Sarajevo court rules withholding of tramway contract illegal

The Cantonal Court in Sarajevo has ruled that the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Transport acted illegally by withholding information regarding a tramway track reconstruction contract. The contract, valued at over 40 million BAM, involves Chinese companies China Shandong International Economics and Technical Cooperation Group Ltd. and China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group.

Transparency International had requested access to the contract and related bids in 2024. The Ministry had previously classified the agreement as secret in 2022, citing the interests of the contractors. However, the court determined that the Ministry failed to conduct the mandatory public interest test required by the Law on Freedom of Access to Information, prioritizing the contractors' privacy over the community's right to know.

Following this final ruling, the Ministry is now required to restart the procedure and issue a new decision that respects the court's legal interpretation.