- BH-Central Institutions
- Alliance agrees on the composition of the BiH Council of Ministers;
- OHR replies to complaints of NHI's Kresimir Zubak;
- Niko Lozancic says the new House of Peoples will be
para-constitutional institution;
- Federation
- Alliance parties decide on their candidates for the leading
positions in the Federation;
- Neven Tomic - the future BiH Ambassador to the FRY;
- February pensions to be paid before March 1;
- BiH Federation TV is buying journalist from Croatian HRT?;
- HTV (Croatian Television) refuses to air Feral's commercial showing
the destruction of the Old Bridge;
- Republika Srpska
- OHR says RS Government needs improvement in the implementation of
property laws;
- International community:
- Wolfgang Petritsch travels to Belgrade;
- UN's Jacques Paul Klein visits Banja Luka;
- Editorials:
- Vecernji List: The Master of Mostar is leaving;
- Vecernji List: BiH to get a central government tomorrow;
- Vecernji List: 'Who are those who protect the national, civil and
political interest of Croats in BiH';
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Central Institutions related Issues:
Alliance agrees on the composition of the BiH Council of Ministers:
At yesterday's meeting co-organized by the US Ambassador Thomas Miller and
his British counterpart, Graham Hand, the candidate for the Chair of the
Council of Ministers and representatives of most political parties in BiH
agreed on the composition of the future Council of Ministers. Bozidar
Matic will present his candidates for various ministerial posts at the
session of the BiH Parliament's House of Representatives which is
scheduled for tomorrow. Although the individual names have not been made
public, Dnevni Avaz claims that the post of the Minister for Civil Affairs
and Communication will go to Svetozar Mihajlovic (SNS - Serb National
Alliance), Minister of Foreign trade and Economic Relations to Azra
Hadziahmetovic (Party for BiH), Minister for European Integration to
Stevan Stevic (PDP), and the post of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to
Zlatko Lagumdzija (SDP). According to Avaz, the only controversial
position is the Minister for Human Rights and Refugees which should go to
Kresimir Zubak or someone he nominates, thus to a Croat representative.
However, Zubak has not yet decided as to whether he will take this post or
not. Sarajevo dailies also report that after this session, Matic had a
longer meeting behind the closed doors with the High Representative,
Wolfgang Petritsch.
OHR replies to complaints of NHI's Kresimir Zubak:
The president of the NHI, Kresimir Zubak informed the OHR, the OSCE and
the Deputy Chair of the Federation Parliament's House of Peoples that
four NHI delegates will not participate in the formation of this House,
and which is scheduled for February 23. Zubak explained that the
Constitution requires all 30 Croat representatives to be elected to the
House, while thus far there are only 14, which is less then a majority.
Zubak said that he expect a legal opinion from the High Representative and
the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. However, OHR's Alexandra Stiglmayer
stressed that the OHR already gave its legal opinion - that the House
could be formed without all thirty delegates being present. "The
Federation House of Peoples could be called with full constitutional
legality despite the fact that some spots may remain unfilled," Stiglmayer
said.
Niko Lozancic says the new House of Peoples will be para-constitutional
institution:
The Chairman of the Federation Parliament's House of Peoples, Niko
Lozancic, told the press today that the House of Peoples created without
the majority of legal Croat representatives will be a para-constitutional
institution. "The House of People should have 30 Croats, 30 Bosniaks and 6
representatives of others, however, thanks to the intervention of the High
Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, the new House will include 35
Bosniaks, 13 Croats, and 10 others," said Lozancic, and added that the
constituting session, which was scheduled by his deputy, Alija Behmen, is
contrary to the rules of the House.
Commenting on the attitude of representatives of the International
Community towards the House of Peoples, Lozancic said that certain high
officials in the IC promised to him that he would remain the chairman if
he calls for the formation of this body. "This shows how much they know
about this House and how much importance they assign to it," said
Lozancic, and added that the International Community has intention to
abolish the House of Peoples in the Federation. Lozancic also said that
HDZ deputies have not received an invitation for the constituting session,
but even if they have, they would have refused to participate. Finally, he
rejected the speculations in the press that the HDZ is planing to close
down its party. "These allegations are unfounded - not a single body
within the HDZ has discussed this possibility."
Federation
Alliance parties decide on their candidates for the leading positions in
the Federation:
At a meeting held yesterday in Sarajevo, representatives of the Alliance
parties agreed on their candidates for the leading positions in the BiH
Federation. According to Sarajevo dailies, Karlo Filipovic of the SDP is
the candidate for the post of the Federation President, and Safet
Halilovic of the Party for BiH for the Vice-President. According to media,
the discussion about the candidate for the former post was extremely
dramatic since the New Croat Initiative and the Republicans insisted that
it goes to Stjepan Kljujic (Republicans), not to the SDP candidate.
However, other Alliance parties stressed the post of the President should
go to a candidate of one of the two strongest parties in the coalition.
Neven Tomic - the future BiH Ambassador to the FRY?:
An unidentified source from the cabinet of Ante Jelavic, the Croat member
of the BiH Presidency, told Dnevni Avaz that the Deputy Mayor of Mostar,
Neven Tomic, could be the future BiH Ambassador to the FRY. The same
source said that Jelavic discussed at several occasions this issue with
Tomic, who never explicitly rejected this possibility. However, Jelavic
hopes that with the departure of Safet Orucevic from his post of the
Mostar Mayor, Tomic's decision will be easier to make. Avaz's source
explained that the HDZ would be happier if they had a more "cooperative
and loyal" Croat in Mostar. "That is certainly not Neven Tomic," said the
source.
February pensions to be paid before March 1:
An official from the Federation PIO Fund told Dnevni Avaz that the
disbursement of February pensions will start before March 1, however their
actual amounts are still not certain. The Steering Board of the PIO Fund
is to discuss the details during a session which is scheduled for February
26, when its representatives will decide whether February pensions will be
paid in all cantons according to the old or the new system of
Pension funds.
BiH Federation TV is buying journalist from Croatian HRT?:
Jutarnji List found out from sources close to the FTV that its management
and the International Community are negotiating with HRT journalists -
Bozo Skoko, Mirjana Hrga, Jozo Barisic and Karolina Vidovic-Kristo - about
their professional engagement in Sarajevo. The first hint of this plan, as
the article reads, was Bozo Skoko reporting live from Zagreb for the
central newscast of the current BiH television.
"The current national structure is unfavorable for the Croat journalists
that can be counted up by fingers of one hand. The IC, which has influence
in all realms, including the creation of the Federation TV, is aware of
this fact, and is trying to carry out as soon as possible the plan about
the arrival of the four HRT journalists. According to a Jutarnje source,
the four meet all the criteria set by the IC, the most important one being
that they had not compromised themselves during the war in BiH,
particularly during the conflict between Muslims and Croats," says
Jutarnji List. "For the time being, I can only tell you that we did have
talks, but I would not speak about any details," said Bozo Skoko.
Mirjana Hrga indirectly confirmed that she had talks about a possible
transfer to Sarajevo, but she could not give any press statements since
she was still under suspension. Marija Topic-Crnoja, the Editor of the
News and Political Program on the FTV, says that she needs Croat
journalists. "I would personally love to see my colleagues from the HRT,
because it would be a real reinforcement in terms of personnel for the
very reason that they are complete journalists," said Topic-Crnoja. She
did not comment on the negotiations with the four, and said the lack of
money is the major limitation for the newly created television.
HTV (Croatian Television) refuses to air Feral's commercial showing the
destruction of the Old Bridge:
Based on a 'program decision,' the HTV decided last week that it will not
air a television commercial for the Feral Tribune weekly. The paid TV
commercial under the title "Most" (Bridge) features documentary video
shots of the destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar, followed by the
slogan: "Think... Remember!!!". Feral Tribune assessed the HTV's decision
not to air it as a censorship because, as reasons behind for the refusal
were not specified in the notice received. In its press release, Feral
Tribune managers say that they hoped the times of censorship were over and
appealed to the Croatian Association of Journalists to stand against it.
However, the HTV replied that censorship in this case is out of the
question and stressed that the commercial had certain technical problems.
The scene of the destruction of the Old Bridge is repeated twice, and is
followed by a blackout, and then the title Feral Tribune appears on the
screen. According to HRT Spokesperson Kresimir Macan, the duration of the
blackout could make the viewers think that the program is interrupted.
Republika Srpska
OHR says RS Government needs improvement in the implementation of property
laws:
Commenting the recently published report on the slower property
implementation in the RS, OHR Spokesperson, Alexandra Stiglmayer, said
that the OHR asked the RS government to increase efforts and produce more
significant results in the period ahead. "The Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic
said that this issue is of prime importance for him and we will give him a
chance to prove that," said Stiglmayer, and added that certain towns in
the eastern part of the RS are still under sanctions, following September
dismissal of 11 officials in the entity, and cannot obtain any credits
from the World Bank. Asked as to how much time the OHR will give to the
new RS government to prove that it is willing to improve the
implementation of property laws, Stiglmayer said that the OHR cannot
dismiss present officials because of mistakes made by the previous
government.
International community related issues:
Wolfgang Petritsch travels to Belgrade:
Habena news agency reported that OHR spokesman, Oleg Milisic, confirmed
that the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, will soon travel to
Belgrade to continue his talks with the new FRY government. Milisic said
that one of the topic will be the establishment of the special and
parallel relations between the RS and the FRY. RTV BiH, quoting statements
of representatives of international organizations in Banja Luka, that the
HR will visit Belgrade today, while Glas Srpski, quoting Belgrade Beta
agency sources, even reported on the exact time of the meeting. According
to media reports, Petritsch and Kostunica are to discuss the details of
the agreement on special and parallel relations. Diplomatic sources in
Sarajevo say that the OHR has some objections to certain provisions of the
document, namely the issue of the dual citizenship and the military
cooperation between the RS and the FRY. The same source said that the OHR
wants the entire provision on military cooperation taken out of the
agreement, while it believes that the right to dual citizenship should be
defined so as to enable other then RS citizens to obtain it.
Glas Srpski also reported that the RS Vice President, Dragan Cavic, and
his consultant, Dragan Cizmovic, discussed the issue of establishment of
special relations with OHR delegation in Banja Luka. According to a press
release issued by the Cabinet of Cavic, the two delegations reached a high
level of understanding, and that the future negotiations on this matter
will continue in a more transparent fashion.
UN's Jacques Paul Klein visits Banja Luka:
Both RS dailies reported on the visit of the UN Head of Mission to BiH
Jacques Paul Klein to Banja Luka. Klein had several, separate meetings
with the RS authorities: the RS President Mirko Sarovic, the RS National
Assembly Speaker Dragan Kalinic, the Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic, the
Defense Minister Slobodan Bilic and the Minister of Interior Perica
Bundalo. "Apart from the exchange of information on political processes
and current situation in the RS, special attention was devoted to the role
of the UN mission, which ends in December 2002", reads the press release
issued after the meetings Klein-Sarovic/Cavic and adds that it was
assessed that the UN Mission achieved good results in reorganization of
police in entities, as well as in the realization of several projects.
According to Klein, the UN is presently considering several projects of
reconstruction in Foca/Srbinje, Prijedor, Bijeljina and Banja Luka. It
mainly concerns the reconstruction of schools, orphanages and the Banja
Luka University.
Editorials
Vecernji List: The Master of Mostar is leaving;
Having ruled Mostar for seven years, Safet Orucevic decided to withdraw
from the position of the Mostar Mayor. He left in a similar fashion to his
personal and a party friend, Alija Izetbegovic. As soon as he assumed the
position of Mayor, people from both sides of the Neretva river were
'digging' into his past with almost an equal zeal. The tapestries, which
he had been caught stealing from Mostar apartments in his youth, along
with Maja Zvonic, the wife of Haris Silajdzic, were his biggest stigma.
Although he has been advocating returns, he has been living in the
apartment of a Serb family. He sold his property in the west part of
Mostar. Because of his cooperative attitude toward the international
community and control over media, he was the absolute master of Mostar.
The Croats were only a democratic pendant. He managed to portray their
smallest incidents like a significant 'incident of the aggressor against
the victim'. Very skillfully he kept the initiative all the time. Because
of that, no one noticed that only 300 of 9000 pre-war Croats remained
living in the east, the Bosniak part of Mostar. However, there are around
10,000 Bosniaks living in the discredited Croat part of Mostar. In order
for his policy to be continued, he himself democratically elected his
successor - even more radical Adnan (NB: the name is Hamdija) Jahic. It is
apparent that Orucevic will continue his career as a businessman. He has
already started the appropriation of the Mostar Tobacco factory.
Commenting on the resignation of Orucevic, OHR Mostar Spokesperson, Avis
Benes, said that everyone in the OHR would like to thank the Mayor for all
the cooperation in the past seven years and expressed hope that the work
of the city administration will continue in the same direction. She
stressed that the OHR will support its work. The US Ambassador, Thomas
Miller, said that Orucevic is leaving the city in an immensely better
position then when he found it. Miller said that the present Mayor, Neven
Tomic, will certainly have Orucevic's support in the future.
(For additional details on Orucevic's resignation, see the transcripts of
his interview to the Radio East Mostar. )
Vecernji List: BiH to get a central government tomorrow:
A new designate of the (incomplete) BiH Presidency for the Council of
Ministers, the SDP says, was satisfied when he returned from Banja Luka
where he negotiated about the composition of the central government with
RS parties, which participate in the House of Representatives of the BiH
Parliamentary Assembly. The "Serb requirements", judging by what the
Alliance unofficially says, are relatively modest - four parties there
asked the designate to secure two ministerial positions for them. However,
although allies of the majority political alliance do not have such a big
wishes, there could be problems. Namely, the SNSD-DSP coalition asked
Matic to allocate the position of the Minister for Foreign Trade or Civil
Affairs and Communications to Milorad Dodik, the former RS Premier.
A conflict between Dodik and the Party for BiH, in other words the leader
of the main party of the Alliance, Haris Silajdzic, has been smoldering
for a longer period of time, and it stirs up from time to time, so it is
difficult for one to believe that Matic could give any guarantees to the
Banja Luka people. These days one could hear the speculations on the
formation of a small (Croat) Alliance, which would be comprised of the
NHI, HSS and the Republican Party. However, so far no consensus within the
potential alliance has been reached because it is believed that it would
additionally complicate the formation of Matic's Cabinet. Yet, if the
leading parties of the Alliance persevere in their attempts to satisfy
Croats by allocating the leading positions to the Croats from the SDP
(Matic, the Council of Ministers, Ivo Komsic, allegedly, the House of
Peoples), then, it is really possible for the Bosniak-Serb block only to
stay in the post-election Alliance and the (small) Croat Alliance to go
its own way.
Vecernji List: 'Who are those who protect the national, civil and
political interest of Croats in BiH'
People like (Kresimir) Zubak, (Ivo) Komsic, (Ilija) Simic, (Bozidar) Matic
have become politically outdated assets. When they received the number of
votes at the last election, which is equal to the number of tenants of a
18-storey building in Sarajevo, they came to power through suspicious
political coalitions under the patronage of the international community.
Kresimir Zubak, the President of the NHI, performed stereotypical
administrative duties at the time of Mate Boban, which an ordinary
secretary in the Municipal Council could do just as well. Later he came to
a position that enabled him to join the infallible HDZ BiH. The voters at
the last year's elections, somewhat more than 2% of them, gave the best
assessment on them and their political dimension.
However, what is going on with the people who are sitting in what is
marked the strongest political party of the Croat people in BiH, judging
by the number of votes? Who are the people leading the HDZ, who have been
so wholeheartedly 'protecting' the interests of the Croat people these
days. According to their allegations, the Croat interest has not been
more jeopardized since Mehmed the Conqueror ordered to have the Bosnian
King Stjepan Tomasevic killed. The leading man of the Party, Ante Jelavic,
has been teaching the Croat people verbal lessons for more than three
months saying that the 'rooks' will eat them unless the HDZ has its
representative in the bodies of authority of the BiH Federation. He even
called for a 'shock-therapy', civil disobedience, non-participation in the
bodies of authority of one entity, but, at the same time he stayed at the
position from which he can rule, together with his two colleagues from
both BiH entities. In the meanwhile, from the period when he arrived in
Grude, as a JNA officer with a stojadin (an outdated car type) and worn
out suits from the time of Branko Mikulic and Milka Planinc, he has become
a big politician with a large fortune. He has also become a humanist;
Jelavic and his wife Iva got the award from the International League of
Humanists. The big, recently reconstructed house in a village near
Vrgorac, in which he was born, a newly-built villa in the Mostar
settlement of Balinovac, the apartment in Mostar, which he uses as an
official, and another one in Sarajevo.
The bus, in which he was driven, like the Croatian football team (when
they won the third place in France) during the elections, was replaced
with Audi A6 or A8. A couple of journalists felt Jelavic's democratic
orientation and talent for parliamentarism shortly before he was elected
the President of the HDZ at the Fifth General Congress of the Party. At
that time, having seen that his business kingdom, based on demagogic
stories on European orientation could go down, Jadranko Prlic for the
first time thought about stepping down from the party in which he made his
political reputation and career. The attractive position of the Minister
of Foreign Affairs made him stay in the HDZ, the party from which an
excellent reviewer, new tycoons, the presidents of the managing boards of
the powerful financial companies grew up.
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