SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — A Bosnian court on Monday sentenced the Balkan country’s former security minister to six months in prison for corruption.
The Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday ruled that Sadik Ahmetovic abused his position for illegal financial gains at cost to the state budget.
The case is related to project agreements for the ministry from 2011 and 2012 that were worth some 7,000 euros ($8,500.)
Ahmetovic says he will appeal the verdict that he described as a political ploy against him. He called on the prosecutors to turn to “big crime” in Bosnia, which is among the most corrupt states in Europe.
“Those who ordered all this cannot frighten me,” he said. “We shall see what the institutions will say, I believe in justice in this country.”
Ethnically divided following a devastating war in 1992-95, Bosnia remains politically and economically weak, with widespread corruption and frail institutions.
The country of 3.3 million is seeking entry into the European Union but the reform process has been largely stalled and slow.
