BiH/Central institutions: BiH Presidency: Dialogue will lead to equality of Croats in BiH; Co-Chair of BiH House of Peoples Says Process of "Unitarization" Is Going On in BiH; Federation: Mostar Pension Fund: Blockade of Hercegovacka Banka endangered the position of 50,000 pensioners; Croat Coordination meets Croatian Foreign Minister Mostar: Cantonal Privatisation Agency denied the statement by Beriz Belkic - There is no parallelism in our work Mostar: Press release from the Croat Christian Democrats: Condemnation of the visit of the "Croat Co-ordination" to Zagreb Mostar: Conclusions from the meeting of the Co-ordination of the Homeland War associations - No one can deprive Homeland War victims of their allowances Luzanski and Marinovic about the meeting of the Croatian officials and a group of Croats from the BiH authorities - Delegation does not represent Croats HDZ BiH - It has not been decided yet who will, on behalf of the Party, negotiate with the international representatives about a way out from the crisis: Decision will be made next week if the HDZ will return to the BiH institutions The blockade of the financial system in the West Herzegovina Canton is being overcome gradually: Money pours into Cantonal and Municipal budgets again Jelavic is withdrawing, Bozo Ljubic will be the leader of the HDZ BiH? RS: Petar Kunic Says the RS Government Will Request Alternation of the Award; Milorad Dodik Says Sheridan Punished Bad Policy of the RS; SDS Comments On the Arbitration Award; Security in Dobrinja I and IV Guaranteed; Ivanic Announces More Efficient Measures; International community: The High Representative: Dobrinja Arbitration decision is final and not subject to change; OHR concerned about the campaign of intimidation against BiH Croats; State Department Boycotts Sarovic and Cavic; Round table in Zagreb: 'Is Dayton in Bosnia and Herzegovina?' - Urgent revision of Dayton is necessary Croatian President Stjepan Mesic following the meeting with a delegation of the Croat Co-ordination in BiH - International community is not against Croats in BiH! International community offers its hand to the HDZ, but without Jelavic (by Hrvoje Kranjcec; full translation) Franz Pahl: Petritsch is leading an anti-European policy High Representative removes HN Canton Interior Minister Dragan Mandic BiH/Central institutions related issues: BiH Presidency: Dialogue will lead to equality of Croats in BiH During yesterday's session, the members of the Presidency agreed to accept the initiate to start a dialogue with Croat representatives, including moderate members of the HDZ. The Croat member, Jozo Krizanovic, said that the aim of the dialogue is the creation of constitutional and real equality of the Croat, Serb and Bosniak people in BIH. RS dailies reported that the BiH Presidency adopted an initiative for opening a dialog for solving the security and political situation in BiH, and called on all political parties and institutions in BiH to join this process. The Presidency also established a proposal for the law on the constitution of the inter-state council for cooperation between the FRY and BiH, in accordance with the conclusions on the establishment of diplomatic relations. The members of the Presidency will officially visit the FRY by the end of May, where they are due to sign an agreement on this council. Upon the proposal of the CoM, the Presidency appointed a negotiation team, which will represent BiH at the negotiations on the succession of the property of the former SFRY on 9 May. Co-Chair of BiH House of Peoples Says Process of "Unitarization" Is Going On in BiH Both BL dailies quote Co-Chair of the BiH House of Peoples as saying that the process of "unitarization" is being conducted in all segments in BiH. "BiH central institutions are strengthening at the expense of entity authorities", said Spiric. He also said that as long as discussion on harmonization of the RS Constitution with the BiH Constitution is going on, the adoption of the Election Law does not suit Bosniaks. Commenting on the Arbitration Award for Dobrinja I and IV, Mr. Spiric said that it is unfavorable for the RS, but that the peace has to be preserved and the RS government has to be active. "The press releases, coming even from the RS top leaders, are not very good for Dobrinja residents. At this point it is necessary for the RS authorities to have an answer to the Award, regardless whether the Award suits the RS or not", says Spiric. Federation related issues: Mostar Pension Fund: Blockade of Hercegovacka Banka endangered the position of 50,000 pensioners Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported that at yesterday's session, the Steering Board of the Mostar Pension Fund asked for the de-freezing of the accounts blocked in the Hercegovacka Banka in order to begin with the disbursement for pensions for March. The Board said that the blockade endangered the position of about 50,000 pensioners in the area, and stressed that "those who caused the present situation in this bank" will bear responsibility for the consequences. Croat Coordination meets Croatian Foreign Minister Representatives of the BiH Croat Coordination met on Thursday in Zagreb with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and president of the Board for Foreign Policy Zdravko Tomac. "We are satisfied with today's talks and we want the continuation of the pluralism of the Croat political corps in BiH, since this is the period when that state has been passing through the serious changes and time of increased responsibility of all in BiH," Picula said after the meeting. "That responsibility must be noticed in the wind of the Croat people, since this people mostly lost in the past ten years in BiH, but not so much as it can lose in the future if the legal and qualitative moves are made nowadays," he added. Chairman of the BiH Croat Coordination Marko Tadic agreed that the changes of the entity constitutions and new election law are the most important political issues, adding that "this is historical moment which cannot be missed in order to secure the same rights in both BiH entities for all three peoples. "We agreed that the way for solving that political situation is a dialogue with all those who do not want to exclude anyone from that dialogue," Tadic said. Mostar: Cantonal Privatisation Agency denied the statement by Beriz Belkic - There is no parallelism in our work Slobodna Dalmacija said that the Press Office of the Privatisation Agency in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton issued a press release denying the statement by BiH Presidency Member Beriz Belkic about the alleged parallelism in the work of the Agency. "Being familiar with the constitutional provisions in the state is the essential prerequisite for performing a public duty. For that reason, Mr. Belkic and Mr. Krizanovic should study the HNC Constitution before visiting Mostar, and thus they would have realised that they were visiting a special-regime canton." Mostar: Press release from the Croat Christian Democrats: Condemnation of the visit of the "Croat Co-ordination" to Zagreb The Croat Christian Democrats said the visit is hypocritical and deserves every condemnation because the Co-ordination did not receive the support from the Croat people at the democratic elections. Slobodna Dalmacija said. Mostar: Conclusions from the meeting of the Co-ordination of the Homeland War associations - No one can deprive Homeland War victims of their allowances Slobodna Dalmacija reported that the Coordination of the Homeland War associations concluded that the allowances to the Homeland War victims are their permanent right, which no one can deny them of. They also concluded that their January allowances must be paid in accordance with the distribution system applied so far because the system cannot be changed before new legal regulations are made. HDZ BiH - It has not been decided yet who will, on behalf of the Party, negotiate with the international representatives about a way out from the crisis: Decision will be made next week if the HDZ will return to the BiH institutions Zagreb daily Jutarnji List said that whether the HDZ will return to the institutions and who will, on behalf of the Party, negotiate with the international representatives are the issues which are yet to be decided about by the Presidency and Main Board of the HDZ, which will hold the meetings next week, and by the Croat National Assembly, Drazen Jurkovic, the Secretary General of the HDZ BiH stated yesterday. For a couple of days now several media outlets have been launching the information that the so called liberal, soft fraction in the HDZ BiH increased their pressure to Ante Jelavic, requesting that they should return to the institutions and start a real dialogue with the representatives of the international community and new authorities in BiH. Allegedly, the awareness has been raised in the HDZ that the continuation of the frontal conflict with the international community would only lead to radical sanctions, which would ultimately lead to the final defeat of the HDZ. The HDZ should return to the Parliament, propose their draft of the Election Law and constitutional reforms and request the new elections to be called at which the HDZ would win quite certainly. The key argument as to why the return to the Parliament is necessary right now is that the discussion on the Election Law and constitutional reform is ongoing, through which the Croat national interests will be defined taking a long-term view. It is not about the split in the Party, say the sources who classify themselves as a part of the soft fraction. However, unless the negotiations start and unless the Party return to the institutions, the group, which is, allegedly led by Bozo and Mariofil Ljubic, will leave the HDZ. " There were no divisions to liberal and hard-line fractions. It was only that conclusion was made at the meeting of the representatives from the federal and state level that something should be done. The Presidents of the caucuses will come up and present our views before the parliaments, however, it is not that the HDZ will return to their seats in the Parliament. People know our views about the Election Law, according to which Croats have to elect their representatives both in the Houses of Peoples and BiH Presidency. We do not want let the Croat Coordination, which consists of illegitimate representatives of the Croat people, to make a profit out of it," Miro Grabovac Titan, a delegate in the BiH Parliament, told us. Jelavic is withdrawing, Bozo Ljubic will be the leader of the HDZ BiH? Zagreb daily Vjesnik reported that it is being openly speculated in Sarajevo as to who might be the successor of Ante Jelavic on the position of the President of the HDZ BiH. The crucial prerequisite, that the IC representatives set in order to start a dialogue with representatives of the party, is a withdrawal of the persons who actively participated in the project of the Croat autonomy and the return of HDZ representatives to the Authority institutions, that is, to representatives' benches of the Parliament Houses, including the Federation House of Peoples, where the HDZ might have a majority: 16 out of 30 representatives. The HDZ BiH Presidency will discuss a current political situation in the country on Friday. Although the sources from the top of the party denied it, it is clear that it would not be any surprise if the replacement of Jelavic, who was removed by the HR, takes place at this meeting and if someone of the party moderates, the persons that the IC would accept as interlocutors, replaces him. It is very possible that Dr. Bozo Ljubic, a former Minister of Health and a man who was a candidate for the position of the President of the party at the 5th Assembly of the HDZ, might be that person. Even Ivic Pasalic, an Envoy of the official Zagreb, lobbied for him. However, thanks to the 'Generals' putsch' Ante Jelavic was elected. Ljubic's brother Mariofil, who was the only HDZ official who was elected for some of more prominent functions also in the new Authority (a Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament Assembly) has a good ranking as well. Martin Raguz, who is currently the President of the Coordination Council of the Croat self-rule, is the most serious candidate for the President of the HDZ BiH. He is considered to be the moderate politician, regardless of the fact that he performs a high 'Autonomy' function. One of his credits are the results, that he achieved while he was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, but also the fact that he is one of the most deserving that the HDZ leadership did not decide to proclaim the Croat self-rule officially at the beginning of March but they decided to prolong this decision for 60 days. Another candidate is Perica Jurkovic, the HDZ Secretary General, who could be disqualified because he is believed to be a man that Stanko Sopta is standing behind. In any case the project of the Croat self-rule is standing on shaky legs. The actions in the Hercegovacka Bank brought the economy of the area on its knees, and even without this some of the leading entrepreneurs, big importers mostly, were not ready to join a risky project of the autonomy financing, fearing that they might lose the market in Bosnia. A political adventure that the one-sided proclamation of disassociation would be also was not supported by all from the political leadership, which might be additionally split by the election of the Jelavic's successor. However, on the other side, it is clear that without the HDZ return to the Authority institutions and an adequate solution of the Croat issue in BiH it will be difficult to find the way out from the current constitutional-political crises. Still, a great majority of the BiH Croats voted for this party and even those Croats and Croat parties that are inside the Alliance for Changes support some of the requests that the Croat National Assembly articulated. The impression is that Jelavic is ready to withdraw. In return he demands guarantees that there will not be criminal charges issued against the self-rule leaders but also the guarantees that future solutions, first of all in the field of the constitutional and election legislation, will at least represent a minimum compared with the requests stated by the Croat National Assembly. RS related issues: Petar Kunic Says the RS Government Will Request Alternation of the Award Today's edition of both BL dailies quote Dep/Prime Minister Petar Kunic as saying that the RS Government will put a lot of efforts in order to have the Arbitration Award altered. However, Kunic stated that he does not expect much when it comes to alternation of the Award. He appealed to residents of Dobrinja to remain calm. "Every uncontrolled move will cause conflict situation which would be very detrimental to the RS and its citizens. However, none of the RS politicians and officials can be relieved from responsibility for this situation", says Kunic and adds that the Arbitration Award soon will be discussed in both Chambers of the BiH Parliament. He once more called on Dobrinja residents of Serb nationality not to leave Dobrinja, mentioning that RS leaders got guarantees from the Federation that private property of Serb residents of Dobrinja will be protected. Milorad Dodik Says Sheridan Punished Bad Policy of the RS The Party of Democratic Progress accused former RS Government and Prime Minister Dodik for doing nothing regarding the Dobrinja issue, which, according to PDP, is the main reason for HR's decision on appointment of Arbitrator. Asked to comment on PDP accusations, former RS Prime Minister Dodik says that these allegations are not true, but they tell us that PDP is getting nervous. Dodik confirms that the former RS Government had negotiations regarding Dobrinja but could not accept demands of the BiH Federation. "I think that the Arbitration Award is a sort of reaction to the current RS Government, and in a way, a sort of punishment for the RS Government", says Dodik. SDS Comments On the Arbitration Award Both BL dailies carry SDS press release in which they request the RS top authorities and institutions to persevere in their demands for reconsideration of the "undemocratic and unjust" Award. They also demand the RS Government and the Serb Sarajevo authorities to draft urgent and long-term program for housing of Dobrinja residents. Security in Dobrinja I and IV Guaranteed The Ministry of Interior and the Government of Sarajevo Canton guarantee the security to Serb citizens of the Sarajevo settlements Dobrinja I and IV, as well as to the RS police, former and present members of the RS Army. This was stated after yesterday's meeting between the delegation of Serb Sarajevo and Canton Sarajevo, held in Lukavica. The residents of Dobrinja I and IV expect that at today's session the RS Government take a position in regard to the situation, which has arisen after the proclamation of the Arbitration Award. A Serb Sarajevo delegation is announced to attend the session. Ivanic Announces More Efficient Measures The RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, stated last night that the RS institutions would take more efficient measures, including the arrest of persons of other ethnicity, for which there was evidence that they had committed war crimes, due to the fact that only Serbs had been arrested in the Republic of Croatia. Prime Minister Ivanic said that during her visit to Banja Luka, the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, had promised to bring charges against certain political and military leaders of the Bosniak people. Assessing the work of the Government so far, he pointed out that in regard to certain crucial reforms the Government had the support of the RS, but that there was resistance to the reforms by the administration, companies, funds, part of the international community, as well as by certain media, which believing that there was a case of political revenge, remained silent at the efforts the Government put to intensify financial discipline. Speaking about the relations between the RS and the FRY, Ivanic emphasized that after reaching the Agreement on Special Trade and the Agreement on the Customs Free Zone between BiH and the FRY, the cooperation would get better. International community related issues: The High Representative: Dobrinja Arbitration decision is final and not subject to change Most media in the Federation quoted OHR spokesman Patrik Volf as saying that the arbitration decision on Dobrinja I and IV made by the Judge Diarmuid Sheridan is final and binding and in not subject to revisiting. He stressed that the decision could not be further discussed and its implementation should not be prolonged. "The requests of the RS government to postpone the implementation will not be considered," said Volf. He also asked the RS authorities to refrain from making aggressive statements. The Federation Minister of Urban Planning, Ramiz Mehmedagic, agreed with the OHR. He stressed that the implementation cannot not be prolonged. "The Federation would never accept this, because, in that case, the decision of the Arbiter Sheridan would be a complete farce," said Mehmedagic, and stressed that the decision on postponement could be made only by the OHR. On its part, the delegation of the RS government led by its vice president Petar Kunic termed the decision as unfair and said it would file a complaint before the International Arbiter and the OHR. During yesterday's joint meeting, Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister, Huso Hadzidedic, and the Serb Sarajevo Mayor, Predrag Lasica, agreed to ensure a safe entrance of the smaller contingent of the Federation police in some parts of the disputed neighborhood. "We believe that in this period it is the best to ensure that only smaller number of the Federation and Cantonal police patrol Dobrinja I and IV, in order to avoid any unnecessary incidents," said Hadizdedic. The BiH Ministry for Refugees appealed to the residents of Dobrinja to stay calm and accept the arbitration decision, since none of them would be thrown out on the street. OHR concerned about the campaign of intimidation against BiH Croats In a press release carried by all BiH dailies and electronic media, the OHR expressed a concern about the campaign of intimidation which is being led against BiH Croats who do not support the so-called Croat self-rule in BiH. The OR appealed to all Croats "not to give in to criminal bullies who have only their narrow self-interest at hart." See the Press Release. State Department Boycotts Sarovic and Cavic Today's edition of "Nezavisne novine" reports on Sarovic's and Cavic's visit to the Woodrow Wilson International Center where discussion on current situation in BiH was held. According to "Nezavisne novine", Sarovic and Cavic will meet with the representatives of the Congress as well as with the representatives of NGOs. As it seems so far RS President and the Vice-president will not meet with the representatives of the new American administration. During the discussion in the Woodrow Wilson International Center Sarovic said that the representatives of the US in BiH do not have contacts with the SDS and its representatives. "It is necessary to open this dialogue and face the reality that the SDS is the most powerful political party in the RS", said Sarovic explaining that unlike SDS war-leaders who are either in The Hague or are trying to get away, he and Cavic are representatives of the new, young generation of SDS leaders. Apart from the other things, Sarovic and Cavic said that the RS will start to fully cooperate with the ICTY when the Law on Cooperation with the ICTY is passed. Asked to comment whether that cooperation implies apprehension of Karadzic and Mladic and the others indicted war-criminals, Sarovic said that none of war crime indictees is in the RS. "Nezavisne novine" also reports that Sarovic and Cavic did meet with representatives of the new US administration but neither Sarovic's Cabinet nor the US Embassy to BiH could confirm who they met with. Round table in Zagreb: 'Is Dayton in Bosnia and Herzegovina?' - Urgent revision of Dayton is necessary According to a Slobodna Dalmacija report Martin Raguz, a former Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, said that no one can deny the fact that the Dayton Agreement stopped the ravages of the brutal war and provided foundations for a new beginning, which, unfortunately, has not been made in the interest of all the three constituent peoples. Raguz stated that the deepest political and constitutional crisis since the signing of Dayton is on the scene in BiH. He criticised the current authorities in Croatia for not reacting promptly to some of the actions of the international community although it was obliged to react as a signatory of Dayton. Bishop Franjo Komarica said that the arrogance of the RS authorities and the hypocrisy of the international community are crucial for the continuing mass-scale exodus of Croats from BiH. Most of the speakers said an urgent revision of Dayton is necessary and Marko Babic from the Lexicographic Bureau emphasised the issue of Posavina, which, in his opinion, should be seceded from the Republika Srpska and turned into a separate canton. Drazen Zuvic, Milan Kovac, Marin Sopta, Karl Gustav Strohm and General Janko Bobetko also addressed the gathering. General Bobetko said that "Chicago-like methods are being used to find the soft spot on Croatia's stomach in Herzegovina, which must not be allowed, but instead, one should insist on a dignified partner's conversation." Bishop Ratko Peric said that the international community is behaving as a major power that is demonstrating its strength and clinking its weapons instead of appreciating dialogue. He added that the international community exempted itself from the morality and the law, it can change whatever it pleases and apply whatever it wants, and when it a mistake becomes obvious, there is not even an apology, not to mention a compensation. Bishop Peric added that the international community sticks to Dayton as if it were the Bible, although it was made on the basis of a few forced signatures and although the international community keeps calling its signatories to The Hague, but just won't welcome them there. International community offers its hand to the HDZ, but without Jelavic (by Hrvoje Kranjcec; full translation) Zagreb daily Republika said that during his visit to Mostar a few days ago, Jozo Krizanovic, the Croat Member of the BiH Presidency, announced an initiative for a dialogue and an attempt of solving the open constitutional, legal and political issues in the BiH Federation. The initiative was discussed in a closed meeting of the senior officials of the BiH Federation and the international community held on Wednesday evening. It received a strong support from the international community representatives in BiH and the five Ambassadors of the Western European countries and the USA who are actively engaged in the changes in BiH. The participants of the meeting would be one of the negotiating sides, and the other would be the HDZ, but it is still not known as to who would represent that party. It will surely be neither Jelavic nor the dismissed officials of the HDZ, nor the active protagonists of the Croat self-rule creation or the protagonists of the disbanding of the Croat component of the Federation Army. Practically, a negotiating hand has been offered to the HDZ leadership, but the party must undergo a thorough differentiation. It is foreseen that the Catholic Church would be one of the participants in that dialogue because the Church, along with some civilian and cultural organisations hold much credit for the very possibility of a dialogue. That means that the equality of the peoples would be ensured through the houses of peoples and the Constitutional Commissions. An equitable representation in the executive and legislative bodies at the entity level would be ensured through the parity system for all constituent peoples. Presidents in the executive authorities and Houses of Parliament must be from different peoples. All the deputies in the Houses of Peoples must have the election legitimacy, aside from experts, and decisions in the Houses of Peoples would be taken by a consensus in the cases of vital national interests. The vital national interests will be defined by the Constitutions of both entities and refer to the constitutional changes, representation in the Houses of Peoples, assurances for the peoples' rights to develop their own respective religions, languages, culture, scripts.. Also, the vital national interest, according to the offered initiative, would be the adopting of the coat-of-arms, flag, anthem and seal... The decisions that refer to the vital national interests of one of the constituent peoples in the BiH House of Peoples would be taken by the majority vote of the Croat, Bosniak and Serb deputies present during the voting process. BiH House of Peoples would have an equal number of deputies from each of the three peoples. Election of deputies to the Houses of Peoples at the entity level would be conducted in proportion with the election results of respective political parties. Election of Presidency Members will be based on the constitutional quality that BiH is a state of equal citizens and peoples. In this case, two options are offered. According to the first option, an initiative for a change of the BiH Constitution should be raised in order to provide for individuals from all the three constituent peoples to put forward their candidacies for the Presidency Member posts. Elected Members of the BiH Presidency would have to have the support of both their own people and all the citizens of BiH. In this case, the election would be conducted by the preferential election system. The alternative solution to this option would be the election of Presidency Members in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, through both Houses of Parliament, which is based on the constitutional function of the Parliament. Finally, another thing that will be put forward during the talks with the HDZ is the appreciation of the High Representative's mandate and the mandates of other international organisations in BiH which, together with the authority bodies in BiH, are responsible for what happens in the State. Changes for both entities in BiH As the still well-hidden document reads, there is the wish for the two sides to reach a compromise regarding the realisation of the BiH Constitutional Court Decision on the Constituency of Peoples, passing of the permanent Election Law in BiH, functioning of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities and regarding the role of the international community. In that context, as the starting point for a dialogue with the HDZ, the negotiators in Sarajevo suggest the same attitude to the constitutional changes and the same institutional form of organisation of all authority institutions in both entities. Franz Pahl: Petritsch is leading an anti-European policy Zagreb daily Vecernji List said that the IDS (Istrian Democratic Party) demands in Istria are not justified and the rights of the Italian minority are guaranteed by the Constitution and laws. Dr. Franz Pahl, the President of the Regional Parliament of the South Tyrol, Trento and Vozano and a member of the South Tyrol People's Party, stated this during his meeting with Ivo Sanader, the HDZ President. Pahl criticized the measures that Wolfgang Petritsch is undertaking in BiH, and he called them anti-European. According to Sanader, Pahl concluded that the IC is getting more and more disappointed with the current Croatian Authority. High Representative removes HN Canton Interior Minister Dragan Mandic Bosnian Croat news agency Habena reported that the High Representative for BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch, has removed from office the Minister of Interior of the Herzegovina/Neretva Canton, Dragan Mandic, and suspended his remaining three associates: Branka Dadic, Head of the Sector for Legal, Personnel and Administration Issues; Ivan Djogic, Chief of the Cabinet of the Interior Minister; and Zvonko Prskalo, Deputy Head of Ministry's Financial Sector. These three are suspended for an initial period of 30 days until it is established whether they signed the declaration of loyalty to the Croatian National Assembly under duress. The reasons for Mandic's removal is his signing of the declaration of loyalty and his failing to exercise his authority and influence to stop the serious disturbances in Mostar on 6 April. Mandic is removed with immediate effect and barred from holding any official, elective or appointive office. Some time ago international representatives suspended 17 MUP officials of the HN Canton so that now this Ministry has remained without Croatian senior executives. Their positions will be taken over by Bosniac officials - Mandic said. He also added that for more than a week now he and his officials in the MUP Canton 7 had been "under an orchestrated attack of a large part of international community", which culminated in the allegation of the Deputy HR, Collin Munro, at the press conference in Mostar on 25 April, when he accused him directly of the events of 6 April related to the Hercegovacka Banka, and "called him a criminal without any plausible evidence". Since Munro's allegations harmed his reputation and that of his family, Mandic would seek the protection of his rights in court. Commenting on his removal, of which he had learned only minutes before the press conference, Mandic, among others, said: "It does me honor to be dismissed and so to become a member of a whole battalion or maybe brigade of removed Croatian officials."

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