| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Funeral in Potocari | Funeral in Potocari | Funeral in Potocari | Funerals in Potocari |
| Inauguration of B. Tadic | Inauguration of B.Tadic | BiH political scene in chaos | Inauguration of B. Tadic |
| Statement of M. Ivanic | Injured de-miners | Inauguration of B.Tadic | Saim Cizmic arrested |
| Session of HSP Mostar | 4 KFOR’s soldiers killed | Forgeries in BiH | Decision of Holland Gov. |
| Oslobodjenje | The saddest field remembered by BiH |
| Dnevni Avaz | Reis Ceric: This is our protest against genocide |
| Dnevni List | Sekulic: There is no incurable disease, there are incurable people |
| Vecernji List | NATO commanders ban their soldiers to have sexual relations with victims of people trafficking: Domestic prostitutes get new clients |
| Glas Srpske | At the cost of consumers |
| Nezavisne Novine | 338 Bosniaks were buried; Dzuvo had ordered wire-tapping of colleagues from OBS and destroying of the “Platon” file |
| Blic | 338 Srebrenica victims were buried; Shaky chairs of officials, patients can hardly breathe |
War crimes | |
| Remains of 338 Srebrenica victims buried
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘The saddest field remembered by BiH’, Dnevni Avaz cover page, pgs 2-4 ‘Reis Ceric: This is our protest against genocide’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3 ‘338 Bosniaks were buried’ by Z. Kusmuk and J. Sarac, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘Srebrenica victims were buried’ by K. Cirkovic, EuroBlic, pg. 11 ‘338 victims of Srebrenica massacre were buried’ mentioned on cover ‘338 victims from Srebrenica were buried’ by Beta, Srna,FENA – The remains of 338 victims of the July 1995 genocide in Srebrenica were buried on Sunday at the Memorial Centre in Potocari. The commemoration in Potocari, held on the occasion of marking the ninth anniversary of genocide, was attended by approx. 20.000 people. They arrived with buses and personal vehicles from all parts of the country. The manifestation in Potocari commenced at Vecernji List, pg 17 ‘338 people from Srebrenica buried’, mentioned on front, by Dejan Jazvic, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Commemoration for victims of Srebrenica’, not signed, Dnevni List, pgs 2-3 ‘Remains of 338 victims of genocide buried’, mentioned on front, not signed also reported on burial of 338 victims of genocide that occurred on July 11, 1995 in Srebrenica, which was held at the Potocari Memorial Centre yesterday. The attendees were addressed by the Chairman of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, and reis-ul-ulema of Islamic Community in BiH, Mustafa eff. Ceric. Other two members of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic and Borislav Paravac, did not attend the session. Paravac was attending the inauguration of the new Inset on pg 3 in DL ‘Criminal has no religion or nation’ carries Sulejman Tihic as saying that this and similar events obliges people to do everything to find other victims and bury them properly, and to bring the responsible to justice. “Criminal cannot be a national hero, he/she is what he/she really is, a criminal, and a criminal has no religion or nation”, stated Tihic. Inset on pg 3 ‘I expected admitting of truth from RS officials’ in DL, carries the FBiH Vice President, Desnica Radivojevic, as saying: “I expected that officials of the RS would be here and admit the truth about what happened here, so we can finally take the road towards reconciliation, trust and coexistence”. |
| SDHR Fassier on Srebrenica anniversary
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Justice must be implemented/reached’, FENA – “I and other members of the International Community were present at Srebrenica today to pay tribute to all the victims of the worst atrocity that has occurred in Europe since the end of World War II, to share the mourning of the families who lost their loved ones, to present our condolences, and to reaffirm our common determination to ensure that those responsible for the atrocity perpetrated here nine years ago (which the ICTY has qualified as genocide) are brought to justice,” said Senior Deputy High Representative Bernard Fassier on behalf of High Representative Paddy Ashdown after attending Sunday’s memorial and burial service at Potocari. Dnevni List inset on pg 3 ‘Fassier: The worst crime in Europe’ in DL, carries Senior Deputy High Representative, Bernard Fassier, as saying: “As the Senior Deputy High Representative charged with coordinating efforts to consolidate the rule of law, let me convey my deepest conviction that this country’s successful evolution, through justice and reconciliation, requires all of us to use the lesson of this tragic past to look forward and to prepare and secure the future of the next generations”. |
| DL on war crimes in BiH
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Respect to VICTIMS’, by Indira Tabucic – notes that even one decade after tragic events in BiH, victims are getting buried in presence of two peoples the most, not seldom in presence of one people only. “Because of that reason, there is no progress in this country. There are still, unfortunately, hotheaded people who pay respect to their people only. By doing that, they cannot convince others that there were no crimes on all sides”, argues the author. |
| VL on status of 6 Croat officials in
| Vecernji list, pg 2, ‘Decisions on pre-trial release as late as autumn’, by Dejan Jazvic – VL carries that it has still not been officially confirmed if the Status Conference in the case against Jadranko Prlic, Slobodan Praljak, Valentin Coric, Bruno Stojic, Milivoj Petkovic and Berislav Pusic will be held on July 19. Goran Mihaljevic, Croat Liaison Officer with ICTY, could neither confirm nor deny whether the decision on the pre-trial release for the six would be made at this Conference or at the one following summer holidays. VL finds out that decisions on pre-trial release will be made for each of the six individually. |
| Covic on BiH lawsuit against SCG, possible lawsuit against
| Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘’I am against that BiH sues Croatia for aggression’’, not signed, Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Tihic – the righteous side’, by Z. C., Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘Covic rejects possibility of bringing a lawsuit of BiH against Croatia’ by Hina, EuroBlic, pg. RS12 ‘Covic: BiH will not sue Croatia’ by Srna, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Lawsuit as a cuckoo egg’ – the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, ruled out a possibility that State authorities of BiH file a lawsuit for aggression against Croatia, the way they did against Serbia and Montenegro. “I am convinced that similar lawsuit on behalf of the State cannot be filed against |
Political developments/statements | |
| Ivanic: Early elections are the best option
| Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Early elections are the best option’, FENA – BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic on Sunday warned that RS will no longer, without a certain form of legitimate resistance, accept the sanctions imposed by the international community. In a statement for TV station PINK BiH, Ivanic stressed that that the elementary principles of BiH long term functioning are being set these days and added that RS representatives in the upcoming period must be respected as normal partners, or otherwise, there might be a serious political crisis. BiH needs compromise between the representatives of all three peoples on the road towards Europe, said the BiH diplomatic chief, stressing that the next two weeks will be very important for stabilization or destabilization of political situation in the country. Ivanic reiterated that the ruling political parties in RS will remain decisive in their request for removing the current SDA ministers from the Entity Government and added that this insisting would probably produce SDA request for removing SDS and PDP ministers from the Council of Ministers. According to him, such a request by SDA could very easily lead to announcing the extraordinary parliamentary elections in BiH, and noted that extraordinary elections would be the best option at the moment. Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘People is the best judge’ not signed, Dnevni List, pg 21 ‘Early elections are only way out of institutional crisis’, not signed, SRNA – The chairman of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP), Mladen Ivanic, is of the view that the RS top echelon has been stripped of legitimacy and brought into a difficult situation following the High Representative Paddy Ashdown’s decision to sack 59 officials and that early parliamentary elections was the only way of overcoming the institutional crisis. “Along with earlier dismissals, the RS top political echelon has been stripped of legitimacy, brought into a difficult situation and it has to be verified in the public. From this point of view, it is necessary to view early elections as a way of obtaining the support of the voters,” Ivanic told the Frankfurt-based Serbian daily Vijesti (News). He added that regardless of who got elected they would gain full legitimacy and that these elections would once again confirm that “the institutions of the RS and BiH had to be completely respected”. Ivanic went on to say that he would write a letter expressing his views on the developments in BiH to all EU ministers and a number of NGOs. “Instead of acting as a stability factor, the High Representative is doing just the opposite and this is not the role of the international community,” Ivanic pointed out. He said that it was now evident that the crisis in the RS was having impact on BiH. |
| RS radicals leader says referendum on RS independence “legitimate”
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Idea on referendum for an independent RS is legal and legitimate’ by Srna, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘Referendum in accordance with the Constitution’ by Lj. M., SRNA – Milanko Mihajlica, the chairman of the Serb Radical Party of the RS, said on Sunday in Prijedor that the idea of holding a referendum on independence of the RS was legal and legitimate and that it stemmed from the BiH Constitution and the citizens of the RS. “Anyone who wants BiH without the RS could face the referendum by the Serb nation on the formation of an independent state, but in this situation political parties would have to take into account the current situation, international factors and circumstances in the region,” Mihajlica told a news conference. He said that Serb parties had to refrain from deepening the crisis brought about by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown’s decision on dismissals and that there were a number of ways of resolving the present situation. He cited the election of a new government, reconstruction of the existing one and early elections as possible solutions. “I am confident that all of these options will exclude the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) from a parliamentary majority and its ministers from the RS government because the SDA’s political activities clearly point to the fact that it is only interested in a unitary BiH without the RS,” Mihajlica said. |
| Statement of Milorad Dodik re CoM and Adnan Terzic
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 ‘SDS and PDP to leave CoM’ by V. P. – SNSD leader Milorad Dodik assessed the decision of SDS and PDP not to support CoM in removing Chairman Adnan Terzic as hypocritical. ‘Let them explain the fact they do not find SDA acceptable in RS, yet they support it on BiH level. This proves their inconsistency’, Dodik said. Dodik stated on Friday that SNSD will establish an assembly majority at RS NA with SDS and PDP should they vote non-confidence to CoM and Adnan Terzic. |
| Dragan Mikerevic on SDA
| EuroBlic, pg. RS12 ‘SDA showed bad intentions towards RS’ by Srna, Glas Srpske, pg. 3 ‘Party with bad intentions’ not signed – President of RS Government Dragan Mikerevic has assessed that the latest session of SDA Presidency clearly showed that the party had very bad intentions towards RS. According to Mikerevic, this became obvious after a statement of BiH CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic who supported a policy of SDA President Sulejman Tihic. In relation to an article published in ‘Dnevni Avaz’ three days ago, in which it is claimed there is a dispute within PDP party, Mikerevic said information brought in the article was untrue and he emphasized it is obvious the article had been ordered. |
| CoM Chair Terzic visiting
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Come into position to talks about visas abolishment as soon as possible’ – Chairman of the BiH Coumncil of Ministers Adnan Terzic is to meet in |
| EU foreign ministers support Ashdown’s decision
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘Support to Ashdown, compliments to Tadic’ by Beta – Heads of diplomacies of EU will today at a session in Brussels support measures brought by HR Paddy Ashdown on June 30 with an aim to ensure full cooperation of BiH with the Hague Tribunal. The Heads of diplomacies will also support HR Ashdown’s decision to establish a commission for re-organizing police structure in BiH. |
| American Congress to discuss HR Ashdown’s work
| Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Ashdown as topic of discussion’ by D. M. – The Committee for International Relations and Foreign Affairs of US Congress will discuss the work of OHR mid this week, primarily decisions of High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Former Secretary of BiH Mission to UN, Darko Trifunovic, has confirmed that the discussion is being prepared since April ‘attack’ on the Republic Office for relations with the Hague Tribunal. |
| Interview with alternative HR Pejakovic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘I will resolve problems with removals’ – In a brief interview to NN, Josip Pejakovic, the alternative high representative for BiH, says that “since I am the man of arts, the logical thing is that I would be mostly supporting issues related to culture, because this field is the most jeopardised field in the entire palette of problems of BiH”. He adds: “It was a shock for IC that somebody even dared establishing the body called Alternative High representative, dared making them clear that this is our land. We are However, he also adds: “I do not even think about opposing Paddy Ashdown, because he was the only one at the British Parliament, who, back in 1992, “shouting to the sky” in the interest of |
| VL on BiH Presidency members political behaviour
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Vienna, Srebrenica, Belgrade’, by Eldina Medunjanin – commenting on the situation in which the three members of the BiH Presidency were at three different venues this weekend, the author notes that the situation offers probably the best picture of what’s really happening in BiH, claiming that even after nine years after the war, the three sides in BiH still have ‘their cases’. Instead of that, author suggests that all the peoples, including the members of BiH Presidency, should gather around the European future of the country and its citizens. |
| HDZ on constitutional reforms
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘HDZ calls for dialogue on reorganization of state’, mentioned on front, by Miso Relota – the Presidency of HDZ BiH called on other political parties in BiH to start a dialogue on reorganization of state following the crisis that is a result of removals by the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown. President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, believes that serious progress cannot be achieved in BiH with the current constitutional set-up, noting that a considerable progress cannot be made without some sort of constitutional transfer of authority or constitutional-legal reform in BiH. Commenting on the recent removals by the High Representative, Colak says removals will never solve problems. “As long as it is the case, BiH cannot seriously count on Euro-Atlantic integration”, says Colak. |
| VL interview with Dragan Covic on situation in BiH, judiciary, expenditures by BiH Presidency
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘It is time for BiH without High Representative’, mentioned on front, by Zoran Kresic – carries an interview with the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, in which he, talking about the current political situation in BiH, notes: “I am convinced the time has come to send a clear message that those who have been elected by the people assume the authority as well as the responsibility. The Council of Questioned to comment on the journalist’s claim that BiH still depends on the foreign administration, especially in the judiciary, Covic says: “It is incredible that at the state level, you have several key judges and prosecutors who are foreigners. The law even defines that a judge must be a BiH citizen or that he/she completed the law school here. I fear reforms if they will create situations for political processes”, notes Covic. Asked to comment on the constitutional organizational of BiH and whether the problem lies in existence of the Republika Srpska, Covic denies that the RS is the sole problem, arguing that the whole system is complicated. Covic concludes that all three peoples in BiH should agree about foundations of the state. Finally, questioned whether the people, who claimed that the BiH Presidency spent too much money last year, were right, Covic says that they had no right to criticize the Presidency, because the amount of 4 million KMs can cover for the essential needs only. “A liaison officer to The Hague Tribunal has more money at his disposal than a member of BiH Presidency”, concluded Covic. |
| Barisa Colak on initiative to have Croat channel on FTV
| Dnevni List, pg 4, ‘Croats finally get their own channel on FTV!?’, by Miso Relota – commenting on the petition for Croat TV channel in BiH, which has been signed by over 1000 people including municipal, cantonal, FBiH and state-level officials, Barisa Colak, HDZ BiH President says it is not disputable that any people has the right to its language, culture, tradition and media adding that this knowledge will more and more prevail among members of the 2 other constituent peoples in BiH. “If we look at things that way, the right (to TV) will soon be realized. We must arrive at such a solution by democratic means as soon as possible”, he says. |
Economic/social issues | |
| 3rd GSM operator to be made public today
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Is Eronet losing its licence?’, not signed– announces that the owner of the 3rd GSM licence in BiH will be made public by principals of the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) today at 1200 hrs. According to DL’s source close to the BiH Council of Ministers, there is a high probability that ‘Eronet’ loses its licences. |
| Omersoftic on old savings
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Representatives of savers at Minister Vrankic’s’, by Ivica Glibusic – carries the President of Steering Board of Association for protection of foreign currency savers, Amila Omersoftic, as saying that many MPs in the FBiH Parliament are not ready to adopt the Proposal of law on determining and settling of internal obligations in FBiH on basis of OHR’s instructions. “MPs belonging to the Croat block requested that the problem be handled adequately. I think the Croat MPs have sided with the savers, which is good”, says Omersoftic, adding that she is unhappy with position of some SDA and SBiH MPs. Omersoftic also notes that her Association has been invited to talk to the FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Vrankic, to discuss the pending issues. |
| Gap between RS Government and health system of KM 50 million
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Gap between RS Government and health system of BAM 50 million’ – Radmila Mihic, Spokesperson of the RS Finance Ministry, confirmed that the RS Government and RS Health Care Fund have not still agreed on debts, although Finance Ministry expected this would have been done within 15 days time. RS Government last month ordered Finance Ministry to agree on settling debts and obligations with Health Care Fund. Bosko Ceko, RS Chief Auditor, says that Audit Office of RS has made its position clear regarding irregularities at RS Health Care Fund. He stresses: “The debt of BAM 50 million have been registered at both, Fund and Government. Government now demands from us top pass judgements. It cannot be done that way. Government knows how much it owes to the Fund.” |
| GS on Draft Law on VAT | Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Over somebody else’s back’ – According to GS, if the draft Law on VAT were adopted – and its would most likely be the case – this sort of tax would be paid according to the unified rate of 17%. Damir Miljevic, President of the RS Association of Employers, assessed that the proposed rate is too high, noting that the consumers, meaning the people, will pay the biggest price. He said: “Two years ago, we have done an analysis into the situation in RS and concluded that the realistic rate of VAT would be 10% for the RS.” |
| RS draft law on internal debt
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 11 ‘The authority cheated old foreign currency savers’ by I. S. – Cedo Grbic, the President of the Association of Old Foreign Currency Savers, claims that the authority has cheated them by adopting a law on the detriment of resolving the issue of old foreign currency savings. According to Grbic, instead of adopting a draft law, the RS authority has adopted the Law on Defining and Settling of Internal Debt of RS, although old foreign currency savers were promised the Law would not be adopted. ‘I have requested from the RS Government to exclude the issue of old foreign currency savings from the Law. This is a law on nationalization of the savers’ property and all of this has been done behind closed doors. I think that an entity cannot sign for bonds, but a state, i.e. BiH, should do this’, Grbic said. |
| DL on disposal of radioactive material near Stolac
| Dnevni List, pg 7, ‘Did SFOR dispose radioactive material by a lake near Stolac!?’, by DL’s investigative team, mentioned on cover – reporting that the number of people suffering from carcinogenic diseases in Mostar, Stolac and Capljina areas has considerably increased, DL’s source claims that, in the period 1999-2000, there were operational information that in the wider area of Stolac, allegedly by a lake, dangerous radioactive material was dug in the soil. The same source claims that the operational information indicated that during the same period SFOR members dug the radioactive material in soil somewhere around Stolac. DL tried to check the information with both SFOR and domestic bodies of authorities, but without success. DL’s investigative team cannot help the feeling that competent services and authorities have never taken any measures in order to check the allegation and test the samples of water and soil in the mentioned area. |
| Update to 5c highway construction through BiH
| EuroBlic RSpg1 ‘EURO 2.5 billion for 330 km’ – Branko Dokic, BiH Minister of Traffic and Transport, told EuroBlic that the tender for creation of the study-project documentation has been issued. This should have been completed by the end of this year and resources to cover these expenses have been provided. He said that the planned construction of 330 km highway is to cost approximately EURO 2.5 billion. |
Security/investigations/legal proceedings | |
| VL on prostitution in BiH, involvement of NATO troops
| Vecernji List, front and pg 3 ‘Domestic prostitutes get new clients’, by Eldina Medunjanin – following a decision by NATO, which prohibits its troops in missions in the Balkans, to use “services of females forced to prostitution”, the author notes that prostitutes in BiH, victims of people trafficking, are usually from eastern European countries. Instead, claims the author, SFOR troops in BiH will now ‘focus’ on ‘domestic’ prostitutes. VL also notes that unofficial data say that prostitution is ‘flourishing’ nearby SFOR camps. |
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| Vecernji List, pg 2, ‘Lawsuit of RS against FBiH accepted’, by Branka Stevandic – VL reports that the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg has confirmed that the lawsuit, which the Association of DPs and refugees from Bijeljina, Ugljevik, Lopare and Janja has filed against the FBiH, is grounded as these DPs’ property in FBiH was destroyed after the signing of the Dayton Accords. Veljko Stevanovic, the Association President, notes that the |
| OSA intelligence officers spy on each other
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Intelligence officers at OSA spy on each other’ – Almir Dzuvo, Director of OSA (Intelligence and security agency of BiH) ordered to several former FOSS agents (close to SDA) to start compiling information on intelligence officers, who entered the OSA as members of RS Intelligence Agency. As NN collocutor from OSA claims, OSA Deputy Director and previous Head of RS Intelligence Agency, Risto Zaric, has complained to Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister, who proposed him to this position, that Dzuvo is evading him. Zaric also said that he holds information order was made on surveillance of agents, who came from RS Intelligence Agency. According to NN collocutor, Zaric told Dzuvo who would not allow being treated as marionette and ikebana. Tomislav Limov, President of the BiH Parliament Commission in charge of surveillance over OSA, does not hold this information. According to NN inset ‘Dzuvo confiscated documents on links of Iranian intelligence service in BiH’, NN collocutor claims that “Via Adi Sijercic, former FOSS coordinator, Dzuvo has confiscated the cace under name “Plato” from the former FOSS Special Operations Office. This case file contains information FOSS collected regarding the activities and connections of Iranian Intelligence agency in BiH.” |
| Mandic and Popovic in one-month detention
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘Mandic in one-month long detention’ by M. Cubro, EuroBlic, pg. RS4 ’30 days of detention for Mandic and Popovic’ by J. D. – |
| Attorney Dusko Tomic on policemen accused of murder of Novica Lukic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘An absurd indictment without key witnesses’ – The indictment against two RS special policemen, charged with murder of Novica Lukic in Visegrad action does not include the key witnesses, claims Dusko Tomic, defence attorney of defendants. He stressed that the Serb Sarajevo District Court has not still upheld the charges against Vedran Purisic and Drazen Bojic. Tomic stresses that the indictment only includes summoning of uniform policemen as witnesses, which is in his view, absurd. He stresses: “It is absurd that they would summon uniform policemen, instead of those who planned the action.” He concluded these facts make us think that somebody deliberately wants to have only part of the truth disclosed. |
| SFOR action in Malesevci near Ugljevik
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 10 ‘SFOR members searched house of Nedjo Todorovic’ by Z. K. – SFOR members searched house of Nedjo Todorovic in Malesevci near Ugljevik. According to witnesses, approximately 20 SFOR members searched the house. Neda Todorovic, wife of Nedjo Todorovic, said they have searched all premises and broke into one room, the key to which she did not had at the moment. SFOR members took a rifle and a small quantity of ammunition from the house. |