- BH-Central Institutions
- Bosnian Croat member of BiH Presidency meets the High
Representative:
- Members of BiH Presidency meet SFOR Commander:
- State Border Service to be established in Brcko District in March:
- Federation
- Federation government postpones import of donated cloned corn:
- RTV BiH Workers Union unhappy with the work of HR Agent for public
RTV system:
- Momcilo Krajisnik's process before the Hague Tribunal
- RS Government's session
- RS PM Mladen Ivanic met with the US Ambassador to BiH Thomas Miller
- Travnik: Although elections took place two months ago, the election
results in Central Bosnia Canton have not been implemented yet: Will the
highest Cantonal officials be elected by the end of January, also depends
on the IC
- Implementation of the High Representative's decision on Zepce:
- Republika Srpska
- RS Government to ask the High Representative to deblock the Law on
Purchase of apartments:
- RS official: return process to Dobrinja I and IV very slow and
difficult:
- The press conference of the IOs seated in Mostar: The campaign for
compensation for illegally dismissed workers in RS started
- International community:
- The New York Times launches speculations on division of BiH:
- Oleg Milisic, OHR spokesperson
- Investigative team from UNEP arrived in Sarajevo:
- Nora Petritsch visits SOS telephone 221-886
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Central Institutions related Issues:
Bosnian Croat member of BiH Presidency meets the High Representative:
Bosnian Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Ante Jelavic met with the High
Representative Wolfgang Petritsch on Thursday, Sarajevo papers reported.
After the meeting Jelavic told the press that the HDZ goal is not the
establishment of the so-called third entity, nor radicalism but an equal
constitutional and every other position of Croat people in BiH and full
implementation of the decision of BiH Constitutional Court.
During his talks with Petritsch, Jelavic underlined that HDZ is prepared
to participate in swift establishment of authority in BiH and both agreed
that the process of the establishment of all institutions should be
boosted, Presidency member said.
Members of BiH Presidency meet SFOR Commander:
Members of BiH Presidency met in Sarajevo with Gen. Michael Dodson,
Commander of SFOR troops in BiH, Sarajevo papers reported. The main topic
of the regular consultative meeting was the joint BiH defense policy. It
was also agreed that a marked progress was noted in the implementation of
Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement and cooperation between entity armed
forces. Gen. Dodson informed the Presidency about the measures SFOR is
undertaking to secure information on the use ammunition with depleted
uranium and the possible consequences, papers said.
State Border Service to be established in Brcko Districty in March:
Dnevni Avaz reported that the State Border Service will be established in
the Brcko District and eight other cities in BiH by the end of March this
year. This is part of the second phase of the establishment of BiH State
Border Service and some nine hundred persons have applied for the position
of eight Brcko District Border Service policemen, the daily said.
Federation
Federation government postpones import of donated cloned corn:
Oslobodjenje reported that Federation government at its Thursday session
has decided to postpone the import of 50 thousand tons of donated cloned
corn. The government said it is not willing to accept the US donation
until the possible effects of cloned corn on cattle and on BiH citizens
are inspected.
At the same session government discussed the aftermath of the closure of
Payment Bureaus. The World Bank and IMF do not allow the establishment of
two financial agencies that should employ the former payment bureau
workers and the question is what to do with some 300 workers who are now
without a job, Oslobodjenje said.
RTV BiH Workers Union unhappy with the work of HR Agent for public RTV
system:
RTV BiH Workers Union unhappy with the moves of the High Representative's
agent for public RTV system, John Shearer and the PBS Founding Board has
decided to send a letter to the High Representative inviting him to talk
to them about all the problems surrounding the transformation of RTV BiH
and establishment of Federation TV and the PBS.
"Everything that has been done so far has resulted in a major delay of
the entire process," the Union said and added that it distances itself
from the decision of the PBS Founding Board and Mr. Shearer on the
incorporation of Radio Fern into the PBS radio because it has not
participated in reaching of this decision, Oslobodjenje reported.
The same daily said that OHR and European Commission support and welcomed
the decision to incorporate the resources of radio Fern into PBS.
Travnik: Although elections took place two months ago, the election
results in Central Bosnia Canton have not been implemented yet: Will the
highest Cantonal officials be elected by the end of January, also depends
on the IC
Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported that it is expected that the
Constituting Session, which was suspended on December 17, will continue by
the end of this month. However, it is questionable if the Governor and
Vice Governor will be finally elected at this session, as well as the
Speaker and the Vice Speaker. The OSCE is a filter that each candidate for
these posts has to pass through. According to the whole situation,
problems will appear when they start proposing mandatory for the Cantonal
Government and his Deputy. The HDZ and SDA, the parties that have the
highest number of the Councilors (8), are pretenders for these two
positions. However, for the election of the mandatory (the President of
the Government) and his Deputy, it is necessary to have a two-thirds
majority of the Councilors (19 votes) in the Cantonal Assembly.
It means that the leading parties will miss three votes, and it opens up
many possibilities as 'a trade' of the Coalition is, and most probably a
Parliamentary crises. As a last resort, snap elections are possible.
This 'hot potato' will not be in the Representatives' hands at the next
session of the Cantonal Assembly, and it is certain that the IC will
participate (be a referee) in these 'games'. It is well known whose side
they will take.
Implementation of the High Representative's decision on Zepce:
Oslobodjenje reported that the High Represenative's Special Envoy for
Zepce, Richard Williams and representatives of newly elected local
authorities met in Zepce on Thursday. The main topic was the
implementation of the High Representative's decision on Zepce.
Participants told a press conference after the meeting that "the High
Representative's entire decision will be successfully implemented."
Williams said that it was agreed that the two administrations that have
been functioning separately for years have been integrated.
"This has all been achieved thanks to the will of resident of Zepce,"
Williams said.
RS news agency Srna reporting on the same issue quoted OHR spokesman Oleg
Milisic as saying that he feels that the reunification of the Municipality
of Zepca "is a brave and positive step undertaken by parties in the
field," adding that high representative Wolfgang Petritsch is satisfied
with the progress noted with implementation of his Decision #6 of October,
whereby the issue of Zepca "is resolved to the benefit of all the citizens
of BiH."
Republika Srpska
RS Government to ask the High Representative to deblock the Law on
Purchase of apartments:
Oslobodjenje said that the RS Government at its Thursday session has
agreed to send a letter to the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch
asking his to de-block the Law on purchase of apartments in the RS.
Government officials said that it is demanding lifting of the blockade
because the law has now been adjusted in cooperation with OHR officials.
The government also announced a revision of apartments that were given to
members of the previous RS government.
RS official: return process to Dobrinja I and IV very slow and difficult:
Dragan Luketa, deputy head of Serb Ilidza municipality told Dnevni Avaz
that the return process to Dobrinja I and IV is going very slow and
difficult. He said that up to 600 apartments in these two Sarajevo
neighborhoods are still occupied and the authorities of this municipality
have set the end of year 2001 as the deadline for solving this problem.
Luketa also said that passing of the arbitration decision, announced by
the High Representative, last year is unnecessary.
"I am afraid that this would initiate a new exodus and the question is
will this new border be just," Luketa said adding that after all "this
border is not important."
Evidence on 2,7 million pages
Both RS dailies report on the status conference in the case of Momcilo
Krajisnik before The Hague Tribunal. Prosecution informed the Defense that
2,7 million pages of evidence against Krajisnik would be presented in the
case, stated Krajisnik's attorney Goran Neskovic.
"The evidence materials include statements of witnesses, transcripts of RS
NA session, SDS session, transcripts from the meetings from the lowest
instances to the top authorities, including the village patrols in
Trnovo", said Neskovic.
Cooperation with The Hague is an obligation
The RS Government has provided The Hague Tribunal with guarantees for the
release of RS Army general Radislav Krstic who needs to have surgery done,
said the RS Justice Minister Biljana Maric, adding that the Cabinet also
confirmed the guarantees offered by the previous Government for the
temporary release of general Momir Talic. The Government would define
relations with The Hague Tribunal, said Justice Minister Maric, stressing
that cooperation with the Tribunal is an obligation of BiH and both of its
entities.
The government decided, at today's session, to pay out one salary to
health workers.
The Cabinet formed a Commission to look into the allocation of apartments
to officials done by Milorad Dodik's Cabinet.
The Government relieved Rajko Vasic from the position of the Director of
the Cabinet's public relations office at his request, appointing in his
stead Cvijeto Kovacic.
RS Minister for Urbanism Nedjo Djuric said the Cabinet has sent a second
letter the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, asking him to de-block
the Law on socially owned apartments purchase. Djuric told reporters that
Petritsch will also be asked to abolish the provision of the FBiH Law on
apartment purchase limiting the returnees right to purchase to two years.
To Overcome the differences together
Both Banja Luka dailies reported that RS PM Mladen Ivanic and the US
Ambassador to BiH Thomas Miller discussed the political situation in the
RS at the meeting in Doboj.
After the meting the two said that the meeting was a mature dialogue
during which they agreed on basic principles on how to overcome
differences in order to improve general situation in the RS.
RS premier Mladen Ivanic spoke, yesterday, with the assistant to the
Croatian Foreign Minister, Josko Par. Future cooperation between RS and
Croatia was discussed at the meeting.
The press conference of the IOs seated in Mostar: The campaign for
compensation for illegally dismissed workers in RS started
Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported that Avis Benes, the spokesperson
for the OHR Mostar, stressed at the press conference in Mostar that the
OHR, together with OSCE and UNHCR, started the campaign for compensation
for the illegally dismissed workers in the RS in the period from 31
December 1991 untill 16 November 2000.
The campaign includes TV and radio spots and it reminds workers who were
illegally dismissed in that period that they must submit claims by 16
February this year, to the relevant Authority body in Banja Luka, in order
to protect their interests. Bernard Vrban, the OSCE Spokesperson, welcomed
the statement of Ante Jelavic, the Croat member in the BiH Presidency,
given to 'Jutarnji list', in which he stated that the Alliance for Changes
has a Constitutional ground for the establishing of the Authority, that
the Constitution of the BiH Federation does not have to mean
one-person-one vote, and that they support a dialogue and solving of
disputable issues through the Court.
International community related issues:
The New York Times launches speculations on division of BiH:
Dnevni Avaz reported on its front page on Friday that a recent article of
The New York Times launches speculations on division of BiH. NYT reporter
Thomas Friedman in his story said that democracy and Dayton do not go
together in Bosnia and suggests that part of BiH are merged with Serbia
and Croatia leaving the Muslim-controlled part as a mini-state.
"This tune is played by some people who still do not understand this part
of Europe," Jacques Paul Klein, the head of UN Mission to BiH told the
daily while Partik Wolf, OHR spokesman said that "there can be Dayton and
democracy," in BiH.
Klein also said that he is disappointed with the article and that it gives
a simple answer to a very complicated problem adding that the journalist
should have investigated the aspects of war in BiH and should have learned
something about the pre-war Bosnia.
Hard-liners without support
Glas Srpski said that hardliners are without support.
"The only thing OHR is worried about is if the RS Government was a
hard-liners' or not. If yes, it will not get support", stated OHR
spokesperson Oleg Milisic at the press conference in SA yesterday, GS
reports.
Milisic reminded that "SDS gave certain guarantees to the HR Wolfgang
Petritsch before the elections".
Investigative team from UNEP arrived in Sarajevo:
RS news agency Srna reported that an investigative team from UNEP arrived
in Sarajevo in order to assess the possibility of opening an investigation
into NATO's use of depleted uranium ammunition in BiH in 1995. "Team
leader Peka Havisto met with the UN secretary general's special envoy,
Jacques Klein, in order to discuss the team's future activities in BiH,"
said UNMIBH spokesman Douglas Coffman.
Nora Petritsch visits SOS telephone 221-886
SOS telephone 221-886 service hosted yesterday Nora Petritsch, the wife of
the High Representative. Wolfgang Petritsch. Head of the SOS telephone
thanked Mrs. Petritsch and her husband for the donation and the other help
they gave to this service from their private humanitarian fund.
Head of Stari Grad municipality Fehim Skaljic emphasized that SOS
telephone service in this municipality exists thanks to Nora Petritsch and
that her initiative fostered this municipality to support the service.
"I think that the most important thing is that something has to change in
the minds of people so that they finally realize that the victim is not
guilty for what happened. In addition to changes of the law there must be
a social institution that will follow the situation," Nora Petritsch told
the meeting.
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