Bosnian Politician Nominated as Minister Despite Arrest

Bakir Dautbasic, a politician from the ruling Alliance for the Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBBBiH), was confirmed on Thursday as the party's candidate for the position of Minister of Transport and Communications despite having been arrested on Monday.

Dautbasic is currently in custody on remand after being arrested with his partner Bilsena Sahman on Monday by the State Investigation and Protection Agency, which deals with organised crime.

According to the prosecution, Dautbasic is suspected of having committed illegal activities by influencing the deposition of a Bosnian citizen, Azra Saric, during the trial of alleged drugs baron in Naser Kelmendi in Pristina.

He is accused of intervening to protect Kelmendi himself and Fahrudin Radoncic, a Bosnian tycoon and leader of the SBBBiH.

"Dautbasic told Saric not to mention Fahrudin Radoncic during her deposition," prosecutor Bozo Mihajlovic told Sarajevo-based website Klix.

Saric is the former girlfriend of a Sarajevo warlord, Ramiz Delalic (alias 'Celo'), who Naser Kelmendi is accused of killing.

Mihajlovic said that during a meeting at Sahman's house in Vogosca near Sarajevo, Saric was offered Radoncic's protection "as long as she doesn't connect Radoncic with Kelmendi", Klix reported.

The SBBBiH party however denied that Dautasic had interfered in the trial.

"Dautasic is innocent and he remains our candidate for the ministry position," the SBBBiH said in a statement.

Vasvija Vidovic, the lawyer defending Dautasic and Sahman, also denied the allegations and complained that the prosecution had revealed information about the case.

"I think this has nothing to do with criminal prosecution, and there is no reason to detain [Sahman and Dautbasic],...