12.08.2005

OHR BiH Media Round-up, 12/8/2005

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Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 12 August

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA(12,00 hrs)

BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs)

RTRS(12,00 hrs)

ICTY on war crimes com. over Serbs

ICTY approves cases vs. 42 persons

SiCG on Lukic case

Serbia demands Lukic’s extradition

BA flights to London cancelled

Two persons arrested in B.Luka

On privat. of Mostar Tobacco Factory

Oil price record: 66$ per barrel

FBI warning on Al Qaida

TV news broadcast on 11 August

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA(18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Transparency International survey

McElhaney on Karadzic and Mladic

Farmers continue with protest

EUPM on SBS Director

Cases of crimes against Serbs in BiH

Strike in Breza mine

BIH farmers negotiations with CoM

Regional News

Illegal migrations from BiH

Shadow Government’s request to HR

Terzic on BiH SBS Director

FBiH Prosecution against hooligans

 

NTV Hayat  (19,00 hrs)

FTV  (19,30 hrs)

RTRS(19,30 hrs)

BiH farmers to met with authorities

Elektrobosna workers on strike

EUPM on SBS Director

The Guardian on Milan Lukic

Strike in Breza mine

Suicide in Banja Luka

Bagaric checks Srebrenica Com work

74 young employees in Gorazde

Irregularities in Gacko municipality

Srebrenica citizens met in Tuzla

Una Sana Canton resignations

USA welcomes Lukic’s arrest

 

Oslobodjenje

Sonja Karadzic withdrew authorisation given to Dusko Tomic

Dnevni Avaz

In lines for visas in next 5 years?

Dnevni List

Bills of indictment for 42 Bosniaks and Croats

Vecernji List

Security services in hands of Bosniaks

Slobodna Dalmacija

Energopetrol facing collapse

Glas Srpske

A kidney for life [features story on a young man with health problems]

Nezavisne Novine

Sulejman Tihic demands his assistant to be appointed disciplinary prosecutor

Blic

She killed herself with a bomb in “Tropic”

Vecernje Novosti

I am afraid, I know a lot

Srpski Nacional

Features Serbia related titles

 

 

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

SiCG to request extradition of Lukic

 

RS Radio, BH Radio 1, RHB – Rasim Ljajic, President of the SiCG Council for cooperation with the ICTY has today stated that at the beginning of next week, the request for extradition of Milan Lukic will be forwarded to the Argentinean authorities. He stated that the request must be filed within 30 days deadline.

ICTY indictee Kubura temporary released

RS Radio – Amir Kubura, F BiH Army officer, Thursday arrived to Sarajevo from the ICTY on the basis of guarantees for his temporary release, which F BiH Government provided.

Two suspects of Raiiffeisen Bank robbery arrested in BL

RS Radio – Banja Luka PSC CID Thursday arrested two men suspected of involvement in stealing BAM 2 million from a van transporting Reiffeisen Bank’s money from Banja Luka to Sarajevo.

Poste Srpske claim Radicals trying to control company

 

BH Radio 1 Daliborka Kujundzic – ‘Poste Srpske’ send a request to the RS Government to intervene due to the illegal decisions allegedly made by the representatives of the state capital in the company to remove the temporary Supervisory Board and name new one. Deputy General Manager, Milenko Vuceta, told at the told press conference that the company is under large pressure claiming that according to the division of the resources inside the RS Government, the Post is to be largely controlled by the RS Radical party. Vuceta adds that this party is trying to employ their own staff, stressing that the Poste Srpske need competent people and therefore has decided not to allow for appointment of the new supervisory board.

Negotiations for privatisation of the Mostar Tobacco Factory finished

 

RHB – An assistant to the Director of the FBiH Privatisation Agency, Zlatan Dedic, confirmed that the negotiations for privatisation of the Mostar Tobacco Factory finished. Most probably, the FBiH Privatisation Agency Commission would register the bids by Monday and then it would be known who is a new strategic partner of this company.

 

 

Political Developments/Reforms

DA investigates as to when visa regime for BiH citizens may be lifted

 

Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash ‘In lines for visas in next 5 years?’, pg 3 ‘Next five years would see BiH citizens standing in lines for visas?’ by S.Numanovic – Writing about possibility when visa regime for BiH citizens would be abolished, the daily, amongst other things, carries statement of Renzo Daviddi, EC delegation to BiH Deputy Head, firmly stating that visa regime with EU remains on power until a state gets the status of EU candidate. Daily speculates that the most optimistic assessment visas will be demanded for two more years, or even five if BiH politicians continue to act irresponsibly.

US institute Director James Dobbins: IC would not allow break-up of BiH

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘International community will not allow break up of BiH’ by Voice of America, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Future of RS is inside BiH’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘International Community will not allow BiH to be torn apart’ by VOA, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Dayton should be changed’ by Fena – Commenting on the attempts to link Kosovo status with the position of RS in BiH, James Dobbins, Director of the Centre for International Security and Defence Policy (at non-profit research organisation “Rand”) told VoA that the international community will not allow break-up of BiH, stressing: “The future of RS is within BiH, which also includes strong and positive ties with Serbia and there is nothing bad in maintaining such ties.” He assessed that all changes of the Dayton Agreement on which all sides agreed might be also acceptable for the international community.

EUPM requests for urgent appointment of SBS Director

 

RHB, BHT, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘To swiftly appoint SBS director’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘SBS Director must be appointed as soon as possible’ by N. N., Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Profession has an advantage’ not signed, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘State Border Service leadership should be elected as soon as possible’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘State Border Service Director should be appointed as soon as possible’ by ra, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 5 ‘There is no room for politics in police’ by B. Kristo – EUPM feels that SBS is one of main components in fight against organised crime and appointment of SBS Director is extremely important for efficiency of that agency. EUPM claims that non-appointment of the Director has a very bad influence on the work of that agency. EUPM expects swift appointment of SBS Director.

NTV Hayat comments on election of BiH SBS Director

 

Hayat Asim Beslija – Report brings comment of a NTV Hayat journalist on election of BiH State Border Service Director. Reporter calls the whole issue new ‘TV serial’ called ‘Election of SBS Director’, with the High Representative Paddy Ashdown, BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic and the Chair of BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic playing the important roles. Reporter says that BiH authorities once more showed their irresponsibility, by placing political parties’ interests before the state ones. Reporter also says that all of this happens in time when BiH ‘dreams’ about Stabilization and Association Agreement. Reporter adds that the ones that suffer the most are BiH citizens, whom he calls ‘victims of the system’, in which every individual leads his/her own politics, even within a single institution. Reporter ends by saying that BiH citizens are fed up with lies and politicisation of everything, which should provide normal living.

SB speculates on appointments in SBS leadership

 

Slobodna Bosna pgs 10-11 ‘Bosniak candidate Nijaz Spahic strongly supported by the SBS gray eminency, former director and currently advisor Slavisa Vukovic’ by M.F. – Regarding the appointment of the State Border Service Director, SB carries the HR Paddy Ashdown will appoint both the Director and Deputies as Bosniak and Croat politicians cannot come to the agreement. Slavisa Vukovic, advisor to the SBS Director, is allegedly pushing for Nijaz Spahic, however three other candidates are stronger: Vahid Cosic, Vahid Alagic and Enes Gacanin. SB’s sources say that the list of  candidates prepared by the OHR also includes some people that did not apply, such as Rafael Pivic [Livno Canton Police Commissioner] and Sead Lisak [Head of SBS investigations department]. SB says that they stand good chances to be appointed as they are not politically delegated.   

VL: There is no room for Croats when leading positions in SIPA and SBS are in question

 

Vecernji List cover pg splash and pgs 4 and 5 ‘BiH Security Services in hands of Bosniaks’ by M. Ivesa carries part of the letters from correspondence between High Representative Paddy Ashdown and SDA President Sulejman Tihic. VL says that according to the current situation Croats would not get a position of the State Border Service Director either and for this reason the question arises whether there is room for Croats when leading positions in SIPA and SBS are in question.

SD op-ed expressing concern about future of Croats in BiH

 

Slobodna Dalmacija pg 13 ‘Everybody minds Croats” by P. Milos carries an editorial in which the author expresses concern about the future of BiH Croats in terms of preservation of the Croat national, religious and cultural equality. The author also says that Croat politicians are partly responsible for such situation and he added: ‘However, the one should be aware that many of these politicians were removed due to the will of the High Representative. Rather often suitable politicians were brought to the positions of the removed ones and this is also a part of the Dayton mechanism.’

RS CoP Speaker Kadric: Dodik should also demand abolishment of entities

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Dodik should also ask for abolishment of entities’ by E.S. – Commenting to the statement by SNSD leader, Milorad Dodik, in which he announced he will asked for constitutional changes in order to abolish the RS Council of Peoples, the Council’s Speaker Remzija Kadric said Dodik should also seek abolishment of RS. “I support the idea of abolishing the Council of Peoples under condition entities are abolishes, especially RS which doesn’t respect the Decision on the constituency of peoples,” said Kadric. In an interview to Banja Luka based Nezavisne novine published on Thursday, Dodik proposed abolishment of CoPs in both entities and cantons, and parallel extension of its jurisdiction at the level of BiH.

OSCE: BiH authorities should implement full integration of ‘2 schools under 1 roof’

Pink, FTV, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘BiH is violating post-admission obligations towards Council of Europe’ by F, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 – The OSCE mission appeals on the BiH authority to immediately takes steps which would remove administrative and legal obstacles in implementation of full integration of 54 ‘2 schools under 1 roof’.

HDZ should publish name of candidate for Lovrinovic’s successor next week

Dnevni List pg 5 ‘HDZ is looking for Lovrinovic’s successor’ by I.G. – A source close to HDZ confirmed that there were talks with candidates for the position of the removed Central Bosnia Canton Education Minister, Nikola Lovrinovic. The candidates were former Head of the VitezMunicipality Katica Cerkez and Head of a high school in Novi Travnik Zdenka Dzambas, however, both of them refused to come at the aforementioned position. DL also says that it is hard to understand that parents of the pupils were satisfied with Lovrinovic’s work, while International Community representatives were not and according to the author this brings into question the IC’s attitude towards the BiH society. Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Appointment of new Minister soon’ by md says that the Central Bosnia Canton HDZ Board should publish the name of a candidate for Lovrinovic’s position next week.

VL, SD on possible consequences of change to BiH Election Law

 

Vecernji List pg 3 ‘7 parties only would be in Parliament’ by D. Jazvic says that in case that provisions from a proposal of a new Election Law (the ones which refer on raising the election threshold) were applied at the next year’s elections the number of the parties which would have their representatives in the state and entity Parliaments would be considerably reduced and instead of current 11, 7 parties at the most would have their representatives in the BiH House of Representatives. On the same issue Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12 ‘Croats remain in HDZ only’ by Z. Zekic carries that due to the aforementioned changes small Croat parties (HSS, NHI, HNZ, HKDU etc.) would shut down. 

DL op-ed welcomes initiative to check wartime past of BiH officials

 

Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Checking of officials’ by I. Glibusic welcomes the initiative of the Alternative Government in BiH according to which the wartime past of BiH officials should be checked. DL says it is necessary that High Representative Paddy Ashdown and competent institutions insist on checking the wartime past of all employees in the judicial, legislative and executive bodies at all levels and especially at the municipal one. DL also says that quite frequently returnees complain that upon their return to pre-war homes they see the people who expelled them from their homes employed in the municipal bodies.  

 

 

War Crimes

Dispute btw. Karadzic’s family and their legal representative Dusko Tomic

 

Oslobodjenje cover pg splash, pgs 4-5 ‘Sonja Karadzic withdrew authorisation given to Dusko Tomic’ by Edina Kamenica – Dusko Tomic, legal representative of Karadzic’ family, Thursday told daily that Sonja Karadzic sent him a cell-phone message informing him they (Ljiljana, Sonja and Brankica Karadzic) were advised to freeze the authorisation (on legal representation) they vested in him, owing to him public appearances and politicisation of the arrestment of Sasa Karadzic.

Karadzic’s relatives: Karadzic would not surrender alive

 

Vecernji List pgs 14 and 15 ‘He will not surrender alive’ by V. Leto carries a report from a village where war crime indictee Radovan Karadzic was born and statements given by his relatives in which they express their support to him and claim that Karadzic would rather commit suicide then turn himself in.

Serbian SDU’s Markovic: Mladic’s security still in SiCG army

 

Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Mladic’s security still in SiCG army’ by Beta – Deputy President of [Serbian] SDU party, Vera Markovic has stated there is no readiness of military top to fully cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. ‘There are certain indications persons from Ratko Mladic’s security are still in SiCG Army, while contradictory statements with regard to this issue are given by Ministry of Defense and Army’, Markovic said. She added it is not clear whether SiCG Army had broken cooperation with RS Army since apartments in elite Belgrade settlement – Dedinje – have been given to some RS Army officers.

Lukic says he is rather going to The Hague than Serbia

 

Oslobodjenje pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘Fear of execution’, Vecernje Novosti cover pg splash ‘I am afraid, I know a lot’ and pgs 12 – 13 ‘Only the Hague would save me’ by Sr. Kraljevic, EuroBlic pg 2, announced on cover ‘They are hiding Lukic from assassins’ by J. S. and N. C., FENA – ICTY indictee Milan Lukic, who was arrested in Buenos Aires two days ago, accepted to be transferred to The Hague Tribunal, and only fears extradition to Serbia where supposedly his life would be at risk, Argentinean media reported. The local news agency “Telam” reported citing unnamed judicial sources that Lukic said that he fears that someone could kill him in Serbia, but did not say who could do this. “I know a lot about the events during the war in the former Yugoslavia. Many do not wish to see this information surface and fear that I might speak. My brother, who did not participate in the war, was killed in front of his family, and you can only image what dangers threaten me”, Lukic said. The Argentinean court earlier approved Lukic’s transfer to the Hague Tribunal, which has indicted him for war crimes and crimes against humanity in BiH. Lukic confessed before the court that he entered Argentina with a false passport on the name of Goran Dukanovic, B92 reported.

DA: Milan Lukic took part in Srebrenica massacre

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Milan Lukic took part in Srebrenica genocide’, mentioned on cover, by E. Sarac – Milan Lukic DA learns from a source in the RS Interior Ministry that Milan Lukic [ICTY suspect for war crimes committed in Vogosca expected to be extradited to the Hague from Argentina] took part in a number of executions in Srerebncia in July 1995 and it was estimated he was responsible for murder of at least 100 victims. Article reads that the documents obtained by the Srebrenica Commission prove that Lukic arrived to Srebrenica together with rest of his “Visegrad group” to participate take over of UN enclave.

US State Department welcomes the arrest of Lukic

 

RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘State Department welcomed arrest’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘State Department welcomed the arrest of Lukic’ by Agencies – US State Department Thursday welcomed the arrest of Hague indictee Milan Lukic and it reiterated the demand that other countries too should help in arresting remaining war crimes indictees.

SIPA lacks 50 investigators for war crimes cases

 

Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Nobody wants to investigate war crimes’, announced on cover ‘Nobody wants to investigate war crimes in BiH’ by M. Cubro – Deputy Head of SIPA Department for War Crimes Andjelko Hrgic has confirmed this Department needs another 50 investigators. Deputy SIPA Director Dragan Lukac has stated it is currently difficult to find quality personnel to investigate war crimes cases. The Head of the Bih Prosecution War Crimes Department Vaso Marinkovic says SIPA, although facing a lack of personnel, responds to all demands of the Prosecutor timely.

ICTY gave its judgment on 39 war crime cases committed over Serbs: Label A for processing 42 persons of Bosniak and Croat nationality

 

Pink, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Enough evidence to bring 42 indictments’ by S. Gojkovic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Replies to 39 cases’ by G. K., Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Bills of indictment for 42 Bosniaks and Croats’ and pg 5 ‘Issuing of bill of indictment for 42 Bosniaks and Croats follow’ by I. Glibusic, Vecernji List pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘The Hague analysed 39 cases’ by V. Rupcic, Oslobodjenje pg 5 – The RS Secretariat for Relations with ICTY confirmed that the ICTY replied on 39 war crime cases committed over Serbs out of 86 that were sent to the ICTY. The ICTY sent replies with a label A (approval for arrest) for 42 persons of the Bosniak and Croat nationality. For 117 persons the ICTY sent a reply with label B and this means that submitted evidence is not enough for grounded suspicion about serious violation of the international humanitarian law, while the reply with label C arrived for 89 persons. VL says that all cases that the ICTY did not analyse will be forwarded to the BiH Prosecution.

 

 

Economic/Social Issues

BiH Farmers, CoM representatives to start talks on August 18

 

RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘Talks with authorities on August 18 in Sarajevo’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘They fought over a bag of flour’ by N. Krsman, Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘Doko is not for negotiations’ by Srna, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Negotiations offered to farmers’ by E. Mackic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Negotiations of authority and farmers on August 18’ by eme – BIH farmers received an offer from Council of Ministers for negotiations after 48 days of peaceful protests. Negotiations should start on 18 August and will be lead by BIH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Dragan Doko. Chairman of BIH Farmers Association Ranko Bakic stated that farmers are not pleased wit Doko’s presence at negotiations. Bakic concluded that farmers will continue their protests if negotiations fail and added that peaceful protests will turn into a general strike scheduled for 15 September.

BiH Trade Union Confederation asks for changes in Law on VAT 

 

Hayat Nenad Trbic – BiH Trade Union Confederation asks for Law on VAT to be changed. The Chair of the Confederation Cedo Volas requests VAT rate apartments, books, etc. to be decreased. “There is the experience Serbia had with VAT, namely Serbia decided to decrease VAT from 18 to 8 %”, said Volas. The Confederation sent its requests to BiH Council of Ministers and BiH Parliament. “At the time when the Law being adopted, Volas preformed the duty of the Chair of RS Trade Union and I do not understand why he made no activities then”, said the Deputy Chair of BiH Parliamentary Assembly Nikola Spiric. RHB, Hayat, FTV, RTRS also covered the issue.

HR to discuss return process with competent BiH officials

 

RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘De-block the process of sustainable return’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Ashdown to respond to call for return process unblocking’ – OHR Spokesperson Mario Brkic stated that HR Paddy Ashdown would discuss the matter of sustainable return process with competent officials in BIH. Reminding that the return process is now primarily being managed by BiH authorities, Brkic confirmed that OHR received a letter from Chair of refugee and displaced persons Associations Union Mirhunisa Zukic, sent on behalf of 90 local associations of refugees, DPs and returnees from BiH , Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro. They are asking HR to engage in de-blocking the return process in the region as well as organisation of conference on sustainable return process.

BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo to meet with the HR

 

Pink Dragana Erjavec – BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo is going to meet with the High Representative Paddy Ashdown during this week, in order to sign initiative for intervene fund for sustainable return. The International Community, as well as international organizations, would allocate the means to the fund. The aim of the fund is to support those who have returned to their homes, but who have no means to make their living. “The fund would be used for purchase of agricultural machinery, cattle and other things which would enable people living”, said Kebo. According to Kebo, BiH has no means necessary for having such fund established.

PDHR Butler to visit Brcko today, discuss economic development issues with local officials, businesspeople

 

Oslobodjenje pg 11 ‘Talks with District businesspeople’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Buttler to discuss VAT introduction with businesspeople’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Deputy High Representative visits Brcko’ not signed, FENA   – Principal Deputy High Representative, Larry Butler, will visit Brcko District Friday, August 12, OHR spokesperson Ljiljana Radetic told journalists in Banja Luka on Thursday. On the occasion of the visit Butler will meet with a number of Brcko functionaries and make tour of the city and Zitopromet company, where he will take part in the work of a roundtable together with functionaries and entrepreneurs from Brcko District, says a statement issued by OHR. At the roundtable the topics to be discussed are the steps that should be taken, including a successful introduction of VAT, and an urgent passage of new Law on Improvement of Business Environment, in order to improve conditions for business in BiH and increase investments and opening of work posts.

SD on mtg btwn EP Trade Union Sarajevo and A. Hadzipasic

 

Slobodna Dalmacija cover pg splash and pg 8 ‘Energopetrol faced with collapse’ by D. Pasic carries that representatives of the Energopetrol Trade Union from Sarajevo talked with Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic a few days ago. During this meeting it was decided that at one of its next sessions the FBiH Government would decide on the proposal of the FBiH Ministry of Finances which is in charge of preparing the legal ground for compensation of 19,5 million KM obligations that EP has.   

 

 

Judiciary

SB on ‘conflict’ between foreign and domestic judges and prosecutors

 

Slobodna Bosna pgs 18-22 ‘Foreigners leave BiH judiciary in a stampede’ by Adnan Buturovic – Following several departures of the foreign judges/prosecutors from the BiH judiciary in the past several months, SB carries that the most recent case of the UK judge Richard Garlic, “is just one in a series of incidents which discloses the chaos in the highest judicial institution caused by the OHR and foreign judges/prosecutors.” Garlick says left for purely personal reason, i.e. affair he allegedly had in BiH. US prosecutor Jonathan Schmidt [for whom SB claims failed earlier to join ICTY Prosecution] left as soon as he processed the war crimes case [against Abdulahim Maktouf] adding it in his CV. Accusing him even of fabricating the story that mujahedins threatened his life [which led to arrest of Pakistani Ahmed Istikar], magazine indicates Schmidt was incompetent prosecutor whose poor performance led to acquittals of Hasan Cengic and former Deputy of Interpol Director, Asim Fazlic. Swedish prosecutor, Mats Mattson, reads the article, was previously employed by the OHR, who objected indictments against Lijanovici brothers, and went back to Sweden after getting the job of Swedish State Prosecutor. SB also accused OHR of instructing the Center for Investigative Journalism to write an article accusing Rwandan judge Gerald Gahima of illegal financial transactions in his home country, which led to his departure. SB says that the main reason for “a fight” between foreign and domestic experts is money, as in 2006 their salaries will be harmonized and subject to the BiH budget. “If one compares the results of the domestic judges/ prosecutors to those of foreigners, there is a shocking conclusion that foreign experts have done nothing,” says SB further giving an example of the General Crime Department [staffed by domestic staff] which filed over 300 indictments and carried out in entirety about 85% of cases, while the Special Crime Department lead by John McNair had a series of failures in cases against Ante Jelavic, Senad Kobilic, Fazlic and Cengic. Inset carries that Chief Prosecutor, Marinko Jurcevic, also objected the appointments of foreign judges/prosecutors to a year contract, warning McNair he will not approve any other for a less than two years. Jurcevic was supported in this by the new Register, American Michael Th. Johnson, who is allegedly in conflict with Paddy Ashdown over appointments of foreigners. According to SB’s source in OHR, Johnson is not ready to appoint Ashdown’s staff from OHR Legal or Anti-Corruption Departments to be downsized/closed down. Johnson believes that war crimes cases must be processed by the domestic staff, further discussing this with the key ICTY officials, BiH Court President Meddzida Kreso and Chief Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic.BiH Court, used until now by Ashdown for political pressures against ‘disobedient’ politicians, could become the highest judicial institution staffed by domestic employees,” concludes the article.

International judges Lobo and Swanson leaving BiH Court, new arriving

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘After Garlic, Stephen Swanson leaves BiH too’ by F. Vele – Head of the Court Management for the BiH Court’s Registry, Tarik Abdulhak, told DA that a certain number of the international judges either left or is about to leave the BiH judiciary. In addition to Paul Garlic, judge who resigned form the court while processing Lijanovici case, judge Carlos Lobo also left the country, while judge Stephen Swanson would depart in next seven days. However, Abdulhak underlines that at the same time new international judges are arriving, including new US judge Richard Gebelein. He denies there are any problems with the international judges in BiH Court . As for ‘Covic and others’ case, Abdulhak sent official note to the defendants’ lawyers informing them that the hearing in the case has been postpone to further, adding Garlic will be replaced by another international judges, denying DA source’s that there could be a domestic judge in the proceeding.  

Source close to HJPC: BiH Presidency member Tihic is exerting pressure on HJPC members to appoint his assistant to position of disciplinary prosecutor

 

Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 5 ‘Sulejman Tihic demands his assistant to be appointed disciplinary prosecutor’ by R. Cengic – A source close to HJPC claims BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic is exerting pressure on members of HJPC to appoint his advisor for relations with BiH institutions Alma Colo to the position of Chief Disciplinary Prosecutor. According to data presented at the web page of the State Service Agency, Alma Colo was ranked second at the vacancy for this position, while Milan Romanic ranked first. According to the source, Colo could not have kept her job as a Municipal Prosecutor because she was SDA delegate. The same source claims Romanic too will not be appointed since, allegedly, he was close to SDS during the war. BiH Presidency member Tihic “had no time to comment these claims Thursday”. The Head of State Service Agency, Jakob Finci, has stated he was not aware of any pressures.