Bosnian Foreign Minister's US lobbying contract under scrutiny

Elmedin Konaković Bosnian American Alliance FARA registry Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina lobbying scandal

The Bosnian American Alliance, a lobbying firm engaged by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković in March 2025, has submitted a report to the US Department of Justice. The report, filed on October 6, covers a six-month period ending April 30, 2026.

In the report, the Bosnian American Alliance stated that it received no funds and performed no activities on behalf of its foreign principal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This contradicts a contract signed on March 28, 2025, between Almas Šehić and Elmedin Konaković, which aimed to protect the territorial integrity and strategic interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina through professional consulting and lobbying in the US.

The contract originally stated that the services would cost the state nothing. However, the arrangement faced criticism because it lacked approval from the Council of Ministers, leading the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to open a case. While Konaković previously claimed he was ‘only joking’ regarding the official signing of the contract, US FARA registry documents identify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the client.