Mladen Ivankovic-Lijanovic

Members of the People's Party Work for Progress in Bosnia have criticised the detention earlier this week of their party's two leaders, saying they suspect political influences were at work.

Jerko Ivankovic-Lijanovic and Milorad Bahilj, Agriculture and Trade ministers in the Federation entity government, were among 11 persons arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of tax evasion and fraud.

Aside from Jerko Ivankovic-Lijanovic, his brother, Mladen, a lawmaker in Bosnia's state-level House of Representatives, and other members of the family were also arrested.