| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| OHR about Minister of Def. | HR and Terzic’s PC | ICTY sends new indictmen | New candidate for MoD |
| HR and Terzic’s PC | Radovanovic statement | War crimes trial in Mosta | HR and Terzic PC |
| SFOR on Subotic | EUPM about BH police for. | HR/Terzic PC | SFOR on Subotic |
| FBiH Vice- Pres. statement | Mladen Ivanic in GB | HDZ Ministers on Session? | Privatisation of BL “Pivara” |
| Oslobodjenje | SDS-HDZ-SDA coalition ruins BiH |
| Dnevni Avaz | Zoran Djeric: I am not afraid of Karadzic and Mladic |
| Dnevni List | “Crises in authority: Negotiations between SDA and HDZ failed”; “HR Paddy Ashdown: Ruling parties responsible for slow implementation of reforms” |
| Vecernji List | “Fashion week”; “Government crises to end up in early elections” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Paddy Ashdown pessimistic about BiH future and he is accusing: SDS, SAD and HDZ hinder reforms”; “Court in Stolac ‘shut down’ “ |
| Glas Srpske | As of tomorrow in Banjaluka: Bread to cost 1 KM; Banjaluka: Confusing statements |
| Nezavisne Novine | BiH Foreign Affairs Ministry: Ivanic approved 500 passports; Paddy Ashdown: Ruling parties are responsible for delay in reforms; OHR warns Republika Srpska authorities: Srebrenica Commission must establish truth |
| Blic | Sreten Telebak: I proudly walk in Doboj |
Political developments/reforms | |
| Ashdown slams BiH ruling parties for lateness in implementation of reforms
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 7 ‘SDS, HDZ and SDA are ruining BiH’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘Kalinic and SDS are culprits for lateness’ – The biggest responsibility for the reform process which should bring BiH closer to the Partnership for Peace and the European Union lies on the leaders of political parties, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The BiH Council of Ministers’ chairman, Adnan Terzic, also asked for a better working environment for the council. The international community warmly welcomes progress and it is of the opinion that the process of reforms should be sped up if BiH wants to join the Partnership for Peace and continue its journey towards Europe, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said. This could be achieved only if the government at all levels as well as the leaders of the ruling parties support the reforms, Ashdown said. “The message from my visit to Washington and London is clear. Establishment of peace does not mean an automatic integration for BiH and goes hand in hand with getting closer to Europe. Until key players in the government become united, BiH will remain in a hole and it will not be capable of taking over its responsibility for serious issues. It is sad that now facts speak for themselves,” said Ashdown. The incapability of the governing coalition, especially the SDS, to put forward a serious candidate for the post of defence minister has been creating a great damage to the process of getting closer to the Partnership for Peace, the High Representative said. “The question we need to ask is this. If this is what happened with regard to the minister, what will happen with regard to other senior posts in the army? Are we going to have the same problem? If we do, we will miss the target for the Partnership for Peace,” said Ashdown. The HDZ, SDA and SDS are also responsible for the fact that the amendments to entity laws on army, i.e. defence, have not been adopted yet, Ashdown said. The Council of Minister’s chairman, Adnan Terzic, shares the High Representative’s concern but, as he said, with a little bit more of optimism. “The way I see things is that 31 of May is the final deadline. Meanwhile, my activities are focused on implementing all 45 measures by that time,” said Terzic. Terzic said that there are both objective and subjective reasons for not meeting deadlines and the basic one was a lack of support for the Council of Ministers. “It is impossible to have a Council of Ministers that sets out precise deadlines for each of the laws and that, while this is being implemented, problems arise. Problems arise only because certain ministers do not have absolute support of their parties for what they are working on,” emphasized Terzic. In order to create unified political will, the High Representative and the chairman of the Council of Ministers have agreed to hold a meeting with the parties which have parliamentary majority because, as the High Representative said, it is inadmissible that the leaders of the ruling political parties have been professing that there should be no voting on some issues even before they appear on the agenda of the parliament. Dnevni List (front and page 5, “Ruling parties responsible for slow implementation of reforms”, by E. Mackic), Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 7, “SDS, SDA and HDZ hinder reforms”, by Z. Rerig), Vecernji List (page 2, “Parties must stop with obstructions”, by D. Jazvic), Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Ruling parties are responsible for delay in reforms’ also covered the PC. |
| Tihic on hand over of SFOR mandate to EU | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page ’The hand over of SFOR mandate to EU is unacceptable if BiH doe not at the same time join PfP’ – Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, sent a letter to BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic asking for more lobbying by the BiH diplomats for BiH’s accession to PfP in June. Tihic believes the hand over of SFOR mandate to EU is unacceptable without simultaneous admission of BiH into PfP. |
| Statement of Day: Beriz Belkic (SBiH) | Dnevni List (page 2) carries a member of Presidency of SBiH, Beriz Belkic, as saying: “It is the way Ashdown says”. |
| Ivanic’s visit to London | BHTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Great Britain to continue supporting reforms in BiH’, Dnevni List page 3 “British stress the need for consistent implementation of defence reforms”, by M. Batarelo,Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Assistance to reform processes promised’, ONASA – BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic met on Wednesday in London with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Minister for Europe Denis Macshane to discuss current political situation in BiH and the region, read a press release from the BiH Foreign Ministry. Ivanic informed them about the reform processes in BiH, particularly in the field of defense, intelligence services and tax system, as well as about activities aimed at the improvement of regional cooperation. The officials agreed that the Great Britain should stay one of the most important factors in further development of BiH. Straw pointed out the need for full implementation of reforms in the field of defense, fulfillment of 16 conditions of the European Commission and establishment of functional institutions, particularly at the state level. Within a working visit to the Great Britain, Ivanic also met with State Sub-Secretary within the Department for International Development (DFID) Gareth Thomas to discuss continuation of activities of DFID in BiH, possibilities and modalities of support to the reform of public administration in BiH and assistance in fulfillment of international obligations. |
| Ivanic approved issuance of 500 diplomatic passports so far | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Ivanic approved 500 passports’ – NN reports that since he has assumed the position of BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic has approved the issuance of 500 diplomatic passports. NN further lists criteria necessary for getting this passport. It also brings names and surnames of family members of BiH citizens, who have so far obtained the passport. Such are: Mikerevic family, Brankica Milojevic, Anela Colak, Bernardica Covic, Dragica Paravac, Perica Bundalo and Miro Jurisic (from PDP), Zorka Dokic, family of Krunoslav Vasilj (advisor to Ivanic), etc. |
| SNSD official on early elections | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘People cannot put up with current authority’ – Milan Jelic, SNSD Vice President, in a brief interview to NN said that people will soon “remove authority representatives from their positions, because they would never leave the power voluntarily. He said: “One thing is for certain – people cannot put up with this any longer!” He also said that the message from the Round Table (held on Tuesday) is that early elections represent the only solution for Republika Srpska. He also said that the protests scheduled for 23 March in Banjaluka are not aimed at destroying the system institutions. Instead, protest is to represent a call on authorities to resolve problems. |
Defence Minister | |
| Radovanovic on his appointment, priorities
| BHTV – Nikola Radovanovic, who has been appointed BiH Minister of Defence, confirmed he had accepted the candidature and thanked to the officials who had supported him. Radovanovic has no doubt BiH will fulfil conditions for accession to Partnership for Peace programme. “I agree this is very serious job which requires engagement in numerous activities and in a very short period of time. I believe that this job can be done and that BiH will be admitted into Partnership for Peace programme”, said Radovalovic in a telephone statement for BHTV. In a statement for Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘I will be the Minister of all BiH citizens and this is the only correct approach’, Radovanovic said he would act for the benefit of all BiH citizens since it was about a state-level office. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 15, “I was honoured by the election”, by A. Macanovic) carries Radovanovic as saying that he will declare himself on accepting of this position after the talks with BiH and RS officials. He added that he is honoured by this proposal and that he expects concrete talks to take place on Thursday upon his return from Vienna. Glas Srpske, pg. 5, ‘Third chance’ – In a statement to Glas Srpske, Nikola Radovanovic, the nominee for the position of BiH defence minister, will most likely accept the nomination. He said he needs to speak with the Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, the RS Parliament Speaker, Dragan Kalinic, and BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, after he returns from Vienna. He also said it is a great honour for him to be nominated. |
| OHR yet to check on the new candidate for the BiH Defence Minister
| Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘OHR checking on Radovanovic’, FENA – The OHR will check on the new candidate for the post of BiH Defence Minister, but by Wednesday morning it has still not received confirmation from BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic that Nikola Radovanovic is the official candidate for that post, spokesperson for the OHR in Banja Luka Ljiljana Radetic said on Wednesday. She reminded that the post of BiH Defence Minister is subject to the assessment process, but that OHR does not comment on its future moves or results of the process in advance. BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic appointed Nikola Radovanovic as the new BiH Defence Minister late on Tuesday. Dnevni List (page 2, “International Community has not checked Radovanovic yet”, not signed), Vecernji List (front page, “OHR is checking candidate for Defence Minister”, and page 2, “Radovanovic at OHR’s vetting procedure”, by bs) also carried the statement. |
| OHR disclaims responsibility for failure to appoint Bosnian defence minister
| RS Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 7, Dnevni List page 5, “Ruling parties responsible for slow implementation of reforms”, by E. Mackic – The OHR received the proposal on the nomination of Nikola Radovanovic for the post of BiH defence minister during the day on Wednesday, stated High Representative Paddy Ashdown, stressing that it would take about ten days for the verification of the candidate, since both SFOR and the Hague Tribunal were involved in the process. Addressing reporters at a news conference in Sarajevo, Ashdown rejected the possibility that the international community could be responsible if the BiH defence minister were not appointed by 15 March. He believes that it is the responsibility of those who have so far made frivolous proposals and nominated poor candidates, giving the example of Dragan Kalinic, chairman of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS). The SDS harmed the reputation of BiH before NATO by proposing candidates from Bijeljina who did not have the necessary qualifications and who had a wartime history, Ashdown said. Adnan Terzic, chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers expressed hope that the OHR would verify the candidacy of Nikola Radovanovic by 15 March, so that the BiH Parliamentary Assembly could ratify his appointment. |
| NN editorial on nomination of BiH defence minister | Nezavisne Novine editorial pg. 7 by Mirza Cubro, ‘Finally the Minister’ – The author is writing about the appointment of Nikola Radovanovic to the position of BiH defence minister. He commends his experience and then gives a retrospective into previous appointments. The author also claims that SDS was deliberately obstructing and causing delay in the process of appointment. He concludes the editorial by saying that the Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, has proposed Radovanovic only one day after Dumic withdrew his candidature. The question the author is posing is: why Radovanovic was not the first candidate? |
War crimes | |
| New ICTY indictements
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Fresh indictment against Herceg Bosna leaders’ – According to the media, it is just matter of time when will 9 new ICTY indictments, for war crimes committed in the BiH territory, be announced. Five indictments relate to Croats from military and political structures of so called Herceg-Bosna (wartime BiH Croat community/state structure), as other 4 are about the crimes committed by Bosniaks and Serbs. Allegedly, indicted Croats are Slobodan Praljak, Jadranko Prlic, Milivoj Petkovic, Valentin Coric and Bruno Stoljic. Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, allegedly, already prepared indictments. The rest of indictments are related to members of other ethnic groups but details are still unknown. Pointed persons have double citizenship, BiH and Croatian and, although indictments could be send to Zagreb, ICTY would probably send them to Sarajevo, with obligation of authorities in Zagreb to co-operate. This part is questioned mostly because one of indicted persons, general Petkovic, still works with Croatian army. |
| OHR: RS Authorities Responsible For The Work Of Their Srebrenica Commission | Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Cavic and Mikerevic will be responsible for failure’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Srebrenica Commission must establish truth’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Cavic and Mikerevic will be held responsible for results’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, in conversation on Wednesday with RS President, Dragan Cavic, and Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic underlined that he “will hold them personally responsible for ensuring the RS’s Srebrenica Commission is not yet another whitewash, but that it fulfils its mandate as set out by the Human Rights Chamber.” The HRC, in its Decision of 7 March 2003, ordered the RS to investigate the fate and whereabouts of those who went missing in Srebrenica during the period of the 10 to 19 July 1995. In response to the HRC Decision, the RS Government provided a report on 8 September 2003, which sets out the plan to establish a Commission to investigate. The High Representative has monitored the work of the Commission set up by the RS. In view of the statements made on Tuesday by the Commission’s Chairman, Marko Arsovic, the High Representative is concerned that the Chairman himself has misunderstood the mandate of the Commission that he is charged with leading. “I will not tolerate attempts to withhold information from this Commission; nor will I tolerate attempts to divert this Commission’s attention with tasks that are outside of its mandate,” the High Representative said on Wednesday. |
| Mikerevic’s letter to Arsovic | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Confusing statements’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Mikerevic wrote to Arsovic’ – RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, yesterday addressed a letter to Marko Arsovic, Chairperson of Srebrenica Commission. Mikerevic wrote about the recent public comments regarding the mandate of the Commission. He said: “It is wrong to present partial information to the public, because it causes confusion.” He further said that the public will be informed of the report after the Republika Srpska Government reviews it. He also reminded Commission members of limited time frame, during which they should complete their work. |
| Smail Cekic: Arsovic’s statement is strange, puzzling and surprising | Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘Arsovic invented ‘fierce armed conflicts’ in Srebrenica’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘It is a personal and voluntary opinion’, FENA – Member of the Srebrenica Commission Smail Cekic on Wednesday told Fena that the statement given by Commission’s President Marko Arsovic that “during the severe conflicts between the Bosnian Serb Army and the BiH Army a great number of people were killed ‘on both sides’” is “strange, puzzling, and at the same time surprising”. Cekic emphasised that the “Commission even two months after its inauguration is in the very beginning of its task, as in the organisational technical plan as well as in the investigative plan”, and added that “with numerous difficulties and open obstruction from certain subjects in RS, it is working very slowly and without the necessary continuity in collecting documents, materials, data, statements, information and other findings about the events that occurred in and around Srebrenica July 10 to 19 1995, and has not yet reached a phase of classifying and analysing the collected structure”. “Thus, Arsovic’s statement is puzzling and surprising”, Cekic told Fena. |
| Society for Threatened Peoples: Arsovic denies genocide against Srebrenica civilians | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Karadzic’s follower’, FENA – The BiH Society for Threatened Peoples (DUNBiH) on Wednesday sharply condemned the statement given by the President of the Commission for investigating the events in Srebrenica in July of 1995, Marko Arsovic, who said that during the conflicts of Bosnian Serbs and BiH Army in Srebrenica a great number of people were killed “on both sides”. The Commission has not yet officially started working, and its President Marko Arsovic is already denying genocide against the civilians of Srebrenica, is stated in the letter of protest of the Society, which will also be forwarded to the High Representative. The Society regards as unacceptable the fact that such claims could have been heard yet in September of 2002 in the RS Government’s report on events in Srebrenica, which denied the mass execution of over 8.000 men, mainly civilians. “With this statement Arsovic has put himself in the rank of followers of Karadzic’s policy, which ignore and deny the greatest crime since the end of the Second World War, which happened in Srebrenica”, said President of DUNBiH Fadila Memisevic, adding that such a man cannot be the president of the Srebrenica Commission. |
| Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa: Arsovic’s statement is not surprising | Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5 ‘Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa request Ashdown to remove Arsovic’, FENA – President of Citizens’ Association “Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves” Munira Subasic on Wednesday told Fena that the statement given by the President of the Srebrenica Commission, Marko Arsovic, who said that “during the severe conflicts between the Bosnian Serb Army and the BiH Army a great number of people were killed ‘on both sides’” is not surprising, and added that Arsovic is attempting to cover up this crime. “We were not expecting anything from this commission anyway. Its members should have raised charges against the perpetrators of crimes seven-eight years ago. This was their moral and legal obligation because they were working in court and prosecuting bodies at the time. Arsovic’s statement indicates that he himself was also a perpetrator of the crime against us”, said Subasic. |
| Djeric: I am not afraid of Karadzic and Mladic | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 5 ‘I am not afraid of Karadzic and Mladic’ – Interview with Zoran Djeric, RS Interior Minister. Asked if he was doing nothing to apprehend Karadzic and Mladic due to fear he might be murdered, Djeric said that was not true at all and that the RS Interior Ministry would never give up on its priorities. He added that this included cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, but that the RS police could not but their own apprehend war crime indictees. |
| Mostar: Seven Bosniaks to be tried over crimes against Serb civilians | Dnevni List (page 51 “Trials to seven Bosniaks at end of March or early April”, not signed) – the daily learns from the Cantonal Court in Mostar that trials to seven Bosniaks, who are charged with war crimes committed against Serb civilians from Konjic in early 1992, will start either in late March or early April. Indictees are: Miralem Salihovic, Muharem Hujdur, Sadat Sarajlic, Safet Sarajlic, Senad Begluk, Muhamed Sarajlic AKA Hodza and Jasmin Guska, who was at the time the Chief of Police in Konjic. |
Security/crime/investigations | |
| Ashdown presents new Head of EUPM Kevin Carty
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV 1, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘More decisively towards independent police’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Police forces have to be independent and professional’, Blic p 13 ‘Irish at the head of EUPM’, ONASA – High Representative to BiH Paddy Ashdown on Wednesday presented the new head of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in BiH, Kevin Carty. Ashdown told a news briefing organized on the occasion that he believed that Carty’s 24-year police experience on jobs of fight against organized crime and terrorism would have an important role in his future work in BiH. “There is no stable peace and European future of BiH without professional and independent police forces,” Ashdown said. Carty said that the work of the police in meeting the necessary European standards must be free of political influence, and that the police must build confidence through professional and transparent work. Speaking about management structures of the police, Carty said that they must be sustainable. Dnevni List (page 2, “Efficient police structure for struggle against organized crime”, by R. Radic), Vecernji List (page 2, “Police structure is too much divided”, by E. Medunjanin), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Police for European future of BiH’ also covered the PC. |
| Hercegovacka Banka case | Vecernji List (page 3, “Ivica Karlovic was giving testimony for 5 hours”, by Z. Kresic) carries that former Head of Hercegovacka Banka Ivica Karlovic was responding to the questions about the work of Hercegovacka Banka in a capacity of a suspect before the BiH Court for 5 hours yesterday. VL says that Karlovic was replying to almost the same questions that were posed to him before the Cantonal Court in Mostar. VL says that at the same time former HDZ President Ante Jelavic denied that there were hundreds of accounts for the money that was coming from Croatia as assistance for Croats in BiH. He said that the money was not coming from Croatia in suitcases as some people imagine but it was coming through a bank account. |
| Oslobodjenje: Relja Kovac illegally appointed as Head of SBS
| Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Relja Kovac illegally appointed as Head of SBS’ By Azhar Kalamujic – The BiH Presidency on Tuesday illegally (bypassing the regular legal procedure which is public adverting of the vacancy) appointed Relja Kovac as the Head of the BiH State Border Service (SBS). So far Kovac was performing duty of the Chief of the Department for Protection of Important Persons at SIPA and in the police circles he is seen as reliable associate of Mirko Sarovic. According to the author of the article, a wish was thereby fulfilled of Serb member of the Presidency Borislav Paravac to remove Slavisa Vukovic from the office of the SBS Head. Commenting on the appointment, OHR spokesman Vedran Persic said that the decision might be challenged before the BiH Constitutional Court. Vecernji List (page 4 “Director of SBS suspected his secretary was spying on him”, by Dejan Jazvic) – argues that the expected handover in the office of the Director of BiH State Border Service between the current and incoming director, Slavisa Vukovic and Relja Kovac respectively, will not go as smoothly because Vukovic is apparently reluctant to carry out the handover. According to VL’s information, Vukovic has suspended his secretary, Aleksandra Mumovic, under accusations that she was forwarding the SBS’ documents and reports to Kovac. Kovac was appointed by the Serb member of BiH Presidency, Borislav Paravac. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Bulldozer: Political Leaders Commit to Creating Environment for Jobs
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Creation of conditions for new jobs’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Fresh actions by Bulldozer Commission announced’ – The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic, RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic and Brcko Mayor Branko Damjanac met in Jajce on Wednesday to discuss the current status of the Bulldozer Process. In addition to the 50 reforms enacted under Phase I, 50 new reforms have now been formulated under Phase II and are in various stages of government and parliamentary procedure. These reforms are expected to be enacted during the summer. Bulldozer Phase III will be launched later this month. At the end of Phase I, the State, Entity and Brcko governments agreed to establish Emergency reform Units, made up of young, highly-motivated civil servants, who would have direct access to the heads of government and who would be tasked with steering Bulldozer reforms through the relevant ministries and government departments. In Jajce today representatives of the ERUs briefed the political leaders and an audience of more than 50 businesspeople and representatives of BiH and IC organisations on the progress that has been made in taking Phase II reforms forward to enactment. The Chairs of the five regional Bulldozer Committees and the BiH-wide Agricultural Bulldozer Committee briefed the meeting on the collection of reforms, the nature of reforms and the obstacles and advancers experienced by the committees in the course of Phase II. Wednesday’s meeting was held on the factory floor of Alloy Wheels Company, which was chosen as the venue because it is a successful example of a BiH company that has combined substantial investment with a talented workforce and established itself as a competitive exporter to Europe and further afield. Alloy Wheels employs 126 people. Ambassador Hays said that Bulldozer had created a mechanism through which BiH entrepreneurs and politicians must come up with “your solutions for your problems”. Prime Minister Hadzipasic pointed to the considerable overlap which exists between the Bulldozer Initiative and the emerging Economic Regions. He attributed this to the fact that both the Bulldozer and the Regions are genuinely business-based, and they both aim to improve the business environment so as to attract investment and create jobs. Prime Minister Mikerevic highlighted the cooperative partnership that has been established among the RS, State, Federation and Brcko ERUs. Brcko District Mayor Damjanac noted that the District Assembly has adopted all the changes suggested by the Bulldozer Commission, a voting record which he said was consistent with the District’s broad efforts to create a positive business environment. Dnevni List (page 7 “Attract investments and open new jobs”, not signed), Slobodna Dalmacija, page 7 “Results of Bulldozer commission presented”, by S. Peric,Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Reforms for new posts’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Reforms as only road’ also reported on the issue. |
| Vrankic on FBiH draft Budget for this year/crisis in FBiH Government | FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘FBiH Draft Budget has not adopted’, ONASA – BiH Deputy Federation Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic said on Wednesday he does not think that a proposal for the BiH Federation budget for this year is determined. “The BiH Federation Government accepted a proposal for the budget at the past session in Mostar, which was not attended by ministers from the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ), so I believe that a proposal for the budget was determined in irregular way,” Vrankic said. He said that the Government should again reconsider this document before it forward it to the parliamentary procedure. Vrankic said he agreed with BiH Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic that a proposal for the budget be discussed at the session of the Government on Thursday, but that he has information that the Collegium of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) did not accept that. Asked will ministers from the HDZ attend tomorrow’s session of the BiH Federation Government, he said that current situation is a result of complex relations between the ruling parties and that everything depends on resolving of a dispute by partners in authority. Dnevni List (front page splash and page 3 “Crisis in authority: Negotiations between SDA and HDZ failed?”, by Miso Relota) – reports that Presidents of SDA and HDZ, Sulejman Tihic and Barisa Colak respectively, did not meet on Tuesday night , as previously announced, because of earlier engagements, and according to DL’s unofficial information, negotiations between the two parties have ended up in a “blind alley” after the Collegium of SDA yesterday rejected a request of the FBiH Deputy Prime Minister, Dragan Vrankic, to discuss the Proposal of FBiH budget for 2004 one more time at an FBiH Government session scheduled for today. DL reckons although Tihic was ready to support HDZ’s earlier proposals, it would appear that the rest of the party pinnacle was not, which leads DL to say it is likely that the Croat ministers will not attend today’s session of the FBiH Government. DL learns that the HDZ Presidency will meet today in evening hours. Vecernji List (front page splash “Government crisis to end up in early elections?” and page 3 “Crisis in FBiH authority leads to early elections?”, by Zoran Kresic) – claims that the Croat ministers will not take part in today’s session of FBiH Government after the SDA leadership, instead of agreeing to discuss the FBiH budget for 2004 one more time, offered to Croat ministers to submit amendments to the budget, “which is usually a task for members of parliament”. VL reckons the whole situation could end up in a halt relating the budget, which will lead to the fall of the FBiH Government and early elections. VL also carries HDZ President Colak, who did not want to speculate whether the HDZ would leave the authority, who however stressed that the HDZ would not support the budget in the FBiH Parliament. Slobodna Dalmacija (back page “Uncertain participation of Croat ministers in work of FBiH Government”, by D. Pasic) – notes is not certain whether the Croat ministers will participate at the today’s Government session, and carries Deputy PM Vrankic as saying that the FBiH Government should be determining the budget in full composition. Dnevni List (page 5, “Irregular proposal of FBiH budget”, by M.R.) |
| FBIH HoR session: Voting on Bankruptcy Law again postponed | BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Voting on Bankruptcy Law postponed’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 10, Dnevni List page 4 “Discussion on changes to Law on bankruptcy postponed”, by Miso Relota, FENA – FBiH House of Representatives on Wednesday prolonged for the third time the consideration of the Bill amending the Law on Bankruptcy Procedure. The vote was postponed for the next week. This was done with an explanation that the FBiH Government is obligated to complete the following document – Programme of measures for social care about the workers who will lose their jobs, in line with the mentioned Bill. The daily agenda also included the Draft Law on Controlling/Review of Privatisation Contracts concluded so far in the process. Representatives agreed that this Draft, as well as the Draft Law on Revision of the Whole Privatisation, should be a platform for designing a single law on privatization review. Thus, the FBiH Government is obligated in cooperation with the Trade Union Association to prepare a single legal text that will order broad auditing and control of privatisation. The control of purchasing contracts is only one segment of this process, was stated. |
| Increase of bread price in RS | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Bread to cost 1 KM’; Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 9, ‘Bread of 1 KM’ – As of tomorrow, one loaf of bread will cost 1 KM. This is decision by the Board of the Bakery Industry of Republika Srpska. The bread price increase has resulted from the price increase of flour. |
| Mikerevic and Hadzipasic on Brod Refinery | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Negotiations on Refinery’ – The entity Prime Ministers, Dragan Mikerevic and Ahmet Hadzipasic, yesterday announced that the Governments of Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina would launch negotiations, in order to resolve the problem of sale of oil from Serb Brod Refinery at the market in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hadzipasic said that the talks should establish the problems on placement of oil products in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
Media | |
| PBS press conference
| Dnevni List (page 3, “BiH gets 3 TV programs at beginning of August”, by I. Glibusic) carries that there was a PBS press conference yesterday during which representatives of the PBS Steering Board and the PBS Management talked about a new model of payment of RTV subscription fee, realization of an international tender – installing of donated transmitters and about preparations for launching of BHTV 1 TV program. Also, it was stated that there would be 3 TV channels in BiH as of the beginning of August (two entity TV channels and a roof TV channel, that is, BHTV1 that will be covering the whole of BiH). Sarajevo media also covered the issue |
| DL: “HRTV Mostar privatized” | Dnevni List (page 16, by V. Soldo) carries that according to changes and amendments to Law on Companies all public companies should be re-registered in one of 4 forms of companies as envisaged by the Law. DL says that this Law also refers on public company Herzegovina Radio Television (HRTV) and for this reason the foundation meeting of HRTV d.o.o. Mostar took place yesterday during which members of the Steering Board of the public company Croat Radio Television Mostar were absolved of duty while members of HRTV d.o.o. Mostar Supervisory Board were appointed. President of the HRTV’s Mostar Assembly Anto Buhovac stated that their goal is to establish the complete Assembly of the shareholders company in order to register HRTV d.o.o. Mostar by March 15. Buhovac added that in this way as of March 16 there would be HRTV d.o.o. Mostar in which former Mostar Municipalities would have 40% of shares while the other Municipalities in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, as well as the Municipalities from the West Herzegovina Canton would have 60% of shares. |