2025-06-03
BANJA LUKA – Bosnia's Wood Barons investigation into illegal logging in that Balkan country has led to a legal case concerning press freedom and official accountability.
The Bosnia's Wood Baron's investigation into the forestry sector in Bosnia documented several instances of illegal logging involving both public forestry companies and private entities, frequently associated with the ruling elite. For this investigation the journalists received the Bosnian anti-corruption award by CRMA, for best reporting on corruption.
After the investigative articles came out, Šipovo Mayor Milan Kovač made a phone call to journalist Harun Dinarević, during which he reportedly used offensive and discriminatory language directed at Dinarević and his colleague Alena Beširević.
Following this, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Journalists Association expressed its support to journalists, and later filed a lawsuit against Kovač, accusing him of discrimination and intimidation against journalists. A court hearing have been on May 29 in Banja Luka court where Beširević provided testimony. At the hearing, Kovač accused the reporters of being politically motivated and claimed they had been paid by his rival — allegations Beširević denied in court.
The proceedings will continue with a further hearing scheduled for September. This case represents one of the first legal challenges by journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina against a public official for discriminatory conduct linked to their reporting. The outcome may have implications for press freedom and accountability in the region. The case is also expected to draw increased public and media attention, especially given Kovač’s central role in the investigation that sparked it all.
Photo (c) Jeanna Frank
