RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
Ashdown on audits | Ashdown on audits | BiH Presidency costs | El Jihad threats Mikerevic |
Hercegovacka Bank trial | SCG: Legija trial | Ashdown on audits | Ashdown on audits |
Int with Clifford Bond | Hays, Nicholl on banking | Ljerka Maric on audits | Law on RTV system |
Iraq update | Law on Missing Persons | Exhumation in Tuzla | Hercegovacka Bank trial |
Oslobodjenje | Ashdown calls upon Tihic, Paravac and Covic to consider submitting resignations; Judge Boland denied guilt of defendants; Hays and Nicholl: Bank controllers under pressure and without RS Government support; Del Ponte: IC will not be held responsible for Srebrenica; Bond: Old Bridge a symbol of Mostar unification |
Dnevni Avaz | 4500 recruits to be sent back home?; Ashdown: Public must say: it is enough with overspending; Detention for Jelavic and others extended |
Dnevni List | Ashdown: Covic, Paravac and Tihic should resign |
Vecernji List | Ante Jelavic withheld plea |
Slobodna Dalmacija | Medjugorje is advertisement for private apparitions |
Glas Srpske | Pirates sail undisturbed; Dubica Association of Pensioners – They live shorter; Hays goes around the truth; Mujahedin trains Albanians; He maltreated step-daughter; Asphalt or desert |
Nezavisne Novine | High Representative on Audit Reports on work of collective head of state and six BiH institutions – BiH Presidency responsible for squandering Budget; Who is financing buying of new cars for the Presidency Chair – Tax payers bought new Audi A8 for Sulejman Tihic; Donald Hays after appointment of coercive manager of Privredna banka Srpsko Sarajevo – RS Government disrupts audit of the banks; Clifford Bond, US Ambassador – US policy towards BiH remains the same; Audit Report on BiH Statistic Agency – They do not work but do spend BAM 600.000 per year; |
Blic | Old foreign currency savers won the case: They want 2,5 billion KM; State is working against peasants |
Dani | Interview with Dino Merlin – Secret of Belgrade’s fee |
Slobodna Bosna | All Severina’s Herzegovinians and Bosnians |
Ljiljan | Interview of the Week with Dino Merlin (famous Bosnian singer); Bosniaks cannot into PfP |
Follow up on audits | |
Ashdown on BiH Presidency audit: ‘In any normal country, there would be resignations!’
| RHB, Nezavisne novine cover, pg 3 ‘BiH Presidency responsible for squandering Budget’, Glas Srpske page 2 ‘Resignations normal thing’, Dnevni List front and pg 2 ‘Ashdown: Covic, Paravac and Tihic should resign’ by D. Polovina-Mandic – In every normal country the loss of 25 million KM, which is enough to build a hospital Sarajevo, Mostar or Banjaluka, would result in resignations from senior positions, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown told journalists on Thursday commenting on results of the audit of BiH institutions, especially the BiH Presidency. Ashdown said that besides the fact that millions of marks of taxpayer’s money have been spent, the most responsible figures in BiH have set the worst possible example, which has also marked the return to the old terrible practice of parallelisms. The BiH Presidency ignored regulations on public purchases and avoided the system of internal control. Without adequate approval the BiH Presidency increased the budget by 450.000 KM. To make matters even worse OHR has, in a letter sent by Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays, warned the BiH Presidency in March of all financial irregularities and made recommendations for savings, Ashdown said. However, there was no response. RTRS, BHTV 1 – Although he called them to account, Ashdown said that he would not demand from Presidency members or anyone else to resign. “In any normal country there would be resignations. The Presidency would re-examine its stand or the stand of those who have been entrusted with keeping finances and the public and parliament would demand that some measures be introduced. If BiH is such a country, remains to be seen. At least it now has a courageous audit office,” stressed HR Ashdown. Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Ashdown called upon Tihic, Paravac and Covic to think about resignations’ by Az Kalamujic – Asked to comment Tihic’s statement that he spent much less than other two Presidency members, Ashdown said that Presidency is a collective body and that all three members are equally responsible for this scandal. He did not want to comment to Covic’s claim that the report is malicious. FTV – FTV comments that Ashdown is partly responsible for this situation as OHR already in March knew about these spending of BiH Presidency, but anyways allowed Dragan Covic to nominate an ex official of Hercegovaka Bank, Ivan Miletic, at the position of Chief Auditor [who resigned about month ago, according to FTV, due to the pressure from Covic]. Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Public must say: enough of throwing away our money’, mentioned on cover ‘Public must say: Enough with overspending’, by Sead Numanovic – In an interview to DA, Ashdown reiterates messages presented at the press conference, adding that normal states have one, not three presidents. |
Reactions to audit reports | Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Bosniak officers appointed are ‘second league’’ by fena– “I have indicated on several occasions that it is necessary to rationalize the expenditures, and concerning the expenses of each Presidency member, i.e. their cabinets, respectively, the amounts of spent funds are different”, told the press on Thursday BiH Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic. Commenting on the Report of the BiH Chief Auditor’s Office on exceeding the approved funds during the past year in BiH Presidency, Tihic said it is not the same to have 600.000 KM, which is the amount spent by his cabinet, or 800.000 KM in the cabinet of Croat Presidency member Dragan Covic, and one million, which is the estimated expenditure of Serb Presidency member Borislav Paravac. Tihic also indicated that only his cabinet did everything through the Presidency Secretariat. He noted that the financial sum for the cars of Presidency members is substantial, but added that not a single member of the Presidency, even from the previous garnitures, had possessed a vehicle purchased based on this function. The “Audi” at my disposal is about 10 years old and the repairing costs were substantial, specified Tihic. Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Cabinets of BiH Presidency demand names’ by F. Mandal – Cabinets of all three members of the BiH presidency all reject accusations that someone from their office said to auditors that it that they will stay without jobs if they published their findings into Presidency. Simo Bozalo, chief of Paravac’s Cabinet, said he asked for a name, as “there is no place in Presidency” for people like that. Both Tihic’s and Covic’s cabinets had similar comments. Acting Chief Auditor Samir Musovic stressed that these threats to him and his staff were not the point of the report, and therefore did not want to further elaborate on the issue. Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Ashdown: I am calling to account prodigal Presidency’, mentioned on cover ‘Ashdown is calling Presidency to account because of prodigality’ by D. Jazvic, Z. Kresic – VL carries that commenting on the auditors’ report, the Office of Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic said that that expenditures of the Serb and Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency were not presented in the same way. Nezavisne novine cover and page 5; ‘They do not work but do spend BAM 600.000’; Article on Audit Report on BiH Statistic Agency; “Tax payers ‘bought’ Audi A8 to Sulejman Tihic”; Article on Sulejman Tihic’s vehicle. Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12 ‘Dinner for two – 2000 KM!?”, mentioned on cover, by Z. Rerig. D. Pasic carries results of the auditors’ report. |
FTV says chief of Tihic’s cabinet warned auditors of irregularities | FTV by Damir Kaletovic – Senada Kolenovic, Chief of Sulejman Tihic’s Cabinet in BiH Presidency, stated in her letter sent in March 2004 to Audit Office that great deficiencies were made by BiH Presidency Secretariat. Apparently she warned auditors that 5400 KM per month were spent for travel expenses, 108 000 KM were spent for travel costs by Sulejman Tihic during last year, while Dragan Covic used forged documents related to vehicles. FTV also claims that last year in December, the Croatian Government’s Office for cooperation with ICTY receive more than 65000 euros on its account, and that they were later spent for two cars. All cars, which are property of BiH Presidency, should be registered in “Triglav” BiH Insurance, but in stead Dragan Covic does this in “Hercegovina Osiguranje” in Mostar. According to FTV, the letter also address the issue of manipulation related to gas costs. |
Maric: BiH institutions did not overspend budgets | Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘BiH institutions did not overspend’ by S.Se – BiH Council of MInister on Thursday adopted the report on execution of budget of the state institutions and obligations for 2003. Ljerka Maric, BiH Minister of Treasure and Finance says that the report will be sent to the parliamentary procedure, and adds that BiH institutions spent the means as allowed. “Not a single out of 39 budgetary users exceeded allowed means,” said Maric. FTV – Ljerka Maric, for whom FTV comments to defend BiH Presidency on the spending, on being asked how was it possible for certain BiH Presidency departments to have more employees that other, commented: “Questions you ask are internal matter for Presidency, it is up to Presidency, Finance Ministry or any other state service, to say how many people are going to be employed by these institutions, in accordance to employment policy.” |
Op-eds on audit reports | Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Spending without control’ by Fadil Mandal – Referring to the audit reports on BiH Presidency, author writes that those should be “of interests for Prosecutor, but also a good lesson for the future: to politicians and ministers to take more care about money of those that elected them, and to the citizens to more strongly ask from authorities and parliaments for legal solutions which will limit despotism and luxurious spending which – to be honest – is not a characteristic only for the current authorities.” Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Parasites’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – On the same issue, Oslobodjenje editorial is highly critical of the BiH institutions, especially Presidency, for irregularities and lack of transparency in spending their budgets. Dani magazine pg 16 ‘The Barometer’ column – The magazine awarded three block dots [terrible move] to the BiH Presidency on their spending. |
Hercegovacka Bank | |
Jelavic and others refused to enter pleas
| RHB, BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Judge Boland denied guilt of defendants’, mentioned on cover, by A. Nezirovic, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic, Karlovic and Sevo do not feel guilty’, mentioned on cover ‘Detantion of Jelavic and others extended’ by E. Sarac, Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Jelavic and others refused to enter pleas’, mentioned on cover, by Renata Radic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 5 ‘Jelavic and others refused to enter pleas’, mentioned on cover, by Z. Tulic, Vecernji List, front pg ‘Ante Jelavic withheld plea’ and pg 3 ‘Defense learns from newspapers about court decisions’, by DJA, HINA, Nezavisne novine pg 4 ‘Jelavic and collaborators stay in custody’ – Due to serious procedural reasons, Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce, Miroslav Rupcic, Ivica Karlovic and friar Ivan Sevo on Thursday refused to enter pleas in the procedure that is being conducted against them before the BiH Court. On the other hand, Judge Bernard Boland established that the defendants have pleaded ‘not guilty’ on all 34 accounts of indictment. Apparently, Boland took this decision following a short quarrel with the defendants’ lawyers, who stated their clients would not be entering pleas until the court has responded in written form about previously lodged complaints. VL notes that the defence lawyers and their clients refused to sign the minutes from the yesterday’s hearing because, according to Jelavic’s lawyer, Josip Muselimovic, the minutes do not contain the course of session, which is unacceptable to defence. “If the procedure goes on like that, this trials will be illegal”, Zarko Bulic. |
DL Statement of the day
| Dnevni List pg 2 carries in its ‘Statement of Day’, the BiH Justice Minister, Slobodan Kovac, as saying: “BiH does not demand extradition of Ljubo Cesic Rojs.” [Media speculates Rojs is also involved in Hercegovacka Bank case; please see BiH Media Round-up for 10 June] |
Economic issues | |
Hays, Nicholl on banking system in BiH
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Bank controllers under pressure and without RS Government’s support’, mentioned on cover, by A. Omeragic, Dnevni Avaz pg 15 ‘Suprevision to be under wing of Central Bank’, Nezavisne novine cover, pg 3 ‘RS Government disrupts audit of the banks’ , Glas Srpske page 2 ‘Bankers with no support’– At the press conference held on Thurs, the BiH Central Bank Governor, Peter Nicholl and PDHR, Donald Hays, it was said that the RS Government obstructs supervision of the banks in RS, especially those with largest problems. Peter Nicholl also said that the banking system in BiH has become united and that already 15 banks are working in both BiH entities, which requires a single bank supervision system to be introduced. Nicholl said that the introduction of bank supervision in BiH under the wing of CBBH has been agreed. Nicholl explains that all existing problematic areas in the supervision of banks in entities concern commercial banks that do not meet economic principles of market functioning and banks that are in the process of sale of liquidation. Hays said that there are people in the RS Government undermining the credibility of the work of bank supervisors in the RS and added that their behaviour shows their hidden intentions. He also said that the RS Government has for more than a year failed to appoint a supervisor, even though the High Representative and Governor Nicholl made it clear that they trust that person. Hays said that he does not know the specific names of those responsible, but at the same time said that the entire RS Government needs to take responsibility. BHTV 1 – “Yes, I can confirm that there are certain people in RS Government who endanger independence of banking supervisors in RS,” said Hays. |
Radivojac on Hays’ comments | FENA – The spokesperson of RS Prime Minister, Goran Radivojac said for Fena, commenting the statement by the Donald Hays on the responsibility of the entire RS Government for non-appointing the banking supervisor in this Entity for over a year now: “The banking sector is very important for the population and economic development in RS. The RS Government will act proactively, in accord with the BiH Central Bank, to improve the conditions for operating of the baking system”. The Ministry of Finance is directly cooperating with the Banking Agency. In this context, Radivojac was unable to specify the progress in the process of appointing the banking supervisor. |
Ashdown, Hays on new Toby Robinson’s appointment | Nezavisne novine cover, pg 3 ‘RS Government disrupts audit of the banks’, Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Ashdown: Robinson was the only one who accepted duty of Provisional Administrator’ by D. Polovina-Mandic – Explaining his decision according to which Toby Robinson was appointed the Provisional Administrator for Privredna Banka Srpsko Sarajevo, the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, stated that Robinson was the only person who accepted to be appointed to this position. FTV – PDHR Donald Hays further explained that RS Banking Agency did not manage to nominate a person for that position. “I can tell you that there are people who endanger RS independency and who endanger independency and work of supervisors for banking sector, and their acts show that they have some kind of hidden attentions,” said Hays. |
Farmers protests in Gradiska | RHB, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Asking for 100 million KM subventions’ by B. Grgic, Nezavisne novine pg 8 ‘They ask for BAM 200 million of subsidies’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Chickens and artificial fertilizers given as gift’ by bs, Blic, pg. RS1 ‘The state imports cheaply’ by Milan Popovic mentioned on cover ‘State is working against peasants’ – The BiH Association of Farmers organized a protest in Gradiska yesterday. They sent a number of demands in relation to the improvement of the position of food producers to the authority of BiH and entities. According to the Association President, Ranko Bakic, farmers demand earmarking 100 million KM from BiH budget for agricultural incentives and they also demand for favorable credit lines with a maximum interest rate of 4%. During the protest, a question regarding the nationalized land was raised. The case of “Mladen Stojanovic” agricultural firm was emphasized. ‘All of you who are in possession of documents proving your past ownership on those fields should enter it and possess it, because these have been taken away unjustly…We will help you to get reinstated to your fields’, Bakic stated. |
CRA starts examining applications for 3rd GSM licence | Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Huseinovic: We will bring decision in interests of BiH’, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Eronet and HT off to final showdown’, not signed – the Communications Regulatory Agency of BiH (RAK) yesterday started with evaluation of documentation that was submitted by two candidates for the 3rd GSM licence, namely the HT Mostar d.o.o. and Eronet d.o.o. The Commission, which deals with the issue, is presided by the General Manager of RAK, Kemal Huseinovic. Huseinovic explains: “Evaluation of documentation that was submitted by the Eronet d.o.o. and HT d.o.o. Mostar, as well as taking of final decision on the carrier of the 3rd GSM licence, will be carried out in an honest and transparent way and will be based on submitted facts. The task and obligation of the regulator is to take a decision which is in the best interest of BiH”. |
Predrag Radic: reaction to PDHR’s interview | Glas Srpske cover and page 5 ‘Hays goes around the truth’; Banjaluka Brewery General Director, Predrag Radic, reacts on PDHR’s interview with “Glas Srpske”. Basically, he reacted on Donald Hays’s answer on last question, “How do you explain some clear mistakes of the Special Auditor (e.g. in report on “Telekom Srpske” names of Predrag Radic and Dusan Lajsic were mixed)”. He is angry with making connections of his name with ‘political cronies’ and PDHR’s comments “don’t be fooled by stories of misspellings”. Radic stressed that Special Auditor, Dale Ellen Ralph had sent him an apology. |
Political issues | |
Bond visits Mostar
| RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Old Bridge a symbol of Mostar unification’ mentioned on cover, by fena, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘US politics towards BiH will not change’ by F. Vele, Nezavisne novine cover and page 2 ‘US Policy towards BiH remains the same’, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Bond in Mostar because of ‘responsible authorities’, by f, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 6 ‘Soup kitchens got 350.000 dollars’, by M. Landeka, Dnevni List, pg 11 ‘Unify city budget before elections’ mentioned on cover, by NINA – The US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, was in Mostar on Thursday meeting with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic respectively, in the process. On this occasion, Mayor Jahic thanked Ambassador Bond on the donation for two soup kitchens in Mostar worth 350.000 US$. Jahic went on to say that Mostar has been selected for implementation of project of development of responsible local authorities (worth 500.000 US$), which was successfully implemented in Zenica, Tuzla, Prijedor etc. In that context, Bond said that the new programme of technical support should provide better services to citizens of Mostar, meaning the budget would be spent in a better manner. “The project could be implemented because of the good job the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are doing in the unification of Mostar, and the job related to unification of city budget before the elections will have to be completed”, said Ambassador Bond. Questioned whether the US policy towards Mostar and BiH would change with arrival of new US Ambassador to BiH, Bond stated that irrespective of fact who is in the power in the US, be it democrats or republicans, the US policy towards BiH would stay the same. |
Tihic: It was the final time for IC to reconsider existence of RS | Blic, pg. RS2 ‘To reconsider existence of RS’ by SRNA, Vecernje novosti, pg. 5 ‘To abolish RS!’ by D. St. – The Chairman of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic stated on Thursday that it was the final time for the international community to ‘reconsider existence’ of RS. During an informal work meeting with BiH media representatives, Tihic said that RS couldn’t accept only a part of the Dayton Agreement it found suitable and disrespect other provisions. He emphasized that this was not only about cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, but also about property return, Srebrenica and other issues. He also said that there were three possibilities for BiH to be admitted to the PfP. The first possibility is to arrest war crimes indictees. The second possibility is for BiH to be admitted and RS to be sanctioned, and the third possibility is for BiH to be admitted while war crimes indictees are still at large, which is, according to Tihic, the worst possible solution. |
Cavic comments on Tihic’s statement | Vecernje novosti, pg. 5 ‘We will not let go of Srpska!’ not signed – RS President Dragan Cavic has stated that the statement of Sulejman Tihic is not surprising since Tihic only continues the policy of Alija Izetbegovic, which was founded on his Islamic declaration. He said that Tihic has chosen a fight for the same ideology, only by using different means – radicalism and conflicts. ‘Tihic must realize that it was not he who has reached a decision on establishing of RS, therefore he is not in a position to decide or reach a decision on abolishing RS. RS has been established by will of Serb people and not by will of Tihic or his predecessor Izetbegovic. He will never be able to change this fundamental fact. Tihic must realize: as much as RS cannot exist without BiH, BiH either cannot exist without RS’. |
BiH Election Commission says 500 resigned due to conflict of interests | Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘So far, about 500 resignation’ by Onasa, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘500 employees submitted resigations’, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘9 millions for elections in BiH’ by Nina, Blic pg. RS2 ‘Korac: 500 resignations were submitted’ by T. V. – Approximately 500 employees have submitted their resignations to public jobs so far, as in accordance with the Law on Conflict of Interests. These were mostly low-ranking employees, as a member of BiH Election Commission, Lidija Korac, stated yesterday. According to Korac, the Commission is currently working on determining of conflict of interests in cases of several delegates of RS NA. |
Ljiljan on BiH admission to PfP, EU | Ljiljan pgs 36-37 ‘Turks in Cyprus and Bosniaks in BiH’ by Mustafa Spahic – “All Bosnian Croats have dual citizenship and two passports each, and Croatia will soon become the EU member. The same is with Bosnian Serbs. Once when Serbia and Montenegro have become EU members they will be just as Bosnian Croats integrated into Europe. The only ones who will remain in isolation, ghetto, and blockage and out of Europe will be Bosniaks. The whole campaign and sterile threats delivered to RS by the international community representatives therefore represent only rhetoric ahead of the NATO Summit in Istanbul. Everything will be the same/will start from the very beginning after the Summit,” wrote Spahic comparing the position of Bosniaks in BiH and their European prospects with the position of Turks in Cyprus. |
DL on adoption of Mostar budget | Dnevni List, pg 12 ‘Hercegovacka televizija Mostar blocks adoption of budget’, by Sanja Bjelica – Argues that the issue of financing of the ‘Hercegovacka televizija Mostar’ is the only debatable item that is blocking the adoption of the Mostar city budget. DL notes that caucuses in the Mostar City Council (MCC), namely of CD Coalition, SDP and Party for BiH submitted written requests, demanding convoking of a session of MCC that would adopt the budget, and on top of that, DL says that these three caucuses are against the idea to include the ‘Hercegovacka televizija Mostar’ in the city budget. In the same time, the HDZ Caucus proposes that the temporary funding of the city be extended until August 31. President of MCC, Ivan Musa, is carried as saying: “It is clear that the adoption of budget requires two third majority of councillors, and without that, it would be silly to convoke a session. The Mayor and his part of City administration and MCC persistently mention the Hercegovacka televizija Mostar, which was founded by the three municipalities with Croat majority. The High Representative’s decision was that the City was to take over everything that the municipalities had founded”. Musa also notes that there are some disputable items in the budget, which refer to debts of former municipalities with Bosniak majority, which apparently amount to some 16,5 million KMs. |
IFIMES study: IC organizes early elections?! | Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘International community organizes early parliamentary elections!?’, by NINA – carries excerpts of an analysis prepared by the Ljubljana-based ‘International Institute for Middle East and Balkans Studies’ (IFIMES), which deals with current situation in BiH amid announcements that BiH will not be joining the Partnership for Peace at the NATO Istanbul Summit. According to IFIMES’ international diplomatic sources, in case BiH fails to join the PfP in Istanbul, the international community is seriously thinking about breaking up the partnership with the current authorities in BiH and try and influence the organization of early parliamentary elections in BiH. Nezavisne novine pg 4 ‘Early elections possible’ – IFIMES stated in the report that RS is much more responsible than BiH for not co-operating with ICTY, stressing that on secret meetings SDS has promised to fulfil obligations. On the other side, in party and partially in public they have denied it. “There are numerous examples that SDS President, Dragan Kalinic, sings songs to Radovan Karadzic while on the other side he signs documents obliging him in the front of International Community to extradite him”, IFIMES stated. Voters in RS are disappointed with that kind of behaviour of SDS and its officials. Therefore, popularity of the party is lowest than ever. Only 6.80% of citizens support SDS. 81.30% of citizens think that SDS is deluding them. IFIMES poll was conducted on 1.011 RS citizens between June 7-9. |
War crimes | |
CoM establishes state Law on Missing Persons
| RHB, RTRS, BHTV 1, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Members of families will have a right to compensation’, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 17 ‘Monthly support to families of missing persons’, by B. Kristo, Z. Rerig, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Members of families of missing persons to get monthly compensations’, mentioned on cover, by Erna Mackic – BiH Council of Ministers on Thursday codified the Law on the Missing Persons which will be forwarded to regular parliamentary procedure. After the session, BiH Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo told a press conference that BiH is perhaps the first country to legally regulate the matter of missing persons. The law was designed in cooperation with the Entity ministries and the associations of the families of missing persons from the entire BiH. The law regulates the matter of sharing information, obligatory exchange and cooperation between the Entities and the State, and it also foresees the establishment of the Missing Persons Institution. Sanctioning decrees for persons and institutions that prevent access to information for the families of missing persons or institutions engaged in seeking missing persons have also been included. |
Srebrenica Commission to submit final report; DA says term ‘genocide’ used in report | RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Today, the report before RS Government’, Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Srebrenica Commission works on Final Report’ – Srebrenica Commission should presented the final report on the Srebrenica July 1995 events to the RS Government by Thursday midnight. Upon the Government’s approval, the report will be forwarded to the Human Rights Chamber. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘It is possible that the Serb side for the first time uses term ‘genocide’ in the report’ by A. Hadzic – Representatives of the families of Srebrenica victims have been invited to the OHR today to be presented on the occasion of publishing the Srebrenica Commission report. According to the DA information, the part of the report is ‘harsh’ and ‘historic lesson’, and DA’s source says that the drastic improvement has been made in comparison to any other report previously done by the RS authorities. This one, apparently, also uses term ‘genocide’ however this is not certain. |
Bond on arrest of war crimes suspects
| RHB by Milan Vego– In an interview to RHB, Clifford Bond, the US Ambassador to BiH, commented on Radovan Karadzic: “We have failed to catch him in the past eight years, and a part of responsibility lies with the international community, but the major blame must fall on the shoulders of RS authorities and institutions, and their failure to cooperate in any way, in any [concrete] way with the ICTY, or with SFOR… The summit in Istanbul is not a deadline. We will continue to [stress] need to apprehend Karadzic and Mladic and we will need RS cooperation with the ICTY after Istanbul. That requirement will not go away”. |
Slobodna Bosna interview with COMSFOR Packett on efforts to apprehend Karadzic
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 5-7 ‘If necessary I will go myself to arrest Karadzic’ – Interview with SFOR Commander Virgil Packett. Packett emphasized that a network of people and institutions supporting Radovan Karadzic was broken to the large extent. He added that the public awareness on Karadzic as a tremendous burden was raising in the RS. Asked if it was realistic to expect that Karadzic will be arrested by the NATO Summit in Istanbul, Packett said it was very possible. “It is extraordinary opportunity for this state to demonstrate its genuine commitment (to full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal),” said Packett. |
Srebrenica women on international responsibility | Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘IC will not be held responsible for Srebrenica’, mentioned on cover, by A. Avdic – “[Chief ICTY Prosecutor] Carla Del Ponte told us that no international court will accept charges related to Srebrenica events against any official of the international community,” said Hajra Catic, members of the Srebrenica Women Association, at the press conference on Thursday. She added that Del Ponte promised them such decision submitted in written. However, Catic says that the Association will not given up on seeking responsibility of the international community. |
Defence and security | |
Mikerevic threatened by EL Jihad
| RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Death threats to Mikerevic’ – Dragan Mikerevic, RS Prime Minister, received a threats letter from the Islamic organization El Jihad. The letter apparently says that there will not be peace, not only for him and members of his cabinet, but for all RS citizens. The letter was accompanied with the picture of Islamic warrior with raised hand. Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘El Jihad threats’ – GS writes that El Jihad sent an e-mail to RS Government saying that they would follow every step of chetnik aggressors. “There will be no peace for any citizen of so called RS, which has been made in blood” e-mail reads. RS Ministry of Interior has been informed on this. |
Ashdown on BiH and PfP | Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Public must say: enough of throwing away our money’, mentioned on cover ‘Public must say: Enough with overspending’, by Sead Numanovic – In an interview to DA, the High Rep Paddy Ashdown, asked who would be held responsible in a case of BiH failure to be admitted to the Partnership for Peace at the upcoming NATO summit, commented: “If that happens, that RS is undoubtedly responsible. And here you have two absurd examples: nobody showed more vision and courage to implementation defence reforms as RS. I would say that RS authorities did more for PfP doors be opened for BiH than anybody else. At the same time, the most successful minister in CoM is Nikola Radovanovic… At the same time, RS cannot do the most fundamental thing for PfP admission… And that will not pass without consequences… RS exists thanks to the international laws, and it cannot go on no respecting those same laws… I will tell you that at the beginning of this year I called the key people from Banja Luka… Present were Mladen Ivanic, Dragan Cavic, Dragan Kalinic and Dragan Mikerevic. I warned them about the problems we are facing, and asked them to do everything possible for those not to happen… They agreed and said that would not happen.” |
Bond on NATO | RHB by Milan Vego – Clifford Bond, the US Ambassador to BiH was asked about the replacement of NATO forces with the EU forces: “It is a step forward that reflects very improved security situation in the country. EU will be here as there is a security insurance in the field, and NATO PQ offices, headed by American general with substantial civilian and military staff, many of them American, will be here to guide things like defense reform and to continue the work on arrests of war criminals. We will continue to consider the possibility of military presence at the air base in Tuzla. So America will be present, the EU will be present assuming wider role. And NATO will be here to guide BiH into eventual membership in NATO alliance”. |
FBiH Army faces food shortage | Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 3 ‘FBiH Army sends back 4500 recruits home?’ by E. Sarac – DA writes that the situation regarding the food supplies to FBiH Army is catastrophic, hence the Commander is forced to release 4500 recruits. |
Tihic: Appointed Bosniak officers are ‘second league’ | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘US Embassy claimed Cikotic is competent officer’, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Bosniak officers appointed are ‘second league’’ by fena– At the informal meeting with the journalists, Chairman of the BiH Presidency said that about the process of nominating the candidates, he was certain that those primarily nine nominated Bosniak officers would pass the vetting process. He added that Bosniaks were told by the U.S. Embassy that Selmo Cikotic is an exceptional officer, but he did not pass SFOR’s procedure. Tihic noted that garniture of Bosniak candidates who received consent for appointments are the “second league” when compared to the primarily nominated officers of FBiH Army. |
NN: SFOR dismisses Drago Dragicevic from FBIH MoD | Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Packett removed Dragicevic from the post’; General Drago Dragicevic, FBiH Ministry of Defence Chief Inspector was removed from the post by decision of COMSFOR, General Virgil Packett. Apart of Dragicevic, on June 4, COMSFOR signed an order on temporary suspension of three more FBiH Ministry of Defence officials. According to Nezavisne novine source, Dragicevic is suspect of financial malversation. He is also one of 14 members of Zepce Group suspected for war crimes against Bosniaks. ICTY has approved Cantonal Court in Zenica to investigate this case. |