| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Terzic met with Ruhe | Srebrenica Comm. report | | HRW on war crimes trials |
| EC on public RTV system | SFOR search in Sokolac | Ruhe meets Ashdown | SFOR search in Sokolac |
| Covic and BIH judiciary | | Protest/ civilian casualties | Schook on war crimes |
| SFOR search in Sokolac | RS Ombudsmen accused | HRW on war crimes trials | Trial of Naser Oric |
| Oslobodjenje | More than 7000 Srebrenica people went missing in July 1995; Peaceful protests of war civil victims in FBiH: One cannot live of charity; Schook: Resolution for capture of war criminals |
| Dnevni Avaz | Steven Schook: I will commend the NATO HQ in |
| Dnevni List | Rupcic gets 5,5 years, friar Sevo gets separate trials |
| Vecernji List | Serbs against state Police |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Covic accuses Raguz that he is the mole in HDZ |
| Nezavisne Novine | Rupcic was sentenced to 5,5 years in prison; BiH authorities should be arresting war crimes indictees; Protest of civil victims of war in Sarajevo: They asked for an income in the amount of 534 KM |
| Glas Srpske | Let there be truth! |
| EuroBlic | Minister, children are cold; Health care fund: eight candidates for new director; Alert in Gradiska: the police were searching for bombs; SFOR in the house of Vinko Pandurevic’s brother |
| Slobodna Bosna | |
| Dani | Enes Karic, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences and the most serious candidate for the Head of the BiH Islamic Community: What are my objections to Reis Ceric? |
War crimes | |
| SFOR searches house of war crimes suspect’s brother in Sokolac
| RHB, BHT 1, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘SFOR searches house of Vinko Pandurevic’s brother’ not signed, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Vinko Pandurevic’s documents taken’ not signed, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘SFOR searched house of Pandurevic and Colakovic’ by De.L., Slobodna Dalmacija pg 20 ‘They searched house owned by brother of ICTY indictee’ by A. Macanovic, Vecernji List pg 2 SFOR searched hosue of Mirko Pandurevic’ by B.S., EuroBlic, cover ‘SFOR in the house of Vinko Pandurevic’s brother’ and pg. RS2 ‘Search in Sokolac’ by J. D., Glas Srpske, pg. 3 ‘They took Ph.D. dissertation’ by B. G., – SFOR soldiers searched the house of Mirko Pandurevic, brother of war crimes indictee Vinko Pandurevic,in Sokolac on Thursday. SFOR Spokesperson Mark Hope confirmed the action. The Spokesperson of Serb Sarajevo Public Security Centre, Radovan Pejic, has stated that the police have taken part in this search. ‘Our patrol did not participate in the search but it made sure public order and peace is not disturbed’. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘SFOR searched house of Pandurevic family’ by M. Cubro – NN quotes Mirko Pandurevicas listing items SFOR took from the house during the search, as well as saying: ‘this SFOR search has disturbed my family, but I must say that soldiers behaved professionally and correctly’. RTRS – According to RTRS, SFOR also searched the house of one member of PSC Srpsko Sarajevo. |
| Cekic: over 7000 Srebrenica people went missing in July ’95
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pgs 4-5 ‘In July 1995, over 7000 people from Srebrenica went missing’ by S. Rozajac, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Cekic: More than 7000 people killed’ by S.S., Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Srebrenica Commission completed report with list of missing persons’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 23 ‘RS admitted massacre over 7000 Bosniaks’ by zb and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12 ‘RS: 7000 Bosniaks killed in Srebrenica’ by A. Macanovic – The final report by the commission for establishing events in and around Srebrenica between 10 and 19 July 1995, which is due to be submitted today to the RS government for assessment, states that over 7,000 people of the Bosniak nationality were killed in Srebrenica during this period, commission member Smail Cekic has confirmed for SRNA. Cekic declined to divulge the exact number of Bosniaks who were killed in Srebrenica in the given period, stressing that the final verdict on this would be provided by the BHT 1 – The Chair of the Commission Milan Bogdanic refused to confirm the number of victims. “It is difficult to talk about concrete number, but I can say that Commission’s investigation confirmed earlier lists made by certain international institutions,” stated Bogdanic. During investigation, Commission have gathered information on three potential new mass gravesites carrying the body remains of Srebrenica victims. “It will be possible to confirm the final list only after mass graves are exhumed and victims identified,” added Bogdanic. RHB – Djordje Stojakovic, Deputy Chair, stated that the Commission completed the report and all members signed it. |
| COMSFOR: EUFOR and NATO will continue to search after war criminals
| FTV, Oslobodjneje pg 5 ‘Resolution to catch war criminals’, mentioned on cover, by A. Prlenda, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘EUFOR and NATO will continue search after war criminals’ by H, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2 ‘BiH authorities should be arresting war crimes indictees’ by R. Cengic – COMSFOR Steven Schook stated on Thursday at is first press conference in BiH that the primary task of arresting war crimes indictees is up to BiH authorities. Asked to say whether SFOR knows where Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are, as well as to say whether SFOR has ever had such information, General Schook said such questions had no purpose: ‘the action of their arrest is an ongoing action and your questions have no purpose’. RTRS – Schook added that SFOR activities regarding the arrest of war crimes suspects at large will continue and that it is still possible for BiH to be admitted to Partnership for Peace adding that military conditions can be met by implementing defence reforms. He further said that political conditions depend on full cooperation with ICTY. BHT 1 – Schook underlined that NATO will still have authority to arrest indicted war criminals even after EUFOR takes over from SFOR. “NATO HQ will have advisory role, it will assist in arresting of war crimes indictees and in fight against terrorism,” stated Schook. Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘I will command NATO HQ in Sarajevo’, pg 2 ‘NATO will help BiH to join Partnership for Peace’ by M. Drinjakovic, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘NATO as an assistant only’ by Srna also reported on the press conference of COMSFOR Schook. |
| Human Rights Watch says BiH, Croatian, SCG courts not ready to process war crimes
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘BiH, Croatia and SiCG are not prepared to process war crimes’ by D. Risojevic – Human Rights Watch, an US based organisation for protection of human rights, believes local courts in BiH, Croatia and SiCG are not prepared to process war crimes because they carry a burden of national partiality, poor preparation of cases and uncertainty in relation to prosecution in cases of command responsibility. ‘A good thing is that the three countries have established specialised judicial councils for war crimes, but there will still be hundreds of cases in Croatia and BiH that will be tried at common local courts’, Richard Dyker (sp!) has stated. NN carries the inset ‘Witness protection’, which reads that the Human Rights Watch has appealed to the Governments of former Yugoslav countries to improve the quality of domestic war crimes processing by implementing witness protection mechanisms. BHT 1, FTV, RTRS – carry that according to HRW, BH courts are not ready to process war crimes cases. |
| ICTY bills of indictment against Bosniaks to be issued by end of year
| BHT 1, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘ICTY bills of indictment against Bosniaks to be issued by end of the year?’ by De.L., Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘Indictments against Bosniaks?’ by G. K. – The RS Secretariat for relations with the ICTY and investigations of war crimes announced that it has been expected that by the end of the year the ICTY Prosecution will issue bills of indictment against high-ranked military and political officials of former Republic of BiH, from the line of the Bosniak people, because of war crimes committed over Serbs during the war. Head of the Secretariat Zivorad Mijatovic stressed that, so far, they have handed over to the ICTY Prosecution 100 war crimes cases with the evidence. |
| SB on transfer of cases from ICTY to BiH
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 34-36 ‘A large-scale migration from |
| Bogdanic instead of Radeta | Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Bogdanic instead of Radeta?’ by G.K. – Although there has been no official confirmation as yet, GS refers to its sources close to RS Government and says that Thursday’s session of RS Government was also supposed to discuss some personnel changes at the RS Office for Search after Missing Persons and RS Government Secretariat for relations with ICTY. According to GS source, Milan Bogdanic, currently the President of the Srebrenica Commission, should be appointed instead of Aleksandar Radeta as Director of RS Office for search after missing persons. Janko Velimirovic is supposed to replace Zivorad Mijatovic as new Head of RS Government Secretariat for relations with ICTY. |
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| Hercegovacka bank trials update: Rupcic sentenced to 5,5 imprisonment
| RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Miroslav Rupcic sentenced to 5,5 years’ by A. Nezirovic, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Rupcic imprisoned to 5,5 years’ by A. Malagic, Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Rupcic gets 5,5 years, friar Sevo gets separate trials’, by Erna Mackic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 4 ‘Prosecutor McNair: Rojs and Lovric are key persons’, mentioned on front, by Zlatko Tulic, Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Rupcic cut deal’, mentioned on front ‘Deal: Rupcic gets 5,5 years in prison’, by Dejan Jazvic – A Panel of Judges of the BiH Court sentenced Miroslav Rupcic, one of indictees in the Hercegovacka bank case, to 5,5 years imprisonment after Rupcic cut a deal with the BiH Prosecution i.e. pleaded guilty to four accounts of the indictment related to negligent work in the service and abuse of office. Rupcic admitted illegalities related to payment of 500.000 Croatian Kunas (around 125.000 KMs) to the HDZ BiH, gifting the current member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, a car worth 56.000 KMs and approval of 500.000 KMs to 5 cantonal administrations with Croat majority. According to Prosecutor John McNair, Rupcic abused the office in capacity of the director of ‘Hercegovina osiguranje’ and Deputy Defence Minister of FBiH. Apart from this, at request of Zdravko Raic, a legal representative of friar Ivan Sevo, the trials to Sevo have been separated into a separate case. Regarding proceedings against Ante Jelavic and Ivica Karlovic, Prosecutor McNair made the introduction into the case as to what the defendants are charged with and presented the list of prosecution witnesses. McNair noted that witnesses would include people from the FBiH Pension Fund and FBiH MoD. SD stresses that Prosecutor McNair labeled Velimir Rupcic, one of founders of the Hercegovacka bank, and Ljubo Cesic Rojs, as one of key people in the organization of the whole operation. The trials will resume on Monday. BHT 1 – “We are very satisfied with settlements because they represent important confessions of responsibility by two former FBiH government officials. Confessions are very important in this case in which indictments are often commented about as being political,” stated John McNair. FTV – “We focused on our indictment and our confession and testimony isn’t against anyone else,” stated Rupcic’s lawyer, Marko Martinovic. |
| BiH Prosecutor raises charges in Privredna Bank case; Mandic cuts deal with Prosecution
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Mandic settled with Ratel’ by F. Vele – The Prosecutor for the BiH Court’s Special Department for organized and economic crime, and corruption, Jonathan Ratel, on Thursday raised charges against director of Privredna Bank Srpsko Sarajevo Dragoslav Popovic, director of Manko company Aleksandar Mandic [son of Bank’s owner Momcilo Mandic], and Drzen Mandic who was authorized to sign bills in Manko. The lawyer of Aleksandar Mandic, Dusko Tomic, said that his client has already reached a settlement agreement with the Prosecutor due to Aleksandar’s worsened psychological condition and recent trial of suicide. If BHT 1 also reports that Aleksandar Mandic cut the deal. FTV and RTRS report on charges against all three. |
| HDZ: Process vs. Jelavic and charges vs. Covic politically motivated
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Politically motivated processes against Croats in BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Trial; of Jelavic charges against Covic are politically motivated’ by Fena, Dnevni List pg 2 inset ‘HDZ supports independent judiciary’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘HDZ Presidency against politically motivated processes’ by Z. Kresic – HDZ press release reads that the trial to former HDZ President Ante Jelavic, obvious efforts of certain groups to process Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic and court processes against many HDZ officials are obviously politically motivated and their goal is to intimidate political representatives of the Croat people in BiH. |
| SB: Why Covic, Raguz, Lozancic, Brajkovic…have not been indicted for Croat Self-rule as well!?
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 26-29 ‘Why Covic, Raguz, Lozancic, Brajkovic…have not been indicted for Croat Self-rule as well!?’ by Suzana Mijatovic and Milutin Stojcevic – The authors remind that last Monday Ante Jelavic, Marko Tokic, Ivo Andric Luzanski, Zdravko Batinic, Miroslav Prce and Dragan Curcic, all former top BiH Croat officials, pleaded not guilty to all counts of the indictment for establishment of so-called Croat Self-rule in BiH in 2001. The indictment, according to the magazine, contains allegations on their involvement in preparations for the establishment of the Croat National Assembly (HNS) first as a BiH Croat legislative body and the Croat Self-rule as a para-state structure afterwards. They are also accused of following actions such as damaging of the Federation defense system through persuasion of Croat officers and soldiers to leave the legal Federation armed forces. The authors of the article however wonder why some other top Croat leaders at the time who are still holding top public offices including Niko Lozancic, the current FBiH President, Martin Raguz, the current Speaker of the BiH HoR, Dragan Covic, Croat member of the BiH Presidency, and Barisa Colak, the BiH Security Minister, have also not indicted for the illegal project of Croat Self-rule establishment. In the time of Croat Self-rule, Lozancic was General Secretary of HNS, Ragiz was Croat Self-rule prime minister, Covic was tasked with finances as Colak was para-state structure’s justice minister. |
| DL on sentences to Prce and Rupcic
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘My sin, my big sin’, by Vera Soldo – Carries an op-ed in which the author comments on deals that Miroslav Rupcic and Miroslav Prce cut with the BiH Prosecution and sentences they received in the process. The author argues that nobody is mentioning the issue of return of money that was acquired through the abuse of office and authority, which means that once they get out of jail, Rupcic and Prce’s perspectives and perspectives of their families are not bad at all. The author draws a parallel between small time bank robbers who get 7 to 8 years in prison and Rupcic and Prce who get around 5 years for millions they embezzled, saying it is another confirmation that it pays of to be a “big wig”. |
Political issues | |
| Volker Ruhe visits BiH, meets BiH authorities and HR Ashdown
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6’It is only now possible to talk about cooperation’ by Fena, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘It is smarter to structure joint BiH Army than to send deminers to Iraq’ by Onasa, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Sending BiH soldiers to Iraq is a bad move of authorities’ by M. C., Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Way towards establishment of coopertaion is being opened through building of the state’ by D. Polovina-Mandic – Volker Ruhe, the Chairman of the Commission for Foreign Affairs of German Parliament, stated on Thursday it would be wiser if BiH authorities have directed their efforts in developing a single army in BiH than to send soldiers to Iraq. Ruhe met with representatives of BiH Parliament, CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic, High Representative Paddy Ashdown and Head of EC Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys. Volker Ruhe emphasised it was important for BiH to have strong state institutions. Marting Raguz, the Chairman of HoR of BiH Parliament, has stated that RHB – In meeting with Terzic, Ruhe stressed that BiH’s future is in EU, and he expressed a pleasure with progress made in BiH. |
| RS Council of Peoples fails to reach agreement on a number of laws
| RHB, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘No compromise about prefix “Serb” by D.R. – The RS Council of Peoples did not reach agreement on launching procedure for the protection of the vital national interests initiated by Bosniak and Croat delegates on the Law on territorial organization and the Law on local governance and self-governance. One of the objections from Bosniaks was to create legislation which would maintain national balance in the law on local governance and self governance. Ramiz Salkic from SDA says that they want that the chief of municipality and chair of municipal assembly not to be from the same people. He adds that they want the chairman of municipality assembly to be a Croat or a Bosniak where that is possible. Slaven Pekic RS Minister of Local Governance and Self-Governance, says that non-adoption of the law will reflect negatively on some local communities. The joint commission of the Council of Peoples and the RS National Assembly will decide on these laws in order to reach a compromise solution. If the commission fails to agree potions the law will be returned to the RS Government, which will have to propose it in new form. RTRS by Sinisa Mihajlovic – As for the Law on territorial organization, the problem is the names of towns formerly with prefix ‘Srpski’. Pejo Hrnic from Croat caucus says that it would be normal for pre war names of towns are reinstated. Slaven Pekic emphasizes that Government has no authorities to change the decision of local communities. Bosniak and Croat caucuses also submitted amendments to the law on privatization of business premises and garages. Desanka Radjevic from Serb caucus says that this law as adopted by the National Assembly is acceptable for everyone in Serb caucus. Since amendments were not adopted Peoples Council and RS parliament will form a Commission that will try to coordinate the questionable points of the law. If they don’t succeed the Government will have to propose the laws again in the changed form. BHT 1 – also covered. |
| HDZ Presidency in session
| RHB, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘HDZ Presidency against politically motivated processes’ by Z. Kresic, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Famous moles remain in HDZ?!’, mentioned on cover, by M. Batarello, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘Each people to have right on its TV’ by B. Kristo – The HDZ Presidency held its session on Thursday. DL carries that although it was announced the removals of some HDZ officials were not discussed and the discussion on this issue has been postponed for the next session of the HDZ Presidency. SD says that the HDZ Presidency’s stand with regard to the fact that Croat representatives left the last session of the BiH House of Representatives is that the RTV system should be organized at the state level, within which all 3 peoples will have the same rights and the needs and rights of other peoples and citizens in BiH will be respected. |
| SD on ‘mole’ in HDZ Presidency: Covic accuses Raguz
| Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pg 9 ‘Covic accuses Raguz that he is the mole in HDZ’, by Marin Erceg – Regarding the statement by the Croat member of BiH Presidency and member of HDZ Presidency, Dragan Covic, that there is a ‘mole’ in the HDZ Presidency who, together with his aides, is working against interests of the party and the Croat people, SD notes that the HDZ Presidency held a session on Wednesday evening, but failed to discuss the issue because Covic himself was against the discussion on the issue. Covic also announced that the issue would be discussed at the next session of the HDZ Presidency. SD notes that people who are familiar with the HDZ internal relations can recognize that the whole issue is about the attack by Covic against another member of HDZ Presidency, Martin Raguz, “conducted in the best Stalin-like manner”. SD explains that Raguz often has personal opinions about different issues that differ from Covic’s position, and on top of it, Raguz is mentioned in the media as a successor to Covic in the BiH Presidency due to numerous criminal charges against Covic. |
| NN op-ed on ‘mole’ in HDZ Update to petition
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Why is Covic taking a target?’ by Josip Blazevic – The author is writing about the leak of information from the HDZ, saying that leak of info has never been a real problem for any party, since it regularly happens and would keep happening. The author refers to Dragan Covic’s statement on opening the pursuit after the “mole” in HDZ, which is destroying this party. The statement should be viewed as a good starting-point of Covic in the pre-election run for HDZ BiH President. By having virtually accused his colleague as the person disclosing all information to the international community, Covic has revealed to the public that inter-party rifts have commenced and also that he is a sort of afraid from that – still virtual – person. |
| Petition for RS separation from BIH
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Gathering of signatures will continue’, Nacional Belgrade daily, pg. 3 ‘Petition is being signed on both sides of Drina river’ by I. M., Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘From door to door’ by J. N. – The Deputy President of “Zajedno do istine” Association, Milan Crnkovic, claims the Association has collected over 30,000 signatures for separation of RS in the past two months. He claims they were banned to collect signatures out on streets due to elections, but the Association continued with a door-to-door action of collecting of signatures. |
| EC deems HDZ request for 3 national TV channel to be unacceptable | RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘HDZ’s demands unacceptable’ by Fena, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘National channels used to spread hatred in BiH’ by Fena – The European Commission regrets that the BiH House of Representatives has failed to adopt the amendments to the Law on the Public Radio-Television Service. EC’s press statement reads that the passage of the amendments is part of the package of laws within the reform of the public radio-television service, which are aimed at establishing a financially and editorially independent and efficient state public radio-television service. Although the Law on the Public Radio-Television Service has been adopted, the Commission raises concerns because the representatives of the HDZ still insist on a channel based on ethnic origin. “Such a channel is non-sustainable financially and would represent an obstacle to realizing the conditions from the Feasibility Study. Before and during the war the public emitters were used to inflame hate and divide the people of this country. It is vital that this never happens again,” was announced by the European Commission Delegation to BiH. |
| RTV laws: Croats to invoke vital national interest
| Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Constitutional Court will decide about TV channel in Croatian language’, by Miroslav Vasilj – According to Ilija Filipovic, an MP in the BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, the Croat MPs in the BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples will most likely invoke the vital national interest clause when it comes to the Law on public RTV service. Filipovic adds that it is not true that there is not money for a Croat TV channel, since there are already three public TVs. |
| Cardinal Puljic meet US Ambassador
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘McElhaney: In BiH all peoples complain they are endangered’ by Fena, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘All BiH peoples complain of being endangered’ not signed – Vrhbosna Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic received on Thursday US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney and during this meeting Puljic stressed that the Church has exerted big efforts when the return process is in question, while representatives of the authority, International Community and humanitarian organizations did not do much when the return of Croats is in question. McElhaney stated that during a short period of time that he spent in BiH all peoples complained about their endangered position. The |
| DL: City Board of HDZ Mostar to be dissolved?
| Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘City Board of HDZ Mostar to be dissolved?’, mentioned on front, by Zvonimir Jukic – The author learns from sources in the HDZ BiH that the party top is planning to dissolve the City Board of HDZ Mostar because of its failure to win 18 seats in the future City Council of Mostar (of 35 seats in total). DL notes that preliminary results show that the HDZ-led coalition only managed to win 16 seats, which could change after the votes from abroad have been counted, which could result in HDZ losing additional 2 seats. According to the author, this shows a drastic fall in popularity of the HDZ, which means that the party has to react immediately to stop the landslide. The author goes on to say that the HDZ top holds people who made lists of candidates responsible for the situation, and not Miroslav Coric, the President of HDZ in Mostar, who enjoys support from Dragan Covic. |
| Ivo Miro Jovic on law on higher education
| Dnevni List, pg 8 ‘Removal of minister Halilovic requested’, by Ivana Rozic – Ivo Miro Jovic (HDZ), an MP in the BiH Parliament, speaking about the issue of law on higher education, notes that the only acceptable and just solution is to transfer all the authorities to the State level. Furthermore, Jovic says that the World Bank and other international organizations wanted to dis-empower the Croats in the higher education area with the earlier proposal of law on higher education. Finally, Jovic says that BiH Minister of Civil Affairs, Safet Halilovic, admitted to mistakes, but never apologized because of illegalities and anti-constitutional elements of the rejected law, therefore, says Jovic, it is logical that “we will hold him to account”. |
| FBiH Culture Minister Grahovac criticises HR Ashdown | Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Ashdown accepts to represents a political factor in BiH’ by Fena,Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘ ‘Political agreement’ without ‘inn-keeper!’ by D. Pasic – FBiH Sports and Culture Minister, Gavrilo Grahovac, issued a press statement following the media reports on the High Representative Paddy Ashdown’s ‘support’ to allegedly reached political agreement on joint candidacy of basketball associations of SCG, BiH, Croatia and Slovenia for the organization of world championship in 2010. Release reads: “I have been surprised with the statements that following the initiative of the Serbian president Boris Tadic this topic was discussed between Croatian president Stjepan Mesic, Slovenian president Janez Drnovsek and HR in BiH Paddy Ashdown. That had been called political agreement. It is interesting that Mr Paddy Ashdown accepts to present a political factor in BiH… It is interesting that nobody in [BiH Ministries] was informed about this project… I hope that bills will not be send to BiH politicians,” reads the statement. |
Police and security issues | |
| COMSFOR on EUFOR, NATO office in
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2 ‘BiH authorities should be arresting war crimes indictees’ by R. Cengic – COMSFOR Steven Schook told journalists that the forthcoming EUFOR takeover of military mandate from SFOR, General Schook said that the coordination between EUFOR and SFOR has not been defined as yet. ‘We are still developing details with regard to command and coordination and we are waiting for a resolution of UN Security Council. At the moment, we are defining communication and cooperation standards’, General Schook said. General Schook did not want to give any details regarding the activities of NGOs suspected to be linked with terrorism, nor he wanted to give any details regarding the SFOR action in Sokolac. Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘NATO as an assistant only’ by Srna also reported on the press conference of COMSFOR Schook. RTRS – As for the fight against terrorism, Schook added that it is on-going. He explained that information on connection of certain humanitarian organisations with AlQaida is being investigated. Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘I will command NATO HQ in Sarajevo’, pg 2 ‘NATO will help BiH to join Partnership for Peace’ by M. Drinjakovic, Oslobodjneje pg 5 ‘Resolution to catch war criminals’, mentioned on cover, by A. Prlenda– Schook will command the NATO Office in Sarajevo which will be established in December. |
| VL: ‘Serbs against state police’ | Vecernji List front pg ‘Serbs against state Police’ and pg 2 ‘Serb unity against state police’ by E. Medunjanin – VL says that Serb representatives in the Commission for Restructuring of Police Forces in BiH opposed any kind of discussion about joint police activities at the state level and according to the VL information this is completely harmonized political stand at the level of ruling parties in the RS. According to the article, such stand completely surprised President of the aforementioned Commission Wilfred Martens who will have to inform the European institutions about newly emerged situation and about a sort of blockade of the further process of creating a new police system. VL also says that an attempt to reach the agreement has been announced for October 25, when a new session of the Commission is to take place and EU High Representative Chris Patten will also attend this session. According to the article, a final proposal of a new organization of the BiH Police should be presented at this session. |
| Matijasevic, Karapetrovic on police reform meeting
| EuroBlic, pg. RS2 ‘Matijasevic: Speculations’ by N. B. – RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic confirmed he attended a session of the Commission for police reform held in Sarajevo on Tuesday. However, he refused to comment claims he and Police Director Radomir Njegus have left the session because they allegedly did not want to participate in a discussion on a possible establishing of a single police on BiH level. ‘My only reply is that Radomir Njeguis and I attended the session of the Commission and this is the first time I hear about this information’, Matijasevic said. Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Martens making a draft – verbally’ by D. Davidovic, V. Janjic – Ranko Karapetrovic, member of the BiH Police Restructuring Commission, confirmed that Matijasevic and Njegus did leave the session of this Commission on 13 October in Sarajevo. He noted: “Wilfred Martens, Commission Chair, was supposed to give a verbal presentation on police re-organisation of BiH during morning activities. Minister Matijasevic disagreed and demanded this item be excluded from agenda and written version be handed first.” |
| VL: Terzic and Novic at odds on issue of hiring of people to SIPA
| Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘SIPA functioning poorly because of quarrel about staff’, by Milo Jukic – The daily learns from the SIPA top that the SIPA has not been functioning for several days after the Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and the SIPA Director, Sredoje Novic, had a quarrel. Allegedly, Terzic gave Novic a list of names, insisting that the people in the list are to be hired by SIPA, and after reviewing the list, Novic declined. After that, Terzic called Novic a nationalist because the list included Bosniaks and Serbs who remained loyal to Bosniaks during the war. Apparently, the biggest dispute was regarding one Mustafa Vilic, who put forward a candidacy for one of commanding posts. Apparently, Novic was against the appointment because Vilic does not meet requirements and because he cheated at the recently held tests of SIPA candidates. Moreover, VL notes that Terzic has an ally in “certain Carlos, a gray eminence of the EUPM in BiH” , who married a daughter of a senior SDA official from Bihac and who in turn, is pro-Bosniak when it comes to appointments. |
Economic and social issues | |
| Protest of civilian casualties of war | BHT 1, FTV, Oslobodjneje pgs 4-5 ‘One cannot live out of charity’, mentioned on cover, by A. Becirovic, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Seeking base benefit to be 734 KM’ by A. Basic, Nezavisne Novine, cover ‘Protest of civil victims of war in Sarajevo: They asked for an income in the amount of 534 KM’ and pg. 8 ‘They asked for an income in the amount of 534 KM’ by R. C. – About 200 members of the FBiH Association of Civilian Casualties of War protested outside the FBiH Government building in Sarajevo on Thursday. Leaders of the Association warned that solutions proposed by the draft law on changes to the law on basics of social protection of civilian casualties of war and protection of families with children are unsustainable. They also insist on keeping earlier legislation from 1999 according to which funds and other material rights of civilian casualties of war are to be set at 70 percent of what disabled veterans of war are receiving and stressed that the rights of these groups are equal in the surrounding countries. |
| FBiH Govt on 3rd mobile phone operator
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Offers of HT Zagreb and Mobilkom put on hold’, mentioned on front, by Jurislav Petrovic – The FBiH Government held an extraordinary session yesterday (Thursday), discussing the Memorandum of Understanding between the FBiH Government and HT Zagreb, and the offer presented by the Mobilkom of Austria, which proposes that Mobilkom Austria establishes a sister company in BiH that would offer GSM services by getting a sub-licence from HT Mostar. According to DL’s source close to the FBiH Government, no decision was taken. Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Government has still not decided between HT Zagreb or Mobilkom’ by A.O. – also carries that Government has not yet brought decision. Dnevni Avaz pg 12 “FBiH Government rejects offers of Mobilkom and HT Zagreb’ by Ad.H. – According to DA source, FBiH Government has decided to rejected both offers thus keeping 63% of shares in HT Mostar company. |
| BHT 1 on BIH Statistics Agency
| BHT 1 by Vanja Filipovic – BHT1 reports on the importance of the establishment and fully functioning of the Statistics Agency at the state level, especially with regard to the creation of single economic space. This agency in BiH officially exists for five years,but it is still not functional. Some progress was made with recent appointment of Agency Director and two Deputies. In addition to directors of the entities’ and Brcko District Statistics Agencies, which are part of the State agency, three members are still missing. “We don’t know names of three independent members which should by appointed by the BiH Council of Ministers,” said Zdenko Milinovic, Director of the State Agency. International Monetary Fund warned BiH officials on Thursday that there should be more serious in approach to make the Agency capable as soon as possible. “We agreed that by the April next year three prime ministers should reach an agreement on how to unify statistics in BH,” stated CoM Chair, Adnan Terzic. |
| Dani on alleged Tihic and Covic’s plan to remove state auditors
| Dani pgs 26-27 ‘Sulejman Tihic and Dragan Covic’s infernal plan’ by Eldin Hadzovic and Emir Suljagic – According to the magazine, the two most professional civil servants – BiH auditors Samir Musovic and Dragan Kulina – have been fired in a carefully directed and even better played political drama. The authors claim that the two unveiled an unscrupulous misuse of the state funds. However, “bypassing the legal provisions and parliamentary decisions, the BiH Presidency has appointed Milenko Sego as the Chief State Auditor thereby realizing an initial political scenario to avoid public procedure of appointment of the Head of the State Audit Office,” wrote the authors. “Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic, who has been trying from the very beginning to establish control of the State Audit Office, has offered to do Bosniak member of the Presidency Sulejman Tihic a favor he simply could have not rejected. According to the offer Covic would not challenge appointment of a Bosniak candidate as the Chief Federation Auditor and in exchange he would appoint his man as the Chief State Auditor,” the article read. |
| VL on banking sector in BiH
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Foreign banks ate healthy domestic money’, mentioned on front, by Zdenko Jurilj – Former FBiH Finance Minister, professor Nikola Grabovac, claims that commercial banks in BiH, which extract money from the BiH economy, together with people from the World Bank and IMF, had applied pressure against the FBiH Government and him during his tenure in the said Government, in order to cancel the decision the aim of which was to establish the FBiH Investment Bank. That bank would have 150 million KMs at its disposal and was to give favourable loans to domestic entrepreneurs at the interest rates of mere 2-3%, which would be a great competition to foreign commercial banks in BiH, whose loans are given with interest rates of some 10%. Grabovac claims that some of international powers that be and representatives of foreign banks obviously did not like the idea, which eventually cost him the position in the Government. VL also reads that lobbies that sit in the OHR also participated in obstructions related to establishment of the FBiH Investment Bank. |