OHR BiH Media Round-up, 16/1/2006

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs)

BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs)

RTRS(12,00 hrs)

BiH HoR session on 2006 budget

Const. changes talks continue

Const. changes talks resume in SA

M. Humphreys on const. chngs talks

BiH HoR to discuss 2006 budget

BiH HoR in session

Decertified policemen’ hunger strike

HR met decertified policemen

De-certified policemen in strike in SA

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Constitutional talks continued

Talks on constitutional changes

Talks on constitutional reforms

Boyle on Hays’ reforms

Cavic on CoM

Cavic on SDS-CoM relations

Ljajic on Mladic

Almhofer at Circle 99 session

HoR to discuss amendments to VAT

Circle 99 in session

Feature on visa regime

OHR on decertified police officers

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Constitutional talks continued

Feature on ‘Polihem’ company

Talks on constitutional changes

BiH Parliament to hold session

Feature on ‘Konjuh’ company

Adoption of BIH budget questionable

Issue of decertified police officers

Terzic on state budget, RS crisis

Bukejlovic on RS NA majority

Radom za boljitak’s petition

Talks on constitutional reforms

PDP on RS NA majority

Oslobodjenje

Donald Hays is dividing BiH

Dnevni Avaz

McElhaney: I am not even considering the failure

Dnevni List

Embargo to HDZ until Covic has resigned or new convention is organized (EPP on HDZ)

Vecernji List

Expelling Croats, hiding crime (alleged illegalities in FBiH employment bureau)

Slobodna Dalmacija

Features Croatia related headlines

Nezavisne Novine

McElchany: Agreement will be reached

Glas Srpske

Stances distancing (const. changes)

EuroBlic

Every second girl is illiterate

Vecernje novosti

Features Serbian related topics

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

Const. changes talks continue; BH Radio: stances seem to differ more than ever 

BH Radio 1 by Vanja Ilicic– Leaders of eight political parties have continued negotiations on constitutional changes today, however, as reporter notes, it seems that their stances differ more then ever. Nevertheless all leaders have announced this to be the final phase of this round of negotiations, which would also show if negotiations would continue at all. PDP Chair Mladen Ivanic commented: “What worries me is intense insisting coming from the FBiH parties, especially SDA and SDP, to eliminate everything related to entities in some way.” SNSD Chair Milorad Dodik claims that parties have previously agreed on some basic issues regarding the BiH House of Peoples and BiH Presidency, adding that it was agreed for the BiH HoP to be an institution dealing with the issue of vital national interest. SDA Chair Sulejman Tihic stressed that he is even less optimist then he was “especially… after HDZ’s position moved to that of the RS.” RTRS – Dragan Covic, HDZ President expressed astonishment over Tihic’s statement, stressing: “Maybe he is trying to ensure a better starting position in today’s resumption of talks.” RTRS – The leaders of the political parties from the RS have reiterated their stance that the Bosniak-led parties from the BiH request changes that would negate basic constitutional order of BiH. Dragan Cavic, SDS President, expressed wish to identify solutions, adding: “I am of the opinion that the Bosniak parties simply cannot accept the fact that the constitutional changes must be implemented in accordance with political environment and needs of all the peoples in this state, not only one people. However, I still hope some solution may be identified, since there is a will amongst all of us to find a way-out from this situation.” Ivanic was explicit in his statement reiterating he would not support any solution implicating (non)existence of RS, expressing pessimism in regard to the outcome of talks.

Rycroft: Politicians should demonstrate flexibility and find solution re. const. changes

RTRS – Matthew Rycroft, British Ambassador to BiH, has today stated that all issues still outstanding in regard to constitutional changes are sensitive, adding that politicians should demonstrated some flexibility and find solution. He said he was an optimist on the eve of today’s resumption of talks. Michael Humphreys, US Ambassador to BiH, Werner Almhofer, the Austrian Ambassador to BiH, and Donald Hays, the representative of the US Institute for Peace, are attending today’s resumption of talks.

Humphreys hopes agreement to be reached

RHB – Coming at the talks on the constitutional changes, Michael Humphreys stated that he hopes that a positive result would be achieved during the talks. He added that party leaders have given a lot of their time and energy and that this should give results.

BiH HoR discusses budget for 2006

BH Radio 1 by Sanija Saljihi – BiH House of Representatives has commenced the session this morning discussing the BiH budget proposal for 2006 in amount of 954,6 millions KM. BiH Finance Minister Ljerka Maric explained that major beneficiaries of the proposed budget would be Ministry of Defence, Indirect Taxation Agency and State Border Service. Maric added that budget also foresees financing of eight new state institutions, including BiH Police Reform Directorate and BiH Electricity Regulatory Agency. So far, only SBiH officials have stated that they would support the budget. Deputies would also discuss several proposals of amendments to the Law on VAT, including proposal of the Council of Ministers which stipulates exemption of publishing sector and SDP’s proposal to introduce zero rate for food, baby food, medicines and publishing. HoR would not discuss the issue of decertified police officers, however instructed the CoM to prepare detailed report. RHB, RTRS – also reported. 

Decertified police officers protests in front of OHR; HR meets them

BH Radio 1 by Jasenko Krehic– Decertified police officers, which commenced their hunger strike on Monday morning before the OHR building, have met with the High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Police officers are protesting against decertification process carried out by the UN IPTF. According to the BH Radio report, the police officers stressed following the meeting with Ashdown that he did not deny the fact that IC has made pressure on the judiciary ‘leaving police officers on the street’. They stated they were recommended to appeal to ambassadors of the UN members states. Police officers would continue their protest, but still haven’t decided whether they would continue to gather before OHR or the Council of Ministers’ building. RTRS – RTRS says around 200 de-certified police officers have gathered in front of the OHR building, demanding urgent and unconditional audit into their de-certification process. RHB – also reports of the hunger strike.  

Talks on constitutional changes

Talks on const. changes to continue today; no progress achieved

BHT1 late news – On Sunday in Sarajevo, the leaders of BiH eight political parties have continued the talks on constitutional changes but with little progress. BHT1 unofficially learns that participants have reached an agreement in principle on the President and two Vice-Presidents, however their mandates or rotation was not agreed. RTRS – On the other hand, according to the RTRS, the meeting was interrupted for the day since FBIH Parties declined the proposal of international moderator [Donald Hays] regarding BIH Presidency according to which members of BiH Presidency, elected in the BIH House of Representatives, would be confirmed by majority of votes in BIH House of Peoples. Dnevni Avaz cover splash and pg 2 ‘McElhaney: I am not even considering the failure’ by S. Turcalo– DA wrote that no progress was made during the negotiations on constitutional changes on Sunday. Therefore, politicians decided to interrupt the meeting at 22:00 scheduling a continuation on Monday. Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Stances distancing’ by Z.D. – GS notes that as talks proceed further, the outcome of it becomes more uncertain.

Const. changes talks held on Sunday: still great difference among parties on electing HoP delegates, vote by entities in BiH HoR and Presidency

BHT1 by Mirela Cosic – The continuation of the talks on the constitutional changes on Sunday were marked by the controversy over the same issues as it was the case previously: how to elect delegates in the BiH House of Peoples, whether to keep the voting by entities in the BiH House of Representatives. BHT 1 comments that all negotiators except US ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney have been pessimistic. “We talked about the BiH Parliament… but the differences remain”, stated SDA President Sulejman Tihic. Report says that they were not optimistic even before the negotiations started. “I don’t see that we are close to something. We have already agreed on some things, and even that is a big development. But something more… no, I’m not sure” stated PDP leader Mladen Ivanic prior to talks. “I think that wrong thing in regard to these negotiations is the fact that we do not promote what we have already done, something that might be the essence of everything. We have reduced the authorities of the BiH HoP, which I believe is more important than how to elect the delegates in the House”, added SNSD President Milorad Dodik. The opinions about BiH Presidency are also different. According to BHT reporter, there are two possibilities: according to the first, President would be directly elected and second stipulates a President and two Vice-Presidents elected in the Parliament with the rotation principle. “Some negotiators support the idea that state should have authorities which should come from the very fact that it is a state, while other support the concept that entities have in fact created the state, and that they give or don’t give the power to the state”, SBiH’s Beriz Belkic tried to explain the main differences. “I think the most important thing for us is to see in those two days if we are able to complete those negotiations or not. If we are not able to do that, we should all go back to our jobs and do what we have been elected for”, added SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija. FTV Zeljko Mandic – Covic also confirmed that nothing was agreed. The talks were attended by Chief of EC delegation in BIH Michael Humphreys and Austrian Ambassador Werner Almhofer. By Zeljko Tica – “I expected that the mediators would have clear stances on what is the democratic standard, what is the functional solution… Instead, they are rather passive”, explained Tihic. Hayat, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Final agreement expected today’, by Ivana Rozic, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Hours were wasted, agreement was not reached’ by A. Omeragic– According to Tihic, Dragan Covic proposed that ‘ethnic key’ should be introduced in BiH HoR with 25 Croat representatives. Dodik stated for Oslobodjenje that SNSD foresees that every peoples’ caucus in BiH HoP should confirm appointment of members of the state leadership, which would mean that half the representatives have to confirm that appointment. Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Final agreement expected today’, by Ivana Rozic – HNZ’s Mate Bandur also said nothing was agreed.

Media note McElhany only optimistic person: I don’t even want to think about failure

BHT1, FTV, Hayat, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘McElchany: Agreement will be reached’, pg3 ‘Two different concepts still on table’ by D.Muminovic, Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Stances distancing’ by Z.D., EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Talks of politicians in Sarajevo made no progress’ by D.S., Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Final agreement expected today’, by Ivana Rozic – Media commented that the US Ambassador to BiH, Douglas McElhaney, was the most optimistic officials with regard to the continuation of the talks on constitutional changes. “I don’t even want to think about the possibility that the agreement will not be reached”, he stated.

VL: American proposal is compromise for Serbs

Vecernji List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘American proposal is compromise for Serbs’, by Zoran Kresic – According to VL, the US administration offered its ‘compromise’ proposal regarding the way of election of MPs into the state Parliament. According to this proposal, MPs to the BiH House of Peoples would be elected according to the ‘entity formula’, which is the case even now, something that is opposed by the SDA, SBiH and SDP. VL also notes that Ambassador McElhaney will present on Monday a draft agreement on head of state, a draft that would be closer to requests of the Bosniak parties and that speaks of one president and two vice presidents who would not rotate during the 4-year mandate.

Boyle: Donald Hays’ proposal to divide BiH

FTV, RHB, Oslobodjenje cover splash and pg 3 ‘Donald Hays is dividing BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Heys’ reforms would be a fatal way for BiH, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Hays’ reforms lead towards accession of RS to Serbia’ by Agencies, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Hays wants to consolidate RS’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Boyle: Annexation as compensation’ by f,– Former BiH legal representative in the lawsuit against Serbia-Montenegro, the U.S. International Law Professor Francis Boyle said that the main aim of reforms of former PDHR Donald Hays was to make the RS consolidated. Boyle said that he had examined all Hays’ document thoroughly, one of which, made by the State Department, mentions the RS being at the same level as BiH, which is not, according to Boyle unintentional. Boyle believes that it has been done due to the fact that talks on Kosovo status are about to begin.

SBiH’s Halilovic: Boyle’s accusations not groundless

Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Hours were wasted, agreement was not reached’ by A. Omeragic, inset ‘Boyle’s warnings justifiable’ – Commenting on statement of former BiH legal representative in the lawsuit against Serbia-Montenegro, the U.S. International Law Professor Francis Boyle (that USAID’s Donald Hays divides BiH) SBiH leader Safet Halilovic stated that those remarks were not made without grounds, adding that the recommendations of the Venice Commission are not being respected.

Other political issues

Cavic: SDS will not destabilize state govt; Bukejlovic negotiates new parliamentary majority 

Bht1 Zoran Sarenac – Following announcements from SDS that it would launch an initiative for casting a vote of non-confidence in the BiH Council of Ministers in the RSNA votes no-confidence to the RS Government, SDS leader Dragan Cavic on Sunday clearly stated that it would not happen: “Who raised the issue of confidence in the BiH CoM? As far as I can remember, nobody. And you should know that we are not going to launch [the initiative]”. RSNA Speaker and SDS official Dusan Stojicic stated earlier: “The way those political parties conduct themselves in RS will affect our next steps”. BHT wonders whether Cavic and Stojicic are in the same party; or, perhaps, the agreement with SDA was reached overnight. “I believe that SDA will profit in any case, but at the end – it is some kind of [poetic] justice”, SDA’s Tarik Sadovic stated on Wednesday. At the same time, the RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic confirmed that he is working to create new parliamentary majority and support for his Government. Bukejlovic did not want to say which political parties he is negotiating with, but BHT reporter speculates that the he was talking about SDA. Similar report carried by PINK. Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Cavic: SDS will not overthrow BiH COM’ by D.Muminovic, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘SDS is not against state institutions’ not signed, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘We are not going to destabilize Council of Ministers’ by S. Turcalo – also carried Cavic.

Terzic: SDA has not taken official stance on RS Govt 

Hayat – SDA representatives have already made it clear that they support dismissal of the RS Government. But, the CoM Chair Adnan Terzic says that such were only individual stances adding that there were no serious talks on the RS Govt held within the party. Terzic believes that destabilization of BiH institutions at the time when BiH negotiates with the EU comes from PDP and SNSD. Pero Bukejlovic said that there was possibility for SDS not to support BiH institutions’ budget. “I think that everyone is going to realize how entity and District Brcko budgets are important for the whole BiH and stop making the issue a political one,” explained Bukejlovic. FTV – Terzic believes that the budget will not be adopted on Monday, due to – as he said – political crisis that is being transferred from the RS to a state level. “I believe that RS opposition started the crisis in BiH… and I believe that it is not about the RS Government at all, but about the Council of Ministers and about stopping the BiH’s European path. Because it is certain that if you do not have operational government, EC will not continue the negotiations on Stabilisation and Association Agreement. I think that FBiH parties are very carelessly giving the support to those attempts,” stated Terzic.

PDP: Government is trying to remain on power by exerting pressures

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Government is trying to remain on power by exerting pressures’ by D.R., Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Governrment will fall’ by Z.M., Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Bukejlovic looking for parliamentary majority’ not signed, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Bukejlovic only wants to stay in power’- Igor Crnadak of PDP stated that only goal of current RS Government is to stay in power and that Prime- Minister Pero Bukejlovic has started new activities for gaining RSNa support to the budget 2006 and to the Government until elections. Crnadak confirmed that PDP would support the initiative for government’s replacement.

SDS not to support 2006 BiH budget, demand population census

Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘SDS couldn’t obstruct the passing of BiH budget by itself’ by H.O.– Speaking for DA, Head of SDS Caucus in BiH House of Representativs Momcilo Novakovic stated that SDS deputies would not vote for the 2006 budget if it failed to provide resources for population census, agricultural support and projects for floods’ prevention. Explaining this statement for DA, Co-Chair of BiH HoR Sefik Dzaferovic stressed that it is impossible for five SDS deputies to block the passing of the budget. – carries the announcement of BiH HoR session. RTRS – Ljiljana Milicevic from SDS also confirmed the party would not support the state budget if their demands were not met.

BiH HoR in session: SDS , SNSD to demand amendments to VAT Law

EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Press and medicines without VAT?’ by N.Breberina – Apart from the proposed budget for 2006, the BiH HoR is today expected to discuss the changes and addenda to the Law on VAT, proposed by the BiH COM, according to which the press should be VAT—exempt. Momcilo Novakovic, Head of the SDS Caucus to BiH Parliament, said that the SDS delegates would support thise proposal under conditions that “medicines and babies’ food is also VAT-exempt”. Dusanka Majkic, SNSD’s delegate at the HoR and Beriz Belkic, S BiH delegate, also share the view the press and basic groceries should not be separated in this matter. Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Voting on budget for 2006 today’ by N.K, Oslobodjenje pg2 ‘On budget, radiation and VAT’– report on BiH HoR’s session with focus on proposed budget. Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘HDZ’s MPs without instructions from HQ?!’, by Ivica Glibusic – DL notes the HDZ MPs have not been instructed by the HDZ HQ how to vote on proposal of BiH CoM regarding changes to the VAT law.

Ambassador Almhofer: It is positive fact that BiH now has united Ministry of Defence

RHB, PINK, HAYAT, FTV, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘This year is a turning point for BiH’ by M.Rener, Oslobodjenje pg 4-5 ‘Dangerous theses are echoing trough BiH’, mentioned on cover by E. Kamenica– Speaking at Independent Intellectuals Circle 99 session Austrian Ambassador to BiH Werner Almhofer stated that ‘not everything is black in BiH, stressing: “That can be confirmed by the fact that ten years after the war, however we might characterize it, as civil or otherwise, this country has joined Ministry of Defence”. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Austria would contribute to writing of BiH’s history’- Ambassador Almhofer stressed that 2006 would be the turning point for BiH, confirmed by the opening of SAA negotiations, which is the most important step for BiH since the Dayton. It was stressed that current High Representative would be replaced by Christian Schwarz Schilling, who is a friend of BiH and a man who knows a lot about it, and who would be the last HR. Ambassador stressed that negotiations on constitutional reforms aren’t easy for any country.

Dodik: RS cannot be compensation for Kosovo

FTV, BHT 1, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘I do not believe that RS could be awarded to Serbia in exchange for Kosovo’, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘To look after Mladic in both SCG and RS’- SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated that RS is an integral part of BiH, and therefore it would be hardly possible to compensate it for Kosovo. RS is a part of BiH, defined by the international agreement. What could happen is that similar structural solutions are applied to BiH and Kosovo, stated Dodik in an interview for ‘Dnevnik’ newspaper from Novi Sad.

EPP’s Sasmatzoglou explains what EPP Political Bureau decided regarding HDZ

Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Embargo to HDZ until Covic has resigned or new convention is organized’, by A. Beus, D. Kozina – Following numerous reports in the media regarding the relationship between the HDZ BiH and European People’s Party (EPP), DL contacted the Secretary of EPP, Kostas Sasmatzoglou, who explained what the EPP’s Political Bureau really decided. In an e-mail sent to DL, Sasmatzoglou, among other things wrote: “It was voted by unanimity with 2 abstentions to maintain a Political Embargo on the current HDZ BiH President and the members of the Presidency that support him (…) This Embargo will only be lifted when either the current HDZ BiH President resigns and announces a new Electoral Congress or is acquitted of incriminations by the court of justice”. According to DL, this denies recent claims by the HDZ spokesman, Miso Relota, who insisted that the EPP did not ask for Covic to resign or organization of new HDZ electoral convention.

HKDU President Musa blames HDZ for Croat parties not reaching joint position regarding constitutional changes

Vecernji List, pg 6 ‘Even part of authorities in Republic of Croatia are against equality of Croats’, mentioned on front ‘Croats in BiH are hostages of conflicts within HDZ’, by Tomislav Kvesic – Carries an interview with the recently elected president of HKDU (Croat Christian Democratic Union), Ivan Musa, in which he, whilst commenting on the constitutional reforms talks and position of Croat parties in it, says that due to dishonesty of the HDZ, the Croat parties have not reached a joint position regarding the constitutional changes. He also says he cannot escape an impression that there are foreign elements and elements within the Croat corpse that want to ‘numb’ the justified requests for equality of the Croat people. This, according to Beus, also includes a part of authorities in the Republic of Croatia.

Kadric: We do not recognize January 9 as a holiday

Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Kadric: We do not recognize January 9 as a holiday’ by N.D.– Co-Chair of RS Council of Peoples Remzija Kadric condemned the presence of high Bosniak officials at the reception marking January 9 (RS Day) organized by the RS President Dragan Cavic. Kadric reminded that the RS law on holidays has came into the effect, even though all three peoples have asked for protection of vital national interests. Kadric explained that instead to be returned into the parliamentary procedure, the Law has ended up before the RS Constitutional Court. “We have informed the OHR about this and we are asking for the law to be returned to regular procedure. Until then, we do not recognize January 9 as a holiday, because it is not legal” stressed Kadric.

Blic: Serbs in FBiH still not recognised as constitutive peoples

EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Two standards for regulations’ by N.Breberina – Daily features a story reporting that the Serbs in FBiH are still not recognised as constitutive peoples, since decision of the BiH Constitutional Court on constitutionality of peoples has not been implemented in FBiH. Furthermore, the Serb Caucus at FBiH HoP has not been fully established, and it is most likely it will not be formed until next elections in BiH. The issue surfaces that Serbs cannot demand protection of the vital national interest (VNI) owing to non-existence of bodies in charge of that.

UNDP research: Support to BiH institutions on decline

Dnevni List, pg 8 ‘Bosniaks are giving less support to BiH institutions’, by Ivana Rozic – According to a research conducted by the UNDP, BiH citizens’ support to state institutions has decreased. Apparently, overall it is only 38,1% of all citizens (interviewees) that support work of the BiH Presidency and Parliament, whilst the BiH CoM is supported by 39,9% of citizenry. It is worth noting that the support of Bosniaks to the state institutions has decreased dramatically, support to BiH Parliament has decreased from 48,2 to 38,7%, Presidency (44,5 to 37,8%) and BiH CoM (47,8 to 42%). What makes it more interesting, reads DL, is that the Croat interviewees were for the first more supportive of state institutions than the Bosniak interviewees.

DL op-ed: Year got off to a bad start

Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Year started with series of protests’, by Arijana Beus – The author notes that the year got off to a bad start with strike of education workers in several cantons in the FBiH, with announcement of strikes of workers of the state TV and strike of de-certified police officers. To make matters worse, comments Beus, the VAT is attacking citizenry whilst the authorities do nothing special to solve the situation. Finally, Beus wonders whether the strikes will bring anything good to the strikers, given that the agricultural producers have been on strike for several months without achieving many results.

SD op-ed: BiH enacts record number of laws, fails to observe them

Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 15 ‘Nobody has ‘blown’ it yet’, by Radoslav Dodig – Commenting on the discrepancies between the adoption and implementation of laws in BiH, Dodig insists that BiH is the absolute record holder when it comes to number of parliaments that enact numerous laws and changes and amendments to the laws, which in reality are not implemented that much. As examples, Dodig lists a couple of laws that are not being upheld, namely the law on advertisement of tobacco and equality of genders.

Oslob. op-ed: Only chance for incompetent is to deepen crisis

Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Illusionists’ by Ibrahim Prohic– author comments on frequent method in BiH, where crisis are often being transferred from one level to another. He comments that it is interesting that SDS is not upset with SNSD or PDP (even though they have started the whole issue in RS Government crisis), but they are upset with SDA. With that, author comments, they are closing the opportunity for efficient solution of the crisis. “Deepening of crisis is the only chance of incompetent”, comments the author.

Economic, social and judicial issues

Over 500 decertified police officers start with huger strike in front of OHR building

Hayat by Nebojsa Radulovic – On the eve of the hunger strike the de-certified policemen announced for Monday morning in front of OHR building, the OHR stated that the BiH authorities and UN, not by the OHR, should resolve the issue of decertified police officers. The BiH Council of Ministers states that there is nothing it can do, while the police officers hold the OHR and UN responsible. The Venice Commission proposed reassessment of the certification process in order to have the issue of the IPTF’s work closed for good. As the Commission on Human Rights stated in its conclusion, the BiH CoM should, within 30 days, establish commission in charge of revising certification process and inform the BiH House of Peoples about it, which has not happened. BiH Minister of Security Barisa Colak says there is nothing the CoM can do, pointing out that the UN’s decisions are obligatory. “I am familiar with the activities the CoM and its Chair have conducted in order to have the issue solved for good, but it is difficult to change certain decisions, brought by certain institutions”, said Colak. Lawyer of some of the decertified police officers Asim Kadribasic says that BiH, namely BiH institutions, should support the police officers, but they act as if the BiH were the International Community’s protectorate. Decertified police officers associations from both entities find OHR responsible for the issue. During his last visit to the UN, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown made an appeal to the UN Security Council to review certification process, carried out by the IPTF. This is a very complex issue and all I can say is that the issue will be discussed, but when and how it is going to be solved, I really do not know”, adds Colak. On Monday, 556 decertified police officers will start the strike, which is going to last until their requests are not met. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Decertified policemen are problem of BiH authorities and UN’ by Agencies, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Policemen would be on hunger strike until their demands are met’ by D. Kozina, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Decertified policemen go on hunger strike’ by F, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14 ‘Former policemen go on hunger strike’, by F

OHR: Decertified police officers should address BiH authorities and the UN

Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Ashdown already asked UN for audit of IPTF decisions’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘OHR: BiH authorities and UN should solve the problem’ – In regard to announced strike of decertified police officers, OHR Spokesperson Suzana Bursac stated for FENA that High Representative Paddy Ashdown has raised this issue before the UN Security Council on several occasions.

OSCE defeating data on illiteracy rate in BiH

EuroBlic cover pg splash, RSpg 1 ‘Every second girl is illiterate’ by Tijana Veselinovic – Daily reports referring to OSCE that almost 48% of women and 25% of men in rural areas of BiH are illiterate and have not completed primary school. 7.8% of men and 22.25% of women in urban areas are illiterate. OSCE is of the view that basic reasons for these defeating data are bad financial and social conditions, distance schools, no transport provided for school children…

9 of 41 BiH institutions rated positively for dealings: BiH Prosecution to process 32 reports

EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Prosecutor’s Office to make a move’ by Mirna Soja – Daily reports that only nine of 40 audit reports on financial dealings at BiH institutions in 2004 have been rated positively by the BiH Commission for Budget and Finances. Those rated positively are: BiH De-mining Centre, Commission for property claims of refugees and DP’s, Directorate for European integration, State Border Service, SIPA, BiH Institute for Accreditation, BiH Election Commission, Civil Service Agency and Ministry of foreign trade and economic relations. According to Ljiljana Milicevic, President of the BiH Commission for Finances and Budget, Commission proposed to BiH HoR to forward those 31 reports (rated as containing irregularities) to BiH Prosecutor’s Office in order to determine whether there are grounds for launchment of criminal culpability of individuals.

VL: Bosniak Director of FBIH Employment Bureau expelled Croats from Bureau

Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Expelling Croats, hiding crime’, and pg 3 ‘Musemic expelled Croat to hide crime’, by Zoran Kresic – Carries a letter signed by the removed Deputy Director of FBiH Employment Bureau, Ivica Nikacevic (a Croat), who warned the FBiH Government about the self-willingness of the Bureau Director, Hasan Musemic (a Bosniak), whom he accused of expelling of Croats from the Bureau and illegal money transactions. Nikacevic notes that of 50 employees of the Bureau (twice as many that Bureau needs), there are only two Croats, also accusing Musemic of using the Bureau as ‘an ATM for SDA and SBiH’. 

DA: over KM 1, 1 million embezzled in HNC MoI

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Over 1, 1 million KM embezzled’ by F. Vele mentioned on cover ‘Crime of KM 1.1. worth’ – As DA learns, analyses of documents that were confiscated from Ministry of Interior of Hercegovina Neretva Canton on November 8 last year, has revealed that over KM 1,1 million was embezzled. FBiH Financial Police and FBiH Police Administration submitted this information to state prosecutor Ismet Suskic. As DA source revealed large part of these resources was illegally spent for salaries of HNC MoI employees. Source stressed that HNC Government even awarded these people, being that they received KM 1, 000 of severance pay for agreed termination of employment, even though some had never saw the building of HNC MoI. Inset ‘Coric: I don’t see anything suspicious’- commenting DA information, HNC Prime- Minister Miroslav Coric said that he sees nothing disputable in this, being that these people were employees of HNC MoI.

FBiH Price Monitoring Teams to start checking application in Sarajevo canton

Dnevni Avaz pg 10 by Z. Persic ‘Tirak: No more warnings’- Coordinator of FBiH price monitoring team Ibrahim Tirak stated that inspectors in Canton Sarajevo should commence inspections on Monday, in order to prevent abuses of VAT system. “In these teams, beside market inspectors, labor inspectors are to be included, Taxation Administration and ITA. Each inspector would monitor his part of authority, which means that teams wouldn’t be limited only to checking out margins” stated Tirak. Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘In numerous stores VAT is being paid at the cashier’ by Z.P.– Secretary of Consumers’ Association in BiH, Mesud Lakota stressed that they have noticed that prices on goods do not contain calculated VAT and that VAT is being paid at the cashier.

War crimes

Del Ponte to offer to Belgrade a Croatian model of cooperation with ICTY

Hayat, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Political moment for Mladic’s extradition’ by ra, Dnevni List pg 20 ‘The best moment for extradition of Mladic’ not signed, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Political moment for Mladic’s extradition was never better’ – The Chair of the Serbia-Montenegrin National Council for cooperation with the ICTY Rasim Ljajic said that the Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla del Ponte was going to offer to Belgrade the Croatian model of cooperation, regarding apprehension of Ratko Mladic. FTV by Adisa Smailagic – Ljajic stated that there has never been a better political moment for the apprehension of war crime indictee Ratko Mladic. In an interview for Belgrade-based daily Politika, Ljajic stressed that Mladic’s arrest would enable SCG to complete the negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with European Union as early as in June 2006. SCG Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic also believes that ‘ The Hague obstacle’ must be removed as soon as possible.

Masovic on establishment of state institute for missing persons: first step is to establish Steering Board

Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Start of work of Institute for missing persons depends on entities’ governments’- In interview for DA, one of three Directors of institutes for missing persons in BiH, Amor Masovic,stated that first step in establishment of the BiH Institute is a technical requirement of the establishment of its Steering Board. Masovic adds that this has to be done by the competition commission, which must issue vacancy announcements for appointment of the members. The Commission is to be established by the entities governments and the Council of Ministers. Following the establishment of the Steering Board, a Director is to be elected which is, according to Masovic, a formality as current entities heads of missing persons’ offices would be appointed to lead the state institute.