Benefactors or robbers?

UBSD against SDA Officials?

Sarajevo, 18 August, 1997 (AIM) - Few days ago, UBSD (B&H Social-Democrat Union) brought criminal charges against Federal and Cantonal Officials, because of misuse of their official positions in a view to make personal profit. Whether it is "a dirty election campaign trick" (Mr. Kemal Kozaric), or criminal act, is to be decided by Court. Until than, B&H citizens will be in dilemma where they live, in citizen's state, or private state of certain mono-parties leaders?

The point is that the three accused persons (Mr. Bicakcic, B&H Federal Prime Minister, Mr. Haracic, Cantonal President and Mr. Kozaric, Cantonal Minister) signed illegal protocol, by which the income taxes from Insurance Companies, State Lottery and firms selling oil/petrol, tobacco and alcohol, have been converted to a special Bank account at B&H Federal Institution for Money Transfer. The releasers and users of this protocol are Federal Government and Canton Sarajevo. Actually, the users are the signatories of protocol: Mr. Bicakcic and Mr. Haracic.

UBSD claims that income taxes are Cantonal public income, and B&H Federation has nothing to do with it! Also, by opening such bank account, the signatories over stepped their functions in a view to make a personal profits.

AIM wanted to make an interview with three mentioned persons, but, according to their secretaries information, first two are absent and the third one, Mr. Kozaric, broke his meeting to inform us that "tomorrow at 11:00 will be press conference regarding mentioned subject". Any how, he shortly explained that, "every single B&H Dinar from that 'special' account was spend for pensions for war soldiers invalids and families of soldiers killed in war. If we waited for new Pension Law, they would receive their pensions in a year time. That was an act of B&H Federal Government benefectory. A move by UBSD is totally incorrect and it is a part of dirty election campaign game! Both, mine and Governor's name have been brought in a dirty contest, connecting it with personal profit making. It is a dirty election trick, because all three of us are SDA members".

Asked if he is aware, as Cantonal Finance Minister, that such act of establishing parallel bank accounts of State institutions is illegal, he answered: "I told you what I told. Come tomorrow at press conference and than ask your questions".(End)