BH-Central Institutions The Association of Brcko Returnees "Povratak" criticizes Garry Matthews; Federation Mostar authorities fail to provide permission for the reconstruction of a mosque; Constituting session of the Croat National Council scheduled for December 16th; Federation Minister of Defense: Military reduction in two years; Republika Srpska SDS - the change of politics or false promises; Vakuf Direction reacts to statements of RS officials on the reconstruction of mosques; The SDS, the PDP and the SPRS will form the Assembly Majority; RS authorities in Doboj to suspend evictions; The RS Commission for Missing Persons criticizes the PDHR Ralph Johnson; International Community OHR reacts to the announcements of pensioners protests; Wolfgang Petritsch publishes a book on BiH; High Representative imposes Law on Human Rights Ombudsmen of BiH and amends Law on Administrative Fees in BiH: Cardinal Puljic meets Senior Deputy High Representative; OHR Mostar confirms the resignation of a Mostar municipality head; Editorials Glas Srpski editorial on "Dosta je!" campaign; Slobodna Dalmacija: Shareholders of hell; Vjesnik: Untrue Announcements about the withdrawal of the Wolfgang Petritsch Central Institutions related Issues: The Association of Brcko Returnees "Povratak" criticizes Garry Matthews: The Association of Brcko returnees "Povratak" protested yesterday against the recent decision of the Brcko District Supervisor, Garry Matthews, to suspend all evictions in the district between December 25 and January 15. "If he truly wants to make a humane gesture, he should not do so in the interest of only one, the Serb people, but ...should suggest to entity and cantonal governments to suspend the evictions of Bosniaks and Croats expelled from Brcko," reads the statement issued by the association. Meanwhile, OHR Spokesperson, Alexandra Stiglmayer, denied that Matthews ever proposed the suspension of evictions, and said that the OHR will remain consistent in the implementation of property laws. Federation Mostar authorities fail to provide permission for the reconstruction of a mosque: Mostar Southwest municipality head, Ivan Mandic, failed to approve the reconstruction of the Baba Besir mosque, due to, as he said, too many projects currently being underway in this municipality. This was to be the reconstruction of one of the six mosques which were destroyed during the war by the HVO troops, however, after four years the Mostar Mufti again failed to secure a permission. Avaz writes that the OHR has also been involved in this project, but has not produced any concrete results. Constituting session of the Croat National Council scheduled for December 16th: Niko Lozancic, the President of the Founding Board of the Croat National Council, confirmed that the constituting session of this body would be held on December 16th. Lozancic also said that the invitation for the session is open to all Croat parties and representatives, and even to those who did not participate in the founding conference of the Council. He stressed that the participation at Saturday's session will not imply that the present representatives would boycott the implementation of the elections results. "The Council is a political and not legislative body, although its decisions will be binding for all Croats taking part in the government," said Lozancic. In an editorial, Dnevni Avaz comments that the Croat National Council, although it is outside of the legitimate system of authority (principally, it is a para-institution), it determines how and whether the government will operate. Moreover, its decisions are binding for only one people in BiH. Avaz journalists further draws analogies between the CNC and the 1992 Assembly which was the main legislative body directed solely at Serb representatives, and which later became known as the Pale Assembly. However, the HDZ is ignoring the fact that the political atmosphere and the consensus among its target people are not as favorable as they were in 1992, concludes Avaz. Finally, the International Community will no longer allow such political autism as the HDZ advocates. OSCE Spokesman, Luke Zahner, told press today that the Croat National Council will have no legal significance as afar as this organization is concerned. The OHR also agreed that decisions of the CNC will have no legal weight. Federation Minister of Defense: Military reduction in two years: The Federation Minister of Defense, Miroslav Prce, said on Wednesdays that he agrees that the military personnel in the entity should be reduced down to 15.000 individuals, but in the longer period then previously anticipated, i.e., suggested by the International Community. His estimation is that the reduction could be completed within the next two years. Republika Srpska SDS - the change of politics or false promises: Commenting on Tuesday's meeting between the High Representative and the SDS leadership, Dragan Cavic, Dragan Kalinic, and Mirko Sarovic, Dnevni Avaz writes that despite the fact that the three senior party officials endorsed the joint statement on return, the strengthening of the common institutions, and the cooperation with the ICTY, it does not mean that they will respect or implement it. Cavic, who has been trying to present himself as a moderate politician will this time have to prove his affiliation, and one of the possible ways to do so is to genuinely comply with the OHR statement he signed few days ago. If not, Avaz concludes, he will face the consequences of the broad authority of the HR, which was most probably demonstrated during the recent meeting. All newspapers carry the press release on the meeting issued by the OHR. Vakuf Direction reacts to statements of RS officials on the reconstruction of mosques; Reacting to the recent statements of RS politicians that they would reconstruct mosques in the entity only after the Federation rebuilds all the destroyed churches, the Vakuf Direction criticized RS parliamentary parties and Biljana Plavsic for their harsh and inconsiderate statements. Representatives of the Vakuf said that obviously the people whose names appeared in the article published in Nezavisne Novine cannot or do not want to accept the guilt for the "urbicide" that the RS committed over religious buildings during the war. The SDS, the PDP and the SPRS will form the Assembly Majority: The SDS, the PDP and the SPRS have formed the majority in the RS National Assembly, the SPRS Vice-President Biljana Rodic-Obradovic told reporters on Thursday in Banja Luka. These three parties together have 46 (31+11+4) of 83 seats in the RS NA, and according to Rodic-Obradovic, the negotiations on joining the bloc are underway with the Democratic National Alliance (DNS), which has three seats, and with the Democratic Party (DS) and the Party of Pensioners (SP), which have one seat each. She said a proposal of these three parties, which have formed a parliamentary bloc, will be that the SDS and SPRS agree upon the candidates for the president and secretary general of the assembly, that one vice-president of the parliament be from the PDP and the other one from the Bosniak party, and that the deputy secretary general be from the DNS. She added that these three parties have not yet discussed the establishment of the new RS Government, but that they will do so after the RS Assembly inaugural session on Saturday in Banja Luka. RS authorities in Doboj to suspend evictions: A member of the Commission for the realization of conclusions of Doboj Municipality Assembly, Mirko Nikic, said on Wednesday that the commission got assurances from the Minister for Refugees and DPs in the RS Government that evictions of relocated Serbs whose homes in the Federation are destroyed or occupied will be suspended on the whole territory of the entity. He also stressed that the RS authorities would continue with the evictions of double and illegal occupants in according with the already set schedule. The RS Commission for Missing Persons criticizes the PDHR Ralph Johnson: The RS Missing Persons Commission regrets that the intervention of the Principle Deputy High Representative Ralph Johnson respecting continuation of exhumation at the Lave cemetery in Sarajevo failed, said Commission member Slobodan Avlijas in a statement for SRNA. He said that as of Johnson's visit to the Lav cemetery on November 23, work has not resumed. International Community OHR reacts to the announcements of pensioners protests: Commenting on the recent threats of the Association of Pensioners to organize a mass protests and block all international institutions, OHR Spokesman Chris Bird told Dnevni Avaz that the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, would not withdraw the newly imposed amendments to the Law on Pension Fund and would not leave BiH. He also said that the pensioners should not direct their anger at the HR, but should rather ask their Government and the PIO how they will secure the necessary funds for the disbursement of pensions for the next month. According to Avaz, the Federation Pension Fund managed to, within 31 day, collect only 40 out of 45 million KM which are necessary for the monthly distribution. Since the contributions to PIO are often lower in January, it is nearly certain that the first pensions, which will be disbursed after the law takes effect, will be lower by 40 percent, while the following ones might increase. Avaz also quotes sources in the Federation PIO who say that the Fund still has no plan for the appropriate monthly disbursement of pensions, since it is impossible to estimate the overall amount of money which will be collected in one month. Because of that, PIO officials claim, the amounts of pensions will vary from entity to entity, and from canton to canton. Wolfgang Petritsch publishes a book on BiH: All Sarajevo dailies reported that Wolfgang Petritsch published a book on BiH, titled "BiH - Five Years After Dayton". According to OHR Spokesperson, Alexandra Stiglmayer, Petritsch decided to write the book so the International Community and potential donators would not forget about BiH. Stiglmayer also said that in his book the author sought to point out to the day-to-day peace implementation which is not as dynamic and exiting, to clarify the role of the IC and the OHR in BiH, and set priorities for the future. Dailies also reported that all the profit from the sale of the book would go to the private "Nora and Wolfgang Petritsch" foundation which provides financial assistance to NGOs in BiH. For the same occasion, today's issue of Nezavisne Novine published an interview with Petritsch who commented on his new book. High Representative imposes Law on Human Rights Ombudsmen of BiH and amends Law on Administrative Fees in BiH: Both Banja Luka and Sarajevo dailies reported that the HR imposed the Law on Human Rights Ombudsman of BiH and amended the Law on Administrative Fees. There were no accompanying comments. Cardinal Puljic meets Senior Deputy High Representative: BiH Catholic Church Archbishop, Cardinal Vinko Puljic met on Wednesday in Sarajevo with Senior Deputy High Representative, Matthias Sonn, Sarajevo's Jutarnje Novine reported. The two discussed the current situation in BiH and Puljic pointed out OHR's wrong political evaluations when Catholic Church is concerned. (Report did not specify) Asked to increase his influence among the BiH Croats, the Cardinal responded that this is very hard for him because his name and his office are currently being slandered more than ever, even more then during the communist era. "They (Communists) locked us up but they did not slander and humiliate us in such a manner," Puljic told Sonn. OHR Mostar confirms the resignation of a Mostar municipality head: The Regional Office of the OHR in Mostar officially confirmed on Wednesday that Semir Drljevic, the Mayor of the Bosniak-majority Municipality of Stari Grad in Mostar, has recently resigned. The OHR also denied the allegations that Drljevic resigned due pressures and threats from the Mostar OHR. "The Head of the Regional Office of the OHR, Finn Lynghjem, asked Drljevic, in the written form, to abide by law, i.e. to meet his obligations and support the work of the Stari Grad Municipal Housing Office," stated Mostar OHR Spokesperson Avis Benes at the Wednesday press conference, and denied that Drljevic was requested to resign. In her words, the Mostar OHR appealed to the Mostar-Stari Grad Municipal Council to urgently appoint another Municipal Mayor, in Drljevic's place, who, as she said, will be dealing with the problems of the municipal residents in a more constructive manner. Editorials The Association of Refugees supports "Dosta je" campaign: The BiH Association of Refugees issued a press release in which it expressed its satisfaction with the recent international organizations - initiated campaign for more effective implementation of property laws. The association's president, Mirhunisa Zukic, said refugees support this action and believe that it should be more emphasized in Banja Luka and other areas with lower return rates. Glas Srpski editorial on the campaign: Dosta je! - It's Enough Period: The statement made by Dragan Vuleta, the Deputy RS Minister of Refuges and DPs, that evictions of the individuals who cannot secure any alternative accommodation will be suspended during the winter, was so irritating to the IC that they decided to launch campaign with an indicative title "That is enough!" The campaign launched by the OHR, the OSCE, the UNHCR and the CRPC is aimed at "removing the most pressing obstacles standing in the way of implementation of property legislation" and "to express the frustration felt by claimants waiting to repossess their homes". The targeted groups are - those who voluntarily sold their property, - those who have sufficient means to rent and - those who have access to the home of a 1991 family household members. The second thing the campaign "Dosta je" is based on is the pressure that has to be applied on officials of entity ministries of refugees and DPs to provide alternative accommodation. The lack of alternative accommodation, as the IC representative stress, does not prevent evictions from taking place, and it is the authorities that are responsible for providing it. Judging by everything that has been going on, this winter we shall not see the re-run of the last winter, when the OHR tolerated suspension of evictions of refugees who do not have anywhere to go. The message "Dosta je" is addressed to both, local officials and refugees, who were undoubtedly informed that they are not allowed to stay in other people's property indefinitely. Well, the OHR has no mercy for anybody. OHR Spokesman, Oleg Milisic, who does not understand why low temperature would be an obstacle to people who have to leave somebody else's apartments, also finds such explanation cynical. Insisting on evictions without any exception, at the moment when the Ministry of Refugees and DPs claims that it can not provide alternative accommodation, reminds of a double edged sword. On one hand, it can accelerates the return of refugees to their pre-war homes, and on the other hand, it can slow down evictions if double-occupants, who will find a loop hole in this provision and evade or postpone eviction for a while from illegally possessed property, which should have happened long, long time ago.... The question is why we were waiting for the evictions of double-occupants, who are the main obstacle to the implementation of the Annex 7, for so long!? CROpress editorials provided by the OHR Mostar Slobodna Dalmacija: Shareholders of hell Written by Petar Milos Writing (with a good deal of cynicism and malice) about the situation at the Mostar University, the Sarajevo weekly 'Slobodna Bosna' in its last edition mentions, among the other things, one University Professor, applying to him an epithet of 'the only truly committed intellectual on the territory of West Herzegovina.' The name of this Professor is not relevant for this article, but the aforementioned description of the journalist Amela Basic is. Is it possible that the West Herzegovina with so many professors, artists, successful economists, scientists, reputable priests, does not have but one truly committed intellectual. However, the journalist of 'Slobodna Bosna' has in mind something else when she uses the term 'truly committed intellectual' and you can see it from the article. She judges the political commitment of the intellectual. Thus, after she concluded that the only one intellectual from West Herzegovina has political standpoints similar with her own, she decided to classify him into the lines of the intellectuals, as the only Croat from Herzegovina. Bravo! However, this would not be a big deal if this were only a whim of one journalist. However, this is a common practice of the Sarajevo (Bosniac) media, which are simply competing to disqualify everything that has a Croat-Herzegovinian prefix. If 'Slobodna Bosna', 'Dani', 'Dnevni Avaz', 'Oslobodjenje' differ in many things, they are unique on this point. For all of them, all HVO members are ustashas and war criminals. HDZ is a criminal organization, friars are clerical fascists. Also, they keep asking Ratko Peric, the Mostar-Duvno Bishop and Vinko Puljic, the Cardinal, where their souls will end up in the other world, accusing them for the sins committed in this world. Thus, for instance, after the Cardinal Puljic was present at the Croat People's Assembly in Novi Travnik, the commentator of 'Dani' qualified Puljic, using the ironical terms, as 'the first man of Sarajevo Cathedral' and the 'Cardinal of Herzeg-Bosnia', while his meeting with the political representatives of the Croat people was qualified with the syntagm 'an encounter with the devil'. Thus, since the Cardinal does not agree with the political views of the Sarajevo journalist, he was not only disqualified as an intellectual but he was proclaimed to be the shareholder of hell. It is interesting that Mile Stojic, the Croat from Western Herzegovina, who did not give up yet his nation, origin or (foul) writing about his countrymen, wrote this causerie. This is the reason why I believe that 'Slobodna Bosna' has made the mistake claiming that that University Professor (it is Dr. Slavko Kukic actually) is the only 'truly committed intellectual on the territory of Herzegovina'. Media in BiH, were supposed to play the greatest role in the national reconciliation and establishing of trust. Unfortunately, they have not done it. They keep shooting from all national trenches, using all kinds of weapon. In this media war the Croats were the greatest losers, again, because they have the smallest number of trenches, soldiers and weapon. Namely, by the war transition, the TV became Bosniacs', just like the most newspapers like 'Oslobodjenje', 'Vecernje' and 'Dani'. Since these media rule in Sarajevo from which the most of the Croats during the war leaked out, simply there is no the Croat cadre, or the will to employ them in the pretended Federal organizations. However, in the sea of lies, I was especially impressed by the story that Mijo Tokic is the co-owner of the Duvno bus station, what he achieved allegedly through the malversations while he was a part of the Authority. Since I know the professor Mijo Tokic very well and his property, as well as his indifference towards the material goods, I believe that the origin of the material poverty of this honorable man should be questioned first. From such a media climate, the other journalist's claim, the one about the only intellectual in West Herzegonina, might have originated. It might happen that very soon, just like at the Communist times, they will be talking about the examples of the honorable Croats from Herzegovina. Unfortunately, the Sarajevo newspapers receive the instruction from the new Zagreb Authorities and the IC representatives. It is also important to say that the Croats from Herzegovina themselves, that is their Authorities and tycoons are also to be blamed, due to their own media impotence. They should have had invested a part of the capital into the establishing of their own media, earlier. If they do not do that as soon as possible, then the others will be the only ones to talk about the Herzegovinians, even those who have never been here nor they met a single Herzegovinian. Vjesnik: Untrue Announcements about the withdrawal of the Wolfgang Petritsch Is Wolfgang Petritsch leaving B&H? Bosnian Serbs were the first to draw the attention to this possibility when their new agency SRNA issued the news that the HR would leave "before April 1 next year." Besides, some of the Serb politicians, such as those from former RS President Nikola Poplasen's SRS, hurried to call Petritsch's departure "a shred of hope." Very soon after that, the OHR refuted the "Fool's Day joke by the Dayton opponents" about Petritsch's departure, which is how OHR Spokesperson Oleg Milisic characterised the SRNA report. Petritsch's Spokesperson also commented on the statements by the Serb Radicals by recommending the SRS to "simply start complying with the Dayton Agreement, instead of wasting time on spreading rumours." The HR, concluded Milisic, is now more resolute than ever in the implementation of the DPA and does not intend to leave B&H but will "keep working on the economic reform, refugee return, strengthening of state institutions and struggle against nationalism and ethnic exclusivism in B&H." Milisic's refutation was expected, even for the fact that the news about Petritsch's possible departure came from the lines of Bosnian Serbs. It is well known that Petritsch and certain circles in the RS, to put it in mildest terms, cannot stand one another. On the other hand, there is the question of (dis)satisfaction with Petritsch's work in the world power centres, i.e. his (in)efficiency, especially in the context of the fact that the general elections of November 11 did not go as the IC envisaged they would, and neither did many other matters, such as the return of refugees to the RS, which has almost not moved from a standstill. During Petritsch's mandate, the powers of the HR in B&H have been extended to the extreme limits, almost to an open protectorate. One cannot deny that Petritsch used those "extended powers" for imposition of many decisions and legal acts, but five years after Dayton, many people claim, B&H under such administration, has not achieved the desired results. Therefore, the question of Petritsch's departure, if nothing else, cannot be just that simple because, eventually, it is not (just) the matter of efficiency of one person, but the peace process in B&H in general, or at least some of its parts.

The BiH Media Round-up is being compiled primarily for the OHR's internal purposes under time pressure. Please disregard grammar and typing mistakes. The mentioned media reports do not reflect OHR views, and the OHR does not take responsibility for them.

OHR BiH Media Round-up