The Sarajevo Canton Health Insurance Institute procured a software system for the symbolic price of 50 KM. This would not raise concerns if, a year and a half later, a maintenance contract for the system had not been signed, amounting to 10,000 KM. The sole bidder in this tender was the same company that sold the software system for 50 KM. Similar examples highlight that, when it comes to IT tenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina, active and fair competition often does not exist. Experts warn of multiple aspects of potential corrupt misuse in such practices.

On December 30, 2024, the Cantonal Court in Mostar issued a ruling annulling the underground exploitation permit granted to Adriatic Metals BH. The decision was based on concerns over the potential threat to the drinking water source that supplies the Municipality of Kakanj. The court’s reasoning stated that the critical question of whether underground exploitation would impact the Bukovica water intake, and the extent of that impact, was not adequately addressed. Additionally, the court found that the Federation Ministry had authorized exploitation at an unexamined and restricted site.

At the Educational-Correctional Facility in Orašje, 20 juveniles are currently residing due to a wide range of criminal offences, including murder, theft, robbery, and inflicting serious and minor bodily injuries. The residents of the facility have the opportunity to engage in sports, participate in sporting competitions within the institution, and attend various extracurricular activities. Experts in juvenile delinquency highlight that incomplete resocialisation is the most detrimental factor, often leading juveniles back to criminal behaviour. Additionally, the lack of family and systemic support exacerbates the problem.

Is the ongoing presence of violence and cases of femicide the responsibility of the judiciary, society, a lack of prevention measures, or all of these combined?

It is possible that the sale of land at Trg Rudara (Miners’ Square) and all other locations with adopted controversial regulatory plans could be annulled through legal proceedings, holding everyone involved in the chain of unlawful decision-making accountable for the abuse of office and compensating investors for damages. However, this is a theory that is largely contradicted by practice.

Since 2021 A. H. has been convicted three times for causing bodily harm to her and others (both minor and serious bodily injuries). He has also been convicted for physically attacking a police escort patrol. He was sentenced to probation twice, and for the attack on officials – police patrol, he received a one-year prison sentence, which was later replaced with community service while remaining at liberty.

Patients at the Oncology Department of the Zenica Cantonal Hospital have been facing poor conditions for years, including overcrowded waiting rooms, lack of equipment and staff, and excessively long waiting lists, all of which hinder their treatment. Although, according to the authorities, funds for the construction of a new Oncology Department have been approved, the project remains stalled due to property-legal issues. Essentially, the root cause lies in inter-party conflicts. The SNOP Association of Oncology Patients highlights the issue of waiting lists as a primary concern, especially for MRI and CT scans.

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 announcement by Elektroprivreda BiH to dispose of waste from the Tuzla Thermal Power Plant in the Lukavac municipality has sparked outrage among residents and local authorities. The local government demands a halt to this proposal, while citizens warn that the planned site for the dump contains numerous sources of not only drinking water but also thermal and mineral springs. EPBiH states that they are not creating a new dump but are technically reclaiming degraded areas, arguing that there are no justified reasons to abandon this proposal.

Several years ago, the Brčko District of BiH registered the agricultural cooperative "Ratar" Brka as its property. As a result, the Agricultural Cooperative "Brka" Brčko, recognised as a creditor of "Ratar", lost its property rights. They have filed criminal complaints and have spent years attempting to prove that they lost "Ratar" due to a falsified decision and that all legal proceedings were manipulated. The Office for Public Property Management points to court rulings that have ruled against the Cooperative.

Who were the beneficiaries of IRB loans, how much money was allocated for this purpose, under what conditions, and how much of the approved loans (both principal and interest) have been repaid? The public will likely never fully know the answers. Yet, the funds distributed generously to privileged companies were public money belonging to all citizens of the RS.

The fact that the European Union is aware of Russia's malign influence in the Balkans is evident from the statement made by Ondrej Kolar, a Czech representative in the European Parliament who will serve as the permanent rapporteur for Bosnia and Herzegovina for the next five years. In an interview with N1, Kolar stated that one of his objectives is to halt Russian actions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Cantonal Hospital Zenica, located within a complex constructed back in 1959, is facing severe infrastructural problems, a lack of equipment, and the departure of medical staff. The planned construction of a new hospital is being delayed by property and legal disputes, as it has been ruled that the complex is owned by the City of Zenica. Meanwhile, patients continue to suffer due to long waiting lists and inadequate conditions.

The company "BUK" d.o.o. has filed three lawsuits against two members of the ACT Foundation and activists from the NGG "Stop the Construction of Small Hydropower Plants on the Kasindolska River". Amnesty International's analysis has classified these lawsuits as having the characteristics of so-called SLAPP lawsuits. The compensation claim against Sunčica Kovačević amounts to 5,000 BAM, while the total claim against Sara Tuševljak is 10,000 BAM. The total cost of expert evaluations conducted by the Centre for Expertise and Appraisals "Zenit" amounts to 14,973 BAM.

Nizama, Alma, Amra, Anđelka, Zorka, Emira, Nermina, Selma, Amela, Rada, Kada, Tahira, Mileva… are just some of the women who have been killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last few years. More than 60! All of these murders could have been characterized as femicide, with harsher sentences. But that crime does not exist. The current political structures, which could be described as patriarchal, reject such initiatives. Meanwhile, the grim statistics continue to rise.

A group of citizens organized under the name “Poret za preoktret” (Movement for Change) has filed criminal charges regarding unlawfully adopted regulatory plans: Trg rudara, the Business-Recreational-Tourist Zone Zenica-South, Center II, Crkvice, Trg Alija Izetbegović, and Kamberovića ravan i padina. These plans served as the basis for the issuance of numerous illegal construction permits.

The situation at RiTE Ugljevik is alarming, not only because of significant financial losses and the burden of settling debts from arbitration rulings but also due to the deteriorating condition of the thermal power plant. A major overhaul of the plant should be conducted at least every five years, but the last overhaul of the 40-year-old Ugljevik plant was done in 2017. As we approach the end of 2024, the management of RiTE is considering postponing the next major overhaul until 2026!

The Study on Urban Ventilation Corridors has already established that the existing high-rise buildings around the Importanne Center disrupt the airflow of the Main Road ventilation corridor. Experts who worked on the study warn that while the construction of new buildings cannot be stopped, it is possible to limit the damage they can cause. Centre

No country, even one as unfinished and far from perfect as Bosnia and Herzegovina, will allow groups to take justice into their own hands—especially not those outside its control or the influence of political structures they may align with. The stance toward the actions of Panter and similar groups will be a litmus test for the rule of law and legality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.