| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA(18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Kalinic on 3 entities | SFOR action in Pale | SFOR action in Pale | SFOR action ends |
| SFOR action in Pale | BiH Presidency | Srebrenica Commission | BiH Presidency Session |
| Tihic for Dayton change | BiH CoM session | BiH CoM session | RS election law changes |
| BiH Presidency Session |
| “State coup” affair | Privatisation process |
| Oslobodjenje | BiH suspended electricity export to Croatia |
| Dnevni Avaz | COMSFOR Packet: Last message to war criminals |
| Dnevni List | “Ashdown: If politicians do not reach consensus, I will impose solution on Mostar organization”; “Mostar Aluminij continues with production” |
| Vecernji List | “Serbs support establishment of third entity in BiH – third one”; “Entities cost over 250 million KM every year” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Karadzic’s wife: Radovan is not Saddam”; “Referendums lead to definitive division” |
| Glas Srpske | OHR: Fraud with seal; How much will ITA cost: Pie more expensive than copper pan |
| Nezavisne Novine | Investigation of BiH Parliament Commission on alleged coup d’etat: FOSS agents were tapping 30 members of the press; Action in Pale completed: SFOR supported by Republika Srpska authorities; Forged OHR release sent by mail |
War crimes | |
| SFOR completes operation in Pale
| Herceg-Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘Karadzic can run but he cannot hide’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘Last message/warning to war criminals’, SRNA – SFOR and the RS police removed check points in Pale in the afternoon on Monday thereby completing the operation that started on Saturday morning [11 January] and lasted over the weekend, SFOR spokesperson Matthew Brock told media. He said that SFOR was keeping one person in detention, while the other detained person was released after a brief investigation. He was pleased with the operation carried out by SFOR members and said that analysis of the found evidence would “help SFOR track down the war crime indictees and the people helping them”. Brock said that he was happy with the cooperation of the RS police. SFOR also searched the premises of the Cultural Centre, “Ognjista” ethno-gallery and two private dental practices on Sunday, while they searched a Serb Orthodox Church and the parish house Sunday night. On Saturday, they searched the health centre, the RS Red Cross premises, as well as other medical institutions. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘SFOR supported by Republika Srpska authorities’ – Virgil Packet, SFOR Commander, yesterday confirmed that SFOR completed its action in Pale, noting that “political officials and local authorities of TRS provided a full support and assent without a precedent” for the implementation of weekend action. He explained that action was launched after SFOR believed in a tip it got that the war crime suspect, Radovan Karadzic, might be in the city. Dnevni List (p 11, “Karadzic arrest just a dream”, by M. R.), Slobodna Dalmacija (front & p 15, “Karadzic’s wife: Radovan is not Saddam”, by A. Macanovic) and Vecernji List (p 4, “SFOR’s 3-day operation in Pale ended”, by b.s., and p 16-17, “SFOR’s new failure”, by Dejan Jazvic) also covered the issue. |
| Kalinic says RS authorities duty-bound to help find war crimes suspects | Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Apprehension of Karadzic, Mladic priority’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Kalinic: Republika Srpska authorities told arrest of Karadzic is a priority’, SRNA – The RS National Assembly Speaker and chairman of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), Dragan Kalinic, said on Monday that the RS Interior Ministry was under an obligation to be fully involved in the SFOR search for war crimes suspects. “I suspect that the RS interior minister will clarify the situation in Pale with the SFOR commander,” Kalinic told a news conference in Banja Luka. He repeated that the RS leadership had been told on several occasions that the arrest of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic was one of this year’s priorities as far as the US administration and the EU were concerned. Kalinic stressed that international representatives had made it clear to the RS leadership that unless the RS authorities were to cooperate, sanctions and other measures, including – as he put it – measures against political officials, would be imposed. “As a people’s deputy whose voter base is the municipality of Pale, I feel for all the people who have been exposed to various unpleasant events, house searches, religious facilities and health institutions over the past three weeks, that is, during the Orthodox festivities,” Kalinic said, adding that this was something he personally despised. At the same time, Kalinic asked whether all the developments in Pale were within the mandate granted to SFOR under the Dayton Agreement. Vecernji List (page 3, “To arrest Karadzic is priority”, by Fena), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 6, “Kalinic: Sanctions to follow if we do not arrest Karadzic and Mladic”, by A.M.) also covered this statement. |
| Tihic supports NATO operation in Pale | FENA – Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic announced on Monday in Sarajevo that he personally supported all operations by SFOR within its mandate to arrest war crime suspects because that contributes to peace and stabilization of the situation in BiH regardless of the venue of operations. At a news conference held after BiH Presidency session, Tihic said that SFOR Commander Gen Virgil Packett informed him about the operation when it had already started and that he learnt that the other two Presidency members had been briefed as well. |
| RS Commission for Srebrenica holds first session | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Documents on Srebrenica must be available’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Srebrenica Commission commences with investigation’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Any assistance is welcome’ – The inaugural session of the commission for investigating the events in Srebrenica took place in Banja Luka on Monday. As announced, the commission will investigate locations of six mass graves and request from the RS Government to be granted access to documents that should help further explanation of the events of July 1995 in Srebrenica, when more than 8,000 people were killed. Milorad Ivosevic and Smail Cekic were appointed vice chairmen of the commission. It was concluded that the rules of procedure should be drafted as soon as possible, while the commission members were asked to prepare proposals for the operation plan to be discussed at the next session on Saturday, January 17. Marko Arsovic, the chairman of the commission for investigating the events in Srebrenica in July 1995, said that the success of the commission depended greatly on the documentation that is still to be collected. “The RS Government ordered both the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence to place at our disposal all documents they possess, but a great deal of documentation of the Ministry of Defence has been already taken by the Hague tribunal,” Arsovic told journalists following the session. Arsovic announced that the commission would also work on information of the Hague tribunal about existing mass graves. “Some mass graves have been found, we know the locations – there are six of them. The Hague tribunal investigators had done that. The commission] will also check whether there are some other graves,” he said. Members of the commission will continue work in coming days and will submit their first report on 17 February, as requested by the High Representative. |
| ICTY denies Plavsic will testify in trial of Milosevic | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Biljana Plavsic will not testify this week’ – Florence Hartmann, Spokesperson of ICTY Chief Spokesperson, yesterday denied information that Biljana Plavsic, former Republika Srpska President, will this week testify against Slobodan Milosevic, former Yugoslav President. She described this information as a “complete manipulation”. |
Political developments | |
| BiH Presidency discusses priorities, sets deadlines
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘BiH to get Defence Minister by February 15’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Appointment of Defence Minister, Commander by mid February’, Vecernji List page 2, “Defence Minister by mid February”, by Z.K. – BiH Presidency accepted the Program of Activities for Realization of Priorities in 2004 from the EC Report on feasibility of negotiations between BiH and the EU on the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). Presidency commended BiH Council of Ministers for Council’s activities on the road of BiH’s access to Euro-Atlantic integration. CoM is planning to organize a session with executive and legislative authorities of the entities. Similar session will be organized by the Presidency as well in the next 10 days. BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic told a press conference following the session that the meting will be organized to emphasise the importance that the activities are conducted in the given deadline. Further, the Presidency also adopted the Plan for realization of activities in the defence sector in regard to BiH’s admission into the Partnership for Peace. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Defence Minister of BiH must be appointed by 15 February’ – Following yesterday’s session of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, member of BiH Presidency, stated that the final date, by which first defence minister of BiH should be appointed is 15 February. He also said that activities related to BiH admission into NATO programme “Partnership for Peace” should have completed by the end of March, or 15 April at latest. |
| Kalinic proposes formation of three entities in BiH | Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Kalinic proposes formation of three entities in BiH’, Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Nothing beyond Dayton’, SRNA – Dragan Kalinic, chairman of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and RS National Assembly Speaker, said on Monday that the RS would not accept being reduced to cantonal level. “The RS is an inevitable historical, political and constitutional fact and we have no intention of changing that,” Kalinic said at a press conference in Banja Luka. Commenting on the latest European initiative, which envisages restructuring of BiH into 12 cantons, Kalinic said that the initiative was “yet another proof that the international community was helpless in resolving relations in the Federation of BiH in a way which would be suitable for both Croats and Bosniaks “. “The Federation has failed to adopt the budget, finalize the legislative activities on defence reforms or make any progress in the implementation of the constitutional amendments with regard to the constituent status of the three peoples,” Kalinic said. He said that the solution did not lie in disbanding the Federation because “the problem of the Federation is posed by national [Bosniak and Croat] bastions, which are formed in cantons”. “If that is the actual situation, then we should ask why it is not taken as a political reality and a proposal for grouping Croat and Bosniak cantons into new entities made so that BiH would comprise three entities,” Kalinic said. Dnevni List (page 11, not signed), Vecernji List (front and pages 4 and 5, “Serbs support third entity – Croat one”, not signed) also covered Kalinic’s statement. VL also carries SDA Vice President Elmir Jahic as saying: “The initiative of Mr. Kalinic should be discussed, however, first of all, we shall analyse this initiative because we have to be careful that it does not lead towards the division of BiH.” |
| VL: “Entities cost 250 million KMs a year” | Vecernji list (front & p 5, by Z. J.) carries that, should BiH get cantonised as per the proposal by the Executive Board of European Stability Initiative (ESI), most economic gain would go to tax-payers. Namely, by abolishing BiH entities, 250 million KMs from the budget, which is annually spent on unnecessary and inefficient entity administrations, would be directed to development projects and economic recovery, which is the basic guarantee that BiH joins the EU in 2009. Nikola Grabovac, teacher at Economy School of Sarajevo University and the former FBiH Finance Minister, says: “Abolishment of entities is necessary primarily for the sake of money saving and strengthening of institutions of this state which can hardly join European integration with such a complicated political organisation. Let there be parity of representatives of authority of all the 3 peoples on the state level and let these decisions be implemented on the ground by cantons.” |
| Tihic in favour of changes to Dayton accord
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Tihic supports revision of Dayton’, FENA – Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said on Monday that he personally supported an initiative by a group of deputies of the European parliament regarding the need to develop the Dayton Agreement. He added that the Presidency had not discussed the initiative. Speaking at a news conference held in Sarajevo after a Presidency session, Tihic said that he had underlined the need for the BiH Constitution to be changed on several occasions, because in its current form it was putting a brake on positive processes, including the country’s membership of European and trans-Atlantic integration processes. Dnevni List page 2, by E. Mackic, Vecernji List (page 4, “Tihic supports initiative for building on Dayton”, not signed) also covered this statement. |
| DL: Interview with HR Ashdown | Dnevni List (front and page 7, “Ashdown: If politicians do not reach consensus, I will impose solution on Mostar organization”, by R. Radic) carries an interview with High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Talking about the issue of the Mostar re-organization, the HR stated that framework principles have been agreed upon among all parties and about 90 % of all activities have been completed within the work of the Mostar Commission. Ashdown said that he will not change what they agreed upon in any way and added: “This means that we shall have to decide on two biggest issues: the issues of administration and the electricity system.” Asked by a journalist as two what kind of solution he proposes when these 2 issues are in question, the HR stated: “I have already passed the decision on the electricity system. The question that applied to the authority bodies has remained. The decision that I have passed has to be respected. On the ground of that decision, before export, electricity should be delivered to local consumers such as Aluminij. This is a temporary solution that is in force until the permanent one is passed.” Asked whether it is possible to implement a painless unification of the city the HR says: “It is a matter of a compromise, and it is hard to reach a compromise. That is the only future of this city. Naturally, the process will be painful, however, it will be less painful than the situation that we now have and because of which Mostar is a black hole in Europe. I will give my best to reach the consensus, however, if the consensus on the Mostar issue is not reached I will have to impose the solution.” Asked as to who will do the administrative and other work following reaching of the solution and who will be in charge of laying off administration staff, the HR replies the entire work will be done by the local bodies of authority but that there were talks with them as to whether they would need IC assistance. “We are not talking about a new international official but I have talked about a possibility of having a small Department that would be in charge of the implementation of the entire process and that would give support to the Mayors. I learned something like that would be useful.” |
| Braithwaite: Media received fake OHR document | Herceg-Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘OHR distances itself from fake press release’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Editors received fake OHR press release on Oja’, Dnevni list (p 2, by Nina), Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Fraud with seal’; Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Forged OHR release sent by mail’ carry that the OHR disassociated itself from the press release which many media outlets received yesterday and in which the OHR reportedly distances itself from Judge Jan Erik Oja. The statement by Julian Braithwaite, OHR Director of Communications, reads: “This document is not an OHR press release, was not sent by the OHR, and does not reflect the OHR’s views. The document shows the depths that some of the opponents of the independent judicial and prosecutorial reappointment process are prepared to go. By producing such a transparently fake OHR document, these people have undermined the credibility and integrity of all those opposed to this process and made it even harder to justify handing responsibility for this process to a fully BiH institution in April as planned.” |
| SD and DL editorials on Mostar issue | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, “Referendums lead to definitive division”, by M. Erceg) carries an editorial on Mostar re-structuring issue. The author says: “Through referendums politicians want to show that their peoples stand behind their political goals. The International Community is observing all this situation and it waits for an agreement of two opposed sides that cannot be reached.” The author also says that is impossible to reach the compromise and the solution that High Representative Paddy Ashdown will probably impose will not satisfy anyone. According to the author, this means that such, imposed solution cannot be implemented and a new crises will emerge. The author also believes that a new solution that that the HR will probably impose, will not make possible again an equal position of Croats in Mostar. The author concludes that, simply, it is not the right time for resolving of the Mostar issue. Dnevni List (page 2, “Referendum sit-together”, by V. Leto) carries an editorial in which the author harshly criticizes representatives of about 10 non-government organizations that act in the area of the Mostar Municipality North, who organized a public forum on the referendum that took place in this Municipality last month. The author says that at first they were criticizing the HR and then they decided to meet with him and talk about their rights. The author says that they simply do not have a firm stand and concludes: “They used to demand a unified city and now they want to put fences around playgrounds and then around God knows what.” Speaking about the current BiH political reality and the characters and profiles of leading BiH politicians (charges against Covic, Tihic’s campaign on Bosniaks being endangered, RS officials’ attitude towards war crimes) Dnevni List editorial (p 6, “Art of ignoring”, by Slavo Kukic) reads that they behave as if they did not know the issues of national interest were explicitly listed by constitutional provisions and as if those provisions did not exist. According to the author, Mostar issue is an illustration of that: he says the High Representative squandered his last visit to Mostar wrangling with SDA – HDZ partners and thus he reduced the Mostar issue to what these parties have reduced it to – to the issue of Croat-Bosniak relations exclusively. Reminding of SDA’s and HDZ’s turn in their positions on Mostar organisation, Kukic says that once these parties’ plans fail they find salvation in organising referendums as a means of further intimidation and homogenisation. Kukic concludes there is only one common denominator for this all – the art of ignoring. Ignoring of the Constitution, Law and life itself. “Is this not an excellent way for thieves and backroom dealers to hide behind the “national cause”?, Kukic asks. |
| People’s Party Working for Prosperity on N. Winterstein’s proposal | Dnevni List (page 8, “International Community in Mostar must make surgical cut”, by V. Kljaic) carries a n interview with a representative of People’s Party Working for Prosperity in the Mostar Commission, Adisa Vucina who says that this party sully supports the stand of that Chairman of the Mostar Commission Norbert Winterstein according to which Mostar should be a unified city that will function according to European standards. Commenting on the HDZ objections on the way of election of Councilors for the Mostar City Council, Vucina says that such reactions are a consequence of a sort of a half-way solution that Winterstein offers. She also says: “We were supporting the idea to pass a Statute that will be in force in future and that will be made to the benefit of Mostar citizens. The issue of protection of national interests has been regulated by laws at higher levels.” |
| Osmanovic on RS Day | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘SDA against terrorism’ – In a brief interview to NN, Adil Osmanovic, Republika Srpska Vice President, is of the view that Bosniaks and Croats are not equal with Serbs in Republika Srpska, noting that this is a reason enough why he did not attend the celebration of Republika Srpska Day. He denies any allegation, brining his political party (SDA) in relation with terrorists. |
Economic/social affairs | |
| OHR’s Hays on key economic reforms in 2004
| BHTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘BiH will be suffering until it feels the results of reforms’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Implementation of reforms must not be delayed’, Vecernji List (p 2, “Ensure EC marking to companies”, by Edina Medunjanin), Dnevni List (p 10, “Create conditions for new jobs and prosperity”, by Fena), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Accelerated privatisation is a priority for 2004’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Bureaucracy spoils the work’ carry that PDHR Donald Hays on Monday presented the list of economic reforms which BiH authorities must implement by June 2004 if they want to start talks on stabilisation and accession with the EU. The reforms that must not be delayed are: implementation of indirect taxation reform; creation of single business registration system; a coherent, comprehensive trade policy; improvement of institutions and services to support business and promote export; implementation of domestic debt package, acceleration of the privatisation process. Addressing a press conference at “Kana Textile Co.” in the Sarajevo municipality of Ilidza, Hays stressed that these priorities come from the previously launched reforms. Hays warned that, if BiH authorities wanted to demonstrate seriousness in the intention to create new jobs and progress, they had to work on difficult structural reforms that other transition countries had gone through. |
| Aluminij issue | Dnevni List (front & p 5, “Mostar-based Aluminij continues production”, by M.R.) unofficially learns that the implementation of the decision of Elektroprivreda Herzeg-Bosna (EPHB) and Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBH) to cut electricity to Aluminij today unless Aluminij accepts the price of 69.52 KM/MWh has been postponed until further notice. Intensive negotiations of the competent Ministry, Elektroprivredas representatives and Aluminij will continue in the meantime. DL assumes that OHR representatives will also take active part in the talks. |
| FBiH Government denies consent to RTV subscription fee collection through phone bills | Oslobodjenje back page ‘FBiH Government denies consent to RTV tax collection’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, ONASA – The BiH Federation Government on Monday denied to give its consent to the Agreement on the collection of RTV subscription fees via public companies of BiH Telecom and HT Mostar, maintaining the Agreement was not harmonized with the existing laws. According to the government, pointing out to the lack of harmonization were the FBiH Ministry of Trade and the Government’s Legislation Department. Based on suggestions given during the debate, the FBiH Ministry of Transport and Communications will in cooperation with the FBiH Ministry of Trade and the Legislation Department seek ways to harmonize the model of RTV subscription collection with the Law on the Consumer Protection, and to incorporate into the law a provision on the compensation of possible damage which telecoms might suffer because of such a mode of RTV fee collection. Vecernji List (front and page 2, “Fund for medical treatment of poor people”, by E. Medunjanin), Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “One third of funds from sale of companies to go to state”, by D. Pasic) and Dnevni List (page 4, “Program of care of dismissed soldiers adopted, contract on TV subscription refused”, by M. Relota) also covered this session. |
| CoM session interrupted over Budget consultations
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5 ‘IMF requests budget reduction for 10 million KM’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, ONASA – The BiH Council of Ministers interrupted its session on Monday in order to conduct consultations on the budget of the BiH institutions for 2004 and the draft law on budget execution. The session is to continue next Monday, and the final budget amount was today harmonized with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The budget will be for ten million KM less than planned and will amount to 480,568,875 KM. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 6, “About draft on distribution of budget for 2004 next Monday”, by Z. Rerig), Dnevni List (page 5, “BiH budget less by 10 million KM”, by J. Petrovic) also covered the session. |
| ITA establishment | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Pie more expensive than copper pan’ – GS claims that the establishment of the Indirect Taxation Administration of BiH would cost a lot, which can be concluded from the planned resources in the budget intended to cover expenses and financing of ITA. GS learnt from a well-informed source close to the Republika Srpska Government that European Commission and CAFAO have demanded that the amount of BAM 58 million is provided by budgets of Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, intended for the financing of ITA. The ratio has not been set as yet. GS source further makes a comparison by saying that the financing of the Republika Srpska Customs Administration and Customs Administration last year cost BAM 40 million in total. |
| BiH suspended export of electricity to Croatia | Oslobodjenje front page ‘BiH suspended export of electricity to Croatia’ Hajdar Arifagic – According to the newspaper, the BiH Elektroprivreda on Sunday ceased delivery of the electricity to Croatia, which was being done in accordance to the six-year contract, due to a reduced production in thermo-electric power plants in Kakanj and Tuzla. |
| New Banjaluka Clinical Centre management | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 9, ‘Banjaluka Clinical Centre got Steering and Supervisory Boards’ – At yesterday’s session in Banjaluka, the Republika Srpska Government appointed Steering and Supervisory Boards of Banjaluka Clinical Centre. The members of these Boards are to make their views on the candidates, who applied for the position of CC Director. Accordingly, the Director is to be appointed after they present their views, announced Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of Republika Srpska Prime Minister. |
| VL says that BiH CoM still does not have solution for protection of domestic production | Vecernji List (page 3, “Farmers support free trade but in 10 years”, by E. Medunjanin) carries that regardless of what kind of protective and stimulating measures the state authorities take, farmers will officially demand that the suspension on full application of the Free Trade Agreement with neighbouring countries is extended on 10 years. According to VL, food producers from BiH believe that this is a realistic deadline until which food products can be competitive at the markets of the neighbouring countries and Europe. |
Security affairs/legal proceedings | |
| FOSS affair (alleged state coup)
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘FOSS agents were tapping 30 members of the press’ – NN interlocutor close to the BiH Parliament Commission in charge of investigating alleged coup d’etat, said that the FOSS tapped 50 persons during the alleged “coup d’etat affair”, including 30 members of the press, prominent politicians and common citizens”. FOSS officials were previously claiming that they only tapped Munir Alibabic. Parliamentary Commission yesterday interviewed Zdravko Knezevic, Chief Prosecutor of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Miletic, Police Director at Interior Ministry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amir Jaganjac, President of Federal Supreme Court, Barisa Colak, BiH Security Minister, Munir Alibabic and Senad Avdic, Editor-in-chief of “Slobodna Bosna”. Slobodna Dalmacija last page, “FOSS was wiretapping over 500 persons!”, by Z. Rerig also carries that the Commission of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament that is in charge of Investigation on the so-called ‘a state coup affair’ held its session yesterday. Chairman of the Commission Tihomir Gligoric stated: “What can be said now, after today’s testimonies were given, is that we are certain that during the conducted investigations on this case certain incoherence in the work of bodies and institutions that were dealing with this problem was present. Also, it is evident that during its activities FOSS exceeded its authorities and thus over 500 persons were involved in the wiretapping action and their privacy was disturbed in this way.” Sarajevo media also reported on the issue. |
| Process against 34 tycoons charged with money laundering started before the BiH Court
| Vecernji List (page 3, “ ‘Uzdah’ laundered millions!?”, by I. Barbaric) carries that the process against 34 owners of trade companies charged with money laundering, who are mainly from the area of Herzegovina, started yesterday before the BiH Court. VL says that according to some unofficial information, due to money laundering the state and entities budgets were damaged for approximately for 15 million KM. The money laundering went through fictitious company ‘Uzdah’ from Banja Luka. Dnevni List (front and page 51, “Trail against ‘tycoons’ from western Herzegovina started”, by N. Dedic) also covered this information. |