18.01.2000

OBN News Review, 18 January 2000

image_pdfimage_print

Headlines

  • The EC delegation in Sarajevo – in order to become a member of this organisation, BiH has to comply with at least five pre-conditions
  • The High Representative in BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch, and the Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, Robert Barry, demand that the BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic withdraw the law on slander
  • The Representative House of the Parliamentary Assembly has been informed that the law on the state border service has to be implemented immediately
  • The Stability Pact – there will be funds – small countries have to be more engaged
  • Defence of Grozny broken in two locations

Sarajevo / Banja Luka

The BiH Federation Ministry of Health pronounced the beginning of the flu epidemic process. There are three times more people who suffer from flu in the RS than in the BiH Federation. The biggest number of those who suffer from flu is expected at the end of this month. Experts have been warning that the virus of this type of flu, so called “Australian flu”, is very dangerous. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Sarajevo, Sefko Bajic, and the OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Biljana Arsic.

Banja Luka

A business delegation from China visited Banja Luka. For the last two days, they talked to the RS Chamber of Commerce, Government and the businessmen about the possibilities of business cooperation. The Government of Japan donated 35 buses to the Banja Luka traffic service. Today, 27 buses were handed over to the users. This donation is worth 5,8 million US dollars. The report was produced by OBN reporters from the town, Dragan Stanimirovic and Nedeljka Breberina.

Zenica

A report on the problems of the “Zeljezara Zenica” factory and 4,600 workers without jobs who are currently on strike. The workers have been embittered because they were politically manipulated and ignored by the management. They announced the establishment of a new syndicate association because the Syndicate of metal workers did not support them. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.

Sarajevo

The EC delegation has been on a two day visit to Sarajevo in order to evaluate the conditions with which BiH has to comply in order to become a member of this European organisation. Bosnia and Herzegovina has to comply with five pre-conditions. However, the EC insists more on the cooperation of political leaders in the BiH joint institutions, than on the formal complying with the conditions. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Danijela Bozic.

The General Secretary of the EC, Walter Schwimer, said that the minimum of pre-conditions for the entery of BiH into the EC depended on the BiH politicians. He said clearly to the representative of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly that the Parliament should enact laws important for this country and it wsa not for OHR to do that. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Damir Kaletovic.

Sarajevo

The High Representative in BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch, and the Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, Robert Barry, demand from the BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic, that he withdraw the law on slander, which includes high financial penalties. The OHR think that the Serb representatives in the Representative House of the BiH Parliament are not ready for the fight against smuggling, criminal and illegal immigration. Despite the fact that they were against the law on the state border service, the OHR representatives said that the provisions of the law have to be implemented immediately. This was confirmed by the OHR Spokesperson, James Fergusson. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Sanjin Beciragic.

This was followed by a report on the Stability Pact for South East Europe. The Chairman of the Stability Pact Work Table for Security, Jan Eliasson, said for OBN that it was time that the International Community and the countries who are members of the Stability Pact to move forward and find funds in order to achieve joint goals, integration in Europe and stability in the Balkans. Jan Eliasson visited Sarajevo within the preparations for the meeting of this Work Table scheduled for the middle of February in the BiH capital. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Vedran Persic.

World

A report on fights for the Chechen capital was followed by a piece on postponing of peace talks between Syria and Israel scheduled for tomorrow. A report on the alleged arrest of one of the perpetrators of Zeljko Raznjatovic’s (Arkan) murder in Belgrade followed. The report on current events in the world was produced by OBN journalist, Zeljka Lekic.

Zagreb

This was followed by a report on the current political situation in Croatia produced by OBN reporter from the town, Gordana Simonovic. According to the latest surveys of the “Vecernji list” newspapers, the popularity of the presidential candidate, Stipe Mesic, has increased the most. According to the same surveys of independent agencies in Croatia, the biggest decrease in popularity was made by Mate Granic.

Sarajevo

A report on the withdrawal of code numbers of the political parties which will participate in the municipality elections in BiH scheduled for April. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.

Bijeljina

A piece on the reduction of arms in Bijeljina, which is the second phase of de-militarisation of the Brcko district, was produced by OBN reporter from the area, Zeljko Pantelic.

Sport

A report on local basketball was followed by reports on international tennis and NBA.