29 April 2013. A Bosnian court on Sunday ordered the arrest of President of the autonomous republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zivko Budimir and four other officials for 30 days on charges of corruption. It was alleged that he took bribes to pardon convicts. The court ordered his detention because of fear that he might flee the country to evade arrest and influence witnesses or destry evidence.
The police have seized documents relating to the work of the Federal Pardons Commission, computers, mobile phones, SIM cards, as well as several other items.
Bosniak-Croat Federation, predominantly Muslim and the Serb-run Republika Srpska make up Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the 1992-1995 war, U.S. intervention separated Bosnia into two autonomous regions. The two regions are however joined by a weak central government. Each of the two regions has its own president, government, parliament, police and other institutions.
In the meantime Budimir claimed that his arrest was politically motivated.
