OHR BiH Media Round-up, 15/9/2005

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

BiH HoP takes PBS Law of the agenda

BH Radio 1 Mustafa Karahmet – BiH House of Peoples have commenced the session this morning taking off the agenda the discussion on the Public Broadcasting System law. Reporter commented that the HoP delegates offered no reason for this.

13 Serbs apprehend in Arizona/USA

RS Radio – France Pressnews agency ahs reported that 25 Serbs from BiH have been arrested in Arizona, under suspicion they have falsified their US entry visas and failed to provide true  information in visa application. This was confirmed by FBI Spokesperson in Arizona, Deborah McCarley. The detainees may be tried to prison sentence of 15 years max.

Delegation of 11 NGO’s from RS visiting Serbian Parliament

RS Radio – Five-member delegation of the Coordination Centre of 11 NGO’s from RS led by Slavko Jovicic today in Belgrade will meet with the Serbian Parliament Deputy Speaker, Gordana Pop-Lazic and some Serbian MP’s. The main topic of the meeting will be: why Serbia , as signatory of the Dayton Agreement, acts passively in the moments when RS is facing with the severest situation sicne the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Political Developments/Reforms

Terzic: Belgrade is to be blamed for failure of police reform too

Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Belgrade is to be held co-responsible for failure’, pg 4 ‘Belgrade is to be partly blamed, Brussels must take its head out of sand’ by S. Numanovic – In a statement to DA, the BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic said that the authorities in Belgrade are to be partly blamed for the failure of the police talks. He pointed out that Serbian authorities influenced the conclusions of the RS National Assembly, which rejected the police agreement from Bjelasnica, as they want to use the situation in BiH for upcoming negotiations on Kosovo status. “Somehow, I cannot escape impression that RS political figures… were encouraged to make this move by someone outside,” said Terzic. He stressed that the European Commission has to seriously think about its relation with Belgrade: “It is obvious that Belgrade politicis directly encourages RS authorities not to support European program in order to ensure BiH is without any relations with European which they could eventually use to trade during the Kosovo negotiations. Brussels must take its head out of sand and see clearly that there is a relation inside the region and between the politics in Belgrade and Banja Luka. They should not allow SCG to start negotiation on 5 October.” Terzic reminded that RS has once again showed itself as the obstacle on the path to European integrations and added [in inset: ‘RSNA delegates voted for OHR to stay’] that by rejecting the police reform his and Paddy Ashdown’s plan on closing down OHR by end of next year is not possible. Asked what next, Terzic said: “This is an issue for the Peace Implementation Council. Neither OHR nor European Commission can now offer any solution. Therefore, the IC must decide what to do with Dayton.”

Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘Terzic accused Belgrade for failure of negotiations’ by Az. Kalamujic – Terzic also gave an interview along the same lines to Oslobodjenje. In it, he has also accused “some other European centers” for encouraging RS to reject the reform. As for the Belgrade, he reminded of the SCG Prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, who stated he was against the police reform. Article concludes that the EC spokesperson, Frane Marovic, did not want to comment that BiH could start with negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement only in 2007.   

BHT, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Adnan Terzic: I expect action of international community’ also carried Terzic’s statement on the issue.

HR Ashdown: Dayton anniversary will not be celebration

RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘There will be no new political talks’, mentioned on cover ‘Dayton anniversary will not be celebration’ – HR Paddy Ashdown stated that BIH’s has lost its chance to start negotiations on Stabilisation and Association Agreement by 10^th anniversary of Dayton Agreement since negotiations on police reform failed. RS NA members tasked RS Government to continue negotiations on police reform. Ashdown stated that he is disappointed with the decision of RS NA. “This is a major step back for all RS citizens”, said Ashdown. He added that responsibility for that is upon RS Government, SDS and PDP. He also stated that there is no basis for new institutional negotiations since RS representatives are not coming up with any new suggestions that would meet 3 conditions set by European Commission.

OHR blames SDS, PDP for failure of police reform talks

Pink, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘SDS, PDP are culprits for missed opportunity’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Chance for beginning of negotiations with EU missed’ by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg RSNA decision stops BiH progress towards Europe’ by F, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Path to Europe thrown away’ by V.Popovic/N.Krsman – Late on Tuesday, the RSNA was given the keys to the gates to Europe, but threw them away. The consequences of this decision are clear. This means that BiH has missed the chance of starting SAA [Stabilization and Association Agreement] negotiations – the first step towards joining the European Union – by the 10th Anniversary of Dayton, OHR said in a press release issued on Wednesday. Instead of this anniversary being marked as a celebration of progress, it will be seen as a marker of how one part of BiH held the rest of the country back, according to the release. “The SDS as the main party of the RS Government, as well as other parties who voted in favour of all three RSNA conclusions, including the PDP, bear the chief responsibility for this. They have rejected not just the three EC principles on police reform, but the RS and BiH’s whole EU future. By doing so, they have isolated the Serbs in BiH from their neighbours in Belgrade who are on course to start SAA negotiations in three weeks,” said OHR. 

EU’s Solana: Current situation BiH is facing is a sort of sanction

Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Path to Europe thrown away’ by V.Popovic/N.Krsman – Cristina Gallach, Spokesperson of the EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Javier Solana, stated in a response to question whether sanctions would be imposed against RS that EU does not use this term, adding: “The current situation BiH is facing is a sort of sanction.”

EU’s Rehn: It is clear there will be no talks with EU this year

BHT, Hayat, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘It is clear there will be no talks with EU this year’, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Path to Europe thrown away’ by V.Popovic/N.Krsman, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘A missed chance’ – EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn expressed disappointment since BIH will not commence the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) by the 10^th anniversary of Dayton Agreement. He stated that the three EC principles on the police reform will not be changed adding that reorganization of police is the last obstacle on BIH’s path to start negotiations on SAA with EU.

EC disappointed with police talks failure

Pink, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Humphries still expect BiH institutions to reach the agreement’, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Little time for police reform’, not signed, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘EC disappointed with RSNA stand’ by B.S., Slobodna Dalmacija pg 20 ‘EC disappointed’ by A.M., ‘New negotiators and new deadline end of September’ by B. Magas, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Path to Europe thrown away’ by V.Popovic/N.Krsman, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘European Commission is disappointed’ – The European Commission (EC) is disappointed with the failed police reform talks i.e losing another chance for BiH to start Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) talks with EU by the end of this year. “We were pointing out that the police reform was one of the crucial terms for launching the SAA. We are now discussing possibilities and options in terms of police reform and BiH’s progress towards the EU”, said Spokesperson to EC Frane Maroevic. He refused to speculate on the possible sanctions against RS for rejecting the police reform proposal.

British Ambassador Rycroft: BiH missed a chance to move closer to Europe

Dnevni Avaz ‘Opportunity missed for start of talks with EU’, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Path to Europe thrown away’ by V.Popovic/N.Krsman, FENA – British Ambassador to BiH Matthew Rycroft expressed regret that BiH had missed the chance to start talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU on the tenth anniversary of the Dayton Agreement, the British Embassy in Sarajevo stated on Wednesday. This failure is entirely the consequence of the blockade of police reform, which has been caused by the RS Government, the British Embassy stated. The Embassy added that all parties involved in this process have been aware for a long time that police reform in accordance with the three principles of the European Commission is a condition for starting SAA talks. “This position and those principles will not be changed. When the RS Government changes its position and agrees with the three principles talks on police reform will continue. Until then BiH citizens will not be able to enjoy the benefits they would have had their country moved closer towards the EU”, the British Embassy stated.

DA: Big rift between Cavic and Bukejlovic has become obvious

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Big rift between Cavic and Bukejlovic has become obvious’ by E. Sarac – Author comments that the conclusions of the RSNA session held on Tuesday only further demonstrates that there is a big rift between the RS President Dragan Cavic and RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic. Once political like-minded, Cavic and Bukejlovic apparently had not talked at all during the session and DA learns from their SDS colleagues that they have not approached each other at all. Cavic was apparently willing to agree to police reform as drafted during the talks at Bjelasnica, but found himself in positions “one against all”, says DA. Author claims that for the first time Cavic left the session before it ended. During the [highly criticized] address by Slavko Jovicic, Cavic apparently left the session and talked to Jovicic outside the hall after which he left the building all together very upset. Cavic also did not address the delegates.  

SD on police reform: Cavic to remove Bukejlovic, Matijasevic and Cenic?

Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 20 ‘New negotiators and new deadline: End September’, by Blanka Magas – Talking about the course of police reform and possible removals in the RS, namely removals of the RS PM, Pero Bukejlovic, RS Interior Minister, Dragan Matijasevic, and RS Finance Minister, Svetlana Cenic, who participated in the police reform talks, SD notes that they will most likely not be removed by the High Representative, instead they will be removed by the RS President, Dragan Cavic, who has apparently already announced to them what would happen. In this context, SD notes that Cavic has, on the eve of the police talks, promised the HR that negotiators from the RS would be cooperative and that they would agree to all European requests. The author concludes the piece by saying it looks likely that negotiators will be given the second half of September in order to reach an agreement, and Magas says an agreement will indeed be reached after the negotiating team from the RS gets changed.

NN op-ed on RS NA session: A spectacle of high risk

Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘A spectacle of high risk’ by Pero Simic – Criticising the behaviour of the RS MP’s during latest session, the author notes that whenever an important issue is discussed and local politicians have no answer to that, they reach for the old patriotic reference to the abolishment of RS. He notes that temperature raising amongst people upon police reform only serves as a means to RS Government and negotiating team to find an alibi for incompetence to find a reasonable solution and get away from “a spectacle of high risk”. He adds position in RS is assumed because of privileges, not for initiative to show vision, strength of leadership that would enable identification of good solution for the citizens.

Jahic from SDA says IC has let RS behave so to reject police reform

Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘A signal from the side’ by BETA – Elmir Jahic, SDA Main Board member, is of the view that RS NA failed to adopt Agreement on police reform Tuesday evening “because the international community has allowed authorities in Srpska to behave so”. He has added: “Once again, authorities in RS and its Government have demonstrated they do not want true reforms, that they do not want to see BiH within European Union. If we want to be part of EU we cannot make demands, since EU conditions apply the same for all states.” He expresses his belief that there is disunity within IC, which gives a signal to RS authorities to behave as they want.

RS PM Bukejlovic not expecting sanctions against RS

BHT, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Bukejlovic does not expect new accusations, sanctions against RS’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Chance for beginning of negotiations with EU missed’ by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 20 ‘RS said no to Europe’ by A. Macanovic, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Bukejlovic does not expect sanctions’, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Solution is possible’ – RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic has said that RS had already been accused of not cooperating and failing to produce police reform solutions which would be acceptable to the European Commission, CoM and Federation of BiH. “How it is possible to find the solution when we have only been offered by “take it or leave it” proposal, there is no understanding on the need for the compromise” said Bukejlovic. He also expressed hope that there will be no sanctions against RS.

RSNA Speaker Stojicic says RSNA conclusions not closing doors to Europe

RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Bukejlovic does not expect sanctions’, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Solution is possible’ – RSNA Speaker Dusan Stojicic stated that the decision of RS NA does not close the doors to further negotiations and membership in the EU. “There are no reasons for anyone to think about any possible pressures or measures against SDS”, added Stojicic.

NN; Reactions to RSNA conclusions on police by local politicians

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Pivasevic: SDS expects sanctions’ by V.P.-N.K. – Stanko Pivasevic, SDS MP, expects sanctions would be imposed towards SDS, adding he is not afraid of them since SDS got used to it. He notes: “Regardless what decision we may have reached, we would have been wrong, because we would have been stigmatized or haunted by either by our own people or OHR, which will certainly express anger towards us.” Tarik Sadovic, SDA delegate at RS NA, has assessed that refusal of agreement would make BiH remain a black hole in the Balkans, adding: “I am afraid we will be the only state that has no agreement with EU.” Igor Radojicic, SNSD MP, has stated RS NA decision should not cause negative consequences for RS, adding all the chances for resumption of talks have not been lost. He adds: “Still, if HR decides to reach for penalties, he should then penalize Adnan Terzic who was leading negotiator and who is responsible for the failure of talks to a great extent.” Zeljko Komsic, Vice President of the SDP of BiH, is not surprised with RS NA decision, stressing: “I did not expect anything from this authority composition neither HR. There is a rumour spreading around ever since Vlasic talks that decisions should be reached through consensus, which has nothing to do with functional police force. Unfortunately, that is how it ended.” Beriz Belkic, member of Presidency of Party for BiH, things were set badly from the very beginning, since Serb people would view any acceptance of the agreement a betrayal, adding: “BiH is moving backwards, but talks must resume.. Nevenka Trifkovic, PDP, is of the view that dialogue must resume, adding any sort of sanction would be counter-productive.

EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘A key of EU thrown away’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – carries OHR press release, and statement of Stanko Pivasevic from SDS, noting RS NA has did the only possible thing, which is providing support to RS Government which acted in line with previous RS NA conclusions.

BiH HoP to vote on PBS Law today

BHT – BIH House of Peoples will vote on the law on Public Broadcasting System during the session on Thursday, after the BIH Constitutional Court reached the decision that PBS law doesn’t endanger Croats national interests. BHT 1 found out that members of International Community and representatives of local Government have reached a political agreement for PBS to be adopted at the Thursday’s session. On the other hand, Croat delegates stated that they would not vote until the BIH Court’s decision is published in the official gazette.

Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Law on PBS can be adopted even without support by Croats’ also announced today’s session. 

SD: 26 officers working in FBiH Police Administration without police certificates

Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pg 19 ’26 persons working in Police Administration without IPTF’s certificates’, by Milo Jukic – Reports that the FBiH Interior Minister, Mevludin Halilovic, sent a few days ago the Director of FBiH Police Administration, Zlatko Miletic, and acting Director of Administration, Medina Kocan, a letter in which he informed them that it has been established that 26 persons work in the FBiH Police Administration although they do not have IPTF’s police certificates. Apparently, IPTF refused to give certificates to three of them, three of them were not involved in the certification process at all and the IPTF did not approve the certification for the remaining 20 officers. SD also notes that the letter was also forwarded to the BiH Presidency, the EUPM Chief Advisor, Jari Kinnunen, and EUPM Political Advisor, Marc Bojanic. SD argues that this is a case Miletic hiring his friends contrary to the law. (NB: SD carries names of all 26 police officers in question, the stress is on Dragan Vikic, who has not the certificate despite being the Commander of the FBiH MoI’s SWAT team)

Brcko District Supervisor amends Brcko District Statute

Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Susan Johnson passed amendments on Brcko Statute’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Amendments on Brcko Statute’ by rt – Brcko Supervisor Susan Johnson issued a Supervisory Order amending the Statute of Brcko District of BiH to establish a separate position of Vice-Mayor who will not at the same time be a Head of Department.

Borogovac, Dodik on initiative to name Sarajevo Airport after late Izetbegovic

Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 18 ‘Alija’s name at Visoko airport’, by Zlatko Tulic – With regards to the initiative to name the Sarajevo Airport and the square nearby the Sarajevo College of Economy after the late Alija Izetbegovic, SD carries reactions by Dr. Muhamed Borogovac and leader of SNSD, Milorad Dodik. Borogovac notes that the airport should continue to carry its current name (‘ Sarajevo Airport ‘), whilst Dodik says if the change of name does take place, he will never use the airport in the future.

Paravac on initiative to name streets and airport after Alija Izetbegovic

Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Streets cannot be named after war crime suspects’ by B. Magas, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Thorn in the face of peace’, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Thorn in the face of co-life over Izetbegovic’ by N.B. – Borislav Paravac, Serb member to BiH Presidency, has described the initiative for re-naming of streets, squares, cities, airports after people indicted or suspected for war crimes by ICTY as surprising and unbelievable. Referring to the initiative for re-naming of Sarajevo airport and Square of Liberation after Alija Izetbegovic, Paravac noted Carla del Ponte had previously stated Izetbegovic had been suspected of war crimes committed in BiH, adding: “Such initiatives and ideas, including the project of marking of anniversary of Alija Izetbegovic are thorn in the face of peace.”

SDP: Stop segregation in schools in Canton 7

Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘State consciously allows segregation in schools’, by Mensud Zorlak – The SDP calls on the Speaker of the FBiH House of Representatives, Muhamed Ibrahomovic, to urgently convoke a session of the chamber in order to discuss the situation in the education system in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. According to the Deputy President of SDP Caucus in the FBiH HoR, Nermin Niksic, the chamber should oppose the separation of pupils on national basis. On top of this, Niksic says the HoR should request from the HNC Assembly and Government to prevent any form of discrimination among the pupils.

Lozancic meets US’ Kaidanow: Constitution needs to be changed

Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘Constitution of BiH prevents further progress of state’, by NINA – The FBIH President, Niko Lozancic, received the charge d’affaires of the US Embassy to BiH, Tina Kaidanow, yesterday (Wednesday). The focus of the meeting was on the 10^th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accord, and according to Lozancic, the DPA was a painful compromise that stopped the war in BiH, however the current Constitution hinders BiH on its road to a democratic state. He also noted that it was clear that it was not possible for BiH to join European integration without carrying out changes to the Constitution of BiH.

HSS President Tadic dissatisfied with Ashdown’s mandate

Danas pg 19-21 ‘New High Representative should be German, Austrian or Polish’ by Z. Jukic – In an interview given to Danas, among the other things, HSS President Marko Tadic is talking about the future High Representative and the mandate of current HR Paddy Ashdown. Tadic said: ‘The most important thing is not from which country the HR will come. It is more important that the next HR is politically mature, capable and responsible person’. Tadic says he would prefer that the HR comes from Germany, Austria or Poland. He added: ‘I also expect a significant change in the OHR’s policy and this means passing of a new Constitution, new Election Law, completing of the police reform and intensive reform of welfare and economic policy. I am expecting that the OHR ceases to be the biggest protector of the RS and that the OHR stops with ignoring the Croat demands and bad position of Croats in BiH. HR Paddy Ashdown started his mandate with a bad move, that is, he was partial to national parties, then he continued with confused politics and quasi-reforms and he will end his mandate with demonstration of his powerlessness. I am convinced that he personally is not satisfied with his mandate. In short for BiH this was a lost HR’s mandate.’    

War Crimes

RS Minister of Interior Matijasevic confirms surrender of ICTY indictee Lukic

Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Sredoje Lukic will be transferred to The Hague in a few days’, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘Sredoje Lukic surrendered to the RS authorities’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘ICTY indictee Sredoje Lukic turned himself in’ by bs, Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Sredoje Lukiic to be extradited to the Hague in the coming days’ by S.Karic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Voluntarily before the Court’ by V.Janjic, EuroBlic RSpg 7 ‘Voluntary run-away, surrender in line with agreement’ by M.M., Vecernje Novosti pg 12, announced on cover ‘Bloody traces of “Avenger” by E.Radosavljevic, Srpski Nacional pg 4 ‘From Russia via Bosnia to The Hague’ by U.Mrdic  – RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic confirmed that the ICTY indictee Sredoje Lukic had voluntarily surrendered to RS authorities on Tuesday. Lukic is being charged with violation of war customs and crimes against Muslims in Visegrad, in 1992. Matijasevic said that Lukic was going to be transferred to the ICTY within next several days. RS Government welcomes such Lukic’s decision, saying that it is the best way to help his nation. “We find this decision as a moral and patriotic act”, said Matijasevic. The Government is going to offer all necessary guarantees for temporary release of Lukic until,strat of trial, as well as any kind of assistance to his family.

First war crimes trial starts before Court of BiH

Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘Defendant’s lawyer asked for postponement of process’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Simsic’s defence did not collect necessary evidence’ by E. Mackic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Main hearing in Simsic case as late as on October 13’ by E. Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 20 ‘Policeman from Visegrad first war crime indictee who will stand trial before BiH Court ’ by F, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, announced on cover ‘First trial for war crimes commences’ by A.Durmo – First war crimes trial has started on Wednesday before BiH War Crimes Chamber, namely Boban Simsic’s trial. Simsic is being indicted with war crimes against Bosniak civilians in Visegrad, in 1992. The defence lawyers have asked for six months delay of start of the trial in order to better prepare themselves. The court decided to continue the main hearing in a month, on October 13, 2005 . Prosecution is going to bring 27 witnesses.

12^th anniversary of killing of Croats in Uzdol marked

BHT, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Horror started at dawn’, Dnevni List pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘Those who are responsible for serious crimes should be punished’ by I. Rozic, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Love, respect and gratitude to innocent victims’ by V. Leto, A. Buric, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 24 ‘Bosniak leaders boycotted Uzdol’ by E. Karamatic  

 – The 12^th anniversary of killings of Croats in Uzdol near Prozor-Rama was marked on Wednesday. Members of BIH Army killed 29 civilians and 12 soldiers. Families of victims complain that up today no one has been punished/sentenced for these crimes. Currently former BIH Army Commander General Sefer Halilovic is being processed before ICTY for crimes committed in this region.

DL op-ed saying that ICTY has double standards

Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Do not forget Croat victims’ by I. Rozic carries an editorial on the Uzdol massacre and the author says that having in mind a sentence that has been proposed for wartime BiH Army Commander Sefer Halilovic (10 years in prison) and the other ones charged with this war crime we have a feeling that Croat victims do not worth much before the ICTY. The author makes comparison with the sentence pronounced against former HVO Commander Dario Kordic who is according to the editorial charged with the command responsibility just like Sefer Halilovic, however, Koridic. has been sentenced to 25 years in prisons. The author concludes that the ICTY does not do its job and therefore we should not be surprised by the opinions that the ICTY is just a political body that is creating some twisted image of the history.  

Del Ponte: Calls for arrests of Karadzic and Mladic are useless unless followed by the concrete actions’

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Statements on arresting Karadzic and Mladic are useless unless followed by concrete actions’ by Fena – The Spokeswoman for the ICTY Prosecution, Florence Hartmann stated that the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte has taken note of the recent statements by the US, the EU and NATO leadership on necessity to arrest Karadzic and Mladic describing those calls are important and necessary, but useless unless followed by the concrete actions. “The chief Prosecutor welcomes their calls for the two men indicted for genocide to be in custody before the 10th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement,” said Hartmann. She also announced Del Ponte will be visiting Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia on September 29 and 30th. “The Prosecutor expects that Serbia will live up to its promises given to her during her last visit in Belgrade and deliver Mladic before that date,” concluded Hartmann. Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘I expect Serbia to fulfill its promise’ – Del Ponte underlined that if Karadzic and Mladic are not brought before the ICTY by the end of this year, the plan to finalize the work of the Tribunal in this decade.

Economic/Social Affairs/Audits

FBiH Audit Office presents reports on FBiH institutions financial operations: Only Constitutional Court got positive assessment

BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Only Constitutional Court got positive assessment’, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Biggest exceeding of budget in Army and police’ by N. Bise, Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Positive judgment to FBiH Supreme Court only’ by E. Medunjanin, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Positive assessment to F BiH Supreme Court solely’ by D.Muminovic  – The F BIH Auditor’s Office published the negative audit report on F BIH institutions financial operation stating that F BIH institutions exceeded the federal budget for 4.5 million KM. The Chief F BIH Auditor Ibrahim Okanovic stated that the coordination between Government and Parliament doesn’t exist and F BIH Ministers do not submit their six-month reports to Parliament. The negative report refers to F BIH Ministry of Defense, FBiH Army, Faculty of Economics, BIH Tourists Association and West Herzegovina Canton. FBiH Army exceeded their budget for 2.487.106 KM, F BIH Mod for 472.530 KM. most of the F BIH Ministries do not have the internal control system, public tender regulations or salary regulations. FBIH Government has spent more than 866.310 KM for a projected that hasn’t been realized from 2003 and more than 10.000 KM for phone bills. According to the audit report, only FBIH Constitutional Court has received the positive assessment for its financial dealings.

Old foreign currency depositors launched petition for confiscation of illegally gained property

Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Petition for confiscation of illegally gained property’ by T.D. – The Association of Old Foreign Currency Savings Depositors has started with signing of the petition in which they demand from the BiH Parliamentary Assembly to pass the law on investigating the origin of property and on confiscation of illegally gained property. 

Terrorism/Organised Crime

German News Agency DDP: Terrorists from London are preparing new attack on London

Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Terrorists from BiH are preparing new attack on London’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘New attack on London is being prepared in BiH?’ by B. Stevandic – German News Agency DDP informed that European intelligence services have uncertain indications which says that another terrorist cell, that is being controlled from BiH, is preparing a new attack on London. Referring to the sources in the German Intelligence Agency DDP claims that perpetrators of the terrorist attacks in Madrid and London had contacts in BiH.

PSC Istocno Sarajevo denied claims that certain Rade Janjetovic matches photofit of perpetrator of armed robbery committed -in Zagreb

Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘Rade Jabuka is not perpetrator of Zagreb robbery’ and pgs 10 and 11 ‘Janjetovic and photofit unknown to RS inspector’ by D. Jazvic, R. Soldo – With regard to the information published by Jutarnji List according to which description of certain Rade Janjetovic Jabuka from Istocno Sarajevo matches a photofit of a person who participated in the recent armed robbery in Zagreb (2 security guards were killed during the robbery), VL carries that Head of the Public Security Centre Istocno Sarajevo Bojan Cvijan denied these information. JL also published that people from the PSC Istocno Sarajevo had confirmed that Jabuka matched the photofit and that he is a criminal well known to the police, and Cvijan denied these claims as well and said that this name is completely unknown to him. Cvijan added that he has not decided yet whether he would sue the JL journalist who made up the whole story.