| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Human rights in BIH | Mak Varesanovic released | Mak Varesanovic released | Kidnapping in |
| UNICEF’s yearly report | Media coverage of kidnap | OSCE- Day of Human R. | Pandurevic surrendered |
| Journalist rights | Pandurovic surrendered? | Children’s rights | Sanctions to RS |
| HDZ excludes Musa | HR considers sanctions | BiH Ombudsmen-human r. | Serbian ICTY cooperation |
| Oslobodjenje | Kidnapped Mak Varesanovic freed |
| Dnevni Avaz | The boy freed, one kidnapper death |
| Dnevni List | |
| Vecernji List | Majority of citizenry do not trust Police |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatian related headlines |
| Nezavisne Novine | Negotiations on transfer of war crime indictee from |
| Glas Srpske | A group of Croats in Glamoc assaulted the workers of Utility Company: A fight over “sahovnica” |
| EuroBlic | Ashdown is already making the list for removals; Srpska is hoping for oil from |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
Crime/legal proceedings/incidents | |
| Kidnapped child rescued by police
| BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Kidnapped Mak Varesanovic freed’, Dnevni Avaz cover page, pgs 2-3 ‘The boy freed, one kidnapper death’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 2 ‘A boy released, kidnappers arrested’ by M. Cubro-D.Muminovic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 70 ‘Boy freed, kidnapper killed’, by Dinko Pasic, Dnevni List, pg 38 ‘7-year old son returns to Varesanovic family’, not signed – Mak Varesanovic, seven years old son of Mirza Varesanovic, Sports Director of Sarajevo Football Club, was rescued on Friday by police after he was kidnapped two days ago. Child was kidnapped in front of his school, not far from his house and kidnappers have asked a ransom of €1 million. His father Mirza says that he would like to express his gratitude to everyone who has participated in this action, explaining that even though he was ordered not to contact the Police he did it because he knew that Police is the only one who can save his child. Sarajevo Canton Police Commissioner Himzo Selimovic said that police have gathered very significant information in a short period, which have resulted with arrest of several persons. One of the kidnappers was self-injured by his own gun and he died afterwards as several more are in escape. They belong to an organised group of criminals from several countries. |
| Journalists/media: Dnevni Avaz violates basic journalistic rules
| BHT – Dnevni Avaz, independent television 99 and San have published pictures of a kidnapped child Mak Varesanovic and on that way informed kidnappers that everyone know about their deeds and even though those journalists consider that they have done nothing wrong, experts feel that they have harshly violated basic rules of journalism and placed their interests before the victim’s. At Dnevni Avaz, they explain that they haven’t jeopardise the boy, the mafia did and they have only did their job, informed the public about increasing criminality. “With publishing of this information, about kidnapping of little Mak Varesanovic, we have probably warned parents to keep an eye on their children, when Police can’t protect them…”- said Fahrudin Djapo, Dnevni Avaz Editor-in-Chief. Journalists’ Associations and media, who decided not to publish this information, harshly condemn this move of Dnevni Avaz. “This is an evident violation of a code, article of the code about protection of a minor, which says that photos of a child must not be published without parents’ permission and that child’s life must not be endangered by publishing of a photo and name”- said Borka Rudic, General Secretary of the BiH Independent Union of Professional Journalists. Dario Novalic of Start magazine, wonders is the news worth of a child’s life. “I think that from a professional and ethical point of view, this is one clear situation, which shouldn’t have happened, at any price…”, said Emir Habul, member of BiH Press Council. Journalists from |
| Croats of Glamoc prevent removal of Croat flags
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘You can remove us, but you cannot chase us away’, mentioned on front ‘Croats of Glamoc prevent pulling down of Croat flag’, by Zeljka Mihaljevic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 7 ‘Croats save flag by charging’, by Frano Mioc – Some 300 Croats of Glamoc did not allow removal of the Canton 10 flags in Glamoc (with the Croat symbols), which was supposed to be carried out at the order of the Head of Municipality, Rade Gvero (SDS). Apparently, a crane that was supposed to carry out the removal, which was escorted by Police, was prevented from doing so, and apparently the protesters threw rock at both the crane and Police. There were no injured and the flags remained flying. Glas Srpske cover page story ‘A fight over “sahovnica” by Sl. S. also covered the issue. |
Cooperation with ICTY/PfP/political developments/reforms | |
| Ashdown carefully considering the implications of NATO’s assessment/reactions to possible sanctions against RS
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Measures against RS to be announced on December 16’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘Ashdown to announce measures on December 16’, ONASA – NATO’s communique highlights continued non-compliance of the RS authorities with the ICTY. It calls for the need to improve security and law enforcement structures, supporting the assessment made by the ICTY, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said on Friday. Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte addressed the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) earlier this month where she noted that there are fundamental systematic weaknesses build into the law enforcement and security structures in the RS. While BiH has made progress on defence reform, this lack of compliance means that for a second time running, BiH failed to meet the requirements to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace. Once again, BiH’s failure to cooperate fully with ICTY is the main obstacle to this country becoming a stable, peaceful and prosperous European democracy, according to Ashdown. Recent revelations in both the domestic and international press that the RS Army continue to protect Ratko Mladic support the assessment of both NATO and the Chief Prosecutor. These revelations indicate that as recently as six months ago, General Mladic was sheltering in the military facility at Han Pijesak. This could not have happened without the systemic connivance of high-ranking members of the RS military. The very instruments that are supposed to catch war criminals are in fact protecting them, the HR emphasized in his statement. “I am now carefully considering the implications of NATO’s assessment. I am also actively considering measures that will address the systemic deficiencies highlighted by both NATO and the ICTY Chief Prosecutor. This will take a little time,” Ashdown said. “In addition, when considering what measures are appropriate, I will want to take into account the outcome of the Police Reform Commission, which finishes on 15th December. I will announce my decisions after the Chairman of the PRC issues his assessment, on 16th December,” he added. Nezavisne Novine cover ‘Paddy Ashdown: New penalties for RS will be announced on 16 December’ and pg 3 ‘Decision on measures towards RS will be announced on 16 December’ by S. Gojkovic; EuroBlic cover ‘Ashdown is already making the list for removals’ and RSpg 1 ‘Ashdown is making the lsits’ by Rajna Radosavljevic-Nedeljka Breberina; Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Decision on 16 December’ by N. Zelenovic, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Ashdown punishes authorities in Republika Srpska’, by Nermin Bise, Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Waiting for results of Police reform’, by dja also carried the HR statement. DL carries one of leaders of the SNSD, Nikola Spiric, as saying that the RS Government is completely responsible for the fact that the main ICTY indictees are still at large. “It would appear that that the executive authorities are more stable in the situation when the economic situation becomes more difficult and when the cooperation with Glas Srpske pg 2 under ‘Barometer’ carries the statement of Bosko Siljegovic, Head of Serb Caucus at BiH HoP, commenting on the NATO communiqué. He says that: “If NATO communiqué expressed concern exclusively over the RS failure to cooperate with the ICTY, this statement is partially correct. However, RS has fulfilled all other duties stipulated by the DA, including numerous reforms at BiH level.” |
| Times: Massacre general kept from justice by old allies
| Times ‘Massacre general’ kept from justice by old allies’by Nich Hawton – Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military commander indicted for war crimes, has escaped capture by Nato forces for eight years because he has been protected by the Serb and Bosnian Serb militaries, documents obtained by The Times conclusively demonstrate. The documents, which include his military file, show that General Mladic remained a member of the Army until February 2002, more than six years after he was indicted for war crimes including genocide. He still receives a military pension of about £250 a month. The documents show that General Mladic has returned to what was his military headquarters – barely an hour from the Nato headquarters in |
| Oslobodjenje: Nationalists and not Karadzic are the main problem of BiH | Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Karadzic is not the main BiH’s problem’ op-ed by Mirko Sagolj – Sagolj believes that if the nationalistic political forces have not been in power, the most wanted war crime indictee, Radovan Karadzic, would have been apprehended long time ago. |
| War crime indictee Pandurevic surrendered/arrested?
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘The transfer to RS awaited for’ by M. Kusmuk-S. Karic – NN has learnt from its source close to the RS MOI that the negotiations regarding the transfer of a war crime suspect from NN has also learnt that between Vinko Pandurevic and Ljubomir Borvcanin, the speculation would fall on Pandurevic, since he holds dual citizenship, and Borovcanin does not. Darko Matijasveic, RS Interior Minister, and Dragi Milosevic, RS Police Administration Head, on Friday were in The source close to RS MOI claims that two police wagons, that arrived from EuroBlicreports that RS MoI, Banja Luka PSC Spokesperson, and Flroence Hartmann did not want to make any comment on alleged surrender of a wra crime suspect in BHT, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Vinko Pandurevis apprehended in |
| SDA’s Palavric on need to abolish RS MoI and MoD; SDA condemns RS Govt’s decision to offer money to indictees who turn themselves in
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Victims of crime deserve assistance from the RS Budget’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Palavric: We expect abolishment of RS Interior and Deefnce Ministries’, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Abolish Police and army in RS’, by Erna Mackic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Abolish the Ministries!’ – The SDA declared that the international community should terminate the RS Ministry of Interior and RS Defence Ministry for supporting the indicted war crime suspects. “This is the least the international community should due because of the non-cooperation of RS institutions with the Hague Tribunal, and the consequence of this non-cooperation is the repeated BiH’s failure to join the Partnership for Peace”, SDA Vice-president Seada Palavric stated at a press conference on Friday. “Since the Nezavisne Novine pgs 4-5 in NN weekend supplement Revija ‘We demand abolishment of RS Interior Ministry and RS Defence Ministry’ by Mirza Cubro – In the interview, Seada Palavric, SDA Vice President, reiterates SDA demands for abolishment of RS Interior and Defence Ministries, accusing them of failure to cooperate with the ICTY. The lead in interview is the same as Friday’s statement of SDA on the same issue. |
| Statement of Day: Adil Osmanovic | Dnevni List, pg 2 carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ a Vice President of the RS, Adil Osmanovic, as saying: “Matijasevic will have the honour to lock up the RS MoI”. |
| Public opinion poll shows BiH citizens not happy with Police’s performance
| RTRS, Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Majority of citizenry do not trust Police’ and pg 5 ‘Majority of citizens think Police does not protect them enough’, by Valentina Rupcic – According to a public opinion poll conducted in whole of BiH by the ‘Partner’ Agency, majority of citizens in both BiH entities want a better Police structure and Police to do their job better. Moreover, majority of citizens in both entities want that BiH joins the EU. The research shows that 83% of people in the RS and 81% of people in the FBiH believe that criminals usually get away with what they do, whilst 80% of people in the RS believe that the current Police structures ought to be more efficient in the fight against crime. When it comes to joining the EU, the idea is being supported by 89% of the people in the FBiH and 84% in the RS. |
| RSNA member Murselovic on police reform
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Martens to make a line’ by D.Z. – Muharem Murselovic, Party for BiH delegate at the RS NA, on Friday confirmed that Wilfred Martens, Chairperson of the Police Restructuring Commission, will on Tuesday, 14 December, hold a meeting with the Heads of Caucuses, at which he should present the final proposal on police reform in BiH. Murselovic said: “RS did not fully cooperate with the ICTY, owing to which reason some new structure of police would bind it to fulfil its duties.” |
| RS Association of PoW calls on Cavic and RS officials to defend RS
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Prisoners of war call on Cavic to defend RS’ by V.P.; EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘PoW: Guard Srpska’ by N.B. – The RS Association of PoW on Friday called on Dragan Cavic, RS President, to take the side of defence of RS along with other political authorities in RS. The Association called on the most senior officials of RS to ignore their political differences, mutual disagreements, personal interests and to gather at the table and take a joint stance regarding defence of RS, stressing: “United, we can do anything; divided – we cannot do anything!” According to NN, Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of the RS PM, on Friday commented on the demand of RS Association of PoW and other eight NGO’s from RS (calling for civic disobedience), noting that: “RS Government is of the view such moves of non-governmental organisations would be counterproductive and would further undermine the functioning of the RS institutions.” |
Mostar City Council | |
| Colak, Palavric on situation regarding election Mayor of Mostar
| Dnevni List, pgs 12-13, mentioned on front ‘HDZ will look for new partners in Mostar’, by Sanja Bjelica – Carries the President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, as saying if the SDA of Mostar does not give its support to HDZ’s candidate for Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, the HDZ will look for new partners within the Mostar City Council (MCC). Colak believes that what happened during the Thursday’s session of the MCC is a case of SDA Mostar getting disobedient towards the SDA top. Colak says: “I talked to Tihic (Sulejman) two days ago, after the session (of the MCC), and what happened there I cannot ascribe it to Tihic. It is obvious that some members of the party are disobeying the party’s leadership, especially in Mostar, it is now down to the SDA to act within its own ranks”. DL also carries a Vice President of SDA, Seada Palavric, who says the SDA Presidency is surprised with what’s happened in Mostar. Due to the situation, the SDA Presidency has scheduled a session of the SDA Collegium for Monday at which SDA councillors in the MCC are obliged to attend. “They will have to explain how far their autonomy goes and whether it means they are ready to go into opposition”, says Palavric. |
| VL on situation n Mostar: Bakir Izetbegovic, Zijad Hadziomerovic and Safet Orucevic want to topple Tihic
| Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Bakir Izetbegovic topples leaders Sulejman Tihic’, by Miso Relota – Carries an official of the SDA, who wanted to stay anonymous, as explaining the background of events that are related to the election of Mayor of Mostar, in other words the failure of SDA councillors to support HDZ’s candidate for the said post. The said official confirms that Bakir Izetbegovic, Dr. Zijad Hadziomerovic and Safet Orucevic have launched an offensive within the SDA the aim of which is to topple the SDA President Sulejman Tihic and Salko Sokolovic and Hamdija Jahic, and take over the party. The source also reveals that the plan is that a Croat must not be elected the Mayor of Mostar and that issues such as ‘Aluminij’ and ‘Bijeli Brijeg’ stadium are to be used to blackmail the Croat political leadership. |
| HDZ Presidency on situation in Mostar: SDA needs to explains itself to citizenry
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Dnevni List, pg 12 ‘HDZ expects explanation from SDA because of obstruction of agreement’, by NINA – The HDZ Presidency held a session on Thursday evening at Sarajevo during which it, among other issues, discussed recent events pertaining to election of Mostar Mayor. The HDZ Presidency assessed that after the SDA did not observe the agreement regarding the election of Mayor of Mostar, the HDZ Presidency labelled such act as a direct obstruction of normalization of situation in City of |
| Hamdija Jahic steps down as leader of SDA of Mostar
| Dnevni List, pg 13 ‘Hamdija Jahic resigns’, by N. B. – Reports that the President of City Board of SDA of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic, resigned from the said post on Thursday night. DL explains that Jahic decided to do so just several hours after SDA councillors decided not to observe the agreement that Presidents of SDA and HDZ, Sulejman Tihic and Barisa Colak respectively, had reached on basis of which Ljubo Beslic was to be elected the Mayor Mostar. Dnevni Avaz pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘Hamdija Jahic resigned’ also covered the issue. |
| Ivan Musa expelled from HDZ
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Dnevni List, pg 12 ‘Ivan Musa expelled from membership in HDZ BiH’, not signed, Oslobodjenje pg 3 – The Court of Honour of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Board of HDZ had at its session held on Friday decided to oust Ivan Musa from HDZ. The justification for such decision is the fact that at the inaugural session of Mostar City Council, Musa acted contrary to party guidelines since he refused to support HDZ’s candidate for Mayor of Mostar. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Croat Education Unions in
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 15 ‘Union of elementary education in HNC: No strike on Monday’, by V. Soldo – After the Union of employees in elementary schools in Canton 7 that work according to the Bosniak curriculum decided not to go on strike on December 13, as it had been decided earlier, the Union of employees in elementary schools in Canton 7 that work according to the Croat curriculum have given up the announced strike, at least for time being. The President of the latter Union, Slavko Laus, explains: “We took two decisions at a meeting of the Reconciliation Council, namely it has been decided to sever all cooperation with the Bosniak Union as long as it is being led by Omer Spaho, and the other decision is not to go on the previously announced strike on December 13, however the start of the strike has been prolonged for February 1”. |
| Vrankic: 336 million KMs for funding of State of
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘State of BiH costs 336 million KMs’, by Jurislav Petrovic – The FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Vrankic, confirmed for DL that State of BiH would cost 336 million KMs in 2005. According to Vrankic, there was a meeting, which took place under mediation of the OHR, during which it was agreed that the funding would be carried out via a single account. It means that all public revenues will be collected in one account from which the funds will be distributed to the State, the entities and the Brcko District. |
Human rights | |
| Conference on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Decertified policemen an example of human rights abuse’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9, FENA – On the occasion of December 10 – the International Day of Human Rights, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday organized a conference on privatization, social protection and health, gender violence, human trafficking, and on human rights and law enforcement. At the beginning of the conference, the BiH Council of Ministers Chair, Adnan Terzic, said that the European Charter on Human Rights is an integral part of the BiH Constitution, and that a legal framework exists for the protection of human rights. It is up to us, stressed Terzic, to build a system and adopt standards to ensure that the European Charter on Human Rights is respected and that the number of human rights violations is reduced. “If we were to design an analysis of the rate of human rights violations since the nineties to date, we would have a tendency of constant improvements every day. However, we cannot be satisfied as long as we have a single case of human rights violations”, said Terzic. He stressed that the representatives of the international community are also violating the rights of BiH citizens, and that he has recently launched a procedure with the Venice Commission regarding the violation of rights of the decertified police officers. The Head of the Office of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Madeleine Rees, said that the state is responsible for protection of human rights, but noted that the international community has an enormous power, which carries an enormous responsibility as well. “The international community must be equally responsible when it comes to the human rights…We must work with the people in the government in order to have a self-sustaining system of human rights protection,” said Rees. |