Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 28 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) |
| BiH, FBiH HoR in session | BiH HoR in session |
| Ivanic wants early elections | Paunovic pleads not guilty |
| Republican Institute on CRO parties | World news |
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Rupel met BIH Presidency members | | No support for SDS |
| Rupel meets Ivanic | SDS to submit complaint against HR | OHR on audit reports in RS |
| | OHR on SDS’s complaints | Feature on young people leaving BiH |
| FBIH HoR session | Rupel visited BiH | Electronic visa control system |
TV news broadcast on 27 September
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Earthquake in BiH | FBiH HoR in session | Earthquake hits |
| Case of village Zlokuce | No support for SDS | |
| HR on SDS case | Dimitrij Rupel in visit to BiH | Brod refinery employees on strike |
| No support for SDS | Students boycott school in Zepce | RS NA session on Wednesday |
| Oslobodjenje | HR financially destroyed SDS |
| Dnevni Avaz | Crnkic signed order for pay out of disability pensions |
| Dnevni List | Two-year postponement of negotiations!? (Rupel in BiH) |
| Vecernji List | Five presidential salaries for one managerial (on salaries in BiH) |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Medjugorje becomes municipality! |
| Glas Srpske | NATO can, if it wants |
| Nezavisne Novine | Minister Matijasevic is eavesdropping on President Cavic |
| Blic | Features |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features |
| Srpski Nacional | Features |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| BiH HoR in session, delegates to discus VAT and defence laws
| BH Radio 1 Jasenko Krehic, RHB – BiH House of Representatives has commenced the session in |
| FBiH HoR in session
| BH Radio 1 Ljiljana Radl , RHB – FBiH House of Representatives has harmonized the Law on the right of war medal recipients, which was previously adopted by both FBiH Parliamentary Houses in different texts. At the FBiH HoR session being held in |
| RSNA discusses education
| BH Radiio 1 – RS National Assembly at the session being held in |
| Paunovic pleads not guilty before BiH WCC | Dragoje Paunovic, accused of the war crimes committed in Rogatica region, has pleaded not guilty to the charges of indictment before the BiH War Crimes Chamber. |
| CRO opposition parties can topple HDZ – Republican Institute
| RHB – According to an opinion poll conducted by the American Republican institute, a unified Croat opposition would be able to replace the ruling HDZ in west Herzegovina. Apparently, 62% of citizens in the West-Herzegovina Canton believe that the Croat opposition should win in the next elections. VL notes that this mood is recorded in the area with the absolute Croat majority, however in other cantons that used to have special status and where there are (national) tensions, HDZ still enjoys the support, albeit a slim one (40% for HDZ, 37% for unified Croat opposition). |
Political developments/Reforms | |
| Oslobodjenje: HR financially destroyed SDS
| Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘HR financially destroyed SDS ‘ – SDS has announced rising of lawsuits against High Representative Paddy Ashdown, in Pink, BHT, FTV, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Lawsuit against High Representative announced’, by Zvonimir Jukic, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘SDS will sue Ashdown’, by Branka Stevandic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 14 ‘SDS will sue Ashdown’, by H also report on SDS Presidency conclusions. |
| DA on possible sanctions against RS
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Holding extraordinary elections in RS also possible’, mentioned on cover, by S. Numanovic – DA carries that the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, stated in an interview to Hayat TV that if SDS blocs the work of the BiH Council of Ministers than extraordinary elections are also possible, and DA adds that they would be held in the RS, or at the source of obstructions. DA adds that the International Community fears that this kind of measure would increase the SDS rating thus increase their chances to win those early elections. However, as article reads, in reality the SDS suffers of the burden of crimes committed and the silence of other parties indicate that SDS is more alone then it was the case at the end of last year. DA learns that a group of Ambassadors were in Pale on Tuesday where they communicated the message to RS authorities that there is no alternative to reforms and to stop behaving as Slobodan Milosevic – being stubborn, rejecting all and than accepting much more than originally requested. |
| Hayat interview with HR Ashdown: Early elections realistic solution
| Hayat Adnan Rondic– Speaking for NTV Hayat about SDS’s Presidency session and police reform, High Representative Paddy Ashdown stated that early elections seem to be realistic solution for the situation that BiH is in. HR stated that RS Government can survive only with accordance of SDS, due to which they need to be treated equally. “We can’t allow a single party and Entity to destroy the future of the entire country. They got themselves into this situation, and they are in it because they believe that great Europe will change its stances to enable small BiH to become its part”- stated HR. HR added that this is a dangerous illusion, stressing that EC will not change stances on police reform. “If they have new proposals to put forward that is good, if they don’t their existing proposals don’t interest anyone. If they have new proposals they should offer them till Friday, because meeting in |
| OHR: Individuals from SDS bear responsibility
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘OHR: Individuals from SDS bear responsibility’ – OHR will not speculate on SDS action but when a governing party chooses not to participate in government than early elections may follow. To the OHR’s view this would not abrogate the SDS’s responsibility to comply with HR Decisions. The HR will continue with his policy of zero tolerance, targeting those individuals responsible for this obstruction, corruption and misappropriation of funds; that means the SDS, not the RS as a whole. |
| OHR: SDS itself responsible for financial collapse
| RHB, Pink, FTV, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘SDS itself responsible for financial collapse’ – Regarding the Monday’s session of SDS’s Presidency and conclusions made on it, OHR has reacted. At a press conference in |
| British Ambassador Rycroft reiterates Bukejlovic, Matijasevic, Cenic to be held responsible for police reform
| |
| Political parties comment on SDS Presidency’ conclusions
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘OHR: Early elections are possible’ by M. Cubro – apart from carrying OHR’s statement, the article quotes SDS’s Mladen Bosic as saying SDA and Party for BiH had refused to support SDS’s demand for OHR to stop with pressures against this party over failure of police reform talks and he added: ‘Should we not get a support of the parliamentary majority parties, we will withdraw from the authorities’. SDA’s Adil Osmanovic said SDA will not support SDS but will support stances of the international community. HDZ refused to comment on the situation, saying they will wait for a day or two to see how the situation would develop before giving any statements. PDP’s Mladen Ivanic said this party’s Ministers at CoM are in a technical mandate, therefore it would not be appropriate if they commented on SDS’s demands for a support. Party for BiH’s Safet Halilovic says SDS must suffer consequences for obstructing the reforms. HoR Chairman Nikola Spiric said withdrawal of SDS from the parliamentary majority would represent decomposition of the parliamentary majority. CoM Deputy Chairman Barisa Colak says it is too early to talk about decomposition of CoM, however, should there be no parliamentary majority, the CoM in this composition will cease to exist. Inset ‘ SDS was helping war crimes indictees’ According to Inset ‘SDS aided war crime suspects’, PDHR Lawrence Butler has stated SDS funds were used to support war crimes indictees and network supporting them. Asked to comment on the announced SDS’s lawsuit against HR Paddy Ashdown, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘They are responsible themselves’ – carries Oleg Milisic’s statement. EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Support or assault against CoM’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – apart from carrying SDS Presidency’ press release, it carries comments of Ivanic and Osmanovic (see above), and Jelina Djurkovic, PDP delegate at the BiH Parliament, saying that SDS should have supported PDP a long time ago “when support for launching issue of responsibility of Terzic was demanded”. |
| RS political officials share the view nobody should ban political activities
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘The target are police’ by D. Momic – SRS’s Milanko Mihajlica thinks it is very important for all RS political representatives to be united in condemnation of pressures exerted on SDS and he added the main goal of the pressures is to force Serbs to accept the police reform ‘as in accordance with the model developed in Adnan Terzic’s office, which was approved by the High Representative’. DNS’s Marko Pavic shares a similar view and says no person has the right to ban the work to an individual or political party and he assessed the HR’s latest measures as inappropriate. SNSD’s Nebojsa Radmanovic says the party opposes any kind of a ban on political activities. A professor from Banja Luka, Predrag Gugo Lazarevic, blames SDS and its leaders for what they are going through and he added he hopes leading SDS politicians would ‘wake up and start defending interests of Serb people’. Inset ‘Ivanic’ – PDP’s Mladen Ivanic refused to comment on stances of OHR and IC towards SDS. |
| DA: HDZ’s Colak, Party for BiH’s Halilovic, SDA’s Tihic on SDS appeal
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Stoppage in reforms should be suitable to no one’ – The BiH minister of security and a HDZ official, Barisa Colak, told SRNA that all parties constituting the parliamentary majority should “sit down and try to find a way out of the situation BiH finds itself in.” Commenting on announcements that the SDS could deny support to the BiH Council of Ministers, Colak said that it would not be good if any party takes a move without the agreement of the other parties constituting the parliamentary majority. “I don’t think that anyone should profit if a great halt in reforms and a halt in BiH’s accession to Euro-Atlantic integration should occur,” said Colak. The president of the Party for BiH, Safet Halilovic, said on Tuesday regarding the SDS call for support in condemning the political retaliation against this party that “every political option should face good or bad consequences in accordance with its deeds and contribution to reforms.” “Solidarity and support should be sought in programme of reforms and solutions, and not in confrontation with the IC,” Halilovic told SRNA. SDA leader Sulejman Tihic said that HR had right to control political parties financial operations. |
| PDHR
| RHB, Pink, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘I hope SDS will not waste yours and our time’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘This is a key week for BiH’, Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘ |
| BHT on SDS request for support
| BHT Zoran Sarenac – Political parties which form the parliament majority didn’t give their support to SDS. Previously, SDS President Dragan Cavic had asked the major political parties to support SDS and help protect the integrity of this party from measures of the international community. Cavic threatened that otherwise, SDS would leave the parliament majority and start the procedure of voting on trust to BiH Council of Ministers. Commenting Cavic’s statements, President of SDA party Sulejman Tihic stated that he doesn’t understand what kind of support SDS expects. According to Tihic, SDS can’t expect any support when it comes to avoiding the requests of High Representative regarding the implementation of reforms. Barisa Colak from HDZ stated that it is necessary to sit together and find the solution that would be the best for BiH. As reporter commented, PDP leader Mladen Ivanic didn’t forget the mild reaction of SDS when PDP ministers in BiH CoM had tendered their resignations. Ivanic stated that he doesn’t understand the relations between Cavic and HR, which vary from support to total rejection. Commenting the possible new crisis of BiH CoM, Ivanic said that parties which constitute the CoM already have plenty of reasons to sit together and overcome the agony of CoM. SDS Presidency met on Monday. During this session, the conflicts within SDS party came to surface, when Cavic accused RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic and RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic of wiretapping and spying on him. Hayat, FTV, RTRS also carried the reactions by BiH politicians on SDS Presidency conclusions. |
| Cavic accused Matijasevic of having eavesdropped him
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘Minister Matijasevic is eavesdropping on President Cavic’ and pg 3 ‘Matijasevic is eavesdropping on Cavic’ by V. Popovic – SDS President Dragan Cavic on Monday during SDS Presidency session accused RS PM Pero Bukejlovic of unauthorized eavesdropping of him (Cavic) by RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic. Bukejlovic replied he had stopped Matijasevic as soon as he found out about this, by which he indirectly admitted the accusation was true. Daily notes that in accordance with the RS Law on Criminal Procedure, only a judge, upon a suggestion of a prosecutor, is authorized to approve eavesdropping. In Cavic’s case, according to the article, this procedure was not followed, resulting in an illegal eavesdropping. Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘We are not eavesdropping President’ by V.J. – Zoran Glusac, Head of Darko Matiajsevic’s Cabinet, Tuesday night denied news published by some media that Matiajsevic was eavesdropping on President Cavic, adding: “It makes no sense. Minister Matiajsevic cannot order eavesdropping. A procedure stipulating this by the Law exist.” |
| Dodik: BiH should be organized as federation with three units or – separation
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 “BiH should be organized as federation with three units or – separation” by Srna – SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated in the RTRS current affairs program ‘Crvna linija’ broadcast on Tuesday that there are only two solution for BiH’s constitutional solution – for it to be organized as the Federation consisting of three units “or separation.” He stressed SNSD is not ready to endorse European path for BiH if that includes abolishment of RS and its institutions. When it comes to police reform, Dodik deems that RS should hold on to its police authorities and reject reform if the future police organization at the BiH level doesn’t “include organizational unit called RS police”. SNSD leader also proposed holding extraordinary elections in RS next year, and advocated for removal of the BiH Council of Ministers and its Chair, Adnan Terzic. |
| HNZ: DPA should be declared a failure
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘ |
|
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Democracy under the feet’ – Richard Copland, Professor at the Oxford Department for International Relations, Tuesday assessed that the international mission in BiH may be the best illustration of claim that “foreign administrations are far more successful in maintaining peace than in establishment of sustainable state.” In an interview to BBC Radio, he said that the powers of the First man of the international administration have often become “an alibi” for local politicians, since they let hard-decision making-process to another man, since they would lose support of electorate over any decision they would reach. He also said that the institution in charge of promotion of democracy, such as High Representative, accepts undemocratic means since it does not give accounting to BiH peoples, but instead EU, UN and Contact Group. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on SDS
| Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 9 ‘SDS’ by Senka Kurtovic – Writing about latest call of SDS onto other political parties, the author concludes that SDS is actually banning SDS, raising the issue as to whether latest HR’s decision would make it possible. She responds: “Indeed it is possible. The issue is whether SDS leading officials want to work in line with the Law or to make a victim of SDS, which is sacrificing itself in the name of Serb people. The people from whom it has been stealing money with no mercy and placed it in its pockets.” |
| DL on HR’s measures against SDS
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Got a mark?’, by Marko Karacic – Comments on the announcement by the SDS that it would sue the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, since the party is complaining that it cannot function without money. Karacic notices that the SDS needed only few days to realize how it is to live without money, something that they did not pay attention to when it comes to pensioners and workers that are not getting paid. The author does not spare the HR either, criticizing him for trying to make amends only now “after the damage he caused to this country in last few years”. “A disgrace”, concludes Karacic. |
| US’ McElhaney: This country cannot have two interior ministries
| RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘McElhaney: This country cannot have two interior ministries’, Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘BiH is welcome to NATO’ by D.Muminovic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Two locks to Brussels’ by S.S., EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘To reform police, all indictees to The Hague’ by SRNA – Round table NATO – advantages and challenges was held on Tuesday in Pale. US, Canadian, Dutch and Macedonian Ambassadors in BIH stated at the occasion that police reform in accordance with EU principles as well as arrest of ICTY indictees are crucial conditions that BIH must meet if it wants to join NATO. Participants of the round table agreed that the security NATO offers might give guarantees for foreign investments and economic progress in BIH. US Ambassador Douglas McElhaney stated that since BIH cannot have 2 Defense Ministries the country could not have 2 Ministries of Interior as well. He added that he firmly believes that BIH needs a membership in NATO. |
|
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Do not adopt amendments to law on defence’, by F – The BiH Joint Commission for Defence and Security Policy should be discussing the proposal of the BiH defence law and the proposal of the law on service in the BiH armed forces proponent of which was the BiH Council of Ministers. BiH Defence Reform Commission Co-chair Raffi Gregorian told FENA that the adoption of these laws was of vital importance for the future of BiH. According to him this is a very important step towards membership in NATO. |
| OSCE Chairman in Office Rupel visits BiH
| RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Blockage would be disastrous for BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Two-year postponement of negotiations!?’, by I. Glibusic, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Dimitrij Rupel visiting BiH’, by F, Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Issue of police reform should be re-examined’ by M.Cubro – BIH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic stated after the meeting with OSCE Chairman in Office and Slovenian Foreign Affairs Minister Dimitrij Rupel in Sarajevo on Tuesday that unless BIH starts negotiations with EU within the next 3 months new opportunity would not come in next year and a half or two years. Ivanic stressed that it is necessary to reach an agreement on police reform as soon as possible. Rupel stated that he suggested to Ivanic that police reform in BIH needs to be reconsidered once again since other countries will not wait BIH to joint EU forever. In the course of the day Rupel also met with members of the BiH Presidency. The officials exchanged views on the current political situation in BiH, the role of international institutions in BiH, as well as the assistance of the OSCE Mission in the implementation of reforms and accession of BiH to Euro-Atlantic structures. They expressed confidence that the remaining reforms in BIH would be successfully completed and ensure the progress of BiH towards membership in the EU and NATO. Rupel informed members of the BiH Presidency that OSCE would organise a conference on the Dayton Agreement in |
| BiH Foreign Minister Ivanic on his police reform proposal
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘CoM is meeting formally’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Ivanic: I was being dodged at UN by instruction from Sarajevo’, by Mensud Zorlak, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘I have a solution for police reform’ by M.C., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Concealings from Sarajevo’ by N.Z. – BiH Foreign Minister and president of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) Mladen Ivanic has announced a fresh initiative for police reform in our country. Upon his return from New York, Ivanic told a press conference that if the talks on stabilization and association with the European Union did not open by the end of the year Bosnia-Hercegovina would have to wait for at least one and-a-half to two years for another opportunity, adding that it was therefore necessary to reach agreement on police reform as soon as possible. Ivanic also said that the visit of the Bosnia-Hercegovina delegation to |
Economic/Social Affairs/Audits | |
| PDHR Butler meets RS Chief Auditor Ceko
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Audit reports look like horror stories’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, announced on cover ‘Removals at RS Elektroprivreda” and “Sume RS” to follow’ by P.Klincov, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Removals to follow audit’ by D.Vrhovac-Mihajlovic, EuroBlic RSpg 5 ‘Butler: Government should remove those responsible’, announced on cover ‘OHR in favour of removals of officials of public companies’ by Mirna Soja – PDHR Lawrence Butler has met with RS Chief Auditor Bosko Ceko in Banja Luka, after which PDHR stated that RS Government bares full responsibility for multimillion damages which, according to audit reports were made in RS Telecom, RS “Elektroprivreda“ and in “Srpske Sume“. PDHR Butler expressed full OHR’s support to RS Audit Office and stressed that RS Government will face sanctions if doesn’t undertake suitable corrective measures. Describing audit reports as horror movies, PDHR stated that OHR expect RS Government to undertake five measures till the end of the year: to dismiss all liable/responsible people in these three companies, to reduce number of lumber camps/forestry sub-companies from 42 to 20, to perform centralization of the account of “Srpske Sume” and to ban lumber camps to have their own accounts and that RS Government applies highest standards in appointment of Directors. “It is clear that then they have to submit their message to the Prosecution, to get support and encourage them to undertake investigations”, stated PDHR Butler. |
| RS Minister Gligoric on audit in Elektroprivreda
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Urgent discussion on report about business operations of Elektroprivreda of RS’, by NINA, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘To conclude suspcions’ by G.D., Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Gligoric: Report on business dealings of ERS urgently before Government’ – Miladin Gligoric, RS Minister of Energy and development, will demand that the Audit Report on business dealings at ERS (RS Elektroprivreda) is included into agenda of RS Government session asap, and after that before RS NA Board in charge of the issue. According to press release Tuesday issued by the RS Government for Public Affairs, Gliugoric assessed that urgent consideration of the Report is of extreme significance owing to importance ERS has as one of strategic resources and also owing to arbitrary interpretations present in public in relation with this Report. After Report is discussed at the highest institutions of RS, Gligoric has announced he would insist on implementation of auditor’s recommendations. |
| Terzic held meetings in
| Oslobodjenje pg 3, announced on cover ‘Support to project and promotion of 5C corridor’ – Adnan Terzic, BiH COM Chair, during his visit to Washington, met with President of the EBRD, Jean Paul Lemiet, and President of the Islamic Development Bank, Ahmed Muhamed Achi. Both meetings discussed realization of 5C corridor as strategic development project of BiH. Terzic informed his collocutors that the Feasibility study is in final phase, as well as preparations for the international conference on 17 November in Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘A vast interest for construction of 5C corridor’, announced on cover ‘Redman is coming to Sarajevo because of 5C corridor’ by S.Numanovic – Reporting on Terzic’ meetings in Washington and London, daily also carries Terzic’s statement that Bechtel Ltd. Would like to realize this project, through search after the best solution that might be used as a model for the entire region. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Conference on corridor’ by N.N. also covered the issue. |
| FBiH HoR session: Health Care, Veterans Issues Ministers appointed
| RHB, BHT, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Appointments of Crnkic, Mandic confirmed’, Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Minister Crnkic announces payments of pensions to invalids’, by Ivica Glibusic, Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Government again complete as of yesterday’, by Eldina Medunjanin – FBIH House of Representatives held its session in Sarajevo on Tuesday. FBIH HoR deputies haven’t made a stance towards the report of FBIH Employment Bureau, changes to the law on FBIH government service as well as changes to the law on forests. Candidate for the judge in FBIH Constitutional Court Redzid Begic didn’t receive enough votes for the appointment. Zahid Crnkic has been appointed as the FBiH Veterans’ Minister and Vjekoslav Mandic as the FBiH Health Minister. |
| New FBiH Veterans Minister says priority is the budget for next year
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 4 ‘Crnkic signed order for pay out of disability pensions’ by M.K. – H.I. – Newly appointed FBiH Minister for Veterans issues Zahid Crnkic told DA that his priority will be to sign the order for pay out of the disability pensions to the veterans. Talking about the priorities of his work, Crnkic added that first he will start working on the projects for the next year’s budget in order to ensure the veterans’ benefits are not decreased anymore, and that the law on recipients of war medals is adopted. |
| VL: Salaries in telecommunication sector in BiH are biggest
| Vecernji List, front pg splash and pgs 4-5 ‘Five presidential salaries for one managerial’, by Zdenko Jurilj – Carries a feature on the issue of salaries in public companies in BiH, underlining that salaries of executives in the telecommunication sector are highest in BiH. According to VL, the CEO of ‘BH Telekom’, Hamdo Katica, gets some 8.000 KMs a month, whilst his colleagues in the ‘Telekom Srpske’, Dr. Slavisa Krunic, and in the ‘HT Mostar’, Stipe Prlic get 6.500 and 5.000 KMs respectively. As a comparison, VL says that members of the BiH Council of Ministers and top judges and prosecutors (domestic ones) in BiH make about 4.000 KMs a month (including all benefits). |
Crime/Security/Legal Proceedings | |
| Former Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to BiH claims NATO could have arrested Karadzic/Mladic if it wanted
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘NATO can, if it wants’ by Tanjug, Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Search after Karadzic has already cost US $ 16 million’ by RFE – William Stuebner, formerly Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, said in a statement to Radio Free Europe in Prague that the international community is not too much interested in arresting Radovan Karadzic, regardless of official announcements and stances. He said that NATO could have arrested Karadzic, if it wanted. Stuebner, who was in BiH after the war, stated that Karadzic at that time had thought about surrendering, but he had given up on it after realizing that America and France are not too much interested in his departure to The Hague. He also said that the arrest of Ratko Mladic, whom he had met once, might be far more complicated, since “very dangerous people are protecting him”. He also expressed disbelief that Karadzic would fight to the last breath if action of apprehension takes place, but instead, he would surrender, noting that nobody is doing nothing ten years after the war to apprehend him. Asked to comment on claims that Richard Holbrooke reached an agreement with Karadzic, Stuebner said: “One participant of international conference for BiH in Dayton told me conviction exists agreement has been reached with Karadzic and Mladic to withdraw in an exchange for dropping of charges against them, since it was regarded of crucial importance for the peace in BiH.” Oslobodjenje pg 3 also carried the statement. |
| Jelavic trial: Defence asks for acquittal
| Hayat, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘The only just ruling is acquittal’, Dnevni Avaz pg 13, Dnevni List, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘Ante Jelavic damaged no one’, by Erna Mackic, Vecernji List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Barbaric: These evidence acquit Jelavic’, by Dejan Jazvic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 3 ‘Verdict to Jelavic on Wednesday’, by Z. Tulic – Former BiH Presidency member Ante Jelavic’s attorney requested the Trial Chamber on Tuesday to acquit his client in the ‘Hercegovacka bank’ case. Jelavic’s attorney Dragan Barbaric said in his closing statement that the prosecution failed to prove a single claim from the indictment. Barbaric described the indictment as staged, underlining that many documents used in the case should have been declared inadmissible. Verdict is to be reached on October 6. |
| Memorandum of Understanding on supporting SBS signed by EC, BiH representatives
| RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Building of seat of State Border Service begins’, by Mensud Zorlak , Nezavisne Novine pg 10 ‘SBS seat will be built in 27 months’ by D.Muminovic, Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘Moving to federal Sarajevo’ by N.Z. – Head of EC Mission in BiH Michael Humphreys and BiH Minister of security Barisa Colak have signed Memorandum on understanding, regarding the support to State Border Service, which is worth about €2, 9 millions. This memorandum predicts construction of SBS HQ, which will start in one month, while in two years the building should be fully operative. This building will be placed near to InternationalAirport in |
| VL: SBS losing staff to SIPA because of lower salaries
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Mass exodus from SBS to SIPA’, by Eldina Medunjanin – According to VL, just as the State Border Service got its new leadership, it will be losing many senior and junior staff to SIPA. Apparently, the main reason is the lower salaries in the SBS when compared to SIPA, to an extent that officers of the same rank in the SBS get 400 KMs less. VL points the finger at former leaders of the SBS, Slavisa Vukovic and Nijaz Spahic, accusing them of raising salaries only to themselves back in 2002. |
Education | |
| Minister Halilovic asks for abolishment of segregation in schools
| Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘Annul decisions on national schools’, by NINA – reports that BiH Civil Affairs Minister, Safet Halilovic,fully supports pupils and their parents in Prozor/Rama and Busovaca, who are protesting against segregation in elementary schools. Halilovic again urged relevant FBiH and cantonal institutions to annul controversial decisions on establishing national schools, which are in contradiction with civic equality. Halilovic called on FBiH principals to raise the issue of constitutionality of these decisions before the |