- The BiH delegation returns from Strasbourg: Europe comes in BiH
- Croatian President, US Embassy to BiH, Russian Foreign Minister congratulate BiH authorities, citizens the accession to the Council of Europe
- Dnevni Avaz: Investigation completed in case of AM Sped
- Dnevni List: Is HDZ turning into NHI?
- Vecernji List: Ivan Bender likely to become acting President of the HDZ BiH
- Slobodna Dalmacija: OHR says HDZ leadership knows what it must do to meet the amended election law requirements
- RS Public Prosecutor dismissed
- PDP condemns the replacement of the RTRS director
- RTRS Trade Unions, veterans not accepting removal of RTRS General Manager
- SNSD calls for urgent changes of Sarajevo Canton constitution
- Mayor of Srpsko Novo Sarajevo says RS will build elementary school in Srpsko Sarajevo
- RS commission for missing persons discovers a mass grave in the Federation
- Zubak protests non-invitation of Croat representatives to the meeting with Ashdown
- British Ambassador to BiH: Ashdown priorities to include fight against corruption in judiciary
- Vecernji List:What does reform of BiH judiciary bring to judges and lawyers?
- OHR: The “Pogorelica” case will retain with the Supreme Court and not transferred to the Cantonal Court
- OHR, COMSFOR, UNHCR invite ambassadors to visit key return areas by helicopter on Tuesday
- Dnevni List: SFOR found 6,000 mortar-rounds in secret bunkers in East Mostar
- SFOR recommends Karadzic to surrender
- Del Ponte calls on SFOR to find Karadzic
- Reuters: UN sacks four Bosnia police over wartime killings
- Reuters: Milosevic’s army chief surrenders to Hague court
- Dnevni List: Removed politicians announce they will launch procedures against Wolfgang Petritsch before European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg
BiH State-related Issues
The BiH delegation returns from Strasbourg: Europe comes in BiH
The BiH Presidency members and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Dragan Mikerevic said on Thursday upon returning from Strasbourg, where BiH became the 44th member of the Council of Europe, that authorities at all levels should meet their obligations coming from the accession to CoE, all BiH media report. Presidency Chairman Beriz Belkic said that nothing spectacular was going to happen immediately in the lives of BiH citizens. Presidency member Zivko Radisic said that the real fight for the affirmation and strengthening of BiH was just starting. “The membership presents a significant historical and social move for BiH and its citizens only if we secure prosperity and stabilization inside BiH, with the affirmation of the institutions of the legal system, citizens’ freedom and all other values,” Radisic said. Third member of the BiH Presidency Jozo Krizanovic said that it was necessary to work faster on securing of conditions for the rule of law and building of the institutions of the system. Dragan Mikerevic said that up until yesterday, politicians and institutions in BiH had the right for an error margin, while they do not have that right any more.
US Embassy to BiH, Croatian President, Russian Foreign Minister congratulate BiH authorities, citizens the accession to the Council of Europe
The U.S. Embassy on Thursday congratulated the people and authorities of BiH on the accession of BiH to the Council of Europe, ONASA and Sarajevo dailies report. According to a press release from the Embassy, membership in the Council of Europe represents an important achievement as BiH continues to advance on the path to full integration and membership in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. In acceding to the Council of Europe, BiH has committed itself to a broad range of steps in the areas of economic and judicial reform, human rights and refugee return. “We encourage the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue their determined efforts to meet the challenges of European integration,” the release read, adding that the United States remains committed to supporting and to cooperating with the international community and the BiH authorities to reach these objectives. Letters of congratulation were also sent to the BiH citizens and authorities by the Croatian President, Stjepan Mesic, and the Russian Foreign Minister, Igor Ivanov.
Federation
Dnevni Avaz: Investigation completed in case of AM Sped
Dnevni Avaz reports that the BiH Federation Financial Police investigation into the disputed pay-out of a deposit to the AM Sped Company in Orasje was completed and it undoubtedly revealed that the BiH Federation Budget had suffered loss of 1.7 million KM. The documentation about the investigation and its finding will be delivered to the authorized Federation bodies on Monday at the latest.
Dnevni List: Is HDZ turning into NHI?
Written by Marko Markovic (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Dnevni list carries this commentary related to session of Central board of HDZ BiH to be held today (Friday, April 26), which should decide on the future path of HDZ, concerning the October elections. The author says that there are three ways HDZ can go: to give leadership of the party to ‘moderate officials’, who are acceptable to International Community, and take part in the October elections; secondly, to take a path towards Croat Republic in BiH, if they keep their policy of protecting national interests; and thirdly, to organize a Party Convention, but the author says that there is not enough time for that. The author says that if HDZ accepts to take part in the October elections, their voters might understand that as recognition of the Sarajevo Agreement and imposed constitutional solutions, which bring Croats to the level of national minority. If they decide to go for the elections, continues the author, that would mean that they betrayed the Declaration of Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) that Croat people voted for in the last elections.
Vecernji List: Ivan Bender likely to become acting President of the HDZ BiH
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List reports that Ivan Bender, one of founders of the HDZ BiH, looks like a likely solution to the crisis in the HDZ BiH. The daily says Bender is looking good to become a new acting President of the party although it is expected that Niko Lozancic, a good friend of Ante Jelavic’s, will submit his candidacy for the post at the session of the HDZ Central Board that is to be held today. The Board should, according to some announcements, fill the party Presidency with new names, namely Ivan Madunic, Anto Spajic and Petar Majic. The daily also carries an anonymous source from the OHR who told the papers that appointment of Ivan Bender was unacceptable because it would represent return to the wartime labeling Bender a hard-liner and extremist. The source is quoted as saying that the OHR expects the HDZ BiH to convene a party Convention at which new leadership would be elected.
Slobodna Dalmacija: OHR says HDZ leadership knows what it must do to meet the amended election law requirements
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Slobodna Dalmacija reads that the Mostar Cantonal Court has not yet responded to a request from the HDZ BiH on extending of deadline for the (re)registration (of the HDZ BiH) whilst in the meantime the High Representative has taken a decision on eligibility of election candidate thus amending the BiH Election Law. Regarding the position of the HDZ, SD carries Mario Brkic, an OHR Sarajevo spokesperson, who told the paper that the HDZ knows what the procedure is like and what needs to be done in order to get out of this blind alley. “The leadership of the party does not make efforts to explain the position of the party to its members and supporters”, says Brkic. Regarding the changes related to application for registration of political parties Brkic says: “Members of central statutory bodies of political parties, as well as persons empowered by statutory bodies with a mandate to act on behalf of a party must be elected by an authorized assembly or a branch of a party in a proper procedure pursuant to a statute of a party” adding that these decisions have not been taken because of the HDZ or any other party in particular. “The aim of these decision is to clarify the overall situation prior to the forthcoming elections”, concludes Mario Brkic, reads Slobodna Dalmacija.
Republika Srpska
RS Public Prosecutor dismissed
At the proposal of the High Prosecutor’s Council, the Republika Srpska National Assembly on Thursday replaced state prosecutor Vojislav Dimitrijevic. Jovan Spajic, deputy to the outgoing entity state prosecutor, will carry out the duties until the successor has been appointed, Fena reported. At its session, the Assembly appointed Branko Kolar-Mijatovic, Zlatko Kulenovic and Franjo Crnjac to the posts of the RS ombudsmen.
PDP condemns the replacement of the RTRS director
The Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) of the Republika Srpska Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic on Thursday condemned in the sharpest terms the replacement of the RTRS director, Jelena Davidovic, adding that “such a way of sacking and appointing managers of media organizations is totally unacceptable,” SRNA news agency reports. The executive board of RTRS on Wednesday relieved of duty its director Jelena Davidovic and appointed Radomir Neskovic acting director. “RTRS is a media organization and it should demonstrate professionalism and impartiality as well as serve all the RS citizens. This is impossible to expect from the newly-appointed director whose political choice is clear and whose public addresses and writing has always served just one political option”, a statement by the PDP says. The statement does not state which political party the new RTRS director is close to. The statement also says that it is “obvious that the main criteria in the appointment was the compliance and the political correctness (of the candidate) rather than professionalism and impartiality.” The PDP says it believes that such decision by the RTRS executive board is “undemocratic and its aim is to put this media organization under the control of one party”. “It was evident from the last night’s news bulletin which kind of policy the new director will embrace as the news on criminal proceedings being started against the former prime minister (Milorad Dodik) was not reported at all”, the PDP says in the statement adding that it hopes that “the decision of the executive board would be condemned by the public”.
RTRS Trade Unions, veterans not accepting removal of RTRS General Manager
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Glas Srpski reports that the RTRS Trade Union and RTRS War Veterans’ Association issued a press release, which states that these two organizations do not accept the RTRS Board of Governors’ decision on the removal of former general manager of RTRS, Jelena Davidovic. The press release states that the RTRS Trade Union is not surprised with the decision on the removal of Jelena Davidovic made by a group of citizens who call themselves the RTRS Board of Governors. “During its mandate the RTRS Board of Governors has done everything to completely ruin the RTRS. With this move the RTRS BoG keeps making detrimental moves for the RTRS in a moment when the light has started to emerge at the end of the tunnel. This is very important to stress because ever since this TV station was founded, this is the first time that RTRS has a good chance of getting its own building”, reads the press release.
SNSD calls for urgent changes of Sarajevo Canton constitution
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
SRNA news agency reports that the regional committee of the Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) in Sarajevo has launched an initiative for amendments and addenda to the Sarajevo Canton constitution, in accordance with the amendments and addenda to the BiH Federation with the aim of protecting the interests of Serbs and returnees. According to the SNSD, “Amendment 52 to the BiH Federation Constitution Article 11 b stipulates that the principle amendments to the BiH Federation Constitution must be implemented on the level of cantons within nine months”. It also stipulates that bodies for the protection of the vital national interests should be formed on the level of cantons which would guarantee minimum national representation in the executive authorities. “Since the powers of the executive authorities in the canton are extensive and the returnees’ rights are not protected in any way, it is necessary to implement changes to the cantonal constitution in such way as to protect the returnees and citizens of Serb nationality from everyday violation of their rights,” the SNSD statement said. The statement warned that the constitutional commissions are continuing to work on the protection of vital national interests at the level of entities, while such instruments do not exist at the level of cantons, so even this fact necessitates changes to the cantonal constitution, without the deadline of nine months.
Mayor of Srpsko Novo Sarajevo says RS will build elementary school in Srpsko Sarajevo
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Glas Srpski quotes Mayor of the Srpsko Novo Sarajevo, Slavko Tosovic, as saying that he has not been officially informed that the construction of elementary school in Srpsko Sarajevo has been stopped. Glas Srpski reminds that the Office of the High Representative recommended to the Japanese Embassy to BiH not to allocate the money for the reconstruction of this school because, in OHR’s view, children from Srpsko Sarajevo should go to school in the Sarajevo Canton. (NB: this is something misconstrued) “The Sveti Sava Elementary School and the Srpsko Novo Sarajevo have absolutely nothing to do with the Sarajevo Canton. They are not also very well connected to the Srpska Ilidza Municipality”, said Tosevic. “If construction of the school in the Federation part of Dobrinja is a condition for allocation of the money, then children from Srpsko Novo Sarajevo will not be able to go to that school because it is too far away from the part of the municipality with the highest population density”, Tosovic said. He said he expected an official view from the OHR and the Japanese Government. “If the Japanese Government gives up on the construction of the school, the Srpsko Novo Sarajevo Municipality will start building it. We also believe that the RS Government will help us”, Tosovic said.
RS commission for missing persons discovers a mass grave in the Federation
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
The RS commission for missing persons discovered in the region of the village Jabuka in the BiH Federation a mass grave, in which mortal remains of the couple Milovan and Marija Skakavac, and the mortal remains of Rade Mastilo have been found, Glas srpski report. The exhumation is scheduled to take place today.
International Community
Zubak protests non-invitation of Croat representatives to the meeting with Ashdown
In a statement with Dnevni Avaz, the NHI President, Kresimir Zubak, said that non-attendance of the Croat representatives at the recent meeting with the incoming High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, in London was an absolutely unacceptable practice. “In addition, I presume that the meeting was organized (and invitations sent) by the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, and if he did this without knowledge of the Croat people’s representatives, than we have a lot of reasons to be worried,” Zubak said. Zubak added he would send a letter to Petritsch to point out at possible harm being made by such practice to the interests of the Croat people. Zubak concludes that, without the Croat representatives, the current situation in BiH could not be presented and discussed in an adequate way at the meeting. (See further reports on this issue on Monday, 29 April).
British Ambassador to BiH: Ashdown priorities to include fight against corruption in judiciary
In an interview with Dnevni Avaz, the British Ambassador to BiH, Ian Cliff, said that the priorities of the future High Representative of the international community in BiH, Paddy Ashdown, would include economic reform, the rule of law, as well as the reform of police and fight against the corruption in judiciary. Cliff emphasized that his country was intending to support Ashdown just as it had been supporting all other High Representatives, since they represented the international community in Bosnia, and not any particular country.
Vecernji List:What does reform of BiH judiciary bring to judges and lawyers?
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List reads that the OHR Sarajevo has a list of 250 judges and lawyers who will be subjected to disciplinary measures i.e. removal procedures. They are suspected of abusing their legal authorities for which they have achieved personal gain and which certain political structures benefited from. VL says that they took part in corruption, bribes, political blackmails, slowing down of return process, passed acquitting verdicts for persons from the criminal milieu, hid smuggling, took part in tax evasions etc. According to Donald Hays, Principal Deputy High Representative, there are rules and a group of investigators who will determine if there are legal reasons to replace them. “If the charges turn out to be accurate, criminal charges will be pressed against them”, says Hays. There are no data on names and positions due to the nature of the investigation, reads Vecernji List.
OHR: The “Pogorelica” case will retain with the Supreme Court and not transferred to the Cantonal Court
According to Dnevni Avaz, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, has informed the BiH Federation Supreme Court and the authorized prosecutor that the “Pogorelica” case would retain with the Supreme Court and that it would not been transferred to the authorized Cantonal Court. The newspaper quotes the OHR Spokesman, Patrik Volf, as saying that, due to a technical error, the charges regard “preparation of terrorist acts”, have not been included in the law on the Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The law was imposed by former High Representative, Carlos Westendorp, in 1999. “OHR feels obliged to correct this error,” Volf emphasized.
OHR, COMSFOR, UNHCR invite ambassadors to visit key return areas by helicopter on Tuesday
According to Dnevni Avaz, after a recent helicopter tour to key return sites in BiH had been cancelled due to poor weather conditions, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, COMSFOR General John Sylvester and UNHCR Chief of Mission Werner Blatter have again invited ambassadors of countries assisting with the return process to visit by helicopter key areas across the country on Tuesday. “The aim of the tour is to view progress in the return of displaced persons and refugees, including the implementation of property legislation, and also to hear first hand from returnees about their problems and concerns. This is the fifth such visit. Previous tours took place in September 1999, March 2000 and August 2000 and June last year,” the OHR Spokesman, Patrik Volf, told journalists in Sarajevo on Thursday.
Dnevni List: SFOR found 6,000 mortar-rounds in secret bunkers in East Mostar
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
In relation to the news from yesterday that SFOR has found artillery rounds somewhere near Mostar, today’s Dnevni List reads that SFOR discovered 6,000 mortar rounds stashed/walled in a basement in the “Djuro Salaj” textile factory in a village of Vrapcici near Mostar. The daily says that employees of the factory are not allowed to go in the other part of the factory or to give any statements. DL learns that SFOR troops have not entered the basement yet awaiting special units and IPTF experts. The daily comments on the news saying that SFOR has stayed silent about the whole affair and that that was the reason there was not an SFOR spokesperson at the last press conference of international organizations in Mostar. The article is accompanied by 4 photographs of the location depicting SFOR soldiers guarding the site.
SFOR recommends Karadzic to surrender
Asked to comment on the appearance of a letter allegedly written by Radovan Karadzic in a Belgrade newspaper, the SFOR spokesman, Major Scott Lundy, said at a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday, that SFOR knew of this letter only through the reports that it read in the media. “At this point we have not received the letter. The point that I would make is that SFOR has nothing to discuss with Mr. Karadzic, he is an indicted war criminal wanted by an internationally recognized legal body, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. He has a choice; he can give himself up to the local authorities or he can remain at large. SFOR would highly recommend he do the sensible thing and turn himself in,” Lundy emphasized, according to Oslobodjenje.
Del Ponte calls on SFOR to find Karadzic
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
RTRS Radio reports that the Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, called on SFOR to intensify the search for the former RS president, Radovan Karadzic. She told the SFOR Commander, General John Sylvester, that she expected that Karadzic would soon be arrested in order to stand trial before The Hague Tribunal. During her visit to Spain, Del Ponte said that she had suggested to the EU that it should exert pressure on Yugoslavia to cooperate with the Tribunal.
Reuters: UN sacks four Bosnia police over wartime killings
The U.N. mission said on Thursday it had sacked four police officers in BiH suspected of having taken taking part in killings and torture during the 1992-95 war. Three Serb policemen were removed for involvement in mass killings, torture and detentions of Bosniaks in southern and western BiH, U.N. police spokesman Stefo Lehmann said at a press conference in Sarajevo. One Bosniak officer was dismissed because he was a guard at a detention camp where Serbs were tortured and killed. Lehmann said the U.N. police mission had urged the local judiciary to take legal action against the men. The move brought to 29 the number of Bosnian police removed because of what they did during Europe’s worst conflict since World War Two, most of them Serbs, he told reporters.
Two of the Serb officers, Zeljko Dragic and Goran Dunovic, worked in the western town of Kljuc during the war. Together with Serb army soldiers, Kljuc police allegedly killed 220 civilians from a nearby village in July 1992, Lehmann said, adding that 32 of the bodies were exhumed from a mass grave. Reports also indicate that members of the Kljuc police were involved in other mass killings in the municipality, in particular during 1992,” he said. The third Serb police officer, Bosko Govedarica, was police chief in the southeastern town of Kalinovik where non-Serbs were “arrested, detained and subjected to both physical and psychological mistreatment”, Lehmann said. “There were also instances of mass killings of persons detained in the Kalinovik area.” Bosniak wartime military police officer Almir Nuhic served as a guard in the Celebici detention camp, “where civilians were killed, tortured, sexually assaulted, beaten and otherwise subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment”, Lehmann said.
Reuters: Milosevic’s army chief surrenders to Hague court
Former Yugoslav army commander General Dragoljub Ojdanic surrendered to The Hague war crimes tribunal on Thursday to face charges of committing war crimes in Kosovo under the orders of Slobodan Milosevic. Ojdanic, the first senior Serbian figure indicted by the court to give himself up, was taken into custody at the tribunal’s detention centre in The Hague after flying to the Netherlands from Belgrade, a tribunal spokesman said. Ojdanic says he will prove his innocence. A further five indictees are preparing to follow him to The Hague, where ex-president Milosevic is already on trial. The general, who served for 41 years, commanded the Yugoslav armed forces during the 1998-99 campaign against Kosovo Albanian insurgents. He says the army conducted itself there in accordance with the law, the constitution and all international war conventions. “On his arrival at the detention unit Mr Ojdanic will undergo the usual checking-in procedure which includes informing him again of the charges and all the rights offered to him by the tribunal,” court spokesman Jim Landale said. Ojdanic is expected to make his initial appearance at the United Nations war crimes tribunal on Friday. He will be asked to plead to charges of helping to spearhead a campaign to force around 800,000 ethnic Albanians out of Kosovo in 1999.
Dnevni List: Removed politicians announce they will launch procedures against Wolfgang Petritsch before European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Dnevni List carries information that Stiepo Andrijic, Ante Jelavic, Marko Tokic, Ivo Andric-Luzanski, Petar Milic, Ivan Ivic and other Croat officials prepared 160 charges to file against Wolfgang Petritsch as private persons. DL adds that Serbs and Bosniaks announced their charges too. In respond to this, DL carries Spokesperson of OHR South Avis Benes as saying that many preconditions, for those charges to be even taken into consideration, have not been fulfilled. Benes said that nobody can file a complaint to the European Court for Human Rights if his/her country did not ratify the European Convention on Human Rights, which happens after admission of the country to the Council of Europe. Secondly, charges can not be pressed against an individual, but only against states. According to Dnevni list, Benes said that cases mentioned in this article are not appropriate to be taken into consideration before the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg because they happened before Convention ratification, and the Court does not take cases retroactively.
Headlines
Oslobodjenje
- A Croatian lobby prolongs oil control in BiH?
Dnevni Avaz
- While waiting for a Supreme Court’s ruling: Are Alispahic, Mujezinovic and Ljevakovic in home custody?
Jutarnje Novine
- After era of Dayton, BiH is entering the era of Europe
Dnevni List
- Dnevni list discovers: SFOR found 6.000 mortar-rounds in secret bunkers in East Mostar
- Interview- Zeljka Antunovic, Deputy Prime Minister of Croatian Government: We are helping Croats in BiH with 25 million Kuna
- After admission of BiH to the Council of Europe, hundreds of removed politicians announced to file charges against Wolfgang Petritsch before the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg: Jelavic, Tokic and Luzanski cannot sue Petritsch?!
Vecernji List
- The biggest Croat party in BiH seeking a way out: Ivan Bender to take over HDZ?
- Reform of the judicial system in BiH: Removal of 250 judges over criminal activities
- Nobel-prize winner and money: Andric on banknote of 200 KM ‘by mistake’
Glas Srpski
- RS Ministry of Tourism and Trade closes 6 gas stations because of misuse of official seal;
- Ojdanic first arrives in The Hague;