Fadil Novalić

Novalić has 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. 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.

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. He is also facing money laundering charges by the same indictment.

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” 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.

On 13 July 2020, it was confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, amid its pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina; by 26 July, he recovered. On 25 August 2021, Novalić received his first dose of the Sinopharm BIBP COVID-19 vaccine.

Novalić has been a member of the Party of Democratic Action and also its Presidency since 2015.

He has been a member of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) since 2015, and has even before been the chairman of the Board of the Council for Economic and Financial Policy of the Party. Novalić has been a member of the SDA Presidency also since 2015. He has authored much of the SDA's economic programme.

In March 2015, Novalić was appointed by the SDA to head the government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, in coalition with the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH). He remained in office after the 2018 general election, since the formation of a new government has been blocked by the HDZ BiH.

Following the 2014 general election, Novalić was appointed Federal Prime Minister in 2015. He remained in office after the 2018 general election. As Federal Prime Minister, he has been one of the high ranking officials that has led Bosnia and Herzegovina's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In more recent time, Novalić has been involved in the "Ventilators affair" corruption scandal, regarding his alleged role in "illegal import" of medical ventilators.

Novalić is an entrepreneur and a mechanical engineer by profession. He is credited for reviving the automotive industry in his hometown of Gradačac after serving in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War. While Novalić was a soldier of the 107th Gradačac brigade during the war, he lost two fingers.

Novalić graduated from the University of Sarajevo in 1983. He then worked for a number of years in the company TMD "Gradačac Famos", going from constructor to director. Later he moved on to head the company TMD "Automotive Industry" ("Cimos" TMD). Novalić was dismissed from Cimos in 2013 for alleged abuse of powers. He also chaired the Association of Businessmen of Gradačac and hometown football club Zvijezda Gradačac.

Novalić graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sarajevo in 1983. He then worked for 17 years in the company TMD "Gradačac Famos", going from constructor to director. In 2000, he moved on to head the company TMD "Automotive Industry" ("Cimos" TMD). Novalić was dismissed from Cimos in 2013 for alleged abuse of powers, despite protests by employees in his support. He also founded at least seven other companies, including "Supfina". He was on the supervisory boards of the companies "Wagner - Automotive" and "Namještaj" d.d. Novalić also chaired the Association of Businessmen of Gradačac and football club Zvijezda Gradačac.

Fadil Novalić (born 25 September 1959) is a Bosnian politician serving as the 9th Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina since March 2015.