PALE, MUNICIPALITY OF TWO FAMILIES: An armchair for Jugović, public works for Stanišić

For years, the Jugović and Stanišić families have been managing public funds in Pale. In addition to their business interests, they are also related by marriage, as the son of the SNSD municipality chief, Boško Jugović, is married to the daughter of the DEMOS member of parliament and director of Elektrodistribucija Pale, Aco Stanišić. The Stanišić family owns "Stanišić d.o.o.", a company that has turned this place into their own construction site. They are also one of the leading suppliers to the municipality. In 84 tender contracts, they have received a total of 3,509,975 KM with VAT. The latest information is proof of nepotism - chief Jugović appointed his cousin's son, Gojko Jugović, as head of the Department of Spatial Planning and Housing-Communal Affairs.

On January 13, from the official website of the municipality, Boško Jugović announced that a commission he appointed would interview candidates for vacant positions four days later. On the list was also his cousin, Gojko Jugović, a master of geodesy, the only candidate after Mile Borovina left this position. Borovina cooperated well with everyone planning construction work in Pale and Jahorina.

On March 14, the younger Jugović was already signed as the head of the municipal department.

"In accordance with Article 47, paragraph 3 of the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction ("Official Gazette of Republika Srpska", No. 40/13, 2/15, 106/15, 3/16, 104/18 and 84/19), by the Decision on determining the draft amendments and supplements to the part of the Regulatory Plan 'Koran', at the initiative of Vasko Drinjak, and the Decision on determining the draft amendments and supplements to the part of the Regulatory Plan 'Škobalj', at the initiative of Janko Krsmanović and Vinko Gluhović, these regulatory acts will be exhibited for public review from March 7, 2023, to April 7, 2023. All interested legal and physical persons may review these documents and submit proposals, objections, and opinions on the draft Plan, on every working day from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm in the premises of the Department for Spatial Planning and Housing and Communal Affairs, Pale, Romanijska Street, No. 15..."

The mayor of Pale has refused to answer questions from Žurnal. He has not provided the requested details about his cousin Gojko, nor has he publicly commented on the obvious nepotism in the local institution.

While the institution is becoming increasingly tied to family connections, construction works continue without a hitch in Pale. The businesses of Stanišić's friends do not stop. New residential and commercial buildings are popping up, and the possibility of adjusting regulatory plans to the wishes of the main builders is permanently open. A source for Žurnal, who did not want to appear on camera, stated:

"If they like a private plot, the regulatory plan is changed. If there are unresolved property disputes because people simply do not want to sell the land, there are threats or promises - 'I will employ your child,' 'You will get the desired loan.' Then, the agreements continue in the banks..."

He noted that the company "Stanišić d.o.o." also built a children's playground, but not within the specified dimensions, thus avoiding payment of municipal fees. He also recalled the case of the construction of a bus station, which was a concession obligation of this company. When the station was supposed to be returned to the municipality, it was registered under "Stanišić d.o.o."

"The municipality of Pale has not changed the rent and maintenance fees for years, and they are very low, with the explanation that apartment prices will be lower to provide the refugee population with the opportunity to have a roof over their heads. However, due to the maximum market prices that investors, and especially the largest builder Stanišić, hold, it is almost impossible to buy an apartment easily. Thus, the budget of the municipality suffers million-dollar losses", he explained.

Another source adds:

 "Imagine how widespread it is when Nedeljko Elek (President of the Supervisory Board of the Olympic Center Jahorina, Ed. note) protests against this."

MILLIONS IN TENDERS TOO

Stanišić is certainly not new. There is plenty of evidence of his power in Pale. One reads:

"Everything will pass, but the soul, honour, and what is good remain forever.

 A gift to the citizens of Pale

'Stanišić d.o.o. Pale' "

In addition to Jugović and Stanišić's successful business dealings with construction land, the complete privatization of the municipality is evident through tender contracts. Since 2016, when Boško Jugović took over Pal, the company "Stanišić", officially owned by Acin's brother Mladen, has been awarded 84 tender contracts worth 3,509,975 KM with VAT. The director of the company is Njegoš Poljaković, who was a candidate for councillor for the municipality of Pale on the SNSD list.

DEMOS, which is in coalition with SNSD and whose member is Aco, manages the Pale enterprises "Vodovod i kanalizacija" and "Toplana". The company "Stanišić" is also their regular supplier. The figure and number of contracts are increasing daily.

For example, Jugović hired the friendly company "Stanišić" for numerous jobs: from winter maintenance of roads, through asphalting Pale streets, to procurement of materials for maintenance of the municipal building, celebration of holidays, catering, and organizing cocktail parties. There are "small" amounts received through direct agreements up to 7,020 KM, but also larger ones, on which the Stanišić family are the only bidders.

The reconstruction of the municipal building, for example, cost 134,181 KM in a tender in 2018, the paving of some streets cost from 85,000 KM up to even 338,566 KM, complete reconstruction and construction of streets from 76,000 to 200,000 KM, the purchase of an apartment by the municipality from "Stanišić" cost around 60,000 KM, and the repair and adaptation of the Small Home cost 249,680 KM...

Just as Chief Jugović takes care of the Stanišić family, the Stanišićs return the favour to the Dodik family. Two years ago, Žurnal wrote about the business manners of Aco Stanišić.

"Extracting money from a public company for the needs of the ruling Dodik family in Republika Srpska, along with Luka Petrović, the director of 'Elektroprivreda RS' and the general secretary of SNSD, was also accomplished by Aco Stanišić, the acting director of 'Elektrodistribucija Pale' and a DEMOS cadre of Nedeljko Čubrilović. Just one year and eight months in office were enough for him to invent 14 jobs for 'Prointer' and 'Dwelt', thereby making the budget easier by 2,928,920 KM", among other things, was written in the article.

To remind, "Prointer" is a company with which, according to the admission of the RS President Milorad Dodik, his son Igor "cooperates", while "Dwelt" is owned by Stefan Krnetic, son-in-law of the former Minister of Health and current Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Banja Luka, Ranko Skrbic.

SNIPPETS FROM A POLITICAL-BUSINESS BIOGRAPHY

Aco Stanisic was a councillor in the Municipal Assembly of Pale representing DEMOS, but in 2016 he entered the Municipal Assembly of Pale as a candidate for DNS. Soon, as Infoveza wrote, he progressed in the new party and in 2019 became the president of the regional committee of the Democratic Union DEMOS of the Sarajevo-Romanija region.

Stanisic confirmed that Mladen Stanisic, the owner of the company "Stanisic", is his brother, but he did not see anything wrong with that. Even as early as 2011, the government news agency SRNA wrote about the rapid success of the company.

"The company 'Stanisic' is owned by my brother Mladen Stanisic, and I am not employed in the aforementioned company as a manager or any other position", said Aco Stanisic.

The SDS councillor club in the Municipal Assembly of Pale previously filed a complaint with the Commission for the Determination of Conflicts of Interest in the Organs of Government of RS in the case of Councillor Stanisic, but the same commission found that there was no conflict of interest.

"Stanisic d.o.o" is a co-owner of the fast delivery service "X Express".

Meanwhile, Aco Stanisic became a member of the National Assembly of RS for DEMOS.

Boško Jugović wrote his biography himself:

"...Since 1998, he has been working at ZP Elektrodistribucija a.d. Pale, performing tasks and duties as the executive director for technical affairs. He is considered a successful businessman and manager in professional circles. In the local elections of 2016, he was elected as the Mayor of Pale. He is a member of the Municipal Board of the Independent Social Democrats of Pale."

Last summer, he complained about "attacks by fake profiles on social networks".

"My conscience and awareness cannot accept that there can be any, even hidden political goal, that would justify the smearing of people to the extent that they are turned into monsters, disturbed personalities, even predators or paedophiles. I do not claim, but at the same time, I do not exclude the possibility that someone's political interests may be behind all this because there is some knowledge in that direction. I will leave it to the competent investigative authorities to clearly determine who is so zealously trying to smear the lives of normal and honourable people, and for whose account", he concluded.

(zurnal.info)