BH-Central Institutions Alliance for Changes against naming of Martin Raguz as BiH Council of Ministers mandatary: Bosniak member of BiH Presidency says he'll support SDP's candidate for the mandatary of BiH Council of Ministers: The Balkans and BiH center of traffic of illegal immigrants: Raguz: 'It is clear today that Dayton has a number of deficiencies' Federation Federation pensioners meet today to discuss organizing demonstrations: RTV BiH Workers Union asks for an urgent meeting with the High Representative: Cooperation between two universities in Mostar - 'Joint paper Studentski Dani' Pensioners still waiting - 'Petritsch's law has not been explained well': Republika Srpska RS Prime Minister says two key issues needed for reviving RS economy: Road Toll for BiH Vehicles to be Revoked: Speaker says previous RS government guilty of economic sabotage: International community: German Defense Minister, Rudolph Scharping visited BiH: OHR officials say Director of Independent Judiciary Commission will be named by the end of January: Yugoslav President visits BiH: OHR: Minimum pensions uncertain because of Pension Fund's mistakes: Brcko District: Multiethnic radio to be established in Brcko District: Central Institutions related Issues: Alliance for Changes against naming of Martin Raguz as BiH Council of Ministers mandatary: Dnevni Avaz reported on the front page on Monday that the Alliance for Changes is against naming of Martin Raguz, HDZ representative as the mandatary of the Council of Ministers. Zlatko Lagumdzija, head of SDP said that consultations with Raguz would be a waste of time. Lagumdzija also said that Raguz was named the mandatary by the BiH Presidency even though they know that the Alliance has the majority in the parliament and will not support him. ``This is why this naming is not serious in a situation when every day counts,'' Lagumdzija told Dnevni Avaz. He added that Raguz will not get the vote of confidence from the BiH Parliament. Bosniak member of BiH Presidency says he'll support SDP's candidate for the mandatary of BIH Council of Ministers: All three Sarajevo papers reported that Bosniak member of BiH Presidency and SDA party member, Halid Genjac said that if Martin Raguz does not get the necessary support in the BiH Parliament ``I will support the candidate from the SDP party.'' SDP's and the Alliance's candidate in order to get Genjac's support will have to present a ``pro-Bosnian program and guarantee its implementation,'' the Presidency member said. The Balkans and BiH center of traffic of illegal immigrants: Bringing the attention of the public once again to the traffic of illegal immigrants through BiH, Oslobodjenje reported on front page that in last ten months 50 thousand illegal immigrants traveled through Bosnia. The daily quoted British Prime Minister, Tony Blair as saying that the Balkans are the center of this activity orchestrated by the organized crime and that some 40 thousand Chinese nationals are waiting in FRY for further transportation. Blair asked for a coordinated action of all EU member countries and said that those involved in illegal traffic of people should be severely punished. Raguz: 'It is clear today that Dayton has a number of deficiencies' Martin Raguz, the present Chairman of the Council of Ministers, in spite of all pressures from the Alliance for Changes, received confidence votes of the three-member B&H Presidency and was appointed the designate of the new B&H Government as a candidate of the HDZ B&H. In that way the B&H Presidency fully supported his three-month work as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and marked him to be a person capable of facing the biggest challenges, in a very complex situation in B&H. Q: The representatives of the so-called Alliance immediately raised their voice against your appointment? A: First of all, they would have to know that the Presidency nominate a person and do not give a mandate to any party. Their reactions are groundless. Nobody has the exclusive right to democracy and changes, including the Alliance. Besides, I was nominated by the Party, which got support from 90% of representatives of one of the three constituent peoples. If, in the context of all those facts and other facts I have already mentioned, my nomination has to be disputed, then it certainly speaks more about some other issues. Q: You mentioned the efforts to change the constitutional and legal order in the Federation and BiH. The position of the Croat people under those circumstances is another story.... A: Five years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement it is possible for one to make certain judgments about its achievements and effects. With all positive achievements, such as the stopping of the war, making the reconstruction possible etc., it is recognized today that Dayton is not a consistent model, that it has its deficiencies, that it has not resolved in a standardized way the rights of all three constituent peoples. The Croats are, in all of that, in a very specific situation, having in mind the tendencies according to which the Federation is turned into 'one person - one vote' model, which is insufficient as the exclusive solution for the national community, because it has to be protected with the mechanism for protection of national interests. One should look for the future solutions in the light of the decision of the Constitutional Court on the constituency of peoples as a wish that the framework should be preserved through harmonization, but also that it should be improved so that it could meet the requirements of the Croat people. In such an extremely demanding and sensitive position in which Croat in B&H live now, I think that it is good that the Croatian Parliament and public are getting to know that the issue requires a serious analysis because the existence of the Croat people in B&H and their good position in B&H is a long-term interest for the Republic of Croatia, too. I hope that we shall be able to find a way out of this situation since we are obliged to do so also by the plebiscite-like support shown at the last elections. Federation Federation pensioners meet today to discuss organizing demonstrations: Sarajevo papers reported that pensioners in the Federation should, at a meeting of their organizations scheduled for today, decide when and in what manner will they express their dissatisfaction with the position they have been put in. Oslobodjenje reported that pensioners' problems and dissatisfaction with the situation culminated when the High Representative passed the Pension Law. Pensioner Association officials said that the most probable date for the demonstrations will be January 24th and it is expected that tens of thousands of pensioners will block main roads, airports and main institutions in the Federation. Officials told Oslobodjenje they have invited the representatives of the OHR, the World Bank and the IMF to today's meeting. ``They should once again explain to us why do they insist on such an urgent implementation of the Pension Law which is so bad for pensioners,'' an unnamed Pensioners Association official told the daily. RTV BiH Workers Union asks for an urgent meeting with the High Representative: Main Board of the RTV BiH Workers Union at its session held last week decided to publicly address the High Representative and the PBS Founding Board regarding the problems surrounding the establishment of the Federation TV and the PBS, Oslobodjenje reported on Saturday. The Main Board feels that pre-conditions have to set for this establishment and that John Shearer, High Representative's agent for RTV system is not sticking to what was previously agreed. The main reason for the Board's reaction is Shearer's announcement that Radio Fern will join PBS radio and that the RTV BiH Union has agreed to this. Board officials said this is not true and finds such statements unacceptable and against the High Representative's decision. This is why the Board is asking for an urgent meeting with Wolfgang Petritsch and the PBS Founding Board. Co-operation between two universities in Mostar - 'Joint paper Studentski Dani' Studentski Dani (Student Days), the paper issued jointly by the Mostar University (Sveuciliste) and 'Dzemal Bijedic' University in Mostar, is supposed to be out late this week, Split daily Slobodna Dalamacija reported on Monday. According to the paper's Editor-in-chief, Lada Hasanagic, the authors of the texts are students from the both of the academic institutions in Mostar, and along with Lada Hasanagic, Ludvig Letica, the President of the Students Union of the Mostar Sveuciliste, is also Editor-in-chief. The first edition of the student's paper is financed by the Mostar City Administration, German NGO "Schuler Helfen Leben" and individual businessmen in Mostar. The students will be able to get Studentski Dani for free. "The paper is important because it brings the students in Mostar together and presents yet another step towards integration of academic education, and the students are those that should take the first step," said Hasanagic. Pensioners still waiting - 'Petritsch's law has not been explained well': Zagreb daily Vecernji List reported that the OHR thinks that the new Law on Pensions that was imposed by the HR Wolfgang Petritsch on 18 December last year, has not been explained well to the pensioners in B&H, which is probably the main cause of all misunderstandings that started with a protest rally of the most endangered population category in front of the OHR building. It is still not known as to when the pensions will be paid out, which month they will be for or how high they will be. The Federation Government has recently announced an explanation that the December pensions were not paid out on account of Petritsch's law. The OHR claim that it is not true and that the directors of the pension funds could pay the pensions "according to the old system." However, since they failed to do it, those pensions are now a part of the debt. There have been five overdue monthly pensions by now - pensions for August, September, October, November and December. What was arranged in the meeting of the Federation Government and IC representatives last week, was that the Government and the Ministry of Social Affairs should provide for payment of taxes to the Fund of Pension and Invalidity Insurance in Sarajevo, and that they would co-operate with international officials on that issue in order to try and pay the five outstanding pensions. The debt amounts to 245 million KM, and according to the agreements reached so far, it could be compensated from privatization funds. Besides, the Tax Administration will have much larger powers in "motivating" the companies to pay taxes. The vast majority of people do not think that the five pensions are likely to be paid out. Their thoughts are now concentrated on whether they will receive the pension for January, and when?! Judging from the statements given by domestic and international authorities, payment of the January pensions, despite the fact that the filling of the funds in January is "traditionally" slow, should not be disputable. The Government's financial "injection" of 2 million KM will contribute to it to some extent. However, it is almost certain that they will not be paid by 7 January, as prescribed in Petritsch's law. The date that has been mentioned most often is mid February. Judging from how the things stand at the moment, it is likely that there will be enough money only for payment of the minimal pensions of 117 KM. Since the Association of Pensioners, based on their calculations, expressed a fear that the money collected by the end of the month could only suffice for payment of 50 KM (?) each, a question that suggests itself is whether the IC is prepared to give the Pension and Invalidity Insurance Bureau (MIO) a credit or a loan. However, the only reply that came from the OHR is that they will wait and see how much money the MIO will collect by the end of January. Republika Srpska RS Prime Minister says two key issues needed for reviving RS economy: RS news agency Srna reported that RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic told Belgrade weekly NIN that two key issues were needed for reviving the economic situation in RS: the increase in payment of incomes and fight against corruption. "We plan to set up a special anti-corruption team... to propose passage of a special law for reducing the time for reaching court decision involving public officials", Ivanic said. He underlined the need for simultaneous control in all financial institutions in charge with collecting revenues. Road Toll for BiH Vehicles to be Revoked: RS media reported on Monday that the RS Minister for Traffic and Communications, Branko Dokic, stated for the RTRS that it was certain that the decision on the toll for vehicles from both BiH entities coming to Serbia, which has been in force as of January 15, would be revoked. Dokic said that he had been promised that by the Yugoslav Minister in charge, Zoran Samij. According to Dokic, the issue of granting permissions for RS companies transporting goods from third countries to the FRY and vice versa, would soon be resolved. Thus, RS transportation companies will be granted more permissions, most probably at lower cost. One of the priorities will be the establishment of railway transport, Dokic said and pointed out that it was necessary for BiH to establish full railway communication, which at this moment doesn't exist. Speaker says previous RS government guilty of economic sabotage: Speaker of the [Bosnian] Serb Republic People's Assembly Dragan Kalinic believes that one of the biggest challenges facing the new authorities will be not to give in to the pressure exerted by some politicians from the Bosnia-Hercegovina Federation, who want to see Bosnia-Hercegovina without the entities, i.e. without the Serb Republic. In an interview in today's issue of the Belgrade-based Glas javnosti, Kalinic said that the statement by the former Serb Republic prime minister, Milorad Dodik, that the Serb Democratic Party [SDS] had organised and committed war crimes, was "a statement of revenge, made in the heat of the moment". "Dodik's statement contradicts what he said few months ago, before the elections which he lost: that the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina was a civil war, and Haris Silajdzic had no right to claim that the Serb Republic was a result of genocide," he said. International community related issues: German Defense Minister, Rudolph Scharping visited BiH: German Defense Minister, Rudolph Scharping visited BiH on Sunday and met with German troops serving as part of the Nato-led peace force in Bosnia. Commander of the German contingent told Scharping that there is no uranium hysteria in Bosnia and that BiH population ``really has other problems,'' papers said. OHR officials say Director of Independent Judiciary Commission will be named by the end of January: Dnevni Avaz quoted OHR spokesman, Oleg Milisic as saying that the Director of the Independent Judiciary Commission (SIC!) will be named by the end of January. Initially this Commission should have started working by the end of last year and Milisic could not explain the delay, Dnevni Avaz said. He added that a person with expert references has to be named to this post and the OHR needs more time to find such a person, the daily said. Yugoslav President visits BiH: Weekend editions of Sarajevo papers reported extensively on the official visit of Yugoslav President, Vojislav Kostunica to BiH. Papers said that it was agreed at the meeting that an inter-state Council for Cooperation will be established next month. It was also agreed to establish the rail traffic between the two countries immediately and that regular air traffic should be established as soon as possible. The visa system will be soon eliminated, officials of the two countries told the press. Kostunica during his stay also met with the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch and the head of UN Mission to BiH, Jacques Paul Klein and the troika discussed the peace process in Bosnia. OHR expects Belgrade's further cooperation in implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, OHR said in a statement. OHR: Minimum pensions uncertain because of Pension Fund's mistakes: Dnevni Avaz over the weekend quoted Chris Bird, OHR spokesman as saying that the distribution of minimum pensions is uncertain because of Pension Fund's mistakes. ``Pension Fund has used up the funds collected in January for payment of July 2000 pensions and this is why the distribution of minimum pensions is being questioned,'' Bird said. He added that the situation is very ``clear,'' and that High Representative's Pension Law ``must be implemented as soon as possible.'' Brcko District related issues: Multiethnic radio to be established in Brcko District: Deputy Mayor of the Brcko District Ivan Krndelj has told Habena that the work to merge the three existing public radio stations in Brcko into one multiethnic Radio of the Brcko District has commenced. According to him, the directors of the three existing public radio stations from Brcko would start work in connection with setting up a new single broadcasting house tomorrow. Krndelj said that an advert for 20 employees who would work in the multiethnic radio station of the Brcko District would go out at the beginning of February. The new radio station should start broadcasting at the end of the same month. According to Krndelj, the OHR [Office of the High Representative] has agreed with the government of the Brcko District to financially assist the station during the first two months of its work (March and April). In that period, he added, the station's management should find a way to continue their work, such as merging this station with the public service of the Bosnia-Hercegovina RTV [Radio-Television]. Krndelj pointed out that, in accordance with the Brcko District's statute, the government cannot finance the work of any media.

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