RS Special Prosecutor’s Office Confirmed that Forensic Investigation on Recording of ‘Buying’ of MPs has not been Conducted
TI BiH raises the question how the RS Ministry of Interior Affairs could qualify the controversial audio recording as fabricated in November last year if RS Special Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the forensic investigation of the recording was not conducted.
Special Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Srpska has informed Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) that it has not conducted the forensic investigation on audio recording on which the RS Prime Minister Željka Cvijanović can be heard discussing ”buying” the support of MPs to win the outright majority. Concurrently, it is presented an argument according to which investigation cannot be conducted because the original recording has been returned to the web portal Klix.ba under the decision of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo. Let us remind that the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Srpska issued a press release on 18th November and presented a claim that “certain number of electronic media published fabricated and compromising private conversation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, recorded by specific and sophisticated technical devices used for audio and video recording, from which certain statements had been used and fabricated in order to create ostensible conversation of the RS Prime Minister and Jane Doe- interlocutor.”
TI BiH raises the question how the RS Ministry of Interior Affairs could qualify the controversial audio recording as fabricated in November last year if RS Special Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the forensic investigation of the recording was not conducted. Since the scandal on alleged ‘buying’ of MPs broke, the investigation authorities have failed to determine the authenticity of the recording and according to the information disclosed to TI BiH they have not perform single investigative action which could clarify this controversial case. In the reply to queries, Banja Luka District Prosecutor’s Office stated that the case reported by Dragan Čavić was forwarded to the RS Special Prosecutor’s Office, which explained that the checking of authenticity of the recording is the only object of the investigation.
TI BiH considers that the Special Prosecutor’s office cannot halt the investigation with explanation of non-possession of the original recording, directly accusing journalist who defended media freedom and the right to protection of sources. Also, TI BiH finds that it is necessary to perform other investigation actions to finally determine whether a crime has been committed and to identify the responsible persons. It is important to note that this is the affair of which the legitimacy of the current government of the RS directly depends, because the Cabinet of Prime Minister Željka Cvijanović is facing serious accusation of forming the current government with bribing. It is in the interest of the public and all institutions in the RS that the investigation of the Special Prosecutor’s Office continues to full extent of the law. Also, insight into the investigations results need to be made available because this controversial case arouses particular attention and from the outcome of this investigation evaluation of the lawful establishment of ruling majority completely depends.
