- BiH/Central institutions:
- BiH Parliament's House of Representatives endorses the candidacy of
Belkic and Krizanovic for new members of the BiH Presidency;
- New BiH passports by April 20th;
- State Border Service takes over three border crossings in the Brcko
District;
- Sarajevo students protest OHR decision to discontinue Defense and
Security classes;
- Why did not the RTRS broadcast the soccer match between BiH and
Austria;
- HDZ-related News:
- Croat self-rule to restore Payment Bureaus?;
- Dnevni Avaz: Martin Raguz mapped out the plan of establishment of
payment bureaus;
- Croat managers of customs check points and 460 workers declare
loyalty to the Federation;
- Croat National Assembly calls for disbanding of the HVO;
- Croat National Assembly official says talks with the OHR to begin
soon;
- Croat officers in Vitez reject the dismissal of their commander;
- Jelavic's foreign policy advisor says the US knows the Dayton needs
revision;
- Zdravko Tomac of the Croatian Sabor presented a letter on the
situation of BIH Croats before the EU Parliamentarians;
- Federation:
- BiH Ombudspersons criticize former authorities for neglecting rights
of citizens;
- Republika Srpska:
- Delegation of the Russian Duma Meets with RS Leadership;
- International Community:
- The Hague prosecutor Carla del Ponte announces new indictments in
BiH;
- OHR expects urgent issuance of construction permit for Ferhadija
mosque in Banja Luka;
- Editorials:
- Vjesnik: How to resolve crisis in the BiH Federation?;
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BiH State Institutions-related Issues
BiH Parliament's House of Representatives endorses the candidacy of Belkic
and Krizanovic for new members of the BiH Presidency:
At today's session, the BiH Parliament's House of Representatives
supported the candidacy of Jozo Krizanovic (SDP) and Beriz Belkic (Party
for BiH) for the Croat and Bosniak members of the BiH Presidency. If their
candidacy is confirmed by delegates in the BiH House of Peoples, the two
will officially take up the posts in the Presidency.
New BiH passports by April 20th:
The Minister of Civil Affaires and Communications in the BiH Council of
Ministers, Svetozar Mihajlovic, said that the new BiH passports without
the entity insignia will be available by April 20th, 2001. The Law on
Travel Documents was imposed by the High Representative, Wolfgang
Petritsch, in September last year, and the new passports were printed in
France. The first batch of 30,000 passports have already been delivered to
the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Lukavica, while itional 15,000 are
expected to arrive within this week. The price of the new passport will be
30 KM plus tax fees.
State Border Service takes over three border crossings in the Brcko
District:
Sarajevo papers reported that the BiH State Border Service on Monday
officially took over three border crossings in Brcko District: rail, road
and river. Because of the special status of the Brcko District, the
takeover has a special importance and the State Border Service officers
will now be able to protect the integrity of the District as well as to
prevent various forms of crime. Some 67 officers of the Border Service
took over 40 kilometers of border. "This will be an important contribution
to struggle against illegal activities in the Arizona Market," Jacques
Paul Klein, the head of the UN Mission to BiH said at the opening
ceremony.
Sarajevo students protest OHR decision to discontinue Defense and Security
classes:
According to Slobodna Dalmacija, Matthias Sonn, the Senior Deputy High
Representative, sent a letter to the entity and Cantonal Ministries of
Education and Rectors of all Universities, in which he demanded that they
suspend the Defense and Security classes. The OHR is demanding that, in
accordance with the agreement signed by the entity Ministers, high school
curricula should exclude the subject called Security of Democratic
Society, and universities - the Science of Defense. Sonn justified its
request claiming that this subject is 'anachronistic' and is only a waste
of time. 20 students of the Faculty of the Defense and Security, who are
going to complete the four year studying program this year, said that it
is incomprehensible that the OHR is against the idea that the children
should get familiar with characteristics and appearance of a million mines
and other unexploded devices, scattered all over the country. They also
stated that the OHR and the SFOR are spending million marks for a media
campaign, which has the same purpose.
Why did not the RTRS broadcast the soccer match between BiH and Austria:
According to Dnevni Avaz, the RTRS (Radio Television of the RS) failed to
broadcast live the soccer match between BiH and Austria on Saturday, and
instead, it carried the game between the representations of the FRY and
Switzerland. Protesting this action of the RTRS, the BiH Soccer
Association sent a letter to the OHR saying that it will sue the PBS
(Public Broadcasting Service) and ask for financial compensation because
of this grave violation of the FIFA and UEFA rules, as well as the
previously signed contracts.
Munib Usanovic, the president of the Soccer Association said that the head
of the OHR Media Development, Chris Riley made a decision not to broadcast
the game of the BiH national team. Commenting this, OHR spokesman, Oleg
Milisic told Avaz that the RTRS, with help of John Shearer, the HR's
Broadcasting Agent, made this decision, since this RTV house already had a
contract for the broadcasting of this game. According to Avaz, Milisic
could not explain how the RTRS could sign a contract bypassing the PBS.
HDZ-related News:
Croat self-rule to restore Payment Bureaus?:
According to an unidentified ONASA news agency source, the main
coordinator of the provisional Croat self-rule, Martin Raguz, will restore
the system of Payment Bureaus on the territory which would fall under the
control of the self-rule in order to provide for the efficient system of
self-financing. The same source said that self-financing system became
effective yesterday, and its headquarters was situated in a Mostar
building which previously housed the city's payment bureau.
The International Community closed down Payment Bureaus on January 31 when
the entire payment system was transferred to commercial banks.
Dnevni Avaz: Martin Raguz mapped out the plan of establishment of payment
bureaus
"Martin Raguz, the coordinator of the Croat self-rule, moved in yesterday
in his new cabinet in a building in Mostar which previously housed the
Payment Bureau (ZPP) and held a meeting, immediately upon his arrival,
during which he mapped out a plan for the re-establishment of ZPPs of the
Croat self-rule, " an unidentified source close to the Croat National
Assembly told Dnevni Avaz. The meeting was attended by "experts from the
field of economy who offered their services to the HNS." Apparently, the
meeting was dominated by Anka Musa, who was the former director of the
Mostar Payment Bureau, and is presently filling the function of the
director of the Mostar Central Banka.
What should be accomplished by the establishment of the ZPP?
"First, all funds collected for the self-rule will be deposited into ZPP,
which will further distribute this money and deposit it on bank accounts.
The plan is that the funds would be deposited on several bank accounts in
several different banks. Naturally, all the banks we use will be under
control of the HDZ leadership," said the same source. He added that the
money will most likely end up on accounts in Hercegovacka and Auro Banka,
and Zagrebacka and Postanska Banka could also be dragged into this game.
"This plan anticipates that the money will be a priori secured. It is
anticipated that the banks which will hold this money be closed down."
Because of this, the money will be dispersed among several banks, so at
least one part of it could be saved. It is not likely that the world will
close very single bank with this money," said the source.
Croat managers of customs check points and 460 workers declare loyalty to
the Federation:
According to Oslobodjenje, 16 out of total 18 Croat managers of the
Federation customs check points, who on Saturday allegedly expressed their
support to the Croat National Assembly (HNS) officially declared their
loyalty to the Federation government on Monday before the new Minister of
Finance, Nikola Grabovac, and the director of the Customs Management,
Milenko Tosic. The sixteen conceded yesterday that they indeed gave their
support to the HNS, but stressed that they have been pressured into it by
HDZ officials who threatened to them and to their families. The managers
informed Grabovac that a significant number of 460 Croat employees who on
Saturday allegedly refused to work for the Federation said that their
signatures on the petition were forged, and properly turned out at their
places of work on Monday. The daily also reports that seven directors of
the leading companies in the Federation said that they have no intention
to redirect their tax payments to the so-called self-rule, and will
continue payments into the legal accounts of the Federation Customs
Management.
Croat National Assembly calls for disbanding of the HVO:
The leadership of the Croat National Assembly (HNS) called today the Croat
Defense Council (HVO) to temporarily disband. (excerpts from the HNS
statement)
1. All HVO soldiers who respect the legal representatives elected by
the Croat people defend the right of its own people on political freedom
and human and national dignity.
2. The authority of the Alliance is undemocratic, unconstitutional,
illegal and illegitimate.
3. All dismissals and appointments illegally undertaken by the
so-called Minister of the so-called Federation government are illegal.
Even if he were legitimately elected minister, this decision would not
have been effective considering that only the civilian commander (Croat
member of the Presidency) could make such a decision
4. Considering that the SFOR is threatening to forcefully implement
decisions on dismissals and appointments, the leadership of the HNS
advises members of the HVO to temporarily disband.
5. These political issues should, under no circumstances, turn into
security issues. One should conduct himself in a dignified manner in order
not to provoke any difficult consequences. Members of the HVO should not
allow the amnesty of political actions directed against the Croat people.
6. The temporary dismissal of the HVO is a way to save it from the
undemocratic and illegal pressures, so as to enable it to , in the future
joint BiH army, become a full fledged component.
Croat National Assembly official says talks with the OHR to begin soon:
The deputy chairman of the Croat National Assembly, Petar Milic, has
confirmed to SRNA news agency that the HNS platform for the talks with the
OHR which are due to begin by the end of the week, will be the same as
those adopted on March 3rd in Mostar with the ultimate goal a federal
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"Only a federal Bosnia-Herzegovina can be a democratic and civil state,
and in order to achieve this, the principle of one nation one vote should
be adopted. Only then could the application of the one person one vote
principle follow," Milic said.
Meanwhile, OHR spokesman Oleg Milisic told Jutarnje Novine that the OHR
will not talk with any radical representatives of the HDZ, and rejected
the allegations that Wolfgang Petritsch will soon meet with Martin Raguz,
the coordinator of the so-called Croat self-rule.
Croat officers in Vitez reject the dismissal of their commander:
The officers and non-commissioned officers of the Command of the 3rd
Division of the HVO Vitez do not accept the decision of the Federation
Defense Minister , Mijo Anic, to remove their commander Dusko Grubesic.
Although the newly appointed brigadier Drago Tomic was scheduled to arrive
in Vitez on Monday, when he was supposed to take up the duty of the
Commander of the 3rd Division of the HVO Vitez, this did not happen.
However, the Commander of the SFOR's Multinational Division Southwest,
Mayor General Hiller, came to Vitez in order to 'prepare the ground'. He
made it clear to the Brigadier Dusko Grubesic and Deputy Commander of the
1st Croat Guard's Corps, the Brigadier Mario Bradara that SFOR and
international community undoubtedly support the decisions of Mijo Anic,
the newly appointed Defense Minister of the BiH Federation. According to
the unofficial information, General Hiller asked the Brigadiers Grubesic
and Bradara to enable the Brigadier Drago Tomic to take up the duty of the
Commander of the 3rd Division of the HVO Vitez, without any delay. If not,
General Hiller, allegedly, warned he would be forced to enable that, in
line with his alleged mandates. Wishing to avoid any excesses and
deterioration of the security-political situation, which is already
difficult, and not accepting the decision of the 'so called federation
defense Minister', the officers and non-commissioned officers, the members
of the 3rd Division's Command of HVO Vitez left their military posts on
Monday morning.
Jelavic's foreign policy advisor says the US knows the Dayton needs
revision:
According to Drazenko Primorac, Foreign Policy advisor of Ante Jelavic, a
short-term goal is to return to BiH institutions, which would respect the
will of the people who elected their legal representatives. The US
Congressmen with whom Primorac talked recently said that they did not
agree with methods of the Croat National Assembly although they judged
that its proposal is constructive and it could be realized in a long run.
In Primorac's words, they understood that BiH is not a normal country and
that it needs reorganization. He added that they were rather restrained
with regard to the RS because they do not believe that it will be possible
to talk about the change of the Serb entity any time soon. His
interlocutors agreed that the change of the election rules, imposed by the
OSCE resulted in the political crisis in BiH. They said that thus far they
have been informed about the situation in BiH through reports of the High
Representative. Primorac expressed hope that the Association of American
Croats will help the promotion of the Croat National Assembly in BiH, and
added that the HNS will open its office in Washington D.C. in which it
would lobby for the interests of the Croats in BiH. He added that the
Associations of the American Croats would help the opening of the office
and that these Associations are ready to help 'financially, politically
and in any other ways.'
Zdravko Tomac of the Croatian Sabor presented a letter on the situation of
BIH Croats before the EU Parliamentarians:
Zdravko Tomac, the President of the Croatian Parliament's Board for
Foreign Policy, presented his letter on the situation in BiH to Adriano
Severino, the President of the OSCE Parliament Assembly, at the meeting
with European interlocutors.
In this letter, Tomac warned that the International Community and the OSCE
Mission have made some questionable moves. On one hand, the RS has been
developing as an ethnically clean, quasi-state, without a House of
Peoples. On the other hand, the concept of the House of Peoples, as an
instrument by which the equality of two peoples is protected, is being
virtually abolished by the PEC temporary elections rules. The Vice
President of the Parliament believes that BiH should be built on the
principle of full equality of all BiH citizens on the whole BiH territory.
Tomac believes that only this way 'the return of displaced persons and
refuges and the annulment of the results of the ethnic cleansing are
possible'.
Federation:
BiH Ombudspersons criticise former authorities for neglecting rights of
citizens:
In their report on the country's human rights situation in 2000 before the
change of government, the three BiH ombudspersons have criticised the
former authorities for neglecting and often ignoring citizens' rights. The
report said that corruption had been widespread not just in the judiciary
but at all levels of government. It recognises that some progress was made
in making it possible for refugees to return, however, it notes that this
was largely due to the pressure from the international community.
According to the report, the Federation authorities do not execute the
duties of ensuring even the basic human rights and freedoms. The same
source says that the administration at all levels in the BiH Federation
has been still irrationally organized and with a large number of
employees, the procedure of the achievement of the citizens rights before
the institutions lasts long and the employees are not trained to
professionally execute duties.
The ombudspersons said that the parallelism in the institutions was an
expressed problem last year, particularly in the Hercegovina-Neretva
Canton and Central Bosnia Canton.
According to the report, in spite of the launched reform of the judicial
system, the procedures before the courts in the BiH Federation "last for
years", the situation of promptness is worse and worse, and the expertise
of the significant number of judges is "under the lower limit of
acceptance". According to ombudspersons, corruption does not exist only in
the courts, but the administration and public officials are corrupted.
"The reports of the office in Gorazde, Velika Kladusa, Capljina and Bihac
also show this, where the cantonal authorities first, and then the
individuals who are the municipal official, misused their positions, in
order to provide for themselves or their family the benefit in money,
property or working position," the report reads.
According to ombudspersons, certain progress in the refugee return and
property laws implementation, with the pressures of the international
community, has been registered.
Approximately 24 per cent of claims for the repossession of vacated
apartments have been realized in 2000, as well as approximately 43 per
cent of claims for repossession of vacated property.
"However, regardless of the registered increase in the property laws
implementation, the whole trend of return of refugees and displaced
persons to their homes is dissatisfactory," the report reads.
Republika Srpska:
Delegation of the Russian Duma Meets with RS Leadership:
Today's editions of both Banja Luka dailies reported that the Delegation
of the Russian Duma, led by Dmitriy Rogozin, visited Banja Luka on Monday
where they met with the Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic,
and the RS President, Mirko Sarovic. After the meeting, Rogozin told press
that Russia is against the revision of the Dayton Peace Agreement and
stressed, commenting Del Ponte's visit to BiH, that the ICTY exceeds its
competencies.
International Community :
The Hague prosecutor Carla del Ponte announces new indictments in BiH:
During her yesterday's visit to the RS and the Federation capitals, Banja
Luka and Sarajevo, the ICTY prosecutor Carla del Ponte announced that
there would be more indictments issued against Bosnian war crimes suspects
in the near future. She stressed that these indictments do not refer only
to Serb, but to Bosniak perpetrators as well. Del Ponte also met yesterday
with the Federation President, Karlo Filipovic, and expressed her
satisfaction with new non-nationalist authorities in this entity and added
that she has never received such a strong declaration of support for The
Hague as during her present visit. "I am waiting now to see good results,
concrete results, and I am sure that this will be done," stressed Del
Ponte, saying that RS authorities still need to show more willingness for
cooperation with the ICTY.
OHR expects urgent issuance of construction permit for Ferhadija mosque in
Banja Luka:
OHR issued a press release yesterday noting that Banja Luka city
authorities issued a long overdue urban permit for the reconstruction of
the Ferhadija mosque, and urging the issuance of the construction permit.
Only Dnevni Avaz, on its sixth page, carried the statement. (See the
attachment!) Meanwhile, the US Ambassador to BiH, Thomas Miller, visited
Banja Luka yesterday and expressed his satisfaction with the issuance of
the urban permit. He said that the US government will not finance the
reconstruction of the famous mosque as he has been assured by the Islamic
Community that there are already more then sufficient funds for this.
Editorials:
Vjesnik: How to resolve crisis in the BiH Federation?:
The crisis which is manifested in the form of the (self-proclaimed) Croat
self-rule and which resulted from the OSCE amendments to the interim
election rules, is a clear sign that the Federation arranged back in 1994,
suits no one.
The current situation in BiH is actually a stalemate. The HDZ leaders have
made some moves to which the International Community responded with
punitive measures (removal of Ante Jelavic), and then the incumbent
Federal authorities, which were formed without participation of the HDZ,
removed several political and army officials who expressed their support
to the self-rule.
The general opinion of the international representatives in BiH (and not
theirs alone) is that the HDZ leaders are not standing for the interests
of the Croat people, but their personal interests.
Even the US Ambassador to BiH, Thomas Miller, established that it is very
clear that "The OSCE decisions caused an unprecedented concern in the
Croat people, not only Croats in the HDZ, but the majority of Croats."
Having in mind the numerous removals and the impossibility of filling in
the Federal authority institutions without participation of the HDZ, a way
out of the present crisis could be found in snap elections, provided that
there is a previous consensus on the rules for those elections and on the
election of delegates to the Federation and BiH Houses of Peoples.
However, the concern of the Croat people that Ambassador Miller speaks
about, leads to the conclusion that the election results would be similar
to those made in November. Therefore, since the international
representatives want to eliminate the HDZ at any cost, it is questionable
as to whether the OSCE Mission, which is presently the only institution
with the mandate of calling snap elections, would resort to such a
solution.
Istuk: International Community homogenizes Croats
Hrvoje Istuk, once a senior official of the Communist Union, who has been
advocating the views close to the Croat People's Council in the past
years, stated that the parliamentary elections "showed that the moves of
the International Community very much homogenised the Croat electorate in
BiH."
He said the attacks on the HDZ, "aimed at treating all those people as
criminals and plunderers of the people's money" are counter-productive.
Speaking of the SDP, as the strongest member of the Alliance for Changes,
Istuk stated: "I do not know what the SDP will try to do, but I have a
feeling that everything in that party goes down to the question of who
holds the power. I wish I were wrong. SDP members are the people who have
not managed to change their mindset since 1990 to date, if this phrase
could apply on some party."
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