Print Media Headlines |
Dnevni Avaz: Sejfudin Tokic will ask for removals; SFOR puts road block around Sarajevo
Jutarnje Novine: Poverty in BiH; SFOR road blocks around Sarajevo; President’s summit
Nezavisne Novine: Attempted assassination of Chirac
Glas Srpski: BiH Customs Tariffs Law controversial; Chirac – target of an assassin
Blic: Kostunica: Confirmation of the Dayton principles and borders in Sarajevo; Process on Ferhadija case starts today
Vecernji List: Federation Ministry of Interior warns about possible attack on presidents’ planes
Dnevni List: Beriz Belkic – Do politicians create public or public creates politicians?
Three Presidents’ Summit |
In a statement for FENA (carried by Dnevni Avaz p. 2 and Oslobodjenje p.3, Glas Srpski p.3, Blic p.6), the FRY president, Vojislav Kostunica, said that he hopes that Monday’s Summit will improve the cooperation among the three countries especially in the field of economic development. He however noted commenting on Belkic’s statement that “we should not talk about the past using the language of hate, nor we should try to find in it the justification for our own intolerance.”
According to Blic, the presidential troika will also meet with the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown.
In an interview with Vecernje Novosti (p.2) Predrag Simic, an aide to Vojislav Kostunica, said that for the FRY president and for Yugoslavia, the most important issues to be discussed in Sarajevo are the issue of refugees and the loosening of visa regime. “The aim of this meeting is to look forward, in the future, to see what to do with this region. In 1980s it functioned as a single economic, cultural, linguistic … area. That makes the development of economic cooperation easier, because there is the infrastructure for that. If political obstacles are overcome, the economy, i.e. trade liberalization, will be revived easily and quickly. And it would be easier for foreign investors to invest in one single market than in several divided,” Simic said. Simic added that President Kostunica was going to Sarajevo convinced that was a summit of leaders who were aware of their obligations toward their countries and the whole region and who wanted to leave the past to the past and to restore what could be restored and to find a way in which these countries would live together in the future. Regarding the special relations between Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska and the interpretation of Dayton, Simic said: “The FRY has never deemed that the Dayton is disputable, which is confirmed by the fact that the Government has launched a procedure for the ratification of agreement in the Parliament. That is one of the Council of Europe’s requests, because requests for revision of Dayton and return of some solutions that caused the war are coming from several sides. The agreement on special relations with Republika Srpska are being mystified a lot. The agreement does not contain any wording that in not line with the Dayton Peace Accord. Whenever Republika Srpska is mentioned, BiH is mentioned as well.”
The RS President, Mirko Sarovic, stated that the RS supports the tripartite meeting of the Presidents of FRY and Croatia, Vojislav Kostunica and Stjepan Mesic, with the BiH Presidency, which is supposed to take place today in Sarajevo (Glas Srpski, p. 3). “Of course that we are looking forward to any progress in relations between these countries, and we are also happy over any progress that is reached in relations between BiH and FRY. We in the RS support various agreements that were recently signed and ratified between BiH and FRY. These agreement will be for the benefit of all citizens of the two countries,” said Sarovic.
In an editorial in Oslobodjenje, Ibrahim Prohic, notes that today’s summit should not be labeled as historic only on a symbolic level. “Instead of tinkering with the romantic concept of apology for the war and aggression, it would be better if [the Presidency] would initiate the signing of bilateral or trilateral protocol whereby all three states would oblige themselves to give up all territorial pretensions and refrain from using violence in settling the disputes…This would mark the end of the period of confrontation and the beginning of the cooperation phase.”
Dnevni List (page 2, signed by Miso Relota) writes that “although it seems that today’s summit is an ordinary meeting of the Presidents, who are exerting efforts in order to normalize relations among three countries, the situation on the ground is very different.” Relota notes that Kostunica should apologies for the war in BiH. “Kostunica is perceived as a nationalist and he has never denied his nationalistic ambitions and the project of Greater Serbia.”
Helsinki Committees for Human Rights in BiH and Croatia welcome the meeting of the three presidents in Sarajevo. “This is an important step in stabilization of the situation in the region,” note the organizations, warning the participants that their symbolic statements will affect the future contacts between the three countries. (Dnevni Avaz, Oslobodjenje p. 4)
All Sarajevo news papers report on their front pages that, ahead of the Summit, security in and around the city has been tightened with the SFOR setting road blocks and doing random checks of vehicles on all entrances to Sarajevo.
Vecernji List (front and page 3) reports that the Federation Ministry of Interior warned that a group of Islamic extremists from Travnik purchased four anti-aircraft missiles somewhere in the RS and that the possible targets of their attacks are the aircraft’s carrying presidents Stjepan Mesic and Vojislav Kostunica, but also Javier Solana who should come to Sarajevo soon. The daily says that SFOR troops are controlling roads to Travnik and Novi Travnik, and mostly checking drivers with long beards and women covered in traditional Islamic way. Vjesnik (p 3), Slobodna Dalmacija (p 3, with title “Mini Dayton“) and Jutarnji List (page 2) also report on meeting of BiH Presidency with Mesic and Kostunica.
Financial Affairs |
Vecernji List (page 2) reports that the new Law on changes and amendments to the Law on special taxation of oil derivatives should drastically improve the financial situation of the Federation budget. According to the daily, the experts in the matter believe that the new law will amass some 200 million KMs, the amount which was being lost every year when the law was not harmonized in the whole BiH. Vecernji List says that it will be the customers who will pay the excise taxes thus putting an end to the former manipulations which were done by some distributors in the business.
Vecernji List (front and page 41) reports that the Federation Minister of Trade, Andrija Jurkovic, and his brother Ilija have been suspected of violating the law by trying to put on the market, through their company “Trgopromet Jurkovic”, cigarettes and alcoholic drinks using the false stamps. Namely, continues VL, inspectors of the Federation Tax Administration, the regional branch of Mostar, conducted an investigation in the company of Minister Jurkovic and ascertained that goods which had forged stamps were sold there (in the company). VL notes that the minister is a second person from political circles in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton within ten days who is being mentioned in the context of cigarette and alcohol smuggling. Namely, some ten days ago, a report of the Italian police labeled a former Mayor of Mostar Safet Orucevic as a suspect of main organizer of production and smuggling of cigarettes.
Activities of the High Representative |
Oslobodjenje (p. 7) carries today excerpts of the Vecernji List article claiming that the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, is considering removing the heads of municipalities in Stolac, Capljina and Srebrenica. However, the OHR Chief Spokesperson, Julian Braithwaite, told the daily that Ashdown is not planning to remove the three mayors, but noted that their activities and work are being closely followed. “Speculations about the three removals are not true. It is certain, however, that OHR departments follow the behavior and work of municipal heads and the return rates in their respective municipalities,” said Braithwaite.
Ivan Lovrenovic in Feral Tribune (pages 30-32) writes about forthcoming elections in BiH. After quoted results of UNDP’s Early Warning System project’s results about 30% of Croats, 40% of Bosniaks and 50% of Serbs who stated that they do not wish to vote, the author says that after “debacle of ‘Alliance’ there are many signals that indicate return of single-ethnic mood.” Lovrenovic also condemns Paddy Ashdown’s statement that crime and corruption are more dangerous than nationalism. “If you would like to imagine picture of future Bosnia and Herzegovina, think only about triumvirate Silajdzic – Sarovic – Covic at a leading position in the state. That is a picture of moving backwards, to condition of Izetbegovic – Krajisnik – Jelavic, or even further back, Izetbegovic – Karadzic – Boban. Perverse? Yes. And almost sure. For now, the most intriguing question is – what, in such possible/likely scenario, is the role of Paddy Ashdown and international Community?“, Lovrenovic wrote at the end of the article.
ICTY-related issues |
Srebrenica commemoration |