| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Veteran’s Law adopted | BiH-NATO | TV Subscription problems | Scheffer visiting BiH |
| RTV subscription | Presidency in Greece | Defenders Rights | SFOR on detainee |
| Presidency in Greece | Miners strike | BiH-NATO | Presidency in Greece |
| Miners on strike | New Ombudsmen | Presidency in Greece | Ombudsmen BiH |
| Oslobodjenje | Zenica miners stay in mine until they receive salary |
| Dnevni Avaz | Scheffer: Karadzic to be apprehended soon |
| Dnevni List | The suspected troika gets more than 26 years in jail; Federation Government must implement OHR’s decision; Inter-party elections put on hold? |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Phones are being disconnected due to TV subscription?; Young Bosnians trained in Pakistan participating in war in Iraq |
| Glas Srpske | SDA Head demands abolishment of BiH Presidency: Tihic wants domination |
| Nezavisne Novine | Jaap de Hoop: NATO will not forget BiH and run away; Greece: Members of BiH Presidency rewarded with Athens Honour Decoration; Milorad Dodik: Mass protests in March for holding early elections; Update to strike at Zenica Coal Mine: Two miners in hospital |
| Dani | Gasi brothers in fear of Celo, the war in Sarajevo underground; Politics: Mostar, the cause of collapse of union between OHR and ruling parties |
| Ljiljan | Mostar’s Soko [Hawk] disappeared, hawks in the courtroom; Zlatko Miletic, in top secrecy, created terrorism dossier on Hasan Cengic |
| Slobodna Bosna | Bloody war in Sarajevo underground |
BiH-NATO | |
| NATO Secretary general visits BiH, meets with HR Ashdown
| Herceg-Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘Even a reduced SFOR will catch Karadzic’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘NATO will not leave BiH’, FENA – NATO will not forget BiH and leave, the newly appointed Secretary General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday during his first official visit abroad in this capacity. Scheffer regards the fact that BiH is the very first country he is visiting since taking up the position of the Secretary General this month as the proof of NATO’s dedication to the security in BiH, which has been a priority for the past eight years. Great progress has been achieved in this period, which shows that reconstruction and reconciliation are possible with determination and patience. Scheffer expressed hope for soon launching of the new phase, which refers to BiH’s admission into NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme. “I have already seen progress in the security co-operation programme, the doors of the Partnership for Peace are open, but the question is how much open”, stressed Scheffer. According to him, this depends on three crucial matters. The political administration must work efficiently and in close co-operation in battling corruption and promoting reform. It is necessary to have full co-operation with the Hague Tribunal. And the third element that regards the Partnership for Peace is implementation of the Law on Defence. The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, added that BiH authorities must efficiency and swiftly work on establishing the state-level ministry of defence (deadline February 15), as well as to provide support for the other state security institutions so that BiH could be admitted into the Partnership for Peace at the NATO Summit in Istanbul, which will take place in June. “There is nothing better for the security of all BiH citizens than the NATO membership, but this depends on BiH itself”, said Ashdown. NATO will remain engaged in BiH in some form even if the European Union replaces SFOR in some moment of this year, for which the final decision has not yet been reached, although the EU has this ambition. NATO Secretary General emphasised that this will not change anything in regard to the dedication of the international community to security in BiH. Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Scheffer: NATO will not forget BiH”, by Fena), Dnevni List (last page, “Scheffer: NATO forces remain in BiH”, by R. Radic), Vecernji List (page 2 “NATO expects implementation of law”, by dja), Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3 , ‘NATO will not forget BiH and run away’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘To Europe via The Hague’ also covered this visit. |
| Scheffer: BiH must maintain the pace of reform | FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Joint hunt on criminals’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, FENA – NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Thursday, after meeting with BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic, that BiH’s admission into the Partnership for Peace in June at NATO’s Summit in Istanbul is a realistic goal if BiH authorities maintain the pace of defence reform. Scheffer said that Chairman Terzic pledged BiH would not lose the momentum, which is an important element on basis of which NATO will judge BiH’s readiness to join the Partnership for Peace. Terzic said that the first official visit of NATO Secretary General to BiH represents a strong message that the North Atlantic Alliance supports reform of the BiH armed forces. |
| Scheffer meets with SCMM officials | FENA – NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited on Thursday the Secretariat of the Standing Committee for Military Matters (SCMM), where he discussed with SCMM Secretary General Enes Becirbasic and his deputies Savo Sokanovic and Stjepan Pocrnja the reform in BiH’s defence system and fulfilling of conditions for admission into the Partnership for Peace. As SCMM announced, Becirbasic presented the results in implementing reform in the BiH defence system, stressed BiH’s commitment to fulfil the conditions for membership in the Partnership for Peace, and presented the tasks of the Plan of realising activities in the field of defence. |
| NATO chief says Bosnian fugitive Karadzic to be arrest during his mandate | BHTV – In a special statement for the media house, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic would be arrested during his mandate. “NATO is committed to BiH. As you know, NATO in principle reached a decision, as did the EU, that at a certain stage, by the end of this year, the EU would take over the mission in BiH. Concerning Mr Karadzic, you know that this issue is extremely important, and BiH should work in close cooperation with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague. You know very well who the top priority for the Hague tribunal is,” said Scheffer. “You did not answer my question. Will Radovan Karadzic be arrested before the EU takes over the mission,” asked BHTV reporter. “This is a good question, but the answer is that the responsibility lies with the BiH authorities. Therefore, you are putting this question to the wrong person. SFOR will assist the BiH authorities in every possible way, as we could see last weekend in Pale, but this remains the responsibility of BiH. The Council of Ministers chairman also confirmed during our talks that Mr Karadzic will be arrested. He can run, but he cannot hide forever,” Scheffer responded. Scheffer repeated similar positions of his in an interview with Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 4 ‘Karadzic will be apprehended soon’. |
| NATO secretary general attends destruction of light weapons in Bosnia | FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, ONASA – Approximately thousand pieces of light weapons, mostly rifles, were destroyed on Thursday in the plant “Celicana” of the company BH Steel Zenica. Weapons were destroyed within the action “Harvest”, and it was collected in the area under the zone of responsibility of the SFOR Multinational Division North. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who is in the first official visit to BiH, was also present during the action. |
BiH-Greece/EU relations | |
| BiH Presidency visiting Greece | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Greek support to BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Stefanopoulos supports BiH’s accession to PfP, EU’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4, ‘BiH meet conditions for NATO admission’, FENA/AFP – On the occasion of the official visit to Republic Greece the BiH Presidency members stated on Thursday that BiH is prepared to join NATO and the EU. “We believe that we shall soon become a member of the EU. We have also fulfilled the conditions to become a participating state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation”, said BiH Presidency Chair Dragan Covic after meeting the Greek President, Costis Stefanopoulos. Covic requested Greek support in BiH’s admission into EU and NATO, and Stefanopoulos expressed support to the aspiration of BiH. BiH Presidency Chair invited Stefanopoulos to attend the ceremony of the opening the Old Bridge in Mostar on July 23. He also invited Greek officials to attend the Inter-Balkans Conference that will take place April 26 and 27 in Sarajevo with the aim of promoting trade co-operation between BiH and countries of the region. Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Apprehension of Karadzic priority’ – BiH Presidency members confirmed that co-operation with the Hague Tribunal is a “priority”, despite the recent failure of NATO forces’ operation aimed at finding and apprehending the former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic. “One of our priorities is co-operation with the Hague Tribunal”, said BiH Presidency Chair Dragan Covic. “Our country has decided that every person that has committed war crimes will be extradited to the Hague Tribunal. This also refers to Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the two persons we have not yet managed to extradite to ICTY”, added Covic during talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Dnevni List (page 5, “Greece supported reforms in BiH”, not signed), Vecernji List (front page, “Covic in Athens: We are ready for NATO and EU”, and page 2, “Greek businessmen invited to Mostar”, by Z. Kresic) also covered this visit. |
Mostar | |
| Ashdown visits Afan Ramic’s atelier
| Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Mostar must not be divided’, Dnevni List page 7, Dnevni Avaz pg. 6, mentioned on the front page, Vecernji List, page 3 “Ashdown and Ramic on Mostar”, by dj, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, visited on Thursday the atelier of painter Affan Ramic, within his endeavours to learn the opinions of distinguished individuals on the situation in Mostar, prior to reaching the final decision in regard to ordering the city. Academician Ramic told Ashdown that he is very interested in Mostar due to emotional reasons, and thus, stressed that the city should not be divided. As a child of parents of different nationalities, Ramic was never infected with nationalist policy, but on the contrary, he had grown up in a tolerant climate. However, as Ramic said, he is far from politics or the politics is far from him. The High Representative was particularly attracted by Ramic’s painting of the Old Bridge, which he had painted on two separate canvases. This painting was already exhibited in France, and Ramic said that the separate canvases would be joined in a single entirety once the Old Bridge has been recovered. |
| SDHR Wnendt to visit Mostar today
| Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Talks on a single city administration’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Wnendt in Herzegovina today’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Negotiations on a single city administration’, FENA – The Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, will travel to Mostar on Friday in order to carry forward the dialogue among political leaders in the region aimed at forging a consensus on establishing a single city administration, OHR announced on Thursday. Ambassador Wnendt will meet the heads of City Council Clubs and representatives of political parties, Deputy Mayor Ljubo Beslic, Refugee Association representatives, and the businesspeople from the Herzegovina region. |
| Statement of Day: SDHR Werner Wnendt | Dnevni List (page 2) carries in its “Statement of Day”, a Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, as saying: “Referendums of Bosniaks in Mostar are not legitimate.” |
| HSP believes Mostar referendums are product of agreement between HDZ and SDA | Dnevni List (page 8, “Referendums – agreement of Mostar HDZ and SDA!?”, by M.R.) carries that the session of the HSP Cantonal Council of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton will take place in Capljina today. Among others things, Mostar referendums and Mostar re-organization issue in general will be discussed. HSP supports the City of Mostar organized as a unified city with one election unit. HSP stressed that that they are afraid that the final division of the city might take place and this would be the beginning of the end of BiH. Talking about the referendum announced for January 25, HSP stressed that they are neutral with regard to this issue since this is an agreement between the Mostar Boards of SDA and HDZ. |
| HDZ Presidency and Main Board to hold sessions today and tomorrow, discuss Mostar
| Dnevni List (front and page 9 “Inter-party elections put on hold?”, by Miso Relota) – the daily announces that the HDZ Presidency and HDZ Main Board will be holding respective session at Neum today and tomorrow, and the President of HDZ, Barisa Colak, says the issues that will be discussed, among many, will be the party’s achievements in 2003 and things that need to be done in 2004. Among other is issue that the party will be discussing is the Mostar issue and Colak says that “I am convinced that the membership will opt for Mostar established as one municipality, one constituency like all other units of local self-government in BiH”. Colak also comments on possibility of inter-party elections by saying that he has a feeling that the membership is not eager to have the inter-party elections and that the decision would be based on reports of cantonal organizations of the party. |
| Zdravko Tomac: Croats to become minority in Mostar | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Survival of Croats in BiH questionable’ – Vice-president of the Forum of Croat Unity – an association for dialogue, tolerance and coexistence, Zdravko Tomac said in Zagreb on Wednesday that the Croat national issue had still not been solved and that a large number of Croats living in BiH were not equal and that even their survival was being brought into question. According to Tomac, the international community has proposed an election system for Mostar that will major Croats make a minority. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Survival of Croats in BiH brought in question’ also carried the statement. |
| Party for BiH’s Halilovic: Citizens of Mostar still waiting for salvation
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Citizens of Mostar still waiting for salvation’ – In an interview with Dnevni Avaz, Party for BiH leader Safet Halilovic said that his party’s views regarding the Mostar organisation were pretty similar to those presented in Norbert Winterstein’s report. He however said that the party had submitted its objections and some new proposals to the HR. They include certain new solutions for ensuring equality of all the constituent peoples in the town as well as appointment of an international supervisor for Mostar. Halilovic appeals on HR to completely accept Wintersteins’s proposals but also to consider constructive objections made by political parties involved in the process. |
| Dani on Mostar | Dani cover ‘Mostar, the cause of collapse of union between OHR and ruling parties’, pgs 23-25 ‘Partnership between OHR and ruling nationalists falling apart in Mostar’ by Vildana Selimbegovic – Referring to Mostar issue, the author writes in that regard that High Representative Paddy Ashdown ‘finally lost patience’ with ruling parties and that he will not give up on the solution proposed by the Chair of Mostar Statute Commission Norbert Winterstein. Remanding of the different parties’ policies and solutions intended for Mostar, author writes that “after all, it is not unreasonable that the High Representative lost his patience” especially regarding recent referendums carried out in the Bosniak majority municipalities. On the stand of SDA and its representative in Mostar Fatima Leho, author writes that for SDA “it is not the issue of Bosniaks that is disputable or their alleged vulnerability… everything would be fine if the HR would say in advance that four Croats and four Bosniaks would be from HDZ, that is from SDA?!”. Noting that “Serbs are surprisingly silent – perhaps because SDA shamefully accepted for HDZ to bring into the cantonal government their own, that is [Dragan] Covic’s representative of Serb people, instead of having that minister proposed by the caucus of delegates” Smailbegovic reminds of HDZ’s arguments, and argues that HR Ashdown plans to finalize this “farce” in Sarajevo with Covic and Barisa Colak at one side, and Sluejman Tihic and Bakir Izetbegovic on the other. Adding that OHR has been supported by the US Embassy, article concludes claiming that, according to the OHR source, HR “likes the idea for all cities with a population of over 60.000 get electoral model by which city council would be created based on the multiethnic principles, in accordance with 1991 consensus and decision of constituency of all three peoples in BiH. Would all of his reformed favourite politicians stay without their centres?!” |
Economic/social issues | |
| FBiH House of Representatives supported draft veteran’s law
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Draft veteran’s law accepted’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9, FENA – The FBiH House of Representatives supported on Thursday the Draft Law on the Rights of Veterans and Their Families. After an exhausting discussion, representatives of the Coalition Croat Democratic Union, Croat Democratic Christians and the Croat National Union did not vote, nor comment on the contents of the legal text, because in their opinion the very procedural path of the law towards the Parliament has been unconstitutional. A total of 64 representatives voted in favour of the Draft, nobody voted against, while three representatives were abstaining. Dnevni List (page 5, “Croat representatives outvoted again”, by M. Relota) carries that the Draft Law on Defenders’ Rights was discussed during yesterday’s session of the House of Representatives of the Federation of BiH Parliament. Commenting on this session, the President of the HDZ-CCD-HNZ Coalition Caucus in the FBiH HoR, Mile Lasic, stated that the Caucus abstained from voting after they had explained that constitutional, legal and Book of Rules’ procedure regarding the preparation and passing of the law was harshly violated. He added: “We insisted on voting on our conclusion, however, since we are minority we were outvoted and thus our conclusion did not pass.” Lasic added that in case that an unfavorable solution for the Croat people is passed with regard to this issue in a further procedure, all legal means in all institutions will be used against it. |
| Zenica miners’ strike | Herceg-Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Zenica miners stay in mine until they receive salary’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 13, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Two miners in hospital’ – The miners from the Zenica cola mine shaft Raspotocje continued their strike for the second day, refusing to leave the shaft until their demands are fulfilled. Even though the conditions it the shaft are difficult the miners will not give up their demands, which are: the full payment of December wages, the payment of the benefits; the resignation of the Union and that the lowest wage for the miners is KM500. They also demand that Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic to come there and help them, or if it becomes necessary they will come to Sarajevo and take him to the mine. Because of the high concentration of the methane in the shaft the health condition of the miners is aggravating, but even though some of them had to get the medical help they say that they will go back to the shaft. Safet Durmo the Director of the Mine Zenica said that he has told them that he can fulfil their first two demands in about fifteen days, but they considered that the Union is to week to fight for them and independently organized the strike what will affect the production and makes the strike illegal. |
| SNSD’s Dodik announced mass citizen’s protests in March | Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Mass protests in March’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Mass protests in March for holding early elections’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Authority loses support’, Vecernji List page 2, “M. Dodik: We will organize mass demonstrations in March”, by bs, Dnevni List, page 11 “SNSD organizes protests of citizens in March”, by De. L., Slobodna Dalmacija, page 18 “Anti-government demonstrations in March”, by B. Jelic,FENA – President of the RS Association of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) Milorad Dodik announced on Thursday that this political party would organise mass protests of citizens in March due to the overall poor situation in the RS, with a request for organising early general elections. Dodik told a press conference that the mass demonstrations would be organised throughout the RS. Accusing the RS Government of being “sterile and impotent”, and of failing to do anything whatsoever in resolving of citizens’ social-economic problems, SNSD leader added the citizens are dissatisfied with the present situation and that the change of this situation will be requested by peaceful and dignified protests until the relevant institutions issue the decision on organising extraordinary elections. |
| OHR on Aluminij issue | Dnevni List (front and page 3 “Federation Government must implement OHR’s decision”, by M. R.) – an OHR spokesperson, Vedran Persic, commenting the latest position of the “Elektroprivreda of BiH” according to which the Mostar’s “Aluminij” will not in the future have any business relations with the “Elektroprivreda of BiH” and that the “Aluminij” will be buying the electricity only from the “Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna”, says: “The OHR’s position in the matter is unchanged. We stated it was a matter for the Federation Government and that the Aluminij should be put into the standard tariff system. The High Representative’s decision is very clear and it is down to the Federation Government, in other words to the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry to implement it”, says Persic. |
| Dani on Aluminij issue | Slobodna Bosna pgs 32-35 ‘War between Sarajevo and Mostar over the electricity price is only temporarily stopped’ by Danka Savic and Asim Metiljevic – “The months-long dispute around the delivery of electricity for the Aluminij from Mostar has not been solved even after the intervention of the High Representative Paddy Ashdown at the end of last week. Ashdown solved all important issues but the main one – the price of electricity” read the introduction to interview with the Director of Elektroprivreda BiH Enver Kreso and Director of Aluminij Mijo Brajkovic. Journalist also writes that this economic issue also fall into the political manipulations, and their comment best describes the summary of the answers given to the economically oriented interview: “The only conclusion we came to following exhausting discussions with Kreso and Brajkovic is that the solution to the dispute is not even close. Brajkovic claims that increase of the electricity prices leads Aluminij company into the losses, while Kreso claims that Elektroprivreda BiH is not anymore able to carry alone the burden of Aluminij’s unstable work.” |
| Terzic urges for implementation of the indirect taxation law | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Urgently implement the law on indirect taxation’ – BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic on Thursday sent a letter to the Prime Minister of FBiH and RS, Ahmet Hadzipasic and Dragan Mikerevic, and to Brcko District Mayor Branko Damjanac urging them to help urgent implementation of the law on indirect taxation. |
| Session of Eronet’s Steering Board | Dnevni List (page 5, “GSM license is too high“, by J.P.) carries that the Supervisory Board of Eronet held a session yesterday. According to the President of the Supervisory Board, Robert Gavranovic, this was a regular session during which the price of the third GSM license was not discussed and the Steering Board only concluded that this price is too high compared with the prices of GSM licenses in neighboring countries. Also, it was agreed that the owners would have consultations on the price and whether this price can be accepted. |
Human rights | |
| BiH Ombudspersons press conference | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘We will monitor actions by state bodies in BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8, FENA – The future activity of the ombudsmen for human rights in BiH will focus on functional uniting of the ombudsman institutions in BiH (State and entity), better co-ordinating of the overall activities in protection of human rights and further organisational structuring of this institution in line with the positive regulations. Strict implementation of legal acts will be the pillar of activities of th State ombudsmen, the newly appointed ombudsmen for human rights in BiH, Snezana Savic, Safet Pasic and Mariofil Ljubic told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. BiH ombudsmen stressed that this institution had the status of a diplomatic mission during the transferring period, and that it will now focus its activities on designing of laws and bylaws as well as the overall intern acts with the aim of establishing a relevant organisational scheme, the rules of engagement, and a model of co-operation that would be in function of eliminating the eventual overlapping of authorities. They stated that the activity of the State ombudsmen would be based on the principle of consensus. The newly appointed ombudsmen for human rights in BiH assumed their duties early this month, following the mandate expiry of the BiH Human Rights Ombudsman, Frank Orton, in line with Annex 6 of the Dayton Accords and the Agreement with OSCE. Dnevni List page 2 “Military under magnifying glass of ombudsmen”, by E. Mackic, Vecernji List, page 4 “Ombudsmen supervise work of state services”, by eme also covered the press conference. |
Media | |
| No concrete agreement on RTV subscription fee collection in FBiH
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘RTV subscription with phone bills’, FENA – BiH Minister of Traffic and Communications Branko Dokic and General Director of BiH Public RTV Service Drago Maric said on Thursday that they expect the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to forward to the FBiH Government an interpretation of the BiH Law on Protection of Consumers, i.e. Article 46, which regards the manner that would enable the paying of RTV subscription with the bills for fixed telephony. “If we receive an interpretation from the State level that this is a tax, as the law states, this will be forwarded as an act of the relevant state-level ministry”, said Dokic after the meeting, which focused on the matters of stable financing of the Public RTV Service. Maric said this concerns interpreting of legal decrees, which, according to the FBiH Government, BH Telecom and Croat Telecommunications from Mostar, need to be explained. Responding to a journalist question on which particular interpretation of the term “tax” would satisfy the FBiH Government in this case, Dokic responded that in his opinion “this is not a service, but a tax, i.e. tax on possessing a radio-television receiver”. “BH Telecom and HT Mostar have certain reserves in regard to how will this reflect on their businesses, which is understandable and acceptable, but we hope that they have come to understand after this meeting that the radio-television services are of important interest for the state just as the telecom sectors, and that it is important they establish co-operation and a partner relation,” Dokic stated. The FBiH Government was supposed to consider this matter on Thursday, but this session was in the meantime cancelled and postponed for Monday, January 19. Dnevni List page 3, “Additional interpretation of Law on Protection of Consumers demanded”, by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Failed negotiations”, by M. Landeka) also covered this meeting. Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 17, “Phones are being disconnected due to TV subscription?, by D. Juka) carries on the same issue a chronology of the whole case and the author says that experience has taught us that, at the end, High Representative Paddy Ashdown will pass the decision on this issue. The author is against payment of TV subscription saying that Croats make only 11 % of FTV employees and that Croatian language is being neglected on FTV. He suggests establishment of a state TV with three channels, that is, the Bosniak, Serb and Croat ones. |
| FTV story on RTV subscription | FTV – Another meeting, on which the question about the stabile financing of PBS was supposed to be solved, has failed. Unexpectedly the F BiH Government has asked for the explanation of the law on customers’ protection, especially the article 46 about the way which would allow the payment of subscription along with the telephone bills. The F BiH Minister of Transport and Communications Nedzad Brankovic didn’t participate in the meeting of the representative of the BiH Telecom, HT Mostar and Council of Ministers, what was the sign that the meeting will fail. Even though he was the one that initiated this meeting, he didn’t show but he sent his deputies who had no authority to reach the agreement but they had more demands instead. Deputies of Minister Brankovic have said that F BiH Government demands the explanation from the State level of the law on customers’ protection. Branko Dokic the BiH Minister of Transport and Communication said that this tax is for the possession of TV and Radio equipment and that this is clear but if it has to be written it will be. Jasmin Durakovic the General Director of RTV F BiH said that this tax is legal obligation, but if Ministers can’t understand that how can the citizens. Minister Dokic said that his Ministry is not competent to give that explanation and that it will be given by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations. But according to this last the F BiH Government hasn’t ask for that explanation. |
BiH Constitution change initiatives | |
| BiH parliamentarians on harmonization of BiH Constitution to European standards
| Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Harmonise Constitution with European standards’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Entities are key problem of BiH’, Dnevni List (page 8, “Harmonize Constitution of BiH to European standards”, by Nina), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Current Constitution restricts BiH development’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Constitution is tight’ – at initiative of an independent MP in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, Mladen Potocnik, a round table on starting of resolution on harmonization of Constitution of BiH to European standards was held in Sarajevo yesterday. Apparently, several MPs and representatives of political parties took part in the round table. Participants of the forum says the aim is to open the process in the BiH Parliament and the deputy Speaker of the BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Sefik Dzaferovic, promised he would do everything that this initiative be discussed in the Parliament. He also stated it was time BiH got constitutional arrangement that would be in harmony with European standards. |
| DL on ESI’s report | Dnevni List (page 6 “ENTITIES – piece of cake?”, by Pejo Gasparevic) – commenting on the European Stability Initiative’s report/recommendation, which recommends reorganization of BiH into 12 cantons, the report which apparently says that “the abolishment of Federation (of BiH) would not have a direct effect on the Republika Srpska, but the Republika Srpska would probably adopt a reform that does not put its institutional arrangement into danger”, the author says that relying on domestic players to sort out issues in BiH is always a bad idea as proven on many occasion, for instance recently on issues of Mostar, reforms of defence, intelligence sector, which have always been pushed, in author’s opinion, by external, international factors. The author believes that like in the case of creation of the Dayton Peace Accord, it would have to be the IC that should help BiH become more of a state saying that in that case it would be natural that both entities wilt in the same time. Gasparevic concludes: “The IC arranged for destruction of such powerful states such as the Soviet Union or Yugoslavia. The Republika Srpska should be piece of cake. Or perhaps, new ‘games’ in the Balkans are gaining momentum from the secret rear?” |
| Oslobodjenje editorial on Ashdown protecting Dayton | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Protector’ In Focus column by Zija Dizdarevic – Dizdarevic reminds that HR Paddy Ashdown firmly stood behind the Dayton Agreement protecting BiH’s state structure with its two entities protesting against any outside influence on change of the state Constitution. “Ashdown’s protection of RS is actually an appeal for resistance to the constitutional changes without which there will be no a self-sustainable state of BiH, capable of joining Europe,” wrote Dizdarevic. |
| Comments on Tihic proposal for abolishment of BiH Presidency | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Tihic wants domination’ – Sulajeman Tihic, SDA President and member to BiH Presidency, proposed that BiH Presidency is abolished and instead the Office of a President, without vice president, is established, because in his view, Presidency is too slow in decision making and costs a lot. Here are some comments from Republika Srpska on the above statement. Nikola Kragulj, SNSD delegate at BiH House of Representatives, says that this proposal is “dangerous for Republika Srpska and Serb people”, noting that it leads towards a complete unitarisation of BiH and domination of one nation over other two. Vesna Ecim Zlojutro, SDS MP at RS NA , described this statement as “a personal stance” of Tihic, which will “unfortunately face no penalties”. Nevenka Trifkovic, PDP MP at RS NA , is of the view that Tihic is undermining equality and constitutionality of peoples. Mirko Sarovic from SDS thinks that: “The final goal of this and similar proposals is to diminish the value of progress achieved in BiH and to create an image that everything would have been better if proposals by those officials proposing change of Dayton Agreement were accepted and implemented.” |
| GS on Dayton change initiatives | Glas Srpske, pg. 5, ‘Republic to be abolished’ – GS writes about recent demands for the change of Dayton Peace Agreement. GS recalls that the first proposal on this issue, including change of BiH Constitution, was initiated by a group of Sarajevo intellectuals in summer last year. Later on, a group of European Parliamentarians led by Doris Pack, proposed change of Dayton Agreement. The issue is complemented by the recent ESI proposal on the same issue, including transfer of Republika Srpska into a canton. Dragan Kalinic, Republika Srpska Parliament Speaker, says that: “The latest proposal by ESI is another example of IC failure to improve the situation in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.” He is of the view that there should be three entities for constitutive peoples of BiH. Nikola Poplasen, professor at Banjaluka Law Faculty and former Republika Srpska president, says that: “The only logical solution for BiH is the establishment of three cantons or entities, while any other solution would lead towards conflicts and would be in the interest of the fourth side.” |
| Dani on change of Dayton | Dani pgs 30&31 ‘Make up of the Dayton monster’ – Magazine brings the opinions, without commenting on them, of the leading politicians in BiH with the regard to the initiative by the European Stability Initiative [ESI] on the change of Dayton Peace Agreement. Vice President of SDA Elmir Jahic: “ESI initiative should be carefully approached. It should be examined from all sides, in order to realize whether it brings some unacceptable risks – whether it perhaps opens the possibility for some third entity.” HDZ President Barisa Colak: “This ESI proposal should not be rejected. Every idea in direction of organizing state should be discussed.” RS President Dragan Cavic: “The stand of RS politicians, that is of Serb policies in BiH, is that fundamental constitutional organization is basically entities’ organization, and there are no compromises about that. That is, if BiH is to count on its future, it has to count of having RS in it.” President of PDP, Mladen Ivanic objects the initiative: “Even a though of having RS at the level of cantons… is unacceptable.” SDP Vice President Alija Behmen welcomed the ESI efforts, but it argues that proposed solutions are not functioning. SDU President Sejfudin Tokic says he supports state efforts to change Dayton, but also did not support ESI solutions, while President of Liberal Democratic Party Rasim Kadic is of same opinion. Party for BiH founder Haris Silajdzic: “This initiative is wrong from the beginning, as it leaves impression that everything can be changed in BiH… except RS position… The only possible solution is to abolish both entities at the same time.” President of RS Socialists Party Petar Djokic says that at this moment Federation is much bigger problem for the state than RS. President of SNSD Executive Board Nebojsa Radmanovic: “Our general attitude, not only regarding this initiative, is that three peoples in BiH, that is their representatives, must agree how would the state, in which they live together, function.” |