By: Slađan Tomić
At the beginning of April, the Infoveza portal published an investigation revealing that judicial police officer Ramel Šorlija had been undertaking construction work for years without proper qualifications, failing to issue receipts, and performing these jobs without the approval of the Director of the Judicial Police of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Šorlija allegedly deceived at least five citizens by charging for construction work that he either never completed or performed poorly. For many citizens, the police uniform that Šorlija often flaunted in conversations with customers was a sufficient guarantee. Ultimately, for some of them, it was an obstacle to speaking out publicly about their experiences.
Šorlija is purportedly the owner of the company “EM i AJ”, which offers “all construction works”, yet it does not appear in any accessible register of business entities. The business card that Officer Šorlija distributed to clients stated that he was the owner of this company. There is no evidence that the company exists, and if it does, Šorlija does not make any effort to conceal that he operates outside the law. The law is very clear: the activities Šorlija performs in the construction sector are incompatible with his official duties.
Article 74 of the Law on the Judicial Police of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina clearly states, “A Judicial Police officer cannot perform duties or engage in activities that are incompatible with his official duties”, and specifically cannot: “perform additional activities for compensation without the approval of the director”.
Šorlija does not have and has never had the director’s approval, as we reported in an earlier article, a fact now confirmed by the Director of the Judicial Police of FBiH, Dženad Grošo.
“The Judicial Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has no knowledge that Ramel Šorlija is engaged in construction work”, Grošo told Infoveza. This corroborates our previous claims that Šorlija has been unlawfully performing these jobs, thereby violating not only the Law on Judicial Police but also various fiscal laws and consumer protection regulations.
According to Article 74, Šorlija could perform work outside of his official duties, but in such a case, he would have to be more transparent, register the company, and operate legally. However, he never approached the Director of the Judicial Police with such a request.
“The Judicial Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has never issued a decision approving the performance of additional activities for the named individual, nor has Ramel Šorlija submitted a request for such”, stated the Director of the Judicial Police in FBiH in a response to Infoveza.
Attorney Emina Zahirović-Pintarić, commenting on the case for Infoveza, states that Šorlija’s activities are illegal.
“Given the lack of director’s approval for engaging in additional activities, the actions of the specific judicial police officer are illegal. This is not just a matter of an administrative offence but also a serious potential violation of the integrity and credibility of the judicial system. It is important that the competent institutions take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with the law and maintain the integrity of the judicial system”, says Zahirović-Pintarić.
As an attorney, Zahirović-Pintarić adds, she believes it is crucial to respect the legal regulations and standards governing the work of public officials, including judicial police officers.
“The incompatibility of additional activities with basic official duties exists for a reason—to avoid potential conflicts of interest, preserve the integrity and impartiality of the judicial system, and ensure public trust. Activities by a judicial police officer that contradict the law, especially without the approval of the competent authority, create serious ethical and legal dilemmas”, she adds in her statement to Infoveza.
She explains that it is essential for the competent institutions to take appropriate measures.
“This includes conducting investigations, applying disciplinary measures against the offenders, and strengthening the system of supervision and control to prevent similar cases in the future. Preserving the integrity of the judicial system is crucial for the rule of law and public trust in the judicial system”, Zahirović-Pintarić concludes.
Following previous reports by Infoveza, an internal investigation has been initiated against Ramel Šorlija.
