Headlines
- A deadline for the registration for the process of privatisation in the RS extended for a month – additional registration points will be opened in the BiH Federation
- Final steps to stop TV Erotel’s broadcast begun this morning
- The BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic, denied responsibility for a decision on making up the deficit of the BiH “Narodna banka”
- Belgrade – Slobodan Milosevic opened the fourth Congress of the Serbian Socialist Party
- An agreement on heart operations for 120 most difficult cases reached with a foundation from Switzerland
- Topic of TV INFO: school system in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Banja Luka
The RS Government made a decision on the extension of the registration in the process of privatisation to March 21st. The decision was made because of a number of requests although it was estimated that approximately one million people would register by February 20th. The Director of the RS Privatisation Hub, Borislav Obradovic, said that an additional six registration points will be opened in the BiH Federation, and a number of mobile registration points in the RS. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Sanela Zivkovic.
Erotel
This morning, the Independent Media Commission, OHR and SFOR put into action the stopping of TV Erotel’s broadcast. Earlier, IMC tried to solve the issue of Erotel through two independent decisions. In the decision made on December 16th 1998, it was stressed that re-broadcast of the HRT programming without a license had to stop and the Federal TV would fulfil needs and rights of the Croats’ community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, Erotel refused to do that. IMC Spokesperson, Zinaida Babovic, said that today’s action which cut Erotel’s broadcast from the studio in Mostar was carried out by a team of IMC technicians, with a security back-up provided by SFOR on the Mihuljaca location, several kilometres on the North from the town of Mostar. Eleven transmitters were shut down, OBN reporter, Sanjin Beciragic, confirmed.
Sarajevo
A piece on the session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Federation Parliament. The 9th session of the House of Peoples was interrupted because Croat and Bosniak representatives were not able to agree on the agenda. Before that, the 8th session of the House of peoples ended. The proposal of the Government for economic measures for this year was returned to be further developed. The BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic, denied responsibility for a decision on making up the deficit of the BiH “Narodna banka”. Some 15 months ago, cantons from the BiH Federation made up the deficit but the decision for doing that was not approved by the cantons’ assemblies and because of that was illegal. OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic, produced the piece.
Banja Luka
An item on the visit of the UN Secretary General Special Envoy for the Balkans, Carl Bildt, to Banja Luka after his participation in the work table meeting of the Stability Pact in Sarajevo. The UN Special Envoy met with the BiH Presidency member, Zivko Radisic. After the meeting, Carl Bildt said that preservation of stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the RS was very important because of the possibility of impact of the current situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Tatjana Lajsic, produced the report.
World
In Belgrade, Slobodan Milosevic opened the fourth Congress of the Serbian Socialist Party. The opening ceremony was conducted under strong security measures. Some 60 foreign delegation will attend tomorrow’s inauguration of the new Croatian President, Stipe Mesic. The Acting Russian President, Vladimir Putin, appointed the Head of the Emigrant Department for his Special Envoy for Human Rights in Chechenya. This decision was made after the Human Rights Watch announced that there was more and more evidence that Russian troops have been molesting hundreds of Chechens in prison camps. This was followed by a piece on the visit of the UN Secretary General, Kofi Anann, to East Timor. OBN journalist, Zeljka Lekic, produced a report on current events in the world.
Mostar
A piece on the establishment of the BiH SDP party branch in the Mostar municipality “Jugozapad” with a mainly Croat population. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the BiH SDP party, Zlatko Lagumdzija, and the SDP Secretary General, Karlo Filipovic. A number of journalists attended the ceremony. Zlatko Lagumdzija said that it was obvious that the results of the elections in the Republic of Croatia were influencing the situation in BiH as well. The report was produced by OBN reporter from the area, Pejo Gasparevic.
Sarajevo
Representatives of the Slovenian stock market presented their experience in Sarajevo today. They stressed the importance of education of citizens and participants on the stock market, OBN reporter, Anes Alic, confirmed.
Banja Luka
The RS Government recently announced a hard fight against illegal trade. Some measures have already been taken. The Minister of Trade and Tourism of the RS Government, Nikola Kragulj, said that the priority was to insure the borders and then to provide monitoring of goods smuggled from the BiH Federation and the Republic of Croatia. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Darko Savic.
Mostar
A piece on the possibility for the return of employees from Mostar companies “Aluminij” and “Soko” to their jobs. The answer as to whether this would happen will be known in the next fifteen days after the representatives of the BiH Federation Ministry of Labour and Energy visit the companies, OBN reporter from the area, Dubravka Vojinovic, confirmed.
Sarajevo
An agreement on heart operations for 120 most difficult cases was reached between the Swiss Foundation for Development of Heart Surgery and the Clinical Center from Sarajevo. This is the result of the negotiations which lasted for several months. At the beginning, some 750 operations were planned, however this was not implemented. OBN reporter, Sevko Bajic, produced the report.
Sarajevo / Banja Luka – School System in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Four years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, BiH still does not have a common education program. The report on the current school system in BiH and political impacts was produced by OBN reporter from Sarajevo, Slobodan Maksimovic, and Milorad Milojevic from Banja Luka.
Sport
Reports on local and international football and NBA were presented.