| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| 11 Prijedor policemen released | HR on | Woman killed in shooting near Cazin |
| Leutar murder investigation | Police reform report in UNSC | Comm. for coop. with ICTY formed |
| Mostar shells trial starts on 14th Feb | Working Group for ICTY cooperation | Prijedor police officers acquitted |
| HR on | Matijasevic meets Djurovic | RS and Montenegro MoIs met |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| HR on extension of CC jurisdiction | Women killed in shooting near Cazin | 1st meeting of ICTY coop. group |
| 11 Prijedor policemen released | HR on | 11 Prijedor policemen released |
| A person killed in Cazin | HDZ initiative on BiH reorganisation | Indictment raised vs. Momir Glisic |
| Karadzic will not surrender | Comm. for coop. with ICTY formed | FBIH MoI arrested Murat Silajdzija |
| Oslobodjenje | Main hearing in February 2006 in |
| Dnevni Avaz | OHR under the control of the state |
| Dnevni List | HDZ proposes re-organization of state |
| Vecernji List | No evidence for killing of Catholic priest |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Slaughter of Franciscans – irrelevant crime?! |
| Nezavisne Novine | Bloody clash of families Kurtovic and Veladzic in Cazin: A woman killed, seven people injured |
| Glas Srpske | Verdict against Prijedor policemen reached: Police officers found not guilty |
| EuroBlic | Drama at Banja Luka Clinical Centre: Minister waited for warmer days |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
Political Developments/Reforms | |
| HR Ashdown calls for strengthening of
| FTV – The High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, announced first set of steps in relation to strengthening of EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Momcilo Novakovic: I accepted Ashdown’s suggestion’ – The inset reads that Momcilo Novakovic confirmed he had spoken with HR Paddy Ashdown and that he accepted HR’s suggestion that discussion on Proposed law on BiH Constitutional Court should be postponed. |
| HDZ to propose new constitutional organization of BiH
| Vecernji List, pgs 2-3, mentioned on front ‘HDZ for decentralized and modern state of BiH’, by Miso Relota, Pero Crnogorac – HDZ Main Board has tasked the HDZ Presidency to prepare proposal on BiH reorganisation based on equality of all of three constitutional peoples, stated HDZ President, Barisa Colak. Colak explains: “We need a functional, efficient, modern and well organized state, and what is most important to us, we need a decentralized state. It is certain that we will go into strengthening of local self-government (…) To achieve that, we need a consent of all three sides in BiH and we will have to see how to achieve that. We have held intensive talks with parties that form the parliamentary majority in BiH. We shall also have talks with other parties and representatives of the IC”. (also covered by RHB, BHT, FTV, Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘HDZ proposes re-organization of state’, by Nermin Bise, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘HDZ wants constitutional re-organization of BiH on basis of equality’, by Antonio Karamatic, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Platform on future state organization to be prepared for the Congress’ by H. Orahovac, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Launching an initiative for restructuring of Dayton’s BiH’ by Onasa, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Platform for reorganisation of BiH announced’ by V.C. |
| EUPM ends its mandate this year
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘EUPM ends its mandate this year’ by S.N. – EUPM enters final year of its mandate with very good results, reads the report presented to the UN General Assembly on 10 February. Reported noted the progress in strengthening law enforcement institutions at the state level. It also stressed that reforms in security field guarantee that after the Mission leaves BiH will have self-sustainable and professional police structures. (also on Pink TV) |
| PDHR Hays in Tuzla
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Priority is to adopt the law on local self-rule’ by E. Huremovic, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Domestic politicians must take over BiH’s destiny’ by S. Smajlovic – PDHR, Donald Hays, on Friday met with the Tuzla Canton prime minister, Bajazit Jasarevic, and the mayors of the Tuzla, Gradacac and Gracanica Municipalities. Apart from the reduction of state administration and of the consumption in the public sector, the topic of the conversation also included the fulfilling obligations that BiH undertook when entering the Council of Europe: to adopt a Law on Local Self-Rule in line with European standards. Hays asked for the support from the PM Jasarevic and the municipal heads so that by the end of the month the FBiH Assembly would adopt the proposed amendments. He added that it is obvious that some political parties are obstructing this process for petty reasons. (also covered by Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Ambassador Hays visits CCI’s office in Tuzla’, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Donald Hays temporarily leaving BiH’, PINK, RHB) |
| Bukejlovic on RS Government composition
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘No Government without support of PDP and DNS’; Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Government under question’ by B. Teofilovic – In aThursday evening programme on Kanal 3 television (seated in Prnjavor), Pero Bukejlovic has admitted the Government cannot be elected without the support of PDP and DNS. He has also stressed it is of extreme importance that the signatory parties of Agreement on harmonized political activities support election of new government, stressing that the PDP, DNS and SNSD would be responsible if new Government were not elected. EuroBlic RSpg 1 ‘Support hanging on a thread’ by Nedeljka Breberina-Rajna Radosavljevic- according to Bukejlolovic, there will be no SDA ministers at new Government, while Bosniaks’ and Croats’ seats, who should get eight departments, would be assumed by non-party members. He also said that one of two women at the new cabinet may be Svetlana Cenic. Boris Gaspar, RS Minister of Tourism and Trade, confirmed he was offered the same position, and he accepted the offer. Jasmin Samardzic has also confirmed in a statement to EuroBlic that Bukejlovic has offered him the same position at new Government and he has accepted it. Omer Brankovic, RS Minister of Economic Relations, and Saud Filipovic, RS Minister of Justice, confirmed they had not been contacted on the matter. |
| Comments on Terzic’s visit to Brussels
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Partial Constitution’ by G. Dakic – The article brings further comments following Adnan Terzic’s visit to Brussels and OHR statement following it. GS has learnt at Dragan Mikerevic’s Cabinet that Mikerevic would address a letter to Terzic asking from him to present platform he presented in Brusels. Drago Vukovic, Advisor to Serb member to BiH Presidency, reminds: “OHR is right in saying that the running of foreign policy falls under the authority of BiH joint institutions. However, the issue of foreign affairs, according to BiH Constitution, falls under the authority of BiH Presidency. BiH Foreign Ministry is obligated to implement the policy agreed on.” Vukovic claims that Terzic did not present platform to BiH Presidency prior to his visit to Brussels. |
| Spiric claims there is orchestrated campaign against Serb officials
| Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘BiH institutions do not care to see SIPA functioning’ by D. Risojevic – In a page interview to NN, Nikola Spiric, Deputy Chair of the BiH HoR, says that an orchestrated campaign, with the assistance of some forces from RS, is run in BiH and is aimed against Serb officials at intelligence and police structures of BiH. The final aim of these activities is to destroy the professionalism of these people, who are firmly struggling with the crime. He is convinced that the first target of that campaign is Sredoja Novic, adding: “It seems like it would be the best if all the Serbs, who had worked at security agencies during 90’s, move out from BiH, since they seem to be undesirable personnel in Sarajevo.” |
| RS POWs: Tihic is war-mongering
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Punish Tihic’s anti-Dayton behaviour’, by NINA – The RS Association of POWs condemns what it calls the war-mongering rhetoric of Sulejman Tihic, “who speaks of Serbs as perpetrators of 90% of crimes in BiH”. The Association calls on the BiH Presidency and Parliament to put stop to this, and the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, “to punish his anti-Dayton behaviour”. (also in Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Tihic is denying the rights of Serbs in BiH’ by S.G.; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Tihic inciting to war’) |
Cooperation with ICTY/War Crimes | |
| Commission for coordination/cooperation with ICTY formed
| BHT – Commission for coordination of state and entities institutions has been formed on Friday in Sarajevo with aim to ensure full cooperation with the ICTY. This was the first working meeting of the Commission,whose forming was requested by the Peace Implementation Council (PIC).BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic believes that forming of this Commission is a new kind of pressure on the RS authorities to fulfil its international obligations. “I don’t want to understand that work of this Commission is defined as the new kind of pressure on the RS. That is absolutely not correct. Before anything else, RS have no intelligence service, RS don’t control the border, RS have no SIPA, those are BiH institutions’ tasks and those should be communicated and coordinated with other relevant institutions. In RS, that is only Ministry of Interior,” said RS President Dragan Cavic. The Commission consists of representatives of the State Border Service, Intelligence Service, SIPA, BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Entity Presidents, Entity Minister of Interior and Ministers of Defence and representatives of the ICTY. Commission work is supported by the international community in BiH that believes that there is a low level of cooperation between state and entities institutions in BiH. BiH State Border Service could have bigger role in arresting of war crimes inductees, and well as BiH Intelligence Agency (OSA). It is time for current jurisdiction of state institutions to be used in right way, believes the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. RHB – HR Paddy Ashdown stated that the working group for cooperation with ICTY represents a good mechanism for meeting the demands of Peace Implementation Council regarding cooperation with ICTY. HR stressed that the main responsibility for cooperation with ICTY is upon RS authorities. (also covered by Pink, FTV, RTRS, Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘RS is 95% responsible’, by dj, Oslobodjenje pg 4 inset ‘Chief responsibility lies on RS’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘RS is solely responsible for arrest of war criminals’ by S.N., Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘More intensive cooperation with the Hague’, mentioned on cover, not signed) Nezavisne Novine cover pg and pg 2 ‘First results by 21 February’ by M. CUbro – The BiH Ministry of Security, RS MoI and BiH State Border Service have made too many mistakes regarding the arrest of war crime suspects, owing to which reason they have been assigned with some concrete tasks to be carried out in the future, NN has learnt from a participant of the meeting of the Monitoring Group for cooperation with ICTY and arrest of war crime suspects. |
| NN on arrest of war crimes suspects, Terzic’s role
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Responsibility’ by Dragan Risojevic – The author refers to the establishment of the Working Group for cooperation with ICTY, commending the actions itself, but being sceptical in possible good outcome of all that, since nobody is responsible to take over the responsibility for the failure to arrest war crime suspects. Hereby, he also refers to Adnan Terzic, who persistently transfers the responsibility onto RS institutions. |
| Matijasevic, Djurovic: Karadzic and Mladic are not in RS/SCG
| FTV – RS and Montenegro Interior Ministers, Darko Matijasevic,and Dragan Djurovic,discussed in Podgorica on Friday ways how to intensify cooperation in fulfilling obligations towards the ICTY. At the joint press conference, both ministers stated that Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are not on territories of RS and Serbia and Montenegro. On this occasion Matijasevic stated that Mladic and Karadzic would be arrested if he would have information that they are on the RS territory. Matijasevic added that RS police have no information on any ICTY indictee hiding in RS. (also reported by Pink, BHT, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Karadzic and Mladic are not in RS’, by I. G., Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Karadzic and Mladic are not in RS, nor in Serbia and Montenegro’, by ba, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Matijasevic: Karadzic and Mladic are not in Serbia, Montenegro or RS’ by Srna, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Neither Mladic nor Karadzic are in RS or SCG’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Mladic and Karadzic are not in Montenegro and RS’ by BETA; Nacional pg 4 ‘Mladic and Karadzic are not in our AoR’s’; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘No trace of Karadzic and Mladic’) |
| US Embassy denies Liljana Karadzic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘There was no agreement Karadzic-Hollbrooke’ – Following the interview Ljiljana Zelen Karadzic gave to NN, the US Embassy in BiH on Friday released a press statement, denying claims of Ms. Zelen-Karadzic. The release reads: “There has never been any agreement signed between Richard Holbrooke and Radovan Karadzic. US Government and Richard Holbrooke have on many occasions denied these fictions.” |
| Oslobodjenje int/ with general Schook: ‘We are aggressive in pursuing war criminals’
| Oslobodjenje supplement ‘Pogled’, pg 28 ‘We are aggressive in pursuing war criminals’ by Antonio Prlenda – In an interview to Oslobodjenje, the Commander of NATO’s HQ in Sarajevo, general Steven Schook says he believes domestic politicians will provide for sufficient support to for defence reform and abolishment of the entities’ defence ministries. “I expect, optimistically, that this summer we will see legislation adopted and that by the end of 2005 there will be only one Ministry of Defence,” says Schook. On cooperation with the ICTY, General Schook stresses that domestic authorities have a responsibility to arrest all war crimes suspects at large, adding: “In my estimate, we are not even close to that yet. RS should be congratulated for the beginning of this cooperation by extraditing on suspect to last month. However, that should not be mistaken for the full cooperation… I am not an optimist when it comes to fulfilling all conditions for the full cooperation by April. Why? Because first we have to ensure to stop every assistance to PIFWCs. The amount of money which goes from RS for that purpose… is enormous. Thus, many things have to be done by April.” Schook concluded: “But, I will say that we work aggressively, aggressively and aggressively on this issue. I want to see all PIFWCs arrested, so BiH moves into Partnership for Peace.” |
| Matanovic case: Prijedor Policemen acquitted
| BHT – The Banja Luka District Court Trial Chamber acquitted 11 Prijedor police officers who were charged with war crimes against civilians. Former police officers were indicted for illegal detention and murder of Catholic priest Tomislav Matanovic and his parents in 1995. President of the Trial Chamber Dusko Gojovic stated that it has not been proven that the 11 police officers committed those criminal acts. (also reported by RHB, Pink, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘No evidence for killing of Catholic priest’ and pg 5 ‘Matanovic killers freed of charges’, by Branka Stevandic, Dnevni List, pg 35 ‘Prijedor Police officers freed of charges’, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 12 ‘The deceased is the guilty one’, by A. Macanovic, Nezavisne Novine cover pg ‘Former policemen acquitted of charges for war crime’ and pg 4 ‘Former policemen acquitted of war crimes charges’ by S. Karic; Glas Srpske cover pg story ‘Police officers found not guilty’ by M.D. |
| Sarajevo: Indictment for war crimes committed at Grbavica raised | BHT – Sarajevo Canton Prosecution raised indictment against Momir Glisic for war crimes against civilians in Sarajevo’s settlement Grbavica. Glisic is accused of forcing 7 women to do different physical works followed by insults and mistreatments in the period from June 1992 to June 1994 when he was Commander of women working unit. (also reported by Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Indictment filed against Momir Gilisic for war crimes in Grbavica’ by Srna) |
Legal Proceedings | |
| BiH lawsuit vs. SCG: Main hearing in February 2006
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 5 ‘Main hearing in February 2006 in the Hague’ by Az. Kalamujic – Team of the international and local experts representing BiH in the lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro for aggression was officially informed that preparatory hearing will be held before the International Justice Court in the Hague on 14 March. BiH Agent in the lawsuit, Sakib Softic, confirmed to daily that this hearing will establish the duration of the main hearing whose beginning was scheduled for 27 February 2006. |
| Alijagic case update | Nezavisne Novine cover pg and pg 6 ‘Alijagic’s demand over BAM 35 million’ by P. Klincov – Kresimir Zubak, legal representative of the Alijagic brothers, has filed a motion with the RS Supreme Court for re-examination of their lawsuit against RS, demanding that more compensation be paid out to the brothers. They ground the motion on the fact that the Court verdict reached stipulated the amount of money be compensated plus interest rates starting from 1 January 1999, instead of having interested rates calculated starting from 1993, when the property from Alijagic’s shop was confiscated. Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘BAM 250 thousand to Municipality of Trebinje’ by SRNA, RTRS – RS Government approved 250.000 KM to Trebinje municipality for payment of bills. These resources are returnable and should be paid back by 30th of June at the latest. |
Economy/Social Issues | |
| BiH, SCG sign agreement on healthcare costs
| BHT– BiH Minister of Civil Affairs, Safet Halilovic, and Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) Ambassador to BiH, Stanimir Vukicevic, signed agreement on compensation of health protection expenses between BiH and Serbia-Montenegro. This agreement ensures social and health protection to pensioners and workers who work in one and live or receive pensions in other country. (also covered by Pink, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Compensations for medical welfare costs’, by E. Mackic, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Arranged flat rate compensations for health services’ by J.S., Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Arranged flat rate compensations of the health services costs’ by Onasa, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Mutual assistance for health care services between SICG and BiH’) |
| Banja Luka: Minister Kvaternik visits Clinic | EuroBlic cover pg splash ‘Minister waited for warmer days and RSpg 4 ‘Warmer days came, they came for a visit’ by Neda Spasojevic – Marin Kvaternik, RS Minister of Health Care, and Dragan Kostic, Director of Banja Luka Clinical Centre, on Friday visited the patients at the Banja Luka Surgery Department, which has been in the news lately because of no heating in the clinic. (also reported by Pink, RTRS, FTV) |
Miscellaneous | |
| Shooting near Cazina: One killed, several wounded | FTV – One woman is killed and 6 persons wounded in shooting that occurred on Thursday night in Gornja Koprivna near Cazin, when two families had an armed conflict. Doctors in Bihac hospital are fighting for three lives. Five persons are arrested in relation to the shooting. Donja Koprivna residents believe that this was caused when husband tried to bring back his wife who left him and returned to her parents. (also reported by Hayat, BHT, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 35 ’65 year old Mejra Veladzic killed, six wounded’, by R. Karat, Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘One killed, seven wounded’, by Robert Soldo, Dnevni Avaz pg 41 ‘In conflict between two families, one killed and six wounded’, mentioned on cover, by S. Dzanic, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘A woman killed, seven people injured’ by N. Kaliman |