12.12.2005

OHR BiH Media Round-up, 12/12/2005

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Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 12 December

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00hrs)

ICTY: Gotovina to enter plea today

NATO’s action in Pale

BiH Presidency members inParis

TV news broadcast on 11 December

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Gotovina update

Protests in Croatia continue

Intl. Day of Children’s Program

Regional News

Weber on terrorism in BiH

Protests in Herzegovina

Support protest to Gotovina

HR reduces salaries to BiH judges

Protest against Gotovina’s arrest

Regional News

Tihic addresses Circle 99 session

Gotovina will plead not guilty

 

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Protest in Mostar

HR freezes salaries to BiH judges

Weber on terrorism in BIH

HR reduces salaries to BiH judges

Dodik on conditions for SDS

Support protest to Gotovina

Issue of BiH citizenship

HR to transfer authorities

HR on salaries of BIH judges

BiH to export fish meat to the EU

Missing persons families’ protest

Possible RS Governmental crisis

 

Oslobodjenje

Story on alleged presence of substance causing cancer in stored vegetables in BiH

Dnevni Avaz

Decision on continuation or failure of talks (on constitutional changes)

Dnevni List

Croats do not give up their heroes

Vecernji List

Whisitling to authority and Bishops (on protest rally for Gotovina held in Split)

Slobodna Dalmacija

Strize verbally attacked Archbishop Barisic (on protest rally for Gotovina held in Split)

Glas Srpske

Story on financial problems of Heralthcare center in Dubica

Nezavisne Novine

Protests of support to Gotovina

Blic

Destroyed vehicle more valuable than a human life (war reparation in RS)

Vecernje Novosti

Serbia-related headlines

 

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

NATO raids suspected Karadzic helper’s house in Bosnia

 

RHB, ONASA, SRNA – NATO troops this morning raided in Pale the house of Dragan Stajkic, suspected of aiding former leader of Bosnian Serbs and accused for war crimes Radovan Karadzic. The NATO Headquarters said in a statement the action was conducted in aim of disrupting the network supporting Karadzic and collecting reports on his location. Stajkic was a worker of banned Radio “Sveti Jovan,” owned by Karadzic’s daughter Sonja Jovicevic-Karadzic.

 

Political Developments/Reforms

DA: Final round of talks on constitutional reform in this phase to take place on Thursday, Friday

 

 

 

Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 4 ‘Decision on continuation or failure of talks’ S. Numanovic – leaders of the eight BiH political parties participating in talks on changes to the BiH Constitution are to meet on Thursday and Friday for a final discussion at this stage of the process. Whether the entire process will be continued or stopped will depend on the result of this meeting, learns the daily. If the talks fail the culprits will be sanctioned as the great opportunity will be missed. The entire process will be delayed for a long time in that case, according to the daily.  

RHB, Hayat – Representative of the U.S. Institute for Peace, Donald Hays, announced that next meeting on constitutional changes will be held on December 15th and 16th and he expect everyone to come. He added that any non-attendance will be regarded as their non-intention to live up to their commitments made in Washington.

Tihic addresses Circle 99

 

RHB, Pink, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Better nothing than anything’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Time of sanctions has gone’, Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Current situation would cause disappearance of RS’ by M. Zorlak, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘The existing situation means disappearance of RS’ by Rajna Radosavljevic, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘SDA pleads for a single president and strong government and parliament’ by M. Cubro – During the regular session of Circle 99, Bosniak member of BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said that agreement on constitutional changes in BiH had to be reached and pointed out that the existing situation does not suit anyone, especially the RS representatives, since by keeping the things the way they are now i.e. by maintaining current constitutional system, the RS will at the end disappear (be abolished). 

Tihic: SDA does not give up its demands reg. const. changes

Dnevni List pg 7 ‘SDA does not give up its demands’ by NINA – SDA President Sulejman Tihicstated that he will not give up the requests for BiH having one President, the Government and a functional Parliament. Tihic confirmed that Croat parties have requested the discussion on possible entity organization of BiH. According to Tihic, SDA agreed that the issue of entities is not discussed at this phase.

Interview with D. McElhaney on Washington talks, const. changes

 

Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Political parties must meet Washington obligations’, mentioned on cover ‘Political parties must meet obligations’ by Z. Jukic carries an interview with US Ambassador Douglas McElhaney. The US Ambassador stated: ‘I believe that apart from Kosovo, which is a crucial issue that should be worked on in the coming months, the US authorities and the Secretary of State must focus on completing of some unfinished things in BiH. 10 years have passed after signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement and I believe that although BiH is on the way of progress many things should be done.’ He also said that all political leaders agreed in Washington that they would work on envisaged constitutional changes and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expects from them to fulfil their promise. 

DA interview: S. Halilovic critical of const. changes talks

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘State Government should have another 3 Ministries as least’ by H. Orahovac – In an interview to DA President of the SBiH Presidency Safet Halilovic stated that he recognizes in the initiative for the US Institute for Peace a danger that there is a wish to make the Constitution that would not serve as a civic act. Halilovic added that he grounds this claim on the fact that in all proposed drafts of changes citizens and the state itself were not constituted as sovereign. He added that ethnic groups only are sovereign. Asked as to why they participate in the constitutional changes talks since he is obviously dissatisfied with the course of the negotiations, Halilovic said: ‘I do it because I expect that the USA and EU would give us firm guarantees that a proposed level of changes, I qualify them as cosmetic, represents just a beginning of the constitutional reforms and that would continue after the 2006 elections….’ Asked as to what they would do if they do not get these guarantees, Halilovic said: ‘In that case SBiH will consider that there are no conditions for our serious participation in the constitutional changes talks.’  

DL: Bandur ( HNZ) and Tihic (SDA) on Siljegovic’s stand that Serbs would not accept Washington statement

 

Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Passing of Constitution under pressure possible?!’ by I. Rozic  reminds that SDS Vice President Bosko Siljegovic stated that Serbs would not accept the Washington statement in any case since they are not obliged to respect the agreement of Croats and Bosniaks (see yesterday’s OHR BiH Media Round-up). HNZ Vice President Mate Bandur, who took part in the Washington negotiations, stated: ‘I really do not know what Siljegovic wants to say since creating of a new Constitution actually guarantees equality and freedom to all constituent peoples and minorities on the whole BiH territory.’ He added that the RS is also a part of BiH. On the same issue SDA President Sulejman Tihic stated that reforms must take place because of the fact that politicians took it upon themselves. Tihic reminded that changes in the RS must take place since they have to accept what American and European advise to us.

HDZ’s Merdzo on const. changes, implementation of Mostar Statute

 

Nova Sloboda magazine cover pg splash and pgs 8-11’There is one-way drive in HDZ’ by F. Hebibovic carries an interview with Josip Merdzo (HDZ) who, among the other things, comments on the constitutional changes talks and he says: ‘In spite of the fact that HDZ Central Board had very clear stands that BiH needs a new Constitution and that a two-entity option should be re-defined, nevertheless, they (presumably referring to HDZ representatives) took part in the process that only offered cosmetic changes of the current Constitution…We have to understand that in the context of the world politics we are just a small, meaningless crumb in the political plan and that each chance to open a dialogue on change of the Constitution is actually a big chance for us, that must not be neglected and remain unused.’ Talking about the situation in Mostar and implementation of the Mostar City Statute, Merdzo says: ‘Unfortunately, the Statute was imposed by the High Representative and it is questionable as to how long this model would survive in this area.’ Merdzo added that he is still convinced that the HDZ proposal on the organization of Mostar was to the benefit of whole Mostar.    

Dodik on constitutional changes

 

FTV, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘The existing situation means disappearance of RS’ by Rajna Radosavljevic, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Dodik: the provision on equal rights of peoples is not respected in F BiH’ by Agencies, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘The Federation is violating rights’ by Srna – SNSD leader Milorad Dodik reiterated in Tuzla that his party supports BiH Presidency with a rotating president, Council of Ministers with president and two new ministries, functional Parliament and the election of the BiH House of Peoples’ representatives in Entity Parliaments.

PDP’s Ivanic: SDS ready for everything just to stay on power, Tihic losing support of IC

 

EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘SDS is ready for everything just to stay on power’ by G. Savic – PDP leader Mladen Ivanic has stated that, during his latest discussion on constitutional changes with Donald Hays, it was concluded that no progress was made in negotiations because RS and F BiH parties have different stances on this matter. As a comment on the offer of SDS to form a coalition with SNSD, Ivanic said this offer made no sense and said this proves SDS was ready for everything just to stay on power.

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Tihic is losing support’ by Srna, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Clear stances’ by SrnaMladen Ivanic stated on Sunday in Doboj that Tihic can say whatever he wants and ask for whatever he wants but he should know it is not only his opinion that matters – the opinion of everyone who participate at the constitutional talks matters. He added Tihic is losing the support of the international community and its representatives at the talks due to his unrealistic statements and demands.

High Representative reduces salaries of judges in BiH

 

RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘BiH Court judges’ salaries reduced to KM 3,800’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Million of KM to be saved by reducing judges’ salaries’, Vecernji List pg 7 ‘Because of salaries courts without electricity and phone lines’, mentioned on cover ‘Ashdown reduces judges’ salaries’ by F, EuroBlic pg RS3 ‘Paddy Ashdown cemented salaries of judges in BiH’ by R. Radosavljevic, Glas Srpske pg 3, announced on cover ‘Smaller salaries for judges’ by V. Bugarin, Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Paddy Ashdown forbidden raises to judges’ salaries’ by S. Lemo, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Sunday issued the Decision that resolves the great disproportion between the salaries of judges and salaries of majority of BiH citizens. By the Decision, the salaries of judges in the entire country are harmonized and fixated at a level that will not be increased until the average net salary in BiH is estimated at 800 KM. Once this level has been achieved, the salaries of judges will depend on increasing the average net salary in the entire BiH, OHR said in a press release issued on Sunday. This will result in saving between five and seven million KM, which will be used for advancing the efficiency of BiH courts. The Council of Europe and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) have supported introduction of the law that would regulate the salaries of judges in this way. The High Representative issued the Decision because the existing laws on salaries of judges, which were adopted in 2000, have led to a great rise in salaries of judges and prosecutors at the annual basis, which was not followed by the relevant rate of economic growth.

High Representatives to announce next steps in transfer of OHR powers to BiH institutions

 

RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Paddy Ashdown returns powers to BiH authorities’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Bigger authorities of BiH institutions announced’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 7 ‘OHR: Bigger authorities of BiH institutions’ by F, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, will hold a press conference on Monday to announce the next steps aimed at returning the competencies, which were transferred to the OHR, to the BiH institutions. This measure is a step in the process of gradual termination of the OHR and its potential replacement with the EU Mission, the OHR said in a press release issued on Sunday.

DA: Christian Schwartz Schilling to be appointed HR

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 3, announced on cover ‘Schilling assumes the duty’ by S. Numanovic – At its session on December 14 in Paris, the Peace Implementation Council should appoint Christian Schwartz Schilling new High Representative to BiH. It is also expected that Peter Bert Bakker, Dutch diplomat who was engaged in OHR Return and Reconstruction Task Force a few years ago,would replace Martin Ney at the position of SDHR.

Washington conference conclusion: Closing down of OHR and reform of the Constitution is a recipe for success of BiH

 

Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Closing down of OHR and reform of the Constitution is a recipe for success of BiH’ by VOA – Majority of participants of the international conference in Washington concluded that the Constitutional reform and closing down of OHR is a key to stability and Euro-Atlantic integrations of BiH. PDHR Lawrence Butler has stated during the conference that OHR is lately slowing down development of civil society and democratic institutions in BiH. In this context, Butler noted that BiH political leaders are shifting the responsibility onto OHR and expect from it to reach difficult decisions.

Dodik on SNSD’s conditions for participation in RS government/coalition with SDS

 

FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Dodik sets three conditions’, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Dodik: Three pre-conditions for a coalition with SDSby Srna, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Joining the authority under three pre-conditions’ by R. Segrt – During his visit to Lukavac Municipality, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated that SDS must fulfil three conditions if it wants to form a coalition with SNSD. Those conditions are: revision of the privatisation process, and the annulment of auction for selling 800 companies; the removal of 1,500 RS police officers linked with local criminals, and the dismissal of discredited persons appointed to some key positions by RS Pero Bukejlovic’s Government.

Cavic: SDS will not demand removal of PDP Ministers in BiH CoM

 

Dnevni List pg 6 ‘There are no removals of PDP Ministers’ carries SDS President Dragan Cavic as saying that there are 2 solutions for the future work of the RS Government and they are either the current Government in a technical mandate or election of a new Government that would be formed of the opposition parties in the RSNA. He added that SDS will not demand removal of PDP Ministers in the BiH CoM since this would be counter-productive. 

SDP responds to SDA’s criticism

 

Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Let Tihic make Constitution he is promising to voters’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Results of three-year SDA’s ruling are disappointing’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘SDP stand clear’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Continuation of Tihic’s lies’ by R. S., EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘The existing situation means disappearance of RS’ by Rajna Radosavljevic SDP on Sunday reacted to SDA criticism of SDP assessing Sulejman Tihic’s statement – that SDP and RS parties only want to have cosmetic changes of BiH Constitution – as “arrogant lies”.  

Seada Palavric says she was elected as BiH Constitutional Court judge through strict and legal procedure

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘I am elected through legal and very strict procedure’ – Seada Plavric considers groundless all the criticism challenging her appointment as the BiH Constitutional Court judge. In a statement for the daily, Palavric said that he had been appointed to the post through a very strict and legal procedure and with vast majority of votes. 

 

Crime/Legal Proceedings

Protests supporting Gotovina held in Herzegovina, Central Bosnia

 

 

 

Dnevni List cover pg splash and pgs 2 and 3 ‘Croats do not give up their heroes’ by A. Beus, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14 ‘Gotovina was also defending BiH’ by Z. Zekic report on the protests that were held in Herzegovina and some places in the Central Bosnia as a sign of support to Croatian General Ante Gotovina. The dailies report that about 200 persons gathered at the protest rally in Mostar. According to the reports none from the city or Cantonal authorities attended the protest rallies. No incidents were reported during these gatherings.

RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Sarajevo dailies, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pgs 2-3 ‘Protests of support to Gotovina’ by R. Rakic, S. Gojkovic and Agencies, EuroBlic pgs 6-7 ‘Journalists paid drink to Gotovina’ inset ‘Protests in Vienna as well’ by M. Suvar, Vecernje novosti pg 12, announced on cover ‘Gotovina united Croats’, Glas Srpske pg 11 ‘Saint in “red Split”’ by Srna also prominently reported on rallies of support to Gotovina.

 

Economic/Social Affairs

55 % of surplus policemen in RS and 40 % in FBiH due to police reform

Vecernji List pg 8 ’55 % of surplus policemen in RS and 40 % in FBiH’, mentioned on cover ‘Half policemen in BiH are surplus’ by D. Jazvic says that according their information 55 % of policemen in the RS and 40 % of policemen in the FBiH would lose job due to the police reform.

It is uncertain whether F BiH pensioners would get help after introduction of VAT

 

Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘It is uncertain if or when pensioners would get help’ by R. Cengic – F BiH Pension and Insurance Fund has stated they still have not received the information on whether they should earmark additional funds for pensioners who receive pensions up to 200 KM after VAT is introduced. As according to announcements of F BiH Government, the Fund should earmark additional 10 KM for each of 140.000 pensioners who receive pensions up to 200 KM.