- BiH/Central institutions:
- Breakthrough in succession talks in Brussels
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Berlin Wall towards BiH (commentary)
- HDZ-related news
- OHR condemns the bomb attack on Ivankovic's family house
- US Embassy condemns the attack on Ivankovic family
- HDZ denies any involvement in the bomb attack on Ivankovic family
- Croat National Assembly condemns the bomb attack on Ivankovics house
- New Croat Initiative appalled by the attack on Ivankovic's family
house
- The High Representative informed international officials about
Hercegovacka Banka
- Leadership of the Livno canton condemn the raid conducted by the IC
and Federation police in Hercegovacka Banka
- Hercegovacka Banka customers demand their money
- Hercegovacka Bank officers claim that the campaign against the Bank
started in Nacional - False invoice as the crown evidence
- Croat National Assembly calls upon Bosniaks to prevent their
manipulation by the International Community
- Nacional excerpts: Foreign diplomats were warning Picula not to send
the assistance for BiH Croats via Hercegovacka Bank
- As a result of the raid on Herzegovacka Banka, 50 thousand
pensioners will not receive their pensions
- Hercegovina-Neretva Canton leadership sends on open letter to the
High Representative
- West Herzegovina Canton government condemns the IC behavior
- Mostar Hospital experiences difficulties because of the blockade of
the payment system
- Wolfgang Petritsch - Croats choose wrong leaders
- US Administration condemns violence in Herzegovina and supports OHR
activities
- Federation Army troops attacked in Vitez
- 4th Corps (sic!) of the Croat component of the Federation Army in
Posavina disbanded
- First document of transparent and open Croatian policy towards BiH
- Croatian President, Stipe Mesic commenting on the behavior of Ante
Jelavic
- Globus Interview with Drazen Budisa, President of Croatian Socialist
Liberal Party
- Croatian President: BiH Croats and Serbs must turn to Sarajevo
- Federation
- Director of the Federation Agency for Privatization resigns
- Federation House of Representatives adopts a 997 million KM budget
- Two individuals impersonating police officers abduct four girls in
Tesanj
- Republika Srpska
- The RS National Assembly resumes its work on Wednesday
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BiH/Central institutions related issues:
Breakthrough in succession talks in Brussels:
All media report that a breakthrough in the SFRY succession talks has been
finally reached and that BiH delegation succumbed to pressure and signed
the final agreement on the distribution of gold reserves.
Milos Trifkovic of the BiH team negotiating the succession of the assets
of the former Yugoslavia signed an agreement on the division of the former
Yugoslav gold reserves held by the Bank for International Settlements
without the approval of the other two members of the negotiating team,
Spasoje Tusevljak and Dzemal Fako. Tusevljak told SRNA that Trifkovic
signed the agreement without first getting a written guarantee of
corrections to the benefit of BiH to be made later but rather only
received "some verbal promises" that this would be taken into
consideration.
Slobodna Dalmacija: Berlin Wall towards BiH (commentary)
Slobodna Dalmacija reported that Croatian government in cooperation with
Sarajevo authorities is imposing a strict blockade of borders between the
two countries. It said that a sort of a Berlin Wall is being built and
that 70 percent of border crossings are being closed. When it comes to
official border crossings, of the 74 existing, 42 will be closed,
physically sealed off with barriers, the daily said. This agreement was
recently signed by the Croatian Foreign Minister, Tonino Picula and his
BiH counterpart Zlatko Lagumdzija. The intention is to jointly fight
smuggling and other illegal actives on the borders between the two states.
It is also expected that a new Croatian Law on Customs Services will be
adopted by this summer, officials told the daily.
HDZ related News
OHR condemns the bomb attack on Ivankovic's family house:
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, condemned yesterday the bomb
attack which destroyed a car and a damaged the family house of two
moderate Croat officials, Mladen and Jerko Ivankovic in Siroki Brijeg.
"The International Community will not tolerate criminal actions such as
the car bombing against the Ivankovic brothers or the violence used by the
organized thugs last Friday in Mostar and other places in Herzegovina,"
Petritsch said in a statement. The car belonging to Mladen , a minister
without portfolio in the Federation government, and his brother, Jerko,
who is a deputy in the BiH Parliament House of Representatives, was blown
up early Tuesday morning by unknown persons. However, the brothers blame
the nationalist HDZ officials who are advocating the Croat self-rule in
BiH for this attack. According to media reports, the Ivankovic family, who
owns a major meat processing plant in Herzegovina, expressed its support
to the newly established authority in both the Federation and BiH, which
was a major blow to the HDZ. All Federation media prominently quoted the
press release.
US Embassy condemns the attack on Ivankovic family:
The US Embassy to BiH condemned the bomb attack against the Ivankovic
family, which took place on Tuesday in Siroki Brijeg, and asked the
relevant institutions to investigate this case and arrest perpetrators.
"This is the act of violence directed against a prominent family of
Bosnian Croats whose members had courage to use the freedom of speech.
The persons who are capable to use the violence and terror against their
fellow-citizens in BiH show through these sorts of acts the complete
contempt towards the fundamental values of the democracy," a statement
from the US Embassy read.
HDZ denies any involvement in the bomb attack on Ivankovic family:
In a statement for the press issued late last night, the HDZ rejected all
allegations about being involved in the bomb attack on a car and the
family house of moderate BiH Croat politicians, Mladen and Jerko Ivankovic
which took place early Tuesday morning. "We regret that the terrorist act
against the family house of Ivankovic brothers occurred and we ask for an
urgent investigation in order to find the perpetrators," said the HDZ in a
statement. The party also said it was appalled by the automatic claim of
the Ivankovic brothers that the HDZ is responsible for the attack., and
condemned their "puppet participation" in the "illegally established
authorities" which are contrary to the will of the Croat people. Finally,
the HDZ speculated that the bomb attack may have been a part of the
special war against the party and the Croat people. "Brothers Ivankovic
are becoming one of its main protagonists," said the HDZ and, once again,
condemned the statement recently issued by Ivankovics calling it an act of
"political terrorism."
Croat National Assembly condemns the bomb attack on Ivankovics house:
Croat National Assembly strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack on
the family home of the Ivankovic brothers in Siroki Brijeg and urged the
relevant bodies to promptly find and penalize the perpetrators. "The
Ivankovic brothers' participation in the authority of BiH and the
Federation which the HNS considers to be illegal and illegitimate is to
their shame, while the HNS calls upon all those who are genuine about the
equality of all three peoples in BiH to resolve all political and other
questions ...in a civilized manner, through a dialogue and mutual
tolerance," read the HNS statement.
New Croat Initiative appalled by the attack on Ivankovic's family house:
In a statement for the press, the New Croat Initiative (NHI) expressed its
regret and disappointment with the bomb attack against the family house of
Ivankovic brothers. The NHI also blamed the HDZ extremists for this
incident, and called upon all Croat members of the Federation Ministry of
Interior to resist being manipulated by the HDZ leadership.
The High Representative informed international officials about
Hercegovacka Banka:
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, briefed yesterday several
senior international officials, including the US Secretary of State, Colin
Powell, the EU High Representative for External Affairs, Javier Solana,
and the NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson, about his decision to
establish a provisional administration in Hercegovacka Banka. According to
OHR press release, the High Representative, won their full support for his
actions. Most Federation media carried the OHR press release (pages 3 and
four in Sarajevo dailies).
Leadership of the Livno canton condemn the raid conducted by the IC and
Federation police in Hercegovacka Banka:
The leadership of the Livno canton condemned yesterday the raid of the
Hercegovacka Banka conducted by representatives of the International
Community and the Federation Police on Friday. "This unseen way of
"control of business" caused an enormous damage to the Bank, its
shareholders and customers, as well as to the economic subjects and
institutions whose work was connected with the bank," read the statement
signed by the leadership of the Livno Canton.
Hercegovacka Banka customers demand their money:
The spokesman of the Hercegovacka Banka, Milan Sutalo, said that the
Bank's clients are preparing a petition to be presented to the High
Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, and demanding that they be allowed
access to their money or they will be forced to seek their money via
courts. Sutalo said that HB customers accuse Petritsch of "endangering
their money and private property by sending the Army and police to take
control of a private bank."
Hercegovacka Bank officers claim that the campaign against the Bank
started in Nacional - False invoice as the crown evidence
"The media campaign against the Hercegovacka Bank started with an article
published in the Croatian weekly Nacional, which said that the HDZ has a
secret account with this bank on which 54 million KM of the funds from the
Croatian budget were deposited. Instead of evidence about a secret
account, the OHR and SFOR offered to the public a paid advertisement,
published in the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje on 9 April, which contains a
forged invoice. The OHR and SFOR thus disclosed the strategy of the
propaganda preparations for the take-over of the Hercegovacka Bank, based
on the Goebbels-like method of the use of false evidence with the purpose
of manipulating the public," reads the press release from the Hercegovacka
Bank employees signed by the HB Spokesperson Milan Sutalo. Sutalo also
told Zagreb's Vjesnik that the Provisional Administrator Toby Robinson
never shoed up at her new place of work in Hercegovacka Banka and is
presently considering a resignation. He also said that some Croatian
media, in particular the Croatian Television, are being pressured to avoid
reporting on the event surrounding the Hercegovacka Banka.
Croat National Assembly calls upon Bosniaks to prevent their manipulation
by the International Community:
In a statement for the press, the Croat National Assembly (HNS) called
upon the Bosniak people to prevent any further manipulation and abuse of
its members, in particular the youth, who has been taking part in various
police raids on Croat institutions and arrests of Croat individuals.
"Their (Bosniak youth) abuse in the illegal armed actions is destroying
the trust between the Bosniak and the Croat people," said the HNS in a
statement. Commenting on the fact that a number of Bosniak officers in
the Federation Ministry of Interior participated in the Hercegovacka Banka
action last Friday, the HNS stressed that such actions are strongly
objected by ordinary citizens and could results in serious and unwanted
consequences. "Our common turbulent past binds us not to treat others the
way we, ourselves, would not want to be treated," read the statement.
Nacional excerpts: Foreign diplomats were warning Picula not to send the
assistance
for BiH Croats via Hercegovacka Bank
The computer confiscated from the Hercegovacka Banka should reveal
malversations of the HDZ authorities in BiH and afterwards it is realistic
to expect arrests of the HDZ leaders. Also, it will be interesting to see
for which purpose the money form the Croatian budget was used. The Foreign
diplomats were warning Racan and his Minister of Foreign Affairs Tonino
Picula to be careful as to whom and how they are sending the financial
assistance. One reputable foreign diplomat in Croatia was much more
explicit.
As Nacional found out from diplomatic circles, he warned Picula to be
careful as to whom Croatia is sending money to in BiH and then asked him
why
the money was sent through the Herzegovacka Bank. 'Are you aware of the
fact
that you are thus feeding the worst enemies?' The diplomat thus warned the
Croatian Foreign Minister, letting him know that the IC is aware of the
channels through which the money is circulating in Herzegovina.
As a result of the raid on Herzegovacka Banka, 50 thousand pensioners will
not receive their pensions
Slobodna Dalmacija reported that as a result of the raid on Herzegovacka
Banka, 50 thousand pensioners in BiH will not receive their pensions. It
also reported that Josip Muselimovic, the lawyer hired by the share
holders of the Herzegovacka Banka, said that "it is obvious that the High
Representative is the absolute ruler in BiH; there is no parliament here,
no laws..."
Muselimovic said that he is ending the preparations of establishing a team
of international and local lawyers which is to represent the HB
shareholders. He added that the present damages come up to tens of
millions of KM.
Hercegovina-Neretva Canton leadership sends on open letter to the High
Representative:
Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Prime Minister Josip Merdzo sent an open
letter to the High Representative on Tuesday in which he states that
"the armed break-into the Hercegovacka Banka, in which the cantonal
Government placed the cantonal treasury, disabled the functioning
of this canton's payment system." On April 5, the High Representative
brought a decision on establishing a provisional administration in the
Hecegovacka Banka, and the day after, provisional administrator Toby
Robinson, supported by the SFOR, the IPTF and the Federal police, entered
the bank building to implement the High Representative's decision.
This was followed by demonstrations in Mostar, during which the mass
entered the building and threw the OHR officials out of the bank.
"Not wanting to talk about the sphere of possible political
consequences of
your decision, I would like to say that you have disabled the legal
obligation
of legal and physical subjects to pay taxes and other public incomes,
all of
which belong to the cantonal budget, the end result being a
dysfunctioning of
the payment system," the letter read. In the letter, Merdzo added that
this also disabled the financing of HNK public needs, and stressed that
it is questionable when and how individual salaries will be paid.In the
letter conclusion, Merdzo asked Petritsch to do everything in order for
the current situation to be solved and bank accounts de-blocked.
West Herzegovina Canton government condemns the IC behavior
Slobodna Dalmacija reported that the West Herzegovina Canton government,
at a meeting held on Tuesday, analyzed the security situation in the
canton after the events connected to the raid of the Herzegovacka Banka.
The government condemned the behavior of certain representatives of the
international community and said that "the canton government cannot
guarantee the security of representatives of the international community
and the federation authorities which actions are directed against the
Croat people," read the WHC statement.
Mostar Hospital experiences difficulties because of the blockade of the
payment system:
At a press conference, the management of the Mostar Hospital urged all
relevant individuals and institutions to promptly resolve the situation
which was created by the closure of the Hercegovacka Banka and the
subsequent blockade of the payment system. The Director of the hospital,
Zoran Rebac, said that the work and proper functioning of this institution
has been made nearly impossible, as its staff is not able to obtain the
necessary medicine and food supplies for its patients. "We cannot take the
responsibility for the possible consequences," said Rebac.
Wolfgang Petritsch - Croats choose wrong leaders
Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija published on Wednesday an interview with
the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch.
"I know some wonderful Croats in Austria but Herzegovina is ruled by HDZ
Mafia," the headline of the interview quotes Petritsch as saying.
Commenting on the events in Herzegovacka Banka Petritsch said that the OHR
"was worried about the security of investigators because they went to the
bank under limited security measures."
"What happened, unfortunately has proven that we were rightfully concerned
about their security because violence broke out by an organized mob that
attacked my personal and broke into the bank. Croat people should blame
the organizers of this violent behavior that has jeopardized the bank
now," Petritsch said. The High Representative also said that he "feels
that many media, like many Croats, are under HDZ pressure."
"Why do Croats need the HDZ totalitarian system that impose on people what
they should do? This is a big problem we recognize and this is what needs
to be busted. We want to show to the Croats that BiH is their country and
that without Croats there will be no BiH. Croats have to fight for their
interests but have to fight against the criminals from their people as
well. It is because of these criminals that the Croat people are a
hostage, they are imprisoned and this is why they have to get rid off the
leaders that in the last ten years drove it to isolation," Petritsch said.
US Administration condemns violence in Herzegovina and supports OHR
activities:
The US administration condemned the mob and individual violence in
Herzegovina and expressed its support for the measures imposed by the
Office of the High Representative and the SFOR. "This attitude will be
personally expressed by the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, when he
arrives to BiH for an official visit at the end of the week," said his
spokesman, Richard Boucher. He especially condemned the HDZ BiH which, he
said, "organized the violent protests," for which it should be held
accountable. At the same time, the US government warned US citizens to
"until further notice avoid traveling in Herzegovina," for the safety
reasons.
"A numerous incidents caused by the hostile mob, destruction of property,
violence and threats to foreigners took place in Mostar, Tomislavgrad,
Posusje, Medjugorje, Grude, Siroki Brijeg and Livno took place," reads the
statement, which adds that it si not safe to travel in Posavina, Travnik,
Jajce and Kiseljak.
"The violence of the extremists was directed against the OHR, and the SFOR
who took control over the documentation and the archives of the
Hercegovacka Banka, and within the criminal investigation," read the US
government statement.
Federation Army troops attacked in Vitez:
According to Dnevni Avaz, Federation Army soldiers, senior military
officials and officers trying to enter the barracks in Vitez and Busovaca
on Tuesday were ambushed by a group of hostile civilians who called them
traitors of the Croat people and threw rocks at them. The daily reports
that the gathered civilians were organized by the HQ for the protection of
identity and national interests of the Croats and its president, Ante
Jakic.
4th Corps (sic!) of the Croat component of the Federation Army in Posavina
disbanded:
According to ONASA agency, the acting commander if the Fourth Corps of the
Croat component of the Federation Army in Posavina region, Tomo Knezevic,
ordered his troops to disband due to a threat by the SFOR. Knezevic said
that the decision is a result of a tremendous pressure, blackmail and
threats by SFOR soldiers who were ordering actions "which are against the
interests of the Croat people". "I am not afraid of my own people but of
members of the SFOR who exerted pressure on me in order to force me to
follow their orders," said Knezevic at a press conference. He called all
soldiers and officers in the Fourth Corps to follow his orders and comply
with decisions of the Craot National Assembly.
First document of transparent and open Croatian policy towards BiH
The conclusions of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) on relations between
Croatia and BiH is the first document of a fully transparent and open
Croatian policy towards BiH and the implementation of the Dayton Peace
Agreement, Hasan Muratovic, BiH Ambassador to Croatia told reporters.
Muratovic expressed hope that Croatia will implement these conclusion,
adding that BiH will do everything to help the implementation.
Croatian President, Stipe Mesic commenting on the behavior of Ante Jelavic
Croatian President, Stipe Mesic in an interview with Zagreb daily Vecernji
List said that he "is surprised that Ante Jelavic is insisting on the
politics which makes no sense." "One should communicate with the
international community, establish rules for everything, and do that
through institutions and with the help of the international community.
Accusing and confronting the international community will not resolve a
single problem. I regard Ante Jelavic as I used to regard Mate Boban. A
policy that already failed once is being repeated and in a very dangerous
situation for the Croats in BiH," Mesic told the daily.
Globus Interview with Drazen Budisa, President of Croatian Socialist
Liberal Party
In a lengthy interview for GLOBUS, Socialist Liberal Party (HSLS)
president Drazen Budisa commented on the relations within the Group of
Six, the possibility of early elections, difficult problems in the
economy, and the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Budisa said he finds the situation in BH concerning. He reminded that the
Sabor adopted a declaration in which it expressed dissatisfaction with the
moves taken by BiH Croat leadership, but which also stated that such moves
were, among other things, a consequence of BH Croats being in an unequal
position. "I think the absence of the will on behalf of the international
community to establish a dialogue about two issues is concerning - first,
the position expressed by the Constitutional Court on the
constitutionality of all three nations on the entire BH territory, and
secondly, what is to be done with the electoral law," Budisa asserted.
"The international community bears a large share of responsibility. I
would estimate that High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch has not
performed his task well because today, several years after the war, we
still have a chaotic situation in BH, because of wrong moves by the High
Representative and the international community as a whole." Budisa said
the Croatian authorities were hoping for different results in BH elections
and that he personally supported the New Croatian Initiative (NHI).
However, the Croat electorate voted differently and their will must be
respected. "The problem of BH is its constitution. If you gathered all
the best Ministers in the European Government and sent them to Sarajevo,
they would stand no chance with this constitution of BH that has 13
constituencies plus the district of Brcko, with three constituent nations,
and two entities with different social organization. There is no
Government that can be efficient in such circumstances. The international
community has not demonstrated willingness to start the talks on a new,
modern organization of BH in which the citizens of all three nations would
be guaranteed equality - and that is the idea of cantonization," Budisa
said.
He asserted that the present division of BH is an obstacle to a more
intensive return of refugees, especially in Republika Srpska. Though the
organization determined by the Dayton Peace Agreement served well to stop
the war, Budisa holds it is high time to start discussing ways to
transform BH into a self-sustaining modern state. He dismissed the
imputations that his model of cantonization presupposes they would be
constituted according to ethnic principle and would thus be in line with
the nationalist policy of the HDZ/BH, saying that he supported abolishing
any form of special relations of any part of BH with neighboring
countries. Budisa thinks the Government should again express its
dissatisfaction with the events in BH and the position of BH Croats.
Though the suspicions of crime in the HDZ/BH ranks are probably not
unfounded, Budisa emphasized that processing the criminals would not
resolve the unequal position of BH Croats.
Croatian President: BiH Croats and Serbs must turn to Sarajevo:
Croatian President Stipe Mesic replies to the letter of Banja Luka Bishop
Franjo Komarica - Both Croats and Serbs in BiH must turn to
Sarajevo."Dayton should first be implemented in practice and only then can
we speak about its revision or changes. Croats, like Serbs in BiH, should
turn to Sarajevo. What I am saying does not mean that Croatia gives up
the Croats in BiH. On the contrary, Croatia and myself will always be
ready to help, but not through the non-transparent financial transactions
of weapon acquisition which served the purpose of producing the war and
wealth for individuals,
but through a concrete assistance aimed at starting the production and
creating the basis for a normal life in BiH. I know very well that the
process of Croat returns to the RS is going very slowly and that there is
almost no progress at all. The Croat returns that
you speak about and which I wish for, is possible only within an overall
project of return of all refugees and DPs, which means that the
authorities of BiH, the BiH Federation, the RS, the FRY and the Republic
of Croatia must actively participate in it."
Federation:
Director of the Federation Agency for Privatization resigns:
The director of the Federation Agency for Privatization, Nedim Lulo,
submitted his resignation yesterday. Despite the speculations in the media
that his resignations was politically motivated, Lulo stressed that he is
leaving because of health reasons.
Federation House of Representatives adopts a 997 million KM budget:
At yesterday's session, the Federation Parliament's House of
Representatives adopted the budget for the year 2001 in the amount of 997
million KM. It was agreed that the largest portion of this sum will be
directed for the defense - 290 million KM, and nearly 265 million for the
payment of invalidity insurance.
Two individuals impersonating police officers abduct four girls in Tesanj:
The top story in the Federation media today is the kidnapping of four 15
year old girls in Tesanj. According to media reports, two middle aged men
pretending to be police offers forced the girls to enter their car and
drove away in an unknown direction. Local police is investigating this
case.
Republika Srpska:
The RS National Assembly resumes its work on Wednesday:
The Republika Srpska National Assembly on Wednesday is to continue the
fourth session which started on Tuesday, and discuss the issues of
displaced persons, refugees and returnees. RS Minister for refugees Mico
Micic said late Tuesday that about 248,000 displaced persons are in
the RS. He said about 50,000 persons returned since the signing of
the Dayton Agreement (end of 1995), according to some estimates. Micic
said a priority will be dismissing of the existing 59 reception
centers in the RS, which requires 17.600,000 marks. "The priority goals
are securing of alternative accommodation, adaptation, reconstruction and
construction of damaged units, firstly for the families of fallen
soldiers and war invalids," he added.
More than 82 million marks is necessary for the realization of
those priorities, while the budget foresees 26 million marks for the
purpose. The Assembly representatives on Tuesday passed the draft
law on free access to information, which aims to secure public work
of the institutions of authority. The draft law foresees that each legal
entity and individual has free access to information about the work of
public bodies and services.
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