August 2025, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Just a few meters from the UNODC office in Sarajevo, the conversation takes place in Hotel Walter, once confiscated in a money laundering and organized crime case. In the apt location, UNODC is meeting with the newly appointed team of prosecutors in charge of handling the most complex cases of organized crime, white collar crime and corruption.
UNODC has been providing support to BiH institutions in creating a comprehensive response to corruption and serious and organized crime. Both the BiH Anti-Corruption Strategy and BiH Organized Crime Strategy, developed with UNODC support, foresaw the creation of the Special Department of the Prosecutors Office for Combatting Organized Crime, Corruption and Inter-Cantonal Crime in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). Its local abbreviation, POSKOK, means “viper”, the most venomous snake in the country. The name itself carries strong symbolism – fast, precise and efficient, just as the department aims to be against perpetrators of corruption and organized crime.
In less than 5 months of operation, POSKOK has taken on more than 700 complex cases from the cantonal prosecutors’ offices, prioritizing those involving public officials and large sums of illicit funds. Hrvoje Cabrajic, Head Prosecutor at POSKOK, emphasizes the ambition of the Special Department: “The vision is for POSKOK to serve as a systemic solution in the fight against corruption, setting a standard for effectiveness, transparency, and justice. What makes POSKOK special is not just the mandate, but the people behind it. The prosecutors in this department are truly dedicated to justice – they are professionals with years of experience working on the most demanding cases of corruption, organized crime and illicit financial flows.”
Prosecutor Samir Selimović, who has been handling complex financial crime cases in the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office for decades, emphasizes: “In these types of cases, it is crucial to confiscate the financial gains obtained through criminal activities, which are often enormous, and return them to society. My motivation comes from the belief that the truth must be uncovered, and justice must be served, regardless of power or position.”
Established within a set of anti-corruption laws in the FBiH, additional institutions form the backbone of the fight against illicit financial flows. The Federal Seized Property Management Agency was the first to begin operations - building the infrastructure and capacities to support POSKOK and ensuring that seized assets are properly managed, safeguarded, and returned. Director Emir Bašić explains: “The number of convictions with financial investigations has increased by more than 56% compared to previous year, thanks to our joint efforts with prosecutors and the police. This clearly shows that crime can no longer enjoy the fruits of illegally acquired gains. Seized assets are returned to society for public benefit – Hotel Walter is a great example. It provides accommodation for refugees from Ukraine, with more than 13,600 overnight stays so far.”
To manage the high workload ahead, POSKOK will be strengthening its workforce and is awaiting the arrival of additional staff, prosecutors and experts. UNODC is also providing support through a designated UNV Expert, tasked to enhance financial investigations and asset seizure for upcoming cases. Despite the workload, the team is driven by the importance of its work and is confident that it will shape the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s judicial response to corruption and organized crime. "Citizens need to see results," says prosecutor Cabrajic. "Only then can we restore trust in institutions." Justice, after all, is not a privilege, it is a right for everyone.
Vijest preuzeta sa: https://www.unodc.org/
