- HDZ announcements on establishment of Croat federal unit causes stormy reactions: Jelavic would have Croats – in a ghetto
- Niko Lozancic, a member of the HDZ Presidency and a Secretary General of the Croat National Assembly: Croat self-rule is still alive
- Mijo Brajkovic: Had we not risen “Aluminij” from ashes, BiH would have sold it for one KM
- Integrated Mostar police promoted: Klein: Croats do not need ‘Dead Horses’
- Karadzic claims US is protecting him from The Hague Tribunal
- Council of Europe Secretary -General to visit BiH capital
- US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond: Imposition of constitutional solutions by the High Representative Should Not be Considered An Option
- Klein’s interview with HRT provokes strong reactions by BiH politicians
- OHR suggests extradition of Delimustafic to Germany!?
- OHR expects the adoption of the Law on De-mining
- Principal Deputy High Representative: Representatives of both entities must reach an agreement on constitutional changes
- OHR Accuses RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic For Disastrous Financial Situation at RS Radio-television
- OHR’s Daniel Ruiz leaves OHR, departs for Afghanistan
- Dnevni List : Silence Kreso, let’s hear what Croats have to say!
- Dnevni List : Klein knew who are assassins of Jozo Leutar!?
- Vjesnik : Mostar to be the capital of the Federation in return for the third entity?
BiH State-related Issues
BiH Presidency decides not to modify the proposed budget for 2002
During a session on Tuesday, members of the BiH Presidency agreed not to modify the proposed 2002 budget for financing of the state institutions and which has already been submitted to the Parliament for review. The proposed budget will thus contain the provision providing for financing of the BIH legal council in the lawsuit against Yugoslavia before the International Court of Justice. At yesterday’s session and after reviewing the legal opinion of the OHR on this matter, members of the presidency agreed that there was no legal basis for vetoing the proposal.
Council of Ministers to discuss the Extradition of Algerian Group, CIPS
BiH Radio 1 and the RTRS report this morning that the Council of Ministers will discuss today the treatment of the so called “Algerian Group”, suspected of planning terrorist actions against US targets in BiH, and which was extradited to the USA. According to the announcement from the CoM, this topic should be discussed together with the report by the BIH Anti-terrorist Task Force on the realization of the Plan on Activities of BiH and entities on prevention of terrorists activities. At today’s session, ministers will also discuss the activities pertaining to the CIPS project.
Federation
HDZ announcements on establishment of Croat federal unit causes stormy reactions: Jelavic would have Croats – in a ghetto
(provided by OHR Mostar)
Ante Jelavic’s announcement that BiH was to get a Croat federal unit caused numerous reactions. President of the HSS BIH (Croat Peasant Party), Ilija Simic, says that Jelavic likes to comment things that have not been completed, like the constitutional amendments and the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision. (…) “I believe that the constitutional changes in the Federation will be carried out in a great manner. From that point of view, there are no reasons to be worried, there are no reasons to re-introduce the third entity. As far as the RS is concerned, it would be difficult there, but the HDZ is not worried for that part of BiH, some time ago they said that it did not interest the Croats. It is a clear case of politicising and not care after the Croat people. As for the third entity, it is a version that has no grounds. It is up to us, the Croats, to fight for the equal status of the Croats together with the High Representative and BiH institutions. President of the BiH Republicans, Stjepan Kljujic: “Enemies of the Croat people wish to give awards us the third entity. Reasons for the latest request for the third entity lie in the inferior position of the Croats within the Federation. Maybe it is someone else, somebody outside the line of our people, who was guilty for Croat misfortunes in the past, but the Croat representatives within the Alliance should be put at fault for the current inferior position of the Croats in the Federation. I personally would not accept the third entity because it would not only reduce the space the Croats inhabit but also the tradition. President of the GDS BiH and the current Chair of the Alliance’s co-ordination, Ibrahim Spahic, considers the announcements of the third entity as some sort of political pressure on the process of changes of the Federation and RS constitutions. “Therefore, the Alliance rejects all initiatives and ambitions, which appeared even last year during the Croat self-rule”, says Spahic.
OHR spokesman, Oleg Milisic, is of opinion that there have been many contributions to the process of constitutional reforms saying that the Jelavic’s statement is a less constructive one. “The High Representative has on many occasions called on the domestic politicians and parties to be active in the process and find answers to reforms of entity Constitutions”, says Milisic. Milisic stressed that the party that Jelavic used to lead has already engaged itself in the procedure and sent its representatives to both meetings that included all BiH parties that were held on Mrkovica and at Sarajevo.
Niko Lozancic, a member of the HDZ Presidency and a Secretary General of the Croat National Assembly: Croat self-rule is still alive
(translation provided by OHR Mostar)
‘There are many of those who underline their credits in the violent suppressing of the Croat self-rule. There are many of those who would do the same now, and those, who would sanction a very mentioning of the Croat self-rule. It seems that those who want to have an insight into reasons as to why the idea on the self-rule emerged and why it was proclaimed and those who want to see the realistic position of the Croat people are the smallest in the number. Many people will be disappointed when I say that they did not suppress the Croat self-rule and that, in spite of all difficulties, it is still functioning in its most important form. There will always be a need to harmonize ‘the Croat interests’ in BiH, and forms of its organizing are irrelevant. All those who were suppressing the Croat self-rule should have suppressed the reasons, which caused its emerging. This week praising of Wolfgang Petritsch in Mostar, before its departure from BiH, after he was proclaimed a media-press person of a year, and his earlier statements in which he compared the Croat people in BiH with the Serb people in the Republic of Croatia, offering them, impudently, the rights of a national minority, are the best indicator that the reasons that caused the Croat self-rule still exist.
We have been supporting and we shall support a state organization of defense, but only through the joint Army with three national components.”
To what extent ‘a Jadranko Prlic syndrome’ has damaged the HDZ reputation and has ever a process of a moral and ethical checking of its leadership been conducted?
The present HDZ composition and especially its former composition have not been immune to those, who cashed ‘their representing of the Croat people’. During the last period some ‘prominent’ representatives of the Croat people left the party by themselves while some of them left due to party’s decisions. After they ‘washed the dirty HDZ linen in public’ all of them appeared in some new parties and options, but also all of them met with fiasco.
With regard to the Helsinki Board affair, Lozancic stated: ‘ Hypocrisy and triple standards are a dominant way of behavior ‘of the human rights protectors, and many ‘independent’ media in BiH. I have nothing against the protection of the rights of 6 Algerians, if they were violated, but I believe that we have to have objective criterion. Otherwise the judgment that it is the best to be a stranger in BiH will carry more weight.’
Mijo Brajkovic: Had we not risen “Aluminij” from ashes, BiH would have sold it for one KM
Today’s Vecernji List carries an interview with the CEO of the “Aluminij” Company, Mijo Brajkovic.
Speaking about the latest upgrades in the Company that are will cost around 140 million KMs, Brajkovic said that the modernization will result in the Company’s output of the aluminum getting bigger, additional 18000 tons per year, which is about 70 million KMs. The modernization also means lesser consumption of electricity and making the technology the Company is using a more environment-friendly one. The downside of it is the cuts in labour, but according to Brajkovic, the most important issue today is the profit.
When asked to comment on the problems related to the Ploce Port, Brajkovic said that the problems are politically related and that his Company did not have problems with the Port. “We have some facilities of our own in the Port, so we (Aluminij and Port) work as one. More than 70% of our production goes through the Port. We use it for both the import and export”, says Brajkovic.
In relation to the ownership structure in the “Aluminij”, Brajkovic reiterated that the Company has been registered at (Mostar) Court in 1997, with the state having 25%-stake in the company, small stockholders 64% and Sibenik-based TLM between 11 and 12%. “There has been an economic revision, an OHR revision, a legal revision…nobody launched a complaint inside the two-year appeal period. The State thinks that its stake is bigger. People here confuse the inventory value with the capital. We did not have capital in socialism, we had inventory capital. When we deducted vast damages that occurred in the war from the inventory value, we got the State’s share, which was small. Had the “Aluminij” not made the moves it had and started working, the State capital would not have existed. We have a whole “Glinica Factory” (a part of the Aluminij destroyed in the war) which is out of business today and we need 5 million US$ just to clean it up. That’s a 5 million US$ minus “, says Brajkovic.
When asked to comment on the rumours that Wolfgang Petrisch persuaded him to go into coalition with the President of the NHI, Kresimir Zubak, and the Mostar Mayor, Neven Tomic, which would secure him a free-of-audits ticket, Brajkovic said that people who think that he would be win over through pressures were wrong. “Aluminij was risen through honest and correct labour and there is no force that could harm the Company.
When asked as to which moves he expected from the State with regards to the audit in the Company, Brajkovic said that the last audit showed that the ownership structure should not be changed. “I think that the world has finally realized that Bosnia and Herzegovina should not be given an aid any more. This country needs to start working. The “Aluminij” is an example how to work without anyone’s help.Apart from 18 million KMs invested by Croatia, nobody invested a thing here. We can freely tell the Federation and IC: What have you invested, what is your ground for all the requests (…) I have a sour taste every time you mention the State. Let the State be the owner, only then we’ll see how it would run the company”, says Brajkovic, reads Vecernji List.
Integrated Mostar police promoted: Klein: Croats do not need ‘Dead Horses’
Vecernji List reads that the Head of UNMIBiH, Jacques Paul Klein was present at the lining-up of the joint Croat-Bosniak Police of the Mostar Police Administration, which was established when the six former police administration merged. American general Klein sees the merger as the pattern for other institutions of the City (of Mostar) and Canton 7 that are still ethnically divided. “The Police should be the precedent used for integration of all other institutions’, said Jacques Paul Klein. The controversial general recently told the Croatian Television that he did not longer believe in a multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina indirectly calling on the Croats not to insist on establishment of independent institutions inviting them to take an active role within the current constitutional framework. “Separation or isolation of any people of this country is not a solution”, says Klein alluding to announcements of establishment of the third, Croat entity. He added that such solution would favour a small group of leaders quoting a saying: “If you are riding a dead horse, do not expect to go far”. Klein also talked to the Canton and City principles and visited the Old Bridge construction site.
Republika Srpska
Karadzic claims US is protecting him from The Hague Tribunal
In an interview with the monthly magazine New Identity, the most famous indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, said he has been shielded from the ICTY by the United States. “Richard Holbrooke offered me a deal [in 1995] – that I withdraw, lay low, in exchange for America’s protection from The Hague tribunal,” the former Bosnian Serb leader said in the interview, excerpts of which have been published in Belgrade weekly Svedok. Karadzic told New Identity editor Steva Grinkic that he had honoured his “part of the deal… and now the Americans are doing the same.”
Recalling the agreement signed at Dayton, bringing to an end the war in BiH, Karadzic describes the behaviour of the Yugoslav delegation as “pitiful”.
“Belgrade acted as the protector of Muslims and Croats in BiH,” he told New Identity, adding that, “except for God, the Bosnia Serbs were without any true ally”. New Identity said the interview was conducted “sometime and somewhere in Bosnia and Hercegovina”. [we are still in the process of identifying the magazine in question, but local and Serbian media appear not to dispute the authenticity of the interview]
International Community
Council of Europe Secretary -General to visit BiH capital
BiH media report this morning that the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer, is to arrive today to Sarajevo in an official visit to BiH. The main purpose of Schwimmer’s visit is to remind the BiH politicians about the country’s post-accession obligations.
US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond: Imposition of constitutional solutions by the High Representative Should Not be Considered An Option
In an interview with SRNA news agency, the US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, said he believes that, in this moment, the imposition of constitutional solutions by the High Representative should not be an option. Instead, he stressed, the International Community should support BiH politicians in resolving these matters. Bond added that the US Government believes this will be possible if individual rights of all BiH citizens were improved. “It is necessary to harmonize entities’ constitutions so they would be in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, especially in part where it guarantees equal treatment to all BiH constituent peoples”, said Bond. Nezavinse Novine also carried the interview.
Klein’s interview with HRT provokes strong reactions by BiH politicians
All Federation media carried on Monday controversial excerpts from the HRT interview with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in BiH, Jacques Paul Klein, in which he noted, among other things, that throughout history Bosnia-Hercegovina had never been a state and that Alija Izetbegovic was making territorial deals with the former Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman. Angered by these statements, the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered the head of the BiH mission in the UN, Mirza Kusljugic, to convey to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, the concern of the BiH Foreign Ministry over the statement which negates the continuity of the country’s statehood and thus harms its reputation.
The Speaker of the BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, Sejfudin Tokic, also reacted to the interview, saying that Klein’s statements were inappropriate, while Party for BiH, stressed it was very unpleased with Klein’s calling into question the historical continuity of BIH as a state. Former Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegovic, denied that he ever seriously offered Herzegovina to Tudjman and said he was “simply testing his real intentions.” Friar Marko Orsolic of the International Mult-confessional and multi-cultural centre (IMIC), prof. Mustafa Imamovic, as well as Forum of BiH Parliamentarians also reacted to Klein’s statement.
In addition, today’s Oslobodjenje carries a lengthy editorial by Amra Kebo in which she humours Klein’s lack of education and knowledge of BiH history, and criticises his bluntness. She also notes that his pessimism about the future of BiH is very disturbing and simply gives an impetus to “grand appetites of Bosnian neighbours.”
OHR suggests extradition of Delimustafic to Germany!?
In a prominently placed front page article, Oslobodjenje claims that the OHR Anti-corruption Department suggested to BIH authorities to extradite Alija Delimustafic to Germany where he is sought for taking part in kidnapping. An anonymous source told Oslobodjenje that a representative of the OHR AFD proposed this to BiH government on Monday, arguing that there is no likelihood of Delimustafic being adequately tried in BiH. The daily claims that the chairman of the BIH Council of Ministers, Zlatko Lagumdzija, strongly objected to this, explaining that as a BiH citizen, Delimustafic should be extradited back to BiH, and arguing that such a move of the OHR questions the ability of the local judicial system, which OHR has been reforming, to handle this case. BiH representatives suggested that Delimustafic be tried in BiH for both criminal actions connected with BH Banka and kidnapping in Germany. Lagumdzija also asked OHR representatives at the meeting -SDHR Matthias Sonn and AFD head Manfred Dauster- to resolve cases of criminal corruption which were submitted to them in January. If the OHR fails to do so, Oslobodjenje writes, senior BiH officials will be ready to come out in public with claims that the International Community is protecting these criminals.
OHR expects the adoption of the Law on De-mining
OHR spokesperson, Mario Brkic, said at Tuesday’s press conference that High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch expects the State-level Law on de-mining to be placed on the agenda for a second reading at the next session of the BiH House of Representatives, planned for the 12th of this month. “The proposed State-level legislation will, for the first time, put the de-mining in BiH under a formal legal framework, creating the necessary government structure to administer, manage and control de-mining activities in the BiH under the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communication’s De-mining Commission and BiH Mine Action Centre,” said Brkic. He added that this legislation will strengthen the De-mining Commission, creating a single focal point that will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina de-mining operations in its relations with the International Community. “The Law will authorize BiHMAC to implement the same standards for de-mining across the BiH, and for the first time offer protection to de-miners by defining their responsibilities and rights in line with international standards,” Brkic said at yesterday’s press conference – the report carried by Dnevni Avaz, Federation TV and BH Radio 1.
Principal Deputy High Representative: Constitutional changes must be agreed upon
Fena news agency reports that the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, said last night in Banja Luka that the elected leadership of both entities must reach an agreement about constitutional changes, adding that the OHR would be very disappointed if a there were no compromise on this issue. “Constitutional reforms are fundamental reforms in the case of BiH,” said Hays. Asked to comment about the insistence of Bosniak parties that the division of power in the RS is determined on the basis of the 1991 population census, Hays said “I am glad that you asked that question although it was not the subject we discussed privately. The OHR, the High Representative and his staff, believe that the reform of the Constitution is fundamental to the ownership of this country and the requirements of elected officials. OHR was very instrumental in setting up the Constitutional Commissions to foster a fruitful debate. We support the debates that have been taking place outside of Sarajevo between the parties, but we feel strongly that is the debate that is properly placed on the shoulders of elected officials and it should be resolved by them. I can assure you that we would not ask Bosnians to come and tell us how to reform our constitution.” (Please note that a first report by FENA on this issue misquoted the Principal Deputy as saying “Bosniaks” instead of “Bosnians”. FENA then sent out a corrected version.)
OHR Accuses RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic For Disastrous Financial Situation at RS Radio-television
Glas srpski incorrectly quotes OHR spokesperson Sonja Pastuovic as saying that the RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic was responsible for the disastrous financial situation at the RS Radio-television (RT RS). The daily further adds that Pastuovic explained that there were many inaccuracies in Ivanic’s recent statement about the RT RS, including the part pertaining to the responsibility for bad financial situation at RT RS. “The OHR will continue working with the Government in order to resolve this problem”, said Pastuovic and added that the OHR will work on passing of the Law on RT RS, which should be in accordance with the highest European standards on public services.
At a press conference the next day, OHR spokesperson Patrik Volf corrects the mistake by saying: “As you might have noticed, the press recently carried a few reports on the restructuring of RTRS. One news agency incorrectly quoted our spokeswoman in Banja Luka, Sonja Pastuovic, as claiming last Tuesday that RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic was reponsible for the disastrous financial situation at RTRS. Unfortunately, this incorrect quote then made it into newspapers and the electronic media. I repeat: Sonja never said this. What she said was:
‘There are many factual inaccuracies in the PMs statement regarding RT RS, inlcuding the statement about the desperate financial situation this station is in. We intend to engage the RS Govt directly on these issues, rather than go into detail now. OHR will continue to work with the RS Govt to try to help them to resolve this problem. OHR will continue to be guided by the following principle: The law for RT RS MUST adhere to basic European standards for public broadcasting.'”
OHR’s Daniel Ruiz leaves OHR, departs for Afghanistan
Dnevni Avaz reports on its second page that the former OHR special envoy in Trebinje, Daniel Ruiz left OHR last week and departed for Afghanistan. This information was also confirmed by the OHR press office. Following Ruiz’s departure, SDA issues a press release thanking this OHR employee for demonstrating that “a diplomat could have a human heart.” Daniel Ruiz is also today’s Person of the Day in Dnevni Avaz.
Editorials
Dnevni List: Silence Kreso, let’s hear what Croats have to say!
By Marko Markovic
After Niko Lozancic returned to Central Bosnia from the Mrakovica meeting he was greeting his friends by raising three fingers. When surprised Bosnian Croats asked him whether he had converted into a Serb in such a short period of time, he told them that the greeting with three fingers means three entities.
It is interesting to mention that all participants of the meeting, apart from Niko Lozancic, a Croat negotiator, were the members of the same party in the past, and some of them joked that this was the meeting of former party’s colleagues, and the members of the former Central Committee of the Communist’s Party were also among them. Leaders of the Muslim parties did not like to be reminded of the time when they were the members of the Communist Party, while these facts were very amusing to Serbs.
Lozancic and Zubak were sitting on the opposite sides, and when ‘the chairman’ would announce a Croat representative all interlocutors would turn towards Lozancic. Belittling of Zubak as a Croat is the best illustrated by the following situation. While Zubak was talking about constitutional changes Ivanic interrupted him: ‘Thank you Mr. Zubak, let’s hear what Croats think about this issue.’ Then Ivanic turned to Lozancic and asked him to take a microphone.
Dnevni List: Klein knew who are assassins of Jozo Leutar!?
By Marko Markovic
Senad Avdic, the Editor-in Chief of Slobodna Bosna, was claiming a long time ago that ‘mujahedeen factor in BiH has been legalized ( and it has been privileged to a large extent). This reputable journalist quite often talked and shared information with late Deputy Minister Leutar. Senad was threatened that he might be killed just like Leutar. When we analyze the information, which were published during the last weeks, and when we compare them with the confidential transcripts that we have an access to, it is clear that Leutar was on the track of the terrorist groups in BiH. Has he been killed because of that? Why Klein kept silent on this issue and why he has been directing the investigation on the Leutar assassination to a wrong direction? Everything that CIA knows now, Leutar knew long time ago.
In a talk with late President Tudjman, Ante Jelavic, the dismissed HDZ President, stated: ‘Together with AID and Active Islamic Youth, mujahedeens stand behind all crimes committed on the territory of Central Bosnia and behind the most recent Leutar case. I will tell you sincerely: After Leutar nothing will be the same. Leutar was killed because he was protecting Croat national interests.’
Vjesnik: Mostar to be the capital of the Federation in return for the third entity?
By Mario Marusic
Vjesnik reads that some punters are of opinion that the High Representatives’ idea, according to which Mostar should become the Federation capital should in fact “absorb” the Croats’ dissatisfaction, the Croats being unhappy with the progress of the constitutional changes which made the story about the third entity be topical again.
Ante Jelavic, a removed HDZ President, confirmed that the HDZ definitely does not think about the idea that Mostar becomes ‘the third center’ only formally, that is, that they will not take Petritsch’s bait and give up the idea on the third, Croat Federal unit or entity. Many wrong moves that the International Community, led by the OHR, has made lately have brought the HDZ once again to the position to raise the issue on the final resolving of the Croat national issue in BiH through the third entity.
Headlines
Vecernji List
- Law on Defence before Federation Parliament: Military service duration six months
- Klein at inspection of joint Croat-Bosniak Police in Mostar: Croats do not need dead horses
- NHI enters Herzegovina: Zubak founds branch in Posusje
Dnevni List
- Exclusively: Will the America General finally reveal a heavily guarded secret: Klein knew who killed Leutar!
- Alija Izetbegovic, a leader of Bosnian Muslims: I was joking when I offered Herzegovina to Tudjman
Oslobodjenje
- OHR suggests Delimustafic be extraditted to Germany
Dnevni Avaz
- Tax Reform: Cigarettes and alcohol to become more expensive
Jutarnje Novine
- Lagumdzija: Klein’s statement negates the continuity of BiH
Nezavisne Novine
- Rich Ignore The Poor
Glas srpski
- Kidney For Sale: When poverty strikes – story about N.O.- refugees from Slovenia, who is forced to sell his kidney in order to get some money.