High Judicial Council faces EU pressure over asset scrutiny in Bosnia

The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (VSTV) in Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing scrutiny over its refusal to review the assets of a former judge, Jovanka Jovanović, and her husband, Janko. This follows reports from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN) alleging that the couple acquired 13 properties in Doboj, Herceg Novi, and Belgrade, totaling approximately 720,000 KM, alongside a Swiss bank account once valued at nearly 3 million KM.

While the European Union has provided financial support to implement mandatory asset reporting for judges and prosecutors as a tool against corruption and a requirement for EU accession, the VSTV has faced criticism for hindering these processes. The Council recently modified regulations regarding external experts who oversee data verification, a move that led the EU to threaten a cessation of funding and warn of risks to Bosnia and Herzegovina's European integration path.