| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| SCG Markovic in Sarajevo | 20 killed in Iraq | Brcko Mayor dismissed | Negotiations on salaries |
| Coup d’état | Coup d’état | Coup d’état | Kisic removed |
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| Dismissal of Brcko Mayor | SCG Marovic in Sarajevo | HoR: Coup d’état |
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| Commission for concession | New victims in Iraq |
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| Oslobodjenje | Coup d’état was thought by FOSS in order to destroy opposition; Supervisor removed Kisic and Dedeic; Paravac not aware of BiH National Day |
| Dnevni Avaz | Volunteers will go to Iraq; Mikerevic acts like Milosevic once |
| Dnevni List | Vrankic: Rejection of my proposal is reflection of situation in FBiH Government; Opposition coalition for Mostar being created |
| Vecernji List | To Serbia with ID only starting tomorrow; Citizens worried for their health because of SFOR; Mikerevic: RS does not give up the raise |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Step away from military coup; Six HVO officers questionable |
| Glas Srpske | In three villages of Vlasenica municipality: “Harvest” resulted in harvest |
| Nezavisne Novine | HoR: Coup d’etat was not prepared; Majority of Republika Srpska officials failed to show up at the meeting with businessmen: Authority ignores problems in economy; OHR decision: Sinisa Kisic removed from position of Brcko Mayor; Personnel merry-go-round of RS Government: Milorad Balaban is “a double” director; Banjaluka: Government decision on Telekom on hold |
| Blic | ‘Small Hague’ in BiH: 13 indictments for start; Nebojsa Pavkovic: ‘I will not give up’; Mikerevic: ‘The Government does not give up from raises |
Security and military affairs | |
| BiH HoR: There was no intention to carry out coup d’état
| RTRS, CRHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Report on coup d’état adopted’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 3 ‘Coup d’etat was not prepared’, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Report on state coup ‘not serious’’, Dnevni List front, pg 3 ‘There were no elements of ‘state coup’’ – The BiH Parliamentary House of Representatives adopted the report of the investigation commission on the case coup d’état which proved that the accusations of several people and parties for carrying out coup d’état were unsubstantiated. A commission of the BiH Federation Parliament is ordered to determine whether the BiH Federation Intelligence-Security Service (FOSS) worked within the legal frameworks. At the session of BiH HoR on Wednesday, a new commission was formed with a task is to submit a final report to the HoR within 30 days on the basis of the session and 14 proposed conclusions related to this item of the agenda. Delegates were expected to discuss the report of the investigation commission in the past of the session closed for the public, but journalists were allowed to attend it, following request by the SDP delegate Zlatko Lagumdzija, one of those accused for the preparation of the coup. During the discussion, delegates said that this document did not deserve to be marked as confidential because, according to some delegate, more information about this case have been published in media than in the document. |
| (Reactions by Lagumdzija, Spiric, Palavric, Gligoric) | BHTV 1 – Following the BiH HoR conclusions, Zlatko Lagumdzija stated: ‘It is clear that everything was just fabrication by FOSS and I don’t know what intelligence agency was doing to make it provable. They used illegal methods in their work.’ BiH HoR Speaker Nikola Spiric said: ‘Opposition and some media have not done anything to destabilize BiH… Further investigation should be about illegal wiretapping, which was used in this case.’ Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 6 ‘Coup d’état fabricated by FOSS to destroy opposition’ – Lagumdzija added also stated that the report indicated FOSS was bugging members of the Hague Tribunal without any rights to do that: ‘With this element, intelligence service committed an act of a coup d’état, as it worked against the law. The issue is who ordered it and who wanted to create a skewed image in the public. The role of the international community and the High Representative [Paddy Ashdown] in this is shameful, as they react to such ungrounded explanations, while they do not react when the human rights of the entire party are being breached.’ In an insert ‘Munir Alibabic guilty for everything’, Spiric said: ‘I think that the essence of all this is that someone was disturbed after Munir Alibabic established centres for the investigations of the crimes committed against Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. Someone minded that.’ Delegate Tihomir Gligoric said this affairs showed how intelligence services in BiH were very much politicised and ruled from party offices. Lagumdzija also accused SDA of being informed by FOSS, and said that allegations made by delegate Seada Palavric against him on 7 August were all contained in FOSS report as materials obtained just bit earlier. Palavric denied. FTV – SDA representative Seada Paravlic responded: ‘I am sorry for all troubles for Lagumdzja, but it is a consequence of wrong legal set up of FOSS, which can violate human rights. We wanted to change to draft law on FOSS, but ruling coalition did not want to have it in different way.’ |
| VL: FOSS out of control | Vecernji List front ‘Intelligence working without control of authority’, pg 3 ‘FOSS acts without control of authority’ by Zdenko Jurilj – VL claims FOSS has been working independently, without supervision of the FBiH authorities ever since the it has been established. In that context, VL notes that the Law on work on intelligence service stipulates that the FBiH President and Vice Presidents, FBiH Prime Minister and his Deputy and Ministers and Deputies of Interior and Justice are obliged to create working bodies to supervise the work of FOSS, something that has not been observed. VL also notes that out of three bodies that are suppose to supervise the FOSS, legally there is only one body, the Working body for following and control of work of FOSS that works with the FBiH Parliament. |
| BH Presidency’s session on redeployment of BH Troops in Iraq | FTV, BHTV 1, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Volunteers to go to Iraq’, pg 2 ‘Only professional soldiers and volunteers will go to Iraq’, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Paravac asked for the expert opinion on US bases and leaving to Iraq’, Dnevni List front, pg 3 ‘Professionals and volunteers will go to Iraq’, Vecernji List front, pg 2 ‘To Serbia with identity card only as of tomorrow’, pg 2 ‘Surprised by Marovic’s announcement of apology’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 7 ‘Talk on future borders’ – At the session held on Thursday, members of the BiH Presidency discussed redeployment of BiH troops in Iraq. Conclusion was to demand from the Standing Committee on Military Matters to analyse entire issue and prepare a plan for sending BiH soldiers to the Mission in Iraq, while it was agreed that only professional soldiers could go to such mission and only if they volunteer. Following the session, Presidency member Borislav Paravac: ‘It is questionable if we are ready for such mission when our transport unit has only 25-year old trucks… We can offer some of large military installations in BiH to US troops at their disposal within a commercial arrangement.’ The Presidency talked about coming meeting of inter-state council with SCG at which two countries are expected to discuss bilateral relations. |
| Ashdown sends letter to Terzic on SIPA | RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘SIPA on right address’ – The High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, addressed an open letter to the Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and SDA President, Sulejman Tihic. In the letter, HiRep expressed great concern over the opposition by Terzic and Tihic against proposal that SIPA should be located in Serb Novo Sarajevo. HiRep reiterates that the Commission recommended the location in Serb Sarajevo. Letters also reads Ashdown was worried with the comment that SIPA located in Serb Sarajevo would serve Radovan Karadzic adding that such statements did not help cooperation. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Inter Resource Group considered 9 offers for SIPA’s HQ’ – Daily writes that City of Sarajevo is ready to offer Council of Ministers on Thursday at least three locations for the HQ of the State Information and Protection Agency on same or better terms than the one offered by Lukavica. DA further claims it learned that at least two locations were better and cheaper solution than locating the Agency in Lukavica. The deadline for decision to be made on the SIPA HQ is the beginning of December. |
| FBiH HoR on defence reforms | FTV, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Initiative for change and amendments to FBiH constitution adopted’, Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Initiative for changes to Constitution adopted’ – On Wednesday, the FBiH House of Representatives accepted the initiative of its Constitutional Commission for amending the FBiH Constitution regarding the defence reform and transfer of entity authorities in this segment onto the state level. As for the amendments to the Constitution, even though delegates were expected to define them at the session as well, the government did not submit them and therefore the discussion has been postponed for Thursday’s an extraordinary session. BHTV 1 – The government justified its failure to provide with amendments for delegates’ discussion saying there were some technical difficulties in preparation of those proposals. Unofficially there are speculations that HDZ has some additional request in relation to protection of families of killed soldiers and it has blocked process of preparing these amendments. |
| SNSD on US military presence in BiH | BHTV 1 – SNSD party proposed a resolution that would support further US military presence in BiH, saying that US played crucial role in peace and stability in BiH. Military analyst Neven Kavazovic explained why US presence was so important for BiH and region: ‘BiH has important symbolic strategic position with implications for globalisation. It lies on two river basins and links important geographic units…EU wants to take military control in BiH, but US did bring stability here and it would not give up it easily…US need to approve transfer of authority to EU forces sometime in 2004.’ |
Political issues | |
| Brcko Supervisor removes Kisic and Dedeic | CRHB, BHTV 1, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 7 ‘Supervisor removed Kisic and Dedeic’, Dnevni List pg 10 ‘Supervisor removed Kisic and Dedeic’, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Sonheim suspended Sinisa Kisic and Ismet Dedeic’, Vecernji List pg 6 ‘They damaged budget for 2,5 million KM’, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Ivan Krndelj at head of Brcko’, Vjesnik pg 2 ‘Supervisor removed Brcko Mayor’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 2 ‘Sinisa Kisic removed from position of Brcko Mayor’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Sinisa Kisic removed’ – On Wednesday, Acting Supervisor for Brcko District Gerhard Sonheim removed Sinisa Kisic from the position of a Brcko Mayor and Ismet Dedeic, Head of Urban Planning Department of Brcko Government. Under the provisions of Brcko District Statute, until the time the new mayor is elected, Deputy Mayor, Ivan Krndelj, will perform this duty and appoint new Acting Head of Urban Planning. District Attorney, Zekerijah Mujkanovic, previously confirmed that he has filed criminal charges against Kisic and Dedeic and another six officials in Brcko District Government for having misused their authorities over building additional storeys on the existing residential buildings in Brcko. Namely, they failed to levy the ground rent for the construction of additional flats on some buildings in Brcko, causing District’s budget to lose more of a million KM. Basic Court in Brcko confirmed these indictments at the beginning of this week. Acting Supervisor Sontheim stated that those persons have been appointed on their positions at the very difficult moment and have done everything possible to make progress in Brcko. He added that their removal from the positions does not prejudice court decision. Sontheim will start consultations with political parties on the appointment of the new Mayor, until the elections. FTV – Gerhard Sontheim said that his decisions ‘was the only option to respect the rule of law and protect integrity of Brcko government… Other six official should be also suspended, but it is something that acting mayor should do.’ RTRS – Citizens’ reactions to Supervisor’s decision were mainly negative, stating that the removed officials have worked in accordance to the law and that the decision is not fair. |
| SCG President says he is ready to apologize BH citizens
| CRHB, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Svetozar Marovic ready to apologize to BH citizens’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘President of SCG ready to apologize to BH Citizens’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Marovic will apologize to BiH citizens’, Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Marovic is ready to apologize to BiH citizens’, Vjesnik pg 2 ‘Marovic is ready to apologize to BiH citizens’, FENA – The President of Serbia and Montenegro, Svetozar Marovic, stated he was ready to apologize to the citizens of BiH and that, if he had an opportunity, he would do that just like he did when President of Croatia Stipe Mesic visited Belgrade recently. In his statement to the magazine ‘Today’ given just prior to the official visit to BiH, he stated that he would like that not to be a personal apology, and that he believe that the officials in Sarajevo and Zagreb should do the same thing ‘as evil belongs to many sides’. Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Belgrade’s apology’ editorial by Edin Krehic – Regarding the statement by SCG President that the responsibility for crimes committed should be taken of the people, and carried but the individuals, author writes: ‘An apology is a way for Serbia to reconcile with the role of Belgrade in the wra, but it is not enough. Concrete steps: extradition of war crimes suspects, non-connecting RS with the Kosovo status and broadcasting of the programmes which objectively analysis recent history – those will cause the … feeling of shame. That is when the responsibility of a people will be taken of them.’ |
| Paravac’s comment on possible apology by SCG President | Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Surprised by Marovic’s announcement of apology’, FTV – BiH Presidency member Borislav Paravac stated to the journalists, following the sessions of the Presidency, that he was not happy with eventual excuse from SCG addressed to BH citizens. His political comment was full of irony and cynicism – asked to commented SCG President’s statement on possible apology, Paravac said: ‘I have not heard that news. I have not heard about it… That I should what? That I should also apologize? That I should also apologize to Marovic? Because of what we did against Serbia-Montenegro? Because we killed their army soldiers in Tuzla, is that what he is thinking about? Well, OK, maybe.’ |
| BH Presidency prepares for meeting with SCG delegation | CRHB, BHTV 1, Vecernje Novosti pg 13 ‘Marovic in Sarajevo today’, Vecernji List front, pg 2 ‘To Serbia with identity card only as of tomorrow’ – At the session held on Wednesday, the BiH Presidency adopted a platform for a session of the Interstate Council for Cooperation between BiH and Serbia and Montenegro, which is due to discuss strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation, border issues, economic cooperation and integration processes in the region. Presidency member Borislav Paravac said beside Presidency members, Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic and BiH Ambassador to SCG Tomislav Leko would be in the delegatation. The SCG delegation will be led by President Svetozar Marovic and will include Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic and SCG Ambassador to BiH Stanimir Vukicevic. |
| Covic opposes treating Croats in BiH as diaspora | Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Croats in BiH are(not) disapora’ – Chairman of BH Presidency Dragan Covic on Tuesday publicly opposed to treating Croats from BiH as Croatian diaspora. ‘It is not serious enough to regard Croats in BiH are diaspora. Croats are domicile and a constituent people in BiH’ – stated Covic in an interview to Oscar TV Mostar. |
| NN: Colak might ask for Hadzipasic’s removal | Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Colak: Prime Minister of F BiH may be recalled’ – Barisa Colak, HDZ President, stated on Wednesday that it is possible that HDZ would demand recall of Ahmet Hadzipasic from the position of the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
| DL update on Mostar restructuring | Dnevni List front, pg 7 ‘Opposition coalition for Mostar being created’ by Zvonimir Jukic – DL the daily learns from sources close to opposition parties in Mostar that first, unofficial talks on forming of coalition between the opposition parties in Mostar have already begun. Apparently, quarrels between the HDZ and SDA and parallelisms in Mostar have brought the parties closer. According to DL’s sources, parties that are counted on in the future coalition are: SBiH, Radom za Boljitak, NHI, PRO Ens, Liberal-Democratic party and SNSD which has, according to DL, secured support of the returnees. Two people that could help the project, according to the author, are Neven Tomic, although he stated earlier that him being the Mayor is a finished story, and Safet Orucevic, who is active in the Mostar restructuring through the SBiH. |
| DL editorial on changes to DPA and the role of IC | Dnevni List pg 11 ‘Change of Dayton starts with Mostar restructuring’ by Zvonimir Jukic – DL claims that the changes to the Dayton Peace Accord have already begun saying that even the current High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, officially announced a start of changes to the DPA. The author says: “No matter how negatively he influenced the democratization of the BiH society through his activities, Ashdown was positive in some important changes to the peace agreement. It foremost relates to creation of a genuine state government with 9 ministries, with better solution for the military through defence reforms and announcement of creation of state ministry, and official opening of Mostar restructuring as the first Dayton document that goes to revision. Ashdown’s official in the Mostar Commission, Norbert Winterstein, openly told the members of that body that within the restructuring to Mostar, they do not have to be slaves to the current solutions, neither constitutional or legal ones. That very fact clearly shows that the current solutions in BiH have come to the end”. The author reckons that the situation in Mostar and eventual solutions the Mostar Commission is to prepare, will show whether the IC is ready to carry out more significant changes in BiH. In that context, the author says if the solutions for Mostar are not radical but just a small improvement from a bad administration to a less bad one, then there will be no radical changes to the DPA. “Otherwise, if there is the ‘cut’ in Mostar, then it is clear there will be cuts at higher levels too”, concludes Jukic. |
| Paravac ‘not aware’ of 25 November to be BiH National Day | Oslobodjenje cover, pg 5 ‘Paravac not aware of BiH National Day’ – Daily writes that BH Presidency member Borislav Paravac refused to answer journalist’s question as to whether 25 November will be officially marked in BH Presidency and which member will be the host to a numerous delegations. ‘I hear fort the first time that 25 November is national holiday’ – said Paravac, who said he was shocked when learned that this issue was included in the agenda of the session. ‘That is not a national holiday. Someone through its referendum decided for BiH not to stay in Yugoslavia, and practically cut off that holiday too’ – stressed Paravac. |
RS increase of salaries and pensions | |
| Mikerevic will not give up on decision on increase
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘Stand-by arrangement with IMF are not threatened’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Mikerevic stated he would not change the decision’, Blic pg 13 ‘The Government is not giving up’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic on Wednesday confirmed once more that RS Government will not give up on its decision to increase pensions and civil servants salaries, and that his decision will not threat stand-by arrangement with IMF. On the other side OHR warns RS government about consequences and repeated that there would be serious financial problems caused by such move. Dnevni List pg 12 ‘International Community did not state a single argument’ – Mikerevic stated that representatives of the International Community did not state a single argument by which they would show that the decision on the increase of pensions and the lowest price of labor in the RS is contrary to stand-by arrangements. Commenting on the call of the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, to withdraw that decision, Mikerevic says that it does not matter whether he will be removed from the position or not reminding that he is only responsible to citizens who elected him. |
| [OHR repeatedly warns RS Gov’t of the consequences] | BHTV 1 – Prime minister Mikerevic promised: ‘BiH economic stability won’t be threaten since we are going to have increase in our budget revenues to cover these expenditures.’ OHR spokeswomen Sonja Pastuovic said: ‘We hope there will be a realistic solution by Saturday what would be exit from current situation and such solution should not be against IMF stand on this issue.’ |
| [Negotiations between OHR, IC and Mikerevic on increase of pensions] | Vecernji List front pg ‘Mikerevic: RS does not give up the raise’, pg 2 ‘RS does not given up raise’ – Sonja Pastuovic added the OHR is not against Mikerevic’s wish to increase pensions and salaries but that he has to have money in order to do it. RTRS, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Joint statement of RS Government and OHR’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Solution on pension increase in two days’ – The RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, and representatives of the RS authority held a meeting with representatives of the OHR and international financial institutions on Wednesday, discussing the financial situation in the RS, in order to find mutually acceptable solution. Representatives of OHR and international financial institutional repeated that every proposal of the RS Government on increase of salaries and pensions has to be in accordance with the law and international agreements that BH have signed. |
| SDU highly critical of Mikerevic, comparing him with Milosevic
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Dragan Mikerevic alike Milosevic’, Dnevni Avaz cover Mikerevic acts like Milosevic once’, pg 8 ‘Move which reminds of Milosevic’s intrusion in the former Yugoslavia’s payment system’ – The Social-Democratic Union (SDU) requested the High Representative Paddy Ashdown to take firm action, including dismissals, against those acting against the interests of BiH following the decision of the RS Government and Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic not to respect the High Representative’s recommendations concerning the increase of spending on the public sector in the RS. ‘The intention of the RS Government and Prime Minister Mikerevic to use nonexistent financial assets for public spending despite warnings by the High Representative that this would endanger the future of BiH reminds of actions by Slobodan Milosevic when he destroyed the financial stability of former Yugoslavia’ – said SDU President Miro Lazovic. |
| Biber supports RS Union demand for increase of salaries | Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Biber supports payment and pension increase in RS’, Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘Support for the syndicates’ demands in RS’ – President of the BiH Association of Independent Trade Unions Edhem Biber supported the demands of RS Syndicates for salaries and pensions to be increased in Republika Srpska. He added he expected RS Union to use all means of syndicalism fight to be used to ensure this. |
| RS Pensioners: BiH will suffer a great damage if pensions not increased | Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ’Government will not exists if it obeys OHR’ – Rade Rakulj, President of Republika Srpska Association of Pensioners, warned that if the RS Government withdrew its decision regarding 6% increase of pensions and salaries, this institution would no longer be considered as existing. He stressed that Republika Srpska pensioners would make sure that BiH suffers a great damage if Government obeys instructions by OHR. He further criticized OHR for having failed to ensure that the Human Rights Chamber decision on pension payment is respected and pensions are paid out from the entity, where they were earned. |
| Volas: Strong syndical fight to follow potential cancellation of increase | Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘No reforms without pays’ – Cedo Volas, President of RS Syndicate Union, stated that the Syndicate Union rejects any possibility on cancellation of recent increase of minimum labour wage from 68 KM to 82 KM. He announced a strong syndical fight if this decision is cancelled. He added that the increase is minor, and as such it ashamed the Syndicate. However, it seems that these dims have become thorn in IC’s side. |
| DA editorial on Mikerevic and pensions issues | Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Mikerevic’s teasing with BiH’ editorial by Armin Zeba – ‘Despite of warnings from OHR, IMF and the World Bank, Republika Srpska has started with payments of 6% increased pensions.’ Author writes that arguments offered by the international community could not make RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic to changes his decision on pensions and salary increase, but adds that Mikerevic’s actions were nothing more than false means used to ‘cover up for general dissatisfaction of population of smaller entity, which has been demonstrated lately though often calls upon leaders of all authorities to resign. No sensible person certainly thinks that Mikerevic and his associates are not aware of the fact that RS budget cannot survive additional burdens of salary and pension increase.’ However, noting that Mikerevic is absolutely aware of the catastrophic consequences of its decision, author says that RS Prime Ministers is not in the situation ‘that in the case of fulfilling the deadline given by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown, he would be able to give to pensioners and other vulnerable categories to give proof that it was not the Government’s fault for their miserable living standard, but the international factor.’ Editorial concludes that such politics obviously works, as pensioners already naively started to direct their criticism against OHR and rest of IC, and expresses hope that the IC will not give up on its position on this issue. |
Economic issues | |
| Hercegovina osiguranje on Eronet
| Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Hercegovina Osiguranje got Eronet’s shares legally’, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Eronet’s license is still valid’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 7 ‘Eronet is not disputable’, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Legal owners of Eronet shares’ – The manager of the Hercegovina osiguranje Robert Gavranovic said that media reports on the licence and ownership shers in Eronet are the product of fear of competition on the part of BH Telecom and Telekom Srpske. At the press conference held on Wednesday in Mostar, Gavranovic stressed that the company legally purchased 35.6% of shares in Eronet. Regarding the reports that a ruling had been passed to return shares to HT Mostar, he denied them saying that Zagreb HT continues to own 49%, Hercegovina osiguranje 35.6%, Alpina komerc 19.92% and Grude Municipality 4.48% of Eronet shares. As for the 3 GSM licence, Gavranovic said that Eronet’s licence issued in 1996 is still valid, which was also confirmed by the CRA. BHTV 1 – Herzegovina osiguranje also announced it would file lawsuit against the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA), accusing it of not issuing the third GSM licence to Eronet in order to protect the interests of other two providers. Eronet has requested the licence in January, however it has not yet been awarded to the company. |
| Mikerevic meets Dixon
| Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘He looked for the building for Administrations’ HQ’, RTRS – RS PM Dragan Mikerevic and President of the Indirect Taxation Commission Jolly Dixon agreed that the building of Indirect Taxation Administration should be representative, located in the downtown Banja Luka. They agreed that the Administration building should be located in the vicinity of BH Central Bank offices and other financial institutions. Mikerevic said that a long-term plan needs to be developed for locating institutions of financial importance for the RS and BiH in order to make Banja Luka recognisable as a financial centre. Dnevni List pg 7 ‘BiH CoM will decide on election of Head of ITA’ – DL carries that the Commission for appointment of the Director of Indirect Taxation Administration held a session in Banja Luka yesterday. DL says that three candidates, coming from the line of all three BiH constituent peoples, entered the final phase of the appointment. They are Kemal Causevic, Dragan Prusina and Ilinka Gavrilovic. According to the article, these candidates met the necessary conditions and they go equally as a proposal to the BiH Council of Ministers that will decide as to whom will be appointed the Director of ITA. |
| Racan and Terzic discuss economic relations | Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Crossing the border with ID’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘New regime for the crossings of interstate border’, CRHB – Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Chairman of the BH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, agreed on further improvement of the economic and other co-operation of the two states. Both of them currently are participating the Croatian Association of Economists conference in Opatija. Racan stated that the Croatia is interested for good economic relations and for establishment of the new regime of border crossing. Terzic stated that in preparation phase is the agreements on avoiding double taxation and new regime of the border crossing. Both Racan and Terzic agreed that during the pre-election campaign for Croatian elections in BH, difficult issues should be avoided. |
| BiH HoR on Vc corridor; Dokic: tender to be published | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘State must be the owner of corridor documentation’, BHTV 1 – BiH House of Representatives discussed construction of Vc corridor at the session on Wednesday, and reached decision to appoint a Commission for Concessions. Problem of financing the project documentation and feasibility study has not been solved yet. BH Transport and Communications Minister Branko Dokic stated that ‘BiH need to be owner of documentation on highway in order to keep it impartial… There will be an international tender for construction of highway.’ Commission for Concession will be compromised of 6 local and one foreign expert, while 23 candidates have applied so far for this position. The commission will have a seat in Banja Luka and documentation will be ready by mid 2004. |
| DL on requests for removal of FBiH Financial Police leadership | Dnevni List front, pg 5 ‘Vrankic: Rejection of my proposal is reflection of situation in FBiH Government’, pg 3 ‘OHR will not accept politically motivated removals’ – Following the news that FBiH Government rejected a request by the FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Vrankic, to remove the FBiH Financial Police Chief Inspector and his Deputy, Zufer Dervisevic and Miroslav Vidovic, DL carries Minister Vrankic as saying: ‘Despite the evident failures in the work, non-cooperation and incorrect relations in the FBiH Financial Police, I was not supported by the colleagues in the FBiH Government who were motivated by political decisions.’ DL says that one could not expect a different decision from the Bosniak Ministers, which shows their true colours and goes on to say that the situation has reflected on the work of the FBiH Government. Commenting on the report published in DL that FBiH Finance Minister Vrankic got a consent from the OHR to remove Dervisevic and Vidovic, OHR spokesperson Mario Brkic said: ‘There are no objective reasons for removal of Dervisevic and Vidovic. We passed on the position to Deputy Prime Minister Vrankic that we will reject any attempt of a politically motivated removal.’ |
Other issues | |
| BiH Chamber for War Crimes
| Blic pg 12 ‘13 indictments for the start’ – Newly established departments of the BiH Court for War Crimes, which should start with its work as of 1 January 2004, will spend 38 million € in five years. 15,7 million € have been collected at recently held donors’ conference in Hague and this will be spent in two years. Blic found out from sources close to the BiH Court that the newly established Department will start with its work by processing 13 cases that had been sent directly from the Hague Tribunal. The above mentioned article also carries an inset ‘New evidence against mojahedeens’ that reads that the RS Government Office for Relations with the Hague Tribunal had stated that it has sent new evidence material (video tapes) on mojahedeen crimes, under the control of the BiH Army, against Croats in Municipality of Vitez in central Bosnia. |
| Ashdown writes to Mostar Mayor and his Deputy
| Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Mostar needs place for gathering of young people from whole city’, by I. G. – The High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, sent the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic respectively, a letter reflecting on his last visit to Mostar when he, as the HR Ashdown puts it, had a pleasure to meet with the young people of the ‘Abrasevic’ Youth centre. HR Ashdown was impressed with their enthusiasm and efforts to create a place where all young and creative young people of Mostar would gather. Thanking the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the support they have given to this project, HR Ashdown notes that everyone should agree that Mostar would be a richer place if it were to get a facility that would be free of national and political prefix, in other words a place where young people would gather irrespective of their origins. Furthermore, HR Ashdown hopes that the City of Mostar would be able to actively support the “Abrasevic” project by signing a contract with the “Abrasevic” Youth cultural centre. “Without an active and urgent help of the City administration, chances for the cultural project will be diminished, which would be a serious setback for the whole community in Mostar”, concludes the HR’s letter. |