Edhem Bicakcic and Dragan Covic pleaded “not guilty”

At the plea hearing before the Section II for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Accused Edhem Bičakčić and Dragan Čović pleaded not guilty.

Edhem Bičakčić and Dragan Čović are charged with the continued criminal offence of Abuse of Office or Official Authority in violation of Article 358(3) of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH.

Bičakčić and Čović are charged that they, in the capacity of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Federation of BiH respectively, without the decision of the Government, on 18 January 1999 rendered and signed a decision on the allocation of funds from the 1999 Budget for housing issues. Under this decision, the amount of 3.2 million KM was allocated from the current reserves for resolving housing issues for the officials in the bodies of legislative, executive and judicial authorities.

Thereupon, on 20 January 1999, they allegedly rendered and signed a decision on the allocation of funds from the 2000 Budget for resolving housing issues, under which the amount of 4.6 million KM was allocated for the same purpose. It was on the basis of those decisions that apartments were purchased for several persons.