Headlines
- BiH Council of Ministers announced the well-known fact that there were too few foreign investments in BiH
- BiH Federation Government do not have time for strategic laws
- House of Peoples representatives of the BiH Federation Parliament finished their forty day break and continued the seventh, interrupted session today
- New election law has been analysed in the RS
- Process of return – Bosniaks from Ilici in West Mostar succeeded in a visit to their pre-war homes at the second attempt
- Heads of the East Herzegovina municipalities and Hercegovina-Neretva Canton met today in Mostar – Croat representatives did not show up
- The governing body of the Islamic Community in BiH “Rijaset” consider publishing of “Vaktija” by the Saudi Arabia Committee for Humanitarian Issues interfering in the religious life of BiH Muslims
Sarajevo
The BiH Council of Ministers adopted a suggestion of the contract on the loan between the European Union, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Central Bank. The loan is worth 20 million EUROs. BiH Council of Ministers announced that there were too few foreign investments in BiH. Practically, the only country which has been investing in the BiH Federation is Kuwait and it covers 69% of all investments. The OHR asked the Presidency to give their opinion on the new election law. The Presidency could not reach common ground on the issue and would send their opinions separately. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Adis Saranovic.
This was followed by a report on the session of the BiH Federation Government. The representatives spent most of their time discussing minutes from the last session. Issues like laws on interior affairs, citizenship and companies’ privatisation were postponed for the next session, OBN reporter, Anes Alic, confirmed.
The seventh, interrupted session of the Federal House of Peoples was continued today after a forty day break. Today, most of the time was spent on discussion of the draft law on amnesty. Croat representatives in the House of Peoples ask for an amnesty to be introduced from October 1st, 1991 when the village Ravno was attacked. According to the draft law, beginning of the amnesty should be January 1st 1991, date when the jurisdiction of the International Hague Tribunal was introduced. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Amarildo Gutic.
Banja Luka
A report on the visit of the US Ambassador in BiH, Thomas Miller, to Banja Luka. The Ambassador met with the BiH Presidency member, Zivko Radisic, and the RS Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik. They discussed the current political situation in BiH with respect to the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The Ambassador visited recently attacked “Nezavisne novine” Editor-in-chief, Zeljko Kopanja, in a hospital. The report on this was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Tatjana Lajsic.
World
Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, arrived in Washington. The US State Secretary, Madeleine Albright, said that they supported the decision of the Montenegrin Government to introduce the German mark as a currency of payment. The US Government announced they would allow the delivery of oil to Serbia as a sign of support to the democratic opposition if free elections were held in Serbia with the monitoring of the International Community. This was followed by reports on current events in Chechenia, Shri Lanka and Algeria. The report was produced by OBN journalist, Duska Jurisic.
Banja Luka
OSCE wants citizens of BiH to answer the question “What do you expect from the election system” before they pass the election draft law to the BiH Parliament. Together with the BiH partners, OSCE will support the promotion of citizens’ discussions in order to determine their needs. Discussions have already started. The round table meeting on this topic was held today in Banja Luka, OBN reporter from the town, Darko Savic, confirmed. The meeting was organised by clubs of Serb representatives in the Representative House of the RS National Assembly.
Mostar
Heads of the RS municipalities from East Hercegovina and Hercegovina-Neretva Canton met today in Mostar for the first time. Croat representatives did not show up although they were invited. Main topics of their conversation were return of refugees and implementation of property laws enacted by the High Representatives, OBN reporter from Mostar, Mirsad Behram confirmed. This was followed by a report sent by another OBN reporter from the town, Pejo Gasparevic. He confirmed that the Mayor of Mostar, Ivan Prskalo, said that such meetings would not contribute to the improvement of refugee return. He said that those meetings were only a formallity.
This was followed by a report on the visit of 20 Bosniak families to Ilici in West Mostar. A month ago, the first try of Bosniaks to visit their pre-war homes failed because they were attacked, OBN reporter from the area, Denis Vila, confirmed.
Banja Luka
A delegation of German businessmen visited Banja Luka today. One of the delegation members, Jens Uve Stejnhauer, said that the most important thing for the RS to attract international investors would be advertising of its own region. The report was produced by OBN reporter from Banja Luka, Biljana Arsic.
Sarajevo
The Independent Media Commission announced plans for the second phase of the process of issuing of licences. This time, licences will be issued for periods from two to five years and conditions for their issuing will be more strict. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Zeljka Lekic.
This was followed by a report on the issuing of “Vaktija” with dates of the beginning and the end of the Muslims’ holy month Ramadan by the Saudi Arabia Committee for Humanitarian Issues. The governing body of the Islamic Community in BiH consider this publication incorrect and interfering in the religious life of BiH Muslims. The report was produced by OBN reporter, Sevko Bajic.
Sport
A report on the European football matches was followed by a report on NBA.
This was followed by a report on the BiH representative, Magdalena Kvesa, for the Ford election for supermodel of the world which was produced by OBN reporter, Branka Vrebac.