OBN News Review, 18 April 2000 - Office of the High Representative

Headlines

The first candidate for the B&H Ministry Council Chairman is Mladen Ivanic
The RS Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik prolonged the deadline for registration of citizens in privatisation process in the entity until 19th May
The General Collective Contract, signed on last Friday, will not be applied in Croat majority areas
The US Envoy for Balkan, James Dobbins met the B&H President, Alija Izetbegovic today

Banja Luka

The deadline for submitting requests for state flats return in the RS expires at midnight. 26 000 such requests were submitted in the RS so far, said Drago Vuleta, the Deputy Minister for Refugees in the RS government. The Ministry for refugees will decide on these requests. Reported by Nedeljka Breberina from Banja Luka.

Sarajevo

The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch is not satisfied with the privatisation process in the Federation of B&H. There is the lack of political will, which is not in accordance with the rule of law, said James Ferguson, the OHR Spokesperson. Persons who do not submit their requests for flat return until midnight tomorrow will lose their tenancy right. The report was produced by Sanjin Beciragic.

Sarajevo

The Red Cross Organisation of Stari Grad questions the purchase of the “Evropa” hotel by Izet Corbo. The organisation claim that they have been owners of this facility since 1962. The hotel-tourist company “Evropa”, owned by Izet Corbo, gained the facility 4 years ago, on the basis of the court decision. Izet Corbo is ready for a new court dispute. Debts of the “Evropa” hotel are the main reasons for purchase, said Corbo. The report was produced by Amarildo Gutic.

Sarajevo

Croat Federation Ministers don’t recognise the General Collective Contract, signed last week between the B&H Union President, Sulejman Hrle and the Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic. According to experts, in order to implement this contract, B&H should have a self-sustainable economy. Reported by OBN reporter, Anes Alic.

Sarajevo

The B&H Presidency will meet tomorrow, in order to appoint a candidate for the Council of Ministers Chairman. According to OBN sources, the first Serb candidate for this position will be Mladen Ivanic. Bosniacs will insist the new Foreign Minister to be Bosniac, said the SDA spokesman Adnan Jahic. He had no information on identity of Bosniac candidates for the Council of Ministers. The report was produced by OBN reporter Damir Kaletovic.

Mostar

The HDZ dismissed their boards in west Herzegovina, Neretva and Posavina regions, because of bad election results. According to OBN sources, the HDZ will not give up the B&H Foreign Minister position in the new Council of Ministers. Reported by Pejo Gasparevic from Mostar.

Banja Luka

The SNS will remain within the Coalition Sloga, but they will demand the re-defining of relations within the coalition, said the SNS Chairperson, Biljana Plavsic. Slavko Mitrovic, member of the SNSD Board agreed with Biljana Plavsic that the Belgrade regime wants to establish their authorities in the RS. Reported by Tatjana Lajsic from Banja Luka.

Sarajevo

The US Envoy for Balkan, James Dobbins met the B&H President, Alija Izetbegovic today. The RS made more significant progress in privatisation than the Federation of B&H, said Dobbins. The report was produced by Vedran Persic.

Zagreb

The Croatian Assembly Chairman, Zlatko Tomcic confirmed that he had received the script with the conversation between the former Croatian President, Franjo Tudman and his adviser Ivic Pasalic regarding the purchase of daily paper “Vecernji List” by the HDZ. Pasalic denied these claims. Reported by Gordana Simonovic from Zagreb.

World

The Spanish General, Juan Ortuno has been appointed as the new KFOR Commander in Kosovo. Spain reinforced their contingent in Kosovo by sending 120 additional soldiers there.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Xavier Solana and the European Envoy for Foreign Policy, Christopher Patten visited Pristina. They will visit B&H tomorrow.

1 person died and 3 were injured during last night’s shooting in Pristina.

The Italian Prime Minister, Massimo D’Allema will confirm his resignation before the Parliament tomorrow.

The Zimbabwe President said in a TV interview that white farmers are state enemies, showing in this way that he understands dissatisfaction of Blacks who don’t have any land.

The piece on world events was produced by Gordana Frimel.

Sarajevo

60-80% of young people in B&H are smokers. The Federation Institute for Public Health participates in the international action “Quit & Win”, in order to help people stop smoking. The anti-smoking campaign starts on 2nd May. Reported by Slobodan Maksimovic.

Sport

Reports on local and international basketball were presented.