| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Floods in FBiH | Floods in Srbac | FBiH HoR in session | Floods in RS |
| Floods in RS | Floods in Modrica | Floods in Bihac | Control of oil import |
| FBiH HoR in session | FBiH HoR in session | Floods in Central Bosnia | Radovanovic on reforms |
| HNK Govt in session | Ashdown in Travnik | Ashdown in Travnik | SNSD on new protests |
| Oslobodjenje | There was never more drugs in BIH than today’; Ashdown: If needed, SFOR will help; SDA and SBiH offer 52 million KM for workers |
| Dnevni Avaz | Sjekirica for Avaz: I am going to Madrid on Friday!; Ashdown visited flooded villages’ Radovanovic: In BiH there is no consensus on accession to NATO; About 7000 signatures for dismissal of the FBiH government collected |
| Dnevni List | Paddy Ashdown visited flooded settlements in Travnik Municipality; Law on direct elections of heads of municipalities adopted |
| Vecernji List | SFOR forces a possible target of terrorist attacks; People surrounded by water: Paddy Ashdown visited flooded Gladnik |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Rivers flood fields and threat houses; Izetbegovic expelled Croats from central Bosnia together with mujahiddin |
| Glas Srpske | Illegal dismissals; Mobile Madeline; Town under water siege; Miroslav Starovlah – If only they recovered |
| Nezavisne Novine | Floods in BiH – Water recedes, damage stays; Debts blocks work of Srpski/Bosanski Brod Oil Rafinery – They pay BAM 1 million per month to Italian Count Serena; Reforms in BiH – No money for SIPA, launching of State Intelligence Agency late; How Medicinska elektronika Banjaluka does business – Loans payed with premises |
| Blic | Nikola Radovanovic: Generals for Joint Command in vetting process; Level of most rivers is dropping, state of emergency proclaimed in four municipalities |
Floods update | |
| Floods update: Una, Driva, Sava water level rising; Pliva and Vrbas on decrease
| Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Ashdown visited flooded villages’, pg 3 ‘Dwellers asked for SFOR assistance’, Oslobodjenje entire pg 7, Nezavisne novine pages 4&5 ‘Huge damage in RS – Water level decreasing’, ‘Army is ready to help’, ‘State of emergency in Kljuc municipality, Samac and Modrica; Mostar in danger again’, Blic front, pg 13 ‘State of emergency in four municipalities’ – wide coverage of floods in BiH. RHB, FTV, BH TV 1, RTRS – Electronic media extensively covered floods in Brcko District, critical situation in municipalities Samac, Srbac, Laktasi, Prijedor, Modrica, Central Bosnian Canton, Bihac; and other places around rivers Una, Sava and Drina, whose water levels are still in raise. The water level of rivers Vrbas and Pliva have been reported to decrease. Significant material damage is obvious in all parts of BiH. |
| Ashdown visits hit area of Travnik | RTRS, RHB, BHTV 1, Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Ashdown visited flooded villages’, pg 3 ‘Dwellers asked for SFOR assistance’, Oslobodjenje cover ‘Ashdown: If needed, SFOR will help’, pg 7 ‘If needed, dwellers will be assisted by SFOR’, Dnevni List front pg splash ‘Paddy Ashdown visited flooded settlements in Travnik Municipality’, pgs 4&5 ’15 000 inhabitants endangered along Lasva river’, Slobodna Dalmacija front page splash ‘Rivers flood fields and threat houses’ and page 6 ’50 houses flooded’, Nezavisne novine page 4 ‘Ashdown: SFOR will help’- The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, visited the village of Gladnik in Travnik Municipality, which has suffered great damages in the latest floods. On the occasion, HR said that he has talked with the Commander of SFOR, who assured him that the SFOR troops are standing ready to provide help if necessary. Ashdown also said he was glad to hear that the local authorities are acting efficiently, because this matter is above politics. Travnik municipality is one of the most severely hit regions in BiH and approximately 100 houses have been evacuated. FTV – The situation has nothing to do with politics or ethnicity, stressed Ashdown while expressing the support to people that suffered due to floods. Vecernji List front page splash ‘People surrounded by water: Paddy Ashdown visited flooded Gladnik’, pgs 4&5 ‘Floods endangered 20 000 people in Central Bosnia’- VL says that it is sad that the HR came to visit residents of this village before representatives of the cantonal authority did it although this area has been flooded for 6 days. The HR stated: ”My coming to this area is also my solidarity with these people who are suffering, who are faced with flood and who need help.” |
Political issues | |
| FBiH HoR adopts the law on direct election of municipal heads | RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Amendments on direct election of municipal heads adopted’, Vecernji List page 2 ‘Amendments to direct election of heads’, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 6 ‘Citizens directly elect heads’, Nezavisne novine pg 11 ‘MPs discussed direct election of mayors’ – At the extraordinary session held on Tuesday, the FBiH House of Representatives adopted the draft Law on the direct election of municipal heads in the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is expected that the FBiH Parliament’s House of Peoples will declare its position on this draft law on Thursday. The law defines that municipal heads are directly elected by registered voters, and foresees the preferential voting system, while the municipal head will have a four-year mandate. The house earlier passed amendments 104 and 105 to the FBiH Constitution regarding the local self-governance. Amendment 104 foresees that that organization of the local self-governance system is under the FBiH jurisdiction, while amendment 105 states that municipal councilors and head will be elected directly by the voters. President of the Caucus of the HDZ, Croat Demo-Christians and Croat National Union Coalition said that amendment 104 is unconstitutional. HDZ deputies voted against it explaining that this would present a transfer of local administration to the FBiH level. Chairman of HDZ Club, Ivan Madunic said that they were outvoted in their attempts to protect FBiH Constitution. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Draft Law on direct mayors elections adopted’ – Madunic added: “I expect the High Representative Paddy Ashdown to reaction to this game.” He also announced that Croat representatives in House of Peoples will also object to this amendment. Dnevni List front and page 3 ‘Law on direct elections of heads of municipalities adopted’ – ‘You cannot take away something from someone, especially not by changing the Constitution… This is a grave violation of the Constitution and an anti-Dayton game’, says Madunic. BHTV 1 – The Law on direct elections will now allow citizens to vote for a person, rather than for a party. Voting ballots will have written names of several candidates and voters will be able to vote for more than one. FTV – The Law on direct election was forwarded to parliamentary procedure for urgent consideration by the President of the Party for BiH caucus, Ismet Brga. “I believe that our decision to start a reform of the Law is a serious step toward affirmation of Local Governance and citizens’ influence on formation of political flows in general”, said Ismet Brga. The House accepted the initiative of the SDP for the BiH Parliament to pass a BiH Law on the local self-governance and the Law on Sarajevo as capital city. |
| SNSD holds new protests | RTRS, Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Protest in Vlasenica on Sunday’ – Opposition is still dissatisfied with the situation in RS, and rest of BiH, which is a reason SNSD will hold new protests, this time in Vlasenica on 18 April. Members of this party’s main board concluded at the session held in Laktasi that BiH Government is unable to improve the situation and fulfil the conditions from the Feasibility Study. “We consider that authorities in RS and in BiH didn’t understand the message of citizens from protests in Banja Luka, and therefore we will carry on with those activities as we said before, and we are announcing protests in Vlasenica [to be held on] 18 of this month”, said Nebojsa Radmanovic, Chairman of SNSD Main Board. SNSD said they still believed that early elections are a necessity. |
| SD interview with ESI director | Slobodna Dalmacija page 15 ‘BiH should be cantonized’ by E. Zelic – In an interview with SD, Director of European Stability Initiative [ESI] Gerald Knaus says that the International Community did a good job in the post war period, however, he also believes it is obvious that the IC cannot resolve the current BiH problems. Knaus also said that ESI is criticizing the structure of the OHR since ESI believes that the OHR’s structure does not match the current situation. Knaus says that the work and behavior of the IC in BiH should be similar to the form that is being applied in Romania and Bulgaria. Knaus also says that the ESI supports cantonization of BiH in order to create BiH with 12 equal units (the RS, Brcko District and 10 Cantons that currently exist in the Federation of BiH). |
| Interview with RS Vice President Tomljenovic | Slobodna Dalmacija page 17 ‘Serbs are always against Croats’ by A. Macanovic carries that RS Vice President Ivan Tomljenovic stated for Banja Luka weekly ‘Puls’ that the relations of Croats and Bosniaks in the Federation of BiH are the relations from necessity and that the fact is that they live separately, ones next to the others and not together. He added that the situation will be like this until the economic calculations suppress national thinking. Tomljenovic also said that Serbs were always taking side of those who were against Croats. Tomljenovic also believes that the presence of the International Community in BiH is more than necessary in order to keep under control peoples in BiH and help BiH to approach NATO’s program Partnership for Peace and EU. |
Security and defence issues | |
| Round-table on BiH security and defence holds in Sarajevo | BHTV 1 – Roundtable on subject “BiH Security – BiH in NATO membership?” was held on Tuesday in Sarajevo in organization of BiH Alliance for Security, where participants affirmed importance of BiH’s admission to Partnership for Peace from security aspect, and discusses fulfillment of all required conditions. Participants of the roundtable included members of the NGOs, officials of legislative and executive authorities, as well as the representatives of international organizations. In opening remarks BiH Minister of Defence Nikola Radovanovic indicated the advantages BiH would gain by joining PfP, and said that a big progresshas been made. “I have to say now that even Mr. [James] Locher, Head of Defence Reform Commission said this process is going well and that BIH will fulfil requests for entrance to PfP by the end of May”, said Radovanovic. RTRS – The President of Security Alliance, Sejfudin Tokic acknowledged progress in defence, however pointed that level which would pleas NATO has not yet been reached. Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro to BiH, Stanimir Vukicevic said that both countries are determined to access PfP and to help each other in that process. He also added that SCG and BiH admissions should not be mutually conditioned. Dnevni Avaz cover ‘In BiH there is no consensus on BiH admission to NATO’, pg 8 ‘Radovanovic claims that there is no consensus on BiH admission to NATO in BiH’ – DA carries that in regard to BiH’s admission into NATO, Minister Radovanovic said that there was no clear or overall political consensus on the BIH admission to NATO. Radovanovic explained for DA that while working in Defence Reform Commission he got impression that there was a difference in accessions to PfP and NATO, adding that there were still some things to be worked on, such as a part of voters, especially in RS, opposing to joint BiH army, etc. Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘I still did not receive an answer from SFOR’, Dnevni List page 2 ‘BiH is country safe enough to join Partnership for Peace’ – also covered the conference. |
| Blic int with Radovanovic on BiH chances to be admitted to PfP in June | Blic front, pg 12 ‘Ready for the Partnership’ by Marija Jandric – “NATO Summit, which will be held in Istanbul on June 28 and 29, would be a realistic date for the admission of BiH to the Partnership for Peace, because we have met almost all technical preconditions. The only thing that could cause problems is the issue of cooperation of BiH with the hague Tribunal, but I think everything will depend on individual stances of the Governments of NATO members”, BiH Defense Minister Nikola Radovanovic has stated. He thinks events in BiH are crucial for the admission of BiH to the Partnership for Peace, but cooperation with the Hague is the main political precondition BiH needs to meet. In the interview, Radovanovic also gave his opinion on what BiH needs to do in order to be admitted to the Partnership, what would BiH gain through the memberships in the Partnership for Peace and NATO, he commented establishing of a Joint Military Command in BiH, defence reform and future organization of the military budget. |
| SFOR carries out vetting procedure for future BiH Army generals | BHTV 1, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘SFOR checks generals suggested’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Vetting procedure for generals’, Vecernji List page 3 ‘SFOR is still checking officers’ – SFOR spokesperson Dave Sullivan says that SFOR currently conducts vetting procedure for the candidates proposed by the BiH Defence Ministry for leading positions with the BiH Armed Forces. Sallivan added that this has been a comprehensive process, as these are important appointments, and that SFOR conducts the process with the appropriate urgency as part of its support to Defence Reform and progress towards Partnership for Peace. Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Names of Army commanders will be known by the end of week’ – BiH Defence Minister, Nikola Radovanovic, said he believes that vetting procedure will be completed by that time. “Therefore, names of new 13 Generals will be known by the end of week”, Radovanovic stated. |
| Defence Ministers of SEECP countries to meet tomorrow | Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘BiH closer to PfP’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Meeting of SEECP Defence Ministers’ – BiH Foreign Ministry announced that the meeting of Defence Ministers from the member states of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process [SEECP] will be held on April 15 at hotel Terme at Ilidza. Defence ministers of the SEECP states will meet to discuss cooperation in the defence sector between the countries of the region, and also identity the modalities of future cooperation. The meeting will also be an opportunity for the first BiH Defence Minister to brief the colleagues from the region about the course of fulfilling the priorities from the Feasibility Study, which refer to establishing the state-level defence ministry and the joint defence structures. |
| Sjekirica in Sweden; BiH authorities cooperate with Spanish police | Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Sjekirica for Avaz: I am going to Madrid on Friday!’, pg 2 ‘Sanel Sjekirica is in Sweden, and on Friday he travels to Madrid’ by Fadil Mandal – DA says it learns that BiH citizen suspected to be connected to terrorist attack in Madrid in March, Senal Sjekirica, is currently in Sweden. After having this confirmed by BiH Embassy to Sweden, DA got in the contact with Sjekirica who was in friend’s apartment. “I learned only last Saturday that authorities were looking for me,” said Sjekirica to Avaz’s journalists, adding that when he saw Spanish newspapers he was shocked. He also confirms that he already contacted Spanish police, who allegedly told him that they don’t hold him a suspect in the case, but that they need to check some connections. Vecernji List pg 10 ‘Sanel Sjekirica is in Sweden’ – mentions Sjekirica is in Sweden. Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Swedish posts lost Sanel Sjekirica’s passport?’ – Oslobodjenje carries that BiH Foreign Ministry claims that the passport of BiH citizens Sanel Sjekirica confiscated by Spanish police in Madrid apartment, in which three terrorist suspects committed suicide, was previously lost by Swedish posts. Nezavisne novine pg 9 ‘Sanel Sejkirica’s file delivered to Spanish Police’, Dnevni List, page 3 ‘Copy of print of Sanel Sjekirica’s index finger forwarded to Spanish Police’ – reports that the BiH Deputy Minister of Security, Dragan Mektic, confirmed that the BiH authorities had confirmed to the Spanish Police that Sanel Sjekirica was a BiH citizen. Mektic notes that the BiH authorities also forwarded the Spanish Police a copy of print of Sjekirica’s index finger, which should help the investigation. |
| Former BiH diplomat claims SFOR is a possible Al-Qa’ida target | Vecernji List front pg splash ‘SFOR forces a possible target of terrorist attacks’, pg 3 ‘SFOR forces a possible target of Al-Qa’ida terrorists’, Slobodna Dalmacija front, pg 17 ‘Al-Qa’ida wants to attack SFOR’– Former BiH diplomat and former first secretary of the BiH mission to the UN, Darko Trifunovic, claims that Sanel Sjekirica, who was connected to recent bombings in Spain, is a member of the Al-Qa’ida and that Islamists in BiH are waiting for a signal from abroad to launch attacks on SFOR troops. Explaining as to why terrorists would attack SFOR troops, Trifunovic says they’d do it in order to ease the pressure the Coalition forces are applying in Iraq against the Islamists. Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Ruined diplomat a ‘terrorism expert’’ by S. Mihaljinac – In an article covering Trifunovic’s statement, journalist dismisses Trifunovic’s expertise and cynically notes that “Italian media do not let BiH. On Tuesday, former BiH diplomat Darko Trifunovic was dig out, who following unsuccessful diplomatic career became ‘a top terrorism expert’.” |
| Mektic, Raguz: money problems for SIPA establishment | Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘There are no objections to establishment of SIPA’ – Deputy BiH Security Minister Dragan Mektic states for DA that there are no obstructions in establishment of the State Investigations and Protection Agency [SIPA], and that the only problem is financial. “SIPA exists for over two years, and the issue of its premises was still not solved. We established the inter-department working group and tried to find solution… However, everywhere there were either unsolved property issues or we needed a lot of money to pay for the rent or restoration of the facilities,” explains Mektic. Nezavisne novine pg 11 ‘There is no extra money for SIPA’ – BiH has no money for larger increase of SIPA budget, said Speaker BiH House of Representatives, Martin Raguz. “I don’t believe that there will be significant increase of Budget, for SIPA or any other agency”, Raguz stated. BiH House of Representatives should discuss budgets of BiH institutions today. Heads of SIPA has sent a letter to BiH authorities requesting BAM 50-60 million for this year. However, 6.6 million only have been planned in BiH Budget. |
| NN claims establishment of BiH Intelligence Agency could be again postponed | Nezavisne novine page 11 ‘Doubtful beginning of work of State Intelligence Agency’ – The beginning of work of State Intelligence Agency [OSA] could be postponed the third time. Commission for unification of the two entities Intelligence Services can not agree on the budget, confirmed one of the Commission members. “FOSS [Federal Intelligence] has 16 million KM per year and OBS [RS Intelligence Service] 5 million. Commission, chaired by Drago Fers, wants money from two budgets to be put together. Twenty million KM will not be enough. Therefore, FOSS agents’ salaries will be cut. This resulted with obstruction”, claims Nezavisne novine source. He added that Commission members from RS want ethnic balance to be achieved by “firing Serbs who work with FOSS”. BiH Council of Ministers Chair, Adnan Terzic, believes that State Intelligence Agency will start working on May 1, 2004. Drago Fers from OHR and Almir Dzuvo, leading candidate for Intelligence Agency Director, didn’t respond on phone calls from Nezavisne novine. OHR Spokesperson, Vedran Persic, said that BiH authorities are responsible for finishing Intelligence reform. |
War crimes | |
| FBiH Govt to discuss guaranties for BiH Croats that surrendered to ICTY
| RHB, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘FBiH MoI Police Administration has not finalized activities to issue guarantees’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Guaranty to be discussed tomorrow’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 2 ‘Sarajevo: FBiH Government on guarantees for ICTY indictees tomorrow’ – The FBiH Police Administration has not yet finalized the activities necessary to issue guarantees for five Bosnian Croats, who voluntary surrender to the ICTY and requested the pretrial release. The spokesperson of Administration, Robert Cvrtak stated this process is in the phase of collecting the facts relevant for complying with the mentioned request. FBiH Government, FBiH Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Croatian Liaison Officer with the Hague Tribunal received last week the requests forwarded by the defence attorneys of Jadranko Prlic, Bruno Stojic, Valentin Coric, Berislav Pusic and Slobodan Praljak, for issuing the guarantees for temporary releasing. FBiH Government will consider this at the session scheduled for Thursday. |
| DL: Ganic claims he did not know for war crimes carried out by BiH Army | Dnevni List front and page 9 ‘Lack of knowledge is not justification for The Hague’ by Z. Jukic – DL carries that is has been speculated lately that the ICTY might issue a bill of indictment against a former member of the Republic of BiH Presidency Ejup Ganic. DL also reminds that many ICTY indictees stressed quite often that they were not aware of the fact that the crimes took place, however, such claims did not prevent the ICTY to issue the bills of indictment against them. According to DL, this clearly refers that Ganic’s claim that he did not know about the crimes cannot be justification because according to the rules of the international war law, he had to know what his subordinates were doing and he had to take actions with regard to that issues. The author concludes that Ganic omitted to do that, however, probably the ICTY will not omit to send a bill of indictment against Ganic. |
| Srebrenica Commission today adopts preliminary report | Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Preliminary report is not sufficient to regard investigation as completed’ – Vice President of Srebrenica Commisison, Smail Cekic, stated for DA that the preliminary report by the Commission on events in Srebrenica occurred in period between 10 and 19 July 1995 will be discussed and adopted at the session of the Commission to be held in Banja Luka today. “Following adoption, the report will be forwarded to the RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, with a demand to extend the work of the Commission,” said Cekic adding that even an extension of ten years means nothing to the commission if those obligated to offer information do not do so. He did not want to disclose any information contained in the report, but added that the preliminary report was not sufficient to regard investigation as completed. |
| Mothers of Srebrenica on Srebrenica Commission deadline extension | Nezavisne novine pg 8 ‘Two month extension of Commission’s mandate announced’ – If Srebrenica Commission members prove to HR that at least 80% of work on final report was done, they will get 2 months extension, claims Associations of Srebrenica and Zepa Mothers. “That’s what I was told in OHR when I phoned them to ask is it possible that deadline has already been extended. I was angry because of possibility that extension is based on nothing”, said President of this association, Munira Subasic. |
Economic issues | |
| Syndicate continues to demands FBiH Govt dismissal
| FTV – Signing of the petition for dismissal of FBiH Government, organized by the BiH Association of Independent Trade Unions, started in a majority of its Boards in Federation. The demand was posed after FBiH Government refused to endorse Syndicates request and apply temporary moratorium at the Law on changes and addenda to the FBiH Bankruptcy Law. Dnevni Avaz cover, pg 9 ‘About 7000 signatures for dismissal of the FBiH government collected’ – According to an official in BiH Syndicate’s Crisis HQ, Saban Kadiric, about 7000 workers signed the petition to date. |
| VL int with President of BiH Syndicate Edhem Biber | Vecernji List front, pg 6 ‘Even 60 000 people in FBiH will lose job’ by Z. Mihaljevic – VL carries an interview with President of the BiH Trade Union Edhem Biber who says that they (BiH Trade Union) were using all civilized and democratic methods in order to make the Federation of BiH Government to start to work in a way that it serves the interests of the citizens who voted for that Government, however, adoption of changes and amendments to Law on Bankruptcy spilled a glass. Biber says that in case that the aforementioned Law is implemented consistently at least from 50 000 to 60 000 people will lose job in the Federation of BiH and from 30 000 to 40 000 people in the RS. |
| Control of oil trade at the gas stations | BHTV 1, RTRS – RS Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Oil and its derivates supported RS Government’s regulation on control of oil distribution at the gas stations. Association also demands from the Government to prevent illegal oil import, and FBiH and Brcko District to also introduce measuring instruments at stations at the same time, adding that only simultaneous and equal rule book on control of gas stations oil trade can fight the black market. President of the Association, Vukasin Vujevic said that RS budget suffered a loss of almost KM500 millions with taxes embezzlements through black market. New rulebook should be implemented as of 2005. |
| FBiH HoR instructs FBiH Govt to negotiate with Syndicate | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Draft Law on direct mayors elections adopted’, inset ‘Dialogue between Government and Syndicate’, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘SDA and SBiH offer 52 KM for workers’ – At the extraordinary session held on Tuesday, FBiH House of Representatives obliged the FBiH Government to get immediately in contact with the BiH Syndicate and discuss programme of the social care for the workers that will be a surplus following the implementation of the Bankruptcy Law in FBiH. Government is also asked to, in the process of starting a bankruptcy procedure, ensure control of companies’ business and privatisation process. As for the social care for workers, FBiH HoR proposed 32 million KM to be taken from FBiH Employment Bureau and 20 million KM from privatisation process, and some means from World Bank. |
| Hercegovacka Banka case: Ante Jelavic additionally questioned | Dnevni List front and page 3 ‘Ante Jelavic additionally questioned’ by N. Dedic carries that former HDZ President Ante Jelavic, who is a suspect in the Hercegovacka Banka case, was additionally questioned by the BiH Prosecution almost a whole day yesterday. His lawyer Josip Muselimovic gave this information to DL and added that at the end of questioning Jelavic said that he believes that this is a politically motivated and politically rigged process. At the end of the questioning a demand for termination of Jelavic’s custody, that expires in 10 days, was submitted. |