- BH-Central Institutions
- Sejfudin Tokic comments on cooperation with PDP;
- Federation
- Capljina: Municipal Council session - 'Along with adoption of
re-balance account, confidence to Municipal Council President on the
agenda'
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Herceg Bosna Canton has to
accept the co-locators of the IPTF- The Premier will be responsible for
any incident
- SIRL presents strategy of return in the year 2001
- Approximately 100 Bosniaks return to Federation: Srebrenica
- Republika Srpska
- PDP press release - Consultations with six parties started;
- RS NA leadership met with representatives of political parties;
- Stanislav Cadjo (member of the SNSD Executive Board) - SNSD is
considering participation in "the shadow government";
- Branislav Lolic (vice-president of SNS) - SNS is ready to offer
ministers;
- The RS Government denies Ivanic's statement that large number of the
RS state media was under control of one party;
- BL pensioners rally again;
- International community:
- Alexandra Stiglmayer (OHR Spokeswoman) - No money with SDS;
- Bicakcic requests Petritsch's apology for the statement on "being
unfit"
- MND North and armed forces end demining program
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Central Institutions related Issues:
Sejfudin Tokic comments on cooperation with PDP
(NN) Today's edition of "NN" carries article in which Sejfudin Tokic
(member of the SDP BiH Executive Board) comments on establishment of the
Alliance for Changes at the BiH level and PDP's role in it. "According to
the contacts we have had with Ivanic so far, we can say that PDP will
fully support SDP candidate at the state level. The changes at the state
level can be carried out only if government without nationalistic parties
is established at entity level", said Tokic. He did not comment on
Ivanic's statement that "PDP will not join the Alliance at BiH level",
because he does not know anything about it. Asked to comment whether the
HoR session, scheduled for Friday, would be the best test for the
Alliance, Tokic says: "I could be one of tests, we shall see on Friday. I
want to reiterate that only the Alliance for Changes can save BiH. On one
hand there is Ivanic, and on the other there is Silajdzic, and they both,
in a way, hold keys in their hands. According to sources close to the IC,
they both were told what is expected from them. For example, Thomas Miller
told Ivanic that he would not be able to get a visa, not to mention the
financial assistance, if he fails to support the Alliance".
Federation
Capljina: Municipal Council session - 'Along with adoption of re-balance
account, confidence to Municipal Council President on the agenda':
Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported that Capljina Municipal Council
had 9 items on the agenda, and the most important one was the re-balance
of the Capljina Municipal Budget for 2000.
As Mayor Stjepan Sutalo, the one who rendered the draft re-balance
account, the Municipality cannot influence significantly the inflow of
money in the budget which is based on the legal regulations. With the
change of regulations and laws from this realm, the budget should be
changed as well, i.e. the re-balance account should be produced in
accordance with those changes.
Early this year, the incomes were planned for 2,903,000 KM, and 3,983,000
KM was realised, which makes up 30% more of what was planned. The
difference of 1,080,000 KM is due to the assistance from the higher,
Federation level for the purpose of funding the works on the
reconstruction of the Capljina Bridge.
Some of the increased budget incomes were directed for assistance to the
local communities in order for them to improve the infrastructure.
The HDZ caucus raised the issue of responsibility of the Municipal Council
President, Rasim Delic due to the findings that were discovered following
the recent meeting with International Mediator Christian Schwarz Schilling
in Capljina, from whom they found out about the letters that Delic sent to
a number of international organisations without discussing it with the
Municipal Council first.
The other objection to his work was that he made some decisions for which
he was not authorised.
By majority vote, it was decided that they would discuss the confidence to
the Council President at the next session.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Herceg Bosna Canton has to accept
the co-locators of the IPTF- The Premier will be responsible for any
incident:
Zagreb daily Vecernji List said that Branko Matic, the removed Minister,
was seen yesterday in the building of the MoI and was warned that he had
nothing to do in that building any more because his work was finished,
stated Alun Roberts, the Spokesman of the UN Mission for the region of
Banjaluka and Bihac in Livno yesterday. He informed the journalists that
the high UN officials in B&H, Dr. Ray Gravel, the Deputy Head for Civil
Affairs and Denis Leduc, the Deputy Commissar of the IPTF, visited Livno
yesterday and met with the high officials of the Ministry of Interior of
the Herceg-Bosna Canton in order to clarify the co-location plan and
remind them once again that they have to cooperate with the IPTF monitors.
Namely, according to the UN Spokesman, the biggest resistance, apart from
the Cantonal Government, came from the two Assistants to the Minister and
the Heads of the Crime and other departments of the Cantonal Ministry of
Interior. Roberts once again mentioned the four reasons because of which
Branko Matic was removed and added that they observed that all three
flags, the federal, state and cantonal, are placed on the Government
building, and that there is only one flag, the cantonal flag, on the
building of the Ministry of Interior. Drvar was also mentioned at the
press conference, and it was said once again that Drvar is a very
sensitive region. Roberts could not say yesterday if Jasenko Tesic, the
Head of the PA Drvar, would be removed. However, he emphasised that his
work is under surveillance and also its is being checked if he is a double
occupant. In any case, he said that Tesic's work is unprofessional and
non-objective and reiterated that the interests of the political parties
could not interfere in the professional work.
SIRL presents strategy of return in the year 2001:
Sarajevo-based Onasa news agency reported that the BiH Alliance of
Refugees and Displaced Persons (SIRL) demands the implementation of
a single law on refugees and displaced persons at the level of BiH
in the next year, as well as the constitutionality of the peoples
in order that the discrimination of this category of the population be
avoided.
Presenting the strategy for return for the year of 2001, SIRL
President Mirhunisa Zukic said that the entities' laws on refugees and
displaced persons were discriminatory for certain categories of returnees.
The SIRL insists also on the regional return at the level of BiH,
Yugoslavia and Croatia, and on the return to the BiH entities, with the
maximal security of returnees. The Alliance has been intensively
working on this strategy for two years already and it thinks that the
political conditions for the implementation of this project are fulfilled.
The strategy in the next year requests the full implementation
of the property laws in BiH. According to the information presented
by Zukic, the Commission for Real Property Claims (CRPC) collected
223,167 claims until the end of November this year, and it issued 135,433
decisions. Out of this number, approximately 35,000 persons repossessed
their property.
The SIRL thinks that it is necessary to accelerate the process of
implementation of the property laws and dynamics of the return of
people, and its president particularly pointed out the problem of return
of intellectuals to the cities.
The Alliance also insists on the providing of financial means
for the reconstruction of devastated houses of returnees, first of
all, to those who spent this year in tents, containers, ruins and "nylon
settlements."
The position of the SIRL is that the return must be sustainable,.
with the security of return, employment of returnees, health
insurance and a single education system.
The Alliance is afraid for the re-return to the Republika Srpska,
regarding the fact that the incidents happen after the general
elections and victory of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS).
The SIRL requests that the authorities of both BiH entities, state
of BiH, and particularly the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees,
Office of the High Representative (OHR) and non-governmental
organizations, such as SIRL, have a
joint strategy of return for the next year.
The strategy of return for the year of 2001, which is according to
Zukic objective and possible with the newly-elected leadership, was
presented today.
The SIRL does not want to follow in the next year the policy "first
return of people on the ground, and then the assistance," and Zukic
complained about the ignoring relation towards this alliance, which has
been directly working on the return.
Djordje Stankovic, who covers the RS within the SIRL, said that the
refugees have been manipulated, particularly in the pre-election
campaigns. He stressed that there has been progress in the RS when it is
about so-called associations for stay in the RS. According to Stankovic,
these associations have understood that they cannot build future on
the other people's property, that they have been manipulated by the
ruling party, and they have decided to return to the pre-war residence.
He mentioned that the SIRL has pointed out that there is a
corruption in some governmental offices and taking of money from refugees.
According to Stankovic, the Alliance requests to be an equal partner
in the implementation of the program of return to the concrete locations
in BiH.
Approximatelly 100 Bosniaks return to Federation:
Srebrenica
Onasa reported that after the first cold days this winter, approximately
one hundred Bosniak returnees in the villages of Suceska and Pale near
Srebrenica, who lived in tents during summer and fall, returned to the BiH
Federation, where they live as refugees, and no one stayed in 15
reconstructed houses.
Returnees in these villages did not have elementary conditions for
life, since these settlements are still without the electricity and
because of this, they have decided to return to the alternative
accommodation until spring.
Only three Bosniak families have returned to Srebrenica, although
several dozens houses and apartments in this city have been vacated and
returned to the owners
Republika Srpska
PDP press release - Consultations with six parties started
(GS & NN) Today's editions of both BL dailies carry brief press release
issued by the PDP. The press release reads that Mladen Ivanic (RS PM
designate) met with representatives of SDS, DNS, DSP, Pensioner Party, SDP
BiH and SDA. The main topic of the meeting was composition of the RS
Cabinet.
RS NA leadership met with representatives of political parties
(GS) RS NA leadership (Dragan Kalinic, Zoran Djeric and Sulejman Tihic)
continued consultations with representatives of SPRS, SBiH, DSP, SDP BiH,
DNS, DS RS, NHI and Pensioners' Party. According to press release issued
by Office of the RS NA Speaker, the main topics of the meeting were work
of the RS NA, forming of the RS NA bodies and working groups. The
political parties are also supposed to propose changes and amendments to
the RS NA Book of Procedures. The participants decided that the RS NA
leadership should meet with RS deputies in the BiH Parliament in order to
establish better coordination between the BiH Parliament and the RS NA.
Stanislav Cadjo (SNSD) - SNSD is considering participation in the "shadow
government"
(GS & NN) At yesterday's press conference Stanislav Cadjo (member of the
SDS Executive Board) said that the SNSD is ready to become an opposition
party and is considering formation of the "shadow government", because
participation of the SDS in the RS executive bodies is very detrimental.
"The SNSD is considering several options, inter alia, formation of the
shadow government that would be very actively engaged in political life",
said Cadjo. He says that Ivanic's latest statements regarding composition
of the RS Cabinet could be interpreted as if he is seeking an alibi,
rather than presentation of his own solutions for the existing problems.
Branislav Lolic (SNS) - SNS is ready to offer ministers
(GS & NN) Branislav Lolic (vice-president of SNS) says that the SNS still
might support the RS Cabinet and give its support to it if Mladen Ivanic
provides support of both, stabile majority of Serb parties and the IC. "If
the SNS finds acceptable the concept and composition of the RS Cabinet
then we are ready to support it and to offer some of our nominees for
ministerial posts", said Lolic.
The RS Government denies Ivanic's statement on the RS media
(GS & NN) The outgoing RS Government denies statement of Mladen Ivanic
according to which "a large number of the RS state-media was controlled by
only one party" and asks Ivanic to prove such statement. The press release
issued by the RS Government Press Office reads that "it is pitiful that a
person who has Ph.D. in economy, which basically means who has Ph.D. in
facts, makes such statements. The press release further reads that the RS
PM designate ought to know that "a large number" of the state-owned media
comprises "Oslobodjenje", SRNA, "Glas srpski", weekly magazine "Republika"
and the RTRS because all these media are partially financed from the
budget. Words "party" and "state" that Mladen Ivanic used in his statement
show in the best way Ivanic's sense of reality, and there is no room for
such expressions in democratic system".
BL pensioners rally again
Banja Luka pensioners held rally yesterday. David Tomic (President of BL
Pensioners' Association) said that pensioners gathered one more time in
order to make the RS Government start resolving their problems. According
to Tomic, BL pensioners have only one demand - payment of only one pension
till the end of the year. He said he had talks with Ivanic on Monday who
promised he would fully support them. The next rally will take place on
Friday.
International Community
Alexandra Stiglmayer (OHR Spokeswoman) - No money with SDS
(GS & NN) Today's editions of both BL dailies carry statement that
Alexandra Stiglmayer gave to SRNA news agency according to which the RS PM
designate is very well informed about the position of the IC regarding
composition of the future RS Government. Commenting on Ivanic's statement
that the future RS Government will include some representatives of the
SDS, Stiglmayer reiterates that some donors have already announced they
will cut off financial assistance to the RS if it happens, which would be
very detrimental to the RS economy. "However, there is no official
composition of the RS Cabinet. Let's wait and see what the Cabinet will be
like and then we shall be able to say whether we are going to cooperate
with it or not. The SDS's entry to the RS Cabinet might mean anything",
said Stiglmayer. Commenting on Sarovic's statement that the IC had similar
stands toward the SDS when the CoM had been formed, Stiglamyer said that
at the time nobody said that financial assistance would be cut off.
Bicakcic requests Petritsch's apology for the statement on "being unfit":
The BiH Federation Prime Minister has requested public apology from
Wolfgang Petritsch, the High Representative in BiH, after the latter
labeled him unfit to perform duties of public trust. Petritsch stated this
in the justification of his December 21 decision by which he annulled
earlier Bicakcic's decision on the return of vehicles seized from citizens
during the "Vehicle" operation.
Bicakcic has also sent Petritsch a letter in which, according to the
Government's Public Information Office, specific documents are listed
which indicate that the High Representative's decision was made on the
grounds of inaccurate and incomplete facts.
The Federation PM seems to be quite right this time and this is probably
why such a harsh tone has been used. Namely, the "Vehicle" operation has
been one of the most intricate affairs over the last 2 years and,
according to all the relevant data, Prime Minister Bicakcic has made a
decision which is disputable in terms of legality but is undoubtedly in
the interest of BiH citizens, i.e. filling the budget.
Although the Ministry of Finance, the Customs Administration and the
police were aware of the existence of the forged stamp on the basis of
which cars were imported into BiH as back as March 1999, the "Vehicle"
operation, which was meant to prevent it, was only initiated in April
2000. In the meantime, hundreds of vehicles were imported on the basis of
that stamp, and the citizens were issued by the police legal traffic
licenses, which represented a guarantee by the state that the import of
their vehicles was regular. When the "Vehicle" operation was finally
initiated, instead of having the investigation focused on true culprits,
criminal proceedings were initiated against the car owners who were
tricked twice - by the criminals and by the state.
Moreover, the vehicles were then seized from the citizens as it was
insisted on by a group of ambitious officers of the Customs Administration
who, however, did not make an effort to explain unacceptable delay in
initiating the operation. And then, following justified public protests of
the damaged cars owners and announcements of lawsuits for payment of the
so-called "demurrage fees" for the temporarily seized vehicles, Bicakcic
cut the knot saying the vehicles would be returned - but before it is
done, the citizens had to pay the tax and customs fees once again.
Considerable funds were thus injected into the Federation budget. The
Minister of Finance, Dragan Covic, also wanted to pass such a decision,
yet he had no authority to do that.
However, a number of Customs Administration employees, in whose opinion
the whole thing also turned into a personal showdown with most of their
colleagues, were dissatisfied with the fact that the vehicles were given
back to the owners. They openly announced: "Petritsch will annul the
decision". And that is what really happened, and it seems that most
probably the main motive was the desire to create a bad image of the work
of Bicakcic's Government in public in a delicate moment of the
negotiations on the establishment of the new authorities following the
November 11 elections.
MND NORTH AND ARMED FORCES END DEMINING PROGRAM:
Onasa news agency reported that Members of SFOR's Multinational Division
(MND)
North and the entity armed forces have finished the summer demining
program for
the year 2000 and announced the beginning of the new program of
supervising,
removing and destroying of the mines and unexploded explosive devices for
March
19, 2001, according to a statement from the MND North.
The entity armed forces cleaned 296,828 square meters of the ground
until
December 16 this year, at which there were 270 mines and 177 other
unexploded
devices.
The goal of this program is the support to the process of
return and
creation of the safe environment for returnees and all citizens, and the
role of
the MND North in the program is the supervising of the operations
implemented by
armed forces of both BiH entities and lectures for civilians and soldiers
about
the danger from the mines.
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