| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Bagdad | BiH needs Law on borders | Engineer fired after critics | Conference on borders |
| US sanctions | Elections in SCG | Strike in Livno Canton | Law on Restitution |
| Palestine | Rocket attack in Baghdad | US assistance for ex-YU | ICTY investigations |
| Bond visited returnees | OHR on RS Elektroprivreda |
| Rocket attack in Bagdad |
| Oslobodjenje | Ahmet Hadzipasic: ‘I support removals if they can find better’; New passports only at the beginning of November |
| Dnevni Avaz | Slujeman Tihic: Bosniak leader to be elected on elections; Bush’s Ramadan wishes: Islam is a religion of a peace; Muamer Topalovic’s appeal denied |
| Dnevni List | Federation Government facing lack of funds; Sanctions against Cantonal board of HDZ of Herzeg Bosnia Canton? |
| Vecernji List | Investigations against leaders of Herzeg Bosnia underway; Sarajevo people burnt Croatian flag down |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Privatisation in Drvar: Small money for big fortune; Maglaj: Too much mosques |
| Nezavisne Novine | After the session of SDA Chair Board: An open conflict between Tihic and Terzic; How does firm Srpske Sume do business: KM 62 million vanished in two years; Banjaluka: Session of Telekom share-holders postponed |
| Vecernje Novosti | Paddy Ashdown: We are building a Dayton state in BiH |
| Blic | Problems of BiH citizens with new documents: IDs without address, passports are late |
Follow up: SDA Main Board session | |
| DA interview with Tihic
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 5 ‘There is no division in SDA, and Bosniak leader must be chosen at the elections’ by Almasa Bajric – In an interview to DA, President of the SDA Sulejman Tihic denied any internal conflicts within the Party. Asked to comment why Ahmet Hadzipasic seemed to be in the focus of all criticism, Tihic said: ‘It is correct that the accent in the discussion has been directed mostly on the work of FBiH Government. However, having in mind the complexity of the issue that they face, that was not personal. Discussions were constructive, with an aim to – and Prime Minister Hadzipasic also noted the same – point out at the failures to the Government.’ |
| Tihic vs Terzic | Nezavisne Novine cover, pg. 3 ‘An open conflict between Tihic and Terzic’ – At Saturday’s session of the SDA Chair Board, Sulejman Tihic, SDA President, criticised the work of executive authority, especially the work of the Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and Ahmet Hadzipasic, Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On this, Terzic commented by saying that: “It seems like I have to tackle with problems within the party, not the state.” |
| DA interview with Terzic | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘We don’t need unrealistic demands’ – BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic stated that he believed there would be no division within SDA, as it was speculated by media in past few days following the death of Alija Izetbegovic. However ‘in his introduction speech president of the party Sulejman Tihic divided us into executive, political and legal authorities. If it is continued like that, we will come into the position to talk about divisions within the party. I am neither satisfied with that, nor with the fact that only President Tihic’s report was adopted at the session, while two other reports were just acknowledged. That is not what was agreed when we formulated the conclusion.’ – stated Terzic for DA commenting on his impressions following the SDA Main Board’s session held on Saturday. He also added that SDA gave FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic unrealistic tasks to implement: ‘I am in favour of calling the Prime Minister and to say what we object to him, or even to ask him to submit resignation, but not to exhaust him with such unrealistic demands.’ |
| Tihic on HDZ | Dnevni List front, pg 4 ‘Internal party showdowns started’ – The Presidency of SDA, at a session of SDA Main Board, stressed it would prepare a thorough analysis of functioning of executive authority and if big failures and subjective responsibility were to be detected, SDA announced it would undertake appropriate measures. SDA President, Sulejman Tihic, stressed that although there had been a protocol with the HDZ, before the Government (at FBiH level) was formed, on how to overcome debatable issues, including the abolishment of parallelisms, the problems are still there at FBiH and cantonal levels (education, defence, functioning of authority in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, establishment of City of Mostar etc). |
| Oslobodjenje on Hadzipasic | Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘I supports removals if they find better’ – FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic, who was criticised at the session of SDA Main Board held on Saturday, stated: ‘There is nobody in Federation who would wish more than I do to see improvement of financial discipline, increase of economic growth and solution to social issues in the country.’ Commenting SDA requests to remove all those in the executive authorities who did not want to work, Hadzipasic stated that he did not oppose that if there were some better personnel and organizational solutions. SDA asked from FBiH Prime Minister to ensure payment of one overdue pension by the end of year, and to prepare the Law which would harmonize increase of the pensions with the increase of the salaries. However, Hadzipasic said at the session that the government can provide only half of the pensions’ payment. |
| NN editorial on session of SDA Main Board | Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘Tihic the boss’ editorial by Nihada Jablic – The author refers to Saturday’s session of the SDA Chair Board, when Sulejman Tihic was extremely critical of the current executive authority of BiH. All in all, author concludes that by having decided to mercilessly slander and criticise the work ofthe Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ahmet Hadzipasic, Sulejman Tihic revealed his intention to show them and everybody else that he is the boss and that he is now the only leader of SDA. |
Political issues | |
| VN interview with Paddy Ashdown [on defence, DPA, PBS, Ivanic]
| Vecernje Novosti pg. 2 ‘We are building a Dayton state’ – VN carries an interview with High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Speaking about the defence reform, Ashdown says that all parallel structures within the armies in BiH (refers to the FBiH army) must be abolished. “Condition for joining the Partnership for Peace is to form a joint, state command and control over the army,” Ashdown says, adding that a time will be needed to implement the reform. Commenting on the fact that he very often criticises the DPA, although his mandate is to implement it, Ashdown says that his job is to protect the Dayton as well as the entities and to build a Dayton state. “However, I have to state clearly that if we want to join Europe the Dayton must be overcome. It is only a foundation. He was signed not to join the EU but to stop the war… The Dayton is a law that could only be changed by the will of people.” Commenting on BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic’s statement on comparing Kosovo’s and RS status, Ashdown says there is no link between those two adding “I expect that those whose job is to protect the Dayton internationally speak that way.’ Speaking about the BiH lawsuit against SCG, Ashdown says: ‘The lawsuit could be an obstacle for the future. But, there are a lot of other obstacles. However, my authorities do not have anything to do with the lawsuit.’ Ashdown called on the entities’ authorities to speed up the reforms of PBS, adding it is a clear choice: either accept a genuine single system now, get the money and the credit; or lose the money and have to do it later. Ashdown once more referred to the defence reform calling it one of the biggest successes and a possibility to go toward integration into Europe. He says that RS President Dragan Cavic and Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic have met their responsibilities regarding the reform, adding that those who call themselves reformists, such as Milorad Dodik, damage the process. Ashdown concludes the interview saying that it would be reasonable if BiH comes to the conclusion that existence of two entities is not the most logical choice. “Citizens and authorities of the Republika Srpska can expect from me to protect the entity and its competences foreseen by the DPA, but they cannot expect that I will stand aside if the RS acts as a state and not as an entity. I cannot and I will not undermine competences foreseen by the Dayton, but I cannot allow that one of the entities is on our way while we are building a Dayton state. I cannot allow that the Republika Srpska acts as a state, because the Dayton is a two-way street – one refers to the entities and the other to the state building. You cannot chose only one way and ignore the other.’ |
| Tomljenovic on powers vested in RS Vice Presidents | Vecernji List front pg ‘RS needs rotating Presidency too’, pg 2 ‘Rotating Presidency should be introduced in the RS too’ – VL carries that a Vice President of the Republika Srpska, Ivan Tomljenovic, announced that he might take all legal steps for the change of the constitutional authorities of the RS Vice Presidents by the end of the year, because during the harmonization of the constitutional changes on the authorities of the RS President and Vice President legal changes on constituency of 3 peoples have not been consistently respected. Tomljenovic believes that one of the possibilities is that the position of the RS President becomes subject to rotation. Tomljenovic also warned that RS Vice Presidents only do the things that the RS President, Dragan Cavic, approves and added that there are no working meetings of the RS President and Vice Presidents at all. VL says that the RS Vice President from the line of the Bosniaks, Adil Osmanovic, has not declared his stand on Tomljenovic’s demands yet. |
| HNK Bosniak ministers urgent OHR to help
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Amendments solve over-voting issue’ – Four Bosniak Minister who have ‘frozen’ their participation in the work of Neretva-Herzegovina Cantonal Government will be with the Chief of OHR Mostar Regional Office Jacques Andrieu on Monday. Dnevni Avaz learns that new crisis and proposal of measures to be taken to solve it will be discussed. Avaz carries out the statement from HNK Finance Minister Semin Boric: ‘The main problem, for which this crisis has happened and which caused our walkout is the fact that Bosniak Ministers during making decisions every time get to be over-voted. Croatian Ministers in their work have ‘installed’ voice from Serb Ministers chosen by HDZ BIH and who is obedient to them. We request that our amendments to the HNK Constitution are passed for assembly procedure, and which would solve the issue of us being over-voted. According to our amendments, important decisions would be made only through votes of majority, as obviously this is not a system in which all of us can succeed.’ He added that if OHR’s involvement in the issue doesn’t help, than SDA President Sulejman Tihic would discuss it directly with HDZ BiH President Baris Colak. |
| Some HDZ officials to be dismissed? | Dnevni List front, pg 5 ‘Sanctions against Cantonal board of HDZ of Herzeg Bosnia Canton?’ – Regarding recent reports that some cantonal boards and municipal organization of the HDZ BiH might get dismissed because of their poor work, DL reckons it is highly likely the Cantonal Board of HDZ in Canton 10 will suffer consequences because of poor functioning of the cantonal board and municipal organizations of the HDZ in the said Canton. DL also notes the animosity and rivalry between the HDZ of Livno and Tomislavgrad which have often surfaced. Vecernji List front ‘Internal elections in rebel branches of HDZ’, pg 4 ‘Dismissal of disobedient’ – Vecernji List believes the Cantonal Board and municipal organizations of HDZ in Canton 10 will be dissolved and internal elections will be organized to fill in the vacated posts. On top of this, VL believes the same is in store for municipal organizations of HDZ in Stolac and perhaps Capljina. These two are minded for organizing a gathering in Neum, just prior to the last session of HDZ Main Board, which is seen as “mini-putsch” by the party top. VL also notes that the party has the weakest organization in its history. |
| HDZ Croatia on HDZ BiH candidate for Croatian Parliament | Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘ HDZ Croatia doesn’t want punished politicians on its list’ – HDZ in Croatia confirmed that it would not include a politician from BiH previously removed from political positions by any of the High Representatives to its list for diasporas. ‘There is no way… These are elections for Croatian Parliament. Nobody will influence HDZ, and nobody – including HDZ BiH – will dictate it whom to put on the list.’ – stated HDZ Vice President Vladimir Seks commenting on possibility for HDZ BiH to nominate Ivo Andric-Luzanski, Zdravnko Batinic or Ante Jelavic for the elections. |
| Restitution Law | RTRS – The Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nikola Spiric said he believed that the Law on Restitution, which he proposed, could be adopted by the end of November. There is a political willingness now for adoption of this law, said Nikola Sekulovic, President of the League for Protection of Private Property from Trebinje. ‘The OHR already once blocked adoption of this law’ – stated Sekulovic – ‘but this time the HR told us, here in Trebinje, that he won’t interfere if there is consensus on this issue among BiH peoples. We will see will Mr. Ashdown becomes [alike] comrade Petrich.’ |
War crimes issues | |
| US to impose sanctions in case of lack of cooperation with ICTY
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Hiding of war criminals will cause economic sanctions’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 13 ‘Conditions to former Yugoslav countries’, BHTV 1, CRHB, FTV – Countries of ex-Yugoslavia could be denied with future US assistance if they provide support for indicted war criminals and obstruct Dayton agreement. This is a basic of a draft Law to be discussed in next following days before the US Senate, and which foresees the financial assistance to Serbia and Montenegro and support of international institutions to depend on confirmation that Belgrade fulfilled all of its obligations toward ICTY. US Congress House of Representatives already adopted this law and US president has been authorized to evaluate level of co-operation for each particular country. On the matter, ICTY spokesperson Florence Hartman talked about current SCG obligations: ‘Four indictments against army and a police generals in SCG have been issued while other indictments are not against active officers.’ |
| VL: Gotovina to be indicted for war crimes in RS | Vecernji List pg 11 ‘The Hague charges Gotovina with crimes in Republika Srpska’ by Z. Jurilj – According to the source from the Croatian Coalition, an extended bill of indictment against Croatian General Anto Gotovina charges him with the war crimes committed over Serb civilians, wounded persons and prisoners of the RS Army, that allegedly took place in Sipovo, Mrkonjic Grad, Drvar, Bosansko Grahovo, Jajce. Asked about the extended bill of indictment against Gotovina, ICTY Prosecution’s spokesperson Florence Hartmann stated that all details regarding the extended bill of indictment will be known in a few days. Commenting on this information Gotovina’s lawyer Luka Misetic stated that the military operations of the Croatian Army, HVO and BiH Army were under the joint command of Croatia and the USA. Misetic added that US representative Richard Holbrooke even ordered late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and late Croatian Minister of Defense Gojko Susak to conquer some towns in BiH that are allegedly mentioned in the extended bill of indictment against Gotovina since this would help establishing of peace in BiH. |
| Interview with Florence Hartman
| Vecernji List front ‘Investigation against leaders of Herceg Bosna underway’, pg 5 ‘The Hague carries out investigation against officials of Herceg Bosna’ by Z. Jurilj – VL carries an interview with ICTY Prosecution’s spokesperson Florence Hartmann. Asked about the statement given by Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, that she has new evidence on moving and the network that helps hiding of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, Hartmann says: “Naturally, I cannot reveal details to you, however, the fact is that Radovan Karadzic did not disappear and that he is moving on the territory of the Republika Srpska.” Asked whether new bills of indictment against Croats in BiH exist, Hartmann stated: “The Hague is carrying out investigations and until the bill of indictment is published, one cannot talk about concrete names. This means that the investigations exist and I will not tell you against whom until the bill of indictment is published.” Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘No new investigations against members of Yugoslav Army and MOI’; Glas Srpske, pg. 6, ‘No more indictments’ – Florence Hartmann, Spokesperson of the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, confirmed that the Hague Prosecutor’s Office will not brining new indictments against members of the Serbian Army and Ministry of Internal Affairs. |
| DL Statement of Day | Dnevni List (page 2) carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ Deputy Head of Belgrade Center for Security and Investigation of terrorism Darko Trifunovic as saying: “Florence Hartmann and people from the Prosecution do not do at all to contribute to the reconciliation process in BiH. |
| RS POWs on Izetbegovic | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Bubanj still echoing’ – At Saturday’s session in Gradiska, the Association of the Republika Srpska former inmates decided that they would seek from the Hague Tribunal to declare the late Alija Izetbegovic guilty for the crimes committed against non-Muslim population during the war in BiH. |
Economic and social issues | |
| Indirect Taxation Administration
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Kasumovic: I did not give up on candidacy’ – Fuad Kasumovic on Sunday made statement to say that he did not withdraw his candidacy for the vacancy of Director of the Indirect Taxation Administration. ‘I did not give up, nor I will. In the competition procedure, before the legally formed commission which consists of two representatives from the entities, representatives of BiH state and the international community, I have achieved the best results.’ Media earlier published reports that Kasumovic gave up on further competition, and daily reads that such information was allegedly given by Joly Dixon, Chairman of the Indirect Taxation Commission. Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Foreigners want they own man’ by V.Jahic – Daily reads that both Fuad Kasumovic and Mile Kudic gave up on their candidacies for the post of Director following pressure from the international organizations, whose ‘committee’ did not approve Kasumovic. Apparently, Kasumovic was blamed of having a number of criminal charges filed against him, while Kudic gave up after it was agreed that Director would be a Bosniak. Member of SDA Mehmed Zilic claims that his opponents set up Kasumovic with assistance from the international community. Daily further speculates that due to deadlines with regard to ITA have been approaching, possibility is to appoint Acting Director from the international community, which is also preferred by the Head of CAFAO Alen Jensen. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 32, Glas Srpske page 22, Oslobodjenje – dailies carry vacancy announcement for the position of the Director of the Indirect Tax Administration, which was issued by ITA. The vacancy is open ‘til November 7th. |
| RS Elektroprivreda update | BHTV 1 by Boris Gagic – Problems of poor business results and inadequate management of RS Elektroprivreda has continued even after recent dismissal. Following the report of special auditor the general manager and RS Elektroprivreda Steering Board were replaced. But results have not improved and three new audit reports showed that losses even increased since then. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic announced new removals in order to stabilise situation in the company: ‘We are going through audit reports in order to detect weaknesses in management. Concrete measures for solving these problems will be made till end of October.’ Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays: ‘Reforms and changes in electric power systems are necessary to make any progress. Consequence of non-membership in European Association of Power Transmitters could be 100 to 200 millions Euro annually.’ |
| SEE centre for fight against corruption opened in Sarajevo | Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Secretariat in a fight against corruption’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 SPAI Secretariat opened by Terzic and Busek’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Opening of Secretariat for fight against corruption’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Opening of Secretariat for fight against corruption’, FENA – Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic, together with Special Coordinator of the SEE Stability Pact Erhard Busek, will open Stability Pact’s regional centre for the fight against corruption [so called SPAI Secretariat]. The aims of this anti-corruption initiatives include reforms of the legal and institutional structures, adoption and implementation of the European and international instruments which will improve transparency and integrity in business and economic operations. |
| VL on privatization in BiH | Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Announcement of tender for sale of 15 companies imposed’ by M. Stankovic – According to daily, many foreign experts were assisting in the privatization process and during the two years they mediated in the sale of 18 companies of a state interest and this is considerably less than it was expected. VL also says that in order to speed up the privatization process a working group for privatization at the state level was appointed in September. VL goes on to say that it is still too early to say what this working group will do and whether the privatization process will have to be started again from the very beginning. Giving the data on the sale of the strategic companies, VL also says that since recently the foreign experts that help the privatization process are being paid by the money from the loan amounting to 19 million KM that the World Bank gave to BiH entities. |
| DL: FBiH Govt lacking funds | Dnevni List cover splash ‘Federation Government facing lack of funds’, pg 7 ‘Payment of invalid pension for December questionable, no overdue pensions’ by Ivica Glibusic – Noting that the pensioners in FBiH announced signing of petition aimed at removal of the FBiH Government if the Government did not prepare a program of consolidation of the pensioners’ status by October 22, the deadline that has been breached already, DL warns of a difficult financial situation the FBiH Government is faced with. In this context, DL says even the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, stated that the payment of pensions for invalids for December 2003 is questionable since 25 million KMs have to be secured. Regarding one of pensioners’ request, the payment of three overdue pensions that is, DL tried to get a respond from the FBiH Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Radovan Vignjevic, but in vain, since Minister Vignjevic has not replied for more than a week, which triggers the daily to call for Minister Vignjevic’s removal. |
| Ljiljan: Reform of Public Administration to decrease poverty in BiH | Ljiljan pgs 44&45 ‘Administration eats us!’ by Anes Dzunuzovic – ‘Close to 60% of gross national product in BiH is being spent for the administration. With Dayton Peace Agreement BiH became the country with 14 governments, assemblyies, more than 100 ministers, in addition to all other public institutions divided between entities, cantons and District. Add to all that a number of services which take care that those authorities function.’ Author writes about the necessity of the public administration reforms as envisaged by document ‘BiH Development Strategy’. He further writes that these reforms must also include reduction of the army and changes in the Interior Ministry. ‘Preparation and implementation of the reforms of public and state administration are one of the most important factors which directly impact the growth of the private sector,… [which] should decrease the poverty level in BiH, to increase the number of employees and to ensure stabile economic growth.’ In addition to these measures, author believes that a number of projects have to follow these reforms such as accelerating the privatization, strengthening of the financial sector, integration of the labour market at the level of the state, reinforce the fight against organized crime and corruption, and to establish business environment which would encourage both foreign and local investors. Author concludes that these reforms must be priority for BiH authorities. |
Legal issues | |
| Paravac lobbies for Mijovic to go to European Human Rights Court
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Paravac regards Ljiljana Mijovic as ‘Serb personnel’ and lobbies for her top Shieder’ – One of three candidates for the position of a judge from BiH to European Court for Human Rights Ljiljana Mijovic said to Glas Srpske recently that she would not withdraw her candidacy. Avaz claims that Mijatovic – who is competing against Zoran Pajic and Ahmed Zilic – is fully supported by the BIH Presidency member Borislav Paravac, which ‘is clear from correspondence his cabinet had with the leadership of Council of Europe.’ The letter he sent to CoM by Paravac is further quoted: ‘We have been surprised with the campaign – that completely is ungrounded, tendencies and politically oriented – being led against Ljiljana Mijovbic, a candidate for the judge in European Human Rights Court. The trial of degradation in some Federation media is unfortunately just one of common examples of continuous attacks against Serb personnel.’ – said Paravac. |
| DL on election of BiH judge to Human Rights Court | Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Who and why is lobbying for Ljiljana Mijovic’ – DL carries that the BiH judge in Human Rights Court in Strasbourg was not elected due to the fact that the votes of European parliamentarians were divided. DL says that the reason because of which the votes were divided is the fact that they learnt from unofficial sources as to what two BiH candidates for the aforementioned position (Ljiljana Mijovic and Zoran Pajic) told during the interview before the members of a Sub-board for the election of judge in the Council of Europe. DL goes on to say that contrary to the procedure, and at the insisting of BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Mladen Ivanic new, changed CVs of Mijovic and Pajic were submitted to the Sub-board and parliamentarians. DL also says that according to reliable sources in the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ivanic in person was working on the changes of the CVs at the request of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro Goran Svilanovic. DL says it is very important for Belgrade to have during the first 6 years of the mandate in Strasbourg a BiH judge that will not only protect interests of the Republika Srpska but of Serbia and Montenegro as well. |
| DL: Mtg btw Cantonal Prosecutor, Financial Police and OHR | Dnevni List front ‘Meeting between prosecutor Mirsad Resulovic, Financial police and OHR’, pg 3 ‘Hot potato transferred to Federation MoI’ by De. L. – The daily got a confirmation from a source close to the OHR that the Office of the High Representative reacted to media reports that the Cantonal Prosecutor in Mostar, Mirsad Resulovic, tasked the Financial Police to carry out several investigations in Mostar. Apparently, Prosecutor Resulovic had a meeting with the Financial Police and OHR and following the meeting he decided to halve the request by leaving the so-called easier cases to the Financial Police whilst transferring the more difficult ones to the Ministry of Interior of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina although the OHR suggested differently. The FBiH MoI does not want to comment on the Resulovic’s request, however DL learns the FBiH MoI will declare itself once the crisis between the FBiH MoI and FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic on one side and Director of FBiH MoI, Zlatko Miletic, and all ten cantonal Police Commissioners on the other, has been resolved. Reportedly, Prosecutor Resulovic requests the FBiH MoI to conduct investigations and press criminal reports against persons responsible in cases of Catholic Cathedral in Mostar, Croat National Theater, FBiH Government building in Mostar, city swimming pool, Mostar Sports Hall, Hrvatski Dom Herceg Stjepan Kosaca and the Integra building in Mostar although the OHR had warned that a wrong approach in those cases might have far reaching consequences for Mostar and FBiH. |
| Conference on legal reforms re border security | RTRS – Three-day regional conference on legal reform in the field of borders security started on Sunday in Sarajevo, in organization of the BiH State Border service (SBS) and Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces from Geneva. Representatives from BiH, Croatia, Macedonia, SCG and Albania took part in discussions, whose aim is to help countries to reach the standards defined by the Schengen agreement on securing borders, which is one of the conditions that must be fulfilled in order to join EU. BiH Deputy Security Minister Dragan Mektic underlined that BiH is determined to adopt all European standards: ‘We are absolutely determined to fight against terrorism, organized crime and especially drugs smuggling, human trafficking, illegal migration, etc’. BHTV 1 – Director of State Border Service Nijaz Spahic: ‘We need to learn from experiences from other countries, which have gone trough same process and to make necessary changes of our legislation. This was good opportunity to learn more from others.’ |
Media issues | |
| PDP on RTRS | RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘PDP opposes to attempted abolishment of RTRS’; Glas Srpske – At yesterday’s session in Prijedor, the members of the PDP Presidency supported the necessity for the reform of RTRS and entire public broadcasting service of BiH, but it also harshly criticised the attempted abolishment of the RTRS, which is presented in the proposed model of the law on RTRS. According to press release issued after the session, ‘PDP is of the view that the RTRS must have its legal and programme independence. The programme of this station should be broadcast 24 hours a day at special channel.” PDP also expressed support to position taken by the RS Government , that promised it would provide financial stability of RTRS. PDP also expressed support to the Republika Srpska Government recommendations regarding the stable functioning of the PBS. |