- Witch-hunt in BiH: Jordanian suspected of human trafficking released after being harassed
- BiH Council of Ministers approves three development credits between BiH and World Bank
- Federation Government elects anti-terrorism commission
- Federation Minister of Interior: We asked for FBI agents to come to BiH
- Croat National Assembly: Three public televisions on three languages
- Vecernji List: Interview with Martin Raguz, HDZ BiH Vice President – International Community is not the only one to blame for misunderstandings
- Alliance breaks up in Mostar municipality Stari Grad
- A quake in the OSCE Mission – Barbara Contini leaves OSCE Mostar
- Federation Minister of Urban Planning: Government will discuss the purchase of apartments with the OHR
- Federation Parliament’s House of Peoples: Unconfirmed judges of the Supreme Court should be retired
- Durakovic is still the most serious contender for Director’s position
- Interview with Ivica Karlovic, former Director of Hercegovacka Banka – Hercegovacka Banka case is not of political, but economic nature
- Delegations of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska Met in Belgrade
- RS Minister of Agriculture Rajko Latinovic Resigned
- Employees of Modrica Oil Refinery Continued Strike of Warning
- Mujahedeen Passports Found In Zvornik
- OHR and OSCE mark privatization of OKO printing press as a step back for democracy in the Federation
- OHR and OSCE concerned about SDP’s attempts to pressure media
- Dnevni Avaz: John Shearer, High Representative’s Broadcasting Agent
- Robert Barry, Former Head of OSCE to BiH Mission Says There Are Mujahedeen in BiH
- Dnevni List: On the eve of the 7th HDZ Convention – Jelavic will be either HDZ leader or political has-been!
- Slobodna Dalmacija: “Jelavic’s “counterpart” is Petritsch”
- Slobodna Dalmacija: Why is the International Community totally ignoring state official bodies
BiH State-related Issues
Witch-hunt in BiH: Jordanian suspected of human trafficking released after being harassed
Oslobodjenje reports that Jordanan-Bosnian citizen, Abu Kharrouba Majeda, who was arrested earlier in the week on suspicion that the was organising human trafficking between BiH and Croatia, was released from custody on Thursday morning. The daily writes that Abu Kharrouba has been cross examined by SFOR, US and BiH agents mostly about the recent terrorist attacks in the US and illegal trafficking. He told Oslobodjenje that an SFOR soldier even hit him as he was entering into a helicopter which was to transport him from Bihac to Sarajevo, and expressed his concern that this arrest and questioning will forever destroy his reputation. “I will never again be able to travel freely,” said Abu Kharrouba. The daily noted that this story is reminiscent of the middle age witch-hunts.
BiH Council of Ministers approves three development credits between BiH and World Bank
ONASA news agency reported that the BiH Council of Ministers on Thursday approved the conclusion of three agreements on development credits between BiH and the World Bank through the International Association for Development. BiH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Azra Hadzimehmedovic said after the session that the credits are in accordance with IDA terms with pay-off deadline of 35 years, with a ten years grace period and interest rate of around 0.75 annually.
Federation
Federation Government elects anti-terrorism commission
The Federation government adopted a report on measures to combat terrorism at Thursday’s session in Sarajevo. According to BH Radio 1, these measures include the creation of an interdepartmental group which is come up with a plan on necessary activities to combat terrorism. The commission will include ministers and deputy ministers of finance, internal affairs, jurisdiction and trade. “The aim is, firstly, to curb grey economy at all levels, because grey economy creates the main channels for communication and international activities of the organised crime. Secondly, we must very quickly take control of humanitarian organisations and nongovernmental organisations, because there is a well-founded suspicion that some of these organisations are used to provide a cover up for at least two criminal activities, like the import of goods. We would also like to know whether some of them are being used as a smokescreen for the financing of terrorist activities,” the Federation Minister of Finance, Muhamed Besic said. He also told the press that all investigation into terrorists and terrorism is carried out by the Federation police together with FBI and SFOR agents.
Federation Minister of Interior: We asked for FBI agents to come to BiH
“FBI agents are in BiH and we asked for it,” stated Muhamed Besic, the Federation Minister of Interior on Thursday. He said that they are participating in the investigations together with the Federation inspectors, but are not doing the “arrests.”
“We still do not have enough of our own resources and we have to use this sort of assistance,” said Besic.
In Besic’s words, it is not about spreading of hatred, but it is supposed to provide security for all citizens and prevent BiH from being marked as the country of highest risk and a black hole in Europe.
Speaking of the events in Bihac, where the Ministry’s Anti-Terrorist Unit, in coordination with SFOR agents, arrested the Jordanian citizen Abu Kharroub Majed and the police chase after an unidentified car, Minister Besic said there was a misunderstanding between the Federation police officers, the local police and SFOR because at the same time there came two anonymous reports of explosive devices planted in two primary schools.
He also said that he received a letter of congratulations from the US Embassy to BiH the day after the arrests were made in Bihac.
He announced that the person that SFOR arrested in Tuzla will be deported on Friday, and two Egyptians who are wanted by Interpol in their country will be deported on Saturday. The person arrested in Tuzla will most likely be extradited to Germany that wants him for involvement in terrorist actions.
The Egyptians will be extradited based on their country’s requests although one of them participated in the planting of an explosive device in Rijeka back in 1993. Besic said the Republic of Croatia asked that this Egyptian be extradited to them, but the Ministry decided what they decided.
“As for the procedure of depriving persons, who are reasonably suspected of being linked to terrorist organizations, of the BiH citizenship, there are two criteria. One is if that person has ever been convicted anywhere, and the other criterion is if he/she concealed his/her identity,” said Minister Besic, reads Slobodna Dalmacija.
Croat National Assembly: Three public televisions on three languages
Commenting on the recent decision of the Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives to reconsider the manner in which subscription for the BH TV is collected, the Croat National Assembly (HNS) issued a statement for the press supporting this move, but also criticizing deputies in this House for hastily dismissing all HNS proposals. The HNS stressed that Croat viewers of the BH TV have no use of information presented on this medium. “On the contrary, they are irritated by the way in which information are served and the offended by the language used,” the statement read. The HNS also criticized “international mentors” and members of the Federation TV Council who “have done everything to bring this media outlet in a no-way-out situation.” As a remedy, the Assembly suggests the creation of three public televisions on three languages of constitutive peoples in BiH and one state public service company (PBS) as the only solution.
Vecernji List: Interview with Martin Raguz, HDZ BiH Vice President – International Community is not the only one to blame for misunderstandings
In answer to the question about the disposition in the party on the eve of the 7th Emergency Congress of the HDZ BiH, HDZ BiH Vice President Martin Raguz said: “We will see their real disposition tomorrow when over 600 deputies at the Congress get a chance to state their opinion on both the current political situation and the period since the last Congress. The fact that this Congress is an emergency one is a warning that there are serious reasons that need to be analyzed, that the position of the party should be reviewed and that it is necessary to achieve the program objectives and provide the money to achieve them, as well as to find the people capable of realizing all that. There are too many serious issues and reasons for such an analytical discussion and all I can say is – the HDZ and the Congress have major tasks ahead of us.”
According to the announcements, the current (dismissed) President of the HDZ BiH will run for this party position again. What will happen if he gets elected?
That is also one of the questions that are to be provided with an answer at the Congress. We have to see the importance of this question – what does it mean to the HDZ, that is, the voters who gave their confidence to the HDZ, and we know it was a majority vote, if the OHR and a part of the International Community (IC) isolate him, as some of the IC representatives have announced. What is the extent to which we can accept that the IC representatives have crucial influence on all decisions, including the decisions within the legal and legitimate party – what is the right of a party to elect its own leadership?!
The other question is – why would that leadership not act in accordance with the goals and methods corresponding to European standards? Why is the IC ruling out beforehand the possibility that the Congress might adopt certain conclusions and the Program Declaration that are on the line of further peace stabilization in BiH, society development, European integration? Why could Jelavic not assure and achieve that?
It is time we removed some stereotypes in our communication with the IC, and without complexes. Of course, we cannot ignore the issue of the IC, its role, non-transparent protectorate and the fact that the IC and its representatives have the key influence not only on the current implementation of the Peace Agreement, but also on the future stages of its implementation.
We will have to answer this big question, but I prefer the right of the party to elect its leadership and then show how this leadership is working and if it is using the democratic means and acting within the goals and methods outlined by the International Community, and I do not think our goals are opposite to the goals of the IC. On the contrary, they are compatible.
There have been misunderstandings with the IC, and we cannot say that they are the only one to blame because there have been flaws on our side, too. Now it is up to us to send positive messages not only to the IC but also to other political parties in and out of BiH so that we can establish a new dialogue and new communication and work to the benefit of all people in BiH.
Does the Program Declaration, which is to be presented and amended at the Congress, bring any significant novelties?
Many things have happened since the 6th Congress that the Congress could not have foreseen at that time. By this I mean primarily the preparations for and the holding of the last municipal elections and the establishment of the authorities ,which, I would say, not even the most lucid analysts thought would develop that way – the rules and regulations imposed by the IC, which are unconstitutional and which denied us of the possibility of delegating out representatives to the bodies for protection of vital interests, the violation of the consensus principle at the Presidency, disrespect of the election will of the majority, and de facto making it impossible for us to participate, regardless of the election results, in the authorities at the State and Federation levels.
This spectrum of issues required a clear program course of the HDZ and I think the Declaration sets the things straight in giving an appraisal of the current situation and we were obliged to see what those processes mean – to the party, to the people and to the majority will of voters. We have also taken a clear stand to the most important question and that is the constitutional reforms, i.e. the implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision on the Constituency of Peoples.
We said clearly in the amendments that the party has established what is the minimum that would justify the constituency of the Croat people across BiH. We stated clearly that, unless the minimum is met, it will be necessary to seek a legitimate answer. Still, we expect that common sense will prevail.
Alliance breaks up in Mostar municipality Stari Grad
Oslobodjenje reports that participants of the Thursday session of the municipal council of Stari Grad in Mostar decided to keep Zijad Hadziomerovic as its head. However, as a result, the Party for BiH (S BiH) left the Alliance in this municipality because of the failure of members of the coalition to reach a consensus on the issue.
A quake in the OSCE Mission – Barbara Contini leaves OSCE Mostar
Barbara Contini is leaving the position of the Head of the Regional Center of the OSCE Mission in Mostar, said a source of the Mission. According to another source, Contini has already resigned. According to Vecernji List, her most probable reason for leaving the Mission is the dissatisfaction of the “Sarajevo bosses” with the OSCE Mission officials who “use their own heads.” Contini had a “more delicate” attitude towards the Croat and Bosniak sides, and well informed persons claim the reason behind it is her direct conflict with the current Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Robert Beecroft, over the partial attitude to the two ethnic communities in BiH.
Contini succeeded the US diplomat Daniel Simpson who, upon the expiration of his mandate in Mostar, condemned the policy of the international administration in BiH as far as BiH Croats are concerned. Simpson said in his letter to Bishop Peric that the raid of the international administrators into Hercegovacka Banka was the major mistake directed at destroying the economic prospects of Croats in BiH.
“As far as I know, Barbara Contini has not resigned. Her mandate is expiring at the end of the year and she is not intending to extend it. In general, the contracts of international representatives expire after 6 months,” stated OSCE Spokesperson Urdur Gunnarsdottir for Vecernji List.
Federation Minister of Urban Planning: Government will discuss the purchase of apartments with the OHR
Federation government postponed the discussion about changes and amendments to the Law on Sale of Apartments which was to take place yesterday during the Federation government session. According to Dnevni Avaz, the proposed changes include the clause stipulating that the remainder of the housing fund in the Federation be sold for cash instead for certificates. The Minister of Urban Planning and Environment, Ramiz Mehmedagic, said that his Ministry will ask the OHR to harmonize the Federation Law on Sale of Apartments with that of the Republika Srpska. “We believe that it is discriminatory that apartments in the RS could be purchased for cash only, while in the Federation that is being done for certificates,” Mehmedagic said. He stressed that this issue for the Federation government is not only a legal one, but also political. “If the entity instructions for amended property laws are not harmonized, the Federation will not change the Law on Sale of Apartments,” Mehmedagic said.
Federation Parliament’s House of Peoples: Unconfirmed judges of the Supreme Court should be retired
The chairman of the Federation Parliament’s House of Peoples, Ivo Komsic, told Dnevni Avaz that the House has agreed with leading officials in the Independent Judicial Commission, including its director Rakel Surlien, that all unconfirmed judges of the Federation Supreme Court should retire. Komsic said that all judges should receive their pensions in the amounts guaranteed by the Law on Judicial and Prosecutorial Function. Komsic also said that he and several members of the Federation Supreme Court have recently held a number of meetings with Surlien and also discussed the issue of legal reform.
Durakovic is still the most serious contender for Director’s position
The official commencement of the functioning of the Federation Television was announced for September, but the signal and program of the RTV BIH has not yet been replaced with those of the Federation Television. According to the information from this media outlet, the Federation Television (FTV) should start functioning by the end of October after all. Personnel and organization structure, TV-signal coverage and relations with the Public Broadcasting Service are the questions waiting for answers without which the FTV will not be able to function properly.
The transitional management, who are supposed to be dealing with these problems, are silent for now. Director Tonka Knezevic and her associates receive high salaries – ranging from 2000 to 3800 KM, but still, there have been no results.
FTV Director has not been elected yet, and off the record, Jasmin Durakovic, the Editor of the Documentary Program on the RTV BiH, seems to be the most serious contender for the position. Film director Haris Pasovic has allegedly put forward his candidacy for this position, too, but analysts say he is not very likely to get it.
There have been rumors that the position of Editor-in-chief will not exist, but only the position of Program Editor, and this chair should be taken up by Marija Topic-Crnoja. Editorial and journalistic structure of the FTV is also unknown. The one thing that is certain is that many of the current editorial team members will be “re-assigned.” The issue of national representation will have to be resolved as well, because Croat journalists and editors on the RTV BiH are still much fewer than those of the Bosniak nationality.
RTV BiH staff are currently spending most of their time and energy on the struggle for positions, said one of the RTV BiH employees who openly admits that there are many persons at this media outlet who are prepared to block the launch of the FTV if it means the termination of the “state” RTV BiH, reads Vecernji List. (see also interview with John Shearer in the International Community section)
Interview with Ivica Karlovic, former Director of Hercegovacka Banka – Hercegovacka Banka case is not of political, but economic nature
Mr. Karlovic, how far has the investigation into Hercegovacka Banka (HB) gone, do you have any new information?
End of investigation was announced for the end of September, but we still do not have the information if the investigation is nearing an end or when it will be completed. Please bear in mind that we only find out from the media that the investigation is not near completion, it has been announced, but there are still no results of the investigation.
Can you make an assessment as to for how much longer the Provisional Administration of Hercegovacka Banka could last? Is it known what the destiny of the Bank might be?
I could really not offer even a hint of when the investigation will be completed. In my opinion, the investigation could have ended a long time ago because ever since the first day the Provisional Administration have all the HB documentation, they have the central disk, which means it is not correct that we erased certain data as some media have speculated. We had nothing to erase because the truth suits us and we would like to see that report and see if the 54 million are there. (…)
There might have been some minor irregularities, but there was no crime in Hercegovacka Banka. (…) We repeatedly called for audits in Hercegovacka Banka, we were open to that and a reputable auditing company conducted an audit. Their report was all right. Therefore, I can see no reason for what happened in Hercegovacka Banka nor can I hint at what the audit result might be like because as far as I am concerned, everything was clean.
Was that the only audit conducted or were there more?
No, there were more audits, in fact, there were two major audits by the Federation Banking Agency, some minor irregularities were established and deadlines were given for correction of those irregularities as in any bank. (…)
Do you think, if there really were some secret accounts, that there was no reason to introduce Provisional Administration and that there was another way of dealing with it?
Absolutely. The other day there was a speculation that some persons had secret accounts in English banks, and those banks were not closed down. Also, the Deutsche Bank suspects some associations of financing bin Laden, and the Bank has not been closed down, but only the accounts of those associations or companies have been blocked.
Apart from secret accounts, was there any other reason that the Provisional Administration stated?
There were many reasons, non-transparent operation, non-transparent ownership structure, however, I am saying, it has been six months, and all could have been clarified by now. As the investigation goes on, it more and more comes down to some banalities, some minor failures and those failures will be attempted to be presented in the media as a major crime in order to account for the action in Hercegovacka Banka. (…)
In the last issue of Globus it was published that Hercegovacka Bnak granted some loans that were damaging for the Bank. What can you say about it?
I have to say that lately it has been written in media that Hercegovacka Bank was robbed by some high-ranked HDZ officials. It is not a robbed Bank, we are a private Bank…Hercegovacka Bank did not grant favorable loans to anyone, however, the things that we predicted are taking place, i.e. some ordinary things, bank operations such as granting of loans, are trying to be presented as a great crime. (…)
You believe that the raid into Hercegovacka Bank was not only of a political nature?
Reasons of the raid into Hercegovacka Bank are not only of a political nature… They are trying to put it within the political framework, however, I believe that this is about the economic reasons, because apart from the Bank, the Bank is the owner of CRO-Herc Oil Company, Hercegovina Osigranje, two Privatization Funds. (…)
In one of the press releases, issued by Toby Robinson, the Provisional Administrator, apart form the information on the reduction of salaries it was also stated that expenses of the Provisional Administration will be covered by the depositors’ money.
If citizens have something about 12 million Marks of savings, and if there is 40 million Marks on the account, I do not see the reason as to why the expenses of the Provisional Administration would be covered by the funds from the Bank…(…)
Nikola Grabovac, the Minister of Finances in the Federation Government, stated that he asked the Provisional Administrator to finally say what is about the money from his Ministry that has been blocked, that is, if it was stolen, who did it and if it was not to say where the money is?
Minister Grabovac has tried it a few times. We met on April 2, when I transferred money on the Federation budget, we have met afterwards as well… He believed that the case of Herecgovacka Bank could be solved in a short period of time. He demanded the continuation of the investigation, but that the bank is working. (…) Although we did not work for 6 months this Bank earns a million Marks each month, so that we cannot say that this Bank is in a bad situation.
Republika Srpska
Delegations of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska Met in Belgrade
Both RS dailies report that the RS delegation left Banja Luka yesterday to meet with FRY delegation in Belgrade. The two delegations are to discuss implementation of the Special Parallel Relations Agreement between the RS and FRY.
RS Minister of Agriculture Rajko Latinovic Resigned
Nezavisne Novine and Glas Srpski report that the RS Agriculture Minister Rajko Latinovic resigned. The RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic accepted his resignation at yesterday’s session of the RS Government and appointed Latinovic as his advisor for agriculture. Latinovic, a member of Ivanic’s Party of Democratic Progress/PDP, said to the press that his resignation was a sign of protest over personnel policy of the SDS, which kept bringing back individuals from the past and jeopardizing RS institutions by doing so. “There are many examples of reincarnation of SDS cadres from the past, the last of which is the case of Modrica Oils Refinery where SDS wants to place their man for a director”, said Latinovic.
Employees of Modrica Oil Refinery Continued Strike of Warning
Nezavisne Novine report on continued strike of Modrica Oil Refinery’s employees caused by intentions of Serb Democratic Party (SDS) to replace current director of the Refinery Milan Jelic and appoint one of the three proposed SDS candidates. Nikola Spiric, co-presiding of BIH House of Peoples visited the workers supporting them in their strike.
“The Refinery case is an unique example on which Prime Minister Ivanic can show economic reform in the RS. Certain individuals, obviously, want to go back to as it used to be, when one could rob and work illegally”, said Spiric.
Mujahedeen Passports Found In Zvornik
Glas Srpski, on the cover page carries statement from Zvornik Public Security Center saying that passports of Korkmaz Hilmija and Alkan Nejdzet, Turkish citizens, were found in rubbish containers. According to the statement, the two fought as mujahedeen in BiH Army during the war in BiH, after which time they used to work for Turkish humanitarian agency “Nufus-Suzdani”.
International Community
OHR and OSCE mark privatization of OKO printing press as a step back for democracy in the Federation
At yesterday’s press conference in Sarajevo, spokespersons for the OHR and the OSCE, Alexandra Stiglmayer and Urdur Gunnarsdottir, expressed their concern about the possible monopoly on print media in the region following the announcement that Dnevni Avaz won the tender for the largest printing press in BiH, Oko. Oslobodjenje reported that Gunnarsdottir said that, following the official announcement of the Cantonal Privatization Agency about the winner of the tender, the OSCE will closely monitor the “unavoidable appeals process”. Stiglmayer said that the OHR shares the OSCE concern about this issue, but added that the OHR generally cannot and does not interfere in the privatization processes. “Therefore, we respect the decision made by the Cantonal Agency for privatization,” said Stiglmayer and added that she is confident that “there is a legal remedy for this issue within the local system.” In this context, Stiglmayer said that a State-level Law on Competition was drafted in 1999 and has awaited adoption since. “This law, which is also a requirement on the EU Road Map, envisages a competition authority that would monitor the market and prevent the creation of monopolies and unfair behavior. This shows how important the adoption of this law is,” she said and added that in the meantime, the OHR would encourage the development of commercial alternatives.
In a letter which was published in this morning’s edition of Dnevni Avaz, the management of Avaz strongly rejected any possibility of creation of a regional monopoly on print media.
OHR and OSCE concerned about SDP’s attempts to pressure media
Oslobodjenje and Dnevni Avaz reported that OSCE and the OHR are concerned about the recent attempts of the SDP (Social Democratic Party) to exert pressure on media in the country. OSCE spokesperson Urdur Gunnarsdottir said at a press conference that the OSCE Hot Line for journalists has received numerous complaints indicating that political factors are again trying to interfere in editorial policy in certain media. She refused to disclose any details, while OHR spokesperson Alexandra Stiglmayer said the OHR was surprised that pressures are coming from the SDP, which is a party with very progressive platform supporting democratic principles.” Both Stigmlayer and Gunnarsdottir appealed to all political parties to refrain from pressuring journalists and editors and to secure highest standards of media freedom.
Dnevni Avaz: John Shearer, High Representative’s Broadcasting Agent
In an interview with Dnevni Avaz, the High Representative’s Broadcasting Agent, John Shearer, commented briefly on the suggestion of the Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives to introduce budgetary (from the Federation budget) financing of the future Federation Television. He stressed that the new broadcasting system must be free from all political influences and warned that direct government financing could be potentially dangerous. “You must find different way of financing. For, if governments are paying for something, they expect something in return,” said Shearer.
He also said that, when it starts broadcasting, the Federation TV should offer quality programming which would satisfy all viewers. “The task of the new Fed TV is clear. IT needs to broadcast good enough program to persuade people in Herzegovina to pay subscription for it.”
Robert Barry, Former Head of OSCE to BiH Mission Says There Are Mujahedeen in BiH
Nezavisne Novine carries a statement of Robert Barry, the former Head of OSCE mission to BiH, before US Congress in which he said that there is still a certain number of Islamic fighters, mujahedeen, in BiH, who fought on Bosniak side. He stressed that that it is very easy to enter and leave BiH.
Editorials
Dnevni List: On the eve of the 7th HDZ Convention – Jelavic will be either HDZ leader or political has-been!
The coming HDZ Convention will probably determine Jelavic’ specific political importance and it will either vest into him the powers of the first Croat politician or make him a political has-been. Sources close to the HDZ claim that Jelavic will put in his candidacy for the position of the HDZ President and in order to guarantee his victory and make the whole procedure democratic, Zdravko Batinic or Ivo Andric-Luzanski will be his counterparts only formally. The same source rejected speculations that his counterpart might be Vinko Zoric, the current Governor and the HDZ President of the West Herzegovina Canton, for whom it has been said that he has already secured 40% of votes. However, it should be keep in mind that Jelavic’s former promoters, who have become very rich during the last period and this has caused disgust of the former party supporters, are politically wounded. Jelavic has lost to a large extent a military structure that he used to have and which brought him to this position, and due to his gratefulness to his promoters he brought himself to an unpleasant situation. Self-disbanded HVO soldiers will not certainly forgive members of the Croat National Assembly and the former military establishment a hasty political adventure, when they called them on the self-disbanding, and then failed their expectations.
A high-ranked HDZ official, who wanted to stay anonymous stated: ‘Jelavic is not a solution, however, Zoric, Batinic and Luzanski are even worse solutions. By the election of Jelavic they would only reinforce the existing barrier with the IC and the state and Federation institutions and increase the gap between these institutions and the Cantons with a Croat majority. By the coming of Zoric, Luzanski and Batinic, the strongest Croat party in BiH would certainly collapse. For this reason some other solution should be found, however, unfortunately, it is still not on horizon.’ He added that Jelavic will be the HDZ President. He concluded that he does not see the point of the holding of the Convention and that before the Convention or soon after it they expect new measures if the IC in order to break out of the vicious circle finally. He is convinced that measures might be much more rigorous even for the status of the party than the ones, which have been imposed so far.
It is interesting that none mentions brothers Ljubic as possible candidates for the position of the President or Vice President. Zdravko Batinic, Ivo Andric Luzanski, Dragan Vrankic, Josip Merdzo, Rade Bosnjak, Martin Raguz, Zeljko Obradovic, Marko Tokic, Ivan Bacak and Nikola Antunovic are among the candidates for the position of the Vice President.
The new election of the HDZ leadership will also influence significantly the leadership of the HNS and the Croat self-rule, who are losing support of the people since they are taking a lot money from taxpayers, and they give nothing to poor people. The future HDZ President will probably focus his engagement on his defense, and not on the struggle for the progress of the people that he has to represent.
Slobodna Dalmacija: “Jelavic’s “counterpart” is Petritsch”
HDZ BiH will hold its 7th (Emergency) Convention in Mostar on Saturday. Reason behind holding of the emergency convention is, according to the HDZ, extraordinary political situation in the Federation of BiH and in whole of BiH and the elimination of winners of the last years’ elections from establishing of authority. The convention is entitled “Answer to the Croat issue” which can be assessed as a continuation of the HNS saga but the most topical issue is the elections within the party. Before all, this concerns the presidential post and his deputies (number of vice presidents will be set just prior to the convention), eleven members of the HDZ’s Presidency and 30 members of the party’s Central Board. The word from the Herzegovinian capitol says that Ante Jelavic will remain the HDZ’s President. Although Jelavic has not officially confirmed his candidacy, Marko Tokic did it for him, albeit indirectly, saying, “if the current President puts in his candidacy, he will be dominantly re-elected”. Many people remind that Cardinal Pelagic and majority of the Catholic Church favor Jelavic. As the things are set at the moment, Jelavic’s strongest counterpart will be no one else but – Wolfgang Petritsch. He already suspended him over his sins regarding the HNS, and he could take Jelavic’s re-election as an HDZ provocation. The remaining riddle is what was Petritsch advocating for at Prime Minister Racan’s. When we talked to HDZ BiH’s secretary general, Perica Jurkovic, on Thursday, he told us: “Petritsch is not a deputy at the Convention”. It would appear that nobody within the HDZ BiH is prepared to challenge Jelavic, reads Slobodna Dalmacija.
Slobodna Dalmacija: Why is the International Community totally ignoring state official bodies
“I am ashamed to sit down and talk about the fight against the terrorism, and I do not have an insight into what’s going on in the country”, says a member of the BiH Presidency, Beriz Belkic, pointing out that the BiH Presidency is the pinnacle of the authority but nobody is obliged to serve it with information. Belkic’s sincerity, opposite to “spindoctoring” from other BiH officials, reveals the true state of affairs in the country, with the Council of Ministers on one side advocating for implementation of the plan against the terrorism, whilst you have the Federation Minister of Interior, Muhamed Besic, who warns seventy Afghan terrorists, who were allegedly on their way to BiH, not to come (to BiH) because “the hell is awaiting them”. Why didn’t he let them in, and lock them up, rather then enabling them to hide elsewhere, say people from Sarajevo. If this is not a “joke”, then this must be Besic’s way of fighting terrorism, comment the ever funny Sarajevo people. Because of the situation and environment in the country, SFOR is arresting possible terrorists first in Sarajevo, then in Bihac and it goes on whenever there is an opportunity. It is an indisputable fact that SFOR has special investigation teams in BiH within which Americans have most manpower that are willing to have a look at every corner of the country because it is assumed that BiH still provides refuge to potential terrorists, “the sleepers”. (…) According to the current information, that the public is being fed with in small doses, the Alliance has been requested to provide SFOR with whatever they want and be absolutely obedient (…)