- BiH Council of Ministers restricts oil import from Croatia
- BiH Foreign Ministry says it is unacceptable to treat Arafat and his PLO as terrorists
- Mostar Airport put under the SBS control
- A round-table on PBS held in Sarajevo
- BiH fulfilled eight out of 18 Road Map directions
- Joint Military Commission hold session in Sarajevo – BiH can afford 10,500 soldiers
- Tokic, Dodik and Komsic held secret meetings to discuss constitutional changes in BiH
- Vecernji List:
Vecernji List presents awards for Persons of 2001 in BiH at glamorous ceremony in Mostar’s Hotel Ero
- BiH Federation House of Representatives supports economic policy measures
- Dnevni List:
It is questionable whether the party-members of the Croat block will take part in the elections! - Vecernji List: Double standards of Sarajevo authorities towards The Hague suspects – BiH Army’s archives available to Muslims, not to Croats
- RS National Assembly supports Radisic’s veto
- Radisic hails assembly’s approval of his veto on budget
- RTRS without law, workers without salaries – One side has rights, the other has obligations
- SPRS supports the RTRS Trade Union
- RS NA Speaker says discussion on the constitutional reforms between political parties from both entities was held in a positive atmosphere
- Sarovic and Trotter discussed priorities for this year
- Request filed to build controversial mosque in a different location
- Dusan Fustar surrenders to The Hague Tribunal
BiH State-related Issues
BiH Council of Ministers restricts oil import from Croatia
Oslobodjenje reports that the BiH Council of Ministers decided in Sarajevo late on Thursday to direct import of all oil derivatives from Croatia only through the border crossings of Doljani, Izacic and Bosanski/Srpski Brod. This counter-measure, which will be in effect as of Saturday, represents a Council’s response to the Croatia Governments refusal (on Thursday) to allow road oil transport yet through the Izacic border crossing.
BiH Foreign Ministry says it is unacceptable to treat Arafat and his PLO as terrorists
According to Oslobodjenje, the BiH Foreign Ministry considers it unacceptable that Yasser Arafat and his Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) are treated as terrorist groups and excluded from all talks on the resolution of the Middle-East crisis. At the same time, the Ministry called on the Palestinian authorities to do their best in preventing terrorist attacks on the Israeli citizens.
Mostar Airport put under the SBS control
Oslobodjenje reports that, at a ceremony in Mostar on Friday, the BiH State Border Service took over the control over the town’s airport from the Interior Ministry of the Herzegovina-Neretva canton. The agreement on the issue was signed by the SBS representatives, Tomislav Mihalj, Nijaz Spahic and Slavisa Vukovic, and the cantonal Interior Minister Goran Bilic. The ceremony was attended by senior BiH and international officials including BiH Presidency Chairman Jozo Krizanovic, BiH Treasury Minister Anto Domazet and Head of the UN Mission to BiH Jacques Klein.
A round-table on PBS held in Sarajevo
According to Oslobodjenje, in the organization of the BiH Independent Union of Professional Journalists, a round table discussion on the BiH Public Broadcasting Service development and the status of the Entity electronic media houses was held in Sarajevo on Thursday. The participants including the journalists from the both entities and the representatives of the international community (OHR) emphasized that, since majority of people in the country still considered the BiH public radio-television as a state (not public) institution, everyone from the local to the top state authorities believed they had a right to determine how the media house should function. John Shearer, the High representative’s Broadcasting Agent, said that the international community did not intend to edit the PBS program.
BiH fulfilled eight out of 18 Road Map directions
According to Oslobodjenje, the European Commission has confirmed that BiH had completely fulfilled eight out of 18 Road Map directions for the accession to the European integration. BiH Minister for European Integration Dragan Mikerevic told journalists in Sarajevo on Thursday, following a session of the BiH Council of Ministers, that the state House of Representatives was expected to discuss yet three laws from the list, including the draft laws on the civil service, copyrights and industrial ownership at its session scheduled for next Tuesday.
Joint Military Commission hold session in Sarajevo – BiH can afford 10,500 soldiers
SFOR Spokesman Daryl Morrell told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday that “the Joint Military Commission (JMC) held their 36th meeting on January 30, 2002, to discuss the future role of the Armed Forces in BiH. Primary issues discussed included de-mining, restructuring proposals and transition arrangements.” The Joint Military Commission is composed of Commander SFOR, Military Advisor to the Office of the High Representative, Chief of the General Staff of the VRS, Commander and Deputy Commander of the VF, other senior military officers, and advisors from the international community. Meeting quarterly, these officials play a constructive role in the development of the BiH Armed Forces, in accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords. “Regarding restructuring of BiH Armed Forces, both the VRS and VF briefed their proposals for downsizing personnel and equipment, while streamlining the reserve components. The personnel ceilings considered for the restructuring are in accordance with the BiH Defence Policy issued by the Presidency, last year,” Morrell said. “During the meeting, SFOR Commander congratulated both staffs on their work, while commenting that further work would be required to ensure that the structures were affordable. He thought that a total strength of approximately 10,500 more nearly reflected what the country could afford. This would bring it into line with most Western countries,” he added.
Tokic, Dodik and Komsic held secret meetings to discuss constitutional changes in BiH
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Nezavisne Novine reports that Sejfudin Tokic, Milorad Dodik and Ivo Komsic had secret meetings in Tuzla, Laktasi, Mostar and Sarajevo to discuss the constitutional changes in BiH. The paper also reports that the meetings were attended by Luka Markesic, Vehid Sehic, Miro Lazovic, Branko Todorovic and Nebojsa Radmanovic. The aim of the meetings was to harmonize a wide range of documents that will define the constitutional changes in BiH. The paper claims that none of the HDZ, SDA and SDS members participated in the meetings.
Vecernji List: Vecernji List presents awards for Persons of 2001 in BiH at glamorous ceremony in Mostar’s Hotel Ero
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List carries a report from the last nights “Vecernjak’s seal” persons of 2001 award organized at Hotel Ero. The papers carry the winner of the “The Person of the Year” award, Mijo Brajkovic: “People like fighters, winners too but not as much. As soon as you become a winner there are enemies all around you. But I got used to them. This isn’t just my award, but the company’s as well, which had risen from ashes”. Four more awards were awarded in other categories: “Success of the Year” went to Danis Tanovic, director of “No man’s land”. Tanovic is currently in Denmark and his father collected the award. The current Miss BiH, Ana Mirjana Racanovic, won the “Sympathy of the Year” award. The High Representative to BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch won the journalists’ award entitled “Media Press” for the most represented person in public in 2001. The award to the HR was presented by the Editor-in-Chief of the “Vecernji List”, Ruzica Cigler. “The Feat of the Year” award was presented to Dr. Zdenko Herceg who discovered the gene which prevents the progress of cancer (…)
Federation
BiH Federation House of Representatives supports economic policy measures
At its session in Sarajevo on Thursday, the BiH Federation House of Representatives supported the macro-economic vision of the entity’s development, economic policy measures for this year, and the measures to stimulate the employment and agriculture. According to Oslobodjenje, the House recommended the Federation Government to incorporate suggestions made by deputies into the concrete plans of action for the implementation of the adopted documents.
Dnevni List: It is questionable whether the party-members of the Croat block will take part in the elections!
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Niko Lozancic, an HNS Secretary General, stated at a press conference: ‘The parties, members of the Croat Block, will not participate in the next elections if the constitutional changes are not implemented on time.’
According to Lozancic, the HNS Presidency has been discussing this issue, and the parties, the members of the HNS, were talking about this issue with the Federation President and Vice President as well. Lozancic reiterated that the parties, members of the HNS, demand a consistent implementation of the Constitutional Court decision on constituency of BiH peoples, and warned that in case that it does not happen, the parties gathered around the HNS will not run for the elections’.
He also stated: ‘The parties, belonging to the HNS, will not participate in the elections also in case that they harmonize the state Constitution to the entity one, instead of harmonizing the entity’s Constitutions to the state one.’ Asked by a journalist as to what would be the alternative the HNS would offer in that case, since the project of the Croat self-rule has failed, Petar Milic, the leader of the Croat Christian Democrats and Vice President of the Croat National Assembly, stated: “The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was passed by convening of the Sabor (Croatian Parliament), and this is the road that all free peoples go through.’
Vecernji List: Double standards of Sarajevo authorities towards The Hague suspects – BiH Army’s archives available to Muslims, not to Croats
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List reads that the Sarajevo authorities have double standards when dealing with the ICTY suspects saying that Tomislav Jonjic, Pasko Ljubicic’s lawyer, experienced that. According to the papers, Jonjic requested access to the BiH Army’s archives with the seat in Konjic, but was originally turned down by the Federation Deputy Minister of Defence, Ferid Buljubasic. Consequently, Buljubasic gave in after Jonjic got the green light the Federation Minister of Justice Zvonko Mijan and Federation Minister of Defence, Mijo Anic. Jonjic also called upon Alija Behmen’s decision according to which attorneys of both senior officers of the BiH Army and HVO officers should have the access to the archives. Deputy Minister of Defence Buljubasic justified the rejection with a claim that lawyers of Croat suspects cannot gain access to the archives without a clearance of the ICTY. But the Legal Department of the Federation MoD said that such clearance is not required so now Jonjic can make a list of documents he wants to see. It remains to be seen whether he’ll get them. On the other hand there some good news for the Croat suspects in The Hague. Ferid Buljubasic convinced Jonjic that the Federation Government, although it has not been formally decided, would give guarantees for every Croat in The Hague if a respective defence requested a pre-trial release. So far these guarantees were only given for Bosniak suspects, reads Vecernji List.
Republika Srpska
RS National Assembly supports Radisic’s veto
Oslobodjenje and ONASA report that, at its session in Banja Luka on Thursday, the Republika Srpska National Assembly with a two-third majority supported the veto put by Serb member of the BiH Presidency Zivko Radisic on the Presidency-proposed version of the state Budget for this year. The veto is put due to a provision to finance a state agent in case BiH versus FRY before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies also report on the issue. The RS NA passed the conclusion, which states that the Radisic’s veto is in accordance with the RS NA decision made on October 10th 1999. All deputies from the RS supported Radisic’s decision, while Deputy RS NA Speaker and president of SDA, Sulejman Tihic said that the RS NA does not have the jurisdiction over this issue. He said that the BiH Parliamentary Assembly has mechanisms to protect vital national interest. SNSD top official, Krstan Simic said that he does not know whether the law-suit against the FRY was filed by BiH or the BiH Federation and asked deputies whether the law-suit has ever been verified by bodies of the Dayton BiH. “Law-suits can only be filed by states and not by entities. Moreover, law-suits can only be filed against UN member countries and the FRY was not a UN member at the time”, said Simic. The RS NA also discussed the proposed RS budget for this year. RS Finance Minister, Milenko Vracar said that the RS budget for this year amounts to 886,4 million KM and is harmonized and agreed with the IMF. Bosniak representatives in the RS NA expressed their dissatisfaction with the amount earmarked for the process of refugee return. Vracar said that out of 10,5 million KM, 6 million KM will be spent on return of Croats and Bosniaks to the RS and the rest will be spent on return of Serbs to the BiH Federation. BiH Federation TV reported that the Assembly adopted the draft Budget for 2002.
Radisic hails assembly’s approval of his veto on budget
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
SRNA news agency reports that Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic, has expressed satisfaction with the RS NA’s reaction to his veto on a draft budget clause concerning the financing of the BiH legal counsellor in the lawsuit against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. “This was not an attack on the institutions of BiH nor the need to adopt the budget,” Radisic told journalists in the RS National Assembly, and added that this was an important step in unlocking further procedures. Radisic expressed the hope that conditions have been created for this year’s budget to be adopted quickly and efficiently. According to him, this is a “clear message to the RS representatives that they cannot bargain over the clause concerning the agent”. “The budget has been harmonized at all levels and it is important that BiH has a budget which allows it to carry out its obligations, particularly concerning foreign debts,” Radisic said.
RTRS without law, workers without salaries – One side has rights, the other has obligations
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Glas Srpski quotes Head of the Media Development Section of the OHR, Chris Riley, as saying that the RS Government is responsible for difficult financial situation in the RTRS. Riley said after the session of the RTRS Board of Governors, which took place on Wednesday, that the problem is that the RS Government insists that a provision on Founder of the RTRS be included in the Law on RTRS. According to Riley, this is typical for communist regimes. The paper reports that the issue of founder and issue of persons will run the RTRS are stumbling blocks in talks between the OHR and the RS Government. The paper also quotes Spokeswoman for the RS Government, Cvijeta Kovacevic, as saying that the RS Government representatives think that provisions that define the RS Government or the RS National Assembly as a founder of the RTRS should be included in the Law on RTRS. Kovacevic says that the adoption of the Law annuls the Interim Arrangements, signed by the OHR and the RS Government in 1998. Interim Arrangements enable the OHR to make decisions about the RTRS. After the Interim Arrangements had been signed the RS Government could not influence developments in the RTRS, but still has the obligation to take care of RTRS’s finances. President of the RTRS Board of Governors, Milos Babic emphasises the OHR view that the RTRS as a public broadcaster should not have the founder. He thinks that as far as the work of the Government’s working group and the BoG is concerned, the job has been done and it is up to the OHR and the RS Government to reach an agreement. RS Government Spokeswoman says that the RS Government will keep working on the Law on RTRS, proposed by the working group appointed by the RS Government. She says that the OHR representatives were also involved in drafting this law. “If the OHR does not respond to the Law on RTRS, the RS Government will forward the Law to the RS NA”, says Cvijeta Kovacevic.
SPRS supports the RTRS Trade Union
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies quote SPRS Spokeswoman, Biljana Rodic-Obradovic, as saying that the Socialist Party of the RS (SPRS) supports demands of the RS Trade Union. RTRS Trade Union demanded the RS Government forward the Law on the RTRS to the parliamentary procedure as soon as possible. “SPRS is of the view that the RS must have its own broadcaster that will objectively inform RS citizens”, said Rodic-Obradovic.
RS NA Speaker says discussion on the constitutional reforms between political parties from both entities was held in a positive atmosphere
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
SRNA news agency quotes RS NA Speaker and Chairman of the SDS, Dragan Kalinic, as saying that consultations on constitutional changes between parties of the RS and the Federation are held in a positive atmosphere and that “Serb parties are in favor of an agreement, because they are interested in a free and democratic RS fit to meet the highest world criteria”. During the election campaign of the SDS municipal branch in Ilidza, Kalinic said that constitutional changes on the basis of the decisions of the BiH Constitutional Court on constitutionality will not endanger, but rather strengthen the RS and its international image. “The SDS and other RS parties would not like to see the return of certain things from 1991 in the name of conditional reforms,” Kalinic said.
Sarovic and Trotter discussed priorities for this year
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies report that RS President, Mirko Sarovic met on Thursday in Banja Luka with representative of the Military Commission with the House of Lords of the British Parliament, Sir Neville Trotter to discuss military issues and current political situation in the RS and BiH. After the meeting, they both agreed that military and political bodies in BiH should have only one goal, that is, creation of sustainable BiH with two entities and three constituent peoples.
Request filed to build controversial mosque in a different location
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
The Democratic National Alliance (DNS) will request that the Ferhadija mosque be built in a different location, reports Glas Srpski. DNS spokesman Ostoja Barasin has said he believes that, if the mosque is built on the current site, “the noise from the mosque” would interfere with the work of students at the Electric Engineering University which in situated in the immediate vicinity of the site. Speaking at a news conference, Barasin condemned a request by the Islamic Community of Banja Luka that the Electric Engineering School be moved somewhere else, as the Islamic Community had previously stated that the university building would be obstructing the view from the mosque. He said that the same request to the one made by the Islamic Community was made by the Party of Democratic Action (SDA, main Muslim nationalist party). “I am afraid that these would not be the last requests made by the Islamic Community and the SDA, and that is why I call on the RS leadership to adamantly refuse these and similar requests,” Barasin said. The DNS spokesman said he believed that if such requests were granted there would be no more space for Serbs to continue their life in Banja Luka.
Dusan Fustar surrenders to The Hague Tribunal
A Bosnian Serb charged with helping to run a notorious detention camp during the 1992-95 Bosnian war surrendered to the Hague tribunal on Thursday to face war crimes charges, the U.N. court said, according to Reuters. Dusan Fustar, one of seven men charged in a joint indictment with the persecution and imprisonment of Bosniaks and Croats in “inhumane” conditions at the Serb-run Keraterm camp in 1992, is charged with crimes against humanity. Fustar, a 47-year-old former mechanic who according to the indictment worked as a shift commander at the camp, was taken into custody in The Hague after his surrender. A date for his initial court appearance had not been set.
International Community
OHR requests Bijeljina authorities to immediately issue approvals for the reconstruction of the five mosques
According to Jutarnje Novine, at a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday, OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic addressed the issue of the issuance of reconstruction permits for five mosques in Bijeljina. “OHR notes that the permits for all five mosques have now been issued. Whilst this is certainly a positive step, the OHR would like to note that it has come with an unacceptable delay of almost one year. When the Islamic Community now applies for a building permit, we expect the municipality to grant it without delay,” Milisic said. “I would like to remind you that compliance with Human Rights Chamber Decisions is one of the demands that the High Representative put on RS leaders when he visited Banja Luka in November and December last year, and one of the criteria the International Community uses in measuring the willingness of the RS to reform,” he added.
Dnevni List: A great turn-about of Jacques Paul Klein, a Special Representative of the UN Secretary General
Written by Marko Markovic (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Today, with concern, he gave an interview to Novi List from Rijeka, talking about the difficult position of the Croats in BiH, a new approach of the International Community and a very constructive approach of the Croatian Authority and President Mesic.
General Klein is aware that his most capable agent Oscar was well-informed about Bocinja, Abu Hamzas, Bnsagahu Belkacem and the others… You were well aware as to who Zulfikar Alispago Zuka is and as to what Croats know and think about him, but You, ‘Your girlfriend from the Federation MoI’ (Judy Hilton), Serena Seradarijan and Dr. Grawell did not mind to offer them a dinner at Zuka’s restaurant ‘Cedar’.
You were aware as to how much late Minister Leutar contributed to the establishment of a multi-ethnic Police and the drafting of Law on Intelligence Services. Jenice Elmore, an employee of the American Embassy, was even more aware of it. Perhaps this is the reason why you ‘suggested’ her not to show up at Leutar’s funeral and a few days after the funeral you ‘transferred’ her to Haiti. And she might have been a key witness in the Leutar case.
You wanted to charge with this crime not only those 6 Croats, but you wanted to present all Croats and their leadership as ustashas (Croat(ian) fascists from WW II) who are threatening you. For God’s sake General, why hasn’t ‘your girlfriend from the Federation MoI’ told you long time ago as to who are Farik Lusija, Mirza Jamakovic, Adil Babic ‘Doctor’, Mustafa Hujdurevic and Mirsada, who has been suspected of helping Algerians, Iranians, Sudanese, and Egyptians to get the passports.
You have realized ‘that the Croats in Herzegovina (I guess that you did not want to say that you had written off the Croats from Zenica, Tuzla, Sarajevo, Bihac and Central Bosnia) have very grounded objections.’
‘We have to say to the Croats in Herzegovina: What do you want? A House of Representatives organized in a different way? What kind of structure will disperse your fears so that you can say that you are the Croats and at the same time BiH citizens, who want to build this country? Until this happens, BiH will not function.’
Bravo Klein! I shall propose to the HDZ to take you as their honorary President.
‘You say that Serbs in the RS have their own entity, with a right to have their state symbols and the Authority that is more than entity. The Croats do not have it, so it seems to them that they are floating in the Federation. That is the Croat problem that I understand and support.’
Mashala (a Turkish term for Bravo) General! Why have you been replacing Croat Ministers of Interior in the Herceg-Bosna Canton? Mainly because of ‘the symbols that the Serbs are entitled to.’
General Klein finally understands the situation. All he has to do is to apologize, in public or privately, to the mother of late Leutar, his driver Zeljko Cosic and many others. It is human to make mistakes but it is also human to make an apology.
General, do not defend us any longer!
Do you know that due to ungrounded objections the OHR has removed hundreds officials and that for this reason the process against Jelavic and the others is still being conducted. ”There are only 12% of them’. You have stated this not clarifying on the ground of which information you give such claim, on the ground of your estimations or a secret census. ‘And they are afraid that they will disappear in 20 years.’ Sit down prophet and do not defend us any longer. ‘They demand the protection of their constitutional and legal rights. When we resolve this issue we shall be able to demand them to economically and politically integrate into BiH.’
Vecernji List: In clinch – Petritsch versus Finci
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Wolfgang Petritsch, the High Representative to BiH: “My decision which establishes Constitutional Commissions in both entities requests the Commissions to prepare proposals for the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision on the constituent status of the peoples. In accordance with that I also require you to do the same with the consent, or without it, of the majority of members of the Constitutional Commission of the Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives”.
Jakob Finci, President of the Constitutional Commission of the FBiH: “From the letter that was sent to me by the HR, Wolfgang Petritsch, one can see that the Constitutional Commission of the Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives has the competence to dispatch amendments to the Constitution of the Federation of BiH to the Parliament for discussion and possible adoption. In his letter Ambassador Petritsch only gave his interpretation of his decision on forming of entity’s Constitutional Commission”.
Headlines
Oslobodjenje
- BiH Council of Ministers restricts oil import from Croatia only through three border crossings
Dnevni Avaz
- BiH Federation Government to decide on Monday: Pensions increase
Jutarnje Novine
- Safet Halilovic on the political-security situation in the BiH Federation: It is early for the election campaign
Glas Srpski
- Unjustifiably sentenced and detained in the RS request billions for compensation;
- RS Government Bureau for cooperation with the ICTY – Fustar turned himself in;
Nezavisne Novine
- Karadzic and Mladic wanted posters appeared in Banja Luka;
- Delalic on trial because of murder of a Serb wedding guest in Sarajevo;
Dnevni List:
- A great turn-about of Jacques Klein: Croats in Herzegovina are totally right!
- A continuation of a trial in The Hague: For Tuta and Stela 110 witnesses are being prepared
Vecernji List:
- At the last night’s ceremony at Hotel Ero Mostar: Vecernji List’s seal to Mijo Brajkovic