- Incidents in regard of the Algerians extradition result in one killed person and eight seriously injured policemen
- SDA accuses Alliance of human rights violation in case of “Algerian Group” deportation
- Requests for extraordinary session of the BiH Helsinki Committee Assembly
- Leaders of the major BiH political parties meet on Mrakovica near Prijedor
- Reactions to the meeting of BiH political leaders on Mrakovica in Sarajevo dailies
- Coverage of the Mrakovica meeting and reaction to it in RS media
- SGV BiH President says Entity Parliaments hold political responsibility for the constitutional reforms
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Interview with Nikola Grabovac, a Deputy Prime Minister of the BiH Federation
- BiH Federation House of Peoples amends the entity Law on Citizenship
- The Eronet’s capital still disputed
- Approximately 6,500 Serbs returned to the Sanski Most municipality
- A round table discussion on the Ivan Lovrenovic’s book “A Cultural History” held in Sarajevo
- RS National Assembly Collegium waits for a written BiH Presidency position on the 2002 state Budget
- An operation to apprehend Karadzic and Mladic starts
- Dnevni List:
Karadzic greets the New Year in the company of French diplomats at Yugoslav Navy warship - Vecernji List: Mafia triggered by 5 million US$ offered for Karadzic and Mladic
- Vecernji List: Interview with Mladen Ivanic, the President of the RS Government
- RS government accepts Croatian decision on corridors for oil transport
- Petritsch demands full transparency in spending funds intended for the return of refugees
- Hays and Sonn visit Mostar
- IJC on the status of the BiH Federation Constitutional Court
- Former BiH interior minister allegedly key witness to crimes against Serbs
- Democratic Party requests investigation on Delimustafic’s involvement in the killing of JNA soldiers
- FRY foreign minister says FRY should not get involved in BiH polemic about BiH law-suit against FRY
- Oslobodjenje and Dnevni Avaz
- Dnevni List: Accession of BiH to the Council of Europe requires urgent constitutional reforms
- Vecernji List: BiH under silent sanctions of the West
- Jutarnji List: Maja’s Croatia
BiH State-related Issues
Incidents in regard of the Algerians extradition result in one killed person and eight seriously injured policemen
According to the Saturday’s Oslobodjenje front-page story, the clashes between the police and the protesters early on last Friday in regard of the extradition of the “Algerian Group” resulted in a killed person and eight seriously injured policemen. The newspaper has learned this from a source who “monitored” the conflict. However, Oslobodjenje could not get the official confirmation of this information. As Oslobodjenje again dedicated two Theme of the Day pages to the “Algerian Group” case, also reporting on the latest protests held in front of the BiH common institutions building in Sarajevo on Friday, Dnevni Avaz not very prominently (the ninth page) just reported that around 70 mainly young men and women had gathered to protest the last week’s extradition f the Algerians.
SDA accuses Alliance of human rights violation in case of “Algerian Group” deportation
According to Saturday’s Oslobodjenje, the SDA on Friday again accused the governing Alliance for Change of serious human rights violations during the procedure of the “Algerian Group” deportation. “The current authorities obviously abused human rights, when they contrary to the country’s valid laws and an Human Rights Chamber order handed over the six persons, ” the party’s general secretary, Sefik Dzaferovic, told journalists in Sarajevo. Asked whether the SDA was responsible for the current developments since, as the SDP claimed, the former authorities had issued passports to the foreign citizens without proper control, Dzaferovic said that all decisions awarding the foreigners with the BiH citizenship status had been made in compliance with the law.
Requests for extraordinary session of the BiH Helsinki Committee Assembly
Due to various pressures to which the BiH Helsinki Human Rights Committee has been subject to lately, 30 members of the Committee’s assembly have asked the steering board to immediately convene an extraordinary session of the assembly. “We are witnesses that the work of the Committee has been a subject of pressure by local and international authorities, and by certain members of the Committee, which requires an opinion of the assembly,” read a statement from the assembly. The signatories of the request say they fully support the work of the Committee, based on principles of full respect and protection of human rights, Constitution and law. “Human rights are universal, or there are no such rights,” read the statement. The request was signed by Senad Pecanin, Fadil Ademovic, Jovan Divjak, Zija Dizdarevic, Vlatko Dolocek, Muhamed Dzemidzic, Mehmed Halilovic, Boro Kontic, Adil Kulenovic, Zarko Papic, Borjana Prstojevic, Gajo Sekulic, Petar Skert, Slobodan Stajic, Slavko Santic, Izet Sarajlic, Enver Kazaz, Mirko Sagolj, Fuad Hadzihalilovic, Zlata Kurt, Mithat Uscuplic, Dzemal Rezakovic, Hanifa Kapidzic-Osmanagic, Rikardo Filk, Jasna Hadzic, Zlatko Dizdarevic, Affan Ramic, Amir Jakic, Vildana Jakic and Nijaz Skenderagic. The steering board is to meet on Monday, according to the ONASA news agency.
Leaders of the major BiH political parties meet on Mrakovica near Prijedor
The leaders of the eight major political parties from the BiH Federation and the Republika Srpska met on Mrakovica near Prijedor on Friday to discuss all aspects of the constitutional reforms in the country. The meeting was attended by SDP BiH President Zlatko Lagumdzija, Party for BiH Presidency Chairman Safet Halilovic, SDA President Sulejman Tihic, NHI President Kresimir Zubak, Member of the HDZ BiH Presidency Niko Lozancic (BiH Federation), PDP leader Mladen Ivanic, SDS Presidency President Dragan Kalinic and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik (Republika Srpska). Saturday’s Oslobodjenje learned from well-informed sources that they had failed to agree on the introduction of the House of Peoples in the RS as an adequate system to protect vital interests of all peoples in the Entity in accordance with the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision on the constituent peoples. However, the political leaders concluded to meet again in seven days in Sarajevo and continue the discussion.
Reactions to the meeting of BiH political leaders on Mrakovica in Sarajevo dailies
According to the Sunday’s Oslobodjenje, President of the Party for BiH Presidency Safet Halilovic, who took part in the Friday’s meeting on Mrakovica of the eight BiH political leaders, told a press conference in Sarajevo on Saturday that his party still insisted on the formation of the House of Peoples in the Republika Srpska. Another participant at the meeting, the SDA President, Sulejman Tihic, told Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz that all major political parties in BiH were maintaining their previous position regarding the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision on the constituent peoples. However, Niko Lozancic, the HDZ BiH Presidency member, said in a statement for the newspaper that his party had not expected spectacular results to be achieved and resolutions to be found at the first meeting of this kind.
Coverage of the Mrakovica meeting and reaction to it in RS media
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
– Parties from both entities hold talks on constitutional changes
Weekend editions of both Banja Luka dailies carried press release, issued by RS Government, which states that representatives of eight political parties from the RS and the BiH Federation expressed readiness during today’s talks in Mrakovica, near Prijedor, to try by themselves and without mediation of the international community, to find solutions which are important for the future of the country. The statement says that the representatives of the eight political parties during the several-hour-long talks have exchanged opinions on the constitutional issues and tried to find solutions which would be acceptable to all. The representatives of the political parties agreed that the decision of the BiH Constitutional Court on constituent status of people should be implemented as soon as possible in order to ensure the protection of all constituent nations. A readiness was expressed to include in the constitutions of both entities the international standards which would bring us closer to the European integration, the statement said. “Nezavisne novine” quotes president of SDP BiH and BiH Foreign Minister, Zlatko Lagumdzija, as saying prior to the meeting that he believes that the solution for the constitutional changes will be found. He also emphasized that majorization of any nation should be avoided, if BiH wants to become a normal European country. President of SDA and Deputy RS NA Speaker, Sulejman Tihic, says that all options are possible including the readiness of Bosnaik side to give up on the 1991 Census if all sides agree on symmetrical solutions in both entities. However, Tihic said he would keep insisting on the 1991 Census to be taken as a basis for power distribution. On the other hand, RS NA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic says that the SDS takes the 1991 Census with a grain of salt. “We think that election results should be a basis for power distribution and that is a fair offer. Elections illustrate the will of people”, said Kalinic and added that meetings like this one require a great deal of tolerance and readiness of all parties to give up on their maximal demands.
– RS Prime Minister says constitutional changes cannot be imposed
Federation TV quotes RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, as saying that much patience would be needed before a compromise on constitutional changes can be reached, adding that if the parties failed to find a solution within the next months, contentious issues would be debated by the parliaments of the two entities. Once again, Ivanic rejected the possibility that constitutional changes might be imposed. “My view is – and I stated it clearly before all the participants – that the constitutional changes can be legitimate only if supported by a two-thirds majority of the RS National Assembly and the BiH Federation Parliament. Any kind of attempt to impose them would be an illusion and would not produce the desired outcome. That is why I have insisted that a totally different kind of atmosphere be created instead of the current atmosphere which implies exclusivity.
– RS NA Speaker says no concrete results reached at Mrakovica party talks
SRNA news agency quotes RS NA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic, as saying on Saturday that the standpoints of eight parliamentary parties from the RS and the BiH Federation on changes to the RS Constitution – after yesterday’s Mrakovica meeting – “are still far from concrete solutions”. Kalinic said that the parties from the federation had insisted that solutions for the constitutions of the BiH Federation and the RS should be symmetrical, while the Serb side believed that this was not necessary if the essence of the problem could be tackled by the current constitutional provisions and amendments. He said that at the Mrakovica meeting the participants were in agreement on the position that “all citizens in the RS and the BiH Federation should be able to run for all posts at all levels in BiH, irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliation”. “All parties were in agreement that top European standards should be applied for the protection of human rights and liberties and that they should be incorporated in both constitutions,” Kalinic said. According to him, he gained an impression at the meeting that representatives of the parties from the BiH Federation had the intention to propose that the constitutions of the entities and the BiH Constitution be discussed together as a package, while the RS parties’ stance was that this matter was not within the jurisdiction of the BiH Constitutional Court. Kalinic said that all participants of the Mrakovica meeting were in agreement that this meeting should not be a substitute for the continued public discussion of the draft amendments to the RS constitution and added that he was optimistic that the next meeting of this kind would produce concrete solutions.
– RS ex-premier says his party cannot accept any imposed solutions
Chairman of the Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) Milorad Dodik said in Serb Sarajevo on Saturday that the SNSD would not accept any possible solutions which could be imposed in connection with constitutional changes, even if they were imposed by High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch himself. In a statement for SRNA Dodik said he expected that parties from the BiH Federation and the RS – at a meeting to be held on Friday 1 February in Sarajevo – would reach an agreement on this issue without the mediation of the international community. He recalled that at the Mrakovica meeting yesterday between eight parliamentary parties from the BiH Federation and the RS a feeling prevailed that a compromise solution must be found in connection with constitutional changes, and described this as a positive fact. “The SNSD believes that it would be unacceptable if the basis for setting up authorities was the 1991 census,” Dodik said, adding that the structure of the newly-elected parliament should be translated into the executive bodies. The SNSD chairman also underlined the problem in connection with the use and the name of the Bosnian language.
– Federation president says all-party talks to continue
Weekend edition of “Nezavisne novine” quotes president of the Party for BiH Presidency and BiH Federation President, Safet Halilovic as saying on Saturday that Friday night’s meeting of the leading political parties from the BiH Federation and the RS in Mrakovica passed in good ambience, and that the parties expressed readiness to reach an agreement on more rapid changes in the entity constitutions on their own, without international community mediation. “It was concluded that the issues of symmetric solutions for both entities, House of Peoples, Council of Peoples, or constitutions commissions, vital national interests and the issue of criteria for participation in the entity authority be solved as soon as possible and in line with the European standards, BiH Constitution and consensus,” Halilovic said. He told reporters in Sarajevo that the representatives of the Party for BiH advocated rapid and full implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court ruling on the constituent status of people based on symmetric solutions in both entities as a guarantee for the equality of all people and human rights protection. “We will not support cosmetic changes of the constitutions, as the RS has offered, which do not remove the consequences of the genocide committed in this entity,” he added. According to Halilovic, the party will insist that the BiH Federation parliamentary constitutional commission by the end of the month at the latest ends the work on amendments to the Federation Constitution, and that the procedure of discussing and adopting the amendments be opened in the parliament. He said the representatives of the parties will meet again in seven days in Sarajevo to continue talks aiming to harmonize opinions on constitutional changes.
– SDA official rules out compromise on RS government
The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) spokesman, Sefik Dzaferovic, told SRNA on Friday that any compromise on the SDA request for setting up a government based on the 1991 population census in BiH was not possible. “It is impossible to form a government based on election results, because they show participation of parties within the government, while participation of constituent and other peoples can only be based on the last official census in BiH,” Dzaferovic said before a meeting on the constitutional changes in the RS held in Mrakovica on the mountain Kozara. He emphasized that the SDA request was to enable equality for all peoples and citizens throughout BiH. “This can be achieved by setting up a government in BiH and the entities in accordance with the last census,” Dzaferovic said. The SDA also requested the same solutions in both entities regarding bodies for the protection of vital national interests. Dzaferovic confirmed that the SDA chairman, Sulejman Tihic, would be present at the meeting.
– SPRS official says party left out of talks on constitutional changes
Both Banja Luka dailies quote secretary general of the Socialist Party of the RS (SPRS), Drago Vucic, as saying that organizers and participants of the meeting in Mrakovica granted themselves the exclusive right to make decisions on issues of vital importance for the BiH peoples”, adding that representatives of the SPRS had not been invited to take part in the meeting. According to him, neither the leadership and the chairman of the SPRS, Zivko Radisic, nor the chairman of the RS NA Constitutional Commission, Miroslav Mikes, had been invited to take part in the meeting. “By leaving out and sidelining significant political forces of the RS and the BiH Federation in talks on important constitutional changes, the organizers and participants of the meeting have not only taken upon themselves the exclusive right to decide on this matter but also the responsibility for a final solution and its consequences,” Vucic said.
SGV BiH President says Entity Parliaments hold political responsibility for the constitutional reforms
According to Sunday’s Oslobodjenje, Mirko Pejanovic, the President f the Serb Civic Council (SGV BiH) told the Bosniak Intellectuals Congress Council in Sarajevo on Saturday that the Entity Parliaments were now holding responsibility for the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision on the equal constitutional status of all three peoples on the entire country’s territory. “The High Representative may exert more pressures on the entity authorities thereby avoiding a situation in which he would be in a position to take over their responsibility and impose solutions,” Pejanovic said.
Federation
Slobodna Dalmacija: Interview with Nikola Grabovac, a Deputy Prime Minister of the BiH Federation
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Q: Is it possible that the Hercegovacka Bank case will be resolved soon and when does the Federation Government expect to get back 17 million Marks that were deposited on the account with this bank?
A: I will be more precise. It is 17, 2 million Marks of the funds from the BiH Federation budget, 14,5 million Marks of the funds from the Pension Fund Mostar, 7 million Marks from the Federation Army and in total is about 40 million Marks. Also, I would like to remind that a few other Ministries and Agencies have smaller funds deposited with Hercegovacka Bank. The agreement with Hercegovacka Bank does not exist because the Provisional Administrator has not completed the report on the results of the investigation or the program on the payment of these funds yet. My objection has always been the same: the Federation beneficiaries have been treated as big depositors and they do not want to pay them back their money, while at the same time the High Representative has changed the Law and proclaimed to pay out the small depositors, whose deposits amount up to 5000 Marks. They simply neglected the fact that we have 400 000 pensioners. It is also about the savings that amount to 100 and 120 Marks. However, objectively, there is nothing that we can do until the report is completed, until the payments are made because, probably, Hercegovacka Bank distributed these funds in the loans they granted and those, who were granted with the loans, will have to pay them back through Hercegovacka Bank, and from these funds we would get our money back.
Q: At the last SDA press conference this party stated that Bosniaks are marginalized in the BiH Federation not only in terms of politics but in terms of finances as well, that the Croat financial lobby has been established in the BiH Federation and that you, concretely, give preference to the Cantons with a Croat majority, and treat them in a different way than the Cantons with the Bosniak majority. How do you comment on these accusations?
A: It is just a continuation of ungrounded accusations. Either the Ministry of Finances or I cannot influence as to how much money someone will pay in on incomes. The incomes that are being paid in from the Cantons are not the incomes of the Federation budget, but they are the incomes of the budget of each of the Cantons. Each Canton has a Tax Administration that conducts an inspection. The Head of the Tax Administration in the Herzegovina Neretva Canton is a Bosniak and I doubt, and you can also ask her, that she has ever received some instructions not to conduct the inspection in the same proportion on the Croat and Bosniak side respectively. The situation is similar on the other territories.
When we are talking about the financial lobby, it should be clear that the Heads of the most of the banks in Sarajevo are Bosniaks, and that there are no such financial lobbies. If some lobbies were established they were established at the time when the HDZ and SDA were in power.
BiH Federation House of Peoples amends the entity Law on Citizenship
Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz reports that a provision is being incorporated in the BiH Federation Law on Citizenship, which stipulates that the citizenship status given to the foreigners can be annulled in case of committing a crime which damages BiH vital interests. The provision is included in the draft amendments to the Law adopted recently by the BiH Federation House of Peoples.
The Eronet’s capital still disputed
According to Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz, although the BiH Federation Government adopted a decision to divide the HPT Mostar on the Postal Service and Telecom determining the structure of the capital, the final resolution of the dispute over the HPT structure is still far away. In order to fully complete the HPT restructuring and its preparation for the privatization, it is necessary to resolve the dispute related to the ownership over the 51 percent Eronet’s capital, which were two years ago given by than Eronet management to Hercegovina Osiguranje, Croherc and Alpina Komerc as a debt payment. The new Steering Board and management of the HPT have been unsuccessfully trying for months to receive back the lost Eronet shares, which is among ther things a pre-condition for the Mostar-based GSM operator to get the third GSM license without tender. The main obstacle to realize these intentions is Toby Robinson, the Provisional Administrator of Hercegovacka Banka, which is through Hercegovina Osiguranje and Croherc a 40-percent owner of Eronet. “I have not talked to Ms Robinson, neither I intend to do so, but according to the information I possess she is still prepared only to sell the disputed shares and not to bring them back,” HPT Steering Board President Slavo Kukic told Dnevni Avaz.
Approximately 6,500 Serbs returned to the Sanski Most municipality
Sunday’s Oslobodjenje reports that more than 6,500 pre-war citizens of the Serb nationality have returned so far to the municipality of Sanski Most. A Republika Srpska delegation headed by Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic visited the area of return on Saturday to meet with Sanski Most Mayor Mesud Sabic and representatives of the returnees and discuss their problems, including the slow process of the houses reconstruction, health insurance and payment of pensions. As a RS Government contribution to the return process, a construction material for repairing 22 housing units was delivered on the occasion. Ivanic said that this was just the first delivery and that there would be yet assistance of such kind in this year.
A round table discussion on the Ivan Lovrenovic’s book “A Cultural History” held in Sarajevo
Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz reports that a round table discussion was held in Sarajevo on Saturday in regard of the publication of the English version of Ivan Lovrenovic’s book entitled “A Cultural History.” Taking part in the discussion organized by the Bosna International Forum, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, said that some of his strategies had been inspired by Lovrenovic’s book.
Republika Srpska
RS National Assembly Collegium waits for a written BiH Presidency position on the 2002 state Budget
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Weekend editions of both Banja Luka dailies quote Speaker of the RS National Assembly, Dragan Kalinic, as saying that at the session scheduled for 30 January, the Collegiate Body of the RS NA will make the final decision on the possible convening of a special session of the RS NA with regard to the veto that Zivko Radisic, the member of the BiH Presidency from the RS, has imposed on an article of this year’s proposed budget of the BiH institutions relating to the financing of the BiH agent in the BiH law-suit against Yugoslavia. Kalinic said that the members of the National Assembly’s Collegiate Body had decided that it was necessary to request the BiH Presidency, that is, the Presidency Chairman Beriz Belkic, a position, in writing, on whether the Presidency had adopted any decisions concerning the proposed budget of the BiH institutions at the session held on 18 January. “We will consider the adopted decision even if the Presidency had established by outvoting, that is, with the votes of the Croat and Bosniak representatives, that it adopts the proposed budget”, said Kalinic. He also said that explanations were necessary since the BiH Constitution specifies that a veto imposed by a member of the Presidency should be considered by the RS parliament within 10 days, but only after it has received the Presidency’s decision on which the veto had been imposed. Kalinic said that some members of the RS NA Collegiate body are of view that conditions for new RS NA session have not been met, while some other members demanded that the session should be automatically convened, explaining that the chairman of the RS National Assembly had received a letter from Zivko Radisic, member of the BiH Presidency, which, as they said, is sufficient to convene a National Assembly session. According to Kalinic, the large number of the RS NA Collegiate body members agreed that it is necessary to request a full documentation.
An operation to apprehend Karadzic and Mladic starts
According to Saturday’s Oslobodjenje, Bozidar Spasic, former high-ranking agent of the Yugoslav State Security Service, on Friday told the Banja Luka Nes radio-station that the operation called Hawk was underway, whose final goal was apprehension of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. He said that a senior US Administration representative had recently visited FRY President Vojislav Kostunica and Montenegrin leader Milo Djukanovic requesting that the authorities under their jurisdiction close certain corridors to be used in the Hawk operation. Spasic emphasized there were indications that the British special forces were involved in the operation together with the Americans. He added that according to his knowledge the operation should be completed during the upcoming spring.
Dnevni List: Karadzic greets the New Year in the company of French diplomats at Yugoslav Navy warship
Written by Zoran Bosnjak (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Dnevni List says international sources have confirmed that the French have been excluded from the new action of arresting Radovan Karadzic and that the British and the Americans are in charge of the action. The French have no access to the information of the course of the action, which could only be interpreted as a distrust of their British-American partners, says Dnevni List.
The daily quotes a source close to an embassy and international representatives in BiH in general, as saying that Radovan Karadzic, together with his wife Ljilja Zelen-Karadzic, on the New Year’s Eve, hosted French diplomats accredited in the region of the Balkans, a few senior officials from the FRY and the RS and some senior officers of the Yugoslav Navy, at a Yugoslav warship on the open sea.
Radovan Karadzic is communicating with his trusty associates and this is testified by the fact that his friends publicized his new book of poems, written in 2001, in Novi Sad last week. While Karadzic was greeting the New Year, the bounty hunters, in spite of the $ 5 million reward, were (un)intentionally looking for him in another place.
Vecernji List: Mafia triggered by 5 million US$ offered for Karadzic and Mladic
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List reads that the Yugoslav authorities are ready to join the operation aimed at capturing Karadzic and Mladic. According to information coming from Belgrade, the US Ambassador to Yugoslavia, William Montgomery, exerted pressure on Vojislav Kostunica and Milo Djukanovic requesting their full cooperation in capturing general Mladic and Radovan Karadzic. The secret operation of seizing the two started under the code name “Hawk”. According to the daily the operation is conducted by American rangers, British SAS and Yugoslav intelligence service that has been following Mladic’s movements for years already. According to the latest information available, Mladic was last time spotted at a wedding party in Valjevo in Serbia. When it comes to Karadzic, it would appear that Karadzic spends most of his time in the RS along the border with Yugoslavia. The article is concluded with the story that Vecernji List learned from their Belgrade colleagues from “Danas” papers according to which the Mafia circles in Serbia are rubbing their hands with joy and starting their preparations to capture Karadzic and Mladic following the 5 million US$ reward offered for the two. Sources close to the IC say that Radovan Karadzic’s hideout is located on Mount Zelengora (east Bosnia) where he is being guarded by a very strong personal guard including special forces, military police, a part of the RS Army, intelligence and local population.
Vecernji List: Interview with Mladen Ivanic, the President of the RS Government
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
‘I do not have any information or even indications that Radovan Karadzic is on the territory of the RS, although, I cannot claim that he is not there, either.’
Talking about the meeting, which was held recently on Kozara, Ivanic stated that the most important thing is that local politicians start making decisions on the BiH destiny using compromises. ‘It was obvious that, first of all, there is a high degree of the agreement reached among the parties that are mostly coming from the line of the Bosniak people, while a similar, but less expressed, indirect agreement comes from the parties, that are representing the Croat and Serb peoples respectively. This is obvious, however, during the meeting no significant agreement was reached. I am not a big optimist, but I believe that it is possible to make certain progress.’
Q: Recently, you have talked with Ante Jelavic, a removed HDZ President, over phone?
A: We have talked about the preparations for this meeting, about the way of the HDZ representing because of a specific position that this party has found itself after its leaders had problems with the High Representative. I have to say that Jelavic reacted in a very correct way and made possible that Niko Lozancic represents the HDZ. I would not have opposed if Jelavic had participated in the talks. I believe that bans are not in accordance with the basic principles of democracy. In my opinion, the HDZ has a certain power, and that power is the important one, although they do not participate in the Authority. However, the HDZ received a big support of the citizens and this fact should be accepted no matter if someone likes the party’s program or not. It would be very difficult for us to accept the forming of the third entity because it is certain that the third entity would be formed at the cost of the Serb people. However, if the RS would not suffer any consequences, we would have nothing against it.
Our orientation is that all people from the RS are treated as citizens, with all possible human rights. However, to use the constitutional reforms to remove the part of the Dayton Peace Agreement, that the RS defined as the key framework that represents a guarantee of equality to the Serb people, this aspect will never be acceptable for us. An attempt to introduce the House of Peoples, that showed to be completely inefficient in the Federation, is not acceptable for us.
Q: What will happen if the HR decides to introduce the House of Peoples in the RS?
A: I think that the constitutional changes take place only when a two thirds majority vote for them. None representative of the international institutions has a mandate to create the Constitution, because it would be more than a protectorate. Many parties believe that the HR will be forced to introduce the House of Peoples in the RS
If it happens that seven years after the DPA the HR tries to pass such a decision then it would be a very negative message, that would show more than anything that has happened so far, that the existence of BiH as a state is questionable.
RS government accepts Croatian decision on corridors for oil transport
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies report that the RS Government concluded at its session that the decision adopted by the Croatian government allowing the transport of oil and petroleum products to BiH across the designated corridors and border crossings is acceptable to the RS and BiH. The RS Government’s public relations office has reported on Friday that, considering the decisions adopted by the BiH Council of Ministers concerning the Croatian government regulations of the transport of oil and petroleum products, the RS government proposed that the CoM urgently change its decisions on the temporary measures on the import of oil and petroleum products and that the entities’ governments adopt adequate decisions with which they should determine the obligatory routes for the road transport of petroleum products. It was concluded that the CoM’s decision banning the import of oil and petroleum products may result in harmful consequences since, in view of the blockade on the import of petroleum products, the entities’ budgets have lost significant revenue, and there is also a danger of major disturbances in supplying the market with these goods. The government concluded that Croatia’s earlier decision on the transport of these goods was one-sided and that it was not in accordance with the agreement on free trade between BiH and Croatia, the statement emphasizes.
International Community
Petritsch demands full transparency in spending funds intended for the return of refugees
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, on Thursday issued a Decision requiring Ministers in both Entities to notify the BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees on the use of funds allocated to refugee return. In addition, the Decision requires the Republika Srpska authorities to examine whether the funds allocated in the draft budget for refugee return are sufficient for the RS to carry out its obligations under the Dayton Peace Agreement. In this context, the High Representative welcomed the fact that Prime Minister Ivanic had expressed his readiness to expand by four million KM the funds allocated so far for refugee return in the RS 2002 budget. (All Sarajevo and both Banja Luka dailies carried the Press Release on Saturday)
Hays and Sonn visit Mostar
Dnevni Avaz and Jutarnje Novine report that the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, and the Senior Deputy High Representative, Matthias Sonn, on Friday visited Mostar, where they met with the town’s mayor, Neven Tomic, and his deputy, Hamdija Jahic. “We want to help Mostar leaders to successfully implement a plan pretty similar to the one we have. It contains priorities including the acceleration of the return process, reform of the judicial system, modernization and unification of the education system, acceleration of the fight against the crime and creation of favorable opportunities to open new jobs, ” Hays said at a press conference held in the Mostar Hotel Ero following the meeting.
IJC on the status of the BiH Federation Constitutional Court
According to Sunday’s Oslobodjenje, the Independent Judicial Commission (IJC) warned Vlado Adamovic, the president of the federal commission for the appointment of judges, that, yet in January last year, the mandate of the nine former BiH Federation Constitutional Court judges had expired.
Former BiH interior minister allegedly key witness to crimes against Serbs
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
The head of the Center for Investigating Crimes against Serbs, Milivoje Ivanisevic, has told the Belgrade-based daily Nacional that the former interior minister of BiH, Alija Delimustafic, is one of the key witnesses to numerous war crimes committed against Serbs in Sarajevo. “Delimustafic certainly knew about the existence of 127 prison-camps in Sarajevo and he knows who ordered and carried out the crimes against Serbs. Our center is prepared to hand over documents, containing reports about 5,500 victims, to the competent bodies in Belgrade,” Ivanisevic said. He added that he did not expect an investigation to be launched. Ivanisevic said that ICTY investigators had told him that Naser Oric (Bosniak war-time commander of Srebrenica) and Alija Delimustafic visited Yugoslavia in the mid-1990s. Ivanisevic added that they had arrived with illegal documents – thousands of former Yugoslav (blank) passports had remained in Sarajevo.
Democratic Party requests investigation on Delimustafic’s involvement in the killing of JNA soldiers
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Weekend edition of Nezavisne Novine reports the Democratic Party (DS, led by Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic) will support the initiative for forming a commission in the Serbian parliament which should investigate the commanding responsibility of (former BiH interior minister) Alija Delimustafic concerning the attacks against the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) in Dobrovoljacka Street in Sarajevo in 1992 and against soldiers and civilians in Tuzla in 1992, a DS official, Goran Vesic, has announced. The commission should also investigate the claims that Delimustafic is connected with certain politicians from the former and current power structures. Goran Vesic said that the investigation regarding Delimustafic’s responsibility for deaths of soldiers was under the jurisdiction of the military prosecutor’s office.
FRY foreign minister says FRY should not get involved in BiH polemic about BiH law-suit against FRY
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
FRY foreign minister, Goran Svilanovic told SRNA news agency that the FRY should not participate in the polemic that has been going on within BiH in regard to financing of the agent who represents BiH in the law-suit against the FRY, because this is the internal BiH issue. He also said that, regardless of the law-suit, the FRY want to normalize relations with BiH as soon as possible.
Editorials
Oslobodjenje and Dnevni Avaz
In the Saturday’s Oslobodjenje In Focus editorial, Gojko Beric wrote that the war in BiH had not been of a religious nature, but that the religion had however been an important aspect of the bloody conflict. “Eyewitnesses claim that the warriors holding religious symbols around their necks expressed the largest enthusiasm in destroying churches and mosques,” Beric concluded. Mirko Sagolj concluded in another Saturday’s Oslobodjenje editorial that even double aggression on BiH (from the Yugoslav and Croatian side) had not caused such a polarization among the ordinary citizens as had the case of the so called “Algerian Group” and its deportation. Husein Orahovac commented in the Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz Commentary of the Day on the meeting of BiH political leaders on Mrakovica near Prijedor. He wrote that if High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch is to be in a position to impose the amendments to the Entity Constitutions, the international reputation of the current authorities would be significantly reduced. Moreover, according to Orahovac, it would be very difficult to ensure exercise of the constitutional rights, which are not a product of agreement of the domestic political forces. Zija Dizdarevic wrote in the Sunday’s Oslobodjenje editorial that the Friday protests in Sarajevo in regard of the Algerians extradition showed the Islamic radicals in BiH had intention to optimally use both in political and media terms the situation created by this illegal hand-over. In the Monday’s Oslobodjenje In Focus column, Ibrahim Prohic wrote that the meeting of the BiH political leaders on Mrakovica might sign the beginning of a new, more qualitative phase in the country’s political life.
Dnevni List: Accession of BiH to the Council of Europe requires urgent constitutional reforms
Written by Z. Rebo (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Accession of BiH to the Council of Europe calls for a need of urgent constitutional changes because of the implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision on the constituency of peoples. The implementation of this Decision is, in fact, the chief prerequisite for the accession of BiH to the Council of Europe. Entity constitutional commissions have completed the legal activities related to the constitutional changes. The Constitutional Court gave the entities clear instructions what direction the constitutional changes should go in terms of the implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision.
The OHR requests the Entity Parliaments to put this issue on their agendas as soon as possible. Alexandra Stiglmayer, an OHR Spokesperson, says that the Parliaments should start discussing this issue and that they should show their political maturity in the vote on the amendments to the Entity Constitutions. She added that the OHR is aware that this is a major political issue. Constitutional changes are not just a prerequisite for the implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision, and consequently for the accession to the Council of Europe. They are also a prerequisite for the forthcoming elections because the Election Law cannot be finalized without having the constitutions harmonized first. March is the deadline for the completion of this task, says Dnevni List.
Vecernji List: BiH under silent sanctions of the West
Written by Frano Vukoja (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Vecernji List says investments’ activities in BiH have stagnated in the last two years, and foreign investments are being doled out. While Peter Nicholl, the Governor of the BiH Central Bank, and the High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch have been persuading the domestic public and Europe that it is time for foreign investments in BiH, many have different opinions. Some even think that BiH is under silent sanctions of the West. Andrija Skobic, the Head of the Department for Economy with the Mostar City Administration, says he was told that there is a tacit ban on investments in BiH. Some analysts claim that it is indicative that BiH has not become a member of the Council of Europe yet, and that it should meet many requisites and prerequisites to be admitted. Also, the affair regarding the extradition of the ‘Algerian group’ does not suit foreign investments in BiH. Many things will be revealed in spring. Namely, an annual conference of the International Business Forum called ‘How to invest in BiH’ will take place in Mostar in May this year. 250 participants from BiH and the whole world will attend the conference.
Jutarnji List: Maja’s Croatia
Written by Boris Vlasic (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Maja ( referring to Maja Freundlich, a Vice President of the Croatian HDZ) knows as to what should be done. Croat(ian)s from Croatia, BiH, Boka Kotorska and Vojvodina should be brought together. Honestly, it is called a small draft of Big Croatia, but we shall get to this point in some other phase. Have a look at Milosevic. For this reason we have to be patient and build our ideal Croatia step by step. We shall be together and we shall give back a right to vote to each Croat(ian) in the world and then those from Canada, the USA, Australia, Germany, Bosnia and Vojvodina will tell us as to how we shall live and how much money we shall send them. We shall give money from the Croatian budget for the Homeland War in BiH, to each person who has two witnesses, and also it could be fixed to give them a flat, a place of work, to take care of their children etc. It is not our goal to have economically strong and educated Croats in BiH or somewhere else because it does not mean anything if they are not in Croatia or at least on the Croatian budget. What kind of care is it if we do not send them money? On the contrary, how will they know that they belong to us?
P.S.
You can see Miss Freundlich that there is someone who understands you. Unfortunately, I have to stop because a marihuana effect has abated. I only have a headache now. I can see the results of the HDZ authority. They are painful.
Headlines
Saturday
Oslobodjenje
- After Gafic was put in custody, “the brothers” calmed down by Cegar (Algerians-related incidents)
Dnevni Avaz
- January pensions without reduction
Jutarnje Novine (weekend edition)
- Political crisis in Una-Sana Canton: Amir Avdic’s resignation requested
Glas Srpski (weekend edition)
- Investigation on criminal reports filed against 6 customs officers completed – Prosecutor is weighing evidence;
- “Vitaminka” accuses ex general managers of being involved in embezzlement – Criminal reports filed against Mrdja and Djukic;
Nezavisne Novine (weekend edition)
- Leaders of the most relevant parties in BiH discuss Constitution – Changes in accordance with laws of logic;
- In Sarajevo a group of people protest against extradition of the Algerian group to the US custody;
Dnevni List (weekend edition)
- Exclusively from The Hague: Continuation of “Path of Shame” affair: Tuta announces testimony against Prlic
- Expert witness for explosives testifies at Leutar case: Nobody was safe in the vehicle, bomb was planted between engine and exhaust pipe
Vecernji List
- Reactions to decision of Croatian Government: BiH Oilers want more corridors
- Niko Lozancic, member of HDZ BiH Presidency: Joint BiH Army or demilitarization
Sunday
Oslobodjenje
- Delimustafic was aware of concentration camps in Sarajevo
Dnevni Avaz
- Grabovac claims he was left alone
Vecernji List
- Hideout of most wanted criminal detected on Zelengora: Karadzic surrounded by American rangers
Monday
Oslobodjenje
- Smuggling through BiH – Hundreds of millions of marks burnt in tobacco smoke
Dnevni Avaz
- Who mines the tax administration?
Jutarnje Novine
- Interview with General Atif Dudakovic – army with a single command
Glas Srpski
- “Ostanak” warns on consequences of accelerated forcible evictions – During winter they threat with spring;
- Trial of Slobodan Milosevic – Prosecutor’s Office falling apart;
Nezavisne Novine
- New suicidal bomber attack in Jerusalem – One person died, hundred and ten injured;
- Kalinic kissing Lagumdzija;
Dnevni List
- While bounty hunters await on Zelengora and Romania: Karadzic celebrates New Year with French people on Yugoslav warship
- Interview: Josip Muselimovic before US Congress
Vecernji List
- Mladen Ivanic, Republic of Srpska PM: We are not against third entity in BiH
- Illegal border crossing closed by end of the week: Ramps and hedgehogs at illegal crossings