The Prosecutor’s Office of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) filed an indictment against Alija Denjagić, an independent deputy in the Brčko District Assembly, and Enida Osmanović Stevanović, the president of the citizens’ association Sjedinjene nacionalne manjine” (SNM) [United National Minorities] for abuse of office.

Denjagić is accused of abusing his official position from 2018 to 2021 to obtain a material benefit of more than BAM 32,000, thereby damaging the citizens’ association United National Minorities (SNM) and Brčko District.

According to the indictment, Osmanović-Stevanović abused her position to obtain material benefits for Denjagić and persons close to him by enabling them to use part of the grant funds allocated for the Association’s regular work for their personal needs.

Four years ago, CIN wrote about the misuse of public money in the awarding of grants in the Brčko District. It was discovered that deputies used grant money to buy votes in elections, and their friends from the association spent the money without any audit.

Reporters discovered that Denjagić distributed more than BAM 620 thousand to associations in two years. Using amendments to the budget he awarded grants to citizens’ associations, and then asked them to return part of the money to him.

Citizens Association SNM received BAM 151 thousand. This association was founded by his close friends, and his ex-wife also worked there. At that time, Denjagić did not want to talk to reporters about his connection with the Association.

After the release of the CIN story, the Brčko Basic Court sentenced Ćazim Dačaj, a former deputy of the Brčko District Assembly, to four years in prison for abusing his position in awarding grants to local citizens’ associations. His property worth 131 thousand BAM was confiscated.