Headlines
- Most of Serbia without electricity due to NATO strikes
- Suggestion for a meeting between Clinton and Milosevic rejected
- Tony Blair in Macedonia
- Payment operations office printed unique citizens’ accounts during the holiday
- Serbs from Maglaj want to return to their pre-war homes
- May 3rd – International Day of Press Freedom
Yugoslavia
A great part of Serbia is without electricity after last night strikes of NATO planes. The France Press reported that during the last NATO strikes, at least 17 passengers had been killed in a bus and two cars, while 20 people were wounded in the North West of Kosovo. NATO did not confirm the information. NATO officials said that new targets of NATO air campaign are electricity power plants. This was the 40th night of NATO strikes.
Members of Clinton’s Administration rejected suggestions about a meeting between him and the Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. This was announced by the Voice of America. Clinton met with the Russian envoy for Yugoslavia, Victor Chernomyrdin. Russian media announced that Chernomyrdin would meet the British Prime Minister this week. The USA ex ambassador in NATO, Richard Hunter, commented for OBN, a role of Russia in solving of the Kosovo crisis.
Kosovo – refugees
UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced today that 795 thousand refugees have fled Kosovo since March 1998. Six hundred and sixty five thousand of them found sanctuary in neighboring countries while others are placed in the third countries. Today, almost two thousand refugees had come to Kukes. Macedonian President said he was afraid of riots in his country due to 200 thousand refugees in Macedonia.
Washington Window
The USA ex ambassador in NATO, Richard Hunter, was a guest of the Washington Window show partially produced by OBN. Mr. Hunter answered some questions about the BiH future. He said that citizens of BiH should leave the past behind them.
Banja Luka
Problems in the electricity supply system in Serbia reflected on the operation of the RS electricity system. Last night, the RS was without electricity because their links with Serbia. Electricity shortage was compensated with electricity from the BiH Federation.
Brcko
A piece on the Brcko market. Shops in Brcko are still supplied and for the last couple of days, more products from the BiH Federation, Slovenia and Croatia can be found in the Brcko shops.
BiH Federation
The BiH Federation Prime Minister, Edhem Bicakcic, said that the Federation would make revaluation of invalid pensions for 1995 and 1996 with certificates.
Republika Srpska
Minister of the RS Government, Savo Loncar, announced that process of privatization in this entity would begin in the middle of May. He added that the process would be encouraged by the donor conference scheduled for May 20th in Brussels.
Sarajevo
A piece on the payment operations office in Sarajevo that is struggling to meet the deadline for printing unique citizens’ accounts during the holiday.
Tuzla
Deputy Minister of the Tuzla-Podrinje Canton, Anto Pranjic, will be acting Interior Minister of the Tuzla-Podrinje Canton until the new minister is appointed. This was announced by the Tuzla-Podrinje Canton Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Livno
A piece on the Livno Canton which is characterized by fraction struggles within the HDZ. This is the cause of many economic problems and because of that they cannot implement an agreement signed recently with the International Mediator, on the reconstruction of the joint police forces, no later than April 30th.
Doboj
Representative of the refugees from Maglaj in the Doboj Municipality, confirmed that 50% of Serb refugees want to return to their town.
Zeljusa (Mostar)
A report on the Serb returnees in the Zeljusa village as they gradually establish their everyday life.
Travnik
A report on the return of 35 elderly people from Austria to the home for elderly people in Travnik. They have spent more than six years in Austria.
Tuzla
A piece on the SOS telephone in Travnik, established by the humanitarian organization “Amica Educa”. Those who dial the number, get expert help and answers to different problems they are faced with.
International Day of Press Freedom
In 1991, the UN Council decided to pronounce May 3rd, the International Day of Press Freedom. This year, central celebration is organized in the capital of Columbia, Bogota. Reports on the issue came from Tuzla and Banja Luka.
Dreznica (Mostar)
A piece on a popular picnic site in Dreznica, North from Mostar. People try to cultivate the beach of the Drezanjka river in order to make it more attractive for visitors.
Sport
Results from the international football matches were followed by reports from hockey in Norway and tennis.