BiH/Central institutions: BiH Parliament House of Representatives calls upon HDZ officials to come back to work BiH Presidency troika to start visiting regions in both entities BiH Council of Ministers establishes a draft of Law on Minorities Dobrinja I and IV arbitration decision to be announced next week Federation: HN Canton Interior Minister might be suspended All Bicakcic's laws withdrawn from procedure Press release from the Hercegovacka Bank administration and shareholders - They had the vault keys, and yet they opened them with explosives! Former Federation Defence Minister refutes the accusations by his successor Mijo Anic - Prce: I handed over all of the documentation Ante Jelavic, President of the Croat National Assembly - I secretly met with Petritsch's people (full translation) The tension is mounting while they are waiting for an analysis of the documents taken from the seat of the Hercegovacka Bank: Croat Public Companies can also expect SFOR actions Republika Srpska Will Former Chief of Banja Luka Police End Up in The Hague?; Banja Luka Mufti Meets RS Minister of Religions; Session of the RS Government - Draft Defamation Law Adopted; Representative of the RS Government Comments on cooperation Between the RS and the ICTY; OHR and RS government to continue talks on privatization of apartments International Community High Representative says second action in Herzegovacka Bank was necessary President of Croat Coordination says the High Representative agrees with their proposal Doris Pack Visits Sarajevo; Human Rights Watch Requests Arrest of Karadzic and Mladic; Protest from the Union of BiH Croat associations - Zagreb is silent while Petritsch is chasing Croats Interview with Graham Hand, the British Ambassador to BiH - Cantons in BiH? It is possible, but in twenty years Wolfgang Petritsch is coming to Zagreb to hear Racan's objections regarding the SFOR actions Petritsch and Barry are leaving before the end of the year? (full translation) HNS: Petritsch's actions aimed at depriving Croats of their rights Editorials: Slobodna Dalamacija Editorial by Josip Jovic - The Hercegovacka Bank case or the use of force against the legitimate political will - Stalinism from the West BiH/Central institutions related issues: BiH Parliament House of Representatives calls upon HDZ officials to come back to work BiH Parliament House of Representatives on Thursday called upon the representatives of the HDZ to join the work of the Parliament and the soldiers of the Croat component of the Federation Army to return to their barracks. Oslobodjenje's front page story said that HDZ was also invited to nominate its candidates for the Constitutional Commission. The House did not accept 16 laws imposed by the High Representative and it was agreed that these laws will be again on the agenda of the next session that will be held in 10-15 days, the daily said. BiH Presidency troika to start visiting regions in both entities Members of BiH Presidency will by the end of this month start a series of visits to cities, towns and villages in both entities. Their intention is to see the situation on the ground and the problems ordinary BiH citizens are facing. This will be the first time that BiH Presidency troika travels together to regions in both entities and it will not only be an example for other BiH officials but will also build trust and understanding, a Presidency statement said. BiH Council of Ministers establishes a draft of Law on Minorities BiH Council of Ministers at its session on Thursday has established a draft of the Law on Minorities in BiH, Dnevni Avaz reported. This is an important human rights law and it will protect the right of all minorities in the entire territory of BiH, Council officials said. The minorities will have the right to use their own language, establish their media and in communities where they are a majority they have the right on education in their native language. The Council at the same session confirmed the drafts of the Law on Demining and the Law on International and Inter-entity road traffic, Dnevni Avaz said. Dobrinja I and IV arbitration decision to be announced next week Dobrinja I and IV arbitrator, Diarmuid Sheridan will most probably announce his final decision next week, Dnevni Avaz reported. Judge Sheridan has heard the testimonies of RS and Federation officials as well as of various refugee association and ordinary citizens and will reach his decision based on these hearings. He has promised that his decision will be independent and just, the daily said. Federation related issues: HN Canton Interior Minister might be suspended UN officials said that Herzegovina-Neretva canton Interior Minister, Dragan Mandic is refusing to name the replacement for 17 police officers who were removed by the IPTF Commissioner last week. It seems that Mandic is avoiding his duties, Alun Roberts, UN spokesman told the press. Alexandra Stilgmayer, head of OHR's Press Office said that the High Representative is considering the possibility of suspending Mandic, papers said. All Bicakcic's laws withdrawn from procedure Federation government at its Thursday's session decided to withdraw from the procedure all the laws initiated by the previous Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic and his government. All these laws will be reviewed once more before they are passed on to the parliament for further procedure, officials said. The government also decided to remove Zdenko Arapovic from the position of the Director of Pension fund because he signed a document of support to the Croat self-rule. Two other Croat members of the Pension Fund as well as the Director of the Privatization Agency, Niko Grubesic were also removed for the same reason. Press release from the Hercegovacka Bank administration and shareholders - They had the vault keys, and yet they opened them with explosives! Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported that the Hercegovacka Bank issued a press release about the preliminary report of the results of the audit conducted in the night of 17 April. "According to eyewitnesses, Provisional Administrator Robinson came to the HB building at 2 a.m. on 18 April with a bullet-proof vest and a helmet on, escorted by over 100 SFOR APCs, helicopters, armed soldiers, explosives and barb wire. Although she had the security code and keys to the vault, she decided to conduct an audit of the vault using explosives and oxyacetylene torches. On that occasion, the auditors destroyed a big quantity of money they found in the vault." Further on in the press release, they say that Murray McCullough, the Head of the EC Office in Mostar, and Joe Pennington, the Head of the Mostar Office of the US Embassy, came to the building in the afternoon hours and were shocked by what they saw, such as a crushed photograph of the Pope. According to the press release, they comforted the Bank officers, telling them they saw the truth and "we know that this looks like killing your child." Reportedly, they asked the suspended Bank officers to come to the EC Office in Mostar at 9 a.m. the next morning to give depositions which would be put on paper and sent to the representatives of their governments. When they came there the next morning, an EC officer told them that McCullough and Pennington contacted their offices in Sarajevo in the meantime and were told that it was only Toby Robinson that could speak on behalf of the Hercegovacka Bank officers, reads the press release, which was also published in Vecernji list. Former Federation Defence Minister refutes the accusations by his successor Mijo Anic - Prce: I handed over all of the documentation According to Sarajevo papers and Slobodna Dalmacija Anic set Prce a deadline to hand over all the documentation by April 25 and threatened with pressing charges against him if he fails to do it. Prce said that, during the hand-over of April 14, Anic confirmed it was done correctly, and that asking for documentation 37 days after the hand-over is "out of mind" and unacceptable for him. In his words, the accusation of money laundering on over 50 accounts that the HVO had in the HB was a "flagrant fabrication." He added that all the money that was coming from Croatia would be distributed within two days upon a receipt. He explained that all the documentation that Anic is asking him for was at the 1st Guardian Corps in Mostar at the time of the hand-over. Vjesnik: Answering a question by a journalist about the claims of the IC Representatives that the HVO has 50 secret accounts in the Hercegovacka Bank, Prce answered that 'it is a lie. I will tell this to everyone who claims it, even if his name is Wolfgang Petritsch.' Ante Jelavic, President of the Croat National Assembly - I secretly met with Petritsch's people (full translation) Vecernji list interviewed Jelavic at his office in Mostar on Thursday. "The present political moment in BiH is very complex, particularly following the armed actions in the Hercegovacka Bank. For all that has happened, we have found ourselves on a political crossroad. This is the last moment for raising the issue of a true dialogue in BiH between the legal and legitimate representatives of the Croat, Serb and Bosniak peoples in BiH and the incumbent representatives of the international community in the direction of constitutional reforms, making of the election law and the organising of snap elections. I think it is the only way out of the deepest political crisis since the signing of the Dayton Agreement," stated Jelavic. Q: In order to reach a solution, compromises from both sides are necessary. A: I absolutely think that we ourselves and the current international administration must be ready to have a real dialogue in order to reach a sound compromise. I think that closing doors and avoiding to hear the other side leads to an even deeper political crisis. We want a true dialogue Q: What is the minimum that the Croat National Assembly will accept when it comes to the solutions imposed by the international community? A: A consistent implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision on the Constituency of Peoples, constitutional reforms and the election-law-making is the minimum and one cannot accept anything less. The concept which, under the guise of a civic majority, ignores the majority will of the Croat people, must be stopped. Therefore, Croats must have guarantees that they are constituent in the constitutions of both entities, the House of Peoples with a Croat caucus should be established in the RS too, and the category of Others should be finally resolved through the Law on National Minorities, also the parity, consensus, rotation, and a permanent guarantee of the Croat component within the army system. Q: One gets the impression that neither you nor the international community want a dialogue. Why do you not want to talk? A: We have indeed wanted a dialogue all this time. All these problems should be openly discussed. A number of opportunities to solve all the problems through a dialogue have been missed so far. We kept sending signals that we wanted an agreement. After all, that is why we postponed a permanent establishment of the Croat self-rule for 15, i.e. 60 days. We set no ultimatums, we only asked that the political processes be restored into the Dayton and Constitutional frameworks and that the majority will of the Croat people be recognised in this complex state community. I cannot deny what you said Q: I have reliable information that you have recently met in secret with international community representatives in a Mostar restaurant. Was my source right? A: I cannot deny what you have said. In addition to that talk, I have had many other talks with international community representatives. In the meeting you mentioned, we talked about the present political moment and about ways of getting out of this difficult crisis. It is only through talks that solutions can be reached. After all, even during a war, one speaks to one's enemies. Q: Are you pleased with the contents of the agreement reached in that meeting? A: Yes, I am. Some of the international community representatives who have much understanding for us, consider our demands justified. They know the minimum is for each people to be entitled to elect their own representatives, which Barry abolished by his rules. There are currently two options for resolving the crisis. One option is a total radicalisation of the plan with which the international community, together with the unconstitutional Alliance authorities, will again hit hard the Croat strategic facilities. Naturally, one could then expect that individuals will be hit as well. The other option is to stop that process and open a dialogue. If they decide for the latter option and prove to be sincere interlocutors, and if permanent constitutional guarantees for a true equality of the Croat people to the other two peoples are provided, we are ready to return to the institutions. Q: Should the international community be ready to talk with the HDZ under the condition that you leave the party, would you accept that condition? A: If we are talking about personal conflicts, with me and my associates on one side and a part of the IC on the other, then my message would be: we are ready to leave the political life if the Croat people are provided with permanent guarantees. This absolutely does not mean that the international community can install the leadership for Croats, but means that Croats must elect it for themselves. Q: Could those and other requests from the international community cause a split within the Croat corpus in BiH, which is now the strongest trump of the Croat self-rule? A: The international community is using different ways in its attempt of dividing the Croat people, dividing the strongest political party - HDZ, and even the Catholic Church. Any sort of division into the moderate and hard-line options would have far-reaching consequences in terms of a division of the Croat people in BiH. We cannot accept that. Q: The US Secretary of State, who has recently visited BiH, stated that it is the moderate majority and the nationalist minority that are acting in BiH as far as Croats are concerned? A: Who are the moderate majority anyway? I think that the moderate majority are the 538 legal and legitimate representatives at three authority levels - State, Federal and Cantonal levels, which makes up over 90% of the Croat representatives elected at the municipal and general elections. Mathematically and politically speaking, that is the absolute majority. Zagreb reacted late Q: With political manipulations, the concept of a civic state has been imposed on BiH as a state of three peoples following the last elections? A: That tendency is evident. However, in historic terms and taking into account the current situation, a stable BiH is only possible as a state of three constituent peoples, and this rules out a domination of the civic over the national principle. BiH, de jure and de facto, is a divided state. You cannot say that the RS is 'gliding' towards a civic system. That entity is completely ethnically pure. However, at the same time, the Federation, which is defined as the Croat-Bosniak entity, is 'gliding' into an entirely civic entity under the absolute Bosniak domination. We must stop that process. Q: Does the official Zagreb understand all the drama that Croats in BiH are experiencing? A: I think that Zagreb reacted too late to all the developments. Had they had good will, the process would have gone in a different direction and we would not have found ourselves in such a difficult crisis. Croatian politicians are wrong if they think that their integration into Europe and European-Atlantic institutions will be faster if they distance themselves from what is happening in BiH. I do not believe in that. Without a self-sustainable BiH, the Republic of Croatia does not have the prerequisites for finding itself in Europe. Planting of the bomb to the Lijanovics suited us the least Q: One can get the impression in the public that the international community would like to see you on the other side of bars rather than on the other side of the table. You have been accused of murdering Jozo Leutar, undermining the Constitution... Are you afraid? A: I am afraid of nothing. I will be happy if the Croat people get permanent constitutional rights that I talked about, even if I have to go to prison for that to happen. As for the assassination of Leutar, I am as responsible for it as I am for the assassination of Kennedy which happened the year I was born. That is the extent of my personal responsibility and the responsibility of the Croat leadership for that. Although I am not a radical or an extremists, some see me as the major obstacle in some of their anti-Croat projects. What surprised me is the harshness and contents of the incrimination. They have imputed me many things - from Leutar to drug trafficking. However, it would be good if this stage of accusations would not turn into a stage of labeling us as terrorists. I think that the planting of the bomb to the Lijanovics was going in that direction. That explosion suited us the least of all. Someone deliberately wanted to throw the ball in our court so that one could start treating us as terrorists. The tension is mounting while they are waiting for an analysis of the documents taken from the seat of the Hercegovacka Bank: Croat Public Companies can also expect SFOR actions "In the next few days the SFOR and OHR actions will spread on all financial institutions that are suspected of possibly supporting financially the project of the Croat self-rule establishment. That the IC officials in BiH are determined to realise their intentions proves the fact that in the next few days a similar scenario might take place in a few Croat Public Companies. In order to start this action they are waiting for an analysis of the documents taken from the seat of the Bank. We tried to confirm this unofficial information that circulates among domestic and foreign officials in BiH, in the OHR Sarajevo. Until the publishing of this edition we did not receive any details with regard to our request. Also, after the State Department issued a recommendation to avoid the moving from West Herzegovina to the Central Bosnia, some announced that investments of the American investors stopped. Since the economic situation, in which 7000 HVO soldiers found themselves in, is getting more and more difficult the leadership of the Croat National Assembly was forced to establish the Economic Council as soon as possible. According to Zeljko Obradovic, a member of the Council, they should make a strategy for the economic development not only of the Cantons with the Croat majority but of the whole BiH. Strengthened by the support of NATO, EU countries and USA that Petritsch received in Sarajevo from Colin Powell, the methods of a showdown with the people who are connected with the Croat National Assembly will be even harsher. Wolfgang Petritsch admitted it by saying that the cutting off of the financial power is the strongest suit of the IC's struggle against the HDZ BiH," says Vecernji list. Republika Srpsk A: Will Former Chief of Banja Luka Police End Up in The Hague? Today's edition of "Nezavisne novine" writes that the ICTY Spokeswoman Florence Hartman refused to comment on whether the FRY and Serbian Justice Ministers took with them indictment for former Chief of Banja Luka Public Security Center Stojan Zupljanin during their last visit to The Hague. Florence Hartman either did not deny that charges were pressed against the main man of the Banja Luka Police. The IWPR report says that the arrest of Zupljanin is only delayed because of Kostunica, who was also against the arrest of Milomir Stakic. Commenting on the article published in yesterday's edition of London-based daily newspapers claiming that Carla Del Ponte offered a deal to Mladen Ivanic according to which the Tribunal would deliver 5 detainees if the RS authorities arrest Radovan Karadzic, Florence Hartman says that the number of detainees was not discussed. "However, we discussed this matter in principle which means that small fishes should be tried in the RS whilst the big ones should be tried in The Hague", says Hartman. Banja Luka Mufti Meets RS Minister of Religions; Banja Luka Mufti Edhem Camdzic and the RS Minister of Religions Dusan Antelj agreed on introduction of religious education for pupils of all confessions in the RS elementary schools starting from September. Banja Luka Mufti says that religious education for Bosniak pupils will be introduced in those RS towns where Bosnikas returned, such as Kotor Varos, Kobasi, Derventa, etc.... RS Minister of Religions says that reinstatement of property to the Islamic Community has been discussed. "I expects that certain number of these problems will be resolved in a very short time because both, the RS authorities and the Islamic Community are willing to do so", says Minister Antelj. Session of the RS Government - Draft Defamation Law Adopted At yesterday's session the RS Government adopted the Draft Defamation Law which envisages de-criminalization of slander and defamation. The RS Government also adopted the Draft Law on Electric Power which will be forwarded to the RS NA, but before that, the agreement on HQ and establishment of the State Regulatory Commission for Electric Power has to be reached with the Fed. Government. Representative of the RS Government Comments on Cooperation Between the RS and the ICTY Both BL dailies report on yesterday's press conference held by RS PM's Advisor for cooperation with the ICTY Sinisa Djordjevic. See Press Releasew. OHR and RS government to continue talks on privatization of apartments The OHR and the RS government will soon continue the talks on the privatization of state-owned apartments in this entity, OHR official said. When asked will the High Representative impose a law on privatization of apartments if the members of the RS Constitutional Commission fail to reach an agreement on thnis issues Sonja Pastuovic, OHR spokeswoman said that ``the OHR would very much like to see that this is solved with talks and meetings.'' International Community High Representative says second action in Herzegovacka Bank was necessary Sarajevo papers said that the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch told Croatian television that the second action in Hercegovacka Bank was necessary in order to provide detailed information about the bank's business. Petritsch confirmed that needed documentation was found during the action. President of Croat Coordination says the High Representative agrees with their proposal President of Croat Coordination Marko Tadic told Dnevni Avaz in an interview that they ``told Petritsch that he must confirm the selection of deputies by each nation.'' "I think that the HR, Wolfgang Petritsch, agrees with the position of the the Croat Co-ordination, which we presented to him on Wednesday, in which the election law for B-H must confirm the rule that every nation selects its deputies to the House of Peoples". "Along with this, I got the sense that the HR believes that the current election rules and regulations of the OSCE Mission for B-H in large part created the current situation which has the characteristics of a crisis", stated Marko Tadic, the chairman of the Croat Co-ordination for DA. The HR spoke with representatives of the Croat Co-ordination on Wednesday. Along with Tadic, Kresimir Zubak, Jadranko Prlic, Mladen Ivankovic and Nikola Boric were present at the discussion. "The direct reason for the organisation of this meeting was our need to present the position of the Croat Co-ordination about the constituational changes which are process to the HR. We told him that the members of the Co-ordination apsolutely support the position by which both entity constitutions must be harmonised and that all nations in the FBH and the RS enjoy the same range of rights", said Dr. Tadic. Representatives of the Croat Co-ordination, as pointed out by Tadic, pointed out that "dialogue is necessary in order to successfully get out of the actual political situation". "We do not exclude the possibility that some from the top of the HDZ B-H enter into that dialogue, some individuals from the top of the HDZ have already given clear signals that they are prepared to talk", Tadic unveiled to us. He, however, did not wish to name the people from the top of the HDZ who could enter into dialogue with the actual governments and representatives of the international community so as to find a resolution for the current situation, stating that this would be "harmful to the initiatives undertaken". Doris Pack Visits Sarajevo Both BL dailies report on yesterday's visit of Doris Pack to Sarajevo. After the meeting with the BiH Presidency member Zivko Radisic, Doris Pack stated that almost two weeks ago she had said that the amendments to the Election Law, passed before the November elections, were not the happiest solution. "The amendments to the Election Law strengthened radical forces and led them to this situation. However, despite this mistake, the leaders of HDZ BiH should not have walked out of the BiH legitimate institutions. They have to return in the BiH institutions and protect interests of the Croat people in a democratic way. I hope that dialogue between moderate wing of the HDZ BiH and the BiH Government will be continued", said Doris Pack. Human Rights Watch Requests Arrest of Karadzic and Mladic Today's edition of "Nezavisne novine" quotes HRW Executive Director Holly Cartner as saying that she hopes that Bush's administration will do what Clinton's administration did not - to arrest war criminals indicted for the gravest war crimes. "These arrests are crucial for establishment of the lasting peace and justice in BiH", says Cartner. As to the arrest of Lt.Col. Obrenovic, Cartner assesses it as a positive step but reiterates that Karadzic and Mladic, both indicted for genocide, have to be arrested and transferred to The Hague. Protest from the Union of BiH Croat associations - Zagreb is silent while Petritsch is chasing Croats According to Slobodna Dalmacija reports, Damir Zoric, the Vice President of the Union and Co-ordinator of the Promotional Committee, said he could not understand why the High Representative needed such a demonstration of force and bursting into the church facilities in order to be able to acquire documentation. Zoric thinks this is an organised platform, in which Zagreb authorities are participating. Luka Gavranovic, the President of the Union, said that SFOR took away 1.7 million DEM from the Bank, and the Bank's reserves amounting to 20.26 million DEM were allegedly also endangered. Interview with Graham Hand, the British Ambassador to BiH - Cantons in BiH? It is possible, but in twenty years Ambassador Hand told Slobodna Dalmacija in an interview that it is beyond any doubt that a considerable number of Croats are dissatisfied. He thinks the best would be if the domestic authorities undertook certain measures towards the Croat people, instead of the IC representatives doing it. "After all, we are only guests here, and not the representatives of the authorities," stated the Ambassador. The interviewer commented that Croats are almost unanimous in the view that almost all of the wrong moves came from the international community, to which Ambassador Hand replied: "Perhaps they have the right to be angry with me, too, because I participated in the decision-making of the international community. I am also positive that you have never heard us say that our decisions are perfect or that we have the Solomon's wisdom." In answer to an interviewer's question as to why the IC representatives never thought of apologising, the Ambassador said both sides have their pride. "I also think the IC representatives lack modesty." "I think that there is no excuse or justification for violence . The violence displayed in this case, I see as a doing of those people in the HDZ who only want to protect what they acquired in an illegal and corrupted fashion." The interviewer asked why the IC does not indict the individuals if they have evidence of their criminal actions, and Ambassador Hand replied that it would be best if the Federal Government did it. As for the cantonisation issue, the Ambassador said it could be a solution, but only in 20 years. "The problem is that cantonisation would have to be carried out in the territory of the RS, too, and that would mean writing of another Dayton Agreement," stated Ambassador Hand. Wolfgang Petritsch is coming to Zagreb to hear Racan's objections regarding the SFOR actions Zagreb daily Republika reported that even after the SFOR's second raid into the Mostar seat of the Hercegovacka Bank, the Croatian Government does not want to declare its view on this issue. According to the information coming from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government will declare its view on Friday after the HR comes to Zagreb and has a talk with Prime Minister Ivica Racan. Zdravko Tomac, the President of the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Croatian Parliament, who is paying an official visit to the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, judged this raid as another wrong move made by the international community. He said that the use of force cannot resolve the crisis in BiH, but it can only be counterproductive. He also stated that the Delegation of the Committee for the Foreign Policy informed the Swedish Parliament about the attitudes of the Croatian Parliament with regard to the situation in BiH and that 'in Sweden they did not get arguments that would prove that the IC moves are the right way out of the crisis in BiH.' He also added: 'If criminal acts were committed they should be investigated and the perpetrators should be punished. However, the whole Croat people should not be punished.' He mentioned, as a reminder, the recently adopted conclusions of the Croatian Parliament which is against the policy of the HDZ BiH leadership 'because it responds in the same way or even more vehemently to the one-sided moves of the international community'. The Croats in BiH have to realise that they cannot go against the IC, which has to correct its mistakes.' He also announced that the Committee will soon officially visit the American Congress where they will also talk about BiH. Ivo Sanader, the HDZ President stated that the use of force in this case was absolutely unnecessary. Boris Blazekovic, the Spokesperson of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), stressed that 'in principle, political problems should be resolved in a political way while police problems should be resolved by police methods.' Zlatko Kramaric, the President of the Liberal Party, stated that the problems in BiH cannot be resolved by violence, but also they cannot be resolved by obstructions.' Ante Djapic, the HSP President, characterised such a behaviour as 'an improper behaviour which has nothing to do with democratic customs' and that it was 'a demonstration of force and stealing of the Croat money'. He stated that by these moves Petritsch wants to conceal his own bad moves. Petritsch and Barry are leaving before the end of the year? (full translation) Zagreb daily Vjesnik quoting unnamed reliable diplomatic sources said that, Wolfgang Petritsch, the first man of the IC in BiH, and Robert Barry, the Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, are leaving their posts before the end of this year. Recent events with regard to the Hercegovacka Bank, allegedly, spilled the glass. Many politicians from the IC cannot easily accept Petritsch's explanations that the audit of this Bank, instead of being made according to the regular procedure, had to be made with the assistance of the SFOR APCs and Special Police Units with hoods and that the Bank vaults were opened with the explosive. Western diplomats do not hide their surprise with such methods, which are unusual for civilized countries, and although they support Petritsch, in principle, his leaving of this position, according to these sources, is quite certain. There was also the objection that he keeps stating political accusations against the leaders of the Bosnian Croats, however, there have not been any concrete bills of indictment, so far. With regard to this issue the international circles sent a message to Petritsch that they will not support the politically constructed bills of indictment because by them they would eliminate certain politicians for a short period of time, but in the long run such bills of indictment would discredit the IC. Robert Barry, whose leaving is also certain, is being blamed for the temporary election rules which are, according to the international law experts, anti-constitutional. Since these election rules, as well as ignoring of the political will of the Croat people, were a cause of the proclamation of the temporary Croat self-rule in BiH, Barry is also believed to be a culprit for the destabilisation which took place in BiH. The diplomatic circles believe that by the departure of Petritsch and Barry the prerequisites for a renewal of a dialogue between the IC Representatives and legitimate leaders of the BiH Croats would be met. However, some new structures in Sarajevo condition a new negotiating group from the Croat side. It actually means that probably the IC will not want Ante Jelavic for its interlocutor. However, they also do not want to negotiate with those 'Petritsch's' Croats who do not have the support of the Croat people in BiH. This opens up the space for those less exposed Croat politicians from the Croat National Assembly such as Martin Raguz, Dragan Covic and others. The topics of the talk are only two: a permanent election law and the implementation of the Constitutional Court decision on the constituency of all three peoples in the whole territory of BiH. If they reach an agreement that the permanent election law has, as one of its regulations, which is also contained in the Constitution, that the Croats elect their representatives by themselves and if the RS got the House of Peoples, the Croat side would dissolve the Croat self-rule. Naturally, all this would be possible if at the end of his mandate Petritsch does make moves which would further radicalize the situation." Editorials: Slobodna Dalamacija Editorial by Josip Jovic - The Hercegovacka Bank case or the use of force against the legitimate political will - Stalinism from the West "The action of the international armed units, conducted in co-operation with the Muslim part of the Federal MoI in BiH, is bordering on classical international-state terrorism, if not taking huge steps over that border. They say they are settling accounts with the mafia in order to protect the depositors, and eventually, it was the individuals and corporations which conduct business with the Bank that fared the worst, without exception. If they were indeed looking for illegalities in the Bank's business operations and the origins of what is allegedly dirty money, is this the way to conduct those audits? They said they were looking for evidence, by which they, de facto, admitted to not having any evidence at all. However, all those are, of course, stories for little children, banal explanations which insult the common sense and resemble the Stalinist methods. This time, unfortunately, Stalinism came from the West instead of the East. Soviet tanks were protecting Hungarian and Czech people from the reactionary leadership as SFOR is now protecting the Croat people from their mafia, or depositors from plunderers. In the frantic looking for arguments against the Croat leaders in the neighbouring country, Petritsch and Klein are sinking deeper and deeper into the mud of lies. They are preparing a bill of indictment against Ante Jelavic for the assassination of Jozo Leutar, thus showing that all those indicted for the act so far have been falsely indicted, and they amnesty Jelavic of possible responsibility for the business operations of the Hercegovacka Bank. Other public and private companies, such as the Aluminum Factory in Mostar, could be next, and Bishops are not safe either. Destruction of the political will, as they assessed, is not possible without destroying the material basis of the existence. That is why they targeted the Hercegovacka Bank. Croats in BiH have never been more united. The division into Herzegovinian, Posavina and Central Bosnia Croats, or the division of Bishops, which many hoped for, is not functioning. The international community can only rely on individuals who have no support either in their people or in their town or village. It is really about a group of turncoats who are playing a dishonest game against their own people in return for positions and money. Croats in BiH indeed remain completely isolated. They remain isolated from the Croatian politicians, which have long lost their head, will and mind, and which in all cases, including this one, behave as dictated by those who brought them to power and of whose mercy they depend. What could one expect from the European or world public if the situation in Croatia is as it is? However, it is not the first time that this people has to "stand on their own two feet," and rely on the power of their unity, faith and perseverance, the final victory of truth, common sense and justice." HNS: Petritsch's actions aimed at depriving Croats of their rights Bosnian Croat news agency Habena carried a statement of Croat National Assembly HNS which said that "All justifications of the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, regularly supported by ordered and co-ordinated statements of Thomas Miller, Graham Hand, Jacques Klein and Robert Barry, that his moves are and shall not be aimed against the Croatian people in BiH, have proved false after the forcible action of abalienating, burning and destroying of the money in the Hercegova~ka Banka", - it is said in a statement for the public of the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) BiH. "How can Petritsch justify such statements of his when 50 000 retired persons will not receive their pensions because of him, when 4 500 clients and 90 000 owners of saving deposits of the Hercegova~ka Banka cannot have free use of their money because of him, when the sick cannot get medicine in hospitals because of him, and when he is openly anxious to destroy the economic system of the Croats in BiH. Already now, incalculable is the economic damage Petritsch has caused and he is directly responsible for. Therefore, it is obvious that the High Representative is undertaking his actions against the economic interests of the Croatian people in BiH exclusively for political reasons, but this is also to the detriment of all peoples in BiH. His latest actions, in which he is misusing the powers of SFOR, are aimed, without any doubt whatsoever, at depriving the Croats in BiH of their political rights, and at destroying their economic perspective", the HNS statement claims.

The BiH Media Round-up is being compiled primarily for the OHR's internal purposes under time pressure. Please disregard grammar and typing mistakes. The mentioned media reports do not reflect OHR views, and the OHR does not take responsibility for them.

OHR BiH Media Round-up