10.02.2000

OBN News Review, 10 February 2000

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Headlines

  • Robert Farrand anounced the establishment of the Brcko District Government and Parliament for February 28th
  • Protests of students in Sarajevo and Tuzla
  • The first project of the Stability Pact signed in Skopje
  • The hostages crisis at the London airport ended
  • Robin Cook and Madeline Albright announced a possibility for suspending the embargo imposed on the flights over Yugoslavia
  • Cricitism of the European Union, because of Jörg Haider’s right-wing party entering into the Austrian Government, continued

Sarajevo

The mandate of the current Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Ante Jelavic, will end in five days time. He will pass his authority for the next eight months to the next Chairman, Alija Izetbegovic. Ante Jelavic said that the functioning of the BiH Presidency, during his mandate, was successful. He added that the BiH Presidency was an example of encouraging initiative in the implementation of the crucial issues of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The interview with Ante Jelavic was produced by OBN reporter, Sanjin Beciragic.

Banja Luka

Today in Banja Luka, the Supervisor for Brcko, Robert Farrand anounced the establishment of the Brcko District Government and Parliament for February 28th after his meeting with the RS Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik. Robert Farrand said that the District, which is an integral part of both BiH entities, would have to have support from both the RS and the BiH Federation, OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Tatjana Lajsic, confirmed. The Supervisor added that he spoked to the RS Prime Minister about their planns for the privatisation of industry in the Brcko District.

World

A consillium of medicals from Zagreb announced that the handing over of Mladen Naletilic (Tuta) to the Hague Tribunal could endanger his life. Despite that, the Hague prosecution think that there are ways for providing a safe transport. Handing over of Mladen Naletilic (Tuta) is a test for the new Croatian awuthorities fulfilling a promise during their pre-election campaign. The Hague prosecutors indicted Tuta for war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegivina in 1993, Gordana Simonovic, confirmed from Zagreb for OBN.

This was followed by a report on the new Austrian Government. Cricitism of the European Union, because of Jörg Haider’s right-wing party entering the Austrian Government, continued. Currently, Haider with the ministers from his party is preparing the program for the first hundred days of his Government’s activities. The report was produced by OBN journalist, Zeljka Lekic.

Guest of TV INFO

The guest of TV INFO was the Acting Charge D’Affairs of the Republic of Austria Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael Kainz. OBN presenters, Duska Jurisic and Aleksandar Mlac, asked whether the entery of the extreme right-wing party into the Austrian Government would affect the relations of Austria towards BiH. Michael Kainz answered that this would not have any effects. He added that the people of BiH know that Austria was on the side of BiH during the hardest days for the country and that there were no reasons to change that.

Stability Pact

A two day meeting on economic issues within the Stablity Pact for South East Europe is taking place in Skopje. The first regional project has been signed. Six countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, have established the Board for the improvement of trade and transport. The World Bank provided 68 million dollars for the implementation of the project, Zoran Andonovski, confirmed for TV INFO from Skopje. The host of the Stability Pact meeting on security will be Bosnia and Herzegovina and its capital, between February 14th and 16th. It is planned that representatives from 35 states attend the meeting. OBN reporter, Damir Kaletovic, produced the report.

World

After the talks in washington between the US State Secretary, Madeline Albright, and the UK Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, it was announced that the embargo on flights from the European Union countries to Yugoslavia will be suspended for a six month period. The hostages crisis at the London airport ended. Police announced that 19 people were arrested. It is still not known what the kidnappers wanted to achieve with this action. This was followed by reports on current events in Chechenia and South Lebanon.

Sarajevo

The BiH Federation Government determined a suggestion fro the changes of the law on finantial operations. The Government postponed reaching a decision on selling of apartments of foreign legal entities. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.

Hercegovina-Neretva Canton

USAID has reconstructed elementary schools and a water suply system in the villages of Gubavica and Rastani and in the residential quarter Drazevice located in the Mostar Municipality “Jug”. The project is worth 700,000 KM. This is only a part of the USAID project of reconstructions in this Canton, worth 5,5 million DEM, OBN reporter from the area, Dubravka Vojinovic, confirmed.

Travnik

The Government of the Netherlands is ready to invest more than 3 million DEM for the reconstruction of houses in Travnik, Novi Travnik, Vitez and Busovaca municipalities. The only condition is that 60 owners return to previously reconstructed houses. Heads of four municipalities from the area explained to the representetives of UMCOR, a non-governmental organisation which deals with the implementation of the return and reconstruction issues in behalf of the Government of Netherlands, why people did not return to those 60 houses. The piece was produced by OBN reporter from Travnik, Branka Vrebac.

Tuzla

Tuzla students protest because the Government of the Tuzla Canton cancelled the subvention for food and accommodation in student houses in Sarajevo for most of the students. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Mirna Sadikovic.

Sport

Reports on international skiing and football were presented.