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| Evidences on destiny of missing Bugojno Croats are gone | Two persons have been arrested under suspicion of murder of Blasko Knezovic | HN Cantonal Ministry of Interior discovers two possible perpetrators of crime in Siroki Brijeg | BiH Presidency to discuss Iraq crises |
| BiH Presidency to discuss return at tomorrow’s session | SFOR is conducting unlicensed shooting at Igman Mountain since 1996 | Due to lack of funds, school in Zabljak is declining and students are attending other schools | Serbian Finance Minister visited Banja Luka |
| “Day of Life” has been marked in the churches in BiH | Montenegrin citizens re-elects their president today | Criminals’ imagination always goes one step in front of lawyers, says Chief of the OHR’s Unit for Legal Reform | RS Trade Unions against VAT, custom reforms, privatisation of public enterprises |
| Americans rejected the French-German plan for Iraq’s disarmament | American politicians rejected the French-German plan for Iraq’s disarmament without use of armed forces | Due to the lack of legal acts, Federation is still far from civilian army service |
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| Oslobodjenje | Mlaco, Handzic want to hide evidence on the crime; Mostar Deputy Mayor Tomic to resign |
| Dnevni Avaz | Reis Ceric’s Bairam message – Honest faith and generous deeds; Julian Braithwaite unveils – Intelligence services are involved in the process of checking on the candidates |
| Dnevni List | Blasko Knezovic killed by Igor Salcin from Mostar; EU Ambassadors on introduction of customs and taxes at state level: Unified customs and VAT favour BiH citizens the most |
| Vecernji List | General’s Mercedes sold under price; Suspects for murder of Blasko Knezovic arrested |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia-related headlines only |
| Glas Srpski | Serbia with Srpska; Drama in Nenad Milosevic’s house in Srpski Brod: Wounded and looted |
| Nezavisne Novine | Balkan Elektro-kartel under investigation by Police – MUP in Serbia investigating activities of the largest electricity distributor in southeast Europe; Workers Force Former Minister out of the Factory – Drama in the Modrica Oil Refinery; VP of the SDA Seada Palavric – “SDS is a Reform Party; Life with a Python and a Tarantula |
| Blic | 28 rapes reported last year in RS; Brcko without potable water because of old water supply system |
Crimes; Affairs | |
| Mlaco, Handzic want to hide evidence on the crime
| Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 7 ‘Mlaco and Handzic want to hide evidence on the crime’ – Former Chief of the Bugojno Police Enis Sijamija told the newspaper that the bodies of once apprehended Croats Vinko Ivkovic, Nikica Milos and Jadranko Gvozden, who were then declared missing were actually burnt in an earth-cabin near the village of Vrbanja. However, according to Sijamija, all evidences about this crime were deliberately destroyed by Dzevad Mlaco, former Bugojno Mayor, and Enes Handzic. Vecernji List (front and page 6, by Faruk Vele, “New witness of disappearance of Croats”) claims to be in possession of a deposition that E. L., age 34, a former lieutenant of BiH Army, gave with regards to disappearance of two Bugojno Croats. According to VL, E. L. witnessed disappearance of two Bugojno Croats. “Two prisoners were taken to Motel Rostovo, late at night, escorted by Dzevad Mlaco, Edin Z, Jahija S and Hamdija O. They were taken in with blindfolds and tied hands, taken to the second floor of the motel, where they were kept in premises next to my office. I stepped outside my office and saw the persons. I asked what it was and who the persons were. I got an answer when Jahija S. told me not to interfere into their affairs and to do tasks assigned to me. The prisoners were taken away that night and nothing is known ever since”, said the witness. |
| Mostar Deputy Mayor Tomic confirmed he would resign | Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page, ‘Mostar Deputy Mayor Neven Tomic to resign’ – Mostar Deputy Mayor Neven Tomic confirmed in a statement for the newspaper that he would submit his resignation at a session of the town’s City Council on Monday. He said that he would give detailed explanation at the session but that the main reason for the move lied in a fact of ignoring of Mostar by everybody. |
| VL: Technical FBiH Government illegally sold vehicles of Croat generals | Vecernji list (front page & p 4, “Mercedeses for peanuts”, by Zoran Kresic) reports that 10 expensive Mercedes-Benzs, which were up to the Croat self-rule used by the highest-ranking officers of the Croat component within the FBiH Army, have been traded by the FBiH Defense Ministry through a bargain i.e. without the public competition. The vehicles have reportedly been changed for VW Golf IV vehicles in line with the principle new for old. VL notes that, since January last year, all financial transactions are being made through FBiH Treasury and not directly through the Ministry so it is not known where the money has gone. Dragica Knezevic, the Deputy Public Attorney whose opinion was asked for with the aim to cover for the illegal contract, is quoted as saying that the Public Attorney’s jurisdiction is to “assess the legal validity of a draft contract exclusively, and not of signed contracts that are already in force”. VL reminds that it is only after 2 aborted public competitions that a direct bargain is allowed, and this is not the case with the trade of the vehicles. |
| Police arrests two suspects for Knezovic murder
| Vecernji List (front and page 2, by R. S., “Murderers of Blasko Knezovic located and arrested”), Dnevni List (front and page 5, by DL’s investigative team, “Blasko Knezovic killed by Igor Salcin for Mostar”) and Slobodna Dalmacija (back page, by HINA, “Two suspects for Knezovic murder arrested”) report that the Ministries of Interior of Herzegovina-Neretva and West-Herzegovina Cantons with a help of the Federation MoI have arrested two persons suspected of murdering Blasko Knezovic. DL learns that the murder was committed by Igor Salcin, age 29, from Mostar and that one Sanja Vuleta, age 23, from Busovaca, was an accomplice. There are no clear motives for the crime, however VL says the motives are prostitution and drug dealing. In addition to that, SD says an anonymous police officials stated Vuleta and Salcin were tied to Mostar underground. |
| MUP in Serbia investigate activities of EFT – largest electrical energy distributor in southeast Europe | “Nezavisne Novine” page 2 – Controversial businessmen and directors of the Energy Financing Team Limited (EFT) company which distributes electricity in south-east Europe – Vuk Hamovic and Vojin Lazarevic, have been under investigation by the MUP in Serbia for suspicious transactions of importing electricity and gas causing financial detriment to Serbia and Montenegro says a “Nezavisne Novine” source in the MUP in Serbia. “Hamovic and Lazarevic are known to the police as exponents of the energy mafia and monopoly kartel which deals in energy” claims our source. He adds that they financed the presidential election campaign of Vojislav Kostunica hoping that he would protect them from the Serbian government offensive against people who were part of Sloboan Milosevic’s oligarchy. EFT is registered as an offshore company in London, registered in 2000, and according to its website ( www.eft-ltd.com), has succeeded in connecting the market of electricity distribution in the entire region. It is a partner of the British company of BML International Limited, which has offices in Genoa, Moscow, Kiev and Istanbul. EFT has offices in Sarajevo, Trebinje, Belgrade, Tirana, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Budapest and Skoplje. One of the founding members of both companies is Vuk Hamovic. In 2001, EFT bought and sold 10.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity which is valued at 195 million dollars. EFT has long-term contracts for distribution, import of and sale of surplus electrical energy up to the year 2009. EFT claims it has bought 80 percent of the distribution capacity in the region which, in a closed market such as south-east Europe, creates a monopoly which allows EFT to buy and sell electricity at a price they determine themselves. “London company, EFT realized its monopoly in the electricity market in this region by winning a tender for purchase of electrical energy announced one year ago by Elektroprivreda RS” says Nebojsa Medojevic, an economic analyst from Montenegro. |
| Auditor Under Attack by Tax Man | Nezavisne Novine, page 2 – RS tax inspectors entered the offices of the RS Supreme Auditor on Friday to audit the wages of the employees, according to Belgrade agency FoNet. According to sources close to the Tax Administration, FoNet reports that the audit began the same day the RS Public Prosecutor Jovan Spajic, requested the Supreme Auditor begin a special investigation into the sale of the Privredna Bank of Doboj, to determine whether proper procedure was followed during the privatization of this bank. FoNet source claims that the audit is pressure on the Supreme Auditor’s office in return for investigating this matter. |
| Workers Toss Out Former Minister from Factory | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 3 – Workers of the Modrica oil refinery on Saturday afternoon chased out Pero Bukejlovic, former RS Minister of Industry and Technology, from the factory. SDS member and representative of the state capital of the refinery, Bukejlovic was due to present his side’s candidate for the director of the refinery at the shareholders’ meeting, which was to take place on Saturday. Current director, Milan Jelic, was named as one of the top managers in the RS last year, while the refinery received both both European and world recognition for quality. Prior to the start of the first shareholders’ meeting of the refinery, Bukejlovic, as representative of 67 percent of state capital, spent several hours trying to convince the representatives of the privatization investment fund (PIO) and small (minority) shareholders (who hold 24 percent of the capital), to name all SDS members to the new Executive Board of the Refinery who would in turn, name Bukejlovic as the new Director. When the PIO representative offered a list of candidates which would include one of their members, together with a representative of the small (minority) shareholders, the PDP and only two SDS members, Bukejlovic immediately refused. Neither the general director of the RS refinery industry – Momcilo Tepic – nor the current president of the current Board, Milan Maric, could not persuade Bukejlovic. “Is it not clear to you that I am the candidate for the position of Director, and that’s how it will be. It is better we resolved this in a simpler rather than a difficult manner” said Bukejlovic. |
| Who Represents State Capital in RS Companies | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 3 – On August 30th last year, the RS government adopted a decision on naming the representatives of state capital in strategic companies in the RS. Most of those named include ministers, deputy and assistant ministers from Mladen Ivanic’s cabinet. That decision, which went into effect on the day it was adopted, was printed in the Official Gazette of the RS only on November 19th. The decision named RS Minister of Education Gojko Savanovic, the state representative of “Rasklopna Oprema” from Serb Sarajevo, former Minister of Science and Culture Mitar Novakovic to the company “Irce”, also of Serb Sarajevo, current Minister of Finance Simeun Vilendecic to the Tool Industry Company of Trebinje, and former Minister of Sport Zoran Tesanovic to the Trebinje Drill Factory. As well, the list includes former RS Minister of Justice, Biljana Maric to the Trebinje factory of Machines and Casting, former Minister of Religion Dusan Antelj to the Screws and Bolts Factory of Nevesinje, former Deputy Minister of Industry to the Draksenic Company in Kozarska/Bosanska Dubica and former Minister of Urbanism and Construction, Nedo Duric, to the Hydro-electric plant on the Vrbas. Petar Kuni, the former vice president of the RS government (Ivanic’s former deputy) was named the representative to “Oslobodenje”, former Deputy Minister of Justice Mladen Mandic to the RS Lottery Corporation, former Minister for Energy Bosko Lemez to the Hydro-electric plan on the Trebisnjica, his deputy – Slavisa Krunic to Elektroprivreda Doboj, current Minister of Labour and Veterans and War Invalids Mico Micic to Eletro-Bijeljina and Minister of Traffic Dragan Solaja to Rudnik and the Gacko Thermo-electric plant. |
| Milorad Jacimovic, Head of the Public Security Centre in Banja Luka – “I am not satisfied with the cooperation of the courts.” | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 5 – First man of the Banja Luka police, Milorad Jacimovic, agreed to speak with “Nezavisne” although he has been the target of media criticism for the police not being open to the press nor the public. He says that last year there were ten murders in the jurisdiction of the Banja Luka Public Security Centre, only one of which, a murder in Dubica, remains unresolved. Asked how many of the criminal investigations forwarded by the Banja Luka Public Security Centre have come before the courts and whether he was satisfied with court cooperation, Jacimovic replied “ We had criticism of court decisions on drug cases and perhaps the slowness of the court process. It is difficult to understand that an individual charged with drug dealing is released. Generally, we are not satisfied with the cooperation. For example, in Prijedor last year we had cases where individuals were jailed and then let go after only three days, eventhough they had committed a criminal offence. We then had to go and look for them, although they were no longer there as they were from Yugoslavia, who after being released from jail, immediately escaped to Yugoslavia.” When asked about corrupt policemen, Jacimovic said that last year there were 208 such cases investigated, of which 54 were proven. Last year 8 policemen were either fined or dismissed from their positions – three from Banja Luka, two from Prijedor and one from Mrkonjic Grad were dismissed while the other two received fines. Wages for RS policemen are between 361 and 600 KM per month. |
| Serb Sarajevo Veterans’ Organisation warns on illegal allocation of housing loans | Veterans’ Organisation of Serb Sarajevo Municipality warned in its press release on illegal allocation of credits from RS Housing Fund. The veterans say that at the credit board for allocation of housing funds’ session held on Friday the legislation was drastically violated, because the credits will be given to Privredna Bank’s employees, directors and the closest families of former state officials. However, director of Privredna Bank, Dragan Popovic, says that as far as he knows noone who submitted all necessary documents for credit was rejected, especially those who come from privileged categories of citizens. Svjetlana Lucic, director of Privredna Bank’s branch office in Serb Sarajevo, also rejects accusations of Veterans’ Organisation, saying that 52 % of those who got credits are families of killed soldiers, 44% demobilised soldiers and 4% of others, and all had all necessary documents. (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Letter full of bitterness’) |
| Lovrenovic on construction of religious facilities in BiH | Under the title “Who is digging foundations underneath others”, Ivan Lovrenovic in Feral Tribune (pages 54-57) is tackling the issue of the post-Dayton “war over symbols and temples with other means: with primitive megalomaniac competition in construction of religious facilities in order to mark ethnic areas as well as bloody struggles over rights to reconstruction, location, history and archeology”. |
Reforms | |
| OHR’s Pajic at a session of Circle 99 Independent Intellectuals Association
| Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Independent Intellectuals on the reform of judicial system – With money to justice’ – “A fear of changes still shakes BiH, and this can be felt in the judiciary as well, particularly since the High Representative has imposed two criminal laws,” said Zoran Pajic, the Head of the OHR Unit for Legal Reforms, in his introductory remarks at a regular session of the Circle 99 Independent Intellectuals Association in Sarajevo on Sunday. Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Appointment of judges in hands of OHR’ also reported on the session. |
| EU Ambassadors on VAT and unified customs | Dnevni List (front and page 10, by FENA, “Unified customs and VAT favor BiH citizens the most”) reads that Ambassadors of EU countries to BiH have again warned BiH authorities that a unified customs administration and VAT at state level must be introduced if BiH wants to integrate in Europe. The Ambassadors’ statement says they are closely observing the situation regarding introduction of unified customs administration and VAT at state level and appeals to all concerned sides to reach an agreement on establishment of a commission for tax policy. (Slobodna Dalmacija, page 14, by D. Pasic, “It is hard to Europe without VAT and unified customs”) |
| Djelic’s statement on economic reforms | Glas Srpski pg. 1 (headline ‘Serbia with Srpska’) quotes Serbian Minister of Finance, Bozidar Djelic, as announcing a visit to RS of the Serbian Government for 21 February. According to Djelic, the Serbian Ministers will come to Banja Luka to express their support to the RS’s stability. “We have to mobilase ourselves in moment. You have seen launching of the new initiative for Kosovo and it is the time to launch new activities toward Srpska. Because, in a mysterious way, through centralisation of the customs and introduction of VAT on BiH level, fiscal sovereignty is being taken away from the RS”, Djelic told BK TV. He added that the RS, as well as a part of the Federation, were against that, but the pressure of IC to implement that was enormous. “My visit to the RS was a supportive visit to keep its financial sovereignty within the DPA, which does not foreseen such a centralisation of financial means”, Djelic said. |
| Avaz editorial: Djelic’s interference in BiH reforms | Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 – Editorial by Almasa Bajric on a statement by the Serbian Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic that the interests of the RS citizens must be protected in the process of economic reforms in BiH. “Djelic’s concern about the RS citizens actually represent a hypocritical support to those who are obstructing introduction of VAT and the establishment of a single customs administration,” Bajric emphasized. |
| Reporter: RS without and taxes – the incredible lightness of erosion | Reporter pg. 13, by Sasa Bizic – the author writes that the RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, while self-indulgently crackers the first 100 days of his mandate, at the same time opens Pandora’s boxes with questions he simply ignored in his inaugural speech. After the negotiations with PDHR Donald Hays, Mikerevic stood before the microphones and failed to give any reasonable answer to the requests for introduction of single customs and VAT in BiH. At the same time, the attempts of the RS Tax Administration Director, Milica Bisic, to explain that instead of centralized income, the persistent internationals were suggested a model of harmonization of entity regulations in this sphere, were not successful either. Donald Hays’ Boss, Paddy Ashdown, announced few days before Banja Luka session that, by the end of February, the BiH will have Laws on single VAT and customs and he left it to those who read between the lines to figure out how much would MIkerevic’s disoriented appearance increase the chances that two thirds of RS budget remain out of the reach of future mechanism of arbitrary distribution of funds from Sarajevo. It seems obvious that unofficial financial channels are sufficient enough for profitable business of the ruling SDS – PDP team, whose leaders do not share fears of ordinary RS citizens that after the dismantling of the entity budget, only an empty shell would remain out of the entire. |
| HJPCs not change decision on Jaganjac appointment | Vecernji List (page 2, by R. S., “Jaganjac remains President of Federation of BiH Supreme Court”) reads that the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils (HJPCs) does not intend to change their decision on appointment of the President of the Federation Supreme Court. “We will not change our decision. Mister Jaganjac is the best candidate for position of President of (Federation) Supreme Court and we primarily had professionalism in mind when picking the most suitable candidate”, says HJPCs’ spokesperson, Sanela Tunovic. |
International community/OHR | |
| VL: “Ashdown: I did not stop BiH development strategy” | Vecernji List (page 2, by R. R.) reads that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, stated there were no place for charges by former Federation Finance Minister, Nikola Grabovac, that it was personally Ashdown who stopped the BiH development strategy. “If you look at the last six-seven months, you can see what the IC has done. We have done much in solving corruption, crime, for economic development, democratization of development, taxes and rule of law”, said Ashdown. |
Political affairs/statements | |
| Student Movement for Normal BiH presents its program in Sarajevo
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Lagumdzija and his poltroons are carrying out an unseen robbery of the state’, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘We have touched the top of a criminal organisation’, Glas Srpski pg. 3 ‘We have touched a tough nut’ – The leadership of the Student Movement for Normal BiH will call on all of its current and future members to boycott the CIPS project. Amer Bahtijar, the leader of the Movement, told the first press conference of his organisation in Sarajevo on Sunday that the BiH photographers and graphic worker were losing a job worth millions of KM, and that this practice had to be stopped. |
| BiH Presidency to hold session today | Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘BiH Presidency to hold its session today – Position towards war in Iraq disputable’ – The Chairman of the BiH Presidency Mirko Sarovic called a regular session of the body for Monday in Sarajevo. Although it was announced, the discussion on the official BiH position regarding the possible war in Iraq has not been put on the agenda. However, the Bosniak member of the Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, will insist that the body discuss the statement on the issue made by the BiH Foreign Ministry, which is not in compliance with the EU recommendations. (Glas Srpski pg. 3) |
| OHR on vetting procedure | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Precise vetting of the candidates’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, mentioned on the front page ‘Intelligence services are involved in the process of checking on the candidates’ – “The vetting process is related to raising standards for the election of the members of the government and it helps citizens to get the governments that will work in their interest,” Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite said. |
| DL: Statement of the Day – Sulejman Tihic | “The OHR is to blame for non-formation of the FBiH Government”, said member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic. (Dnevni List, p 2) |
| DL on alleged rift within HDZ BiH | Dnevni List (page 7, by D. Vukoja, “Generals versus Covic and Nikolic”) carries yet another article about an alleged rift within HDZ BiH saying that the rift has become more evident during the process of appointment of the new Federation Government, appointment of Federation Defence Minister in particular. In that context, DL says a group of HVO generals came without an invitation to an HDZ session on Thursday evening wanting to meet Dragan Covic because they disagreed with latest moves by HDZ BiH regarding the aforementioned appointment. According to DL, Covic was with his family in Sarajevo at the time because he had been warned in advance what was in store for him in Mostar. Apparently, the generals who came to the HDZ HQ in Mostar are: Zeljko Glasnovic, Rafo Ravic, Slavko Marin, Zeljko Siljeg and Dragan Curcic. According to DL’s source, general Stanko Sopta Baja was also supposed to show up but since Covic was not in, Sopta did not come either. Allegedly, the generals warned the HDZ leadership that they want Slavko Marin to become Federation Defence Minister and no one else, regardless of the OHR not giving consent. The generals also withheld support to Miroslav Nikolic although, according to DL, Nikolic has been cleared by the OHR. DL again reiterates that Covic’s plan is to take control of the party by appointing his people to important offices. In that context, DL says Covic, as soon as he had heard that Marin did not get consent from the OHR, submitted Nikolic’s candidacy without knowledge of HDZ HQ. |
| Interview with Seada Palavric, Vice-President of the SDA – “SDS are bigger reformists than the SNSD.” | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 7 – The SDA is not a partner of the SDS. The Alliance worked with Ivanic, while Ivanic together with the SDS, had a parliamentary majority. It’s the same today, while the Party For Bosnia-Herzegovina is with us. NN: How can you claim that the OHR is misusing the vetting process when at several levels, many officials from all three sides did not get named? Palavric: That’s the reason. I would be very happy when all decisions and cases could be resolved by Mr. Ashdown. NN: Who does resolve them? Palavric: Mr. Ashdown made the decision to remove Munir Alibabic (former director of FOSS) and that was correct. However, don’t forget that a whole army of people who work for the OHR and other international organizations do important work, and you will hear first that an ordinary OHR employee knows some piece of information that, let’s say, a member of the BiH Presidency doesn’t know. Furthermore, it is known that for 99 percent of cases, the OHR uses files put together by Mr. Alibabic, and those are mostly files on Bosniaks. Look at who is being named as criminals and as terrorists and fundamentalists. And the attempts to make a civil war of what happened here. NN: do you then agree with the media and the politicians who are saying that the OHR is currently conducting colonial politics towards BiH? Palavric: I don’t think it is quite like that. Many of Mr. Ashdown’s moves are justified, such as individual laws he has passed. But some unjustified things have also happened, such as the naming of certain people to high functions, which has been done all along. I have recently learned that on the internet there is a site that describes the structure of BiH and in it, the international community describes BiH as a protectorate? If it is, then it should be stated clearly once and for all. I don’t think Ashdown acts in a colonial fashion, but there is another fact. When it comes to the principles of VAT at the state level, (the OHR) persistently gives in to the RS officials who have no interest in making BiH stronger. |
| Nikola Poplasen expelled from the SRS of Republika Srpska | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 7 – The Central Homeland Committee of the Republika Srpska SRS, on Saturday expelled Nikola Poplasen who was its vice president, and replaced him with Radislav Kanjeric. Mirko Blagojevic, a member of the Executive said the reason for Poplasen’s expulsion is that he worked against the interests of the party and his alleged ties with the SDS criminal structure. Blagojevic says that Poplasen turned his back on Vojislav Seselj on instructions from the SDS. One of the reasons for his being thrown out of the party according to Blagojevic, is the “paying off of SRS members from Republika Srpska who supported the RS government which included the participation of SDA ministers.” (Blic pg. 7) |
| SNSD vs. PDP | The SNSD asked for parliamentary discussion on the bill on revision of privatisation of enterprises and banks. The party had prepared this law even long before the elections. “The way it is done, privatisation of enterprises and banks, directed by the SDS and PDP, has led to numerous misuses, corruption, crime and deprived the rights of small share holders”, says the SNSD. The SNSD thinks that only a revision might restore the confidence of public and investors, which would secure new investments and economic development. (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Regulations to be revised’) |
| SNSD conducting a primitive campaign against the PDP | “Nezavisne Novine: page 7 – In a press release issued by the PDP, responds to the newest accusations against the PDP by SNSD leader Milorad Dodik as the “continuation of the unfounded, aggressive and often primitive campaign which the SNSD is conducting against the PDP.” The press release continues to say that “The stories about the alleged criminal financial lobby within the PDP and calling for civil disobedience are only some of the unimaginable and bombastic statements by Mr. Dodik, which confirm that the real goal of the SNSD is to create chaos in the RS and to block the work of the institutions.” (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Attacks in series’; Blic pg. 6 headline ‘Dodik wants chaos’) |
War crimes | |
| VL says Serbia and Monte Negro want to settle with BiH
| Vecernji List (front and page 2, by Dejan Jazvic, “Settlement would be catastrophe for BiH”) says that Serbia and Monte Negro is again suggesting, through its legal representative Tibor Varadi, a possibility of a settlement with BiH regarding the BiH lawsuit with the International Court of Justice against Federal Republic of Yugoslavia over aggression and genocide. VL quotes BiH legal representative in the lawsuit, Sakib Softic, as saying: “There can be no talk of that. It is a completely unreal and unacceptable solution for BiH at this moment. One cannot talk about settling before the court decides that Yugoslavia conducted an aggression on BiH and determines principles for calculation of war damages”. Dnevni List (page 9, unsigned, “Mijovic: All depends on position of BiH Presidency”) carries a professor of International Law at Banja Luka Law School, Ljiljana Mijovic, as commenting on the aforementioned lawsuit. Mijovic says it is the BiH Presidency which has to take a decision whether its representative “represents interests of BiH (re)constructed by the DPA or interests of BiH the way it was at the moment of filing of the lawsuit”. “It is a hot potato for the BiH Presidency within which, related to this lawsuit, there’s not a consensus. Until the issue has been solved, it is impossible to get a picture on future course of the process”, says Mijovic. |
| DL: “Halilovic at the ICTY Courtroom today” | Dnevni list (front page & p 3, by S.K.) announces that retired general of the former BiH Army, Sefer Halilovic, who has been accused of war-crimes against Croat civilians in Grabovica and Uzdol, committed in 1993, and who is on a pre-trial release, has been summoned to appear at the ICTY status conference today. Oslobodjenje pg. 3 also report on the issue. |
| Ivanic on the cooperation with ICTY | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Ivanic: We might have big problems due to non-cooperation with The Hague’, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Consequences over non-cooperation with the Hague’ – The BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, said upon returning form the official visit to Washington that the US authorities were expecting better cooperation of local authorities with The Hague Tribunal. “The Americans are dissatisfied with the level of cooperation and they even believe that we can face major problems due to this non-cooperation,” Ivanic said. Glas Srpski pg. 3 ‘America tired of BiH’ – Ivanic, said that he was satisfied with his visit to the US, but his general impression was that the US interest for BiH was declining. According to Ivanic, that was evident from the subjects he discussed with his hosts, and these are fight against terrorism, human trafficking issue, RS (no)cooperation with the Hague and ORAO affair. |