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| Transmission problems | Gojko Jankovic surrender | Gojko Jankovic surrender |
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| RS PM on Jankovic’s surrender | Algerian group extradition issue |
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| Mikerevic on | Foreign currency savers activities |
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| Council for vital national interests | Program dedicated to Ivo Andric |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Gojko Jankovic surrender | Gojko Jankovic surrender | HR on Venice Commission report |
| Feature on Jankovic’s crimes | Bukejlovic on Jankovic’s surrender | Gojko Jankovic’s surrender to ICTY |
| Ramus Haradinaj case update | Milano conference on BiH prospects | Lukovic brothers arrested for murder |
| The ICTY cases update | Power stations on Neretva | Izetbegovic knew of war |
| Oslobodjenje | Pre-hearing on lawsuit for genocide (BiH versus SCG) |
| Dnevni Avaz | Edhem Biber warns: FBiH Government delays review (of the privatization) |
| Dnevni List | Historic success of Ljubuski |
| Vecernji List | State is paying Energopetrol’s debt |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croat related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | An advantage for others, an obstacle for us |
| Nezavisne Novine | Gojko Jankovic in the Hague today |
| Blic | Serbian journalists avoided lynch with difficulties (int. handball match in |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features |
| Nacional | Features |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| War crime indictee Jankovic heads to | Herceg Bosna Radio, AFP – Serb war crimes suspect Gojko Jankovic left |
War Crimes/Cooperation with ICTY | |
| Former RS military commander in Foca Jankovic to surrender to The Hague Tribunal
| TV Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘Gojko Jankovic to leave for The Hague today’, Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Gojko Jankovic to leave for The Hague today’, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Gojko Jankovic goes to The Hague today’, by NINA, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Gojko Jankovic in the Hague today’ by S. Gojkovic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Jankovic voluntarily goes to the Hague’ by G. Klepic and D. Todorovic, Vecernje Novosti pg 15 ‘In the interest of RS’ by M. Labus, SRNA – Hague indictee Gojko Jankovic (wartime deputy commander of RS military police in Foca, on Sunday informed the government of the RS and the government of Serbia that he had decided to surrender to the Hague Tribunal on Monday. Jankovic will leave for |
| RS PM Bukejlovic welcomes Jankovic’s decision to surrender | TV Pink, FTV, RTRS – RS Prime Minister, Pero Bukejlovic, welcomed Gojko Jankovic’s decision to surrender, saying that it represented Serbian and RS determination to cooperate with the ICTY. |
| Preparatory hearing with regard to BiH lawsuit against SCiG to take place in The Hague today
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash ‘Preparatory hearing with regard to lawsuit for genocide’ and pgs 4 and 5 ‘Preparatory hearing with regard to lawsuit for genocide in The Hague today’ by A. Kalamaujic – Heads of BiH and Serbia and Montenegro legal teams, Sakib Softic and Radoslav Stojanovic, should agree before the International Court of Justice in The Hague today (on Monday) as to how long the main hearing with regard to the BiH lawsuit for genocide should last. Osl. says that two sides should come out today with separate requests for the period necessary for presenting the evidence at the trial which begins on |
| BiH Court President says foreign judges to work with War Crimes Chamber only temporarily
| BHT, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Foreign judges to be engaged in War Crimes Chamber only temporarily’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Foreign judges to leave (the War Crimes Chamber: in three to five years’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘International judges in BiH only temporarily’ by N. N., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Foreigners only temporarily’ not signed – Foreign judges in the Court of BiH War Crimes Chamber will stay there only temporarily, for five years, said the Court of BiH president, Medzida Kreso. They will be then replaced with local judges, who will be appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council. Kreso added that foreign judges in the Court of BiH were paid by their respective Governments. Part of them has working experience from the ICTY. |
| RS POWs to met with Kreso: No trials to Serbs in former prison camps for Serbs | Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘RS inmates at Meddzida Kreso’s today’, not signed – A delegation of the Association of RS POWs will be meeting with the President of BiH Court, Meddzida Kreso, in order to inform her about the position of the Association that the members of the Association will not be responding to summons issued by the Court, which is situated in the former ‘Viktor Bubanj’ military barracks, which used to be an infamous war-time camp for the Serbs. |
Political Developments/Reforms | |
| Ashdown on
| BHT, TV Hayat, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Authorities in BiH must read the report’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Changes in BiH than changes to (HR) powers’, Dnevni List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Reduction of Ashdown’s authorities put ‘on hold’’, by NINA, Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Ashdown: Functionality of state a priority’, by F – The High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, stated on Sunday that those who wish to promote changes in BiH future, should be careful not to misinterpret the report of the Venice commission. The first priority is to make the state more functional and the report clearly indicates that the High Representative’s powers should not be altered until BiH becomes such a state, according to Ashdown. The High Representative welcomes the report of the |
| BiH politicians comments on possible reduction of OHR’s authorities
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Tokic: Extreme left and right mind HR’, mentioned on cover ‘Extremists mind HR’ by A. Malagic – At the conference in Milan, PDP President Mladen Ivanic stood for abolishment of current High Representative’s authorities by the end of the year, while SDA President Sulejman Tihic believes that the authorities should not be reduced without the change of current constitutional organization of BiH. President of SBiH Presidency Safet Halilovic believes that those who want obstruction of the Dayton Peace Accord or his selective change mind existence of the HR. Dobrica Jonjic from NHI believes that the Bonn’s authorities of the HR are too big, however, state institutions are not ready yet to take over responsibility for future BiH. Sejfudin Tokic from SDU believes that the presence of the International Community is necessary until BiH harmonizes its constitutional and legal system with European standards. SDA Secretary General Sefik Dzaferovic stated that BiH still needs the OHR and HR. SNSD Secretary General Igor Radojicic stands fro gradual reduction of the authorities which should be completed by the next year at the latest. TV Hayat – RS political parties say that BiH Constitution should not be changed but that the HR’s powers should certainly be reduced. They stress out that there is no reason for RS to be referred to as the one that obstructs. “We once more repeat that there are 160 ministries, but only 16 are in RS”, said SDS representative, Bosko Siljegovic. “Domestic political forces have to be in charge of BiH and in that sense they should seek for solutions by which the HR should end his mandate. As soon as we manage to do that, chances to improve economic activities and development arte greater”, said PDP representative, Dragan Mikerevic. |
| Reactions on Venice Commission recommendations
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘An advantage for others, an obstacle for us’ by N. D. – carries reactions on Venica Commission conclusions with regard to necessity to change BiH Constitution. RS Ombudsman Vitomir Popovic says the fact BiH is comprised of several levels of the authority cannot be seen as an obstacle for the admission to EU and says some other EU members, such as Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘BiH institutions should take the responsibility’ by S. Gojkovic and R. Cengic – carries a statement of HR Paddy Ashdown with regard to the Venice Commission conclusions as well as reactions of several politicians. SNSD President Milorad Dodik says SNSD supports the stance of the Venice Commission by saying authorizations of HR should be reduced. Secretary General of SDP Svetozar Pudaric claims all parties will soon need to agree to discuss changes of BiH Constitution on the basis of concrete suggestions. HDZ Spokesperson Pero Pavlovic and SDS Spokesperson Slavko Pivasevic did not want to comment on this matter. Party for BiH thinks Venice Commission recommendations should be followed. |
| Conference on BiH’s European prospects ends in
| FTV – Conference on BiH perspectives on the road towards European integrations ended in |
| PDP’s Mikerevic comments on conclusions of
| TV Pink Aida Doric – In |
| SDA’s Palavric: Those making decisions related to BiH accession to EU are losing patience every day
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Those making decisions related to BiH accession to EU are losing patience every day’ – The representatives of the international community have delivered a clear message that the exact time of BiH accession to EU and PfP depends only on BiH and its politicians, according to SDA Vice-president Seada Palavric, who as a member of the party delegation participated at a two-day meeting on “BiH in tenth year after Dayton – Road to European Future” held in Milan. Palavric emphasized that those making decision related to the BiH’s European future were losing patience every day. |
| Interview with German Ambassador to BiH: BiH is not a protectorate
| EuroBlic RSpg 4 ‘BiH is no longer a protectorate’ by Marija Jandric – In a page long interview to EuroBlic, Arne Freicher von Kietlitz, German Ambassador to BiH, says that “politicians in BiH have not identified themselves to a sufficient extend with the reforms’ tasks ahead of them, and the fact is that majority of reforms have been implemented mainly on the basis of HR’s demands. It is necessary Governments in BiH finally sit together and take over things in their own hands.” He further notes: “The sort of international community presence in BiH has nothing to do with protectorate.” |
| HR in Trebinje: Police reform does not represent weakening of RS sovereignty
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Police reform does not mean weakening of RS sovereignty’ by V. D. – Police reform in BiH does not represent a centralization of MoI governing or abolishment of the Dayton Agreement, i.e. weakening of RS sovereignty, as HR Paddy Ashdown has stated in Trebinje. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Paddy, when will you go home?’ by M. B. – reports on a radio show at Trebinje radio station, during which HR talked about police reform in BiH and also carries several questions citizens have asked. Most of citizens have asked whether the police reform promotes a centralization of BiH and whether this was an attack against authorization of RS. |
| OHR preventing appointments of two SIPA employees?
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘OHR is preventing the appointments of Emir Bijedic and Mijo Golub’ by M. Cubro – Several collocutors of NN from SIPA and BiH Ministry for Safety have confirmed OHR sent a letter to BiH Ministry of Safety, CoM and SIPA recommending them not to appoint Emir Bijedic and Mijo Golub to leading positions at SIPA. According to a source from the Ministry, OHR letter gave no explanations for this recommendation. Bijedic and Golub refused to comment on OHR letter. |
| TV Pink feature story on RS Council for Protection of Vital National Interests
| TV Pink Ljubisa Davidovic – |
| DL: Only OHR can resolve situation in Municipality Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje
| Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Only OHR can resolve situation in Municipality Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje’ not signed carries that the OHR and OSCE failed to make closer stands of parliamentary parties in the Municipal Council Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje in order to pass the decision on temporary financing of that Municipality. DL also says that HDZ keeps demanding to preserve the position of a Deputy Head of the Municipality, while SDA and other parties are against it. According to the article, many people believe that the OHR only can resolve this situation. |
Economic/Social Issues | |
| BiH Trade Union leader Biber says lobbies doing their best to prevent review of the privatisation | Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘FBiH Government delays review (of the privatization)’, pg 3 ‘Lobbies doing their best to prevent review of the privatisation’ M. Kukan – According to the article, the lobbies not wanting adoption of a law on review of privatization have been very active in the past period. “However, accepting such pressures would be a very bad message to the BiH citizens, since such a law is designed to support fight against crime thereby the establishment of Rule of Law,” said Edhem Biber, the President of the BiH Association of Independent Trade Unions. |
| VL: Double standards in FBiH when it comes to companies incurring debts, honouring financial obligations
| Vecernji List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘State is paying Energopetrol’s debt’, by Zoran Kresic – Speaking about the ‘Energopetrol’ case, a Sarajevo-based FBiH-owned company that sells oil and oil derivatives and which has incurred some 100 million KMs of debts, the daily notes the case is an example of double standards that are being applied in BiH where the only criteria is whether a company is situated in the Bosniak or Croat-majority part of the FBiH. VL explains that the debt the company has incurred is double the debt the Lijanovics have allegedly caused in the affairs involving them (the Lijanovics), still the Bosniak ministers in the FBiH Government, especially the FBiH Minister of Industry, Izet Zigic, are lobbying that the state takes over the majority of the debt. To explain the extent of the lobbying, VL notes that the then Director of Financial Police in Sarajevo, Mirsad Barjaktarevic, in 2001 refused to act upon the order of the then FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Covic, and start the collection of debt. |
| DL interview: PDHR Hays on economic situation in BiH
| Dnevni List, pgs 6-7, mentioned on front ‘Sales tax is dividing BiH’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – Carries an interview with outgoing Principal Deputy High Representative, |
| Terzic: IMF conditions stand-by arrangement with new requests
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Means from GSM licence, salaries and loans disputable’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – According to the Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, although everything was, in general, agreed regarding the signing of this year’s stand-by arrangement with the IMF (50 million US$), the IMF changed some terms just few days before the signing of the agreement to which the BiH authorities cannot agree because the IMF did not provide valid arguments. Among several changes, Terzic says although it was agreed after seven months of negotiations that the salaries at the state level (budget beneficiaries) should be reduced by 10%, the IMF now requests that the salaries be reduced by 15%. According to Terzic, this request could hinder the functioning of state bodies and BiH efforts to assume responsibility. |
| NN interview with WB Director for BiH: Fulfilling of obligations is a pre-requisite for a support
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Fulfilling of obligations is a pre-requisite for a support’ by P. Klincov – In a full-page interview to NN, World Bank Director for BiH Orsalia Kalancopoulous has stated that, if BiH authorities fail to fulfill pre-requisites foreseen for granting funds from three projects of World Bank, they would face great difficulties in realizing this year’s budget, including payments of salaries. She also said if BiH authorities were not able to continue with implementation of projects as it was agreed, it would be very hard for WB leadership to ask from the Steering Board to grant new funds to BiH. |
| VN: Dubajic case similar to the Alijagics’ one
| Vecernje Novosti pg 6 ‘Confusing verdict’ by Sl. Pesevic – reports on the case of Ratko Dubajic, a person who has filed a lawsuit similar to the lawsuit of Alijagic brothers at Cazin Court. He had filed a lawsuit against Cazin Health Care Centre and the Court brought a verdict in his favor but, for the difference from Alijagic case, the amount he was entitled to was 0,19 KM, 34,000 KM with interests. |
| Terzic says measures to protect domestic agriculture had to be taken
| Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Measures are just short-term protection of domestic production’ by M. Cubro – In a half-a-page interview to NN, Adnan Terzic, BiH COM Chair, does not expect BiH relations with SICG and Croatia would deteriorate following introduction of customs fees on some agricultural products from these two states. Terzic says: “We had to protect our domestic production.” He notes these measures are on short-term basis, stressing that only entity governments can help domestic production on a long-term basis. He reiterates his stance regarding police reform, stressing that this reform must be implemented and European standards must be applied. |
| RS Minister of Agriculture: Negotiations on free trade with SiCG and
| Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Negotiations on free trade with SiCG and Croatia necessary’ by SRNA – Goran Perkovic, RS Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Engineering, stated in Modrica that joint activities of BiH with SiCG and Croatia would find resolvment for the latest developments regarding export and import of agricultural products. He added: “Agreements on Free Trade, which BiH had signed with SiCG and |
| DL: Demobilized HVO (Croat) soldiers excluded from negotiationson demobilized soldiers’ issues
| Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Demobilized HVO soldiers excluded from negotiations’ by M. Karacic carries President of the Association of demobilized BiH Army soldiers Mehmed Sisic as saying that the meeting of the Associations of demobilized soldiers with representatives of the Federation of BiH Government should take place at the end of March and the topics of the meeting would be employment projects and resolving of demobilized soldiers’ housing issues. DL says that people from the Association of demobilized HVO soldiers stated that this Association has not been informed about this meeting yet. DL also reminds that President of the Association of demobilized HVO soldiers Marko Radic stated recently that media published a few times that Croat representatives participated at the meeting with the current authority representatives, however, according to Radic this was not the case and that Bosniak representatives only attended these meetings. |
Covic Case | |
| VL: Covic to meet state secretary of Holy See Sodano, perhaps even the Pope – prosecution of Croat officials might be on the agenda | Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Covic in Rome with Sodano about political pressures’, by Zoran Kresic – VL learns from sources close to the Catholic Church that the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, will be talking in the next 15 days to the state secretary of the Holy See, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and perhaps even to the Pope himself, should the Pope’s medical situation permit. VL notes that the Holy See is informed about the situation in BiH, especially with the criminal persecution of Croat officials, which coincides with the creation of environment that is necessary to carry out changes to the constitutional arrangement in BiH. |
| HDZ to declare itself about Covic case this week
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘HDZ on consequences of latest decisions of judicial bodies in BiH’, by Miso Relota – According to unofficial information, the HDZ Presidency will be meeting sometime this week in order to declare itself “about political aspects and consequences of latest decisions of judicial bodies”, namely about the confirmation of the indictment against the HDZ Vice President, Dragan Covic. The HDZ earlier noted that the party would accept all decisions that are taken in a legal procedure. |
| VL: High-profile cases to justify money spent on reform to judiciary in BiH
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Rigged processes in order to justify reform to judiciary’, by Zoran Kresic – Talking about high-profile judicial cases in BiH, such as the ‘Croat self-rule’ and the case involving the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, and the President of BiH Constitutional Court, Mate Tadic, the author notes that when it comes to the former, the key problem is that the Prosecution needed four years to realize that several persons are not guilty of charges they were charges with. When it comes to cases of Covic and Tadic, the author writes that after four years of pressures and blackmails, after which the two did not want to “cooperate”, the persecution intensified. The author goes on to say that “only through the process against the Head of State and President of Constitutional Court, the money invested into the ‘reform of judiciary’, hiring of well-paid foreigners in the BiH Court and Prosecution can be justified, as well as the money spent on the four-year long story on the Croat self-rule as criminal organization”. |
| DL: Situation with Tadic is bigger disgrace than with Covic
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Disgrace’, by Nermin Bise – Commenting on the indictment against Dragan Covic, the Lijanovics and Mate Tadic, the author notes that the focus of the media is the Croat member of BiH Presidency, whilst Tadic, as the President of the BiH Constitutional Court, has only been incidentally mentioned. According to the author, the fact that the President of the |
| Dnevni Avaz: Who will replace Covic?
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Who will replace Covic?’ Commentary of the Day by Sead Numanovic – According to Numanovic, there are different views inside HDZ BiH on who might replace Dragan Covic in the office of Croat member of the BiH Presidency bearing in mind that the day of his leaving the office in one way or another (resignation or removal) is closer and closer. Numanovic says that Martin Raguz, the senior HDZ official and member of the state parliament, would obviously be the best solution for the international community. However, some inside the party oppose such the possibility. There is an option to appoint Ivo Miro Jovic, who would be, according to Numanovic, a sort of Croat Paravac in the BiH Presidency (NOTE: such comparison probably refers to Paravac’s incompetence, nationalistic attitude making him a politician easy to be manipulated). |
Defence | |
| NATO Commander Schook: Accusations against BiH Army Brigadier Cikotic were false
| Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Cikotic removed from Army by mistake’ by S. Hodzic – The article says that Commander of the NATO’s Headquarters in BiH General Steven Schook sent an unusual letter to retired Brigadier Selmo Cikotic in which he informed Cikotic that all claims because of which Cikotic’s candidacy for the position of the Head of the Joint Headquarters of the BiH armed forces was disputed lat year, were incorrect. Osl. says that Cikotic was also retired at that time and as reason for the measures taken against him SFOR stated ‘possible responsibility for war crimes’. In the aforementioned letter Schook also stressed that Cikotic can be appointed in state institutions now, however, Osl. says that there is no a single, vacant position for Bosniak Generals at the moment. According to the article, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic offered Cikotic the position of General Rasim Delic (he used to be Tihic’s advisor for military issues), however, Cikotic did not accept this offer for the time being. |
| RS PM Bukejlovic says RS not jeopardizing defense reform in BiH
| RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘RS Government dedicated to defence reform’, not mentioned, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘RS Government supports defense reform’ by Srna, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘We are not jeopardizing reforms’ by Srna – RS Prime minister Pero Bukejlovic stated that RS Government is not endangering the process of defence reform in BIH. He added that Serb representatives would continue to work in the Commission for defence reform in BIH. |
| GS interview with Rafi Gregorian: three more pre-requisites to be fulfilled for admission to PfP
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Three times for the Partnership’ by G. Dakic – in an interview to GS, Co-Chairman of Defense Reform Commission Rafi Gregorian has stated BiH needs to fulfill three more pre-requisites set in 2003 in order to become a member of PfP. The pre-requisites are: to fulfill at least 65% of posts of defense bodies at BiH level, BiH needs to establish an efficient command and control over armed forces and it needs to achieve a full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, including arresting and transferring war crimes indictees. |