In early April 2026, the Zenica Municipal Court handed a first-instance verdict sentencing Katica Jozak-Mađar, the former president of the Cantonal Court in Novi Travnik, to one year in prison for abuse of office and authority.
The indictment was filed in October 2024 by the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, which accuses her of misusing her official position in relation to the hiring and promotion of three employees within the judicial institution she headed.
Her defence lawyer, Nada Dalipagić, told CIN reporters that an appeal against the ruling will be lodged with the Cantonal Court in Zenica.
According to the indictment, in November 2012 Jozak-Mađar hired two expert associates without conducting a public competition for civil service recruitment. They were initially employed on two-year contracts, after which their employment was repeatedly extended at their request, again without any competitive selection procedure.
Also, in February 2013, she promoted a civil servant to a managerial position without holding a public competition, despite the fact that he did not meet the required condition of four years of relevant work experience. She appointed him as Head of the Information and Communication Technology Department.
Jozak-Mađar served as President of the Cantonal Court in Novi Travnik from 2004 until 2023, when she was succeeded by Judge Davor Kelava.
Following the decision of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina not to grant her a new mandate, she reportedly caused a scene, shouting that she was the best candidate for the position. Due to conduct deemed inappropriate for a judicial office holder, as well as other professional misconduct, including issues related to the aforementioned employment practices within the court, Jozak-Mađar was also subject to disciplinary proceedings in 2025, in which she was sanctioned with a 50 per cent reduction in salary for a period of six months.
After a further check requested by CIN, the HJPC confirmed on 4 May 2026 that the case had been closed due to the statute of limitations.
In May 2011, the HJPC imposed a 30 per cent salary reduction for a period of one year on Judge Katica Jozak-Mađar over an offence dating back to April 2009. The decision was made public via the HJPC’s website. The judge subsequently challenged the ruling before the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which quashed the decision and remitted the case for reconsideration. In December 2013, the HJPC issued a final ruling discontinuing the proceedings because the statutory time limit for conducting disciplinary action had expired.
