- BiH/Central institutions:
- BiH and Croatia sign an agreement on border crossings
- HDZ (Hercegovacka Banka) related news
- 22 wounded in incidents in Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina
- International auditors are looking for 16,5 million KM of Federation
funds
- HDZ and HNS accuse the International Community of "robbery
- Hercegovacka Banka: The Blockade means the bankruptcy of the
Federation
- HDZ denies being involved in organizing the demonstrations on
Friday:
- OHR threatens with rigorous sanctions for organizers of incidents on
Friday
- Croat National Assembly (HNS) calls upon Croat associations abroad
to protest
- Travnik: Stop paying RTV BiH subscription
- Cardinal Vinko Puljic: Stop bargaining with the Croats:
- PDHR Ralph Johnson: Protests were organized by those who are afraid
of investigation:
- UN Mission to BiH condemns the violence in Mostar
- US Ambassador Thomas Miller accuses the HDZ of criminal activities
- SFOR says Hercegovacka Banka is very important for the HNS
leadership
- Austrian Foreign Minister: Hercegovacka Banka - a pillar of Croat
extremists
- Croatian President Stjepan Mesic: Mob should not have responded to
SFOR action
- Deputy Chairman of the Croatian Sabor says the moves of
International Community not very wise
- Provisional Administrator asks for an international blockade of
Hercegovacka Banka accounts
- Hercegovacka Banka employees wait the provisional administrator
- Federation Banking Agency not clear about the mandate of the OHR
- Federation government supports the SFOR and OHR action in Mostar
- Mostar authorities offer contradicting evaluations of the Friday
incident:
- Headquarters for Protection of Identity of Croats calls upon all
Croat officers to "return to their people"
- SFOR controls HVO military barracks in Central BiH:
- SFOR abandons HVO barracks in Busovaca and Vitez?:
- SFOR base in Split blocked on Monday
- Head of Tomislavgrad radio send an open letter to Petristch - Your
Excellence, why are you trampling journalist
- Association of Croat Journalists says journalist profession
dangerous:
- Association of Croat Journalists says journalist profession
dangerous:
- Nenad Ivankovic, head of HIP: We condemn Petritsch's repression:
- Ante Jelavic: "We will prevail and win because freedom has no price"
- Federation government warns about the illegal work of intelligence
agencies in BiH:
- HVO celebrates its ninth birthday
- Republika Srpska/International Community
- Excerpts from the Petritsch's Interview for the Viennese "News";
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BiH/Central institutions related issues:
BiH and Croatia sign an agreement on border crossings:
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of BiH and Croatia, Zlatko Lagumdzija and
Tonino Picula, signed on Friday an agreement on border crossings between
the two countries thereby striking a serious blow to blackmarketeers and
other illegal transfer of both goods and peoples. According to media
reports, the document signed on Friday should permanently regulate the
border regime between BiH and Croatia.
HDZ-related news (Hercegovacka Banka)
22 wounded in incidents in Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina:
The Friday incidents in Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina, Grude,
Siroki Brijeg, Medjugorje, Vitez, and Tomislavgrad, were by far the top
story in the weekend issues of the Federation media. According to reports
of Sarajevo dailies, the incidents which followed after the attempt of the
OHR-appointed provisional administrator of the controversial Hercegovacka
Banka (HB), Tony Robinson, to take control over the bank, resulted in
injuries of 22 persons, four of whom were civilians. Media report that
masses of people "spontaneously" gathered in front of the regional offices
of the Hercegovacka Banka and began protesting against the action of
representatives of the International Community who sought to establish a
provisional management in the bank suspected of handling dubious accounts
of the HDZ and, now the former, senior military officials in the Croat
component of the Federation Army. The protesters, among whom were numerous
prominent Bosnian Croat officials (Petar Zelenika - former head of the BiH
Croat veterans association HVIDRA, Ivan Mandic - the head of the Mostar
municipality Southwest, Dragan Mandic - Hercegovina-Neretva canton
Minister of Interior, and Zlatan Mijo Jelic - the former general of the
Third Guardian Corps of the Croat component of the Federation Army), set
on fire and destroyed several vehicles of international organizations and
harassed a number of IC officials who found themselves inside of the
office buildings. According to latest information, the situation in Mostar
and other towns in Herzegovina was relatively calm on Sunday.
Sarajevo papers noted with irony that, at the same time the Senior Deputy
High Representative, Matthias Sonn, was informing the public about the
"peaceful takeover of the HB by the international provisional
administrator", the protesters were pillaging cars belonging to members of
international community and harassing its staff.
International auditors are looking for 16,5 million KM of Federation
funds:
According to Sarajevo Oslobodjenje, the international auditors decided to
establish a provisional administration in the Hercegovacka Banka and
investigate its transactions because one of its accounts allegedly
contained 16,5 million KM of Federation funds. The Federation Finance
Minister, Nikola Grabovac, confirmed the information that a sum of the
Federation money has indeed been discovered in a bank in Herzegovina, but
refused to provide the name of the bank. Oslobodjenje also reported that
all funds garnered in the past three months through process of collecting
the social and health contributions on the territory of four Croat
majority cantons have been deposited in the Hercegovacka Banka. The
contribution accounts have been transferred to this bank at the same time
when the payment bureaus were closed and all transactions entrusted to
commercial banks.
HDZ and HNS accuse the International Community of "robbery:
At a press conference, the president of the so-called Croat self-rule in
BiH, Marko Tokic, said that that the incidents connected with the
Hercegovacka Banka were no more then an "attempt of armed robbery in the
middle of the day," and added that the OHR and the High Representative,
Wolfgang Petritsch, ought to reconsider their policy and activities. The
HDZ and the Croat National Assembly also asked all Croat representatives
in the institutions of authority, Jadranko Prlic, Jozo Krizanovic, Karlo
Filipovic, Ilija Simic, Mijo Anic and others, to "stand before their
people and explain why they are taking such repressive measures against
businesses and their owners."
Shareholders, i.e., owners of the Hercegovacka Banka also condemned the
initial action of the International Community to take control over the
bank and said that the OHR treated the bank as if it were hiding indicted
war criminals. "This is a suspension of our legal system," said Ivica
Karlovic, the General Manager of the bank, claiming that no financial
inspection discovered any illegal transactions in the bank.
The establishment of the provisional administration in the Hercegovacka
Banka was also termed illegal and illegitimate by the bank's spokesman
Milan Sutalo. "This is a completely illegal act since the bank is a
private and not a public institution," said Sutalo, and added that the HB
management had earlier officially invited the OHR and other international
organizations to openly audit its accounts.
Hercegovacka Banka: The Blockade means the bankruptcy of the Federation
Zagreb daily Jutarnji List quoted on the front page on Monday Milan
Sutalo, the Hercegovacka Banka spokesman as saying that the blockade of
this bank also means the bankruptcy of the Federation. "The OHR action is
crazy, illegal and barbaric. Not even in dictatorships banks are taken
over with arms", Sutalo told the daily. In the interview, he explained the
events that took place on Friday - the SFOR, the IPTF and masked persons
raid on the bank as Sutalo calls it. He also said that, prior to the
Friday take-over, the bank fully co-operated with the OHR and bank
officials and "even provided information which should not have been
disclosed." "We consulted the Banking Agency because they asked to see the
private, personal accounts and of hundreds and tens of private companies.
We even gave them this information to avoid their comments that we are
hiding something. So, there were no reasons for such a raid on the bank,"
Sutalo said. "We knew that they will prepare scores of lies to justify
this act. One of these lies is that the protection of interest of share
holders. They (the OHR) themselves organized a press conference and
clearly said that the interests of the shareholders are not jeopardized:
the bank last year had a positive results and made a profit," Sutalo
added.
The HB spokesman said that it is obvious that this "a media campaign,"
against the bank. "When they could not destroy the bank through media and
lies, then they turned to arms to close down the bank. The goal is clear:
to financially and economically destroy and break the Croat people in BiH
and with this discipline the Croats, to tell them openly that they have to
live here together and that's it," Sutalo said.
When asked what can the bank do next, Sutalo said that the bank management
have hired one of the best lawyers in BiH, Josip Muselimovic to launch an
appeal.
"The share holders have publicly said that they considered this act an act
of violence which jeopardizes their interests. They have also said that
they do not recognize Toby Robinson as the provisional administrator,"
Sutalo said, ands added that the accounts of the on and the Federation are
blocked along with pension and insurance funds.
"If the blockade of this bank if not lifted soon the state can declare
bankruptcy. However, whatever happens, the goal was achieved: the bank
will be closed and financially ruined," Sutalo told Jutarnji List
HDZ denies being involved in organizing the demonstrations on Friday:
The HDZ rejected the allegations on Friday that its leadership has been
involved in organizing the demonstrations on Friday. "The HDZ did not have
any role in the spontaneous gathering of citizens and in their reaction to
events in Mostar and other towns," read the HDZ press release. The party
also said that the repressive measures of the International Community just
confirmed that its aim was the economic destruction of territories with
Croat majority.
OHR threatens with rigorous sanctions for organizers of incidents on
Friday:
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, said on Saturday that the
action of control of the business in Hercegovacka Banka will continue and
that the appointed auditors/administrators will resume their investigation
of confiscated documentation. Petritsch also announced rigorous sanctions
against the organizers of incidents on Friday and the subsequent physical
attacks on members of International Community. The High Representative
said that the process of auditing in the HB accounts had been considered
relatively simple, and that similar situations will be prevented in the
future.
Croat National Assembly (HNS) calls upon Croat associations abroad to
protest
Zagreb daily Vecernji List reported on Monday that the Croat National
Assembly (HNS) called upon all Croat associations abroad to organize
protests throughout the world "against the violent and humiliating
measures undertaken by representatives of the international community and
which are directed against the economy and financial institutions in the
BiH territory with Croat majority," a HNS statement said.
Underlining "how much damage has been done to ordinary citizens and share
holders of Hercegovacka Banka with the repressive and brutal action of
the IC representatives," the HNS called upon all Croat associations in the
world to peacefully protest to stop the breaches of human rights and
rights of an entire nation, the statement said.
Travnik: Stop paying RTV BiH subscription
The Association for protection of the identity of national interests of
Croats in Travnik municipality called upon Croats there to stop paying
subscription for RTV BiH, Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported on
Monday.
The Association said that RTV BiH has intensified its propaganda war
against Croat people and its legally elected representatives and has fully
put itself in the service of Bosniak politics.
Cardinal Vinko Puljic: Stop bargaining with the Croats:
At a mass held in Sarajevo cathedral on Sunday, the Cardinal Vinko Puljic
held a homily in which he said that Croats refuse to be bargained with and
will not accept the hatred which is being imposed upon them in order to
divide the people. "What is our sin? A half of the country has already
been cleansed from Croats, and now it is the other half's turn," said
Puljic, and told the Croats to have faith in the Christ and believe only
in things that have a genuine value.
PDHR Ralph Johnson: Protests were organized by those who are afraid of
investigation:
Commenting on the events in Herzegovina, the Principal Deputy High
Representative, Ralph Johnson, said that had the Hercegovacka Banka been
open for an investigation, the Friday action and the subsequent incidents
could have been avoided. Johnson explained that representatives of the
International Community entered the bank in order to look into its
documents and accounts which provided evidence that certain funds have
been used to finance parallel and illegal institutions in BiH.
UN Mission to BiH condemns the violence in Mostar:
The Head of the UN Mission to BiH, Jacques Paul Klein, strongly condemned
the violence in Mostar and stressed that such incidents cannot and will
not prevent the International Community to continue its fight against the
crime and corruption in BiH. In a statement for the press, Klein stressed
that Hercegovacka Banka has been used for various illegal activities
including the funding of unconstitutional parallel structures in BiH.
US Ambassador Thomas Miller accuses the HDZ of criminal activities:
At a press conference, the US Ambassador to BiH, Thomas Miller, said that
the Friday incident was no more then a criminal act organized by the HDZ,
and stressed that the International Community correctly suspected that the
HDZ is has been using the Hercegovacka Banka for activities which are of
dubious nature. He also said that he is not aware of the content of the
documents which were to be confiscated by members of international
organizations, but added that the prompt and well planned action of the
HDZ which followed clearly indicates that the its (HDZ) officials are
quite concerned about this. He strongly condemned the behavior of the
people gathered in front of the bank offices in Mostar and other towns in
Herzegovina and accused the HDZ of organizing the demonstrations. "What
happened on Friday was a mere act of desperation on the part of the HDZ,"
said Miller, and added that the International Community will continue
providing support for legally elected authority in the Federation and in
BiH.
SFOR says Hercegovacka Banka is very important for the HNS leadership:
The SFOR commander in chief, Michael Dodson, told the press on Saturday
that it is obvious that the Hercegovacka Banka is very important for the
leadership of the Croat National Assembly (HNS) who is the most likely
organizer of the incidents on Friday. Dodson added that the group of
people who attempted to prevent the control of the accounts in the HB were
even armed and exposed all others to an unnecessary danger.
Austrian Foreign Minister: Hercegovacka Banka - a pillar of Croat
extremists:
The Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, strongly
condemned the violence in Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina. "The
Hercegovacka Banka represents, in the eyes of the International Community,
an economic foundation of extremists who want to undermine the stability
and reforms in BiH," said Ferrero-Valdner.
Croatian President Stjepan Mesic: Mob should not have responded to SFOR
action:
The Croatian president, Stjepan Mesic, said on Saturday that the mob
should not have responded to the SFOR action in offices of the
Hercegovacka Banka, and added that it was not the ordinary people who
acted but those who were concerned that the International Community may
find out who disposed with the funds in this bank. "since it was not
possible to get information about the access and transfers of money, and
since it was realized that the financial channels were not transparent,
force must have been used in the process of taking over the Hercegovacka
Banka. Mesic also stressed that all issues in BiH must be dealt with
openly and in the legally established institutions.
Deputy Chairman of the Croatian Sabor says the moves of International
Community not very wise:
Commenting on the events in Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina, the
deputy chairman of the Croatian Sabor (Parliament), Zdravko Tomac, said
that both the International Community and BiH Croats have been making very
unwise moves. "I believe that the decisions of Croats to single-handedly
provoke the IC were not very smart, but neither was the decision of the IC
to respond in the same way and further radicalize the situation," said
Tomac. He stressed that Croatia has been appealing to all sides in BiH to
sit at a negotiating table and give up unwise actions.
Provisional Administrator asks for an international blockade of
Hercegovacka Banka accounts:
The provisional administrator appointed by the High Representatives, Toby
Robinson, and the Federation Banking Agency asked a dozen of foreign
countries to freeze the accounts of Hercegovacka Banka in order to prevent
an uncontrollable outflow of money from this bank. The BiH Central Bank
temporarily exempted the HB from the internal payment traffic earlier on
Friday.
Hercegovacka Banka employees wait the provisional administrator:
According to Habena news agency, employees in the Hercegovacka Banka
gathered this morning in front of the office building in Mostar and waited
to meet with the OHR-appointed provisional administrator, Toby Robinson.
According to reports, they wanted to see what will happen with their
future professional engagement in this bank, however, Robinson never
showed up and the bank remained locked.
Federation Banking Agency not clear about the mandate of the OHR:
The Federation Banking Agency spokesman, Ibrahim Polimac, said he was not
sure as to whether the OHR has a mandate to appoint the provisional
administrator for the Hercegovacka Banka. Speaking at the BiH Television
on Friday, Polimac said that the Law on Banking does not mention the
Office of the High Representative.
Federation government supports the SFOR and OHR action in Mostar:
The Federation government expressed its support for the joint SFOR/OHR
action in the offices of Hercegovacka Banka in Mostar and other towns in
Hercegovina as well as to the decision of the High Representative to
appoint a provisional administrator in this bank. In a statement, the
Federation government also said that this decision was not directed
against the Croat people, but against those who are trying to abuse their
political influence for the advancement of their personal interests.
Mostar authorities offer contradicting evaluations of the Friday incident:
Commenting on the incidents across Herzegovina on Friday, the Mostar
mayor, Neven Tomic, said that the intensity of SFOR action and engagement
in this city was completely unnecessary and inappropriate, since the
management of the bank confirmed a day earlier that it was ready to submit
its documentation for an audit. "Such behavior [of the SFOR] provoked
strong reaction on the part of local citizens," said Tomic, and added that
the situation indeed went beyond control. He also invited representatives
of the International Community to show more understanding and willingness
to engage into a dialogue.
The deputy mayor, Hamdija Jahic, strongly condemned the violence used
against members of the OHR and other international organizations. "It is
obvious that Mostar citizens have not self-organized. [The demonstrations]
were organized by members of the HDZ and HVIDRA (veterans association),"
said Jahic.
Headquarters for Protection of Identity of Croats calls upon all Croat
officers to "return to their people":
The Headquarters for Protection of Identity and Croat National Interests
issued a statement late Saturday in which it called upon all Croat
officers and their deputies "who betrayed the interests of the Croat
nation for money and decided to support the Alliance for Change", to
return to their nation and leave themselves at the disposal of the HQ at
latest by Monday, April 9th. "The names of those who do not respond will
be written on the pages of Croat history with black letters," read the
statements.
SFOR controls HVO military barracks in Central BiH:
All Federation media, including the Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna, reported
quoting SFOR officials, that the SFOR is controlling the barracks and
warehouses with armaments belonging to the Croat component of the
Federation Army in the region of Central Bosnia. According to reports,
SFOR is not permitting any civilians or representatives of veterans
associations to enter the barracks. SFOR also said that 350 members of the
Third Guardian Brigade Jasterbovi confirmed their readiness to extend
their professional contracts with the Federation Army.
SFOR abandons HVO barracks in Busovaca and Vitez?:
According to Oslobodjenje, the SFOR troops abandoned the barracks of the
Croat component of the Federation Army in Vitez and Busovaca late Saturday
evening, after which members of the HQ for Protection of Identity of Croat
people moved in to "prevent possible thefts". The same source said that
all ammunition and other equipment has been moved from Vitez and Busovaca
to barracks in Novi Travnik
SFOR base in Split blocked on Monday:
Zagreb daily Vecernji List reported on Sunday that the Croatian Central
National Command for the defense of dignity of Croatian war announced that
its members will protest against the "violent behavior of SFOR troops in
BiH, who regard BiH as their own protectorate", and block the SFOR base in
Divulje near Split on Monday. The protest will also show the support for
the Croat people in BiH, the Command said.
Head of Tomislavgrad radio send an open letter to Petristch - Your
Excellence, why are you trampling journalist:
Director of Tomislavgrad Radio, Zelimir Tolic send an open letter to the
High Representative complaining that SFOR troops, during their action in
Herzegovacka Banka on Friday, injured Zora Stanic, a journalist of this
radio. "We are shocked with the brutal trampling of our journalist," the
letter said. "Do not talk about democracy and human right while your
exponents trample journalist doing their job," it said asking "who's
next?"
Association of Croat Journalists says journalist profession dangerous:
"The latest events in Mostar and some other cities in Herzegovina showed
that journalism is the most dangerous profession on the territory", a
statement issued by the Association of Croatian Journalists of BiH says.
"Our colleagues from the Radio Station Tomislavgrad informed us on the
brutality of the action of establishing provisional administration in the
branch office of the Herzegovacka Bank in Tomislavgrad. On the occasion
the woman journalist, Zora Stanic, was injured. Only for the reason of her
being eager to report the public on the event of that morning in Tomislav
Grad she became target of the "peacemakers" .
What is more to be regretted is the fact that nobody has expressed a word
of regret or excuse for that. Therefore, pointing out the case, the
Association of Croatian Journalists in BiH expresses a sharp protests
against any form of violence over journalists.
Some other journalists also stated their having experienced
inconveniences only for wanting to convey truth to their media. The
Association appeals to all those being responsible to enable journalists,
regardless of media house their belong to, city or country they come from,
to convey truth to the public.
HNS condemns IC representative's pressure on journalists
The Croat National Assembly strongly condemns the pressure of leading
representatives of the international community in BiH on journalist and
editors, Habena news agency reported on Monday afternoon. "The result of
this pressure is a one-sided, biased and untrue informing of the public
about the events surrounding Herzegovacka Banka as well as generally the
reporting on the activities of the HNS and Croat officials, HNS statement
said.
The HNS also called upon all media and journalists to free, objectively
and professionally inform the public and to reject the pressure of
international representatives.
"Unfortunately some media continue to repeat the lies about Croat
officials, political parties, institutions companies and individuals, lies
launched by some international circles," the statement said.
Nenad Ivankovic, head of HIP: We condemn Petritsch's repression:
Nenad Ivankovic, the head of the Association for Promotion of Croat
Identity and Prosperity (HIP) said that this association most strongly
condemns the repression by the High Re ng Petritsch,
against the BiH Croats and their institutions, Slobodna Dalmacija reported
on Sunday.
Ivankovic told a news conference that it is unacceptable that Petritsch,
in a manner which is against the law and contrary to the Dayton Peace
Agreement, sends SFOR's APCs (armored personal carries) to a private bank.
HIP top official called upon the International Community to end the
violence and sit down and negotiate with the "legal representatives of the
Croat people".
Ante Jelavic: "We will prevail and win because freedom has no price"
Sunday's edition of Slobodna Dalmacija reporting on the 9th anniversary of
HVO ceremony held in Mostar quoted Ante Jelavic as saying that Croats will
"prevail and win because freedom has no price." Jelavic, addressing the
ceremony, also said that meetings of support only show the legitimacy of
the HNS decision on self -disbanding of the Croat component of the
Federation army. "This is not an issue of radicalism, extremism or
separatism. These are all insinuations used by the international community
to justify the failure of their mission and thus save their own carries,"
Jelavic said. See the full Reuters interview with Jelavic!
Federation government warns about the illegal work of intelligence
agencies in BiH:
The Federation government announced on Sunday the formation of a single
intelligence agency in the entity and measures to prevent the illegal work
of the existing intelligence services, in particular the BiH Croat SNS
(National Security Service). In a statement, the Federation government
said that the draft law which will regulate the work of common Federation
institutions will be one of its top priorities in the future. The
statement also warned against the work of several intelligence services
working illegally in BiH, in particular the SNS, which is presently
collecting information about members of the International Community and
the present Federation government.
HVO celebrates its ninth birthday:
The HVO (Croat Defense Council) celebrated its ninth birthday on Saturday
in Sarajevo. The ceremony was attended by the highest state and Federation
military and political officials as well as representatives of the
International Community. The Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Jozo
Krizanovic, said that it is unfortunate that the HDZ is manipulating with
decent members of the HVO and veterans associations all in order to create
dangerous incidents and prevent legal institutions from functioning
properly.
Republika Srpska/International Community:
Excerpts from the Petritsch's Interview for the Viennese "News";
Today's edition of Nezavisne Novine carries excerpts from the interview of
the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, for Vienna-based weekly News
in which he explains his views on arrest of former FRY president Milosevic
and his extradition to the ICTY. Ambassador Petritsch said that Milosevic
should be transferred to the ICTY but at the same time stressed the
importance of the trial in Belgrade. He also said that if Belgrade
authorities promised Milosevic that he would not be transferred to the
ICTY then it is a promise they will not be able to fulfill. "That is the
promise the Belgrade authorities will hardly be able to fulfill, because
of the growing pressure for Milosevic's extradition. At this point
Milosevic's extradition would be a little bit problematic since there is a
law, passed during Milosevic's era, which disallows extradition of the FRY
citizens to other countries", says Petritsch.
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