| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Federal Government has been appointed | First Srebrenica victims to be buried on 31 March in the Potocari Monument | First remains of Srebrenica victims to be buried on 31 March in the Potocari Monument | RS Government welcomes Commission for indirect taxation |
| Croatian Government introduces mandatory work to health workers in strike | BiH House of Peoples adopts the Law on Ministries | House of Peoples adopts the law on ministries and other administrative bodies in BiH | RS must preserve financial independence, says Sarovic |
| Elite American forces are already acting inside Iraq | OHR approves candidates for the new Federal Government | FBiH President Niko Lozancic brought decision on appointment of new government and submits it to the Federal Parliament | BiH House of People passed several laws |
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| In the NATO Council, no changes regarding defence of Turkey in case of Iraqi attack | Import of vinegar acid anhydride between state and entity | Council of Ministers adopted decree on 3-month financing |
| Oslobodjenje | Burial of Srebrenica victims as of March 31; OHR gave its consent – New FBiH Government to be appointed today |
| Dnevni Avaz | French Ambassador Bajolet: Our position on Iraq are not obstruction; Burial of Srebrenica victims to start on March 31 |
| Dnevni List | Interview with Federation President Niko Lozancic: All candidates got consent from OHR; House of Peoples of BiH Parliament held session: Law on BiH Ministries adopted |
| Vecernji List | Zenica: Following rebellion in Correctional facility: Croats will go on hunger strike; There are no vaccines against contagious diseases |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | BiH will claim war damages from Croatia too?; Pasalic creates new party out of HDZ wing |
| Glas Srpski | 10,000th issue of Glas Srpski: Creation of tradition; Kosovo Assembly adopted the statement on independence: Serbia is losing grip on Kosovo |
| Nezavisne Novine | American Businessman Slobodan Pavlovic confirms: “I had to give Vracar the Privredna Banka Doboj building”; Srebrenica-Potocari Foundation – Burial of Victims March 31st; RS Elektroprivreda and EFT – Agreement with London Dealer Signed with RS government’s approval; Niko Lozancic Names Government; Spajic – Let Deric show the criminal files; Analysis of entity school books – No room for insulting texts in books |
| Blic | Mikerevic: Noone requests resignations; New District Police Chief; Jasmin Samardzic: Refugees will not stay without roof over their heads; Sarovic: RS has to be fiscally independent; Henry Clarke: Brcko gives more then it receives |
| Slobodna Bosna | Alija Izetbegovic to Admiral Leighton Smith – I will arrest those responsible for the Pogorelica camp |
| BH Dani | ‘Visa for the future –Balije (an insulting word for Muslims) played |
Humanitarian issues | |
| First Srebrenica victims to be buried on 31 March | BiH electronic media, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘Burial of Srebrenica victims to start on March 31’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, mentioned on the front page – The first burials of the bodily remains of 582 Srebrenica inhabitants killed in July 1995 will start on 31 March, the OHR has said. A total of 10m convertible marks is needed for the construction of the Srebrenica, Potocari, memorial centre. Just over a half of this sum has been secured so far. High Representative Paddy Ashdown said at a press conference held in Sarajevo on Thursday that the construction of the Potocari memorial centre evokes not only the memory of Srebrenica’s victims but also all BiH victims. Ashdown said that it was necessary to continue securing funds in order to complete the construction of the memorial centre as soon as possible. Hajra Catic, from the Association of the Families of Srebrenica’s Victims, told journalists that on this very day, today, when the burial date was announced, she was very aware that close relatives and family members were dead. “And to you Ladies and Gentlemen from the international community – with gratitude for all your efforts to make sure that the bones of our children are finally laid to rest – we send a message once again to urge current Chairman of BiH Presidency and former RS President Mirko Sarovic and current BiH Foreign Minister and former RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic to tell you where Radovan Karadzic and his entourage of war criminals who are hiding with him are,” Catic said. BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo said that great efforts have been invested into making sure that the place where the crimes took place is represented in a manner worthy of its victims. “Unfortunately, mass graves are still being discovered, the bodily remains are still being gathered and identified in order to make sure that the victims are laid to rest in a dignified manner,” he emphasized. Head of the BiH Islamic Community, Mustafa Ceric, said that as far as mothers from Srebrenica are concerned there are no words of consolation. “But I call on them to find strength and to believe in the absolute justice – God’s justice,” Ceric added. Ashdown said the donations to the memorial fund so far had come from the state of BiH and the BiH Federation as well as from numerous foreign countries. However, he called on companies and businessmen to help the construction of the memorial centre. “Nezavisne Novine”, page 4 also reported on the press conference. According to the newspaper, Amor Masovic, a member of the foundation, explained that the members decided to pick a date by which identifications were to be completed to bury the first group of victims. “That date is January 15th. All those identified after this date and those who will be identified in the next few days will be buried on July 11th or earlier, depending on the wishes of the families” added Masovic. which will include all those identified up to then. |
Economic reforms | |
| SDS on customs, tax reforms
| Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘A condition for BiH integration into Europe’ – The Serb Democratic Party (SDS) said on Thursday that it expects expert team to come out in the next couple of weeks before the Republika Srpska (RS) Government and the assembly with a draft proposal for reforms of the customs system and introduction of the value added tax. “Any solution to these issues must take into consideration the constitutional frame of BiH and the RS, as well as the need for preserving of the budget independence of entities,” the SDS said in a statement. It added that further work of the expert team and progress in this field depended solely on the view of the RS Assembly. |
| Dnevni Avaz: Interview with PDHR Hays | Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘BiH will have state customs administration by the end of the year’ – Interview with the PDHR Donald Hays. Hays emphasized that by the end of this year BiH would have a functional state customs administration. “I believe everything will go in a following way: an agreement on the legal structure and the way of work will be made, and than will follow the consolidation, establishment of an internal control and checking on the candidates for the officers in the service,” said Hays. |
| FENA: Mikerevic welcomes Ashdown’s decision | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘VAT to BiH, customs administrations to the entities’ Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘There are inflexible formulations in Ashdown’s decision’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic expressed hope Thursday that representatives of the Commission for Indirect Tax Policy would prepare laws that are based on Annex 4 from the Dayton Accords and on European taxation standards. He welcomed the High Representative Paddy Ashdown’s decision on establishing the Commission and said that its establishment confirms the final objective, which is the common functioning of the VAT system at the state level. Mikerevic said that the decision has several rather inflexible definitions concerning the establishment of a common customs administration and distribution of revenue. He expressed hope that these inflexible formulations do not represent the final form of technical solutions. Mikerevic said that he expects the Commission to make the final touches and to make the solutions compatible with the constitutional structure of BiH. He repeated that the RS supports the introduction of a common VAT, but that tax administrations need to remain on the entity level and that taxation rates and procedures should be identical on the state level. He refused to present the names of RS representatives in the Commission. Commenting on OHR remarks that the recently signed agreement between RS and Serbian tax agencies cannot take effect Mikerevic said that he is not aware of its legal basis, but added that such agreements could help resolve problems in co-operation between BiH and Serbia. “Only through co-operation between tax agencies and other institutions in the region can there be success in the battle against organised crime”, he said. (Glas Srpski pg. 4 headline ‘A lot of fog till solution’; Nacional pg. 7) |
| Sarovic: RS must preserve fiscal independence | Chairman of the BiH Presidency Mirko Sarovic believes that RS must preserve its fiscal independence guaranteed by the Dayton Agreement, which means that all future solutions must be based on the BiH Constitution. “It is unacceptable for us that future solutions be made by outvoting and without a consent of competent bodies and institutions of the RS,” Sarovic said commenting the decision of High Representative Paddy Ashdown on the formation of a working group for decisions on unification of customs and introduction of the VAT at the level of BiH. Sarovic stressed that the RS National Assembly is the only competent to verify proposals related to the reform of the customs and tax system. (Glas Srpski pg. 4, Blic pg. 7 headline ‘Independence according to the Dayton’) |
| ‘Braithwaite on behalf of OHR officially confirmed – all revenues from VAT remain in entities’ | Slobodna Bosna – ‘Braithwaite on behalf of OHR officially confirmed – all revenues from VAT remain in entities’ on pg. 16 and 17 by Asim Metiljevic. On the introduction of VAT and customs. The magazine claims that behind the big talk on the subjects there is a big scam – the only thing that will be ‘united’ after the campaign is customs and tax rates. In other words – cosmetic changes, as the magazine calls it. The magazine supports their theory with several statements by OHR Spokesperson Julian Braithwaite and a study devised by the Economic University in Sarajevo and BiH Chamber of Commerce. According to SB, the study advocates the introduction of the tax feudalism, meaning the entity collection of revenues from that VAT and customs. RS officials, who have been strongly advocating the entity VAT, have been receiving claming messages by OHR Spokesperson Braithwaite who bluntly said that ‘entities won’t lose revenues that they are currently receiving from customs and taxes’. This means that he paved the way for the work of the newly formed Commission. According to the magazine, it is symptomatic that OHR Spokesperson already knows who would get revenues from customs and VAT, even though the Commission has not been constituted yet. The detailed elaboration of Braithwaite’s statement is also in the analysis devised by the Economic University, which indicates that the study was done base don instruction from the OHR. In the rest of the article magazine insists on the notion that the model devised by the University should be called for what it is – the entity VAT. Also, pointed out that the study gives no economic reason as to why the VAT has to be on the entity level. Even though the study claims that other ‘complex communities in Europe implement the fiscal federalism’, the study offers no examples. |
Political affairs | |
| FBiH President appoints the entity’s PM, ministers in the Government
| Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘BiH Federation to get new Government today’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘OHR approved appointment of all ministers’, news agencies and BiH electronic media – BiH Federation President Niko Lozancic on Thursday made a decision on the appointment of the prime minister, deputy PM and ministers in the BiH Federation government. Speaking at a news briefing, he said that the decision has already been submitted to the Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives, which is to discuss it and possibly confirm on Friday. Ahmet Hadzipasic is to be appointed for the prime minister, Dragan Vrankic for deputy premier and minister of finances, while Gavrilo Grahovac is to be the second deputy premier and minister of culture and sports. Miroslav Nikolic is the new minister of defence, Mevludin Halilovic minister of interior, Borjana Kristo minister of justice, Izet Zigic minister of energy, mining and industry, Nedzad Brankovic minister of communications and Radovan Vignjevic is the new minister of social welfare and labor. Edin Music is the new minister of refugees and displaced persons, Ibrahim Nadarevic minister of soldiers’ affairs, Tomo Lucic minister of health, Zijad Pasic minister of education and science, Maid Ljubovic minister of trade, Ramiz Mehmedagic minister of urban planning and environment, Marinko Bozic minister of agriculture and Mladen Cabrilo is appointed for the new minister of development and entrepreneurship. Lozancic said that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) has approved the appointment of all these ministers. Vecernji list (p 5, “Appointment of FBiH Government today at last” by D.J.) and Slobodna Dalmacija (front page & p 17, “The green light to Government at last”, by Dino Pasic) report that, after last Friday’s aborted attempt, the FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives is to finally declare itself today on the composition of the new FBiH Government following yesterday’s decision on appointments made by the FBiH President, Niko Lozancic. Dnevni list (p 5, “Domestic production as a foothold”, Fena) announces for today the presentation by Ahmet Hadzipasic, the newly-appointed FBiH PM, before the members of the FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives. Most part of the presentation relates to overview of the economic situation in FBiH and perspectives for the future, as well as the main objectives in this field and measures for their realization. Hadzipasic is to point to the necessity of stimulating branches of industries that can produce the most and cheapest. Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 and Glas Srpski pg. 3 headline ‘Ahmed Hadzipasic is Prime Minster’ also covered the issue. |
| Interview with Federation President Niko Lozancic | Dnevni List (front and page 5, conducted by Miso Relota, “All candidates got consent from OHR”) carries an interview with the Federation President, Niko Lozancic, in which he says that finally the vetting of ministerial candidates has been completed and necessary consents were received from the OHR. Lozancic says he is not personally pleased that the process of appointment of the Federation Government requires the consent and vetting, however he acknowledges that the DPA has established the OHR with authorities higher than BiH institutions. Commenting on some claims that the appointment of President of the Federation Supreme Court violated the Federation Constitution, Lozancic says that himself and Vice Presidents of the Federation of BiH were consistent in implementation of amendments 49 and 74 to the Federation Constitution, which clearly define the order of appointments. “In that sense, after the legislative bodies have been constituted, first goes the appointment of the Federation Prime Minister,, after that the officials at key positions in the Supreme and Constitutional Court and Federation Prosecution. It will have to be solved over the next few days but after the confirmation of appointment of the Federation Government”. |
| SDP Secretary General sends open letter to HR | Dnevni List (front and page 4, by S. K., “We demand responsibility over violation of FBiH Constitution”) carries an open letter that the Secretary General of SDP, Svetozar Pudaric, sent to the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, in which Pudaric protests against appointment of the Federation Government with Ahmet Hadzipasic at its helm due to the fact that the Bosniaks are already appointed to two key positions in the Federation authorities, namely the Speaker of Federation Parliament’s House of Representatives and President of Federation Supreme Court. “We cannot believe that you, the High Representative, who enacted constitutional amendments on constituent status of peoples, were not involved in the process of appointment and confirmation of the Government and that you failed to react to grave violation of the Constitution of the Federation of BiH. We expect you, pursuant to authorities of the High Representative, to undertake appropriate measures so the formation of the Federation Government is carried out in accordance with the Constitution of Federation of BiH”, reads the letter by Svetozar Pudaric. Pudaric says provisions of amendment 49 to the Federation Constitution have been violated. |
| BiH House of Peoples adopts Law on Ministries | Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘BiH Law on Ministries adopted’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Governor Nicholl warned the Law on Ministries not in compliance with the Constitution’ – The BiH House of Peoples on Thursday adopted the draft law on ministries and other administration bodies in BiH under urgent procedure and without the possibility of lodging the amendments. However, it also passed a conclusion obliging the Council of Ministers within seven days after the law is announced, to prepare amendments in accordance with the objections of the BiH Central Bank (CBBH) Governor, Peter Nicholl. Nicholl has warned the House of Peoples that certain provisions of the draft law are opposed to the law on the CBBH and the BiH Constitution. The House of Representative recently passed this law under the identical procedure. Addressing the House, Council of Ministers’ Chairman Adnan Terzic dismissed the claims that the provisions are unconstitutional, but did not refuse a possibility that provisions are contrary to the law on the CBBH. The adoption of the law was supported by 13 delegates in the House, while Mustafa Pamuk and Tomislav Limov were against. The House passed a conclusion according to which the Council is obliged to provide care to the workers of the state bureaus that are to be closed, and to take over their functions. These are the bureaus for health care, employment, international scientific, technical, educational and sports cooperation, protection of cultural and other heritage, etc. The works of the bureaus will be transferred to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Foreign Ministry, according to the law. At the session, the House also passed the law on import and export of arms and military equipment. The House of Representatives had earlier adopted this law. Nezavisne Novine pg. 7, Glas Srpski pg. 3 headline ‘Unfinished law adopted’; Blic pg. 7 headline ‘Terzic: Provisions are not unconstitutional’ and Dnevni list front page & p 3, “Law on BiH Ministries adopted” by M.R.also report on the issue. |
| Slobodna Bosna interview with a RS Vice-president Ivan Tomljenovic | Slobodna Bosna – ‘Let Ashdown change the Constitution of abolish the current vice-presidents of the RS’ on pg. 18 and 19 by Aleksandra Malic. Interview with one of the RS vice-presidents Ivan Tomljenovic (Croat). He talked about the problem of vice-presidents in the RS, which he best described by saying that he was merely Cavic’s ‘flower arrangement’ (ikebana). He said that to change the current low position of the RS vice-presidents it was necessary to make changes to the Article 80 of the RS Constitution. He said that the process would be very difficult, but offered two options. Either to start a petition and then request the changes to the mentioned Article or HR Ashdown should impose the changes. He said he was determined to allow Bosniak and Croat reps to take part in the decision-making process. Asked of certain activities in the RS government (i.e. current appointment of the new head of the RS Army HQ), Tomljenovic said he knew nothing about it and never received the ‘Orao’ report. Asked whether he was supported by his colleague Adil Osmanovic (Bosniak Vice-President in the RS gov.), he replied that he read in the papers that he had Osmanovic’s support, but they never talked about it. Asked whether he thought he would have better cooperation if he was from the HDZ, Tomljenovic confirmed, but added the problem was both his political and national commitment. |
| Main stories covered by this week’s Dani | The most prominent story in today’s issue of DANI is actually the one from the cover-page and continues on pg. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. It is all about the most watched show on FTV – a local series entitled’ Visa for the future’. Ever since it started the broadcasting, the series has been labeled as very tacky and promoting nationalism. Other prominent stories commentary by Gojko Beric ‘Murder in the first’ on the war crimes in the past war and cleansing of the ethnic identity (pg. 26 and 27). Furthermore, on pg. 28 and 29 a story on the riots in the Zenica penitentiary entitled ‘Spontaneously set four building on fire?!’ by Esdan Hecimovic. Also, on pg. 38, 39, 40 and 41 ‘Return the special force policemen’ by Vildana Selimbegovic. The coverage of DANI magazine – initiated gathering at the Kamerni Theatre in Sarajevo last weekend in support of 19 Sarajevo policemen. Carries statements by many prominent individuals – lawyers, actors, MoI members, singers, journalists, and politicians. Two small articles in the ‘BOSANSKI ABROMETAR’ column OHR-related. First one entitled ‘OHR, SDA and HDZ’ was given two black dots, meaning a terrible move. Combines the problems of vetting and the establishment of the new Federation government. The magazine thinks the whole thing is nothing, but a farce – the SDA and Tihic complaining about OHR relaying on dossiers devised by Alibabic for the vetting procedure, OHR expressing regret for the non-establishment of the new government and the HDZ saying there were many weird circumstances surrounding the vetting process. “The weirdest thing is that the farce continues despite the fact that everyone got what they wanted: the OHR (intelligence information), the SDA (an excuse for being late with reforms) and the HDZ (a chance for their internal party relations be resolved by the IC),” ends the article. The second article ‘OHR and Mladen Ivanic’ has also been given two black dots (again a terrible move). Attacking Mladen Ivanic. First, his visit to America, which, according to the magazine, he used to suck up to Bush’s Administration by siding with them on the issue of Iraq. Secondly, the magazine points out Ivanic’s persistent opposing to the VAT and single customs introduction. It points out that finally OHR reacted when a question was posed whether Ivanic was defending interests of the citizens or his own. The question asked by the first OHR Spokesperson, addressed to Mladen Ivanic, would make all the sense in the world if former RS PM did not go untouched through the distraction of the Alliance. He got on an SDS train, and no one from the IC ever questioned his devotion to reforms.” |
International community | |
| French Ambassador to BiH on Iraqi crisis
| Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 9 ‘French Ambassador Bajolet: Our positions on Iraq do not represent an obstruction’ – The France and Germany supported by Russia will today present to the UN Security Council a new plan for the resolution of the Iraqi crisis. “At the moment, I cannot even imagine that Iraq may be attacked without a proper resolutions and the approval by the UN. If this would happen, it would be the end of the international order,” French Ambassador to BiH Bernard Bajolet said in an interview with the newspaper. |
| Interview with Mark Wheeler, Director of ICG in BiH | Slobodna Bosna – ‘Petritsch and Lagumdzija shared the authority; Paddy Ashdown rules alone’ is a title of an interview with Mark Wheeler, Director of the ICG in BiH conducted by Danka Savic. Wheeler firstly emphasized the importance of continuing the implementation of Annex 7, which was the topic of the ICG’s last report. The report stated that is the current rate of return would hold, the return of 150,000 people and possibly even more could be expected by the end of the year. As for the new report they are working on, which will tackle the issue of nationalist parties being re-installed, Wheler gave some information on it. He said that the situation with nationalist parties has not change much and that the SDS is the same old party crowded with criminals and lunatics. As for the SDA – he said that they changed their behavior, but he was doubtful anything has really changed in their platform. He finally talked about the HDZ saying it was incredibly how their leaders are now promoting ‘the real things’. As for the work of Ashdown, he said he had no reason to be ‘too nice’ to Sarovic or Tihic, and their co-operation did not resemble the one of Lagumdzija and Petritsch who were equals. He said that many people in BiH and abroad criticized Ashdown’s moves so far, and the fact is that sometimes he is very careless. Wheeler stated that the reason for that was that the IC was running out of time, which Ashdown understood and therefore had not time to lose. He also added that Ashdown set out his priorities very well. |
Affairs/other developments | |
| SD: “BiH will claim war damages from Croatia too?”
| Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Zlatko Tulic) reads that some political circles in Washington expressed concern with the International Court of Justice’s ruling to start a case against Serbia and Monte Negro on account of genocide, the lawsuit that was started by BiH. The daily goes on to say that “it is interesting to mention a recent statement by BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, who revealed there were indications BiH could start procedure on war damages against the Republic of Croatia too”. In that context, SD says that similar thoughts have “possessed” some individuals within SDA, for instance, Irfan Ajanovic, who deems that a lawsuit against Croatia would join Zagreb and Belgrade against BiH. “If that happens, the truth would face two opponents and we would lose because the IC would stand by them. At this moment of quest for the truth we go against Serbia and Monte Negro, and only when that process has been finished, then we can talk about possible lawsuits against other factors, including the International Community”, says Ajanovic. Vecernji List (p 18, by E.M., “Tihic rejects ‘suggestion’ by the US”) reports that Sulejman Tihic, BiH Presidency member, has rejected the latest “suggestion” of the US Government that BiH gives up the lawsuit against Serbia & Montenegro. |
| Doboj Bank issue | “Nezavisne Novine” page 3 – They told me that I could not buy Privredna Banka Doboj until I gave the Nova Banjalucka Bank, Mr. Vracar, the old bank building in the centre of Doboj. American businessman of Serb background, Slobodan Pavlovic spoke with “Nezavisne” by telephone from his office in Chicago, confirming the deal struck to sell the bank building in Doboj for one Euro to Nova Banjalucka Banka, headed by former RS Finance Minister Milenko Vracar. Director of the Pavlovic Bank, Milenko Mihajlovic, passed on the former RS finance minister’s ultimatum by telephone to his boss in Chicago. “Mihajlovic told me: “That’s the only way. Vracar wants the old bank building in Doboj. If we don’t agree, we won’t be able to buy the bank”. Pavlovic says he agreed to this and authorized Mihajlovic to sign the agreement whereby the building in Doboj was sold to Nova Banjalucka Banka for one Euro. RS Public Prosecutor Jovan Spajic, last week ordered an investigation into the case by police and the Supreme Auditor’s office. |
| Spajic: Let Deric Show the Criminal Files | Nezavisne Novine, page 3 – RS Public Prosecutor, Jovan Spajic, yesterday called for the minister of the interior to name the officials who had criminal charges laid against them so that he could find “those prosecutors who are hiding files in desk drawers”. Responding to accusations made by Zoran Deric, minister of the police, that “39 criminal cases are sitting in prosecutors’ desk drawers, Spajic said that before the minister criticizes the prosecutor’s office, he should name the officials he was referring to. “I know that the prosecutors are doing their jobs, but if there are such files shoved into drawers, we can only check this when he names the people. At this moment we don’t know which cases the minister was referring to when he gave the statement” said Spajic. Due to all the accusations exchanged between Deric and Spajic recently, Spajic said he would be meeting with the minister soon to discuss the processing of criminal cases against so-called well known individuals. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, that it is not up to the government to investigate this matter, but that it was the job of the prosecutor, police and auditor of the public sector. “When speaking of this issue in particular, I think it makes no sense that the building was sold for one Euro” said Mikerevic in Banja Luka. The Prime Minister yesterday again said that he did not request nor receive the finance minister’s resignation over the sale of the Privredna Banka Doboj affair. |
| Agreement signed with RS Government Approval | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 2 – There is nothing disputable in the agreement between RS Elektroprivreda and the British company Energy Financing Team (EFT), which was signed with the approval of the RS government “Nezavisne” were told yesterday by the deputy director of legal affairs for RS Elektroprivreda, Mirko Mijatovic. Mijatovic said that the details of the agreement are not a secret and that the agreement would be made public in the following days. “RS Elektroprivreda cannot check on EFT’s credibility” said Mijatovic. When asked why RS Elektroprivreda did not come to an agreement for export of electricity directly with the Elektroprivredas of Serbia and Montenegro instead of going through an agent (EFT), Mijatovic said that neither the Serbian nor the Montenegrin companies bid on the tender. When asked why RS Elektroprivreda charges citizens twice the price for electricity than what they sell it for abroad, Mijatovic said there was nothing strange about this and that this is the way electricity is sold around the world. |
| Investigation of 29 people suspected of committing war crimes begins | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 2 – The Uno-Sansko Prosecutor’s office has put in a request to the Investigative judge of the Bihac Cantonal court for the investigation of 29 individuals suspected of committing war crimes against civilians between 1992 – 1995. Two individuals have been charged with committing war crimes by the Bihac Cantonal Court. “Most of the 29 individuals being investigated are originally from the region of the Sanski Most municipality. This is the first time since the end of the war that such details have been made public. The Sanski Most municipality is one of the best documented regions when it comes to gathering information and facts on war crimes” said the Sanski Most public prosecutor, Senad Biscevic. He added that all these years they were waiting for the “green light” from the Hague Tribunal for domestic courts to be able to process cases of war crimes. No names or information on the ethnic backgrounds of the people under investigation are being released in order not to hinder the investigations. Biscevic said that investigations were being done in close cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. “The Hague Tribunal is carefully monitoring all the proceedings. This is about confirming individual responsibility of individuals suspected of committing war crimes. Until those individuals are brought to face justice, no lasting reconciliation process in BiH will be possible.” |
| Minister Bogicevic Representative of State Capital | “Nezavisne Novine”, page 3 – Milan Bogicevic, RS Minister of Economy, Energy & Development, is the representative of state capital in the Modrica oil refinery. This was decided at the RS government session held yesterday in Banja Luka. The government passed this decision after former RS Minister for Industry & Technology, Pero Bukejlovic, resigned from the position. The way is now clear for forming an executive board for the oil refinery. The refinery shareholders’ meeting scheduled for today has been postponed for seven days. |
| Pogorelica case | Slobodna Bosna, the front-page story that continues on pg. 5, 6, 7 and 8 by Suzana Mijatovic. Tells of a testimony of the key-witness in the Pogorelica case –US Colonel David Hunt. He was Advisor and Chief of Personal security of IFOR Commander in BiH in 1996 – Admiral Leighton Smith. Even though the trial has been closed for public and media, the magazine received information from a senior diplomatic source. During the testimony, Hunt revealed that IFOR has information on nine different training camps in BiH, Pogorelica however being the most dangerous one. He explained that they held several meeting with BiH President at the time, Alija Izetbegovic, asking him to close the Pogorelica camp and warning him of the dangerous. According to IFOR information, the money and equipment for Pogorelica came from Iran. When Izetbegovic failed to act, the IFOR devised their own plan of attack and raided Pogorelica, detained 11 persons (who were released after a day) and confiscated large amounts of weapons and ammunition. Amongst the documents they found, Hunt singled out the one that a plan of attack on UNPROFOR on 60 pages. Hunt also said that after the raid, they met again with Izetbegovic who promised that all those who were in charge of the camp would be legally prosecuted. |
| SD on disconnection of electricity to households | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 17, by Darko Juka, “Households owe up to ten thousand marks for electricity”) says that the Office of Ombudsman has been warning and an OHR spokesperson Avis Benes has reminded of practice of disconnection of electricity to households on grounds of old debts. The author says that Elektroprivredas of Herceg-Bosna and BiH continue with a practice to disconnect households due to debts amassed more than one year ago, which should be, in accordance with the laws, written off. SD notes that the OHR warns that disconnection are mostly applied against socially endangered categories of people. (Vecernji List, page 2, O. C., “Concern over disconnection of electricity”) |
| VL on situation in Zenica prison | Vecernji List (front “Croats will go on hunger strike” and page 3 “Rebels ready to destroy and burn down the whole prison”, by Zdenko Jurilj) learns from an anonymous prisoner of the Zenica Correction Facility that the prison’s management did not dare to put organizers of the Tuesday/Wednesday rebellion to solitaire because the prisoners threatened the management if the management decided to go ahead with the punishment, prisoners would destroy and burn down the whole prison. The same source says that as long as the management is run by Chief warden Hidajet Jabandzic and his Deputy Zdravko Maric, new rebellions are likely to happen. “The rebellion is related to change of Federation authority and departure of the technical, the Alliance’s Government”, says the source. The same source states that the Croat inmates did not take part in the rebellion and goes on to remind about the difficult position of the Croat inmates. “We are ready to go on hunger strike if something is not changed”, says the source. |