TI BiH reports Milorad Dodik due to conflict of interest: Companies of close relatives should not do business with the state

Banja Luka, March 17, 2022 – Transparency International in BiH has filed a complaint with the Commission for Deciding on Conflict of Interest against BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik because companies owned by his family do business with the state and receive significant incentives from the budget.

According to the provisions of the Law on Conflict of Interest in BiH Government Institutions, elected officials and their close relatives should not be part of the management of any private company that enters into contracts or otherwise operates with budget-funded institutions at any level of government. . Considering that Milorad Dodik’s son and daughter own private companies that do business with public institutions, and according to the provisions of this law, they are considered close relatives, the member of the Presidency of BiH is in a situation of conflict of interest.

Namely, Article 8a of the Law prescribes that the engagement of close relatives of elected officials in companies that do business with the state, leads to a situation in which these officials are in a conflict of interest.

According to data from a recent survey by the Capital.ba portal, companies owned by the Dodik family won in 2021. about 370,000 KM from the Agrarian Budget and the RS Compensation Fund. Specifically, according to the data of the Agency for Agrarian Payments of RS, legal entities “Fruit Eco” from Gradiška, and “Agro Voće” and “Global Liberty” from Laktaši, during 2021. They received aid for repairing frost damage, support for sold and produced fruit, regressed diesel fuel, anti-hail nets, etc.

Also, the legal entity “Ugostiteljstvo Agape” sp, owned by Dodik’s daughter, received jobs from the Catering Service of the Government of Republika Srpska in the past period in amounts exceeding the legally allowed threshold of 5,000 KM per year.

Due to all this, TI BiH calls on the Commission for Deciding on Conflict of Interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose work was often blocked due to political obstructions in the previous mandate, to conduct a procedure and investigate the conflict of interest of one of the highest officials of BiH.

Also, TI BiH again calls on the delegates in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to stop the obstruction of the adoption of the new Law on Conflict of Interest in BiH government institutions, which should ensure the independence of the commission that will decide on conflicts of interest.

Press rls_17.03.2022_