The US will begin allowing fully vaccinated non-essential travelers from Canada and Mexico to enter the country next month, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

Mayorkas said in a statement late Tuesday that restrictions, which have remained in place since March 2020 due to the coronavirus, were lifted following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts.
- In alignment with the new international air travel system that will be implemented in November, we will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings - said Mayorkas.
He said cross-border travel creates "significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits our broader economy.
- We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner - he added.
In the first phase, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin allowing fully vaccinated travelers to enter at land and ferry POEs (ports of entry) for non-essential reasons.
- Travelers will be required to have appropriate paperwork that provides proof of vaccination. Individuals who have not been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel for non-essential purposes from Canada and Mexico into the United States via land and ferry POEs - said the statement.
In the second phase, beginning in early January 2022, the Department of Homeland Security will require that all inbound foreign national travelers crossing US land or ferry POEs be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination.
- This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated - the statement added.

US begins taking fully vaccinated travelers for non-essential purposes in November, says statement

The US will begin allowing fully vaccinated non-essential travelers from Canada and Mexico to enter the country next month

US lifts restrictions for vaccinated travelers from Canada, Mexico

The prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Wednesday submitted his resignation to President Ersin Tatar.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Tatar, Ersan Saner said: “As I observed that the government is no longer sustainable, I just submitted my resignation.”
- Early elections should be held as soon as possible - he added.
Saner is the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP). The tripartite coalition of UBP, the Democratic Party and the Rebirth Party was approved by President Tatar last December.
Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks starting in early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.
In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aiming at Greece's annexation led to Turkey's military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
The TRNC was founded in 1983. It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and the UK.
The Greek Cypriot administration entered the EU in 2004, the same year when Greek Cypriots thwarted the UN's Annan plan to end the decades-long dispute.​​​​​​​

Ersan Saner says government no longer sustainable, calls for early elections

Turkish Cypriot premier steps down

Little Amal, a giant puppet representing a Syrian refugee girl, arrived Wednesday in the French capital as part of an 8,000-kilometer (4,970-mile) journey across Europe to raise awareness about the plight of millions of young refugees.

The puppet met children at Parc de la Villette, one of the largest parks in Paris and was the focal point of events that discussed the difficulties faced by Syrian refugee children. Amal then walked around the park for about 30 minutes.
Amal’s journey, a project called The Walk, started in Gaziantep in southeast Turkey in late July and will culminate in the northern English city of Manchester in early November, after stops in Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium.
The project is led by Good Chance, a UK-based theater and art company, and supported by Turkey’s Association of Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants and the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts.

Giant puppet depicting Syrian refugee girl will end Europe tour in Manchester, UK in early November

The 3.5-meter-tall puppet “Little Amal,” which was designed to highlight the difficulties of Syrian refugee children to the world, arrives in Parc de la Villette of Paris, France on October 13, 2021.

Little Amal, symbol of child refugees, reaches Paris

Germany's annual consumer price inflation stood at 4.1% in September, unchanged compared with August, data showed on Wednesday.

- In July and August, it had been just under 4%. A higher inflation rate was last measured in December 1993 (+4.3%) - according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
- The relevant rate of price increase was up for the third month in a row. This was basically due to base effects as we compare current prices with the very low prices of the previous year - said Christoph-Martin Mai, head of the Consumer Prices Section at the Federal Statistical Office.
Especially the CO2 charge introduced at the beginning of the year had an upward effect on the rate of price increase regarding energy products, he underlined.
- Marked price increases were recorded for heating oil (+76,5%) and motor fuels (+28.4%). The prices of natural gas (+5.7%) and electricity (+2.0%) rose, too - he said.

Base effects, rising energy and food prices main reasons for higher inflation rate

The relevant rate of price increase was up for the third month in a row

German inflation at 4.1% in September

The United States judiciary is interested in the case of the owner of the American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AUBiH), Denis Prcić.

Due to a request from B&amp;H, the United States Department of Justice asked the Colombian District Court to appoint Linda Otani-Makini (McKinney) as a commissioner who will gather evidence and take all other actions against the suspect Prcić.
We would like to remind you that the Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton has been conducting an investigation for months in which Prcić is suspected of abuse of authority and illegal collection from students, who were asked for money for non-existent expenses, which conditioned the issuance of diplomas.
The US Department of Justice document states that from March 2020 to October 2020, Prcić tried to repeatedly collect 1,500 KM from students for the alleged reaccreditation of ACICS (the Accreditation Council of Independent Colleges and Schools in Washington), although the accreditation was valid until at the end of 2020.
- After they refused to pay, 59 students were denied access to official data, e-mails and the system they used as AUB&amp;H students, which listed all their exams during their studies - it was explained.
It is added that the investigation in B&amp;H revealed that the fee for re-accreditation is not provided in any internal document of AUB&amp;H or contracts with students.

- During the search of AUB&amp;H, a notice was discovered which shows that AUB&amp;H withdrew from the re-accreditation procedure. The notice is dated October 30, 2020, signed by Prcić and sent to the Accreditation Council of independent colleges and schools in Washington. As a result, B&amp;H authorities believe that the request for payment was intended exclusively for material gain - they stated in the document.
It is pointed out that, in order to improve this investigation, the authorities in B&amp;H asked the American authorities to obtain records and statements of the representatives of the Council for Accreditation of Independent Faculties and Schools.

After the United States Department of Justice approved the request, it was published on a specialized website that investigates suspicious transactions in high-value international finance, monitoring offshore and other sources.
They qualified this case as bribery, corruption and fraud.

From March 2020 to October 2020, he repeatedly tried to charge students 1,500 KM for alleged reaccreditation

Prcić: He asked the students for 1,500 KM for issuing diplomas

The US has appointed a commissioner for investigation: Denis PrciĆ under scrutiny of the American judiciary

The NATO Annual Conference on the Operational Capability Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program (OCC E&amp;F) will be held from October 13 to 15 this year at the Hills Hotel in Sarajevo.

The annual conference is hosted by the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFB&amp;H), with the participation of representatives of NATO commands led by NATO's Supreme Allied Command Europe (SHAPE), as well as representatives of 28 partner countries.
The conference was opened by the Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff of the AF B&amp;H for Operations, Major General Ivica Jerkić, who stressed the importance of the OCC E&amp;F program as a successful cooperation mechanism and framework for conducting joint exercises and training with NATO members, where partner countries have the opportunity to build military capabilities mutual trust.
The conference aims to exchange information on the results achieved within the OCC E&amp;F program and tools that support the evaluation of units and activities of each of the partner countries, and coordination of upcoming activities under the program.

The annual conference is hosted by the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFB&H)

NATO annual conference on the OCC E&F program begins

The trial of Novalić and other defendants for the purchase of 100 ventilators from China at a price of 10.5 million marks continued today with the interrogation of Hasan Gnibegović, former head of the Office of the Prime Minister Fadil Novalić.
Today, the Prosecution finished questioning this witness, who last week in the Court of B&amp;H did not remember anything about most of the prosecutor's questions.

The most interesting part of today's hearing are the conversations and communications of Edita Kalajdžić and Hasan Ganibegović in the viber group "Gensek". In the media, when the chase regarding the ventilators was initiated, Hasan Ganibegović was instructed that he, the Prime Minister and Edita Kalajdžić delete all messages in this viber group.
Ganibegović said today that he had partially deleted some of the messages.
When asked by prosecutor Džermin Pašić that "Seb" was mentioned in the "Gensek" group, Ganibegović explained that it was Sebija Izetbegović, the director of KCUS in Sarajevo.
She is mentioned in the group as "Seb".
Ganibegović and Kalajdžić had a conversation on April 23, 2020, when Ganibegović received a contract from Fahrudin Solak and "Silver Raspberry" on the purchase of ventilators. Kalajdžić forwarded the contract, emphasizing that the contract was harmful, that the deadlines had not been met and that the contract should be terminated.
The communication from March 28, 2020 in the viber group "Gensek" where Edita Kalajdžić addressed Ganibegović is interesting:
- Seb's calling. Ventilators are bad. Horror. We are in a huge problem. If that is true and it is surely.

Ganibegović answers:
- Is this true what Kučuković says about killing people?
It is a communication that took place after the arrival of ventilators. Ganibegović continues:
- Bahra and the boss procured them. If Ćahta didn't get involved.
Kalajdžić answers:
Horror. And that letter was sent. Nobody asks anything. Everything needs to be torn.
Ganibegović later explained, at the insistence of prosecutor Pašić, which letter was in question. He said that it was a prepared thank you note to Fikret Hodžić and "Silver Raspberry" for buying such a large number of ventilators, which were necessary at the time.
Answering the question of Vasvija Vidović, Novalić's lawyer, Ganibegović said that in March and April last year, there was a lot of pressure on the Government of the Federation of B&amp;H for the procurement of medical equipment and that no one else wanted to do that.
At the next hearing, scheduled for Friday, the defense will continue to question this witness.

The most interesting part of today's hearing are the conversations and communications of Edita Kalajdžić and Hasan Ganibegović in the viber group "Gensek"

"Ventilators" affair: Ganibegović confirmed that "Seb" in the viber group is Sebija Izetbegović, director of KCUS

Members of the Ministry of the Interior of the Sarajevo Canton, under the direct supervision of the acting prosecutors of the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor's Office, have been carrying out an action code-named "Contact" since the early morning hours.
According to the Sarajevo police, the action is the result of several months of investigation and intensive work on shedding light on and documenting several criminal acts for which members of an organized criminal group are suspected, and some of whom are members of the Sarajevo Canton police.

<h2>A total of 31 people were detained</h2>

So far, a total of 31 people have been detained in the official premises, of which six are police officers of the Police Directorate of the SC Ministry of the Interior.
As the "Avaz" portal has learned detained from sources close to the investigation, police officers Mustafa Karšić, Jasmin Fetić, Jasmin Mustajbašić, Muamer Selimović, Smail Vladavić and Murafid Jašarević were detained.

The persons who are the target of this action are suspected of joining a group that faked traffic accidents in the past period in order to collect damages from insurance companies, and with the help of police officers of the Sarajevo Canton MUP - said the SC Prosecutor's Office.&nbsp;

<h2>Several insurance companies were damaged</h2>

It is suspected that the police officers, who were under special investigative actions, in addition to knowing about the fake accidents, also took bribes for traffic violations in the Sarajevo Canton. In that way, several insurance companies were damaged.
By order of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, their phones were tapped and monitored for almost several months.

The persons who are the target of this action are suspected of joining a group that faked traffic accidents in the past period, the Prosecutor's Office said

A total of 31 people were detained in the SC Ministry of the Interior

"Avaz" reveals the names of the detained Sarajevo police officers in the "Contact" operation

Dutch judge Kees van der Weide, who was hired as a legal expert to advise the HJPC, published an interesting analysis regarding the acquittal of the Second Instance Disciplinary Commission for Judges of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC B&amp;H) in the case of Ranko Debevec.You can read his full analysis below:&nbsp;The Second instance disciplinary panel of the HJPC, randomly selected by the automatic case allocation system and consisting of presiding Judge Jadranka Stanišić, Judge Mustafa Šabić and lawyer Duška Bogojević, as members, on October 6th rendered a decision in the disciplinary case against the President of the Court of BiH, Ranko Debevec (the Defendant).
&nbsp;The decision reads that the first instance decision is overruled in the part in which the Defendant was found disciplinary liable and was imposed the measure of a public warning. The disciplinary claims that were found grounded in the first instance, were now rejected.
Furthermore, the appeal of the Office of the Disciplinary Council (the ODC) was rejected, meaning that the first instance decision is confirmed where the Defendant was acquitted from these charges.
&nbsp;As a result, the Defendant was acquitted from all disciplinary charges and this decision is final.

<h2> The meeting with high-level suspect Mehmedagić</h2>

The given explanation regarding the meeting, clearly shows that there was no consciousness or will of the Defendant to meet Mehmedagić, the Panel is reasoning. 

Muhamed Ajanović as the host of the meeting testified that he invited both the Defendant and Osman Mehmedagić (director of OSA – state intelligence agency who was standing trial in a criminal case in the Court of BiH, in which the defendant exercises his office as President), on the occasion of the birth of his child, in a manner that neither of them was aware that the other was invited too.
It is clear – says the Panel - that in the conduct of the Defendant, there was no consciousness or intent to meet Mehmedagić. Referring to the Law on HJPC that requires either intentional or negligent behavior to constitute a disciplinary offence, the Panel concluded that the meeting attended by the BIH Court President cannot be qualified as inappropriate and therefore, the Defendant cannot be accused with the offence of „behavior inside or outside the court that demeans the dignity of judge“.
The stance of the First instance panel, that the Defendant was supposed to leave and not meet Mehmedagić is unacceptable, the second instance argues, because it would show inappropriate conduct towards both Mehmedagić and the host, especially having in mind the daily professional contacts with Mehmedagić.
With the facts established, the conduct cannot be assessed as intentional or negligent, in whatsoever form, because the Defendant was caught in the surprising circumstances and continued behaving conventionally which was the only possibility, the panel concludes.
This is the world upside down! Even if it was a surprise for the defendant that Mehmedagić showed up, nonetheless, being for several hours in a rendezvous with this person who is standing trial in your court, is bad behavior. Rather ridiculous to assess that staying around would be the only possible conduct. It was not. A judge can very well – and should at all occasions like this – explain that being present together, would compromise the Court. This has nothing to do with politeness, it is just how your mindset as a judge should be. Another weird remark is that the BiH Court President and the director of the intelligence agency are having daily professional contacts. Even though in some very specific situations contact between the two officials is authorized under the law, the principle of the separation of powers should always prevail.

<h2>The concealed Spanish real estate</h2>

When it comes to the offence regarding the not reported property in Spain, according to the Panel, the burden of proof rests upon the disciplinary prosecutor and she did not prove that the Defendant deliberately, that is, consciously, gave insufficient information in his annual personal financial reporting forms and missed to specify that he owns an apartment with his spouse in Spain.

&nbsp;Let me carefully line up what the reasoning is: Having in mind that the Defendant is a co-owner of the apartment in Spain and that the witness said that they are not living together since 1999, that the apartment was bought in 1995 with common resources, that after the separation they agreed the apartment would belong to her, and the apartment in Sarajevo to him, the Second instance panel found that the disciplinary prosecutor did not prove that the Defendant consciously gave insufficient information in his annual personal financial reporting form, because this cannot be concluded from the evidence conducted.
Since the intention is not proved, there is also no disciplinary offence. The stance of the First instance panel that the Defendant deliberately missed to indicate the ownership over this apartment in his financial forms is also unacceptable for the appellate panel. Moreover, because the First instance panel grounds the intention arguing that the motive is not important. The appeal of the Defendant is correct, it is impossible to determine the intent if the motive is not determined.
This is why the decision must be overruled, the panel decides.
&nbsp;So the start of the reasoning is that the burden of proof rests upon the prosecutor. Indeed so, but we are not in a criminal trial in which a defendant can lean back and remain silent. To the contrary, this is a disciplinary case in which the defendant has an obligation to be transparent to the max, and where the rules of civil procedure, not criminal, apply as subsidiary law. It cannot be repeated too often: there can be no judicial independence without accountability.
But here we have a Panel, following blindly whatever is being brought forward without any substantiation, let alone with evidence. Mind you, we are talking about real estate and an alleged arrangement between separating spouses! Who on earth would just ‘agree’ (how, when, in what way?) on such issue with the one you are breaking up with! But the panel just accepts this story, told by the ex and reiterates that the burden of proof is with the disciplinary prosecutor. Yes, it is, I confirm again but not to the ridiculous extent reasoned here. When it shows that real estate is registered on the name of the defendant – and that was the starting point of this case – the burden of proof should shift to the judicial office holder who just did not file it as property. What if registered ownership of real estate could be successfully contested in civil litigation with just one single witness? It would be madness. Let alone, again, that we are here in a case ruled by civil litigation procedure as subsidiary law. Moreover, the panel is adding that intentions matter. No, they do not. The obligation is to file information on property and this was violated. Hard to see that the Panel goes along all the way with just ‘ storytelling’. So much for the prospects of the upcoming asset declaration verification system, as a prerequisite to improve the trust of citizens in the judiciary.

When it comes to the appeal of the ODC regarding the messages, send by the Defendant to the prosecutor who was conducting criminal investigations against him, the appellate panel completely adopted the reasoning of the First instance panel and rejected the appeal.

As it is clear from the facts, the Defendant found out about the anonymous charge against him through two judges of his court, who were personally informed by the prosecutor, says the Panel. They all meet each other at the bar exams and occasionally have informal communication. The panel reasoned that It should be concluded that the exchanged phone messages are usual and cannot be considered inappropriate so again, no abuse of judicial ethics.
The panel could not accept the appeal ground of the disciplinary prosecutor that the Defendant used his position and made an extra effort to discover which investigative measures were being undertaken because, as the panel found, this did not arise from the facts established during the disciplinary hearings.
&nbsp;As I tried to teach before, the messages as such should be assessed and not the stories told afterwards.
Here are again, in my opinion, the most alarming messages the defendant wrote to the prosecutor in charge of a high profile investigation:
- 25 June 2020 at 15:18: „Thank you (first name) for Ministry of Interior Affairs of Sarajevo Canton (MUP KS) AND TERORISING AND CHECKING ON THE WOMAN WHO DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONNECTION TO (surname), NOR PURCHASE OF SMALL MERCEDES FROM THEM. GREET (first name of Chief PO) YOU ARE DOING TOTALLY ILLEGAL THINGS WHICH HAVE NO GROUNDS IN ANY LAW “,
- 25 June 2020 at 15:21: „You are exempting the documentation and investigating people who do not have any connection to this story. Ask for orders from the court “ and „Let the court approve the exemption of the documentation if there is a ground for suspicion that I am a criminal“.
&nbsp;What we see here is a suspect (in this case BIH Court President) ordering a prosecutor, what steps to take and telling her she is acting illegally. This has nothing to do with socializing in the background of being together in the committee for Bar Exams. It is indecent behavior for a judge and nothing else.

What members of this Panel have been doing is turning a disciplinary case into a criminal trial, raising the bar unacceptably high.

They are following blindly what has been told by the defense, without asking for any documentation or other verifiable information. Furthermore, the Panel is introducing a subjective meaning to ‘intentional’ behavior, to be proven by the disciplinary prosecution. Subjective intentions are hard to prove they are in the head of the perpetrator. This is why in cases like this, intentions should be established by reasoning what follows from the facts. A fact is that there is real estate, registered in the name of the defendant which has not been reported. That’s at the least negligence. A fact is that he stayed around together with suspect standing trial in his Court. That’s intentional behavior. A fact is that he has send inappropriate messages. His statements in these messages are the ones that matter. The intentions derive from the content.
What we have here is either a decision, missing the point in disciplinary cases or members of a Panel, working their way to a very questionable acquittal because this is the outcome that had to be achieved from the beginning. What is worse?
It’s still a long way to Brussels when Judicial office Holders get away with behavior like this as a result of this kind of decision making.

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