Delays in EU Funding Risk Prosecutors’ Jobs, State Prosecution Warns

The Bosnian state prosecution said the salaries of 22 employees, namely five prosecutors and 17 expert associates, were at risk due to the suspension of funds by the European Union. The funds are distributed through an IPA project for processing war crimes.

“Although financing from the IPA project was suspended late last year, the chief prosecutor has managed to save some resources by spending IPA funds rationally, so salaries for January and February, as well as a portion of salaries for March, have been paid to these employees. Unfortunately, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is unable to ensure the further financing of these salaries from its own budget,” the state prosecution said in a public statement.

The statement also says certain prosecutors’ offices and courts have already begun laying off expert associates who were employed through the IPA project.

In March, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council announced that the EU had suspended IPA resources, because the judicial sector reform strategy for 2014-2018 had not been adopted.

“The failure to fulfill the conditions for the payment of the second instalment jeopardizes the continued processing of war crime cases, considering the fact that judicial institutions are unable to pay the salaries of employees working for the project and ensure other material resources,” the council said.

In 2012 and 2013 the EU allocated 14.8 million euros as part of the IPA project, directly supporting courts and prosecution offices.

Sixteen prosecutors’ offices and six courts were beneficiaries of the budgetary support. A total of 20 prosecutors and seven judges, as well as 115 expert counselors, associates and administrative and technical staff were recruited in 2014, in order to deal with war crimes cases.