Two police officials sacked for "anti-Dayton" activities

International High Representative (IHR) to Bosnia-Herzegovina Valentin Inzko has dismissed two Bosnian police officials for anti-Dayton activities. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) announced that these activities included threats to people under international protection. Two police officials sacked for "anti-Dayton" activities The duo in question are Himzo Djonko, police commissioner for the Hercegovacko-Neretvanski canton, and Radislav Jovicic, an official in the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA). Djonko is suspected of instructing other individuals to send physical threats to people under international protection, including OHR staff, in order to obstruct an investigation against him for abuse of office. The media claimed earlier that among those targeted was Deputy IHR Raffi Gregorian. Jovicic, working outside SIPA’s legal command chain, is believed to have used SIPA staff and funds to spy on international officials, the OHR and its staff. “In March, the Peace Implementation Council executive committee condemned activities and statements coming from actors in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which constitute a threat to OHR staff, and undermine the authority of the high representative and the Peace Implementation Council,“ a statement read. “Taking all this into account and the fact that all regular procedures in domestic institutions have been exhausted, the high representative has concluded that Djonko and Jovicic’s activities towards internationally protected individuals constituted a direct threat to the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, and hindered the efforts to establish the rule of law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was why they had to be dismissed,“ the statement concluded. Valentin Inzko, left (FoNet, archive)

Two police officials sacked for "anti-Dayton" activities

The duo in question are Himzo Đonko, police commissioner for the Hercegovačko-Neretvanski canton, and Radislav Jovičić, an official in the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).

Đonko is suspected of instructing other individuals to send physical threats to people under international protection, including OHR staff, in order to obstruct an investigation against him for abuse of office.

The media claimed earlier that among those targeted was Deputy IHR Raffi Gregorian.

Jovičić, working outside SIPA’s legal command chain, is believed to have used SIPA staff and funds to spy on international officials, the OHR and its staff.

“In March, the Peace Implementation Council executive committee condemned activities and statements coming from actors in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which constitute a threat to OHR staff, and undermine the authority of the high representative and the Peace Implementation Council,“ a statement read.

“Taking all this into account and the fact that all regular procedures in domestic institutions have been exhausted, the high representative has concluded that Đonko and Jovičić’s activities towards internationally protected individuals constituted a direct threat to the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, and hindered the efforts to establish the rule of law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was why they had to be dismissed,“ the statement concluded.