DEMENTI ON THE TEXT PUBLISHED ON THE PORTAL “PATRIA” ON 6TH AUGUST 2017

Dear Sir or Maddam,

before publishing the text on your portal on 6th August 2017 named “Employes of the Cantonal Forestry Office of Canton Sarajevo are indicating criminal activities concerning millions in this enterprise” you should have contacted us in order to hear our opinion as well and in order to check the credibility of statements in this text.

Concerning the above mentioned text, we underline that this Ministry, based on the assessment from the field, dozens of inspection records, monthly and annual reports of the Cantonal Forestry Office found out about the illegal logging of around 30,000 m3 of wood mass from private and state woods. Based on these findings of illegal logging in the area of Hadžići Municipality in the year 2016, this Ministry started activities on changing forest guards with the goal of stopping illegal logging and other illegal actions in forests and on forest land. The area of Hadžići Municipality was supposed to be filled with diligent and distinguished forest guards from the area of Center Department (Municipalities of Vogošća, Stari Grad, Novi Grad and Center). Ilijaš and Trnovo departments were supposed to fill the area of Hadžići (for example the highway Krivoglavci-Vlakovo).

With the changing of guard regions we had an intention to record the state and volume of forest damage. However we could not realize this because of the appeals to the Civil Service Agency of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Decision on rearanging guards in new regions. This was done by individuals who did not want the evaluation of the state on the field. Because some of the forest guards failed to their job presribed in the Law on Woods of Canton Sarajevo'. That means, they did not do their job adequately, diligently and on time or they received disciplinary measures because of their negative marks based on negative records of forestry inspection, that is why they have been evaluated with negative marks for the years 2015 and 2016.

This Ministry will conduct disciplinary procedures, misdemeanor and even criminal charges against the employes of the Cantonal Forestry Office who fail to sanction those who commit illegal logging.

Concerning Almir Tanović, it is necessary to underline that he was Head of the Department for Hadžići area for a number of years until April 2017. He was the director supervisor to the employes against which the before mentioned investigative actions have been conducted. These employes have been suspended until the judicial proceedings are finalized. The new head of the West department according to the Rulebook on internal organization is M. Sc. Samir Fazlić.. The before mentioned rulebook presribes two Departments instead of four. This reorganization was conducted with the goal of better organization and efficiency of forestry guards. Concerning the fact that the investigation is still in process we think that the published text from anonymous authors and your comments on that text are hindering the investigation of competent authorities. We highlight the fact that you were oblidged to reveal the authors of this text.