| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA(18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| RS PM- Srebrenica Comm. | Fassier in Banja Luka | RS PM- Srebrenica Comm. | About Srebrenica Comm. |
| Issues on Local elections | CoM in session | E.Ganic’s statement | Issues in RS PC |
| Rotation in BiH HoR | Rotation in HoP | CoM in session | RS Government’s session |
| HKDU statement | RS NA in session | Rotation in HoP | CoM in session |
| Oslobodjenje | The Hague Tribunal’s Prosecution Office conducting investigation against Mahmuljin |
| Dnevni Avaz | Sarovic still receiving salary in the BiH Presidency |
| Dnevni List | Parents of Sanel Sjekirica claim: Our son is not a terrorist; Law on Bankruptcy protects employees’ rights |
| Vecernji List | Sanel is on vacation in the mountains near Oviedo |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Sanel Sjekirica belongs to second generation of trained Bosnian mujahiddin |
| Glas Srpske | Patriarch Pavle’s Easter pastoral letter – Serving to the people we are serving to the God |
| Nezavisne Novine | Nationalised Private Property Owners Association embittered with new housing laws – Ministers, MP’s and judges live in nationalised flats; Djeric broke the law by hiding audit reports; Who is Sanel Sjekirica – He helped suspect of terrorism to join Faculty in Madrid |
| Blic | Horror in rotten shacks; Criminals from Serbia are robbing banks in Srpska |
| Ljiljan | Mustafa Spahic: Why Reis should reject UNESCO award; Sulejman Tihic: If there are Bosniak prefixes, let Paravac use his constitutional right |
| Slobodna Bosna | Where is, actually, Karadzic?; Paddy Ashdown vs. SDS: How SDS finances itself?; How BiH Croats left for the Hague! |
| Dani | How Prosecutor Bisic saved Ismet Bajramovic Celo from murder charges; Sakib Mahmuljin: the most serious Bosniak candidate for the Hague |
| | ICTY/War crimes |
| Srebrenica Commission | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Culprits for the crime must be punished’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Fassier sharply warned Mikerevic, Cavic’, Vecernji List page 4 ‘To punish perpetrators of crimes in Srebrenica’ by Fena, Dnevni List page 18 ‘Truth about Srebrenica prerequisite for Partnership for Peace’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija page 17 ‘To accept truth and punish perpetrators’ by A. Macanovic, Blic p 12 ‘Bring truth to light’, Vecernje Novosti p 5 ‘Truth must be accepted’, FENA – Only a positive report by the Srebrenica Commission which will meet all demands posed by the BiH Human Rights Chamber can save the RS credibility, RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said on Thursday. At an extraordinary session in Banja Luka, Mikerevic addressed the commission for the investigation of the events that happened in and near Srebrenica from 10 to 19 July 1995. He stressed that those who had committed a crime in Srebrenica in the mentioned period of time must be found and punished. “The public must be ready to accept the commission’s report regardless of what it will say,” Mikerevic said. Political manipulations must not interfere with the report, he repeated and said that all bodies of RS powers should help with this report. Everyone who will obstruct the commission’s work will be sanctioned, the RS prime minister warned. BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Culprits for the crime must be punished’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Fassier sharply warned Mikerevic, Cavic’, Vecernji List page 4 ‘To punish perpetrators of crimes in Srebrenica’ by Fena, Dnevni List page 18 ‘Truth about Srebrenica prerequisite for Partnership for Peace’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija page 17 ‘To accept truth and punish perpetrators’ by A. Macanovic, Blic p 12 ‘Bring truth to light’, Vecernje Novosti p 5 ‘Truth must be accepted’, FENA – Senior Deputy High Representative Bernard Fassier said in Banja Luka on Thursday that neither the High Representative nor the international community would tolerate any obstruction of the work on the development of the report on events in and around Srebrenica between July 10 and 19 1995, and that all those responsible for such obstructions would be held accountable. Fassier stressed that RS political authorities would also be considered responsible for their lack of effort on ensuring the success of the Srebrenica Commission. He said that the sole task of the Commission is to ensure and discover information about the faith of those still considered missing in the Srebrenica events from that period, as stated in the decision of the BiH Human Rights Chamber. |
| Vrankic: I expect FBiH Government to provide guarantees for temporary release of the Croat indictees | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘FBiH Government to give guarantees at the next session?’, FENA – The FBiH Government provided guarantees for the temporary release of Bosniaks indicted by the Hague Tribunal in the past and there is no reason why it should not do the same in the case of five Croats who voluntarily surrendered to the Hague Tribunal, FBiH Deputy Prime Minister and Finance and Treasury Minister Dragan Vrankic told FENA. “After it provides guarantees in written form to the Hague Tribunal the Government can, if requested, also present its position verbally in a debate before the court,” Vrankic said and added that he expects the Government to consider the requests of attorneys for the five Croats and to provide guarantees at the next session. Vecernji List, front and page 4 ‘BiH guarantees for Croat indictees questionable’ , by Dejan Jazvic – notes that the FBiH Government is likely to discuss a request of the five Croat indictees’ lawyers, who want the FBiH Government to give guarantees for their clients, which will result in pre-trial release, at a session scheduled for Tuesday. VL list says that opinions of FBiH Ministries of Justice and Interior, as well as of Ministries on Interior of cantons where the indictees live, will be crucial for the final decision of the FBiH Government. VL notes that only Jadranko Prlic has a permanent residence in BiH, whilst Bruno Stojic, Valentin Coric, Berislav Pusic and Slobodan Praljak spend most of their time in Croatia, in other words, the BiH authorities cannot control their movements. However, according to VL, due to political reasons, it is likely that the guarantees will be given. Dnevni List, page 5 ‘Ensure credible guarantees for five indictees’, not signed – carries the FBiH Vice President, Sahbaz Dzihanovic, as saying: ‘Every indictee that voluntarily surrenders to The Hague Tribunal should get the Government’s support in terms of giving guarantees for pre-trial release’. |
| Indictments against 4 former senior Bosniak officials | Slobodna Dalmacija, front and page 3 ‘Ganic, Delic, Mahmuljin and Alispahic go to The Hague’, by M. Landeka – notes that four former senior officials of the then Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be soon travelling of to The Hague. SD got a confirmation from a source in the ICTY that the Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, has signed indictments against former member of BiH Presidency, Ejup Ganic, former commander of BiH Army, Rasim Delic, former commander of BiH Army’s 3rd Corps, Sakib Mahmuljin, and former Interior Minister of BiH, Bakir Alispahic. Apparently, they are being charged with crimes committed against the Croats in Grabovica and central Bosnia, and crimes committed against the Serbs on Ozren and Kazani in Sarajevo. Similar article in Vecernji List, page 5 ‘Indictments against four Bosniaks for war crimes’, by Hina. Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘The Hague’s Prosecution Office conducting investigation against Mahmuljin’ – The ICTY Prosecution Office is conducting investigation against former BiH Army Third Corps Commander Sakib Mahmuljin over war crimes committed in Vozudja, and the indictment against him might be filed soon, learns the newspaper from the sources close to the Tribunal. Slobodna Dalmacija, back page ‘Indictments from the Belgrade workshop’, by B. Kristo – carries Ejup Ganic as denying reports in the BiH media that he will be indicted by the ICTY. ‘My explanation is that the media are trying to up the sales and have better ratings. I was picked because I was, as you could say, one of people from the authority that defended BiH. I know about the Belgrade project to accuse me for the May 2, 1992. But, it would be the same if BiH were to be accused of launching aggression against Belgrade’, says Ganic. Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Tihic: I will do my best to ensure that all persons subjected to the investigation report to the Hague’s Prosecution Office’ – In a statement for the newspaper, Chairman of the BiH Presidency and SDA leader Sulejman Tihic said that it was his duty and that he would therefore do his best to ensure that all persons investigated/indicted by the ICTY appear before the Tribunal or its Prosecution Office. |
| Magazines on HR Ashdown’s sanctions against SDS | Dani pg 16 ‘The Bosnian Barometer’ column – Dani magazine marked recent sanctions imposed by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown against SDS with three starts [excellent move]. “Now, Ashdown should, if he had courage, finish a job, in which Alija Izetbegovic prevented Richard Holbrooke, and – ban SDS,” concludes the magazine. Slobodna Bosna cover ‘Paddy Ashdown vs. SDS: How SDS finances itself?’, pgs 34-36 ‘SDS has millions of KM collected through smuggling, crime, racketeering’ by Suzana Andjelic – SB writes that HR’s sanctions against SDS were nothing but a “farce”, and “the first and main reason” to see that decision as a “trick… is the fact that freezing SDS legal accounts means absolutely nothing. Never since its establishment this party survived financially in legal way, but it always acted as mafia organization.” SB further says that SDS “has always had parallel sources of financing. And [Dragan] Kalinic is not that crazy to disclose to Ashdown those parallel channels, so SDS financial report will show that no financial transaction carried out from legal budgetary accounts of the party and its municipal boards has been illegal… Serious analysis creates doubt that this move HR agreed with SDS, at the meeting with Kalinic, [Dragan] Cavic, PDP President Mladen Ivanic and RS Interior Minister Zoran Djeric, held just a night before he announced his decision… With this move, HR will present SDS as victim to embittered Serbs, and protect it from further opposition expected over future RS authorities’ actions regarding the arrest of war crimes suspects.” SB also claims SDS has a number of illegal ways to finance itself, among which are including oil smuggling, customs frauds, drug smuggling. It also lists companies for which magazine claims to finance SDS: Elektroprivreda RS, RS Customs Administration, Srpske sume company, a number of restaurants, hotel Bosnia in Banja Luka, and Banja Luka Brewery. |
| SB on SFOR action in Pale | Slobodna Bosna cover splash ‘Where is, actually, Karadzic?’, pgs 5-7 ‘RS intelligence framed ‘secret’ information on Karadzic being in Pale to SFOR’ by Suzana Andjelic – Writing that the latest SFOR operation with an aim to arrest Karadzic carried out in Pale was an another amateurish failure, author argues: “There is no doubt that this event is the best election campaign for SDS in the year of municipal elections, and that it suppressed all social issues in RS that opposition has been raising for months. Political damage caused by this is huge, and electoral body once again radicalised as SDS, as many times before, proved it knows how to use situations like this.” Giving history of trials to have Radovan Karadzic before the ICTY, SB says international community is the main to blame that Karadzic is at large for eight years, building an image of “uncatchable hero”. Magazine also claims it learned from sources close to intelligence service that RS Intelligence framed to SFOR information on Karadzic being in Pale to provoke SFOR’s action in orthodox church’s premises at the time Serbs are revolted with events in Kosovo, which would create radical nationalistic homogenisation necessary for SDS’ victory at upcoming elections. |
| | Church and politics/Other political affairs, statements |
| Ljiljan int with Tihic [on opposition, SDS, reforms, RS name] | Ljiljan cover ‘Sulejman Tihic: If there are Bosniak prefixes, let Paravac use his constitutional right’, pgs 18-22 ‘Tihic: Opposition doesn’t want reforms, it wants new elections’ by Mirsad Sinanovic – In an interview with Ljiljan magazine, the Chair of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, comments his initiative to reconsider the name of Republika Srpska: “In BiH, no settlement, a city, or entity should bear a name of any of the peoples, or any religious group, and we don’t need that discriminatory attribute. I stick to what I said during the elections campaign, that there will be no entity called RS,” says Tihic. Recent initiative by opposition parties to reconsider confidence towards the Council of Ministers Tihic characterises as evidence that the opposition in BiH doesn’t want to work in interests of BiH citizens, bit their own: “Our opposition wants to halt these reforms, to have extraordinary elections, for us to lose a year in election campaign and constitution of the government. That speaks about the opposition we have. Anyways, elections results proved the trust that opposition enjoys with the citizens.” Asked to comment SDS obstructions towards the reforms, Tihic says: “We are not in coalition with SDS. There is a necessary constitutional partnership, a consequence of the DPA… We have such constitutional structure which stipulates establishment of the authorities with the parties winning the majority of the votes of its peoples… All those saying that it would be possible to establish authorities in some other way… are deceiving the public.” Commenting that many parties in BiH do everything to prevent implementation of the reforms, Tihic concludes: “SDA is the only party which is in every sense and completely dedicated to the reforms.” |
| DA: Sarovic still receiving salary in the BiH Presidency | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘Sarovic still receiving salary in the BiH Presidency’ – Although Paddy Ashdown put him on the list of the most wanted war criminal Radovan Karadzic’s supporters, Mirko Sarovic, the former member of the BiH Presidency, is still receiving salary of KM 1,780 from the state Budget, learns the newspaper. The daily was told in the Presidency’s Secretariat that, according to the valid law/regulation, all former body’s members were receiving salaries and using other benefits (official vehicle, personal security) yet 12 months after leaving the office/ending the mandate. |
| Serb Orthodox Church withdraws from the BiH Inter-religious Council | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Serb Orthodox Church withdraws from BiH Inter-religious Council’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, Nezavisne novine page 2 ‘Serb Orthodox Church stepped out from BiH Interreligious Council’, SRNA – The Serb Orthodox Church has withdrawn from the BiH Inter-Religious Council due to the council not reacting to events, which occurred in Pale on the night of March 31 and April 1 (SFOR operation to find Radovan Karadzic, in which Priest Jeromija Starovlah and his son were seriously injured after the raid on the priest’s home). This decision was reached by the Episcopal Council of BiH at a session on Wednesday in Doboj, the Dabro-Bosnian Diocese said on Thursday. “The position of all the bishops has been that, until now, we have actively participated in the work of the BiH Inter-Religious Council and have participated in good faith in all condemnations of crimes, wherever they have occurred. To date this council has yet to show even the least bit of interest in the crime which was perpetrated against us,” the statement says. |
| Bishop Grigorije on Ashdown’s letter to Patriarch Pavle | Nezavisne novine page 2 ‘Ashdown didn’t apologise to Serb Orthodox Church’; don’t think that Ashdown‘s statement yesterday was IC’s apology to Serb Orthodox Church, said Zahumlje-Herzegovina Bishop Grigorije. Saying “I’m sorry” is not apology. The apology is something deeper. It means that one acknowledges mistake and repentance, Bishop Grigorije stated. He added that after “I’m sorry” there were new conditioning and linking the Church with something it never had anything to do with. |
| Bishop Franjo Komarica held a press conference | Blic p 12 ‘Trough faith to reconciliation’, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Defeat lie and hatred’, Vecernji List, front and page 14 ‘I would be at fault too if I were to keep silent about crimes’, by Branka Stevandic – Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica held a press conference on Thursday, during which he congratulated Easter to all believers. On this occasion, the Bishop warned on poor return of Catholic believers to the region of Banja Luka, saying that ‘Banja Luka has missed the chance to again accept its exiled children’. He added someone must be held responsible for this, because nobody has the right to deprive someone of his homeland and remain unpunished. ‘Where is the international community that has allowed, not to say even helped, this tragedy to happen to our country? Their representatives must be more consistent and responsible and they need top show they want to help here’, Komarica stated. The article carries the inset ‘Shameless force of SFOR’, which reads that Bishop Komarica sent his deepest condolences to Metropolitan Nikolaj upon the event in Pale, when Priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son were injured. ‘I was really shocked to see shameless force was again being applied in this region…’, Komarica stated. Slobodna Dalmacija, page 18 ‘International community is the biggest culprit for the mess’, by A. Macanovic – carries Bishop Komarica, who told the journalists at the Easter reception that ‘one of the biggest culprits that BiH cannot stand on its feet not even eight years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accord is the International Community’. SD also reports that Bishop Komarica, when questioned to comment on the High Representative’s statement that the RS is not cooperating with the ICTY, stated that HR Ashdown did not have a right to blame anyone, be it a member of Serb, Croat or other peoples, without proving it. |
| Cardinal Puljic and SDHR Wnendt on education issues | Dnevni List, page 9 ‘Croats in BiH fear for language, culture and own identity’, by KTA – reports that the Archbishop of Vrhbosnia, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, met with Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, at his residence on Tuesday. According to DL, SDHR Wnendt stressed that he believed that the ‘two schools under one roof’ project must be completed in order to maintain the right to language and own curriculum, noting that the unification would be based on unification of administrations. Reportedly, Cardinal Puljic did not want to go into process related to enactment of laws, but he expected that the Croats be given assurances that the relevant laws do offer protection to the Croats too, because the BiH Croats fear for their language, culture and identity. |
| OHR urges BiH authorities to appoint BiH Statistics Agency director | Dnevni Avaz, pg. 5 ‘Appoint Director of the BIH Agency for Statistics’, Dnevni List page 6 ‘Ruling coalition responsible for non-appointment of Director’ by De.L., FENA – The OHR notes that the BiH institutions seem to be getting more serious about the impending deadlines for the passage of key reforms relating to the 16 pre-requirements set by the European Commission for the start of negotiations on a Stability and Association Agreement, OHR spokesman Kevin Sullivan told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. This week the BiH House of Peoples, at the request of the BiH Council of Ministers, decided to discuss the SIPA legislation, legislation on the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the Law on University Education in shortened procedures. If this indicates a refocused attitude on reform then it is welcome, he said. At the same time there are areas in which BiH’s political leadership is clearly failing and has been doing so for months. For example, the appointment of the Director of the BiH Statistics Agency — appointment of a suitable candidate has been pending since December last year. It is not that there is a lack of suitable qualified candidates – this is rarely a problem in BiH. In December last year the BiH Civil Service Agency, in line with applicable domestic legislation, identified |
| Audit report on work of Ivanic’s Government | Nezavisne novine cover and page 4 ‘Djeric broke the law by hiding audit report’ -RS Minister of Interior, Zoran Djeric, should resign due to covering audit report on work of Mladen Ivanic’s Government. Covering of criminal activities is a criminal activity too. This is opinion of majority of opposition parties in RS. Political parties on power think that Djeric’s responsibility must be identified first. RS Ministry of Interior and Prosecutor’s Office didn’t investigate audit report on work of Ivanic’s Government in 2001 for more than 18 months. |
| Mikerevic’s Government | Nezavisne novine page 4 ‘Work of RS Government before Cavic soon” – RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, said that he will inform RS President, Dragan Cavic, on problems in functioning of the Government. “Meeting with Cavic and representatives of Serb majority in RSNA is planned for April”, Mikerevic stated. He didn’t want to say whether will suggest RS Government reshuffle. |
| Referendum in Srpsko Sarajevo? | Nezavisne novine page 9 ‘Referendum will give new names of town and municipalities’ – RSNA Speaker Dragan Kalinic said that most probably referendum would give new names to municipalities and town of Srpsko Sarajevo. “Although we would like to question BiH Constitutional Court decision it is not possible because it’s obligatory, especially for Srpsko Sarajevo”, Kalinic stated after the meeting with mayors of municipalities and Srpsko Sarajevo leadership. |
| Locher: BiH will be invited to join PfP in June | Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘BiH will be invited to join PfP in June’ – Interview with James Locher, the chairman of the Defence reform Commission. He said that, by the end of May, BiH would in military sense be ready to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. |
| SB on situation in Mostar | Slobodna Bosna pgs 8&9, 16 ‘While SDA and HDZ fight around distribution of the positions, euphoria of illegal construction spread all around Mostar’ by Danka Savic – SB writes that almost a month following the decision of the HR Paddy Ashdown to abolish six Mostar municipalities and establish a single City Administration, “the life in Herzegovina capital is paralysed – City Administration practically did not take over a single function as envisaged; its offices are waiting for new bosses, and ruling SDA and HDZ cannot agree on distribution of functions in city authorities.” SB further writes that the strongest conflict arouses around the position of the Chief of the Urbanism Office. Apparently, Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic has just appointed Haris Kovacevic to the position, however author argues that his appointment will probably be strongly opposed [especially since he is a lawyer.] SB also says that Mostar citizens are suffering due to vacuum which will last till appointment of the Administration’s departments, who are only persons authorised to sign decisions. It further claims that situation has been used by owners of certain facilities in Old City carrying out illegal destruction of existing and building of the new premises. Apparently, inspectors could not have stopped this as they did not have authority, given these days, to continue with their job. SB also writes that a majority of current departments’ chiefs [naming them] have no adequate qualifications to perform their duties. |
| | Fight against terrorism, organised crime/security issues |
| Competent BiH ministry confirms Madrid terrorist suspect born in BiH | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Terrorist Sanel Sjekirica was born in Mostar’, Blic p 4 ‘Sanel Sjekirica was born in Mostar’, SRNA – The BiH Deputy Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, confirmed on Thursday that Sanel Sjekirica, who Spanish authorities suspect of being involved in terrorist activities, was born in Mostar. Further details on the current investigation into the nationality of Sjekirica, his movements and other information requested by the Spanish authorities, Mektic could not report on for operational reasons. The BiH Security Ministry, as he said, was in continuous contact with the Spanish police authorities. Spanish media reported that Sjekirica, together with Amer el Aziz and Rabei Osman Ahmed, was involved in terrorist activities and linked to Al-Qaeda. Vecernji List, front page splash and page 3 ‘Sanel is on vacation in the mountains near Oviedo’, by Robert Soldo – following reports that the Spanish authorities have request an identity check for one Sanel Sjekirica, a BiH citizen, who is apparently connected to recent terrorist attacks in Spain, VL visited Sanel’s father Alija, who lives in Mostar and who told the daily that he was on the phone to Sanel’s mother, who lives in Oviedo (Spain) and who told him that her son was on vacation in the mountains near Oviedo. Alija says his son is a student in Oviedo, which was verified by the daily. Alija is convinced his son is not a terrorist. Dnevni List, front page splash and page 5 ‘Parents of Sanel Sjekirica claim: Our son is not a terrorist’, by M. M. R. – carries a statement by Sanel’s mother, Sejda Sjekirica, who told DL that no Spanish authority has contacted them, denying reports on her son being a terrorist. DL also reports that Sanel is on vacation, and is due to return to Oviedo on Monday. Slobodna Dalmacija, front page splash and page 3 ‘Sanel Sjekirica belongs to second generation of trained Bosnian mujahiddin’, by Zlatko Tulic, Ivica Milesic – reports that the BiH Deputy Minister of Security, Dragan Mektic, confirmed to journalists on Thursday that Sanel Sjekirica was born in Mostar, but could not reveal additional information in the interest of the investigation. SD goes on to say that according to information coming from sources close to the cantonal Ministry of Interior of Central Bosnia Canton, Sanel Sjekirica belongs to the second generation of domestically trained extreme mujahiddin, who were trained for operations such as the one in Madrid. In that context, SD argues that the mujahiddin training camps were receiving money from the Islamic Centre in Zenica, which was run by Mahmut effendi Karajlic. Nezavisne novine cover and page 2 ‘He helped suspect to join the Faculty’; Sanel Sjekirica who is suspect of terrorist attack in Madrid, by Spanish Police, is at vacation on the south of Spain, said his mother Sena Sjekirica. “Last time we spoke on Sunday when he rented a mountain house with friends. His mobile phone is turned off so I can not speak to him. Spanish police connected Sanel with that attack because he helped to one of suspects to join Faculty. I know he has nothing to do with it”, Sena Sjekirica told in a phone conversation. She left Mostar in 1993 and found refuge in Spain. She stressed that her son is not religious fanatic. Sanel is 23 years old. He was born in Motar where his father Alija lives today. He joined Faculty of Economics in Madrid. Later he moved to Oviedo where he lives today. “He was a flat mate with one of the suspects while he was living in Madrid”, Sena Sjekirica stated. “Sanel lost Bosnian passport couple of years ago. It is possible that someone had used it. He reported that he had lost passport and obtained a new one”, his mother said. Herzegovina-Neretva Ministry of Interior could not either confirm or deny this information. Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Spanish police search for a young man from BiH’ also covered the issue. Blic p 4 ‘Camp of Al-Q’aida near Zenica’, Nacional Belgrade daily p 19 ‘Action of SFOR’ – One day after the terrorist attack in Madrid, SFOR raided a building in Zenica, explaining they were ‘searching for persons that are conducting various anti-Dayton activities’. Zenica and Travnik are often mentioned in reports of foreign intelligence services as refuge areas for radical Islamists. One week after the attack in Madrid, Italian media reported that organizers of terrorist attacks have been trained in BiH, i.e. near Zenica. |
| Acetic acid anhydride – new affair | Nezavisne novine page 6 ‘New case – import of 44 tons of acetic acid anhydride’; Brcko District Prosecutor’s Office is investigating “Bogicevic komerc” for import of 44 tons of acetic acid anhydride, confirmed to Nezavisne novine source close to investigation. Acetic acid anhydride is used for production of narcotics. “Investigation is at sensitive stage”, said Brcko District Police official. According to Nezavisne novine, Brcko District Prosecutor, Sidika Fatic, is in charge of investigation. Police and prosecutor are trying to find out who is the owner of “Bogicevic komerc”. They want to know wheter it was used for production of narcotics or it was resold. “Bogicevic komerc” bought 44 tons of acetic acid and acetic acid anhydride from “Tera trade overseas s.a.”. This company is based in Panama. BiH Prosecutor’s Office is investigating two cases of acetic acid anhydride import at the moment. |
| SIPA’s Dragan Lukac on beginning of SIPA’s work | Dnevni List page 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’, Deputy Director of SIPA, Dragan Lukac as saying: ‘SIPA will not start with working by the deadline set by the EC.’ |
| Oslobodjenje: Americans do not want Almir Dzuvo to be appointed Head of the BiH Intelligence Service | Oslobodjenje pg. 6, mentioned on the front page ‘Americans do not want Almir Dzuvo to be appointed Head of the BiH Intelligence Service’ – The US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, opposed the SDA leadership’s intention that Almir Dzuvo, the advisor for the BiH Council of Ministers Chairman, is appointed head of the BiH Intelligence-Security Service. During his recent meeting with SDA leader Sulejman Tihic, Bond said Dzuvo was not a proper candidate for the post due to his alleged links with Hasan Cengic and Omer Behmen. |
| Police chiefs meet in Sarajevo, discuss information sharing | Dnevni List, page 2 ‘Single computer network against organized crime’, by E. M. – reports that a meeting between chiefs of police and directors of police forces, which was chaired by the Director of FBiH police forces Zlatko Miletic, was organized in Sarajevo. One of police issues that were discussed during the meeting was the establishment of a computer network in whole of BiH, which would improve sharing of information in the fight against organized crime. According to an EUPM spokesperson, Jon Oskar Solnes, the EUPM Commissioner, Kevin Carty, also attended the meeting, and stressed the importance of SIPA. In that regard, it was concluded to form a specialized working group that would be engaged in helping SIPA to be operational as soon as possible. |
| | Economic/social issues |
| FBiH Minister of Justice Borjana Kristo on Law on Bankruptcy | Dnevni List front and page 7 ‘Law on Bankruptcy protects employees’ rights’ by M. Relota – commenting on the Federation of BiH Law on Bankruptcy, the FBiH Minister of Justice, Borjana Kristo, stated that that the goal of the Law was to re-organize some parts of economy that have the perspective, while those that do not should be shut down. She added that the Law is harmonized with the Convention on protection of salaries. As far as the social package is concerned, Kristo said that this program should be realistic and not too ambitious. She explained: ‘We have to take into consideration realistic possibilities, respecting the level of the economic power that we have.’ |
| Nationalised Property | Nezavisne novine cover and page 3 ‘Minister Mehmedagic accused of corruption’; Members of Nationalised Property Owners Association request resignation of FBiH Minister of Urbanism, Ramiz Mehmedagic. They claim that new Law on housing violates basic human rights. According to Draft Law, flats that have been nationalised after WWII will not be given back to original owners. Members of Association said that present occupants would get right to buy flat for KM 600 per m2. Majority of present occupants are Government and political officials. In nationalised flats live or used to live: Martin Raguz, Plamenko Custovic, Boris Britvar, Bozo Ljubic, Jakob Finci, Adil Kulenovic, Petrojka Sunaric, Alija Delimustafic, Zlatko Dizdarevic, Zlatko Vukmirovic, Faruk Kulenovic, Mladen Bevanda, Halid Genjac, Ejup Ganic, Bisera Turkovic, Nura Pinjo, Zlatko Lagumdzija, Ivo Komsic, Raska Denjalic and Husein Zivalj. Minister Mehmedagic said that he would inform MP’s on this. He added that he would consider question of resignation when Law passes Parliamentary procedure. Sarajevo dailies also covered the issue. Dnevni List, page 10 ‘Private lawsuit against three Federation ministers’, by I. Tabucic – owners of nationalized property assessed the set of laws that should enable the purchase of nationalized apartments in the FBiH, as illegal. The laws have been prepared by the FBiH Government. According to the Coordination board of Association of owners of nationalized property, ‘we are not in favour of stripping of rights of users of our apartments, but we think it would be fairer to give them the apartments the Government wants to give us in exchange for our apartments’. The Coordination board announces lawsuits against the FBiH ministers of justice, finances and physical planning, and in case the law gets adopted in the FBiH Parliament, the plan is to file a lawsuit against the FBiH. |
| RS Budget income in the first three months | Nezavisne novine cover and page 3 ‘RS Budget 10 million short’ – RS Budget domestic revenues are 10 million short for the first three months, confirmed RS Ministry of Finance. RS Tax Administration collected 125.9 million, which is 8.9 million short. RS Customs collected 73.9 million, which is 1.1 million short. Income from import tax on oil and oil products has increased for 106%, alcohol 61% and tobacco products 7%. Income from import tax on coffee has decreased for 66% due to move of coffee import to Tomislavgrad Customs. |