OBN News Review, 26 October 1999 - Office of the High Representative

Headlines

“Nezavisne novine” and “Glas srpski” newspapers published with the first three pages blank and the words “We demand” – they demand an urgent investigation and capture of those responsible for the attempted assassination on Zeljko Kopanja
The Serb Radical Party said there would no be elections in 2000 because application of the Party had been rejected
Damir Dosen, indicted for war crimes and arrested yesterday, transferred to the Hague
Tomorrow, members of the syndicate of textile and leather industry workers in the BiH Federation will go on general strike
Prime Minister of Albania resigned

Banja Luka

The health state of Zeljko Kopanja, the Editor-in-chief of the Banja Luka daily “Nezavisne novine” has improved. Today, Nezavisne novine” and “Glas srpski” were published with the first three pages blank and the words “We demand”. A number of electronic media in the RS joined today in the request and expressed it through a five minute break in programming. The report on this was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Darko Savic.

Pale

The RS Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, visited Pale today. His visit confirmed that he and his coalition partners intended to get support from the voters of Pale and other parts of the Serb Sarajevo in the local elections in 2000. Dodik announced his party would have candidate in the municipality elections in the BiH Federation as well. In his interview for OBN, the RS Prime Minister explained the latest events in the RS. He said that the attempted assassination on Kopanja was the action of those groups which want to make the environment in the RS unstable. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Damir Kaletovic.

Banja Luka

Yesterday, the OSCE Mission in BiH informed the Radical Party and the RS Serb Party that they were forbidden to register for the local elections. Today, the Serb Radical Party said that the decision led to the conclusion there would be no municipality elections in 2000. They called the OSCE decision totalitarian and added that it breached the Dayton Peace Agreement. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Valentina Knezevic.

The Hague Tribunal

SFOR was not ready to announce details of yesterday’s arrest of Damir Dosen, indicted for war crimes. Late last night, Dosen was transferred to the Hague in detention. He has been indicted for crimes allegedly committed against prisoners of the Keraterm concentration camp in 1992, within the case called “Sikirica and Others”. Dosen is the third individual from this case who was arrested. The other five individuals are still free, OBN reporter, Vedran Persic, confirmed.

Sarajevo

Members of the syndicate of textile and leather industry workers in the BiH Federation will go on general strike tomorrow. They ask for a new social welfare program, decrease of taxes, protection of local production and decrease of electricity prices. Workers from the factories in Banovici and Travnik will not participate in the strike. The BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic, was called to come to the protest gathering scheduled for tomorrow in Sarajevo.

The “SAB” Bank

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton arrested Kabas Krasnici who owed 500,000 DEM to the “SAB” Bank, which has recently gone bankrupt. Krasnici got the credit due to a fraud. The Bank Board of Creditors invited the ex Director of the Bank, Zeljko Raguz, currently in Croatia, to come to Sarajevo and bring documentation which, as he claimed, would prove he was innocent. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.

Banja Luka

The action “Stop Smuggling” continues. From the beginning of the action in August, the RS Customs in Banja Luka confiscated 26 kilos of gold and silver, worth 700,000 DEM, OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Suzana Vukcevic, confirmed.

World

Today, talks between the Serbian and Montenegrin delegations on redefining relations between them continued in Belgrade. There was no announcement for the press. This was followed by a report on the urgent consultation between the Stability Pact members, initiated by the EU Coordinator of the Pact due to worsening of the situation in Montenegro. KFOR arrested three Yugoslav soldiers who entered Kosovo from Montenegro. Currently, the soldiers are in the prison in Pec and probably will be released tonight. This was followed by a report on fights in Chechenia and the resignation of the Albanian Prime Minister. A report on the start of negotiations between Afghanistan and the USA on handing over of the well-known terrorist, Bin Laden, followed. Reports on current events in Middle East and Indonesia were presented. The report was produced by OBN journalist, Mladen Maric.

Sarajevo

A center for medical home care was opened today in Sarajevo. The aim of the center is to provide help to individuals and their families who suffer from cancer in their homes. The funds for the project were mainly provided by a British non-governmental organisation. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Sevko Bajic.

This was followed by a report on the opening of a women centre whose main aim is to provide support to single mothers, OBN reporter, Mirna Sadikovic, confirmed.

A report on the eleventh day at the International Theatre Festival “MESS 99” in Sarajevo and performance of the Hungarian theatre group was produced by OBN reporter, Gordana Frimel.

Sport

A report on local football was followed by reports on the English football league and the death of the USA golf player in a plane accident.