| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV(19,30 hrs) | RT RS(19,30) |
| 6 Croats still in custody | False bomb threat in MoD | Frozen Islamic NGO funds | Found baby will live |
| Bomb threat in FBiH MoD | RS Policemen arrested | Situation in PB- S. Saraje. | RS Office for |
| Jelavic’s defence | Robberies in | A. Jelavic stands trial | 360 bodies still in Lukavica |
| Muratovic on BiH structure | Drug dealers made deal | ICTY decides on 6 Croats | Exumation in Miljevina |
| Oslobodjenje | Trial of Ante Jelavic and others to start on September 23 |
| Dnevni Avaz | John McNair rejects accusation by lawyers |
| Dnevni List | Blockade of institutions of international community |
| Vecernji List | Healthcare: Health is most expensive in Mostar |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Illegal construction in city on Neretva river: Penthouses make Mostar ugly |
| Glas Srpske | New Law on prevention of money laundering: Fine of BAM 200 thousand |
| Nezavisne Novine | Action of arrest in |
| Blic | No medicines to save the found baby |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
| | Judicial affairs |
| Trial of Jelavic and others to start on September 23
| Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, Oslobodjenje cover page, pg 3‘Trial of Ante Jelavic and others to start on September 23’ and pg 8 ‘Matesa, Hebrang and Skegro to testify’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Defence summons Mates, Hebrang and Skegra’ mentioned on cover ‘Trial against Jelavic commences on 23 September’ by A. Durmo, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 2 ‘Jelavic’s defence wants Matesa, Skegro and Hebrang for witnesses’, by M. Sivric – On the trial of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic the defence will suggest that the members of Croatian Government from the period 1995-2001 are called as defence witnesses.They include: Zlatko Matesa, Andrija Hebrang and Borislav Skegro. This was confirmed on Wednesday by Jelavic’s attorney Josip Muselimovic. Muselimovic said that the judge of BiH Court Malcolm Simmons asked from defence attorneys necessary documentation and names of the witnesses that need to be heard. According to Muselimovic, judge Simons scheduled the start of the trial for September 23 or the first free term after that date. |
| Three RS policemen arrested in action “Forgery”
| BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘A customs officer and three RS Interior Ministry employees arrested’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘Three policemen and customs officer arrested in action “Forgery” by S. Karic & I. Simundza; Glas Srpske pg 12 “Forgery” placed cuffs’; EuroBlic RSpg2 ‘Suspected for falsifying documents’ – Banja Luka police frces have arrested three members of RS Ministry of Interior under suspicion of involvement in irregular registration of vehicles. The action was carried out in cooperation with District Prosecution Office, and during the operation one member of the Customs Service was arrested too.The action, named “Forgery”, has started early on Wednesday and the arrested persons include Branka Susnjar, Velimir Glavic and Stana Malinic. Chief of Banja Luka Police Mile Dosenovic said that until now over 150 vehicles were registered irregularly some 40 of which were seized. Spokesperson of the CIPS Project Implementation Directorate Sanela Turkovic has denied any kind of relation between this institution and members of RS MoI, who have been working on collecting the data for CIPS IDs. “All I can say is that today’s arrest of RS MoI’s employees has absolutely nothing to do with the Directorate for Implementation of CIPS Project and that no one of Direction’s employees is in any way connected with named action”, said Turkovic. Banja Luka Police Station has announced that further investigation will show if there was any other persons involved in these irregularities. |
| ICTY Appeals Chamber postpones release of six Bosnian Croats
| Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Temporary release of Prlic and others postponed’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Prlic, Stojic, Praljak, Petkovic, Coric and Pusic remain in custody’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘6 Croats remain in detention’, mentioned on cover, by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Pre-trail release for 6 Croats postponed’ by H, Vecernji List pg 11 ‘Croats from BiH in illegal detention’, mentioned on cover, by Z. Bajt, HINA – A bench of three Appeals Chamber judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Tuesday stayed the orders previously issued by Trial Chamber I on the provisional release of Jadranko Prlic, Bruno Stojic, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoj Petkovic, Valentin Coric and Berislav Pusic, the ICTY said on Wednesday. The order was signed by judge Mehmet Guney on August 10, the ICTY said adding that Judge Guney signed the order on behalf of Judge Meron and Judge Pocar, who were away from the Tribunal but who had been consulted and who had agreed with the decision. The bench’s order follows on an application by the prosecution, on 5 August, to be granted leave to appeal against the Trial Chamber’s Orders on the provisional release of the six accused Bosnian Croats, the tribunal said. The bench considered that “the objective of the prosecution’s appeal could be significantly impaired if the action against which the prosecution seeks to appeal will have already been taken.” On Monday 9 August, Trial Chamber I rejected the prosecution’s motion for a stay. However, the prosecution had meanwhile filed their application for leave to appeal, which led to the Appeals Bench’s order of 10 August. The ICTY indicted the six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders in April for crimes against humanity, violations of the laws and customs of war and harsh violations of the Geneva Conventions. The crimes were committed during the persecution of Bosnian Muslims in the territory controlled by the Croatian Defence Council between late 1991 and April 1994. The six men voluntarily surrendered to the tribunal on April 5 and entered a non-guilty plea to all counts of the indictment a day later. |
| John McNair rejects accusations by lawyers
| Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘John McNair rejects accusations by lawyers’, pg 9 ‘McNair: We work in cooperation with and under instructions of Chief Prosecutor’ – After initial hearings and entering pleas in cases of Ante Jelavic and Asim Fazlic, the lawyers have been expressing their dissatisfaction with a way in w2hich the international prosecutors and judges are working in BiH. They believe that the internationals in the |
| DL on Bender case
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Bender and Boras freed of charged for illegal sale of Hotel Ero’, by N. Dedic – regarding the news that the FBIH Supreme Court has abolished the verdict to Ivan Bender and Mario Boras, who were found guilty by the Cantonal Court in Mostar in the ‘Hotel Ero’ case, DL carries Josip Muselimovic, Bender’s lawyer, as saying that he, as his legal representation, is yet to receive the decision. According to DL’s sources close to the FBiH Supreme Court, the (Cantonal) Court in Mostar made a mistake in passing a sentence to verdict to Bender, which was higher than the one stipulated by the then law. An inset under headline ‘Individuals have to bear certain consequences’ carries Bender as saying that the decision has been taken and that he is awaiting a written confirmation. “This course of events puts things into proper places, and the people who complicated the things, I think they should bear certain consequences”. |
| NN op-ed on BiH lawsuit against SCG
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Bargain on character of war’ by M. Cubro – The author makes a reference to the most recent proposal of Vuk Draskovic, SCG Foreign Minister, who proposed withdrawal of all lawsuits and establishment of Fund for reparations for victims of war in former Yugoslavia instead, as well as statement by Boris Tadic, who actually backed this initiative. The author speculates that officials of SCG are aware their lawyers would dispute the arguments of the confronted party and therefore suggest out-of-court settlement. The author further expresses surprise over the fact that no other BiH official except Borislav Paravac has reacted or responded to this initiative, especially referring to Sulejman Tihic. According to him, the silence might mean they accept these terms. The author concludes that the acceptance of Draskovic’s terms would bring good to all those preachers of people: Serbs because lawsuit would be dropped, and Bosniaks because they would be compensated for what many claim would be an indirect admittance of guilt of SCG. |
| Update to Sijekovac exhumation
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Exhumation was completed, 59 bodies were found’ by V. Iliktarevic – Exhumation of bodies from a mass grave in Sijekovac near Serb Brod was completed yesterday. The team has exhumed the total of 59 bodies, including bodies of 18 children.. Savo Stbac, the Head of Documentation-Information Centre “Veritas”, rejected claims that mortal remains of 18 children exhumed in Sijekovac were children from Vukovar. He stressed: “Veritas has registered only 26 children who went missing during the war in |
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| Political developments/reforms |
| Professors Muratovic, Zepic support organizing country into three republics
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg 9, mentioned on cover ‘BiH of three republics!?’, HINA – Organizing BiH into three republics would be very effective and functional, former BiH Prime Minister and former BiH Ambassador to Croatia Hasan Muratovic has said. “It would be easier to build the state of BiH on the model of three republics since there would be consensus for such a model,” Muratovic said in a debate on constitutional changes in BiH, which Hercegovacka Television aired on Tuesday evening. Muratovic, who was recently elected head of the university in |
| Muratovic: I do not stand for three republics in BiH
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘I did not advocate for three republics in BiH’ – In a statement for the daily, Hasan Muratovic denied media reports he had said in Hercegovacka TV program that the BiH structure with three republics in it was and efficient and functional solution. According to Muratovic, establishment of three republics in BiH was actually a proposal made by professor Bozo Zepic, while he (Muratovic) was standing for introduction of the BiH state structure based on municipalities. |
| PDHR Hays visited Jajce
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Balance between citizens and government’, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Reform of local self-management for improvement of situation in BiH’, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Role of civilian society must be more efficient’ by M. Zlatanovic – Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays visited Jajce yesterday where he talked with principals of the Municipality about issues of local self-rule and difficulties that this and other BiH Municipalities are faced with. PDHR Hays believes that the Law on Local Self-Rule will not resolve all the problems because this is about the process and the role of the civil society must intensify in order to establish balance between the authority at all levels and citizens.
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| Ashdown’s letter to Terzic: Elections must not be put in danger
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘State action needed in order for the election process not to be put in danger’, mentioned on cover ‘Elections must not be brought into danger’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, will support any action to be taken by BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic, which would ensure that BiH finances upcoming municipal elections by its own. “It would prove that BiH is capable of resolving the problems it is facing and that it is able to fully fulfil its obligations,” read the letter Ashdown sent to Terzic on Wednesday. |
| DL interview with member of BiH Election Commission Lidija Korac
| Dnevni List, pgs 6-7 ‘Diaspora should not vote in local elections’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – in an interview with DL, a member of the BiH Election Commission, Lidija Korac, agrees with the journalist’s claim that the BiH Diaspora should not be voting in the local elections in October, because the local elections are about issues pertaining to life of local communities. “In that direction, the Election Commission will after the elections send the BiH Parliament a proposal how to change certain issues”, says Korac, believing that the Diaspora should instead elect its representatives into legislative powers, foremost to the entity and state parliaments, who could in turn represent their interests. |
| PDP says SNSD supports Tihic’s initiatives
| Dnevni List, pg 18 ‘SNSD supports Tihic’s initiatives’, not signed, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Abolishment of RS is a political goal of SNSD’ – the PDP claims that SNSD’s representatives in the Council of Peoples of the RS have supported Sulejman Tihic’s initiatives regarding constitutionality of the RS laws on anthem, coat of arms, flag, territorial organization and holidays. “By doing that, the SNSD has openly sided with Tihic and showed that it advocated for the RS only declaratively, whilst in reality it’s political aim is the abolishment of it”. |
| DL on sending BiH troops to
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Will BiH soldiers go to |
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| Vecernje Novosti pg 6 ‘New type of colony’ by Kosta Cavoski – This is a sort of feuilleton (part 1 today) signed by Kosta Cavoski. (NOTE: Professor Kosta Cavoski, an eminent Yugoslav law scholar, holds Ph.D. from Professor Cavoski obtained his master’s degree having defended a thesis wherein, for the first time in Serbian, he provided a coherent and thoroughly affirmative survey of the origins and functioning of the American constitutional and legal system as the most distinguished model of liberal law and politics. He is one of 38 RS Senators. RS Senate was established shortly after the war.) The author claims that in 1996, the new type of colonial administration in the character of High Representative has been established in BiH. He claims HR’s powers are vast, questioning written documents on which he relies on. He notes that when HR does not have grounds for his future actions in Dayton Agreement, he reaches for powers stipulated in |
| RS Army Chief of Staff on military reforms
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘RS Army fulfilled all duties’; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Openly with General’ by M. Mihajlovic; EuroBlic RSpg3 ‘Military cocktail for the press’– The newly appointed Head of the RS Army General Staff, General Novak Djukic, yesterday met with media at the military barracks “Vrbas” in Banja Luka. He assessed his so-far cooperation with the media as successful and open, expressing hope this would continue in the upcoming period as well. Speaking of priority tasks of RS Army, he reminded of the fact that as of 1st June, RS Army has been operating under new organisational structure following defence reform. He added: “The number of RS Army has reduced for 4 thousand, which representatives a reduction in quantity, but improvement in quality” He stressed that the past period has seen all activities of RS Army aimed at ensuring BIH is admitted into PfP. In his address to the press, Djukic noted that many RS Army facilities have been given for use to University. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Djukic: We have fulfil all of ouyr obligations towards PfP’ also covered the issue. |
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| Economic/social issues |
| Destiny of banks under provisional administration
| BHTV – Provisional Administrator of Hercegovacka Banka, Toby Robinson said that destiny of the Bank will be solved together with the ERONET’s one and at the same time she announced soon conclusion of the case of Privredna Banka Srpsko Sarajevo, which was also put under temporary management after the SFOR’s action. According to BHTV1 information, Privredna Banka will soon lose its licence to work. This bank has been placed under temporary management in March, when the major shareholder, Momcilo Mandic was placed on FTV – Provisional Administrator of Privredna Banka Srpsko Sarajevo and Hercegovacka Banka Toby Robinson has denied that her role in revisions of these Banks is of political nature, saying that her role is strictly of professional nature, but that the fact is that HB has not been sold yet. Toby Robinson also said that irregularities in PB Srpsko Sarajevo are typical for BiH banking sector. She refused to comment on claims of High Representative that PB money has been used in financing of war criminals, but the reporter has mentioned the fact that according to the order of BiH Prosecutor the employees of Mank Oil have been arrested, as well as the fact that this Company is controlled by Momcilo Mandic. “I really can’t comment on that, that is the matter of State Prosecutor”, said Robinson. |
| DL says Rama Hydro Power-plant could collapse
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Possible collapse of system in Rama Hydro Power-plant’, mentioned on front, by Vera Soldo – reads that the outflow of water through the basic outlet of the Rama Hydro Power-plant, which was never used before, could be a big threat to the power-plant, and in the worst case scenario it could result in the collapse of the system in the Rama power-plant. According to the FBiH Chief Waterworks Inspector, Nada Galic, the order of the competent FBiH Ministry, which orders the power-plant to release 25 cubic metres of water per second, is aimed at maintaining the biological minimum of the Neretva river south of Jablanica, and has nothing to do with the so-called tourist quota of the Jablanica lake. Galic confirms that there are damages on the Rama power-plant, noting that the outflow will be stopped on Monday when an expert team will visit the power-plant, inspect it and take conclusions. In an inset entitled ‘Ashdown without personal engagement in HE Rama case’, Galic says that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, “stated at our last meeting that his participation should not be considered as his personal engagement and that he expected that all the problems should be solved in accordance to the law and international contracts. It is also a fact that he received a letter from the Head of |
| Update to protests of farmers, agricultural producers
| Dnevni List, front and pg 6 ‘Blockade of institutions of international community’, not signed – The Association of agricultural producers/farmers of BiH is optimistic regarding the application of the Law on amendments to law of customs tariff of BiH. According to the Association’s President, Vladimir Usorac, even if the implementation of the law does not start on August 17, there will be no blockades of border crossings and roads, instead there will be blockades of institutions of the IC, since the BiH Council of Ministers and BiH Parliament did what was in their competence, and now the IC has to verify everything. Furthermore, the Association of BiH farmers has postponed the protests that were announced for today. The Association’s President, Ranko Bakic, says the Association got assurances that the law would be applied as of August 17. However, Bakic notes his Association will check what’s happening on the ground on August 17, and take appropriate measures. Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘New protests announced’, by ma – reports that the Association of agricultural producers of FBiH announced it would hold protests at the Izacic border crossing on August 18, between 1100 and 1800 hrs in case the law is not applied. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Blockage of Izacic next Wednesday?’ also reported on the issue. |
| On project documentation for Corridor Vc
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Selection of company for project documentation in autumn’, by J. Petrovic – Namik Kupusovic, the Secretary General of the expert team for corridor Vc, confirms that the decision as to who makes the project-technical documentation on the corridor Vc should be taken in early September. Kupusovic says the commission cannot go public with any details until a company or consortium has been selected to do the project-technical d |
| BiH students in
| Dnevni List pgs 10 and 11 ‘Studies for 2000 students questionable’, mentioned on cover, by M. Karacic and Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘BiH students are paying for studying in Austria’ by B. Kristo – On July 4, the Austrian Parliament passed a decision on the ground of which Austrian Universities were authorized to introduce paying of studying for students from BiH and some other countries if they want to. DL says that the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs led by Safet Halilovic involved in the whole issue. According to Halilovic, this Ministry will take all necessary measures to make possible for BiH students in |
| Law on anti-money laundering activities
| Glas Srpske, cover page story ‘Penalty amounts 200,000 KM’ by D. V. M. – BiH Law on preventing money laundering will come in force in December this year and will be implemented by the Financial-Intelligence Department of SIPA. Provisions of the Law, among other, foresee penalties amounting up to 200,000 KM, more complicated procedure of money transactions and investigations under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office. As in accordance with the new Law, banks will be obliged to deliver data on every suspicious transaction to the Financial-Intelligence Department, as well as data on cash payments amounting more than 30,000 KM. ITA is obliged to notify the Financial-Intelligence Department on every transfer of cash or state securities in the amount of/or more than 10,000 KM to foreign countries. |
| Update to new-born baby in Gradiska
| Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Little Andjela has friends’ by R. Skondric – This is an update report into the medical state of a new-born baby, whom nurses at Banja Luka Clinical Centre call Andjela. Her state is currently stable, but doctors have fears it would deteriorate and she would got infection, namely tetanus, if she did not get the medicine Clinical Centre did not have. Glas Srpske and Zepter Comerc Banka offered assistance and provided the financial resources for the medicine. (NOTE: EuroBlic cover and RSpg1 ‘No medicines to save the found baby’ and Nezavisne Novine pg 12 “Infection threatens to abandoned baby’ carry reports on possible infection, without information on provided medicine.” |
| Draft law on public moneys to be on the agenda of the next session of FBiH Government
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Draft law on public moneys to be on the agenda of the next session of (FBiH) Government’ – The Office of the FBiH Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic responded to the OHR request for the draft public moneys law to be urgently send to the Federation Government for further procedure saying that it took more time to draft the law because of a need for its harmonisation with the Entity Budget. The Office said that the law had been sent to the Government with a request to be considered at the body’s next session scheduled for August 19. |
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| Security/terrorism |
| BHTV: Existence of Al- Qaeda in BiH? | BHTV – According to military-intelligence analysts the claims that more then 700 Al-Qaeda fighters are being prepared in BiH for future terrorists’ actions, make no sense. Domestic Authorities admit that BiH has a problem with terrorism, but they say that BiH still does not represent a threat to anyone. Agency of United Press International published information saying that Al-Qaeda is spreading, claiming that more then 700 of its fighters are being prepared for terrorist acts in BiH. “The claim that in BiH exist 700 potential or real members of Al-Qaeda is totally senseless. It is most likely that whole Al-Qaeda hasn’t got 700 members in the World…”, said Zoran Kusovac, Military- Intelligence Analyst of British Institute “Jane’s Geopolitical”. Domestic authorities do not deny the fact that BiH has a problem with terrorism, but they consider that to be one of the consequences of the war. |
| Blockade of Islamic Humanitarian Organizations’ accounts
| FTV – According to information from sources close to investigators over KM 30 million have been frozen on the accounts of Islamic Humanitarian Organizations in BiH. This information speaks about eight Organizations and some personal accounts have been frozen too.This information has been kept secret for a long time and according to sources (of FTV) the amounts on personal accounts have exceeded KM 1.5 million (personal accounts belong to employees of these eight Organizations). These eight Organizations have been placed on |
| ‘Mohammed Shaikh Khalid has never been in BiH?’
| Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘Mohammed Shaikh Khalid has never been in BiH?’ – Mohammed Shaikh Khalid, one of the Al-Qaeda leaders who was arrested in Pakistan in March last year, has been being linked with BiH by American sources for two years now but the BiH state officials cannot say with certainty if Khalid has ever been in the country. “We do not posses any evidence that Khalid or any other person from the world arrest warrant lists for terrorists has ever been in BiH,” BiH Deputy Security Minister Dragan Mektic told the daily. |
| UPI warns of terrorists threat in BiH
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 13 ‘Search after Islamic terrorists’, by F, Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Organizer of attack on US was in BiH too’, by F – reports that the UPI (United Press International) on Tuesday featured a story about activities of security services throughout the world, including BiH. UPI writes that the network that is hunting down Al Qaeda operatives is expending and that more than 700 people, who allegedly came to BiH to fight against the Serbs were in fact carrying out terrorist training. UPI carried Marinko Jurcevic, a BiH Prosecutor, as saying: “We have exchanged information about possible terrorist activities in BiH for years already. All investigations are based on the list of some 750 people who came to BiH to fight, but instead, they were trained for terrorist activities”. UPI also reported that western intelligence are actively searching through BiH looking for Islamic terrorists. Their efforts grew bigger after reports that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, a man considered as the brains behind the 9/11 attacks on the |
| VL: Minister Halilovic does not control Police
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Minister Halilovic does not control Police’, by Dejan Jazvic – announces that the FBiH Parliament should be discussing the information about the state of the FBIH Ministry of Interior, which was signed by the FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic, as soon as the summer holidays are over. Apparently, the information could cause plenty of reactions because Minister Halilovic, amongst many things, accuses directors of administrations in his Ministry, especially director of Police administration, Zlatko Miletic, of self-will. According to VL, Halilovic is admitting that he has no control over his subordinates, which brings the credibility of the FBIH MoI into question. VL concludes it is unrealistic to expect a removal of Miletic, because he enjoys support of international institutions in BiH. |
| Bomb hoax in FBiH Defence Ministry
| Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Alarm in Defence Ministry’, mentioned on cover, by F, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg, ‘False tips about explosive devices’, by F – The Federation of BiH Defence Ministry informed yesterday the Canton Sarajevo Ministry of Interior that an unknown person informed them by phone that an explosive was placed close to the building of the FBiH Defence Ministry. According to spokesperson of the Sarajevo Canton MoI, Magbul Skoro, people and building of the FBiH Defence Ministry were secured and the Cantonal Prosecution was informed about this event. Sarajevo Canton MoI established it was about false tips. |
| SIPA operations
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘SIPA should start with arrests on 1 October’ by M.C. – Dragan Lukac, SIPA Deputy Director, yesterday stated that the SIPA should start with investigations and arrest of those suspected for involvement in organised crime war crimes on 1 October. He explained: “We have on Monday issued a vacancy for selection of 467 employees of SIPA, who should be employed at SIPA by |