TV news broadcast on 31 December
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Covic’s interview in VL | HR receives PRC proposals | 175 dead in | New Year in |
| PDP on CoM crisis | Fire in | Update, tsunami | New taxes as of 1 Jan |
| Beslic holds reception | Update, tsunami | Brcko Govt appointed | Money laundering in RS |
| 175 killed in | BiH in 2004 | Police reforms in BH | 3 crimes in Trebinje |
TV news broadcast on 1 January
| NTV Hayat CD (18,55 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| New Year’s celebrations | New Year celebration | Celebration of New Year | HR on BIH in EU, NATO |
| Elections in | UN assistance for | Appeal to BiH citizens | New taxes as of 1 Jan |
| New Year in | New taxes as of 1 Jan | New Year in the world | RS New Year’s celebration |
| New taxes as of 1 Jan | Elections in | New Year in BiH | NY celebration in |
TV news broadcast on 2 January
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| CRO elections in BIH | Elections in | Number of victims in | Party’s mtg on Monday |
| Elections in | Cro elections in | Trade union’s aid to | Policemen wounded |
| SNSD, HSS on BD Govt | Cro elections in Mostar | Elections in | Bomb explosion in Prijedor |
| Victims in | Cro elections in BL | Cro elections in BH | Croatian elections |
| Oslobodjenje | In addition to December, half of the March pension too?; Mayor Mirsad Djapo appointed the Government; CoM: Criteria for Secretary general changed |
| Dnevni Avaz | State institutions are losing 30 million KM |
| Dnevni List | OHR abolishes entity armies and military service |
| Vecernji List | Croatia has chosen |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Croatians elect head of state |
| Nezavisne Novine | 500 dismissals at intelligence agencies; Radovan Pejic: 4134 files contain information on names of victims, witnesses and executors of crimes |
| Glas Srpske | What is the message of HR’s New Years’ message: Three peoples – double standards |
| EuroBlic | Paravac: Forced reforms are bad for BiH; Paddy Ashdown: Nobody will abolish RS, but it is not a state |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
Police and defence reforms; intelligence issues | |
| HR receives final proposals on police reform
| BHT 1 on 31 Dec – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on 31 December received the final proposals on the establishment of BiH Police, submitted by the Chair of the Police Reform Commission, Wilfred Martens. According to OHR, Ashdown will bring the decision after he examines all three models. According to BHTV source close to international community, the RS Interior Minister, Darko Matijesevic,said during at the PRC session held on 15 December that he would never accept the abolishment of RS MoI. Same source said that regardless to the final decision, RS MoI will not be abolished for a while, being that IC’s priority is to abolish entities’ Defence Ministries. FTV on 31 Dec by Zeljko Tica – The PRC suggested establishment of a single police institution in BIH divided in several regions. The regions would be under command of Regional Directors, and a Police Director would coordinate the work of all regions. The police would be financed and controlled from the state level. However, the Commission didn’t reach agreement on number of regions, and the final decision on this rests with the High Representative. While experts say that the five regions plan is the best solution, Serb parties oppose it. Commenting this situation, OHR Spokesperson |
| ATV reports HR to abolish entity Defence Ministries
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Defence done hastily’ by M.Dz. – GS refers to ATV report Sunday evening, according to which the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, has reached a decision to extend the mandate of the BiH Defence Reform Commission. ATV has further claimed that it had a copy of the latest Ashdown’s decision, which clearly reads that the task of the Commission is to abolish the defence ministries of RS and F BiH and to transfer their authorities onto the level of BiH Defence Ministry. |
| DL: OHR’s priorities in 2004 are security, defence and finance related reforms
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 5 ‘OHR abolishes entity armies and military service’, by Zvonimir Jukic – DL learns from its collocutor “who is personally involved in defining of OHR’s plans and operations for this year” that the OHR’s plans for 2005 is to concentrate the fundamental functions of a state with the BiH Council of Ministers by completing reforms in the areas of security, defence and finances. DL writes that the biggest step this year is the dissolving of the entity armies that will follow after the entity MoDs have been abolished. The situation will result in a complete reform of the defence sector, after which BiH will have a state MoD and between 2 to 4 professional army brigades with state insignia on the troops’ uniforms. In such situation, says DL, (the compulsory) military service will be abolished because it is too much of a financial burden. Furthermore, DL writes that reforms to the financial sector in BiH in 2005 will be wrapped up with introduction of the VAT. DL’s source also says that one of OHR’s priorities in 2005 will be the arrest of two most wanted PIFWCs, namely Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. The source also notes that the Peace Implementation Council, if BiH does not sign the Stabilization and Accession Agreement with the EU, will consider it as a failure of the High Representative and international administration in BiH. |
| VL: IC to focus on defence reform in 2005 | Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Entity defence ministries will be abolished before MoIs’, by Eldina Medunjanin – VL also notes that, as a result of strong opposition coming from the RS, the priority of the IC in 2005 will be to complete the defence reform, which includes the abolishment of the current entity MoDs. |
| Srna int with HR Ashdown; on police and defence reforms
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Whoever establishes the new Government, they will face the same task’ by SRNA, EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘Nobody will abolish RS, but it is not a state’ by SRNA– In an interview given to the Srna news agency, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, underlined that the police restructuring is one of the 16 conditions set in the Feasibility Study, adding that “those who stand in the way of this, stand in the way of this country’s future in Europe.” He denied that the plan to abolish entities Defence Ministries within three years after establishment of BiH MoD was concealed from public: “State level defence institutions that are capable of exercising independent command and control over BiH’s armed forces is a basic requirement for participation in Nato’s Partnership for Peace programme.” Asked about the required level of competencies which must be removed from the entities and transferred to BiH for the EU accession, Ashdown responded: “I think, once the reform of the police is completed, the process of building a functioning state is basically completed. As far as joining the EU and NATO is concerned, this is the last great reform BiH is required to make. BiH may need to make more important changes itself to cut the cost of government. But that is up to you and can only be done by agreement among the constituent people of BiH. This is a matter for BiH and not the IC. One thing is clear: BiH must become a functional and more affordable state if it wishes to continue on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration.” |
| Paravac opposes model on police reform
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Paravac: Agreement – model for prosperity’, not signed, EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘Forced reforms are bad for BiH’ by SRNA – Borislav Paravac, Chairperson of the BiH Presidency, stated that he always assigned primacy to those reforms, that had been agreed at the level of the two equal entities and three constitutive peoples, adding he does not support the model on police reform, which does not comply with the efficient transformation of the defence system in BiH. He expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that police reform had not followed the model of talks on defence reform. He further assessed that possible new interventions of the High Representative would cause additional dissatisfaction amongst citizens, not only in RS but also BiH as well. |
| NN on dismissals in OSA
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘500 dismissals at intelligence agencies’ by D. Risojevic – NN has learnt at the State Intelligence and Security Agency (OSA of BiH) that over 500 members of the former entity intelligence agencies had been handed notices of dismissals as of New Year of 2005. Furthermore, out of 400 employees, 200 employees at RS Intelligence Agency had been handed dismissal notices on New Year’s eve, owing to ongoing re-organisation at the Agency. According to NN, dismissals were mainly handed to those employees with secondary school education, but here were also some with university diplomas dismissed on the basis of their political biasedness to SDS and PDP (Dobro Planojevic, Goran Radovic, Predrag Ceranic) and Slavko Jovicic aka Slavuj, Vice President of RS Association of former camp inmates. NN source close to OSA claims that the FOSS dismissed those employees close to Munir Alibabic, and who are not close to SDA. |
Political issues | |
| RS parties today to discuss appointment of PM designate
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘About new Government today’ by A. Sekulic – Marko Pavic, DNS President, on Sunday confirmed that the new round of negotiations between the representatives of six political parties in the RS and the RS President, Dragan Cavic, regarding the nomination of the RS-PM-designate would resume today (Monday) at 12:00 hrs. RTRS on 2 Jan – RTRS also announce the meeting. |
| Brcko Mayor appoints District’s Government | FTV on 31 Dec – Brcko District Mayor, Mirsad Djapo, appointed the District Government on 31 December, to consist of the 11 Chief of Departments. The government will have fiver Serb, three Bosniak and three Croat members. Djapo stated that after long negotiations seven majority parties had reached an agreement on eight ministers, however they failed to agree on ministers for public services and urbanism. According to Brcko District Statute, the Mayor is allowed to appoint the government, but District Assembly can abolish his decisions with a three-fifth majority. Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Mayor Djapo appointed the government’, mentioned on cover, by V. Jahic – Oslobodjenje comments that while Assembly will take stance on the Govt appointed by Djapo, there is a small possibility that delegates will overturn this decision as the parties reached an agreement on it previously. Djapo is also expected to appoint Deputy Mayor, and the most probable candidate is Anto Domic from HDZ. |
| HSS, SNSD not satisfied with Djapo’s decision on Brcko Government | RHB on 2 Jan, FTV on 2 Jan, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘HSS and SNSD unsatisfied with the distribution of positions’ by Fena – Representatives of the HSS and SNSD expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision of Mirsad Djapo to appoint the new Brcko District Government. Deputy Speaker of Brcko Assembly, Ivan Krndelj, stated that he is not satisfied with Djapo’s decision to appoint an SDP candidate to the position of Chief of Department for refugees and displaced persons, instead of HSS candidate. “In all previous inter-party agreements, that position was designated for HSS representative. In the last moment, Djapo – in an agreement with HDZ – steals our position and gives it to his party colleague, which is unacceptable,” said Krndelj adding that SDP has chosen HDZ as the main coalition partner. Djordje Kojic, Deputy Chair of Brcko SNSD, stated that this party would not accept imposed solutions. “We do not accept the department for utilities, as we were promised to get the urban planning. We will demand from Supervisor, Susan Johnson, to annul the decision on appointments, as she was determined that representatives of one people cannot get both utilities and urban planning,” added Kojic. |
| Reactions to HR’s New Year’s message
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Three peoples – double standards’ by D.R. – GS brings some comments following the New Year’s message of the HR, Paddy Ashdown. Krstan Simic, SNSD official, says: “HR has confirmed that Bosniaks in BiH want to dominate and that any talk regarding the three equal constitutive peoples in BiH is wasted.” Stanko Pivasevic, SDS MP at RS NA, has said that HR has unmasked himself by having given this statement and has disclosed the strivings of Bosniak leadership and former High representatives of BiH, adding that three peoples cannot be regarded with double standards. Ognjen Tadic, Secretary General of the Serb Radical Party “Dr. Vojislav Seselj”, said that HR ahs turned into the creator of the Dayton Agreement. Mirko Banjac, DNS Vice President, says that BiH cannot be sustained without cooperation and agreement amongst peoples living in it, adding: “It is impossible that one people is consulted on some issues more than other two.” |
| Srna int with HR Ashdown; on current political situation
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Whoever establishes the new Government, they will face the same task’ by SRNA, EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘Nobody will abolish RS, but it is not a state’ by SRNA– In an interview given to the Srna news agency, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, stated that nobody will abolish the RS, but warned that this entity must respect its international obligations and realize it is not a state, but a part of the state. He stressed that “the prospect of EU and NATO membership is the only way to life for the average citizen better.” On his latest measures, HR said: “Their purpose is to give those who seem to be getting more serious about catching war criminals, the time, the means and the space to succeed. Their aim is to push BiH, and with it the RS, further down the path towards integration with the Euro-Atlantic structures.” Asked whether his decisions caused the latest crisis in RS, HR stressed that the “the political events of the past 10 days have been caused by one thing alone – and that is the failure of the RS authorities to… co-operate with the ICTY. Amid all the short-term political gamesmanship, this fact has at times been lost. All resignations are to be regretted but none will change anything. The next government will again be faced with that same task. In order for BiH to progress down the path of EU and NATO membership, the RS must co-operate with the Hague Tribunal.” |
| Paravac, Dodik on HR
| RTRS on 1 Jan – HR Paddy Ashdown stated that BiH memberships in EU and NATO are the only way to improve the life of an average citizen in RS, warning that all depends on cooperation with ICTY. BIH Presidency President Borislav Paravac feels that OHR’s presence should reduce in time and that reforms should be a product of domestic intelligence. SNSD Chairman Milorad Dodik says that all HR’s in the past had to make difficult decisions at the end of their mandate which is to be expected from Ashdown as well. |
| Srna int with Dodik: ‘No path towards EU without RS’
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘No path towards EU without RS’ by SRNA – In an interview to SRNA news agency, Milorad Dodik, SNSD President, pointed out that many people, who would like to see BiH enter European integration were trying to achiever this through the abolishment of the RS, warning it is impossible. He said that the process of dialogue should be opened with High Representative, during which RS officials would state what would be accepted and what would not be accepted, irregardless whether Ashdown or God reached a decision. He noted that the fact could not be ignored that the authority in RS had been placed under US sanctions, owing to which reason it is necessary to resolve the problem in this aspect. |
| FTV on DPA 10th anniversary, HR
| FTV on 1 Jan by Mirza Huskic – On 1 January 2005, FTV brought feature on the Dayton Peace Agreement being that this year will mark its 10th. FTV reminded of some of most key foundations of the DPA, especially of the commitment by the signatories that they will respect territorial sovereignty of countries and all issues will be solved without force or threats to use force. When it comes to sovereignty, FTV says that these obligations made it clear that any manipulations by the Serb parties are without foundation. Reporter says that consciously or not, HR Paddy Ashdown has reduced the efforts of his three predecessors as well as of many BiH politicians who have pulled in much energy in democratization of society and creation of sustainable State. It further comments that before HR came a number of things were done in order to create civil society and establish rule of the law, but during three year of his “rule”, HR through lead of judiciary and police reforms and sanctions has changed players but not “national-chauvinistic concept of Radovan Karadzic’s followers” and in that way the political ambient in BiH was brought five years backwards. FTV also brings that RS President Dragan Cavic stated in the in BK TV [Serbian TV] magazine “Nije srpski cutati” said that RS had not chances of meeting obligations towards the ICTY until Slobodan Milosevic left, as until then the ICTY jurisdiction was not recognized. He added that reflection of Milosevic’s rule had direct impact to the political relations in RS and that his trial in ICTY made it clear that there were no ‘untouchables’. Unfortunately, says FTV, by ignoring these kinds of Cavic’s statements, HR will have noting new to say on DPA’s 10th anniversary regarding the key issue – arrest of war criminals. |
| DL: Next High Representative either from
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘French or German coming to lead OHR?’, by Zvonimir Jukic – The author notes that the current High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, will be leaving BiH in 2005, saying that he will likely be replaced by a diplomat from either Germany or France. DL writes that HR Ashdown, when he arrived to BiH, believed that he would be able to carry out reforms in BiH that would make the country a viable state, however one year after HR Ashdown’s arrival, it became clear that HR Ashdown would not be able to be the last HR for BiH. Regarding the appointment of the future High Representative for BiH, the author says there is a distinct division into two blocks in |
| FTV on Feasibility Study
| FTV on 2 Jan by Aida Smailagic– Reviewing 2004 in BiH, FTV reminded of the Feasibility Study submitted to the BiH authorities by the European Commission on 18 November 2003, which outlines the 16 key preconditions for BiH to start with the negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement. A number of both international and domestic officials have estimated that in 2004 BiH has started implementing reforms stated in the study, and that it will start with the negotiations in 2005. However, FTV says that regardless to the all positive achievements, one of the key conditions to start with SAA negotiations, cooperation with the ICTY, has not been fulfilled which has resulted with the rejection of BiH’s request to enter Partnership for Peace. FTV comments that BiH’s admission to EU depends on BiH’s politicians and implementation of all reforms stated in the Feasibility Study. |
| Dragan Covic: HDZ will not be dragged away from negotiating table
| Dnevni List, pg 4, mention on front, ‘International organizations defend HDZ?!’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – The Croat member of BiH Presidency and Vice President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Covic, is satisfied with the effects of the letter that the HDZ leadership sent to representatives of the IC in BiH in early December 2004 in which the party warned of discrediting and belittling of elected representatives of the Croat people in BiH and called upon the IC to stop the negative processes in BiH that are hindering talks on constitutional changes in BiH. Covic explains: “I think we have shown the real way how to send a message across and how to solve issues that we do not like, because we have opened a partnership with the IC through several talks that we had after (the letter) with them”. Covic underlines that an agreement on future re-organization will not be reached overnight and that the HDZ will still be exposed to various pressures, but in the same time Covic says the HDZ will not be dragged away from the negotiating table since it is important who represents the Croats at the said table. |
| Oslobodjenje on selection of CoM Secretary General
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Criteria for Secretary General changed’, mentioned on cover, by V. Zivak – Daily reads that the months long ‘drama’ around the election of the BiH CoM’s Secretary General could be finalized soon, as the BiH Civil Service Agency for the second time has published the vacancy for this post. This position has been vacant since September 2004, when Ivan Cosic left it in order to take over a senior position in State Intelligence Service. Daily also says that the criteria for the job have been changed, now demanding the degree in law and not requesting knowledge of English. Oslobodjenje concludes that all this leaves enough space for speculations that the criteria have been written for somebody in particular. |
| DA: Border crossing Izacic still closed down
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Croatian side guilty for postponing opening of Izacic crossing’ by S. Dzanic – DA writes that despite the number of promises and announcements, including the intervention from the OHR, border crossing Izacic has still not been opened. Despite the 11 million KM worth construction of the modern crossing and solved property issues, according to DA, Izacic is still closed as Croatian side – which will also use the premises – objected to it as all additional facilities they would use have not been constructed. DA brings that nobody seem to know how this problem appeared. |
Economic and social issues | |
| New laws on taxes on turnover of goods and excise as of 1 Jan
| BHT 1, RTRS on 1 Jan – Implementation of the two new laws regarding the tax on turnover of goods and services and the excise tax have started from 1 January, and all revenue collected will be directed to the single bank account of BIH Indirect Taxation Administration. The laws are expected to simplify the transportation of goods between the entities and prevent tax evasions. RTRS on 31 Dec – ITA announced that 1.9 billion KM will be paid to this account in 2005, and the majority of this revenue will cover expenses of BIH administration and will be used to pay off the foreign debt. The rest will be divided between Brcko District, RS and FBIH according to already set percentages. ITA Director, Kemal Causevic, says that the percentages – 65.7% for FBiH, 30.5% for RS and 3.8% for BD – are justified. ITA Steering Board also adopted a statute on payment of taxes to the joint account. |
| DA op-ed on new sales and excise taxes
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Taxes and excise’ op-ed by Husein Orahovac – Referring to the implementation of the Law on tax on turnover of goods and services and Law on excise goods, the DA editorial reads that “BiH had to wait 10 years since the Daytn agreement to collect revenues without which functioning of any state is unimaginable… [the most important] is that money collected from taxes and excise will be at the disposal of BiH… Adoption [of these laws] broke the resistance from RS which for years opposed equalisation of the rates in entire BiH… Significance of these laws is great in the process of BiH’s admission to Euro-Atlantic integrations.” |
| Update to FBiH budget issues
| FTV on 2 Jan by Azra Pasukan-Buljina– Both Houses of the FBiH Parliament adopted this year’s FBiH budget in amount of KM 1.12 million, however many expressed dissatisfaction with the unfair division of means. Invalids have not been included in the budget. The law regulating the assistance to the disabled should have been implemented as of Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 7 ‘In addition to December disability pension, half of the pension for March too?’ by A.B. – Zahid Crnkic, chair of the Board for veteran disability protection of the FBiH parliament, stated that the FBiH Government has planned to pay war veterans and families of fallen soldiers both December pension and second half of outstanding March 2001 benefits through the rebalance of the budget. However, as the FBiH House of Representatives has not voted on the rebalance, the earliest that these pensions could be expected is the end of January under conditions rebalance is adopted at the HoR session in mid January. |
| DA on BiH 2005 budget
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘State institutions are losing 30 million KM’, pg 4 ‘State institutions lose 30 million KM in the first three months’ by F. Cardzic – BiH Minister for Finances and Treasury, Ljerka Maric, warns that unless BiH Parliament adopts the 2005 budget, some of the state institutions will not be able to finance themselves. In a statement to DA, Maric claims that institutions established in 2004, such as the Indirect Taxation Administration, directly depend on the 2005 budget. DA brings that while BiH House of Representatives announced it would discuss this issue on the session to be held until 7 January, it learns that the session is most probably scheduled for 12 January. If HoR fails to adopt the budget, it would have to adopt the temporary decision on the first three months of financing, which would be based on the same period in 2004. In addition to ITA, in danger of losing finances are SIPA, OSA, Institute for Intellectual Property, etc. DA concludes that 2004 budgetary funds for state institutions was 212 million KM, while due to new institutions in 2005 it would request 338 million KM. Thus, in the first three months, state institutions would lack 30 million KM. |
| Colak on financing SIPA
| Dnevni List, pg 6, mentioned on front ‘Funds for hiring of thousand people secured’, by Jurislav Petrovic – According to the BiH Security Minister, Barisa Colak, the BiH’s budget for 2005 will be allocating 25 million KMs for the needs of SIPA, which is almost five times more than the sum allocated in 2004 (5,6 million KMs). Minister Colak says although the funds are not as much as the Ministry has asked for, the funds should cover the cost of hiring between 800 and 1000 people in SIPA. Colak goes on to say that the people have already been selected, noting that the next phase in making the SIPA fully operational is securing the necessary equipment. |
War crimes | |
| Update to files on Serbs victims in
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 6 ‘4134 files contain information on names of victims, witnesses and executors of crimes’ by N. Krsman – In a brief interview to Nezavisne Novine, Radomir Pejic, Spokesperson of the PSC East Sarajevo, claims thatthe team of PSC East Sarajevo in charge of investigating crimes committed against Serbs in Sarajevo during the war is checking into data contained in the files on victims, detected a month ago. He has also clarified that the processing of 4134 files with the information on victims, place and method of crime, and the names of the witnesses and executors of criminal acts are ongoing, adding that: “File cases contain names of victims, some of whom are still alive.” |
| Novic, Miletic deny Gotovina in
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘The charged General is not hiding in Herzegovina’ by R. Cengic-V.Coric – Sredoja Novic, Head of SIPA, and Zlatko Miletic, Director of the F BiH Police Administration, on Sunday denied claims of David Leakey, EUFOR Commander, that Ante Gotovina was hiding in Herzegovina. Miletic also said: “If Mr. Leakey knows where Gotovina is, why does not he arrest him then, it is his mandate as well.” |