- BiH Presidency says all security measures to be undertaken at the highest level
- BiH representatives urged PIC members to help them in implementing comprehensive reforms
- The second meeting of the entity Constitutional Commissions likely to take place on Thursday in Sarajevo
- Legal expert Sead Hodzic says no need for establishment of a special court to process war crimes in BiH
- Vecernji List: Bin Laden’s aides got BiH passports without problems
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Bishop Ratko Peric responds to the accusations of Colin Munro
- Slobodna Dalmacija: A bomb hoax in Travnik
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Bosniaks block the road between Kiseljak and Travnik
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Alija Izetbegovic says he has never visited Tarcin and Celebici
- Slobodna Dalmacija: US Embassy supports establishment of the Livno Canton alternative government
- Vecernji List: Prime Minister of the West Herzegovina Canton says no one arranged meeting with Minister Grabovac
- RS National Assembly delegation visits The Hague
- DSP spokesman says RS Government should resign
- Milorad Dodik says SDS is going to politically “suffocate” Ivanic
- The High Representative, PIC Steering Board and BiH authorities condemn terrorist attacks in the US
- Hartmann says RS does not cooperate with the Hague Tribunal
- OHR and Council of Europe host Human Rights Forum
- OHR and UNMIBH promotes the Police documentary TV series
- RS, BiH Federation and FRY Ministers of Interior adopt strategy to fight illegal immigration and organized crime
- OHR closely monitoring work of local RS housing authorities
BiH state-related Issues
BiH Presidency says all security measures to be undertaken at the highest level
The BiH Presidency members sent on Wednesday a clear message to the BiH citizens and all foreigners working and living in the country that all necessary security measures would be taken at the highest level following the Tuesday terrorist attacks in the United States. According to Dnevni Avaz, the measures were agreed at a meeting of the BiH Presidency with the Charge d’ Affairs of the US Embassy to BiH Christopher Hoh and Senior Deputy High Representative Matthias Sonn.
BiH representatives urged PIC members to help them in implementing comprehensive reforms
According to Oslobodjenje, a BiH state delegation, headed by BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Zlatko Lagumdzija, called on Wednesday in Brussels member-countries of the Peace Implementation Council to help institutions in BiH in preparing and carrying out comprehensive reforms. “The time has come for us to start working as the partners in drafting a joint economic program as a pre-condition for the BiH’s self-sustained development. We need assistance of the international community at an expert level, and we do not need any more others to make decisions on behalf of ourselves. The role of the international community is to help us and not to work, think and make decisions in place of us,” Lagumdzija said at the meeting
The second meeting of the entity Constitutional Commissions likely to take place on Thursday in Sarajevo
Oslobodjenje reports that the protection of the vital national interests and a fair representation of all three constituent peoples in the authorities at all levels in the both BiH entities are subjects to be discussed at a second meeting of the entity Constitutional Commissions. Sead Dizdarevic, the secretary of the Federation Constitutional Commission told the newspaper that the meeting was likely to take place on Thursday in Sarajevo.
Legal expert Sead Hodzic says no need for establishment of a special court to process war crimes in BiH
Sead Hodzic, the legal expert, told Dnevni Avaz there was no need at all for establishment of a special BiH court to process war crimes, since, according to the Law on the BiH State Court imposed last year by High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, this Court was authorized also for war crime trials. Hodzic was asked to comment on a recent initiative on the issue made by the Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte. However, Hodzic reminds that a group of the Serb deputies in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly has launched a legal proceeding before the country’s Constitutional Court challenging the constitutional foundation of the Petritsch’s Law.
Vecernji List: Bin Laden’s aides got BiH passports without problems
(provided by OHR Mostar)
With the recent arrest of five Egyptians in Sarajevo, indicted for international terrorism, drugs and arms trafficking and terrorist attacks on the USA, discussion on how Bosnia and Herzegovina is dangerous for recruiting of radical Islamic terrorists becomes topical again. The five Egyptians had allegedly been in the CIA’s records for some time already, in other words they were active helpers of Osama bin Laden. On the basis of that and on the basis of some prior arrests from the Interpol’s lists, the media have reported that Osama bin Laden holds a BiH passport. It is interesting that nobody from the old or the current BiH authority did not deny the media speculation. Because of that unenviable burden, BiH is on the list of secret services, including the CIA, and is considered a country of high risk from where there is a danger of spreading of radical Islamic terrorism. After the terrorist attack on the USA, the negative burden will remain topical in the world for a long time. BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs thinks that it will not happen. “We are aware of the situation BiH is in. That is why we have, together with friendly countries of the USA and Great Britain, undertaken measures to prevent the flowing through of illegal emigrants and possible terrorists that come from Islamic countries. Our state takes part in every regional initiative that fights against every form of terrorism. Authority is, together with the rest of the world, making efforts to reduce the problem of illegal emigrants in BiH. We have data that after the recent activities the number of illegal entries has been halved, especially from the Islamic countries. We have stricter measures when it comes to granting of the BiH citizenship. I think that BiH will not be isolated”, said the spokesman for the Ministry, Amer Kapetanovic. Commission for revision of naturalized BiH citizens for the period between 1992 and the time when the BiH Constitution took affect, will have to carry out the biggest job of them all, which is to remedy the BiH image before the world. “Our Commission, in which work international experts take part, has not come across a concrete example of violation of Law on Granting of BiH Citizenship. Al Hussein Helmi Arman Ahmed and Al Sherif Hassan Mahmoud Saad, who were arrested, according to our records, were not granted the BiH citizenship. How they got BiH passports, that will be shown after an investigation carried out by Police and Interpol experts is complete. Other three got BiH citizenship by a decision of the Ministry of Interior of the then Republic of BiH and the Consulate General in Istanbul”, says Bakir Dautovic, President of the Commission for revision, which is a part of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications. Although they had big criminal records because of terrorism, arms and drugs trafficking through Europe, only now some individuals from the old political structure who enabled the granting of debatable citizenship are being called on. “Previous law on granting of citizenship was liberal and that is the problem”, concludes President of Commission for revision, Bakir Dautovic. There are assumptions that dozens of Arab terrorists have the BiH citizenship, reads Vecernji List.
Federation
Slobodna Dalmacija: Bishop Ratko Peric responds to the accusations of Colin Munro (provided by OHR Mostar)
Mostar-Duvno Bishop Ratko Peric dismissed accusation made by Head of the Mostar OHR Colin Munro, according to which he has been involved in “misdeeds” in the “Hercegovacka Banka”. Slobodna Dalmacija published on Monday, September 10, a copy of Munro’s written message that was sent to Deputy High Representative Matthias Sonn in which Munro suggests actions regarding the solving of the Hercegovacka Banka case. “Caroline (Caroline Hornstein, an official in the “Konrad Adenauer” Foundation) and I agreed that if misdeeds involving the Franciscans and still better, Bishop Peric, could be made public, then ordinary Croats might at last begin to understand the nature of self-rule, and support those opposed to it”, says Munro’s message to Sonn. Reacting to those accusations, Bishop Peric replied in his letter to Munro: “Rest assured, Mr. Ambassador, that neither I personally nor this Ordinariatus have any accounts in Hercegovacka Banka. However, it is true that I wholeheartedly pleaded, both in Mostar in April and in Washington in July, for those 90,000 damaged small deposit holders, and against the misdeeds done by the international force during the two vandal attacks on the Bank in April this year.”
The Regional Office of the High Representative in Mostar did not want to comment on the polemics between Munro and Bishop Peric, reads Slobodna Dalmacija. However, British Ambassador Graham Hand, during his visit to Mostar yesterday, said the letter that Munro addressed to Sonn, was his (Munro’s) personal standpoint. “As far as I know, it was a private e-mail that came to light, unfortunately, and it should not have happened, prying in other people’s affairs,” said Hand.
Because of suspicions of illegal operation, the High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch appointed Provisional Administration in Hercegovacka Banka in April this year, and also in April this year over a million documents of the Bank were confiscated with help from SFOR.
Slobodna Dalmacija: A bomb hoax in Travnik (provided by OHR Mostar)
The terrorist attack of an unparalleled scale that occurred in the USA seems to have stirred the imagination of potential terrorists or individuals hungry for excitement in Travnik. An unidentified person reported at 10.00 a.m. on Thursday that an explosive device was planted at the Court building in Travnik.
Soon thereafter, all persons were evacuated from the building housing Municipal and Cantonal Courts and another building nearby. The police blocked the buildings and the surrounding area and experts searched the buildings thoroughly.
The Police Administration in Travnik confirmed on Thursday afternoon that the search of the two buildings was completed at 14.30 and that no explosive device was detected. The police claims the hoax call came from a telephone booth in Travnik.
Slobodna Dalmacija: Bosniaks block the road between Kiseljak and Travnik
(provided by OHR Mostar)
Bosniak returnees to Kiseljak blocked the regional road between Kiseljak and Travnik to show dissatisfaction about the fact that the request for providing their children with facilities in the Primary School in Kiseljak for conducting classes to the Bosnian-language curriculum had not been fulfilled. This was stated by Bruno Zuljevic, the Commissioner of the Police Administration in Kiseljak.
The road was blocked in the vicinity of the school for an hour and then Central Bosnia Canton Minister for Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Mirsad Busatlija came to the spot.
Minister Busatlija and members of the Organization Committee of the protest rally talked to the School Principal Stanislav Pusic and requested immediate compliance with the Ministry instructions referring to the provision of facilities that had been addressed to the School on Tuesday. Since the instructions were not signed by Busatlija’s Deputy Josip Boro, and Central Bosnia Canton is a special-regime canton, meaning each act must be signed by both Minister and Deputy Minister, Principal Pusic declined to comply with the instructions, particularly for the fact that the conditions contained in the operating procedure made at the beginning of the school year do not allow such a space allocation. The Principal also objected the mono-ethnic composition of the Ministry team.
Slobodna Dalmacija: Alija Izetbegovic says he has never visited Tarcin and Celebici (provided by OHR Mostar)
Alija Izetbegovic, a former Chair of the BiH Presidency and the SDA President, stated for Radio ‘Bobar’ that, if the ICTY issued a bill of indictment against him, he would go, but “not voluntarily.”
“No one goes to The Hague voluntarily,” stated Izetbegovic commenting on the announcements of the RS judicial authorities that the process against him will be made topical again on account of the war crimes committed during the war in BiH. He said if the courts in this entity want to start with legal proceedings, they must get an approval from the ICTY in accordance with the Rules of the Road.
Izetbegovic said the allegations that he visited concentration camps Tarcin and Celebic during the war were ungrounded and untrue:
“I never visited those camps, neither did I know they existed,” said he.
Slobodna Dalmacija: US Embassy supports establishment of the Livno Canton alternative government (provided by OHR Mostar)
The Head of the US Embassy’s Office in Mostar, Anne Carson, paid a working visit to the Herzeg-Bosnia Canton, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.
She met in Livno with representatives of the opposition parties, signatories of the Agreement on the formation of an alternative Cantonal government.
Ms Carson extended full support to the initiative of forming such a government and promised to help in establishing contacts with the USAID with the purpose of bringing foreign capital in and providing assistance in the reconstruction in the Canton.
Vecernji List: Prime Minister of the West Herzegovina Canton says no one arranged meeting with Minister Grabovac (provided by OHR Mostar)
“It is a misunderstanding because nobody from the Federation level did not make an appointment with us to meet BiH Federation Finance Minister Nikola Grabovac. Actually we have not been informed about his arrival to our Canton, therefore we have no obligations towards him”, said the West Herzegovina Canton’s Prime Minister Andjelko Mikulic, reacting to the published information according to which he is to meet with the Finance Minister at Siroki Brijeg on Friday, reads Vecernji List. It is the Minister who is one of the creators of the Alliance policy which wants to financially de-empower the Cantons, take their rights and serve them with crumbs of promises. That is why a series of meetings have been organized at the Cantonal level at which material for an emergency session of the Cantonal Assembly that is scheduled for this coming Friday was prepared. “It is possible that his visit to Siroki Brijeg is part of his visits to the Cantons, perhaps he will pay a private visit upon Minister Mladen Ivankovic’s invitation, who harmonized his standpoints with the Alliance. On the other hand, we did not do it because we are of opinion that the Croats’ rights in BiH have been attacked, as have constitutional rights of our Canton, as well as other Cantons. It is a clear case of centralization of BiH which does not suit us at all. Ever since we have this de-empowering, the bulk of (financial) means have been taken away from us”, says Mikulic. When questioned what Sarajevo intends to do, Mikulic answers: “According to Federation of BiH Government’s ideas, we, the Canton, would be left with obligations only, without rights. That was preceded by other activities, such as the raid into the Hercegovacka Banka that reduced our budget. And there were other activities that cannot be labeled as legal. It is a great attack on the Canton”. On possibilities what are the Canton’s options to fight for its rights, Andjelko Mikulic says: “Based on our experience when it comes to de-empowering of the Croat people in BiH, we cannot be optimists at all. But we will try everything to utilize the rights determined by the Washington and Dayton Agreements”, reads Vecernji List.
Republika Srpska
RS National Assembly delegation visits The Hague
Both Banja Luka dailies report that during Wednesday’s meeting of the RS National Assembly delegation with The Hague Tribunal (ICTY) representatives, it was concluded that the RS had to put a lot more efforts in order to substantiate the evidence for crimes committed against Serbs during the war. Deputy RS National Assembly Speaker Zoran Djeric says that during the meeting he expressed hope the RS Law on the Co-operation with the ICTY would be passed at the next session of the entity’s parliament. He adds that the ICTY representatives supported the adoption of the Law. Djeric also says that the Serb side delivered 32 cases, which pertain to crimes committed against Serbs, to the ICTY while only Bosniak side delivered 900 cases and adds that the ICTY representatives commended the recent activities of the RS authorities.
DSP spokesman says RS Government should resign
Both Banja Luka dailies quote (Democratic Socialist Party) DSP Spokesman Igor Radojicic as saying that the DSP is demanding the RS Government to resign. “It has been proved that Mladen Ivanic’s Government is not capable of doing its job properly and that is why it should resign”, says Radojicic. He added that the government reshuffle, as announced by Prime Minister Ivanic, would not significantly change an overall situation in the RS.
Milorad Dodik says SDS is going to politically “suffocate” Ivanic
Thursday’s edition of Nezavisne Novine quotes former Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik as saying that thanks to the position which Mladen Ivanic’s Government has with dominating SDS influence in it, an “atrophy of the state institutions” is going on at the RS scene. “I think that a difficult future is ahead of the RS and its people and that one day Ivanic will explain why he did what he is doing now”, says Dodik. He also says that Mladen Ivanic’s Government was doomed to failure from the very beginning because the SDS is dominating in the Government’s structure. “I think it happened what we, who did not join the coalition, told Ivanic it was going to happen, which is, the SDS will politically suffocate him and his party and create a huge political and economic crisis in the RS”, says Dodik. He also accuses Dragan Kalinic (RS National Assembly Speaker) and Ivanic of being responsible for state interference in work of media. “Kalinic and Ivanic are bringing back the RS media in times of a partisan dictatorship and censorship. The example of Glas Srpski is very indicative – The man who runs this newspaper is a direct product of SDS who turned this daily newspaper into a party bulletin,” says Dodik.
International Community
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board, Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Zlatko Lagumdzija dn other BiH state and entity officials, at their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, condemned in the strongest possible manner the Tuesday’s terrorists attacks in the United States. (Oslobodjenje carried the PR in the special supplement)
Hartmann says RS does not cooperate with the Hague Tribunal
In an interview with Oslobodjenje, Spokesperson for the Hague Tribunal Florence Hartmann said the Tribunal had come to a conclusion that Republika Srpska did not cooperate with it. Asked if there would be sanctions against those who failed to cooperate with the Tribunal, Hartmann said: “The Prosecution Office does not posses any instrument for pressures. It can only conclude that there is or there is not cooperation of certain structure. Wolfgang Petritsch, as the representative of the international community, can on the basis of our assessments take steps if he maintains that the obligations of an entity are not fulfilled. Such decision is up to him.” According to Reuters, Hartmann said on Wednesday that the most wanted war crime suspect Radovan Karadzic had been in contact with certain RS officials in recent months not specifying their names.
OHR and Council of Europe host Human Rights Forum
The Senior Deputy High Representative, Matthias Sonn, BiH Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications Svetozar Mihajlovic, Hugh Chetwynd of the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Directorate General, and Judge Peer Lorenzen of the European Court of Human Rights opened a one-day forum on Wednesday in Sarajevo designed to highlight the role of the Government Agents, who will represent BiH before the European Court of Human Rights. (Oslobodjenje carried the PR on the last page – the latest news)
OHR and UNMIBH promotes the Police documentary TV series
A documentary series Policija (The Police) was promoted on Wednesday at the Police Academy in the Sarajevo suburb of Vraca. The series is dedicated to the multiethnic police training and recruitment. OHR has invested 95,000 KM in the series and following campaign, according to Oslobodjenje. (only Oslobodjenje reported on the promotion)
RS, BiH Federation and FRY Ministers of Interior adopt strategy to fight illegal immigration and organized crime
The Republika Srpska, BiH Federation and FRY Ministers of Interior Dragomir Jovicic, Muhamed Besic and Zoran Zivkovic met on Wednesday in Banja Luka and adopted a strategy how to jointly fight illegal immigration and organized crime, Oslobodjenje reports. According to Deputy Head of the UNMIBH Civil Affairs Department Robert Gravell, the Croatian Interior Minister failed to attend the meeting.
OHR closely monitoring work of local RS housing authorities
Head of the OHR Press Office Alexandra Stiglmayer told Dnevni Avaz that the OHR was closely monitoring work of the Republika Srpska municipal bodies tasked to implement property laws and is fully supporting the OSCE Mission to BiH’s request for acceleration of the process. According to Stiglmayer, there is a possibility that certain officials will be removed. She added that High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch would decide whether there is a need for removals on the basis of reports on the property laws implementation regularly sent by authorized regional officials of OHR and other international organizations. Stiglmayer was asked to comment on the dissatisfaction with a too slow resolution of the property claims in the RS recently expressed by the OSCE Head of the Mission to BiH Robert Beecroft and RS Ombudsperson Slavica Slavnic.