- RS pensioners leader resigns Petar Djokic elected new SPRS President RS President says RS abandoning ethnic principles RS NA Speaker criticizes Croatia for meddling in BiH affairs RS Police checking residencies of war crime suspects RS Army General staff criticizes BiH Federation minister’s remarks on joint army Bozidar Vucurevic says Karadzic would rather commit suicide than surrender Reform of SDS – Leopard never changes its spots
BiH State-related Issues
BiH Council of Ministers on the “Algerian Group” apprehension
According to Saturday’s Oslobodjenje, the BiH Council of Ministers said in a press release that it had completely and on time informed the BiH Presidency on the actions of the BiH state and entities’ institutions related to the case of the “Algerian Group” extradition. This press release represents a denial of a statement made on Thursday by the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, Beriz Belkic, in which he said that the Presidency had discussed the “Algerian Group” case but that it had not possessed relevant reports of the authorized state institutions. In a statement with Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz, Belkic said that it was just about a misunderstanding. “We did receive a compiled report on the issue made by the Council of Ministers but some authorized ministries failed to submit their separate reports,” Belkic said.
Tihic says all parties must present their positions on what are the vital national interests?
According to Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz, the representatives of the BiH political parties taking part in the talks on the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s ruling on the constituent peoples are expected to submit their proposals by Tuesday on what they consider vital national interests, and on the mechanisms for their protection. “For the first time, we will have an opportunity to see proposals to be made by the political parties from the Republika Srpska. In the past period, while we were discussing the constitutional changes, the representatives of the political parties from the RS were just criticizing our proposals, without making their own ones. WE have never received any concrete proposal on the issue signed by Kalinic, Ivanic or some other political leader from the RS,” SDA President Sulejman Tihic told the newspaper. According to Dnevni Avaz, the BiH political leaders are expected to meet with the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, on Tuesday in a new circle of talks on the constitutional reforms.
Constituency of the peoples: equality of the peoples in the entities must be guaranteed by the parliamentary Houses of Peoples
The BiH SGV (Serb Civic Council) President and the Sarajevo University professor, Mirko Pejanovic, wrote in an article published in the Saturday’s Oslobodjenje Pogled supplement that, when he had established the constitutional commissions, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, had placed the responsibility for the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s ruling exactly where the discrimination of the citizens on the ethnic basis was taking place. It is about the entities and their parliaments. Pejanovic concludes that the deputies to the entities’ parliaments are therefore holding a full political responsibility for the constitutional reforms.
Krizanovic says Petritsch made a mistake when he established two instead of one constitutional commission
The Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Jozo Krizanovic, said in an interview with the Monday’s Dnevni Avaz that, in his opinion, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, had made a mistake when he had established two constitutional commissions. “I am sure that the things would have gone much better if one commission was established at the level of BiH,” Krizanovic emphasized.
Tokic comments on ties with the FRY
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Weekend edition of Nezavisne Novine reports that the Speaker of the House of Peoples of BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Sejfudin Tokic, issued a press statement ahead of a BiH parliamentary delegation’s visit to the FRY on 25 and 26 February. “The relations between BiH and the FRY after the government changes in both countries are in the ascendant. Numerous controversial issues have been resolved and many bilateral agreements were signed. Economic and political cooperation with the countries in the region is one of the political priorities of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly on international level. Once constitutional changes have been implemented in both Entities and equality of all three constituent peoples has been ensured on the entire BiH territory the earlier need for special relations of individual entities with neighbouring states would disappear. Instead, there seems to be an emerging need for integration in European circles and regional associations. In that context, it is also necessary to ensure the strengthening of BiH and FRY in fields of culture, sport, science, education and other areas, which is of particular interest to both states and the Serbs, Bosniaks and members of other nationalities which live in these two states”, reads the statement.
Federation
HDZ says Lagumdzija, Behmen not deserving recognition for the Capljina bridge reconstruction
According to Monday’s Dnevni Avaz, a visit of BiH Council of Minister Chairman Zlatko Lagumdzija and BiH Federation Prime Minister Alija Behmen (both SDP BiH members) to Capljina scheduled for Monday has raised tensions in advance, because, in the course of their visit, the two officials are expected to ceremonially open the newly-reconstructed bridge in the town. In this regard, the Municipal Board of the HDZ issued a press release saying it was unacceptable that the two SDP officials open the bridge since its party did not deserve recognition for the reconstruction of the facility.
Mariofil Ljubic to leave HDZ?
Saturday’s Oslobodjenje learned that Mariofil Ljubic, who has been for a long time one of the most prominent HDZ BiH officials, was in a dilemma whether to leave the party or not. He has been considering to make such a step since his HDZ colleagues have been criticizing him for not playing under their rules. As a HDZ deputy to the BiH House of Representatives, Ljubic was allegedly on several occasions requested by the party leadership not to vote for the laws supported by the Alliance for Change.
Dnevni List: Public opinion poll – Who should be an Acting HDZ President?
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Dnevni List is organizing an opinion poll asking its readers to vote for their candidate for the acting President of the HDZ BiH offering Josip Merdzo, Secretary-General of the HDZ, Barisa Colak, member of the HDZ Presidency, Niko Lozancic, member of the HDZ Presidency, Martin Raguz, Vice President of the HDZ and Dragan Covic, Vice President of the HDZ to pick from. Readers can vote by phone, e-mail and post (DL published a coupon with the names of candidates).
War invalids to organize peaceful protests on March 1 in Sarajevo
The March 1 has been definitely determined as a day on which the war invalids will hold peaceful demonstrations in front of the common BiH institutions building in Sarajevo. Zahid Crnkic, the President of the BiH War Invalids Association, told Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz that, apart from the draft law stipulating this sector, the unresolved issues having impact on the poor social position of this population category included irregular payment of pensions, inappropriate health care and inadequately resolved housing problems.
Republika Srpska
RS pensioners leader resigns
Saturday’s Oslobodjenje reports that the President of the Republika Srpska Association of Pensioners, Novak Dojcinovic, resigned on Thursday. Dojcinovic made the move since the RS authorities are doing nothing to improve social position of the pensioners in the entity.
Petar Djokic elected new SPRS President
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Glas Srpski and Nezavisne Novine report that the Socialist Party of the RS elected Petar Djokic new party chairman at the third party congress, which ended in Banja Vrucica, near Teslic late last night. Djokic won 231 votes in the second round while the outgoing chairman Zivko Radisic won 190 votes. Djokic thanked the deputies and said that he was prepared to extend his offer of cooperation to all those who might be interested. “I hope that as of tomorrow the party will have a fresh start and will never again find itself in a political wilderness such as it does today,” Djokic said, adding that he hoped that divisions within the party were a thing of the past and that, from now on, the party would make independent decisions. The new chairman highlighted the need for the party “to remain open to new people and new ideas”, adding that this could be achieved only if ordinary party members joined his efforts to this end. “We have to work on attracting new members and implementing the party program, with a particular emphasis on the social and welfare program and restoring the dignity of all sections of the population,” Djokic said when listing the main pledges.
RS President says RS abandoning ethnic principles
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Weekend edition of Glas Srpski quotes RS President, Mirko Sarovic, as saying in Pale on Friday that he is convinced that the RS National Assembly will in a month’s time adopt constitutional amendments in line with the decision on the constituent status of all three peoples in BiH, but that it will reject the exaggerated demands aimed at re-tailoring BiH and abandoning the Dayton Peace Accords. Sarovic said that the RS was abandoning the ethnic principle because it deemed it backward and would rather move to the civic principle and the affirmation of equality, non-discrimination and equal representation, not only of the three constituent nations, but also of national minorities. “The constitutional changes will bring benefits to the RS. Nothing can come out of imposing them. An imposed constitution cannot be implemented in the RS, because there would be no-one to implement it”, Sarovic said, noting that he was optimistic that the necessary majority would be secured in the RS NA to make decisions which will satisfy European standards with regard to the protection of vital national interests. Sarovic recalled that the RS saw the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court ruling on constituent status of all BiH peoples as its obligation not as a dictate or imposition. He went on to say that proposals from the RS contained some very good pro-European initiatives, but that they were not welcomed by the political parties from the BiH Federation. Sarovic also said he was concerned about a statement made by the chairman of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, that “this kind of BiH is dangerous for Croatia”, saying that this was a part of the persistent anti-Dayton policy in Croatia and a classic act of interference in the internal affairs of another state. According to Sarovic, the international community and all neighbours should be concerned about such a malicious policy coming from Zagreb, because it damages good-neighbourly relations and threatens security in the entire region.
RS NA Speaker criticizes Croatia for meddling in BiH affairs
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
SRNA news agency quotes Speaker of the RS National Assembly and chairman of the presidency of Serb Democratic Party (SDS), Dragan Kalinic, as saying Srbac on Saturday evening that the RS was facing two big tasks: harmonizing the RS constitution with the BiH Constitutional Court’s decisions and economic and social reforms. “We have to resolve the first issue on our own, without the outside interference which is currently present,” Kalinic told a session at which a new municipal SDS committee in Srbac was elected. Speaking about relations with neighbours, Kalinic said that the relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were in the ascendant, while cooperation with Croatia was not going in the right direction. “Those most responsible for this are Croatia’s top officials who have not contributed through their statements to the resolution of the complex problems in BiH,” the RS Speaker said, adding that it was difficult to negotiate with Croatian officials about the delineation of the state border along the Sava river, transport of oil, return of refugees and displaced persons as well as the functioning of the port of Ploce. According to him, the latest statement made by the chairman of the HSLS (Croatian Social Liberal Party), Drazen Budisa, that the RS threatens Croatia’s security is completely unacceptable. “The problem lies, actually, in the malfunctioning of the Federation of BiH, in which the two constituent nations find it very difficult to agree, in which the RS does not wish to meddle,” Kalinic said. He went on to say that the RS would not allow Croatia to meddle in relations in the RS or in BiH.
RS Police checking residencies of war crime suspects
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Weekend edition of Nezavisne Novine reports that the RS Interior Ministry revealed that they are currently checking the residencies of certain persons whose arrest warrants were recently forwarded by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte. It was also confirmed that the RS Police was asked to provide information about the arrest of Alija Delimustafic. The paper quotes the RS Interior Ministry Spokesman, Zoran Glusac, as saying that the RS Interior Ministry received a number of requests from the RS Justice Ministry to arrest war crimes suspects and these are currently being checked. “These obligations presuppose among other things certain checks and provide opportunities for certain people to be questioned, and we are already acting in line with this”, said Glusac. Glusac did not want to reveal details of these procedures nor to specify whether an indictee would be arrested over the next 30 days, i.e. within the deadline set by the RS Government for voluntary surrender. He also confirmed that the RS Interior Ministry was in touch with the Serbian police in connection with Alija Delimustafic case. “The Interior Ministry has officially requested that the Serbian Interior Ministry provide information about the Delimustafuc case. We have not yet received an official reply”, said Glusac.
RS Army General staff criticizes BiH Federation minister’s remarks on joint army
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
The General Staff of the RS Army described as detrimental a recent statement made by the BiH Federation Defence Minister, Mijo Anic, that RS Defense Minister, Slobodan Bilic is not planning, not even in a distant future, to set up joint armed forces of BiH, weekend edition of Glas Srpski reports. “We would like to emphasize that the role and place of the RS Army are defined in the DPA, the BiH Constitution and the RS Constitution. In all these documents the issue of the army is within the jurisdiction of the entities, i.e. these documents speak of two armed forces in BiH, at the level of entities”, the RS General Staff Information Service says. The General Staff’s reaction was prompted by a statement made by Mijo Anic at a joint news conference with the commander of the BiH Federation Army’s Joint Staffs, Atif Dudakovic, which was devoted to their visit to Greece.
Bozidar Vucurevic says Karadzic would rather commit suicide than surrender
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Bozidar Vucurevic, one of the founders of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) said in an interview for weekend edition of Nezavisne Novine that the former RS president Radovan Karadzic “would rather commit suicide than go to The Hague”. “As far as I know Karadzic, I do not think that he would ever voluntarily surrender to The Hague. He would not do that for several reasons. He has said this on numerous occasions. I do not recall him ever breaking his promise and he would not do this time either, regardless of what turn events might take. I think that he would rather commit suicide, although this is against the Orthodox religion”, Vucurevic said. He said that Karadzic would prefer death over extradition because “he knows what awaits him in The Hague”. “A hunt for him has been organized and he knows what awaits him there. Knowing his mentality, character and temperament I think that he would never surrender voluntarily”, added Bozidar Vucurevic. He claims that he does not know where Karadzic is although they were good friends and partners. Commenting on the extradition and trial of Slobodan Milosevic, Vucurevic said that “Milosevic is better off in The Hague, because there he is proving the innocence of the entire nation”. “Milosevic is not a private person, he cannot be tried as an individual. The nation and its people are on trial”, Vucurevic said.
Reform of SDS – Leopard never changes its spots
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Today’s edition of Nezavisne Novine carries an article in which author, Dragan Davidovic, analyses and compares the SDS program from 1996 and the latest SDS status and program objectives issued in 2001. Davidovic says that the SDS has undergone a serious reform of the party program. He says that in the 1996 program the adjective “Serb” is mentioned 22 times while in the latest version the word is mentioned only once. Serbian-hood and Serbia are mentioned 22 times in the old program and in the new program not even once. The SDS 2002 program
does not say anything about culture, language, Cyrillic script, the Serb Orthodox Church and the RS Army. The author concludes that the SDS will not be changed and that these small changes are nothing but cosmetics. On one hand, the SDS will keep its electorate and on the other, it will satisfy the IC.
International Community
Petritsch visits FRY, meets with Svilanovic
All BiH media prominently report that the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, who went to FRY for a two-day official visit, met in Belgrade on Sunday with the Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic. Monday’s Dnevni Avaz reports that Petritsch suggested to Svilanovic to support the return of Serbs to BiH, having in mind that the largest number of BiH refugees was temporary living in FRY. “The High Representative emphasized that the statistics show the year of 2001 was positive when it comes to the return of refugees. However, much still has to be done. He suggested that Yugoslavia and its administration explore ways in which they might contribute to the resolution of this issue, through the establishment of a commission for the return or through the financial support to the returnees,” OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic told the newspaper. Milisic added that, in the course of the day, the High Representative also met with Zarko Korac, the Vice-president of the Serbian Government. In the talks, the two officials focused on the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and further development of the bilateral relations between BiH and FRY. On Monday, during the second day of his visit to FRY, the High Representative is scheduled to meet with FRY President Vojislav Kostunica and Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.
Note: Below is an RS press report on the HR’s visit to FRY
Petritsch and Svilanovic discussed BiH-FRY relations – FRY will extradite ICTY indictees with or without law on cooperation with the ICTY
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies also report that the High Representative for BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch met with the FRY Foreign Minister, Goran Svilanovic in Belgrade on Sunday. They both assessed that the stability of Southeast Europe is a condition for joining the process of European integration and added that BiH, FRY and Croatia represent a core of future cooperation and integration in the region. Svilanovic told journalists that the FRY Parliament will ratify the DPA in March, while the FRY-BiH border agreement should be finished by the end of this year. He also said that they discussed a special relations that exist between entities and the state (BiH). “We discussed the special relations that exist between the Entities and the state (BiH). It is quite clear that cannot be a state of BiH without its entities just like the Entities cannot exist without the state”, said Svilanovic. The High Representative for BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch said that he is satisfied with development of relations between BiH and the FRY and added that this is not the path that leads to bilateral cooperation only but also to a regional cooperation. Petritsch emphasized that the purpose of the impending constitutional changes in BiH is to give the same rights for all peoples on the entire BiH territory. “Now we are reaching the final phase of the reforms that will ensure constituent status to all three peoples in BiH. Serbs in the BiH Federation will be granted constituent status, while Bosniaks and Croats in the RS will also be granted the same status”, said Petritsch. As to the FRY cooperation with the ICTY, Svilanovic said that it would be very good if the FRY passed the Law on cooperation with the ICTY but that its non-adoption will not prevent the FRY from cooperating with the ICTY. The High Representative said that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic have to be brought to justice given that they both played a key role in the “war drama”.
The Economist’s two-day conference ends in Sarajevo on Friday
According to Saturday’s Oslobodjenje, a two-day business conference organized by the Britisch magazine The Economist ended in Sarajevo on Friday. On the second day of the conference, the potential investors were addressed by BiH Central Bank Governor Peter Nicholl and representatives of the Republika Srpska: President Mirko Sarovic, Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic and Finance Minister Milenko Vracar. “The RS has not been so far interesting for foreign investors because it provokes associations on the war, corruption and crime. I can understand that. But, the RS has been changed now and we are entering an important phase, in which all kind of investments will be encouraged,” Ivanic said.
Petritsch’s decision represents a significant step forward in restoring national monuments
In an article on the reconstruction and the preservation of the national monuments in BiH, published in the Saturday’s Oslobodjenje Pogled supplement, Amila Zdralovic wrote that the recent decision on the issue made by the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, should simplify administrative procedure and remove obstacles to the restoration of these facilities in compliance to the Dayton Agreement’s Annex 8.
Will Petritsch propose re-appointment of judges in BiH?
According to Monday’s Dnevni Avaz, Vlado Adamovic, the President of the BiH Federation Association of Judges, recently claimed that, at the session of the Peace Implementation Council late this month, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, was intending to propose the re-appointment of all judges in BiH. Commenting on the claim, OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic told the newspaper that OHR and the PIC were considering various options for carrying out the reform of the judicial system in BiH. “The reform of the judicial system is one of the international community’s priorities in BiH. For his decisions, the High Representative gets directions from the PIC, and it is well-known that he does not announce his moves in advance,” Milisic said.
Reuters: Serbian PM says will not hunt down Mladic
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has signaled his unwillingness to hunt down Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic, saying it could result in civil war, according to an interview published on Saturday. Djindjic said troops from the 50,000-strong NATO peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia and the full resources of the West’s intelligence services had failed to secure Mladic’s capture. “Am I now to risk the lives of our police so that Mladic and his 100-strong personal guard can be served up at the table in The Hague? What if it caused civil war to break out? We have over 200,000 refugees from Bosnia, many of them armed. The price is too high,” Djindjic said in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel. Mladic and former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic have been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the 1995 mass killing of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and boys and for the three-and-a-half year siege of Sarajevo, which killed around 12,000 people. Djindjic’s advice to both was to hand themselves in. The Serbian premier regretted that the tribunal had provided former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic with a platform to “play out his demagoguery” and said he was aghast at the amount of money spent to stage the case.
Slobodna Dalmacija: Croatian Ambassador to BiH Josip Vrbosic on constitutional changes in the country
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Speaking at a forum organized by the “Krug 99” which gathers prominent Sarajevo intellectuals, the Croatian Ambassador to BiH, Josip Vrbosic assessed the Croatia-BiH relationship as friendly pointing out that the current misunderstandings must not cast a shadow on successes reached so far. Ambassador Vrbosic said that Croatia supports an independent and integrated BiH, whilst in the same favoring a set-up in the country that ensures equality of the three constituent peoples. He also said that Croatia believes that the best solution is in symmetric constitutional arrangements stressing that the establishment of the House of Peoples in the RS remains an open issue. Ambassador Vrbosic said that the DPA-stipulated provisions are not the happiest solutions adding that one cannot expect a formal revision of the DPA or organization of a new peace conference on BiH. He said that the DPA would probably be “upgraded” foremost through expected changes to the entity Constitutions, reads Slobodna Dalmacija.
Vecernji List: American Croat(ians) lobbying against the appointment of Paddy Ashdown fatal for Croats
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List carries that the Association of American Croat(ian)s is signing a petition lobbying against the appointment of Paddy Ashdown to the position of the HR. In their petition they addressed influential American politicians, namely the Chair of US Senate’s Board for International Affairs Joseph Bidden Jr., Congressman Henry Hyde and Deputy Secretary General of the State Department Richard Armitage, to use their positions in order to recall the Ashdown’s appointment and make possible that an American becomes the HR in BiH. The petition also says that Ashdown presented his anti-Catholic prejudice while he was serving as a British Navy officer in Northern Ireland. They believe that because of his prejudice he might have a partial attitude towards the Croat Catholic Community, especially because of dictatorial authorities on the ground of which his predecessor Wolfgang Petritsch was depriving people of their human rights.
Editorials
Oslobodjenje and Dnevni Avaz
In the Saturday’s Oslobodjenje In Focus column, Gojko Beric wrote that the constituency of the peoples in the entire BiH’s territory was a good thing, but that he “would rather live in a country, in which citizen is pillar of the society, and in which the citizenship is the only collective identity of a common importance.” In another Saturday’s Oslobodjenje commentary, Mirko Sagolj emphasized that the full application of the principle of the constituency meant that the existence both of the Washington’s Federation, as a state of Bosniak and Croats, and Dayton’s Republika Srpska, as a state of the Serb people, was becoming senseless. The both entities were, according to Sagolj, created as a result of double aggression on BiH and war developments. “Only on their symmetrical ruins, BiH as the state of the equal citizens and constituent peoples can be re-established,” Sagolj concluded. Husein Orahovac wrote in the Sunday’s Commentary of the Day that a clear and precise definition of the national interests “would finally prevent actions of the political manipulators.”
Saturday’s Oslobodjenje: statements of the day – Niko Lozancic and Wolfgang Petritsch
Niko Lozancic on the vital national interest: It is unacceptable to specify individual issues of the vital national interest for any of the constituent peoples, simply because neither the BiH Constitution not the Constitutions of the entities specify these issues. We believe that its is a legitimate right of the legitimate representatives of each constituent people to assess at a concrete moment which issue is of the vital national interest. (the statement carried from Vecernji List)
Wolfgang Petritsch on the difference between The Hague and the Nurnberg processes: The Hague Tribunal cannot be compared to the Nurnberg process. It is not about, as in the case of the Nurnberg processes, “small fishes” but it is about a political responsibility for the crimes. I advocate that the leading representatives of the regimes are brought before The Hague Tribunal. I consider the review of the past by the means of the state of the law as basically very important. What makes The Hague Tribunal different from the Nurnberg processes is a fact the Tribunal was established by the UN and it therefore does not represent a justice of the winners. (According to ONASA, Petritsch said this in an interview with Die Presse)
Dnevni List: Petritsch as ‘Hugo’
The editorial was not signed (Provided by OHR Mostar)
At the end of his mandate the High Representative looks ridiculous since in theory he is all-powerful, while in practice he is inefficient. Stretched between a wish to present himself as a mirror of justice and, in reality, taken as a cartoon, that presents all internal opposition of the thing that we call the International Community, asked by a journalist about possible imposing of the solution, he replies in a language of ‘the others’: ’Yes-no” and ‘No-Yes’. He is an embodiment of a toy ‘Hugo’, whom a mysterious voice invites to chose one number and immediately concludes: ‘You will certainly make a mistake.’
Not stopping to curry favor with Croats (especially those from Herzegovina), due to his bad conscience I guess, he does not dare to talk anything against the RS, supposing that any solution suits Muslims or Bosniaks in along run, Petritsch has decided that the implementation of so important decision will be a sole act. Not only that he does not want to hear the opinion of OSCE experts, but he also excluded his ‘experts’ and he is getting prepared, if it is necessary, to impose his own solution before he leaves. He would justify it by problems of a technical nature in the election process, because the Election Law is waiting for the amendments that regulate the election of a President and Vice – President of the RS, the President and Vice -President of the Federation and the House of Peoples in the Federation and them why not in the RS as well( if we are not equal, we can be identical at least).
Leaving of the problem for the next year and for a new HR would mean a definite failure, not only of Petritsch and his successor, but a failure of the project called ‘peaceful Bosnia’. The American Embassy is also joining the talks and negotiations, however, all attempts reduce to the postponing of something that is inevitable- imposing of the solution.
It is wrong again. The Republic is a constant, while de-constituting of the constitutional position of the Croats, reducing of a people to a national minority is the constant in the Federation.
In their internal reports, and even in the public, out of all initiatives, coming from the Croat side, OHR only and exclusively welcomes the HDZ return to the House of Peoples. HDZ has only one condition: to return to the institutions of the House of Peoples according to the new Election Law and not according to the Barry’s rules, that have been a reason and cause of organizing of the Croat National Assembly, referendum and an attempt of self-organizing trough a self-rule, until the corrections of the Barry’s rules and regulation.
We can suppose what will be the response to it. Not only because of OSCE and the HR’s decision on the removal of the whole HDZ top from the political life, but because of a political process against Jelavic and the others, because of a constant aspiration of the International Community to turn HDZ BiH into its party, that is, the HDZ of the International Community, and due to the fact that according to all public opinion polls HDZ, exactly in its present form, is the strongest and most popular party among BiH Croats. The response will be that HDZ must and can return only and exclusively according to the Barry’s rules. And then without the majority in the Parliament they can only experience a new humiliation and exultation of Kreso, Sejfudin and Bajramovic, and humbly admit that they were wrong with regard to all issues and only then they will experience a real persecution of individuals. If they do not return to this House, it will be another argument for ‘obstructionism, non-institutional acting’ and, perhaps, for the ban on their participation at the elections. Does one have to be consistent, faithful to one’s own people or accept the rules of servile mentality and be equal to Lijanovics, Simics, Zubaks, Prlics and Tomics and other blackmailed Croats? Petritsch needs an alibi for the failure, an argument to impose the solution. Politics in a protectorate is not an art of possible, but a permanent examining of characters of personality and maturity, individual, partisan and people’s. For this Reason Petritsch has a right to be ‘Hugo’. Does HDZ have the same right too?
Headlines
Saturday
Oslobodjenje
- Bairam celebrated throughout BiH
Dnevni Avaz
- Zahid Crnkic, the president of the BiH War Invalids Association – We will not appear at the protests in uniforms
Jutarnje Novine (weekend edition)
- Sarajevo: central Bairam celebration at the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
Nezavisne Novine (weekend edition)
- BiH citizens of Islamic confession celebrating Bairam – The holiday of faith and love;
- RS Interior Ministry Spokesman says RS Police checking addresses of war crimes suspects;
Glas Srpski (weekend edition)
- Is Al-Quida restoring terrorist network in Europe? – Usamah’s connection from Zenica;
- Deputy RS Justice Minister says RS Justice Ministry has not been officially informed about the ICTY’s approval to initiate legal proceeding against 62 war crimes suspects before BiH courts;
Dnevni List
- American General Jacque P. Klein’s crazy claims: Ante Jelavic responsible for Leutar’s death
- Investigation against first policeman of Herzeg-Bosnia opened: Brana Kvesic suspected for war crimes
Vecernji List
- Beriz Belkic, Chair of BiH Presidency: Hundreds of border crossings being used for smuggling purposes only
- Nikola Grabovac, Federation Finance Minister: Contributions for soldiers not paid for years
- Ivica Misic, Chief of BiH Anti-terrorism team: We will deport people who lost citizenship
Sunday
Oslobodjenje
- Following the incident in Travnik: the attacker found on the returnee Vlatko Vidovic?
Dnevni Avaz
- A dispute over the “Algerian Group”: Belkic – We are not in conflict with the Council of Ministers
Vecernji List
- Senate of Mostar University calls for normal lectures: University professors five months without salaries
- Collection of illegal arms in Drvar area: SFOR searches house by house
- Presidency of HDZ BiH: Jelavic is not questionable, but the Statue
- Mostar: Two mysterious explosions
Monday
Oslobodjenje
- Gorazde: A number of citizens reduced for a half since 1996
Dnevni Avaz
- HDZ attacks Lagumdzija and Behmen
Jutarnje Nopvine
- The will be no salary increase for the deputies in the BiH Federation Parliament
Nezavisne Novine
- Wolfgang Petritsch met with Goran Svilanovic in Belgrade – FRY will extradite ICTY indictees with or without Law on cooperation with the ICTY;
- Petar Djokic beats Zivko Radisic;
Glas Srpski
- Sulejman Tihic lives in Sarajevo despite the fact that he repossessed his property in Samac – Rent more precious than return
- UN development program – poverty on both sides;
Vecernji List
- Producers and merchants call for protection against smugglers: Illegal distilleries take away 15 million KM from budget
- Josip Vrbosic, Croatian Ambassador to BiH: Croatian foreign policy towards BiH needs to be changed
- New group of ICTY investigators arrives to Sarajevo today: Indictments against 62 suspects arriving
Dnevni List
- University of Mostar (NB: Dnevni List depicts an obituary for the University of Mostar (West)Professor Slavo Kukic on situation at University (Mostar West): Who is being favored by non-functioning of rule of law?
- What’s behind visit of senior SDP politician to Capljina: Mess around the bridge
- Petritsch as Hugo: Cartoon of all IC contradictions