Bosnia minister arrested over corruption charges

Dec 26, 2024 -  Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Security Minister, Nenad Neshić, has been arrested in connection with a corruption investigation. The arrest, which also saw the detention of Milan Dakić, head of the public company “RS Roads,” and five others, follows allegations of criminal conspiracy, money laundering, abuse of office, and bribery.

The operation, led by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Directorate for Organized Crime of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republika Srpska, is a significant move in the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.

Neshić, 46, was appointed minister in January 2023 but served as the director of “RS Roads” from 2016 to 2020. The company, part of the Bosnian Serb entity, is responsible for the region's road construction and maintenance.

A prominent political figure, Neshić leads the Democratic People’s Union (DNS) party and is a close ally of Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska. His arrest comes amid increasing tensions between the Serb political leadership and the central judiciary, particularly in relation to Dodik's ongoing trial. Dodik, who has been sanctioned by the US over his separatist activities and alleged corruption, has been a dominant figure in the region for nearly two decades.