| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Muamer Topalovic sentenced to 35 years in prison | Muamer Topalovic sentenced to 35 years in prison | Investigation and arrests after murder of Serbian Prime Minister |
| Report on revision of Sarajevo’s Elektroprivreda BiH Company released | Police arresting suspects for Zoran Djindjic’s assassination | RS Government orders tighter security measures |
| Council of Ministers determined new, lower price of personal documents | CoM decided: ID will cost 10, driving and registration licences 40 KM | RS Assembly discusses audit report on RS Elektroprivreda |
| Croatian Government established commission for financial support to BiH Croats | Upon revision of Elektroprivreda BiH, HR prohibits Edhem Bicakcic’s engagement in public companies | Audit report on BiH Elektroprivreda presented |
| Oslobodjenje | Topalovic sentenced to 35 years in prison |
| Dnevni Avaz | Minister Radovan Vignjevic claims: Preparations underway for firing 100,000 workers |
| Dnevni List | Topalovic gets 35 years; Edhem Bicakcic banned from holding public functions; Federation Government will support Aluminij |
| Vecernji List | Topalovic gets 35 years for Andjelics; Belgrade hunting for Mafia; Colak and Bond removed Vuksic; OHR accuses Bicakcic and Obradovic |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Topalovic gets 35 years; Djindjic’s murderers do not have refuge in Republic of Srpska; 500 million KMs evaded on alcohol, oil and tobacco; Financed F. C. Sarajevo and mansion with electricity money |
| Glas Srpski | “Zemun clan” suspected of organising assassination of Zoran Djindjic: Siptar and Legija on wanted warrant; Unofficial info: One bullet killed Djindjic |
| Nezavisne Novine | Police action following murder of Serbian PM, Zoran Djindjic: 56 members of “Zemun clan” arrested; Verdict passed against Muamer Topalovic at Mostar Cantonal Court: 35 years imprisonment to triple murderer; Audit at BiH EP: Dealings brimming with failures; BiH Council of Ministers: ID card cost 11 KM |
| Belgrade Nacional | Mihajlovic: We will revenge Djindjic; Funeral on Saturday; Korac: Government declares war on Milorad Lukovic’s gang; Jovanovic: Democrats to propose new PM on Sunday; Solana: we will help Serbia to realise Djindjic’s dreams; Otpor: We will not allow murderers to destroy Serbia; Covic: Security of the whole region jeopardised |
| Blic | 40 suspects arrested; Korac: Political plan behind Djindjic’s assassination; Jovanovic: We will realise Djindjic’s will; Legija, a specialist for war and killing, Spasojevic, a Mafioso with private jail; Day of national mourning in RS on Saturday; Mikerevic: it is not easy to find a new Finance Minister |
| Vecernje Novosti | Herald of Serbia |
| Slobodna Bosna | ‘Ashdown removing Sarovic because of Orao’, ‘New Presidency member Nebojsa Radmanovic’, ‘SB finds out exclusively why the love affair between the HR and ruling nationalist parties ended’ |
| BH Dani | ‘Days in Belgrade in the time of Zoan Djindjic’s murder – death is a master in Serbia’; ‘All Ljubljanska Bank lies’; ‘Days on the border of Turkey and Iraq’; ‘Bosnian fashion war’ |
Special audits | |
| Audit report on BiH Elektroprivreda presented
| Oslobodjenje pages 4-5. mentioned on the front page ‘Bicakcic without job, Obradovic without villa?’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page ‘Ashdown banned Bicakcic from holding public offices’ – The audit of the BiH Elektroprivreda showed that, in the company’s operations, there were no failures such as the case in the two other Elektroprivreda enterprises in BiH. Journalists were told at a press conference in the OHR building on Thursday that the failures had mainly been made during the period in which the BiH Elektroprivreda Directors had been Edhem Bicakcic and Meho Obradovic. According to PDHR Donald Hays, these failures include the construction of a too expensive Elektroprivreda headquarters building and establishment of a Diversification Department, budgeted at 22 million KM a year, to invest in projects and companies (such as a bicycle factory) to employ staff that would otherwise be laid off. The Department was headed by Edhem Bicakcic. The irregularities related to former Direktor Meho Obradovic include financing of the Sarajevo Soccer Club and taking a housing loan of 1500,000 KM. AS a result, Bicakcic was yesterday banned by the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, from holding any public office in any public company in BiH, as the role played by Obradovic will be further investigated by the authorized bodies. Ashdown said that the special auditor’s team had completed its job in the three Elektroprivreda companies but that it would continue with the audits in other public companies. Dnevni List (front and page 5, by M. Malic, “Edhem Bicakcic banned from holding public functions”) Vecernji List, front and page 2, by eme, “OHR accuses Bicakcic and Obradovic”, Slobodna Dalmacija, front and page 15, “Financed F. C. Sarajevo and mansion with electricity money”, Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘There are failures, but less than there were at EP’s of RS and HB’; Glas Srpski, page 4, ‘Directors on high voltage’, Blic pg. 7 headline ‘Directors caused damage’ also report on the audit report presentation. |
| Bicakcic on the HR’s decision | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Bicakcic: I will deal with agriculture’ – Edhem Bicakcic considers the High Representative’s decision to ban him from holding any public office in the public companies as a shocking, unexpected and fully ungrounded. Bicakcic told the newspaper that he had no financial authorities as the Head of the Diversification Department. |
| FBiH Government accepts OHR recommendations | Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Urgent measures in the BiH Elektroprivreda’ – With regard to the OHR auditor’s report on the operations of BiH Elektroprivreda, which apart from improvements points at certain problems that have to be resolved, the BiH Federation Government fully accepted at its session in Mostar on Thursday the recommendation by the PDHR Donald Hays. The Government ordered the Federation Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry to immediately inform the company’s management and Steering Board about their obligation to undertake urgent and efficient measures primarily related to the more efficient work of the company for the benefit of all citizens. |
| Nezavisne Novine: Reactions to BiH Elektroprivreda audit | Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘Former directors do not feel responsible’ – Edhem Bicakcic finds decision of HiRep to be completely illegal. He added that this is the third time that the international officials remove him from the position, stressing that: “This ban is in violation of basic human rights and is aimed at preventing me from presenting critical views”. Hamdija Hadzihasanovic, President of the Steering Board at BiH EP, stated that he expected to see OHR supportive of the current Steering Board and management at BiH EP, but he did not want to comment on decision concerning Edhem Bicakcic. Meho Obradovic, former Director at BiH EP, denied claim of the Special Auditor that BiH EP provided donations to Football Club Sarajevo. Obradovic referred to those amounts as loans. |
| Slobodna Bosna on consequences of BiH Elektroprivreda audit | SB pg. 26 and 27 ‘Orucevic calling for the removal of Kreso and Hadzihasanovic to take over the BiH EP’ – the article start off as saying that they can only speculate as to what measures the HR would undertake following the publishing of the RS EP audit (because the article was written almost a week before the report was published). The article suggests it could be possible the HR would remove BiH EP Director Enver Kreso in order to avoid accusations of using double standards. The angle of the article is however on Safet Orucevic, Deputy President of the BiH EP Steering board and his party (SBiH). The magazine claims the SBiH and Orucevic are lobbying for Kreso’s removal to pave the way for Orucevic to take over the BiH EP. The party still holds against Kreso the fact that he did not allocate any money from the BiH EP for the SBiH’s election campaign. Orucevic apparently saw the opportunity of taking over in the BiH EP since President of the BiH EP Steering Board, Hamdija Hadzihasanovic, resigned. |
| RS parliament on power utility | Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘Dodik: Contracts between RS EP and EFT should be broken’; Glas Srpski, page 2, ‘Electricity is shaking Parliament’ – Yesterday’s RS NA discussion on Special Audit report on RS EP resulted in tensions and temperature rise amongst MP’s. The reports on this issue were presented by Djojo Arsenovic, President of RS NA Board for economy and finance, Milica Bisic, Director of RS Tax Administration, Zoran Djeric, RS Interior Minister, Bosko Ceko, RS Chief Auditor. The discussion on this issue lasted until late last night. During yesterday’s resumption of 3rd session, RS NA adopted the conclusion, which obligated the Indirect Tax Commission (established by HiRep) to inform the RS institutions of all the important and significant matters related to reform of tax and customs administration systems. According to Oslobodjenje, pg. 9 ‘RS Government withdraw action plan on Elektroprivreda’, the RS Government on Thursday withdrew the proposed action plan for the RS Electroprivreda re-structuring and privatisation from the RS National Assembly’s agenda. The document will, according to Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, be discussed at one of the next parliamentary sessions. Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘Dodik: Contracts between RS EP and EFT should be broken’ – Milorad Dodik, SNSD President, proposed at yesterday’s session of the RS NA that all contracts between RS Elektroprivreda and London based EFT should be broken. Regarding this, he further said that: “The role of the Chairperson of the BiH Presidency, Mirko Sarovic, former Minister of energy, Bosko Lemez, Director of the Belgrade based Power Co-ordination Centre, Drago Skulic, EFT Director, Vuk Hamovic, former RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, should be examined. And also the blessing given on these affairs by Bishop of Zahum Herzegovina Region Grigorije.” Dodik referred to the SDS as the “criminalised organisation responsible for all misdealing”. Glas Srpski, page 2, ‘Struggle for authority’; Glas Srpski, page 2, ‘Response to Dodik’ – The Chairperson of the BiH Presidency, Mirko Sarovic, and the former RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, yesterday denied accusations by SNSD President, Milorad Dodik. Sarovic said that: “Milorad Dodik tells false stories in his struggle for power. In view of many people, Dodik is the most corrupted person in the RS. He has a tendency to sell something, which does not have to be sold in his efforts to assume authority. And on this path, nothing is sacred to him.” Responding to Dodik’s accusation that Sarovic is the most responsible for the Orao affair and should leave the position of the Chairperson to the BiH Presidency, Sarovic said that “that statement was shameful”. Mladen Ivanic denied all Dodik’s accusations, stressing that Dodik “is beyond small-town mentality and turns into ghetto gossip. I have no intention of commenting on Dodik’s gossip until he delivers some evidence, which he has not done so far.” Bishop of Zahum Herzegovina region Grigorije denied claims of the SNSD leader, Milorad Dodik, who said that RS top leadership enabled the EFT to get monopoly over power export from RS with his blessing. Bishop Grigorije said that: “In Herzegovina, I am dealing with the nation, not business activities. Accordingly, I call on anybody in position to help to provide aid to this people, because people in this region are hardly surviving. Saying goes: He who lies also steals, he who steals also kills. It is easy to say empty words at the open platform at RS NA. However, it is hard to look a man in the eyes and repeat those same words.” Belgrade Nacional pg. 11 headline ‘OHR report on RS Elektroprivreda’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 19 ‘Extraordinary session on thefts’ report on the RS NA session as Blic pg. 7 (headline ‘A month for 18 decisions’) reports that during the session, Dragan Kalinic and Milorad Dodik had a row over the special auditor’s claims. |
| Slobodna Bosna on audit houses | SB pg. 24 ‘The revision of audit houses’ – raises the issue of the audit houses, which, in the cases such as Elektroprivreda companies, failed to recognize any mismanagement that had been recently presented to the public. The magazine goes on to say that the audit houses receive large sums of money for the work they do. In the BiH Elektroprivreda, the ‘Revicon’ company was for example conducting the annual revision. Yet they never recognized any irregularities in the work of the company. The magazine claims the same is in the case of some other companies such as the Sarajevo Tobacco, ‘Agrokomerc’, ‘Aluminijum’. “Whatever the reason (corruption, lack of knowledge, poor work performance) the time has come for the revision of the audit houses,” concludes the article. |
Crimes | |
| Topalovic sentenced to 35 years in prison
| Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘Topalovic sentenced to 35 years in prison’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, mentioned on the front page – Muamer Topalovic was on Thursday sentenced to 35 years in prison for the last year’s murder of the three members of the Andjelic family in the village of Kostajnica near Konjic. The ruling was made by a Mostar Cantonal Court chamber chaired by Judge Hamo Kebo. Vecernji List (front and pages 2 and 3, by Robert Soldo and Zdenko Jurilj, “Topalovic gets 35 years for Andjelics”), Dnevni List (front and page 39, by N. Dedic, ” Topalovic gets 35 years”) and Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Darko Juka, “Topalovic gets 35 years”) also report on the issue. VL says that this is the biggest sentence passed against someone in BiH after a new Criminal Code has come into force in the Federation of BiH. Topalovic’s lawyer Aid Glavovic stated that the sentence is too big, while members of the Andjelic family, who were not in the court when the sentence was pronounced said that they are not satisfied with the verdict. According to them, Topalovic should have been sentenced for life. (Blic pg. 7, Vecernje Novosti pg. 15) |
| Djindjic murder update – 40 persons arrested | Regarding the murder of Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, Vecernji List (front “Belgrade hunting for Mafia” and pages 16-18 “Hunt for Siptar and Legija”, by Zorana Bajt) carries the Chief of Belgrade Police, Milan Obradovic, who said late afternoon yesterday that 40 persons have been arrested since the assassination, persons who are either members of the “Zemun” clan or linked to it. Obradovic also stated that the majority of persons who are on the list of suspects are on the run including the leaders of the clan, Milorad Lukovic Legija ad Dusan Spasojevic Siptar. VL also carries Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, Zarko Korac, as saying that the “Zemun clan” had a clear political plan to destabilize Serbia, cause new elections and install a government that would tolerate their criminal. Korac also dismissed an idea by former Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica that Serbia gets a government of national unity. (Dnevni List, pages 20 and 21, by Miso Relota, “’Zemun’ clan behind Djindjic murder”, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 3, by Tatjana Tagirov, “40 members of ‘Zemun’ clan arrested, main suspects on the run”, Jutarnji List, front and pages 2-6, by S. Simic, J. Trajkovic and B. Vujnovic, “Legija, the main suspect, on the run” and Vjesnik, front and pages 2-5, by Zeljko Garmaz, “Serbia day after: Army and Police hunting for Mafia from ‘Zemun’ clan”) Sarajevo media also cover the issue. |
| RS Press on post-Djindjic assassination developments | Glas Srpski, cover page story and page 3, ‘Siptar and Legija on wanted warrant’; Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ’56 members of “Zemun clan” arrested’ – The Serbian Government has announced that the so called “Zemun clan”, led by Dusan Spasojevic Siptar and Milorad Lukovic Legija is behind the assassination of the Serbian PM, Zoran Djindjic. According to Zarko Korac, Serbian Vice Premier, Zemun clan “is most probably the best organised gang in the Balkans in possession of millions of EURO’s, collected upon numerous abductions. They had everything: murderers and information sources.” This group is also suspected of having attempted assassination at Vuk Draskovic, abduction of Ivan Stambolic and attempted assassination at PR Djindjic at Sports Hall “Limes”, as well as for over 50 murders committed in the area of Belgrade. Other members of this group are: Mile Lukovic Kum, Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, Vladimir Milisavljevic Budala, Milos/Misa and Aleksandar/Aca Simovic, Miladin Suvajdzic, Dusan and Djordje Krsmanovic, Milan Jurisic Jure, Sasa Petrovic, Nikola Bajisc Baja, Dragan Vujicic Bego, Mladjan Micic Pacov, Srdjan Mijailovic, Loran Milic Locko, Dragan Ninkovic Prevara, Zoran Vukojevic Vuk and certain Leo or Leka. According to announcement released by the Serbian Government, “on the day of assassination of Zoran Djindjic, the arrest warrant of Zemun clan was supposed to be signed”. Serbian Government assessed that the assassination at Serbian PM was aimed at causing chaos, anarchy and fear in the state. According to GS and NN insets, Nebojsa Covic, Serbian Vice Premier, last night confirmed that the police detained for interviews the former Head of the Serbian State Security, Jovica Stanisic, and the first Commander of the Special Operations Unit known as “Red Berets”, Frank Simatovic Frenki. Glas Srpski, cover page story, ‘One bullet killed Djindjic’ – GS has learnt at the Forensic Institute in Belgrade that Serbian Prime Minister was murdered with only one bull;et. GS source claims that the autopsy established that one bullet, which shot Djindjic in the area between chest and abdomen, tore off his right heart chamber. The same bullet caused fatal injuries to his abdomen. Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Assassin of Djindjic fled to BiH’ – The police forces of RS and BiH Federation are in search for a person, suspected of being linked with the assassination of Zoran Djindjic. According to Brane Pecanac, Head of BiH InterPol, Serbian police informed Sarajevo Office of BiH InterPol shortly after the assassination of Zoran Djindjic that the person searched for is currently in BiH. However, he did not want to clarify in what entity that person may be hiding. Slavisa Vukovic, Head of BiH SBS, stated that following the assassination of Serbian PM,. The border police controls over borders between BiH and Serbia on grounds have increased. He added that controls at all BiH airports were also increased. Zoran Glusac, Spokesperson of the RS Interior Ministry, confirmed that RS police increased its control activities, stressing that “these measures were undertaken in order to prevent eventual negative reflection upon security situation in the RS.” Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Police increased controls in RS’; Glas Srpski, page 3, ‘Security level increased’ – Upon the assassination of the Serbian PM, the RS Government yesterday ordered the RS Interior Ministry to increase and undertake appropriate security measures throughout RS, in order to prevent illegal activities, that may reflect the security situation in the region. Glas Srpski, page 3, ‘Assassination of democracy’ – RS President, Dragan Cavic, and RS Vice Presidents, Ivan Tomljenovic and Adil Osmanovic, yesterday addressed a telegram expressing condolences to the wife of Zoran Djindjic. They also addressed telegrams to Serbian Government and the Serbian Parliament Speaker and Acting President of Serbia. Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Assassination may reflect on RS’ – RS Helsinki Board for Human Rights severely condemned the “brutal and criminal act of murder of Serbian Premier, Zoran Djindjic’. Helsinki Board warned that this crime may negatively reflect upon RS and entire BiH as well. Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Embittered over BiH Radio 1 act’ – NUN (Independent Association of Journalists) announced that it “is shocked and embittered over the behaviour of BIH Radio 1, which released the song “Ej Zorane Zorane” some time before 15:00 hrs on Wednesday, shortly before it broadcast 15:00 hrs news on death of Zoran Djindjic. We are ashamed over the fact that BiH is the only state in the world, that behaved so crudely in such a sad moment. We are also humiliated by the fact that such thing was done by media house, which should be in charge of re-unification of the media space in BiH.” Collegium of BH Radio 1 expressed deep regret over this unintentional omission. |
| Djindjic to be buried on Saturday | Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic will be buried on Saturday 15 March at 1400 in the Alley of Great Men in the Belgrade New Cemetery. Patriarch Pavle will hold a funeral service for the late Serbian Prime Minister in the Temple of St Sava on Saturday at noon.
Vecernje Novosti pg. 1-12, Blic pg. 1-5, Nacional pg. 1-7 also extensively report on the developments and reactions following the assassination of Djindjic. |
| Does the Serb Orthodox Church hide Radovan Karadzic? | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Does the Serb Orthodox Church hide Radovan Karadzic?’ By Edina Sarac – Apart from the RS Intelligence-Security Service and its head Risto Zaric, according to unofficial information, the Serb Orthodox Church and its Bishop Vasilije Kacavenda are also actively participating in providing support and protection to the most wanted war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic. |
| Hartmann on Karadzic | The Hague Tribunal’s spokesperson Florence Hartmann said that the Tribunal had reliable information that Radovan Karadzic had appeared in Montenegro. She claims that Montenegrian police does nothing in order to locate Karadzic. According to Hartmann, apart from Ostrog, Karadzic had appeared at other locations in Montenegro as well. (Nacional pg. 9, Vecernje Novosti pg. 16) |
| Slobodna Bosna on IC operation to undermine war criminals support network, ORAO affair | SB pg. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 ‘Ashdown did not approve the arresting of Mandic and Bjelica; because of Karadzic and Orao Sarovic to be removed soon’ – on the US led ‘Balkan Evil’ operation. According to the daily, the operation was planned a long time ago and was to be carried out last year under General Silvester’s command. Yet, the General was discouraged after two unsuccessful attempts to arrest Karadzic (in Celebicic and Pale). According to magazine’s sources fromt eh OHR, the initial plan was to arrest Mandic and Bjelica, but apparently HR Ashdown objected the plan saying it was enough to raid their property and remove Bjelica?! As for the RS intelligence and the RS Army, the magazine claims the connections with Karadzic were known from before and SGOR would certainly find the proof of such in confiscated documents. According to SFOR sources, the confiscated documents include reports from Brussels, as well as information of connections with certain French officers. Certain French officer called Erik, who has been in BiH for the past 10 yrs, is suspected of leaking information about the IC’s plans regarding the arrests of Karadzic and Mladic. An insert ‘Ashdown removing Sarovic – in the Presidency being succeeded by Paravac or Radmanovic’ – from IC circles that Ashdown almost finished a text for Sarovic’s removal. Either Boro Paravac would succeed him from the SDS, or Nebojsa Radmanovic from the SNSD (came in second in the Presidency race in the RS). |
Political/economic affairs | |
| CIPS
| Dnevni List (page 3, by Lj. S., “Price of identity cards 11, driving and traffic licence 41 KMs”) reports that the BiH Council of Ministers yesterday took a decision setting up prices of documents from the CIPS project. Personal ID will cost 11 and driving and traffic licence will cost 40 KM each. The decision also determines the reimbursement procedure for persons who paid their IDs 14,5 KMs. The daily also carries an OHR spokesperson, Vedran Persic, as saying the OHR will respect the decision. “The High Representative’s decision that the price of IDs be 14,5 KMs was a temporary one. The BiH CoM has not taken its decision so there is no need for the OHR to react”, says Persic. (Oslobodjenje pg. 6, mentioned on the front page ‘Driver’s and traffic licenses for 40 KM each’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, mentioned on the front page ‘ID card 10, driver’s and traffic licenses 40 KM each’, Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘ID card costs 11 KM’; Glas Srpski, page 2, ‘ID card costs 10 KM’) |
| VL on appointments to FOSS | Vecernji List (front “Colak and Bond removed Vuksic” and page 4 “Lozancic and Colak agreed removal of Ivica Vuksic with Clifford Bond”, by I. Pjanic) carries an article on appointments to the Federation Intelligence Service (FOSS) saying that the Federation President, Niko Lozancic, and BiH Minister of Security, Barisa Colak, both from HDZ, want the current Deputy Head of FOSS, Ivica Vuksic, out of FOSS and in that context that Lozancic and Colak had a secret dinner with the US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, when they received consent for the intention from the Ambassador. Bond requested that a new person be a professional and a non-compromised person. Slobodna Bosna pg. 15 ‘Almir Dzuvo candidate for FOSS director’ – that Almir Dzuvo, former Sarajevo Canton Police minister, has been nominated for FOSS Director. Still not known who nominated him to the post. After leaving the SDA he went to the SDP, and then to the SDU with his sponsors Miro Lazovic and Ivo Komsic. |
| SD: “500 million KM evaded on alcohol, oil and tobacco” | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 17, conducted by Dinko Pasic) carries an interview with Deputy Head of the Federation of BiH Tax Administration Vinko Krizan. Krizan says that during 2002, 840 fictitious companies, which made over 1,2 billion KMs of turnover, were revealed. Krizan says that people from the Federation Tax Administration suspect that between 300 and 500 million KMs were evaded on the ground of it.. The biggest turnover was with high-tariff goods, alcohol and beverages, coffee, tobacco and oil. Krizan explains that this means that the biggest tax evasion is marked with the high-tariff goods. Krizan says that these fictitious companies are present equally in all Cantons of the Federation of BiH. Krizan also said that the re-organization of the Tax Administration has been underway, as well as, drafting of a new Rule Book on Internal Organization and Systemization. |
| FBiH Government to support Mostar Aluminum | Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Government will support Aluminum’ – The Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and his deputy and the Federation Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic visited on Thursday the Mostar-based Aluminum Combine. The FBiH Prime Minister promised that the Government would support the company in its further development and in the process of resolving certain problems. Hadzipasic described the Aluminum as a company at the European level. |
| Preparations underway for firing 100,000 workers | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg 9 ‘Preparations underway for firing 100,000 workers’ – BiH Federation Labor and Social Welfare Minister Radovan Vignjevic told the newspaper that the FBiH Government would have to take measures to ease poor social position of approximately 100,000 workers who might lose their jobs once when inefficient companies have gone bankrupt. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 15, by Ivica Milesic) carries that Federation Prime Minister Ahmed Hadzipasic stated for RTV Zenica that after the application of Law on Bankruptcy almost 100 000 workers will lose their current places of work. He also said that the time has finally come to say which companies in the Federation of BiH can compete with the West since the companies that do not have market must not stand on the way of the profitable and successful ones. The companies without market must go bankrupt. |
| Dodik’s statement in Blic | “Relation of the current authority in the RS composed of the SDS, SDA and PDP could not help the RS, but only cause a damage. The political crisis in the RS is at its peak”, Milorad Dodik, leader of the SNSD, said. He said that the current structure of authority could not give an answer to the problems. Dodik said that he had talked about that with High Representative Paddy Ashdown, but, as Dodik said, Ashdown only cares about implementing reforms in BiH, so two of them have not achieved any agreement on possible changes. (Blic pg. 7 headline ‘Political crisis at its peak’) |
| Editorial: “Lagumdzija’s victory in Mostar” | Dnevni List (page 8, by Zvonimir Jukic) carries an editorial saying that unlike leaders of political parties, who come to Mostar only to attend funerals, SDP President Zlatko Lagumdzija paid visit to Mostar few days ago after last explosions and resignation of Mostar Deputy Mayor Neven Tomic. DL says that the fact that last SDP sessions took place out of Sarajevo shows that that this party will treat more equally all BiH centers. The editorial also says that Lagumdzija came to Mostar also in order to discourage those SDP officials who formed coalition with national parties for the sake of some small interests. |
| Haris Silajdzic interview for BH Dani | DANI pg. 9, 10 and 11 ‘Bush is destroying American dream’ – an interview with Haris Silajdzic. The main topic of the interview was the Iraqi crisis, but the interview did include questions concerning the situation in BiH. Asked whether BiH citizens should be afraid of the departure of SFOR troops and the arrival of the EU troops, Silajdzic said he would like to see that happening only after BiH joined the NATO or the EU. As for the US ultimatum regarding the exclusion of US citizens from the ICC, Silajdzic said that his reaction to each ultimatum is to say no. He however, could not say more on the issue claiming hw would have to see the actual paper before he could say more on the topic. |
International community/OHR | |
| BBC’s Nick Hawton in BH Dani on Ashdown’s relations with local media
| DANI pg. 30 and 31 ‘Ashdown in the midst of the media storm’ – written by BBC journalist Nick Hawton. Examines Ashdown’s relationship with the local media. It lists the order of events ever since Ashdown arrived to BiH. That initially he was welcomed by most media, but the support died down as he made several moves, which cost him his good relationship with certain media. For example, he removed Munir Alibabic, which turned SB magazine against him. That move, described by the author as Ashdown’s most controversial one, came as a surprise even in The Hague. Alibabic cooperated well with them. In a TV interview beginning of October, Ashdown refuted claims by certain Bih journalists saying he was not interested in ‘kafana stories’. What followed was an article in DANI magazine where Ashdown was criticized for insulting as valuable journalists as Gojko Beric. In the conclusion, the article reads that Ashdown could soon conclude the time had come to re-build the broken bridges. |
| Julian Braithwaite in BH Dani on Ashdown’s goal in BiH | DANI pg. 33 ‘Ashdown is hoping that nationalists will live up to the task’ by Julian Braithwaite (OHR Spokesperson) – saying that Ashdown’s goal in BiH is clearly formulated, and that is to help the country become functional and take the path that leads to the EU. At the same time, claims Braithwaite, Ashdown is also trying to do something even more ambitious, that is to build a national consensus in the favor of reforms and statehood of BiH. |