SIPA

High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina Valentin Inzko visited the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) for the first time and met the Director of the Agency, Goran Zubac.
Following a brief tour of premises of SIPA's main organisational units, the High Representative and SIPA Director discussed, among other things, priorities of the SIPA's work, results achieved in 2012 as well as the difficulties faced by the SIPA in its daily work.
In a statement given to the media after the meeting, the High Representative said that today's visit to SIPA is the first one of the visits planned to be carried out in February, aimed at providing support to the police agencies, prosecutor’s offices and courts as well as to law enforcement agencies whose task is fight against organised crime, corruption and terrorism as well as apprehension of war crime suspects.
„It is not permissible that some prosecutors do not conclude or start a case due to insufficient evidence, since SIPA works professionally and as such it should be the first to withdraw a case for not having enough evidence. After SIPA, the chain goes to the court and prosecutor's office, and that is why I will be visiting these institutions“, High Representative said.
 

High Representative Strongly
Supported SIPA
  High Representative Visited Premises of SIPA's Organisational Units

According to the High Representative, the SIPA is strongly supported by citizens wanting to live in a safe and peaceful environment, which is their greatest desire after economic security.
Inzko pointed out his support to SIPA's priorities of fighting organized crime, corruption, terrorism and apprehension of war crime suspects stating that there should be no compromises in fighting these threats being faced by B&H.
The High Representative also said that Director Zubac briefed him on Operation “Lutka” which is exactly that kind of multi-agency approach – involving police from the RS, Canton Sarajevo, and Brcko District - under the able leadership of SIPA - which he strongly supports.
Therefore, he pointed out that SIPA is a very important institution for which it is not important whether something happened on the territory of Republic of Srpska or some of federal cantons.
Director Zubac said to the media that SIPA will justify the expectations and that 2013 will be more successful than the previous year particularly emphasising that only major operations are mentioned in the public while SIPA currently has over 1200 cases of different intensity.
„The Operation „Lutka 2“ has started with the apprehension of one individual on 4 February, and this operation will be much more intensive and impressive than the Operation „Lutka“ carried out in 2012. Operation „Bos“will be also continued since after disruption of illegal import chain, over 36 million KM was collected in the B&H Budget only in a month. All these demonstrate SIPA's seriousness“, Zubac said.
He also added that SIPA has done a lot in relation to corruption-related cases whose epilogue will come this year.

 

Meeting was attended by the closest associates of the High representative and Director Zubac High Representative and Director Zubac
Statement to the Media
 

Click here for Statements of High Representative and SIPA Director