| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Threatening mails to Pope | PIC session | Loans for Veterans | PIC in Sarajevo |
| Aluminij faced collapse | Stanisic in the Hague | PIC session | Single customs |
| HN Canton Government | HN Canton | Suic. attack in Jerusalem | BiH Missing Persons Inst. |
| Mesic stands for Gotovina | Suic. attack in Jerusalem | Stanisic in the Hague | Stanisic extradited to ICTY |
| Oslobodjenje | Those having house already also on the lists for housing loans |
| Dnevni Avaz | Ashdown sanctions SDA, Party for BiH |
| Dnevni List | Sanctions for SDA and Party for BiH |
| Vecernji List | Mesic vouches for Gotovina |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Government collapses, sanctions to follow; Six miners exhausted with hunger end up in hospital |
| Glas Srpski | Union of municipal associations of refugees and DP’s: Deadline took away apartments |
| Nezavisne Novine | Through banks in BiH, fictitious banks laundered KM 1.5 billion; BiH on the doorstep of workers’ protests; the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Interior Ministry: A suspect for threats to Pope arrested; Alexander Grischenko, Russian Ambassador to BiH: Crime is an obstacle to foreign investments in BiH |
| Blic | Robber of Derventa’s bank arrested, two others on the run; Islamic radical who threatened the Pope arrested |
Political developments | |
| HN Canton Assembly fails to appoint Government and meet HR’s deadline
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 “HNC Government not established’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘HNC Government not elected’, Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘HNC still without Government, in spite of OHR warning’ – Although leaders of HDZ and SDA Sulejman Tihic and Barisa Colak had agreed on Tuesday on the list of candidates for the positions in the HN Canton Government, today’s voting in the cantonal assembly failed. At the session, 11 deputies from cantonal branches of SDA and Party for BiH voted against and 4 deputies from SDP abstained. HDZ voted in favour of the list but that was not enough for appointment of the government. Chief of the Mostar OHR’s Office Jean Peirre Bercot warned deputies on possible sanctions but with no result. (Report brings the proposed list of ministers for the HN Canton Government) |
| Ashdown sanctions SDA, Party for BiH | FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘Sanctions against SDA, Party for BiH’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Ashdown sanctions SDA, Parry for BiH’ – High Representative brought decision on financial sanctions against SDA and HDZ in HN Canton. For failing to establish the HN Canton Government, budget funding of those parties in that canton are going to be cut by 10 percent, salaries of acting ministers will be reduced to the level of average salary in the Federation, and Chairman of the Cantonal Assembly Omer Cevro is going to be removed. If parties fail to establish the government by Monday at 18:00 hours, funding will be cut for further 5 percent for each day of delay. High Representative Paddy Ashdown: “Once again, politicians in Mostar, especially those from SDA and Stranka za BiH have let citizens down. For 8 month they failed to establish the cantonal government. Today we are going to sit down together with the International Community and our main discussion will be BiH’s way to Europe, but today’s outcome in Mostar sends a bad message. One of questions BiH is going to be assessed by is: are we able to establish the functional governments. Today afternoon we showed we could not. That is very harmful for BiH’ integration into Europe”. |
| Tihic: I am disappointed | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Tihic: I am disappointed’ – SDA President Sulejman Tihic told the newspaper he was disappointed because on Wednesday, eight months following elections, the HNC Government had not been established, and that he was particularly disappointed because SDA deputies had voted against the proposed list of ministers. He emphasized that the cantonal SDA branch had been on time informed about the agreement on the issue reached between the leaders of SDA and HDZ. |
| SDA Presidency to decide on possible sanctions inside the party | Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘SDA Presidency to decide on possible sanctions inside the party’ – The SDA leadership was surprised with the HNC Assembly’s failure to appoint the cantonal government on Wednesday. An extraordinary session of the SDA Presidency scheduled for Thursday will decide on possible sanctions against the HNC SDA over the issue. On the same page ‘OHR expects obligations to be implemented’, the newspaper carries a statement by Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite, who said that OHR expected the authority and leading role of the OHR leadership to be demonstrated at the extraordinary session of the Presidency dedicated to the HNC Government formation |
| Colak: I am disappointed with behaviour of SDA, Party for BiH deputies | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Colak: I am disappointed with behaviour of SDA, Party for BiH deputies’ – HDZ President Barisa Colak told the newspaper he was both disappointed and resigned regarding the SDA, Party for BiH’s deputies failure to support the agreed list of HNC ministers at the Wednesday’s session of the cantonal assembly. |
| CRO Press on HNC Government formation | Dnevni List (front and page 13, by V. Soldo, “Announced sanctions for SDA and Party for BiH”) – Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Assembly at its session held in Mostar yesterday failed to appoint a new Cantonal Government, namely the list of ministerial candidates, which was confirmed by Presidents of SDA and HDZ and forwarded to the High Representative for BiH by the Prime Minister designate Miroslav Coric, did not get the necessary majority. The list was voted for by 15 Croats MPs, 11 MPs from SDA and SBiH voted against, whilst 4 SDP MPs abstained from voting. The daily notes the Government did not get the necessary majority even after an OHR intervention, when the Head of OHR South, Deputy High Representative, Jean-Pierre Bercot, stressed the necessity to form the Government immediately. DHR Bercot also stressed if the voting was not successful, the High Representative would have to consider sanctions against parties that are obstructing the process of formation of HNC Government. Dnevni List (page 13, by D. Kozina, “Reaction by OHR: Concrete sanctions against SDA and Party for BiH) also reports that the OHR reacted to the failure to appoint the Government and carries the OHR South spokesperson, Avis Benes, as saying: “By voting against forming a government in Canton 7, the SDA and the SBiH have turned their backs on the citizens who elected them, a full eight months ago. It will be for Mr Tihic and Mr Halilovic to explain why their parties in Canton 7 voted against the government list that they themselves had signed, and to take decisive action to ensure that their parties in the Canton honour their leaders’ commitment” OHR also took a few decisions and some of them include: To cut, with immediate effect, the party financing that the SDA and the SBiH receive from the State, Federation, Canton 7 and Canton 7 municipalities’ budgets by 10% as of next year – an irrevocable fine of 66,000 for the two parties. At 6pm on Monday, June 16, if there is still no government, to carry out the following: to start to cut party financing by a 5% for every working day until a government is formed; to cancel the appointment of the Speaker-Elect, Omer Cevra, without possibility of reappointment to that post, for failing in his constitutional duty to muster a consensus behind forming a government in Canton 7. Reactions: HNC PM designate, Miroslav Coric, says the session unveiled who does not want to form the new Government and calls on the High Representative to impose sanctions against the obstructionists. According to President of Bosniak Caucus in HNC Assembly, Enver Mujala, the Bosniak Caucus took the decision (not to vote for the Government) because some proposals by the Caucus sent to Coric were not honoured. Mujala believed there would be no sanctions against the Bosniak Caucus. (also in Slobodna Dalmacija, front and page 18, by Darko Juka, “Government collapses, sanctions to follow”) Dnevni List (page 2, by Ivica Glibusic, “Are punishments by OHR to follow in HNC?”) – an editorial which says that despite the arrival by Deputy HR Bercot and warning of sanctions, the Government was not appointed. “Even after such a warning I wonder who dared not to appoint the Government. It’s only possible if someone has political protection from international representatives in BiH”, says Glibusic adding that yesterday’s events in the HNC Assembly showed that SDA is before collapse since the cantonal board of SDA failed to obey orders from the SDA HQ. |
| PIC session
| BHTV 1, Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘BiH place in the European Integration’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘How to bring BiH closer to Europe?’, Vecernji List (page 2, by D. Jazvic, “Responsibility for economic reforms”), Dnevni List, page 4, by F, E. Mackic, “PIC will discuss issues of BiH getting closer to Europe”, Blic pg. 7 ‘First reforms then Europe’ – Meeting of the Political Directors of the Peace implementation Council began on Wednesday in Sarajevo. Main subjects to the meeting are economy reforms and BiH’s association with EU. PIC is going to issue an economy declaration stressing importance of implementation of the economy reforms in BiH. At a press conference in Sarajevo on Wednesday, OHR Communications Director Julian Braithwaite: “We hope prime ministers will be able to confirm plan fro acceleration of economy reforms which is going to include legal and administrative requests for restructure of the power sector, privatisation of 5 strategic companies, establishment of state indirect taxation administration and the tax reform.” At the meeting, council is going to discuss reforms in education and defence, future of the Human Rights Chamber and processing the war crimes in BiH. Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna, RTRS – President of the ICTY Theodor Meron is paying a 2-day visit to Sarajevo. Meron is going to attend the meeting of the PIC Steering Board. FTV – At tomorrows meeting of the Peace Implementation Council in Brussels, OHR is going to propose agreement on Annex 6 of the Dayton Agreement. Agreement proposes termination of the Human Rights Chamber. Unsolved cases will be transferred to the BiH Constitutional Court. President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Srdjan Dizdarevic sent an open letter to the High Representative opposing termination of the Human Rights Chamber claiming that there are a lot of work left for that institution and its termination will violate BiH Constitution. OHR Spokesperson Mario Brkic: “Recommendation for termination of the HRC is going to be delivered at the PIC meeting, but, prior to that, a consultations with HRC, Constitutional Court and other relevant institutions will be undertaken in order to ensure that all the appeals are properly followed and human rights protected”. Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Human Rights Chamber to be abolished today’ also covers the issue carrying OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic’s statement. |
| BiH-US agreement | Glas Srske, page 2, ‘Bad signal to Europe’, Dnevni Avaz – Bernard Bajolet, French Ambassador to BiH, warned that the ratification of the Agreement, which BiH signed with USA on exemption of USA soldiers from jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, will bear negative consequences upon relations between BiH and EU. Dnevni list (front page & p 3, by Onasa) carries a press release issued by the French Embassy to BiH following Ambassador Bernard Bajolet’s separate meetings with BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic and BiH Presidency Chair Borislav Paravac. Ambassador Bajolet conveyed to both officials the French authorities’ disappointment with the Agreement between BiH and the US on non-extradition of US citizens to the ICC, saying the ratification of the Agreement prior to the EU summit in Thessaloniki would send a negative signal to the EU. Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘It is about different opinions and not about a source of fresh conflict with EU’ – In an interview for the newspaper, US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond said that if, next week, the BiH House of Peoples also approved the ratification of the agreement with US on non-extradition of US citizens to ICC, BiH will become the first European country, which have ratified this bilateral document. Bond expressed hope there would be more European countries to do the same. |
| Interview with Russian Ambassador to BiH | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 6, ‘Crime and corruption are obstacles to foreign investments to BiH’ – In an interview to NN, Alexander Grischenko, Russian Ambassador to BiH, says that in order to attract foreign investors in BiH, BiH should be cleansed of crime and corruption and the single market should be opened. He added that: “The practice of dishonest lobbying of some local and national parties should stop. I claim that such a practise does exist. Accordingly, it is hard to believe that BiH will be attractive fore foreign investors.” Responding to press question, he said that any media speculation, regarding the threats by Russian Mafia to BiH politicians, are nonsense. |
| SDS on Ivanic statement | Nezavisne Novine, page 7, ‘SDS denies it only thinks of positions’ – Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, denied that SDS is only thinking about getting its members to various positions. He also said that SDS, as the strongest party, has always been in opportunity to give up its seats to its coalition partners. Stojicic reacted on the statement by Mladen Ivanic, PDP President, who stated that SDS should better deal with some concept issues, rather than just being burdened with personnel issues. |
Economic/social/humanitarian affairs | |
| Mostar Aluminij faced collapse due to power cut
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Aluminij faced collapse’, Dnevni list p 14, “Aluminij nearly faced production collapse”, by D.L.Slobodna Dalmacija front page & p 19, “Aluminij’s production nearly suspended for good”, by Z. Zekic & M. Landeka – Aluminij Factory was Tuesday on the edge of collapse. Elektroprivreda BiH announced power cut due to the broken high-voltage lead and, due to the specific type of production in that factory, power cut could have caused irreparable damage. Factory’s leadership reacted quickly and HB Elektroprivreda and Croatian Power Supplier helped continuation of production in the Aluminij Factory. |
| BiH Presidency, CoM, HR meet with top ICMP officials
| BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje ‘Institute for Missing Persons as of next year’, Vecernji list p 2, “BiH Institute for Missing Persons starts operating in 2004”, by D.Ja and Dnevni list p 7, “BiH Institute for Missing Persons starts operating on 1 January 2004”, unsigned, Dnevni Avaz – Members of the BiH Presidency held a meeting on Wednesday with Jordanian Queen Noor and Chairman of the International Commission for Missing Persons James Kimsey regarding establishment of the BiH Institute for missing persons. It has been agreed that institute is going to be established by the end of this year and as of beginning next year, institute will take over entire process of search for missing persons in BiH. Queen Nur and Chairman of the International Commission for Missing Persons James Kimsey talked about same issue today with the High Representative in BiH Paddy Ashdown (Reporter brings statistics on results of process of search for missing persons). Croat Radio Herceg Bosna – Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic and Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo also met with the top ICMP officials. They discussed establishment of the BiH Institute for Missing Persons, and BiH officials expressed their support to the project. |
| Talks between FBiH Government, chemical workers | Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna – Promises given on Tuesday to the workers of chemical industry have eased tensions but fact that only part of demands has been fulfilled, remains. Head of Strike Board Mehmed Avdic says that unions have submitted recommendation on termination of companies’ debts towards government. Those debts are amounting in tens of millions KM and would initiate a chain reaction and, therefore, such an idea sounds impossible. Government’s response is awaited. |
| Special-purpose industry worker to protest against state debts to the sector | FTV – Workers of Travnik, Bugojno and Vitez military factories to hold protest on Thursday in front of the Federal Defence Ministry’s building. Workers demand covering of expenses of medical and pension care for last 10 years. Debt amounts up to 50 million KM. |
| Zenica miners ended hunger strike | FTV – Zenica miners quit their hunger strike by leaving mine around 22:00 last night. It sounds impossible, but first meal after the hunger strike was can of goulash – that’s all they could afford. Mine’s leadership and unions agreed on payment of salaries for April within a week. President of the Miners’ Union Hasan Heco says that realisation of preliminary conclusions could lead towards final solution through enhancement of production and, finally, return of the mine’s debt. Vecernji list (p 2, “A compromise: Hunger strike of 320 Zenica miners ended – miners left pit”, by Miron Beogradlija), Dnevni list (p 4, “Zigic: Impossible to ensure guarantees for a loan to miners”, unsigned) and Slobodna Dalmacija (front page and p 19, “6 miners exhausted by famine ended up in hospital”, by Ivica Milesic) also report on the issue. |
| NN: Possible worker’s protests throughout BiH | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 2, ‘Workers announce “a hot summer”’ – The protests of workers in BIH are becoming more frequent. Whilst the BiH Association of Independent Syndicates expresses hope that the Governments would fulfil their promises, in order to avoid massive protests of workers, the Republika Srpska Association of Syndicates announces “a hot summer for syndicate activists”. |
| FBiH pensioners announce blockades | Dnevni List (front and page 5, by FENA, “Pensioners request removals of members of Federation Government”) – Association of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Pensioners insists that the FBiH Government, through its bodies, undertakes efficient measures that should improve collection of revenues from tax payers thus creating pre-requisites for harmonization of pensions to salaries. The Association also requests the FBIH Government to adopt a program of pay-out of three outstanding pensions from the year 2000 adding if the requests were not met, the Association will organize protests of pensioners including blockades of roads, and blockade of the FBiH Government building. The Association’s representative, Jozo Ljiljanic, adds the Association will also ask for removal of members of the FBiH Government if the requests are not met. |
| Dixon in Banja Luka | RTRS, BHTV 1, Dnevni List page 3, unsigned, “Interim law on merging of customs harmonized”, Dnevni Avaz, Glas Srpske, page 2, ‘Customs on old regime’, Dnevni Avaz, Blic pg. 6 ‘Seat of single Customs Administration most probably in RS’ – Chairman of the Commission for Indirect Taxation, Jolly Dixon, said in Banja Luka today that agreed provisional law on single Customs Administration at the BiH level – if it goes through the necessary legal procedures by 1 July – be a great step that will not endanger anyone’s sovereignty. He stressed that it was necessary to adopt this law in order for the entire system in this field to be reformed. Dixon stressed that the provisional law would be in effect until a permanent law in this filed is adopted. Director of the Tax Administration will be chosen through a publicly advertised vacancy announcement and appointed by the BiH Council of Ministers, based on recommendations of the Commission for Indirect Taxation. Within ten days of the appointment, the Director will decide on where the headquarters of the Administration will be. |
| Housing loans to veterans | FTV – Around 1000 Una – Sana Canton veterans, applicants for housing loans, claim list of veterans to be provided with housing loans contains persons with already solved housing problem. Some of them are allegedly owners of family properties and even business facilities. Veterans condemn criteria Veteran’s Housing Foundation was using for completion of that list and demand termination of loans allocation process. Zenica –Doboj Cantonal Association of Veterans also claim Veteran’s Housing Foundation had “weird” criteria for allocation of the housing loans. Out of 1028 applicants, 498 were rejected with strange explanation. Veterans claim foundation failed to follow initial criteria and final lists contain persons with solved housing problem, who have been using housing loans before or haven’t applied at all. Veteran’s Housing Foundation hold municipal and cantonal veterans’ associations responsible for entire “mess”. President of the Veteran’s Housing Foundation’s Steering Board Nezim Catic says: “The best would be if public condemn entire situation. Public should push leaders of veterans’ associations not to send us the lists of beneficiaries but to make selection out of names from the lists of applicants. I would also like to appeal on cantonal veterans’ ministries to cooperate with us and to send us, at least lists of persons they gave loans to”. Oslobodjenje front page, pages 4-5 ‘Those already having house also on the lists’ and Dnevni Avaz pgs. 8 and 13 also covered the issue. |
| Banja Luka medical workers addresses Ashdown for help | RTRS – Employees of the Banja Luka Clinical Centre have addressed a letter to High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, asking him to help solving the problems in this institution. President of the strikers’ board, Zeljko Stupar, said they decided to take this action because of lack of understanding on the part of RS government and the responsible ministry. Union of the Banja Luka Public Health Care Centre has addressed a public invitation for negotiations to the responsible institutions. The RS Union of the Agriculture and Food Industry also asked for the HR Ashdown’s assistance – to protect the workers’ right in company “Ratarstvo” who have been on strike since 26 May. |
| Money laundering in BiH | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 3, ‘Through banks in BiH, the fictitious firms laundered KM 1.5 billion’, Vecernji List front “1,5 billion KMs evaded” page 3 “Money laundry without sanctions”, by Zoran Kresic – The Financial Police of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina detected 463 fictitious firms, which have laundered the amount of KM 1.5 billion through 23 banks in BiH in the past 15 months. The officials at Financial Police explain that: “It is now up to the Prosecutor’s Office whether criminal reports and indictments would be brought. We did out share of work. We forward the information to entity, state and Brcko District Prosecutor’s Offices.” Marinko Jurcevic, BiH State Public Prosecutor, stated that he had not received any request for brining charges over money laundering. Regarding this, he says: “The authorities of entity and state prosecutor’s offices overlap. Therefore, I do not know whether money laundering falls under out jurisdiction. However, if we receive any information related to this issue, we will investigate it.” |
| Property reinstatement claims: Demand for extension of deadline | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Deadline took away apartments’ – The Union of the municipal associations of refugees and DP’s released an information that 24 thousand pre-war inhabitants of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly of Serb nationality, failed to file propert reinstatement claims. Owing to this reason, the representatives of the Union demanded from the Republika Srpska Government and international organisations to set a new, additional deadline for submission of property reinstatement claims. However, Sonja Pastuovic, Spokesperson of the Regional OHR Office in Banjaluka told GS that there will be no new deadline for submission of property reinstatement claims. According to her, ‘the deadline for submission of property claims expired on 4 October 1999. The apartments, on which no property reinstatement claim was filed, should be used as an alternative accommodation. If, in spite of the deadline that expired, the people want to get back their tenancy right, the citizens may address local institutions and prove at court the justification of their failure to file the property claim on time.” Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘Banjaluka is the worst city in the implementation of property legislation’; Glas Srpske, page 3, ‘Glamoc as an example for everything’ – Sonja Pastuovic, Spokesperson of the Regional OHR Office in Banjaluka, stated at yesterday’s press conference that 7 thousand property reinstatement claims are still sitting unresolved in Banjaluka, which makes this city “the worst in the country when it comes to the unresolved property reinstatement claims”. She said that the implementation rate of the property legislation in Banjaluka is 59%, and not 76%, as stated by Miladin Djuranovic, Head of Banjaluka OMI Office. She also said that Republika Srpska should be embarrassed that this is the case in its biggest city. According to GS, Vedrana Dimitrijevic, OSCE Spokesperson, said that the number of the municipalities in BiH, that resolved all property claims, is increasing. |
| Status of women in BiH | Nezavisne Novine, page 7, ‘Women in BIH won the best status in the region’ – Elisabeth Rehn, Chairperson of the First Working Table of the Stability Pact for south-east Europe, stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina is the leading state in the region in the field of gender equality. Participating in the meeting of the NGO’s consisted of females, Rehn said that the Law on equality of genders at both houses of the federal Parliament represents the best result in the improvement of status of women in BiH. Sarajevo dailies also covered the issue. |
| PDHR Hays visited SIGMA facilities | Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Hays visited SIGMA facilities: Promises to help Hidrogradnja get jobs in Iraq’ – The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, on Wednesday visited facilities of the SIGMA construction material factory in the Sarajevo suburb of Butmir. SIGMA operates within the Sarajevo-based Hidrogradnja company. Hays promised he would hep Hidrogradnja to be engaged in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. |
| Jovo Kosmajac candidate for Acting Director of RS PIO Fund | Nezavisne Novine, page 9, ‘Jovo Kosmajac candidate for Acting Director of RS PIO Fund” – The Republika Srpska Ministry of Labour and veterans protection yesterday proposed Jovo Kosmajac as candidate for the position of the Acting Director of the Republika Srpska PIO Fund. Kosmajac was deputy to the former Republika Srpska PIO Fund Director, Ostoja Kremenovic, whose resignation was recently accepted. This candidature is to be discussed at the next session of the Republika Srpska Government. Open competition for the Fund Director has been announced. A special commission will be in charge of selection. Kosmajac yesterday expressed his personal wish that many issues within the field of the Republika Srpska PIO Fund are resolved as soon as possible. He also stressed that the harmonisation of regulations at entity funds is one of pre-requisites for its improved functioning. |
| Reaction to the decision on RTV BiH liquidation | Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘Property should have been split 50:50’ – PBS has one radio and one television programme, and so does RTV of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, the liquidation mass should have been split 50:50. Commenting of the decision of the Agent for RTV System, John Shearer, regarding the liquidation of the RTV of BiH, Esad Cerovic, Programme Director of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Radio, said that: “In regard to rights and duties, the most normal thing would be that the liquidation mass is split 50:50. The Collegium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina RTV addressed a letter to OHR, in which it expressed its dissatisfaction over Shearer’s decision. Drago Maric, PBS Director, stated that Shearer’s decision is grounded on “the vision of PBS as legal and traditional successor to the former RTV of BiH”. |
Crime; security issues | |
| Charges pressed against a person who was sending e-mails of threat to Pope | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, FTV, Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 3, ‘Zenica citizen arrested over threats to Pope and handed to BiH Prosecutor’s Office’ – Federation of BiH Police Administration files charges against one person under suspicion for act of terrorism. A.A. from Zenica was sending e-mails of threat during the Pope’s visit to Croatia. |
| SFOR operation in Prozor-Rama | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Dnevni List page 7, by J. P., “Vukoja: We ask for apology to arrested fellow citizens” – Prozor-Rama Mayor Jozo Vukoja condemns way in which recent SFOR’s operation was undertaken. He has nothing against the operation itself but he thinks local authorities must be informed about such actions. He believes this is last time local population must watch long barrels and listen noise of helicopters. New Croat Iniitiative also condemns SFOR’s operation in Prozor-Rama Municipality. Party calls this operation as rough and dilettante and claims SFOR had no evidences on presence of the war crime suspect in the municipal area. (Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Insult for Franciscans’) SFOR MND Southeast Spokesperson Tommaso Magistretti claims operation in Rama was regular activity and in accordance with SFOR’s mandate. He says soldiers performed professionally and without use of force. During vehicle searches, soldiers even detained and delivered one person to the local authorities for illegal possession of the firearm. Magistrati reminded that during the operation, soldiers haven’t searched private properties even they are free to do so. (Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘All activities without use of force’, Dnevni List, page 7, “Magistretti: Operation in Rama is regular SFOR activities”, Slobodna Dalmacija, back page, “SFOR does not need search warrants”) Vecernji List (page 3, by S. N., “SFOR continues disturbing citizens of Rama area”) – says one could feel SFOR presence in the Prozor-Rama area in shape of around-the-clock patrols. The daily also notes that citizens in the area have been receiving phone calls from persons with foreign accent who announce raids of houses. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 21, by Darko Juka, “Eurothugs in ‘Balkans inn’”) – says two “tragic events” shook Croat(ian) public “on both sides of artificially formed and imposed borders between Croatia and Herzeg-Bosnia”. First, the SFOR operations in the Prozor-Rama area and second, a decision of the Croatian Supreme Court allowing the extradition of Ivica Rajic to The Hague. With regards to the former, Juka says such siege and inhumanity were not seen since the “occupation by Partisan forces in WWII”. “SFOR have shown and proven during the summer night, violating human and moral rights in the process, that they only excel in military and that intellectually they are not far from the area they like to call ‘the Balkans inn”, says Juka. |
| RS Ministry of Interior completed security plan for the Pope’s visit to Banja Luka | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, RTRS, Glas Srpske, page 2, ‘Pope sends to prison’; Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Drinks banned during Pope’s visit’, Blic pg. 7 ‘4,000 policemen are ready’ – RS Ministry of Interior completed security plan for the Pope’s visit to Banja Luka. It is determined that around 4000 police officers are going to cover the visit and EUPM and SFRO are going to assist. Chief of the Operation Radomir Njegus says that even huge number of policemen is going to be deployed, security of citizens in the rest of BiH is not going to be in danger. He warned Banja Luka citizens that policemen are going to react on even smallest hint of threat for security of hundreds of thousands of visitors during the pope’s visit. SFOR supports work of the local police. |
| Stanisic in The Hague, Milosevic’s trial continues | RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Witness against Slobodan Milosevic’ – Former Serbian Chief of Security Service, Jovica Stanisic, who has been extradite to the ICTY on Wednesday today is expected to appear before the court for the first time on Friday. Stanisic will have an opportunity to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty – regarding the indictment accusing him in four counts for crimes against humanity and in one count for violation of laws and customs of the war in BiH and Croatia. At the trial of former Yugoslav president, Slobodan Milosevic, he claimed today that there was no massacre of Muslims in Mostar in 1992, while the protected witness C017 continued claiming the Serb forces committee the massacre he witnessed. |
| Croatian President Mesic on Gotovina case | Vecernji List (front and pages 10 and 11, by Z. Bajt, D. Knezevic, J. Popovic, M. Saric, “Mesic vouches for Gotovina”) – a statement by the Croatian President Stjepan Mesic: “After carefully reading the interview General Gotovina gave to ‘Nacional’, I learned more about the whole case and I decided to propose to the ICTY to review the indictment against General Gotovina. I am ready to vouch that General Gotovina will respond to any call from the Tribunal if he is given a chance to give his statement to the ICTY investigators in Zagreb in capacity of a suspect.” VL also carries a statement by the spokesperson of the Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Florence Hartmann: “Gotovina is an indictee and the Chief Prosecutor is prepared to listen to him in capacity of an indictee. It is not a personal position of the Prosecutor but a procedure described by the law, rules and Statute of the Court.” (Dnevni List, page 16, by I. G., “I will propose The Hague review of indictment against Gotovina”, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 3, by H, “I will propose The Hague Tribunal review of indictment against Gotovina”, Vjesnik, front and page 2, “Mesic ready to vouch for Gotovina if General is summoned as suspect” and Jutarnji List, front and pages 2 and 3, “Mesic to Carla del Ponte: I vouch The Hague for Gotovina”) |
| Confiscation of illegally acquired property | Dnevni List (front and page 9, by Miso Relota, “New BiH Criminal Code allows confiscation of illegally acquired property”) – apart from citing articles 110-115 of the BiH Criminal Code that talk about confiscation of illegally acquired property, DL talks about the recently published Executive Decree by the US President Bush, which stipulates blocking of property of persons included in the Decree. The daily goes on to say there are rumours that some sort of an agency that would deal with blocking of illegally acquired property is going to be formed in the future in BiH, the agency that would reportedly be under BiH institutions. In light of this, DL says the OHR denied activities in forming of such an agency, however the daily claims to have learnt that there are persons who have been hired in the name of OHR to do a study about the situation in BiH with regards to the confiscation. |
| DL’s editorial on situation in FBiH Intelligence Service | In light of public debates on whether the published transcripts of the former FOSS director, Munir Alibabic, represent a public or a state secret, Dnevni List’s editorial (p 6, “Spy among us”, by Bakir Hadziomerovic) reads that, apart from his role during the unrest organised in Grude at the time of the raid into Hercegovacka Banka, Ivan Vuksic, the acting Head of FOSS, placed himself among the most compromised personalities in BiH by illegal eavesdropping. “Instead of concentrating on his own self, Vuksic tries to hide his own criminal activities by silly, staged scandal on Alibabic’s role in selling state secrets, which is welcomed by the SDA because the party, in fear for the destiny of its own “patriots”, accepts most shameful compromises and public blackening of those who may jeopardize their position acquired by criminal activities”, says the author. Yet, the editorial says that Tihic will pay a high price for this hypocrisy when all the allegations on Vuksic are proven before the court. After all Vuksic’s criminal moves are revealed, DL says, it will become clearer why Ashdown removed Alispahic. The paper says a very reliable source from the OHR has confirmed that the reason behind Alibabic’s removal was the very audiotape which Vuksic planted to the British Lord in order for him to get control over FOSS. |