The Hague Tribunal-related Items
- Bosniak generals to appear before the ICTY on Thursday
- ICTY submits a sealed indictment to the RS government
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Lagumdzija’s statement misinterpreted
- German CDU official visits the Croat National Assembly
- New Criminal charges pressed against Edhem Bicakcic
- Start of criminal proceedings against Jelavic, Tokic, Prce and Curcic uncertain – Prosecution does not have the addresses of the suspects
- Livno Canton Government to finance construction project in Drvar
- RS government seeks the share of ex-Yugoslav assets
- Kotorsko residents continue protests in front of the OHR Sarajevo on Tuesday
- RS Police Requests Visegrad Association of Missing Persons to Pay 600,000 KM for Securing of Funeral
- Four Collective Centers in Banja Luka to be Disbanded by the End of the Year
- OHR hands CIPS report to Council of Ministers Review Panel
- Jutarnje Novine: US Congress investigating the work of Wolfgang Petritsch
- Nezavisne Novine: Concern About Crime
- Oslobodjenje: Delayed Concern
- Vecernji List: Is Orucevic an official to remember?
- Jutarnji List: The BiH generals are not indicted for expulsion, although they had expelled majority of Croats from their area of responsibility
The Hague Tribunal-related Items
Bosniak generals to appear before the ICTY on Thursday
Three Bosniak senior military officials, generals Mehmed Alagic and Enver Hadzihasanovic and the brigadier Amir Kubura, who were arrested last week, are to appear before The Hague Tribunal on Thursday and enter a plea on war crimes charges. In a statement for the press, the ICTY said that, at their first court appearance, the three will hear the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as command responsibility for the atrocities their troops committed in Central Bosnia between 1993 and 1994.
ICTY submits a sealed indictment to the RS government
AFP news agency finds out from an anonymous source that the ICTY has handed a sealed indictment to the RS government asking it to turn over a Bosnian Serb suspect wanted for trial in The Hague. The same source said that the indictment was initially submitted to Sarajevo, and subsequently forwarded to RS authorities in Banja Luka. The RS Ministry of Justice, however, denied receiving any requests for a transfer. SRNA news agency carried on Sunday similar report claiming that the sealed indictment for a Serb suspect was handed to Sarajevo shortly after the last week’s arrest of the three Bosniak generals.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Lagumdzija’s statement misinterpreted
After strong criticism of RS officials for the recent statements of the Foreign Minister, Zlatko Lagumdzija and his support for the indicted Bosniak generals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement for the press, saying that Lagumdzija’s comments were maliciously misinterpreted. The Ministry stressed that it, or any other state-level institution, did not hire lawyers to represent Alagic, Hadziahasanovic and Kubura, since the state does not have any legal basis for such an action. It conceded, however, the Federation government, in agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did name legal experts for the three indictees to coordinate legal activities until regular lawyers are assigned to them.
Nezavisne Novine also carries a brief interview with the vice-president of the SDP BiH Executive Board, Sejfudin Tokic, in which he explains his views on Lagumdzija’s statement. He said that sometimes Lagumdzija ’s statements are hasty, have no legal grounds in decisions of BiH official institutions and should be interpreted as Lagumdzija’s personal views. “Regarding the trials of three Bosniak officers and all future trials, BiH state institutions will support the concept of individual responsibility, regardless of ethnic background of the indictees”, said Tokic.
Federation
German CDU official visits the Croat National Assembly
Present in the Croat National Assembly press conference held today in Mostar were Volker Schimpff, a CDU delegate in the Saxon Parliament, Marko Tokic, the President of the Inter-Cantonal and Inter-Municipal Council, and Petar Milic, an HNS Vice President and the founder of the Christian Democrats. The subjects of the press conference were the current political situation in BiH, the role of the International Community in the country, establishment of a third entity and ways in which Europe and the world are informed about the situation in BiH.
In the words of Volker Schimpff, a delegate of CDU, the party that has 800,000 members across 15 German states, Croats in BiH need the HNS because of the current circumstances.
“In spite of the fact that there are different views of Croat self-rule,” said Schimpff, “I support it.” He also referred to the Belgian Constitution, which implies a form of ‘double federalism’ that would be applicable in BiH, too.
In answer to the question as to how Europe could approve a tank-attack on a private banking institution, i.e. Hercegovacka Banka in Mostar, Shimpff presented his personal opinion and said that the representative of the Socialist International such as Petritsch does not respect private property too much.
Asked to comment on the indictments that the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo issued against the HNS leaders, Schimpff said he is not familiar with the details of the indictments. He added that his homeland, Germany, has lived in the system of federalism for a thousand years now, which may be regarded differently in Sarajevo.
Commenting on the indictments against Ante Jelavic and six of his close associates, Petar Milic said that the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo did not have the jurisdiction to launch this investigative procedure because neither do the HNS officials reside in Sarajevo nor did the allegedly committed acts, they are charged with, take place in Sarajevo.
According to Milic, it is obvious that the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office and judiciary in Sarajevo are powerful instruments in the hands of the OHR and the High Representative, so that they have become a dungeon for Croats in BiH. The choice of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo explicitly indicates that the OHR is directly involved in the preparation of a political process against Croats, said Milic.
He went on to say: “Mistaken are those who think that freedom of one people can be destroyed. The Croat Christian Democrats and I are ready to fight until our last drop of blood for establishing of a Croat Republic within the state-forming community of BiH because that is the institutional framework of freedom for the Croat people. Naturally it entails a change of the existing constitutional and legal organisation of BiH, but the important thing is that what we are doing is only done in a peaceful manner.”
New Criminal charges pressed against Edhem Bicakcic
Oslobodjenje reports that Sarajevo Canton Prosecutors Office will press new charges against the former Federation Prime Ministers, Edhem Bicakcic, because of the alleged mishandling of $6 million of the Federation funds. The Cantonal prosecutor Mustafa Bisic refused to comment on this report, but did confirm that the Federation Supreme Court indeed forwarded investigative documents against Bicakcic to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Start of criminal proceedings against Jelavic, Tokic, Prce and Curcic uncertain – Prosecution does not have the addresses of the suspects
The Investigative judge of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo, Idriz Kamenica, told Oslobodjenje that the beginning of the hearings for Ante Jelavic, Marko Tokic, Miroslav Prce, and Dragan Curcic is uncertain, since the Prosecution does not have adequate personal or business addresses of the four charged with undermining the defense capacity of the Federation Army and violating the Constitution of BiH. Kamenica said that the hearings are scheduled for August 21, but will have to be postponed unless the Prosecutor Mustafa Bisic obtains the proper addresses of the four.
Livno Canton Government to finance construction project in Drvar
Slobodna Dalmacija announces an imminent start of the construction of a housing unit in Drvar, which is intended for refugees and displaced persons occupying other people’s houses and flats.
The unit to be constructed will have 64 flats and the location has been granted by the Municipal Council in Drvar, with the approval from the Office of the High Representative, reads Slobodna Dalmacija.
The funds required for the realisation of the project have not been secured yet, although the Canton planned to allocate around 3 million KM from the Budget for this purpose. However, the Cantonal Government is counting on a portion of the 25 million KM amount that the BiH Federation intended to set aside for the purpose of resolving the problems faced by refugees and displaced persons. If they do not get any of that money, the Cantonal Government is ready to take a loan in order to provide for the construction of the building projected to solve the alternative accommodation issue in Drvar.
Republika Srpska
RS government seeks the share of ex-Yugoslav assets
The cash-strapped RS government has asked for a share in the assets of the former Yugoslavia to help solve its mounting social problems. The finance ministry of Republika Srpska asked the Council of Ministers for 20 million German marks (10 million euros, nine million dollars) as a first installment, an official source from the ministry told the AFP.
The amount would help the RS government pay overdue pensions from last year, and part would be used to clear foreign debt, the source said. BiH was recently given 136 million German marks, of which Republika Srpska should get between 33 and 35 percent (more then 40 million German marks), the official in ministry said.
Kotorsko residents continue protests in front of the OHR Sarajevo on Tuesday
Oslobodjenje carries, on its front page, a photo of Kotorsko residents protesting in front of the OHR building in Sarajevo. All other media report that about fifty refugees from this village near Doboj will continue their peaceful demonstrations today, thereby expressing their dissatisfaction with the distribution of socially-owned land in Kotorsko and construction of homes for Serbs who do not want to return to the Federation. Zijad Zecevic of the Property-Legal Commission for Kotorsko accused the OHR and SFOR of sanctioning the usurpation of “Bosniak property” by Serb families around Doboj and stressed that the protesters will not leave Sarajevo until they get a written promise that the construction on “their” land will be halted.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, Sejfudin Tokic, expressed his support to Kotorsko residents and asked the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, to temporality suspend the distribution of land and construction of Serb homes on it.
In a poll conducted by Avaz Agency, 78 % of respondents said that they support Tokic’s proposal, only 3% were not in favor, while 19 % had no opinion on the matter. The poll was conducted by a method of random sampling among the residents of Srajevo, Tuzla and Zenica.
RS Police Requests Visegrad Association of Missing Persons to Pay 600,000 KM for Securing of Funeral
“Nezavisne novine” reports that the RS Interior Ministry requested Missing Persons’ Association from Visegrad to pay 600,000 KM for securing the funeral and transport of mortal remains of 152 Bosniaks buried on the “Straziste” cemetery in Visegrad. “Nezavisne novine” also reports that the RS Interior Minister signed the document which says that the RS Interior Ministry had to do this for various reasons: police officers had to be present along the 120 km-long road, difficult configuration of the terrain and assessment of the actual security situation. In a correspondence that the RS Interior Ministry had with the representatives of the Missing Persons’ Association from Visegrad, RS Interior Minister, Dragomir Jovicic was criticizing politicization of the similar events in Banja Luka and Srebrenica, stressing that the question of frequent organizing of these events is raised. Preparational meetings for this ceremony were organized by the IPTF and also attended by the representatives of the OHR, RS Interior Ministry, UNHCR and Visegrad Missing Persons’ Association. President of the Visegrad Missing Persons’ Association, Advija Ziga told “Nezavisne novine” that, at the meeting held in OHR on July 20th, the RS Police inspector, Radomir Rodic requested the Association to bear all costs of the funeral. “After OHR’s intervention, he requested the Association to partially bear costs. We do not even think about paying the bill for the security”, says Advija Ziga. Chief of the RS Police, Dragan Gacesa refused to comment on the RS MoI request. Gacesa says that the most important thing is that everything went smoothly and without incidents. “I cannot comment on RS MoI request because that is not my job”, says Gacesa. OHR Spokeswoman, Alexandra Stiglmayer strongly condemned the RS MoI request. “The OHR stand is that the Police cannot ask to be paid for fulfilling its basic obligation, that is, protection of citizens. It is up to the RS authorities to create climate in which it will be possible to hold commemoration ceremonies without thousands policemen being hired.”
Four Collective Centers in Banja Luka to be Disbanded by the End of the Year
“28 housing units will be built and all 4 collective centers in Banja Luka will be closed by the end of the year”, said RS Minister of Refugees and DPS, Mico Micic after the meeting with Banja Luka Mayor, Dragoljub Davidovic and representatives of the RS Ministry of Urbanism
Micic says that the money for construction of 28 housing units would be provided by the branch Ministry, while the municipal authorities will decide on location. Minister Micic also met with Mayor of Prijedor, Nada Sevo and discussed problems of refugees and DPs in Prijedor. They agreed that 100 houses in Ljubija settlement would be adjusted and used as an alternative accommodation.
International Community
OHR hands CIPS report to Council of Ministers Review Panel
The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, met yesterday with the Council of Ministers internal review panel on the CIPS (Citizens Identity Protection System) issue and handed its members a comprehensive report of his review on the year preparation process for the proposed CIPS tender. Dnevni Avaz, Jutarnje Novine and Nezavisne Novine carried the OHR press release.
Jutarnje Novine: US Congress investigating the work of Wolfgang Petritsch
Jutarnje Novine reports that the US Congressman Henry Hyde informed the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, that his work in BiH is “under investigation” and that the Congress will send a “fact-finding mission” to this country in order to evaluate the allegations presented recently by Bishop Ratko Peric and Cardinal Vinko Puljic. During their visit to Washington D.C. on July 24, the two accused the International Community and in particular Wolfgang Petritsch of working at the detriment of the Croat population in BiH. Zagreb’s Vecernji List also carried similar article.
Editorials
Nezavisne Novine: Concern About Crime
In today’s edition of “Nezavisne novine”, Branko Peric writes that there is no difference between some RS politicians who think it is o.k. to visit the Serb indictees in Scheveningen and Lagumdzija who think that BiH institutions should provide legal counsel for Bosniak indictees. Peric says that both concepts are completely unacceptable. “In a psycho-social analysis one could prove that privileges and importance that BiH politicians attach to war crime indictees are just another proof that the states they are “protecting” were founded on crime.”
Oslobodjenje: Delayed Concern
By Mirko Sagolj
The ruling Alliance is evidently entering into a harch dialogue, and perhaps even a conflict, with representatives of the International Community who are governing Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, only with its one part – the European one.
That was announced by one of the SDP leaders, Sead Avdic, the Chairman of the House of Representatives of BH Parliamentary Assembly. He demanded that the Director of State regulatory agency (CRA), Jerker Torngren, and the supervisor for TV BiH, John Shearer resign. Torngren has already admitted his mistake in attempting to involve the third operator into GSM network, and regarding Shearer, Avdic is saying that he made a chaos on the TV BiH and that the most powerful media house in BiH is, because of him, on the verge of a bankruptcy.
THe High Representative has been supporting and defending Torngren for a longer period, but at the very end, he had to admit that his employee indeed made a mess. Thus far, he has also been supporting Shearer. How is he going to accept Alliance’s request that Shearer must leave, is about to be seen. The affair with the CIPS is still ongoing, and that project is also approved by Petritsch, but denied by Alliance.
The Alliance lost incredibly too much time in the process of getting interested in the destiny of the BHT – The same amount of time that was needed for Shearer to destroy it. When taking over the power, by force or by democratic means, it is rule to first take over a television, a post office and a bank and after that follows ranks and medals. This Alliance is doing the opposite. It seams that the Alliance was waiting for a sign from Washington and its Ambassador Thomas Miller who, in reality and according to his powers, represents a parallel High Representative for BiH and who created the Alliance for Changes. It is no secret that Petritsch and Miller are often having different goals and interests, and also that the leader of the Alliance, Zlatko Lagumdzija is listening Miller more than Petritsch. He did not have any (public) disputes with Miller so far, but with Petritsch he is jumping from one to another. With Miller’s support?
Vecernji List: Is Orucevic an official to remember?
Written by I. Sagolj
The US Ambassador Miller, who is claimed to be the most authoritative international official in BiH, is leaving. It is even assumed that the High Representative in BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch, as the highest of the officials, never made a single crucial decision without his blessing, reads Vecernji List.
The paper says Mostar was Ambassador Miller’s favourite city and Mostar Mayor Neven Tomic and Safet Orucevic, who rotated with Tomic on the position of Mayor, were his personal friends. He presented them as patriots and irreplaceable officials in Mostar, the region and even the whole country. Because of those statements of his, Neven Tomic is still having problems with the HDZ because the party considers Miller to be one of those who hold the major blame for the unenviable position they have found themselves in, reads the paper.
The article next reads it is indicative that Miller, during his recent farewell visit to Mostar, commended the work of Jahic and Tomic but did not mention his once “beloved” Orucevic with a single word. The author wonders if it is possible that Miller forgot about Orucevic and that Orucevic lost the influence he used to have with other international officials who probably advised him to retire from the position in the first place.
Although even the ordinary citizens realise that Jahic is not even closely as eloquent and skilled in rhetoric as Orucevic is, he is becoming only an official to remember. Jahic himself probably has the best memories of him because it was Orucevic who installed him to the position, reads Vecernji List.
According to an independent paper, says the daily, Zijad Hadziomerovic, the Mayor of the Municipality Mostar-Stari Grad has already declined to be obedient to Orucevic by refusing to sign the contract between the Municipality and the Roumel Corporation. Orucevic is now trying to bring the Party for BiH, which originated from the SDA, into an alliance with the SDP and the other Alliance parties in order to remove Hadziomerovic from the SDA and, consequently, from the position of Municipal Mayor, concludes the article.
Jutarnji List: The BiH generals are not indicted for expulsion, although they had expelled majority of Croats from their area of responsibility
The indictment against the retired Generals of the BiH Army, Enver Hadzihasanovic and Mehmed Alagic, and Brigadier Amir Kubura is significant in the sense that it changes the simplified projection of the Croat-Muslim conflict in Central Bosnia that was created by the indictments against Blaskic, Kordic and Kupreskic. It is the first indictment for the crimes committed by the BiH Army against the Central Bosnia Croats. According to The Hague practice, the low ranking (indictees) would be charged before the domestic courts.
The war in Central Bosnia did not start with the HVO general assault and the Ahmici massacre in April of 1993, but months earlier. From the string of bloody incidents, The Hague Prosecutors have, in the indictment against the three officers of the BiH Army, singled out the assault and killings in the village of Dusina near Zenica from January of 1993. Three months before the massacre in Ahmici, the BiH Amy units had launched an attack on Dusina in the Municipality of Zenica. On January 26, 1993, a Serb civilian Vojislav Stanisic was killed together with six members of the HVO who had surrendered, whose names are included in the indictment. Apart from Dusina, the indictment states the killings in Miletici, Bikos and Maline in the Travnik Municipality from April and June of 1993. (…) The BiH Army operations have culminated with a general assault between the 7th and 13th of June in the areas of Kakanj, Travnik and Zenica. But the general assault was not characterized as an expulsion, although many murders were committed during the assault, and the majority of the Croat villages in the Vlasic and Podvlasic areas were completely destroyed (…)
Unlike Blaskic, Kordic and even Kupreskic, Hadzihasanovic, Alagic and Kubura have not been indicted for expulsion, for crimes that were a part of the widely spread, mass and systematic acts and procedures against the non-Bosniak population, which is characterized as a crime against humanity, but for “minor incriminations” i.e. violation of customs of war and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. By doing so, the Hague Tribunal wants to establish a national hierarchy of the crime – the Serb commanders in BiH are responsible for genocide, the Croat for the crimes against humanity and the Bosniaks for the breaches of the Geneva Conventions.