Selmo Cikotic was convicted for having shown unfair favour to a Croatian company that was buying surplus weapons from Bosnia, without consulting the proper authorities, according to a court statement.

The former minister's actions took place from October 2009 to July 2011 and cost the state budget nearly five million euros ($5.5 million).

After serving as defence minister, Cikotic also headed Bosnia's security ministry from 2020 until January of this year.

Cikotic's lawyer said the former minister would appeal the court's ruling.

Last year, Bosnia ranked 110 out of the 180 countries surveyed on Transparency International's corruption perception index.