OBN News Review, 22 May 1999

Headlines

  • From tonight “Europe By Satellite” transmits OBN’s TV INFO news show all over the Europe
  • NATO disabled the electric energy system the fourth time in Yugoslavia last night
  • The UN Humanitarian Crew spent its first day in Kosovo
  • Zagreb – meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministries representatives from countries which border with Yugoslavia
  • BiH must approve confidence of donors – comment of Minister of the International Trade, Mirsad Kurtovic
  • Seven years ago Bosnia and Herzegovina became the member of the UN
  • Russian President accepted the Government of new Prime Minister
  • TV INFO topic: deminning in BiH

Yugoslavia

In the air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, NATO disabled the electric energy system the fourth time in this country last night. As it was estimated, from the beginning of the air campaign NATO strikes were most intensified during the last 24 hours. 684 were noticed.

Kosovo reactions

Disposition of the peacekeeping troops in Kosovo remains the NATO priority. Decreasing of the troops in Macedonia will be decided next week. Until now NATO sent 16.000 soldiers in Macedonia and it was planned to decrease this number up to 28.000. Meetings on the solving of the Kosovo crises were announced for next week. The State Department Spokesman, James Rubin, said that there was no positive results from the previous diplomatic meetings on the same issue. The Kosovo crises and Pact on South-East Europe stability were major topic of the First Line Countries meeting, which was held in Zagreb. This meeting was the preparation for the Ministry Council meeting in Bonn on 27 May.

Kosovo refugees

The UN Humanitarian Crew spent its first day in Kosovo estimating the humanitarian situation in Kosovo while thousands refugees crossed borders to Albania and Macedonia. The USA are worried that three days would not be sufficient to get complete insight in situation. According to the statement of the Chief of this mission, state in the villages in Kosovo confirmed stories about expelling.

Donors Conference

Exclusively for OBN Minister of International Trade, Mirsad Kurtovic made a comment on the fifth and last Donors Conference and said that BiH must approve confidence of donors.

Doboj

A part of the funds provided at Donors Conference (billion and 52 million dollars) will be disposed to towns according to the reconstruction projects. OBN’s reporter from Doboj Svjetlana Celic-Ninkovic reported that this town, amongst another reconstruction projects, was ready for reconstruction of lignite mine. Funds needed for this project would be 40 million German Mark.

BiH in UN

Seven years ago Bosnia and Herzegovina became the member of the UN. Former BiH Foreign Affairs Minister, Haris Silajdzic, and the Chief of the UN Department in Foreign Affairs Ministry BiH, Ivica Misic spoke about this experience.

World news

A piece on the recent events from the world. About 80 victims of the cyclone in Pakistan. UN Security Council proposed Iraq “Oil for Food” program. Boris Jeltsin accepted the Government of the new Prime Minister Stepashin.

Infrastructure in Bosnia

  • One of the main international transits to Croatia from Bosnia over Republika Srpska – the bridge over Una river in Novi Grad – was open today.
  • Changes of the BiH – Croatia custom regulation will influence some of enterprises in Bosnia.
  • “Krajina Metal Company” from Bihac is already faced with this problem.
  • OBN’s crew made a feature of the living at the BiH and Yugoslavia border. A lot of Yugoslav citizen must supply with goods from Bosnia
  • The Law on forests was not defined jet, which makes a great problem in BiH so the Ministry of the Agriculture, Aquaculture and Forestry started to work on this issue. OBN’s reporter from Srednja Bosna Canton Meliha Konjalic reported that 70% out of 200 sawmills do no own any permission to work. Minister of the Agriculture, Aquaculture and Forestry, Ahmed Smajic, said that OHR promised his assistance in the last year, but there was no results from it until now.

Banovici/SFOR

There is about a million of unexploded mines in BiH. Deminning in the areas planned for return is priority and this process is ongoing. 30.000 mines were removed in the last three years and 4.000 people died from mines.

Banja Luka

OBN’s reporter Dragan Stanimirovic made a piece on the Assembly of the Republic Organization of the families of death and exhausted civil in Republika Srpska. Families want Government of Republika Srpska to compensate them this losses.

Funeral in Sevarlije near Doboj

Thirty one body of Bosniak killed in June 1992 were buried after they were exhumed at this location. This figures are not final. Doctor for human rights, Richard Harrington, said to OBN’s reporter Muhamed Cabric that witnesses are very important because it is not easy to find mass graves.

Educational system in Federation BiH and Republika Srpska

  • OBN’s reporter Tatjana Lajsic from Banja Luka made a piece on modernization of educational system in BiH.
  • 35th International Mathematical Olympiad was held in Sarajevo.

Cannes

Bosnian film director Jasmin Dizdar was apprised for his movie “The Nice People” in Cannes by GAN Foundation. This movie will be exclusively shown on OBN soon.

Sport

A report on European Karate Championship in Greece, football and basketball matches.