Žurnal in English
CRIME ON BJELAŠNICA: Who is Afraid of the Investigation into the Illegal Sale of State Land?
The list of suspects could be expanded to include additional names of directors, as well as politicians from both the former and current governments in the Sarajevo Canton by the time the investigation concludes. This comes as no surprise, given that during the detention hearings, politicians with whom Ibro Berilo held meetings were mentioned—meetings that took place in the headquarters of certain political parties as well as with directors of public enterprises. All of this was allegedly aimed at facilitating illegal expropriation.
The Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office investigation into the illegal sale of state land on Bjelašnica has reportedly unsettled some individuals who were or are part of the government in the Sarajevo Canton, Žurnal has learned from its well-informed sources.
A CASE OF MONEY LAUNDERING?
What is adding to the panic is information about another case related to Bjelašnica, currently under investigation by the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Allegedly, it involves money laundering through investments in specific buildings and apartments. However, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH could not confirm whether a case concerning money laundering in the Bjelašnica area had been opened, even though we provided the name of the prosecutor who might be handling it.
Their response, received after a seven-day wait due to their policy of answering media inquiries only on Fridays, was: “Based on the information provided, we cannot verify this in the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH’s registry.”
Žurnal has learned from several sources that the origin of money invested in certain properties on Bjelašnica is being scrutinised.
WHICH POLITICIANS HELPED BERILO?
Let us return to the investigation by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office, which is expected to conclude in the first quarter of next year. So far, those under suspicion in this case include the Mayor of Trnovo Municipality, Ibro Berilo; his municipal assistant, Nađa Milišić; the founder of LOK-PIL Ltd., Adis Mulaosmanović, and his sister, Edina Džigal; the former director of Sarajevo-šume, Nermin Demirović; and the Minister of Utility Services, Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Construction, and Environmental Protection in the Sarajevo Canton Government, Bojan Bošnjak.
WHO FEARS THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ILLEGAL SALE OF STATE LAND?
Žurnal's sources claim that by the time the investigation concludes, the list of suspects may include additional individuals. These could be politicians as well as former or current directors of certain institutions who assisted Berilo in the years-long seizure of state land on Bjelašnica.
It is worth recalling that the lead prosecutor, Darko Soldat, stated during the initial detention hearing that Berilo and Milišić had been under special investigative measures for months, during which their mobile phones were tapped. In intercepted communications, it was revealed that they had meetings with individuals from the political sphere, held gatherings at the headquarters of specific political parties, and met with directors of public enterprises—all with the aim of facilitating illegal expropriation.
This same method was used to sell a state-owned parcel to Mulaosmanović, after it had been subjected to unlawful expropriation. On this parcel, he built the Aroma building, which includes two apartments that lack proper permits. As a token of gratitude, he gifted one apartment to Berilo, though it was not officially registered in Berilo’s name.
When investigators uncovered the hidden apartment, Berilo, according to Žurnal's sources, attempted to sell it. This task was supposed to be carried out by one of the investors from Bjelašnica, who could also become a suspect in this case.
BAN ON PERFORMING MAYORAL DUTIES
To recap, the initial searches and arrests began in early August. Berilo, Milišić, and Mulaosmanović spent three months in custody, while Demirović was held for one month. Despite being in custody, Berilo secured another mayoral term in this year’s elections.
However, a few days ago, the Sarajevo Cantonal Court imposed restrictions on Berilo, prohibiting him from performing his duties as Mayor of Trnovo Municipality. His assistant, Milišić, was also banned from performing her official duties.
Bojan Bošnjak was arrested on 15 November and has been in custody since. He is suspected of providing a positive opinion on the strategic environmental impact assessment report for the Bjelašnica Sports and Recreation Centre, effectively legalising unlawful urban development projects on the mountain.
All of his predecessors refused to approve such measures.
Bošnjak was appointed Minister as a member of Naša Stranka. He hails from Zenica, where he previously served as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management of Zenica-Doboj Canton. What is noteworthy is Naša Stranka’s statement to the media, instructing how to report on the arrest of their party member. The statement was issued while Bošnjak awaited a decision on the extension of his detention.
Sources speaking to Žurnal, who requested anonymity, remarked that Naša Stranka must have known their statement would be interpreted as a form of media pressure, leading to widespread public criticism. This raises the question of why they chose to take such a step in the first place.
PROSECUTORIAL INVESTIGATION DISPROVES THE CLAIM OF THE SARAJEVO CANTON PRIME MINISTER
Žurnal has published a series of articles on the illegal sale of land and unlawful construction on Bjelašnica, including the documentary “The Killing of the Olympic Mountains” released earlier this year. The Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Nihad Uk, who according to media reports has once again offered his resignation, claimed that construction on Bjelašnica is being carried out “according to the regulatory plan, whether the old one or the new.”
“The new plan is just a better version of the old one, allowing for improvements based on lessons learned over the past 30 or 40 years,” Uk stated at the time.
However, the prosecutorial investigation has proven the Prime Minister’s claims to be incorrect. As Žurnal has learned from sources close to the investigation, the regulatory plan from 1982 remains in effect for Bjelašnica—exactly as experts and environmental activists have warned for years.
The Association of Architects in BiH flagged this issue in 2017 to the Municipality of Trnovo and the Sarajevo Canton Planning Institute after the urban project for the Trnovo Business and Sports Centre was presented. In their correspondence, they emphasised that the 1982 regulatory plan does not recognise the category of “business and recreational” use, nor does it permit the construction of apartments.
The prosecutorial investigation will further demonstrate that all unlawful activities on Bjelašnica have been ongoing since 2013. Construction has taken place without updating the regulatory plan, relying instead on amendments to urban planning documents. Allegedly, the construction permits issued by the Municipality of Trnovo over the years are also illegal, as they were granted without environmental impact assessments or environmental permits.
Žurnal also reported on deliberate land parcelisation, an issue raised by Mirvad Zenuni, who owns an apartment in Babin Dol next to a building constructed by investor Govza. He claims that Govza’s building exceeded the permitted dimensions and that excavation work caused damage to their apartments. After hiring a lawyer with other residents, they discovered that the Municipality of Trnovo had intentionally left a piece of land between the buildings under its ownership, requiring their consent for the construction of Govza’s building.
“This deliberate parcelisation allows the Municipality to always be the one granting construction permits to other investors. It’s a legal loophole exploited by the Municipality, specifically Mayor Ibro Berilo,” Zenuni previously told Žurnal.
FOREST CLEARING IMPACTS WATER QUALITY
The prosecutorial decision regarding the filing of charges in this case is expected to be made in the first three months of the coming year. Currently, final expert assessments are being conducted in the fields of forestry, as well as geodesy, geology, construction, economics, and environmental protection.
It is worth recalling that the ecological study, which is part of the 1982 regulatory plan still in effect, states that coniferous forests protect the drinking water sources for the Sarajevo Field. The coniferous forest was cleared for the needs of the business-sports centre, which is allegedly one of the reasons for the gradual deterioration of water quality. This is also expected to be the subject of expert analysis.
In this regard, Professor Muriz Spahić previously told Žurnal that various forms of land usurpation occurring on Bjelašnica are reducing areas critical for supplying Sarajevo with water.
“For this reason—because, for example, by cutting down the forest, we destroy the vegetation that supports the waters found in the karst area—on the other hand, irresponsible land usurpation for urban construction purposes, I say, reduces this water protection zone number 1, leading to the devastation of drinking water sources from Bjelašnica,” Spahić previously stated.
(zurnal.info)
