Fadil Novalić

Novalić stood up against the proliferation of small hydroelectric dams in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has some of the most biodiverse rivers in Europe.[6]

His stance - that clean rivers are more important than domestic electricity production - made him a notable figure in the world of environmental activism in 2020, when prominent American actor Leonardo DiCaprio referenced his call to action while urging the Federal Government to protect the most biodiverse rivers remaining in Europe himself.[7]

On 28 April 2023, after months of political deadlock in the formation of a new Federal Government, following the 2022 general election, Christian Schmidt intervened in his role of High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina by suspending the Constitution for twenty-four hours, with Social Democratic Party president Nermin Nikšić getting appointed as the new Prime Minister.[8] At the same time, Novalić refused to concede the power and continues contesting his forceable deposing as "illegal and unconstitutional."[9]

Novalić stirred controversy after announcing the results of his government's success at reviving the Federal defense industry, among which was the increased range of Bosnian grenades.[10] Bakir Izetbegović, the president of the SDA which appointed Novalić, doubled down on the confidence asserting that weapons production will continue, both to increase exports and for the "God forbid, it comes to it" scenario of another aggression and attempted genocide.[11] Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik accused the Federation of “illegal weapon production” after these events.[12]

Novalić was detained for questioning and then arrested on 28 May 2020, for his alleged role in "illegal import" of medical ventilators by "FH Srebrena malina", a raspberry processing firm recruited for that purpose by the Federal Department of Civil Protection.[13] He is also facing money laundering charges by the same indictment.[14] 100 ventilators were acquired from a Chinese company at a price of 10.5 million KM. Although the acquisition happened at a time of heightened demand, a period during which “a global battle to acquire ventilators”[15] was underway, it was painted as problematic by media outlets critical of Novalić's party. Articles by news portals were the basis for the indictment, as confirmed by the head of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gordana Tadić, in an interview given on Face TV in May 2020.[16]

Also arrested alongside Novalić were the Federal Minister of Finance Jelka Miličević, the suspended Director of the Federal Department for Civilian Protection Fahrudin Solak, and the CEO and co-owner of the "FH Srebrena malina", Fikret Hodžić. The indictment of Milićević was separated from the indictment of the others accused.[17] On 5 April 2023, Novalić was found guilty by the first-instance court and received a four-year sentence, while Hodžić got five and Solak six-year sentences.[18]