24.11.1999

OBN News Review, 24 November 1999

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Headlines

  • The BiH Presidency adopted a law on border service – the Representative House of the BiH Parliament adopted a law on immigration and asylum, and a law on refugees and displaced persons
  • The Representative House of the BiH Federation Parliament discussed for several hours which issues should be on the agenda
  • November 25th, the BiH State Day – celebrated only in a part of the BiH Federation
  • SFOR will not implement actions against TV Erotel without an order issued by the OHR
  • Health of the Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, is very difficult – today, the Croatian Parliament discussed the proclamation about the President temporarily unable to perform his duties
  • Russian attacks against Chechenia have been continued

Zagreb

According to an official release, the health of the Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, is difficult. However, Croatian independent media reported that the President was in a coma. The Croatian Parliament adopted a constitution law according to which the President can be proclaimed unable to perform his duties. Six opposition parties’ representatives were against the decision. They were in favour of the suggestion to proclaim Franjo Tudjman permanently unable to perform his duties and to organise extraordinary elections, OBN reporter from Zagreb confirmed.

Sarajevo

It was announced that SFOR would not implement actions against TV Erotel without an order issued by the OHR. In the afternoon, a meeting between the Chairman of the BiH Presidency and the President of HDZ Party in BiH, Ante Jelavic, with representatives of the Office of the High Representative and the Independent Media Commission, began. Participants at the meeting are trying to find a solution for the legal status of TV Erotel and retransmission of the HRT programming in BiH. The OHR stopped their cooperation with TV Erotel and HRT until the issue of their status in BiH was solved. SFOR held a press conference on the issue in Mostar today. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Mostar.

The BiH Presidency adopted a draft law on border service according to the New York Declaration today. The Presidency approved an agreement on the EU loan of 60 million EUROs for the improvement of BiH joint institutions’ functioning. Members of the BiH Presidency emphasised that they had already agreed that November 25th should be the State Day of BiH. However, the BiH Parliament had not discussed their decision. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Bakir Hadziomerovic.

This was followed by a report on the session of the BiH Council of Ministers held in Sarajevo today. A part of the amendment to the law on immigration and asylum is that “foreigners are all individuals whose citizenship is issued according to the BiH Constitution”. This amendment also provide more liberal provisions for the entrance of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia citizens to BiH. Decisions of the BiH Council of Ministers were supported by the OHR. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Damir Kaletovic.

After the discussion in the Council of Ministers, the Representative House of the BiH Parliament also adopted a law on immigration and asylum, and a law on refugees and displaced persons. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Anes Alic.

Sarajevo

For more than four hours, representatives of the BiH Federation Parliament Representative House discussed which issues to include in the agenda. Twenty one issues were selected while the representatives discussed only two of them: the budget and a law on the implementation of the BiH Federation budget for 2000. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Sefko Bajic.

The High Representative in BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch, met with BiH entities’ Prime Ministers, Milorad Dodik and Edhem Bicakcic, in Sarajevo today. They were discussing property laws. OHR will provide expertise and technical support to the local authorities in order to help them in the implementation of the laws. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.

Regarding the dispute on which date should be proclaimed for the BiH State Day, the RS Prime Minister said that he supported the date when the Dayton Peace Agreement was signed, November 21st.

World

A piece on the continuation of the Russian Army attacks against Chechenia. This was followed by a report on the beginning of the International Forum in Paris about the Balkans and its transition from stabilisation to reconstruction. In Kosovo, incidents occurred again. Last night, two police officers were attacked in the Serb part of the Gnjilane-Bujanovac road area. This was followed by the official announcement of the USA First Lady, Hilary Clinton, that she would be a candidate for the US Senate next year. The report was produced by OBN journalist, Gordana Frimel.

Sarajevo

The European Commission approved one million DEM for the return of so called ethnic minorities. The report on a returnee whose house was reconstructed by the EC funds in the Sarajevo residential quarter, was produced by OBN reporter, Vedran Persic.

Banja Luka

A piece on the ninth day of the strike of the “Incel” factory workers in Banja Luka. Their negotiations with the RS Government did not have any results. For the second time this week, the workers gathered in front of the RS Government building to ask for their late salaries and social insurance, OBN reporter from Banja Luka, confirmed.

Bosanski Samac

This was followed by a piece on the “Mebos” factory from Bosanski Samac which used to be one of the biggest producers in ex Yugoslavia. Before the crisis, they used to sell their products in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Now, most of their products have been sold on the BiH market, OBN reporter from the area, Slobodanka Radojkovic, confirmed.

Culture

A piece on the Franciscan archive libraries in BiH and the importance they have for the BiH cultural inheritance.

Sport

A report on international basketball matches was followed by a report on the BiH chess team.