| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| RS President Dragan Cavic dismantles military intelligence centre | Main RS Army Headquarters ordered to dismiss RS military intelligence department | Federal Customs Administration filled 5 criminal charges | Cavic dismantles disputed Army’s intelligence centre |
| Karadzic’s financer Momcilo Mandic arrested in Belgrade | BiH Police officials visited Belgrade; RS Minister Zoran Djeric says no suspects for Djindjic’s murder in RS | Serbian police detained Momcil Mandic, OHR welcomes the action | Police representatives from BiH and Serbia meet in Belgrade |
| Croatian Construction Minister Radomir Cacic promised Croatian aid to Croat returnees in BiH | Serbian Ministry of Interior detained Momcilo Mandic, OHR welcomes the apprehension | EU Ministers decide to prohibit persons helping war-crimes suspects to enter EU countries | Serbian Police arrests important SDS supporter Momo Mandic |
| President of Croatian HDZ Ivo Sanader talked in Mostar with BiH HDZ leadership | Dodik invited for an interview at Banja Luka police centre | Interior ministers of Serbia, RS and Federation BiH met in Belgrade | RS MUP to interrogate Dodik on organised crime |
| Oslobodjenje | Momo Mandic arrested, Tomo Kovac still wanted |
| Dnevni Avaz | Mandic apprehended in Belgrade |
| Dnevni List | “Sanader: We feel responsibility for destiny of Croats in BiH”; “First stone of Old Bridge arch placed”; “Intelligence Department of RS Army disbanded yesterday”; “Cardinal Puljic sent two letters to High Representative Paddy Ashdown: Who resents Croats and religious officials in BiH capital?” |
| Vecernji List | “Niko Lozancic: I had to ask where my office was”; “Milorad Dodik: I am being guarded by people I trust”; “HDZ leader Sanader with leadership of HDZ BiH for the first time: New raid on authority announced” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Cardinal Puljic warns of escalation of intolerance: Catholics are being beaten up on streets, they are being insulted and they are being forced to leave Sarajevo”; “HDZ Croatia President Ivo Sanader in Mostar: We shall not leave Croats from BiH out of Europe”; “Lawyer of former HVO Commander in Kiseljak Josip Muselimovic: Political reasons will send Rajic to the Hague |
| Glas Srpski | RS Inspector for Work: Charges pressed – cases not resolved; Belgrade: Momcilo Mandic detained |
| Nezavisne Novine | EU introduces sanctions for Karadzic’s aides; Former RS Justice Minister arrested in the police action ‘Sober’: Momcilo Mandic arrested in Belgrade; Banja Luka: Cavic dismantles 410 intelligence centre of RS Army; Vladan Batic, Serbian Justice Minister: It would be better for the RS police minister to start arresting criminals |
| Vecernje Novosti | Momcilo Mandic arrested |
| Blic | Momcilo Mandic arrested in Belgrade; Cavic ordered 410 intelligence center to be disbanded; Dodik comes to witness in investigation on Djindjic’s murder |
| Ljiljan | Bosnian passports issued to Legija in Laktasi (near Banja Luka) |
Fights against organised crime; war crimes | |
| Momcilo Mandic arrested in Belgrade
| Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Momo Mandic arrested, Tomo Kovac still wanted’, Dnevni Avaz front page pg. 2 ‘Mandic arrested in Belgrade’ – Momcilo Mandic, a close associate of Radovan Karadzic and the owner of the Manco Company, was arrested in Belgrade late on Sunday, the Serbian Interior Ministry confirmed. A press release issued by the Ministry says that the members of the Administration for Fight against Organised Crime had detained Mandic who was now subjected to a further investigation due to reasonable doubts he had committed several serious crimes. According to unconfirmed information, the Serbian police members are searching for Tomo Kovac, a Mandic’s associate and the former RS Interior Minister. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Momcilo Mandic arrested’, Glas Srpski, cover page – ‘Momcilo Mandic detained’, Blic, p 5, title ‘He helped Karadzic as well?’, Vecernje Novosti, p 5, ‘Momcilo Mandic arrested’ also report on the arrest. |
| Reactions to Mandic apprehension | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘OHR welcomes Serbian Interior Ministry’s action’ – ““The OHR has long been interested in Mr Mandic’s activities. That is why we imposed financial sanctions on him last month,” Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite told the newspaper adding that OHR therefore welcome the Serbian police’s action. Nezavisne Novine also carried Braithwaite’s statement. Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘This action must be completed by the apprehension of Karadzic and Mladic’ – The politicians in the BiH Federation positively assesses the apprehension of Momcilo Mandic but saying that the action should now not be stopped. “This action must be completed by the apprehension of Karadzic and Mladic,” said SDA Vice-president Elmir Jahic. Safet Halilovic, the Chairman of the Party for BiH Presidency, believes that the investigation into Mandic’s activities will unveil many things. Social Democratic Union President Miro Lazovic says that “Mandic apprehension is a logical move in the action starting to break a criminal chain, which BiH is involved in as well.” Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Tihic: I would be happier if he was arrested by the domestic institutions’ – Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said that he was supporting the action to apprehend Momcilo Mandic in Serbia but that he “would be happier if this has been done by the Interior Ministries of the RS or the FBiH.” Chairman of the BiH Presidency Borislav Paravac said “he still does not have official stand about this issue (apprehension of Mandic).” Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 Commentary of the Day by Sead Numanovic ‘Bosnian network of Momcilo Mandic’ – Numanovic believes that, by apprehension of Mandic, the fight against organised crime might be spread from Serbia to BiH. Glas Srpski quotes Mandic’s brother, Mladjen Mandic who said that the arrest had political background and expressed hope that Momcilo Mandic will be released in few days. The RS President, Dragan Cavic, refused to make any comments on Mandic’s arrest. He just said: ‘What do I have to do with an arrest in another state?’ The SDS Spokesman, Dusan Stojicic did not want to make any comments either. |
| BiH, Serbian top police officials met in Belgrade | Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Meeting in Belgrade: Stronger cooperation in apprehending war criminals in the region’ – The top representatives of the BiH Federation, RS and Serbia’s Interior Ministries met yesterday in Belgrade to discuss improvement of their cooperation in fight against organised crime and corruption in the region. “The current level of the cooperation achieved through Interpol was assessed as satisfactory,” FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic told Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Police chiefs of BiH, Serbia agreed on the exchange of information’. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Mihajlovic refused to receive BiH delegation’, Glas Srpski, pg.2 – ‘Cooperation at all levels’ -BiH deputy Minister for Security, Dragan Mektic, Interior Ministers of RS and F BiH, Zoran Djeric and Mevludin Halilovic, met yesterday in Belgrade with the Serbian Deputy Interior Minister, Nenad Milic. After the meeting, Milic said that crime is a regional issue and cooperation of the police should overcome borders of a state. According to NN, Serbian Interior Minister, Dusan Mihajlovic, refused to receive BiH delegation. The RS Interior Minister, Zoran Djeric said that the RS MoI did not issue BiH passport to one of the prime suspects for assassination of Serbian PM, Milorad Lukovic Legija. Blic, p 5, Vecernje Novosti, p 5, Dnevni List front and page 3, unsigned, “Sarajevo and Belgrade in joint combat against organised crime” also report on the meeting. |
| Serbian Justice Minister believes that Legija can only be in RS | Nezavisne Novine, pgs. 4,5 – ‘It would be better for the RS Police Minister to start arresting criminals’- the daily carries an extensive interview with the Serbian Justice Minister, Vladan Batic, who said that he believes that Milorad Lukovic Legija is either in Serbia or in the RS as these are only places where he still may have some supporters. According to Batic, there are links between organised crime in RS and in Serbia. In his view, the RS citizens can have better future only with people like Milorad Dodik. |
| RS MoI calls Dodik for questioning | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – ‘Dodik to be questioned today’, Glas Srpski, pg. 3 – ‘Questioning in presence of media- the dailies report that Banja Luka Public Security Centre requested the leader of the SNSD, Milorad Dodik, to appear in the PSC today at 12:00 for questioning. Dodik said he would answer the request of the Banja Luka PSC out of respect he has for the institution. Dodik called media to attend the questioning, of course, if the PSC allows. (Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Milorad Dodik in informative talks’, Dnevni Avaz ‘Dodik today gives a statement on his talks with Djindjic’, Blic, p 5, ‘Dodik at the police’, Vecernje Novosti, p 5, ‘He invited journalists to the questioning’) Vecernji List (front page, “I am being guarded by people I trust”, and page 6, by Branka Stevandic, “MoI knows everything what I am talking about”) carries an interview with the President of SNSD, Milorad Dodik, following the summons he received from the RS Ministry of Interior regarding the talks he had with the former Serbian Prime Minister Djindjic on March 5 this year. Regarding the March 5 talks, Dodik says he and Djindjic talked about connections between the criminal structures in Serbia and individuals within the RS institutions. Questioned to comment on the issue that he is being minded for giving information to Djindjic and withholding the same from the RS MoI, Dodik says he is hiding nothing the RS MoI does not know already. “They should go through my public appearances in the last year and they will find it all there. They cannot turn me into a police informer who will run to informative talks after which the suspicious people from the MoI will inform the criminal groups about it, and after which I am to have problems with”, says Dodik. Responding to a question that Momcilo Mandic accused him that his (Dodik’s) efforts are aimed at returning to power, Dodik says it is indicative it was published in “Glas srpski”. “It is a proof there is a group of people there who previously had an important role in a Radovan Karadzic’s intelligence service called ‘Tajfun'”, says Dodik. |
| Ljiljan: Legija got Bosnian passport in Laktasi | Ljiljan front page, pgs. 23-25 ‘Legija got Bosnian passport in Laktasi’ By Sead F. Arslanagic – The intelligence services are heavily presented in BiH and it is completely clear. Just as it is clear that no one here is doing anything to ate least weaken the consequences of these intelligence activities, read the article. |
| EU Introduces sanctions against Karadzic’s aides | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘EU introduces sanctions against Karadzic’s aides’- Foreign Ministers of the EU countries have decided yesterday in Luxembourg to forbid all individuals who assist war crime indictees to enter EU territory. NN source claims that the some of the people on the EU list are politicians, military leaders, businessman and that their names will be publicised in few days. The Chief OHR Spokesman, Julian Braithwaite, stated for NN that the decision of the EU to put a ban on issuing of visas to those individuals who support war crime indictees is one of the most important decisions, and that the High Representative was advocating such decision for a long time now. Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Two persons from BiH on the list as well’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Issuance of visas to the war criminals supporters prohibited’ also cover the issue. Dnevni List (page 3, by D.L., “Sarovic will be banned to enter countries belonging to EU soon?”) and Jutarnji List (front page “Entrance to EU banned to Gotovina accomplices” and page 2, “Those who hide indictees will not be able to enter EU countries”, by A. Palokaj and B. Vlasic) report as well on the EU measures. DL carries that according to EU anonymous diplomatic sources, the list with the names of these persons from BiH will be made soon and for the time being there will be two persons on the list. The same source stated that former Chairman of the BiH Presidency Mirko Sarovic is one of these two persons who might be on the aforementioned list. |
| Bosniaks from Srebrenica ready to testify against Naser Oric as well | Blic, p 6, reads that Bosniak returnees to Srebrenica are accusing Naser Oric as well. M.M. and A.S., Bosniak returnees, claim that Naser Oric is a criminal, war profiteer and a coward, just like his closest associates – Zulfo Tursunovic and Safet Omerovic. They say that they are willing to testify against Naser Oric in the Hague, but are also willing to testify against Alija Izetbegovic. They accuse Alija Izetbegovic of committing a crime against his own people by leaving Srebrenica at the mercy of Serbs in 1995. |
| SD says Naser Oric turned himself in to save his life | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 17, by Zlatko Tulic, “Oric turned himself in to The Hague to save bear life”) says the former commander of BiH Army in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, who was transferred to The Hague last week, was not arrested by SFOR troops. The daily was told by Oric’s cousin that the whole story about SFOR arresting Oric was a façade for the BiH public because allegedly, Oric personally requested SFOR and FBI to arrest him in order to save his bear life. According to SD, some claim Oric was to be assassinated in February and March this year by Bosniak secret police in order to prevent him from taking stand before the ICTY. Apparently, Oric survived one attempt already. SD notes that Oric enjoyed protection promised by the former Head of UN Mission to BiH, Jacques Paul Klein, but when Klein left Oric’s life was jeopardized. In that context, SD says Oric promised Klein he would go to The Hague, if necessary, to shed a light on the games between the Bosniaks and Serbs regarding the exchange of territory. On the issue of Oric appearing before the ICTY, Vecernji List (page 2, by E. Medunjanin, “Federation Government releases Naser Oric to defend himself from freedom by its guarantees”) notes there are announcements coming from Sarajevo that the Federation Government will offer guarantees to the ICTY to have Oric on a pre-trial release. VL says given the Bosniak majority in the Government, it is hard to expect, even if they opt to, that the Croat ministers will block such a decision by the Government. |
Affairs | |
| RS President ordered dismantling of intelligence centre
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – ‘410th Centre of RS Army dismantled’, Glas Srpski, pg. 3 – ‘Intelligence officers dismissed’ – the RS President, Dragan Cavic, yesterday ordered dismantling of 410th Intelligence Centre of the RS Army. Cavic also ordered civilian and military institutions to penalise those responsible for the espionage affair. According to Cavic, there are serious indications that some RS intelligence officers seriously violated the law and most presumably, they will face criminal charges before authorised courts, After the meeting with the RS Defence Minister, Milovan Stankovic and Chief of Staff of the RS Army, Cvetko Savic, Cavic said that the Army General staff must establish new intelligence unit within the framework of two months and in the line with SFOR regulations and instructions. (Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Cavic reforms the intelligence service’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘410th intelligence centre to be dismantled’, Blic, p 7, Vecernje Novosti, p 3, Dnevni List front and page 5, by HINA, “Intelligence detachment of Army of Bosnian Serbs dismantled yesterday”, Vecernji List, page 5, by Branka Stevandic, “Abolishing old and forming new intelligence centre” and Slobodna Dalmacija, page 15, by Milorad Labus, “Some do not have place in RS Army any more”) |
| Bisic summarises RS Tax Administration results
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 – ‘There is a special account for forcible collection of taxes’, Glas Srpski, pg.2 – ‘New professional challenge’- both dailies carry the report from yesterday’s press conference held by the former Director of the RS Tax Administration, Milica Bisic. She said that the RS Tax administration opened a special account for forcible collection of taxes, as there was no other way to do it properly. Bisic expressed hope that after her departure, the forcible collection of taxes will continue. She also said she is leaving because of a challenging offer from Serbia, not because of the audit of the RS Tax administration and bank account for forcible collections of taxes. Bisic assessed that all criticism on her work actually represents indirect attacks on Mladen Ivanic, former RS Prime Minister, who is a friend and close associate of hers. Blic, p 2, ‘Milica Bisic’s successor will be known on Thursday’ also report on Bisic’s resignation. |
| Interview with Federation President Niko Lozancic on alleged incident on M 17 highway | Vecernji List (front “I had to ask where my office was” and page 5 “Some are trying to hinder takeover of authority”, by Zoran Kresic) carries an interview with the Federation President, Niko Lozancic, in light of an alleged incident on M 17 road when his car was stopped by the Federation Police. Questioned whether the Federation Police and intelligence services are doing their job properly, Lozancic says there are many examples that show quite the opposite. “If we have a number of incidents throughout the Federation for which nobody is being held accountable, and the perpetrators are usually unknown, then it is obvious something is wrong in the security system. There are high quality professionals within the system but the management structure is not able to organize the system and is not able to be a guarantor of security to the citizens of the Federation”, says Lozancic. Oslobodjenje pg. 2 In Focus column by Mirko Sagolj ‘Vanity’ – Sagolj writes that the High Representative Paddy Ashdown has already fulfilled his quota of negative (damaging) moves: he was toppling the Alliance, supporting nationalists describing them as reformers, he removed Grabovac and Alibabic and he declared Avaz a media and business ideal. However, according to Sagolj, if Ashdown accepts Lozancic’s arguments and remove Zlatko Miletic, that would be his biggest mistake so far. |
| Criminal charges filled against Dragan Covic | Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Criminal charges against Dragan Covic’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘New criminal charges against Dragan Covic’ – The BiH Federation Customs Administration has submitted five charges to the Federation Prosecutor’s Office. The charges were filed against former Federation Finance Minister and current member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic, former Federation Deputy Finance Minister Mehmed Alijagic, former director of the customs administration Filip Andric and customs’ officials Branko Markic and Ivica Galic. They are being charged with enabling import of meat and raw material for meat processing and high tariff goods without paying taxes and other customs duties, whereby damaging the Federation budget by couple of millions of convertible marks. Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Covic the most serious candidate for the HDZ President’ – Dragan Covic, the current Croat member of the BiH Presidency is one of the most serious candidates for the post of the HDZ BiH President that will be elected at the upcoming eighth convention of the party. |
| Mirko Sarovic on his resignation over Orao affair | Vecernje Novosti, p 2 – Former BiH Presidency Chair Mirko Sarovic, who had recently submitted his resignation over the Orao affair, stated for the Banja Luka weekly Patriot that USA had played the crucial role in the definition of his political responsibility. “If I had not resigned, I would have been dismissed”, Sarovic stated. Sarovic believes that SFOR and Asdown did not have a mandate to deal with violations of sanctions at Orao, since any UN embargo violation is strictly a matter of UN Committee for Sanctions. |
Political developments | |
| DL: “SDA divides Mostar through Serb member of Commission”
| Dnevni List (front and page 5, by S. Kuzman) carries that during today’s irregular session of the Mostar City Council 9 candidates will be proposed for members of the Commission for drafting of a new statute and reorganization of Mostar. DL learns from its sources that SDA was reconsidering three candidates as proposals for Serb members of the Commission. These candidates are Milan Jovicic, Ratko Pejanovic and Radmilo Andric. Jovicic was not proposed because of his last statements, which were judged as inappropriate, Pejanovic because he joined SDU, the party that does not support SDA concept to create two mono-ethnic Municipalities in Mostar and thus Andric was chosen. Andric should support SDA stands in spite of the opposition of Serb returnees and returnees in general. Damir Sadovic is also among the 9 candidates and DL says that he belongs to the most radical SDA’s faction. The article says that as far as Croat candidates are concerned, a constructive role can be expected from Vladimir Trninic and Josip Merdzo, however, it is not known what kind of stands Ilija Filipovic will represent. It has been supposed that Filipovic is close to former leaders of City of Mostar and the Herzegovina-Nerteva Canton Stipe Maric and Rade Bosnjak. DL also says that according to the proposal of High Representative Paddy Ashdown, representatives of all parties that won positions in the Mostar City Council at the last elections should be members of the Commission, however, many people wonder why independent intellectuals or former leaders of the city who contributed to its reintegration such as Neven Tomic and Safet Orucevic are not the members of the Commission. According to the article, the returnees are also dissatisfied with such solutions and especially Serbs from Mostar who believe that they do not have their representative in that Commission. For this reason, it can be expected that returnees’ organizations in Mostar will state their proposal on the Mostar reorganization tomorrow. |
| Safet Halilovic elected chairman of the Party for BiH Presidency | Oslobodjenje pg. 6, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Safet Halilovic re-elected president’. Safet Halilovic was late on Monday elected chairman of the Party for BiH Presidency. At a constituent session of the party presidency held in Sarajevo, Sahbaz Dzihanovic and Gavrilo Grahovac were elected deputy chairmen of the top party’s body. The new presidency was appointed at the party’s assembly last Saturday. |
| Oslobodjenje commentary | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Country of someone else’s will’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – Dizdarevic believes that BiH is entering a crucial phase of its political struggle to joint the EU as a state of the destroyed identity and without its political self-consciousness. |
| DL’s editorial: Crawling cooperation by so called reformers | Dnevni List (page 6, by Slavo Kukic) carries an editorial in which the author renders the overall situation/events in BiH. Kukic says the most important events in BiH lately are marked with the ease with which the “reformers” are giving up their heroes. In that context, Kukic says the Croat leadership has stayed silent when Ivica Rajic got arrested, the RS President Dragan Cavic even issued an arrest warrant against Radovan Karadzic, and finally when it comes to arrest of Naser Oric, everyone stayed silent apart from women of Srebrenica. Kukic’s conclusion is that things are moving and that “reformers” are, whether they like it or not, co-operative. When it comes to co-operation, Kukic says it is not a product of their changed attitude but the will to stay “in the saddle” even if it means crawling before the lord, Lord Ashdown that is. Kukic goes on to say that despite some mistakes by the HR, he has to support him and his political sharpness albeit he sometimes leaves some things incomplete. “One thing is for sure. He is the only ‘penicillin’ for the reformers”, says Kukic. (NB: penicillin as in the “medicine”) |
| Meeting between HDZ Croatia and HDZ BiH representatives held in Mostar | Dnevni List (front and page 3, by Miso Relota, “Sanader: We feel responsibility for destiny of Croats in BiH”), Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Darko Juka, “We shall not leave Croats in BiH out of Europe”), Jutarnji List (page 6, by H, “Ivo Sanader in Mostar on relations with BiH”) and Vecernji List (front page, “New march on authority announced” and page 3, “HDZ BiH improves position of BiH Croats”, by Zoran Kresic) carry that a senior delegation of HDZ Croatia, led by its President Ivo Sanader, had a working meeting with leaders of HDZ BiH in Mostar yesterday. After the meeting, the acting President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, stated that they discussed the current situation in BiH and preparations for the eighth Convention of HDZ BiH. Sanader stated: “Many things connect our two countries and we feel responsibility for the destiny of Croats in BiH. We sincerely wish that BiH, after Croatia also did it, hands over the application for a full membership in EU because our joint future is in Europe and European-Atlantic Integration.” With regard to the double citizenship issue, Sanader said that he is dissatisfied with the things that have been done with regard to this issue so far. With regard to the coming election in Croatia, Sanader said that HDZ Croatia would certainly win. (Oslobodjenje also report on the meeting) |
| Croatian Minister for Reconstruction Cacic visiting Jajce | Vecernji List (front and page 3, by D. Mamic, “We will reconstruct houses of all returnees from Croatia”) carries a report on a visit of the Croatian Minister for Reconstruction, Radomir Cacic, to Jajce where he met with local authorities and BiH Minister and Deputy Minister for Refugees, Mirsad Kebo and Ivica Marinovic. According to VL, the topic of meetings was return related projects in BiH and in that context the daily says Cacic promised funding of reconstruction of all houses of Croats currently living in Croatia thus enabling return of Serbs to Croatia. “I am surprised with what has been achieved in Jajce. There will be no financial limits for the real returnees to BiH. We have been the biggest investors and donors to BiH and I think it will remain in the future”, says Cacic. (Dnevni List, page 3, by FENA, “Croatia announces further help to Croat returnees to BiH”, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 7, by Z. Cilic – HINA, “RH will not save efforts for return of Croats to BiH”, Sarajevo dailies also cover the issue) |
Other issues | |
| DL’s editorial: “Slaughtered ram below new Old Bridge”
| Dnevni List (page 2, by Vera Soldo) carries an editorial regarding the yesterday’s ceremony, which marked placing of the first stone in the Old Bridge arch. The editorial criticizes the fact that according to the Islamic tradition, employees of Turkish Company ErBu, who are the contractors in the Old Bridge Reconstruction Project, slaughtered a ram in front of the attendants of this ceremony. The author says that this scene does not fit in the picture of BiH on its way towards Europe and wonders who wants to cause divisions in Mostar again. “Now, when we are in an extremely sensitive, political moment, when great efforts are being exerted in Mostar so it can become a multi-cultural center again, when there is an attempt to overcome serious consequences of the recent war, who wants to have exclusive rights on Mostar cultural identity?” Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, by Miroslav Landeka, “First stone of new Old Bridge arch placed”) and Dnevni List (page 12, “First stone of Old Bridge arch placed”, “At general horror ceremony marked with slaughtering of ram”) carry that the ceremony of placing of the first stone of the Old Bridge arch took place yesterday. |
| DL: “Training of civil servants started” | Dnevni List (page 8, by B. Kristo) carries that the training of civil servants started in Sarajevo yesterday. The BiH Civil Service Agency, the School for Public Administration of the Italian Government from Bologna and Bologna’s University organized the training through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italian Embassy in BiH. Head of the BiH Civil Service Agency, Jakob Finci, stated: “All civil servants from all institutions at the State level, from the BiH Council of Ministers, that is all 8 Ministries, to the Parliament and other smaller institutions at the state level attend the training.” |
| Cropress on issue of Law on Economic Chambers
| Vecernji List (page 4, by Renata Radic, “Anglo-Saxon order”) carries that the BiH Government should soon pass the Law on Transformation of Economic Chambers, on the ground of which membership to the Economic Chambers on a voluntary basis should be abolished. VL says that people from the Federation Economic Chamber believe that this move is a policy that the International Community is deliberately implementing and that the Bulldozer action is a good excuse for their policy. President of Federation Economic Chamber, Jago Lasic, says there is the Anglo-Saxon system, that is being applied in Great Britain, USA and some African countries, and the continental law that suits Europe. Lasic also says that with the coming of Anglo-Saxons the changes are taking place. He wonders whether we shall introduce the obligatory membership again if a German comes in power in BiH in future. Lasic also says that Bulldozer action created insecurity among businessmen. VL says that President of RS Economic Chamber, Mladen Micic, has similar opinion and he raises the question of competence of the persons who will participate in Bulldozer action. On the same issue, Slobodna Dalmacija (page 4, by D. Pasic, “Membership in Chambers in future on voluntary basis”) and Dnevni List (page 4, by E. Mackic, “Only those who want will pay membership in Economic chambers”) carry that on the ground of the Bulldozer Commission proposal, the Federation Government sent to the parliamentary procedure the Law on Changes and Amendments of Law on Economic Chambers in Federation of BiH. |
| CRO Press on two letter sent by Cardinal Puljic to Ashdown | Vecernji List (page 2, by f, “Imamovic leads the way when it comes to hatred towards Catholics”) reports that the Archbishop of Vrhbosnia, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, sent two letters to the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, drawing the HR’s focus on more frequent attacks and incidents against Croats in Sarajevo and other cities/towns and reminding about the problems the Croats are facing in the Brcko District regarding the property issues at “Arizona” market. With regards to the former, Cardinal Puljic warns that people who wear crosses are being attacked on the streets and roads. Moreover, the Cardinal warns of articles in Sarajevo-based dailies that are allegedly “charged with hatred”, especially articles signed by Professor Imamovic. “These articles in the papers cause reactions”, says Cardinal Puljic stressing that the Catholics expect provocation and attacks on the day or the day after the articles are published. (Dnevni List, front and page 9, by kta, “Who has problems with Croats and religious officials in BiH capitol?, Slobodna Dalmacija, front and page 15, by kta, “Catholics are being beaten in the streets, insulted and chased away from Sarajevo” and Vjesnik, page 5, by A. Z. “Cardinal Puljic warns of difficult position of Catholics in BiH”) |