Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 16 December
RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
Del Ponte on PIFWCS before UN SC | Talks on const. changes resume SA |
Mostar City Council solemn session | New HR on his priorities |
Holy mass at Mostar Cathedral | BiH citizen arrested in |
TV news broadcast on 15 December
RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
HR addresses OSCE Council | 11 indicted – Srebrenica war crimes | BIH court on war crime indictments |
Schilling on BIH Constitution | Talks on constitutional changes | Del Ponte on SiCG/BiH ICTY coop. |
Report on Schilling’s experience | Schilling on his goals in BiH | Issue of Karadzic’s PIDF financing |
FBIH Government session | | CoM in session |
NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
Gas supply to be solved by February | | HR addresses OSCE Council |
Formed BiH | Charges vs. police officials in Bihac | Policeman wounded in action |
Text of | FBIH Gov’t in session | SEPCA meeting in |
BiH& | BIH court on war crime indictments | Indictment against Mandic returned |
Oslobodjenje | Pensions could be late because of application of VAT |
Dnevni Avaz | Schwarz-Schilling: Economy will be my most important priority |
Dnevni List | Vrankic and Dervisevic decide on destiny of Financial Police |
Vecernji List | Croat against Croatian is project of foreigners |
Slobodna Dalmacija | BiH lost hospital in Cavtat |
Glas Srpske | To go to the street in wintertime? (An eviction case in Bijeljina) |
Nezavisne Novine | Land radiated |
Blic | State not prepared to protect citizens (investment into stock reserves) |
Vecernje Novosti | |
| LATEST NEWS OF TODAY |
Talks on const. changes resume in SA
| RS Radio – The talks on constitutional changes led by the US Peace Institute have resumed in RTRS learns that Dragan Covic is not attending today’s resumption of talks in |
| Political Developments/Reforms/Cooperation with ICTY |
Schwarz-Schilling interview for BHT: I will not restrain to use Bon powers if necessary
| BHT prime time news – New High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, said in the interview for BHT 1, that he has to transform the responsibility of BIH leaders. He stated that he will try to be 80-90% Special Representative while only 10% the High Representative during 2006. Schwarz-Schilling stated that after the elections in 2006, it will be seen if there is a need for HR anymore. He stated that he will not restrain from using the Late News Update – By Elvir Bucalo – BHT 1 broadcasted the entire interview with next HR in BIH Christian Schwarz-Schilling. In the second part of the interview, Schwarz-Schilling stated that role of HR should be more advisory hoping for the better progress of BIH. He stated that the atmosphere within the OHR must be changed. “OHR should be as an advisor to BIH and not to impose decisions. We have to help but they have to negotiate” added Schwarz-Schilling. Commenting the Constitutional reforms in IH, Schwarz-Schilling praised the |
BHT: Political analyst Kolar disappointed with Schwarz-Schilling’s statements re constitutional changes
| BHT Late News – By Suzana Stambol – The political analyst Ramo Kolar stated that he was disappointed with the announcements of new HR to BIH Christian Schwarz-Schilling especially regarding the issue of Constitutional changes. “If they make Constitutional changes within DPA framework than nothing will change. There is no progress made since Donald Hays came out with a proposal to do the reforms,” explained Kolar. He noted that all IC representatives repeatedly mention DPA as the peacemaker but they do not mention that it hasn’t created the normal state. |
Dnevni Avaz interview with Schwarz-Schilling: Economy will be my most important priority
| Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash ‘Economy will be my most important priority’ and pg 5 ‘Bonn powers are the last instrument I will use’ by Sead Numanovic – Newly appointed High Representative to BiH Christian Schwarz-Schilling has stated economy will be the most important priority in his work, followed by BiH institutions and their functionality and transfer of competences from OHR onto EUSR. He added this would influence the use of |
Schwarz-Schilling for Die Presse: BiH needs constitutional reform
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Christian Schwarz Schilling’ statement to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Scwarz Schilling: BiH is a stable state’ by |
Vecernje Novosti: excerpts from a
| Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘To preserve Bosnia and then to Europe’ by Goran Cvorovic – Daily carries extracts from an interview the new HR to BiH, Christian Schwarz Schilling gave (without providing information whether it was given to this daily or it was taken from some other interview). The new HR said his task is to turn |
German media of appointment of Schwarz-Schilling
| Oslobodjenje, pgs 4-5 ‘Experienced peacemaker of quarreled BiH peoples’, by Mile Lasic – According to the daily’s reporter from Germany, the German media routinely commented the news about the appointment of Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling for the office of High Representative for BiH. The electronic media, including the ARD, used the opportunity to address the issue of 10th anniversary of the DPA, saying that “the Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats do not wage war against each other any more, however they do not live with each other, but rather one by others”. One of leading German dailies, the ‘Suddeutsche Zeitung’ from Munich, wrote that Schwarz-Schilling’s experience of a peacemaker between the three peoples would be of good use to him, arguing that he will be having tough times in persuading the three peoples to leading BiH to sovereignty. |
Oslobodjenje op-ed: Schwarz-Schilling will have hard time in BiH
| Oslobodjenje, pg 9 ‘Schwarz-Schilling’, by Zija Dizdarevic – carries an op-ed in which the author, whilst commenting on the appointment of Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling for the office of High Representative for BiH, says there are efforts to have the OHR shut down as soon as possible, something that could help BiH mature and join the Euro-Atlantic integration, which will be a tough task. Commenting on Schwarz-Schilling’s announcement that one of his priorities will be strengthening of economy, Dizdarevic writes it is about a political issue since there is not even a single market in BiH since many BiH politicians are part of lobbies that work against interests of BiH. Moreover, Dizdarevic comments that many politicians hoped that the new HR would not resort to repressive measures, to which Schwarz-Schilling replied that he would use the |
SB, Dani op-eds on C. Schwarz-Schilling’s appointment
| Slobodna Bosna, pg 32 ‘German diplomat Schwarz-Schilling convincingly wins the race for office of High representative for BiH!’, by Danka Savic– Commenting on the appointment of Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling for the office of the High Representative for BiH, SB comments he received almost an unanimous support from the Dani pg 9 also carries in its section ‘Word in focus’ the information about Schwartz-Schilling’s appointment to the HR’s position in BiH. Dani says: ‘Unlike Paddy Ashdown, who is totally confused, Schilling is considered to be a systematic person, well familiar with the situation in BiH.’ |
PDP welcomes appointment of Schwarz-Schilling as new HR
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Faster integration into |
| Pink, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘BiH authorities must accept Croatian approach with regard to arrest of Gotovina’ – The Political Directors for the Peace Implementation Council ( Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Karadzic and Mladic must be arrested’, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Concerned over Terzic’ Government’ by N.B. also covered the issue. |
French Foreign Minister praised progress achieved in BiH
| Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Blazy praised progress in BiH’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘France supports reduction of international role in BiH’ by Agencies – French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste Blazy organized in Paris a reception for the high-ranked BiH delegation at the end of the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accord. Newly appointed High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling also attended this reception. On this occasion Minister Blazy praised a progress in BiH which makes possible that BiH joins European perspectives and he added that |
French Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy/
| Dani pgs 38 and 39 ‘ Dani pgs 46-48 ‘Independence will not resolve a single problem in Kosovo’ by E. Suljagic carries an interview with Director of the European Stability Initiative Gerald Knaus, who, among the other things, says: ‘It would be good for BiH that the issue of the Kosovo status was resolved in a peaceful manner and through a compromise and this would be good for the whole region and EU. However, failure to reach the compromise on Kosovo would, most probably, bring to serious tensions and political instability in Serbia and this might even cause growing differences in the interests of Belgrade on one side and interests of Banja Luka on the other side…Finally the international resoluteness not to allow connecting of Kosovo and BiH is total and complete.’ |
HR Ashdown addressed OSCE Council
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Talks on constitutional reform continued in Sarajevo
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘;Another failed round of talks’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘McElhaney: Commitment from Washington must be fulfilled’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, announced on cover ‘No talks on entities’ abolishment’ by M.Cubro, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Step by step’ by Z.Domazet – US Peace Institute official Donald Hays and representatives of 8 the strongest BIH parties participated in talks on constitutional changes in BIH that have been continued in Sarajevo on Thursday. Beriz Belkic from SBiH stated that his party was interested to see the proposed outcome of this process and whether the powers already transferred to the state level will be included in the new Constitution. Although it had been earlier announced he would leave for |
D. Covic dissatisfied with const. changes talks held on Thursday
| Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Proposal is BiH organized in 4 regions’ by Z. Kresic carries that HDZ and |
Blic: Tihic conditions RS proposal on BiH Presidency structure
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘New Tihic’ conditions’ by Nedeljka Breberina – Commenting on proposal of RS representatives (regarding BiH Presidency structure), Sulejman Tihic expressed readiness to accept this proposal “but solely under condition that such institution is also established in RS”. He expressed his view that “solutions, that are to be accepted at the state level – in regard to institutions – should be applied to entities as well.” |
SD’s comment on constitutional changes talks: Lozancic and Lagumdzija cooperative beyond any expectations
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 19, mentioned on front ‘Hays offers, Lozancic and Lagumdzija accept!’, by Zlatko Tulic – SD learns from sources close to international circles in Sarajevo that, when it comes to the ongoing constitutional reforms talks, it is the |
US Burns: Now is the time to achieve true safety and real reconciliation
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Now is the time to achieve true safety and real reconciliation’ announced on cover ‘Specific steps will follow words spoken in Washington’ by Nicholas Burns, US Undersecretary for Political Issues – Nicholas Burns refers to DPA, its advantages (return, reconstruction and establishing of what seems to be a normal situation) and its disadvantages saying that inefficient authority structure and ethnic divisions DPA had brought were insufficient to reply to challenges a modern state in 21st century has to face. He reminds BiH politicians had, during their recent visit to Nezavisne Novine pg 7, announced on cover ‘BiH to face hard reforms’ by Nicholas Burns also carried the article. |
Cardinal Puljic on relations between Croats and Croatians and IC role in BiH
| Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘Croat against Croatian is project of foreigners’ and pgs 2 and 3 ‘We have to pull down injustice and lie’ by T. Begic carries that a public forum ‘What is BiH to Croatians?’ was held in Zagreb on Thursday and among the others Cardinal Vinko Puljic and Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica spoke at the public forum. Cardinal Puljic stated that aspirations to heighten tensions between Croats and Croatians are getting bigger. He also said half jokingly: ‘The High Representative (presumably referring on Paddy Ashdown) would leave and he would probably be sorry that he failed to remove me.’ Cardinal also added that the International Community was helping the return process, however, Croats received only 2 % of these funds. |
BiH and SiCG European Integration Offices define their relations
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Protocol on cooperation on EU course signed’ by A.Sisic – Representatives of the BiH Directorate for European Integration, led by Osman Topcagic, and |
FBiH Government proposes candidates for police reform directorate
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘F BiH proposed candidates for Executive Board’ by M.C., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘One seat – two names’ also covered the issue. |
BiH Prosecution indicts 11 persons for war crimes in Srebrenica area
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Del Ponte calls on international community to exert additional pressure on
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CoM discusses measures against war crime indictees, their supporters
| BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 – At its session in |
B. Ljubic on mtg Rill, Martens/J. Merdzo: Expelled HDZ members also sent documentation on HDZ Convention to EPP
| Dnevni List pg 6 ‘New Martens’ stand in January’ by I. Rozic – Commenting on the meeting held between HDZ International Secretary Anton Rill and President of the European People’s Party (EPP) Wilfred Martens, Bozo Ljubic stated: ‘The fact that Rill met with Martens is not relevant for me in any case, only the official EPP’s stand, which was made by representatives of all Peoples’ Parties from the EU, is relevant for me.’ Ljubic stressed that the EPP would make the next stand with regard to HDZ at the beginning of January. Asked as to what he expects from this stand, Ljubic said that EPP is an institution that does not change its opinion very easily. DL inset ‘Documents’ carries Josip Merdzo as saying that expelled HDZ members also sent documentation with regard to the last HDZ Convention to EPP. |
| Economic/Social Issues/Media |
CoM adopts draft 2006 Budget
| BHT, RTRS – Council of Ministers will send a budget proposal for 2006 to BIH Presidency. According to this proposal BIH budget in 2006 should be around 960 million KM. This budget is 330 million KM higher than in 2005. CoM stressed that this increase was necessary so state institutions can be strengthened. Among other things the budget will provide more money for SIPA but the SIPA’s permanent premises is still a problem. BIH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Dragan Doko stated that due to change of ownership over building occupied by SIPA new lease contract might be less favourable. CoM also adopted draft law by which the entities and Brcko District are responsible for settling old foreign currency savings deposited in business banks on their territory by 31.12. 2001. |
Oslobodjenje: Pensions in early 2006 could be late because of VAT
| Oslobodjenje, front pg splash and pg 2 ‘Pensions could be late because of application of VAT’, by S. Sehercehajic – Spokesman of the FBiH Pension/Disability Fund, Sefkija Elezovic, warns that the Fund could be having problems with paying out of pensions in early 2006. He explains that traditionally, the Fund is collecting less money in first half of any year, and in combination with the start of application of VAT law, which foresees first the payment of taxes and only after that the payment of (pension) contributions, there are fears that pensions could be overdue in first several months of 2006. On top of this, the daily reports that the Executive Board of Association of FBiH Pensioners requested from the FBiH Government to help each pensioner that gets less than 250 KMs with additional 20 KM in order to alleviate consequences of the VAT law. The Association insists that the money be secured from the (FBiH) budget, not from the Fund’s means. |
Vrankic and Dervisevic to decide on destiny of FBiH Financial Police
| Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 7 ‘Vrankic and Dervisevic decide on destiny of Financial Police’ by M. Batarello – An informal meeting with regard to the work and survival of the FBiH Financial Police (FP) was held on Thursday in the FBiH Government. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and his Deputies Gavrilo Grahovac and Dragan Vrankic, Deputy SIPA Director Sead Lisak and Zufer Dervisevic from the FP attended the meeting. During the meeting it was concluded that Vrankic and Dervisevic should meet and decided on the future of the FBiH Financial Police. DL explains that although the FP has lost al least 95 % of its competence due to the implementation of the reform the Law on FP is still in force. Vrankic stated: ‘If SIPA deals with money laundering and we have within the FP a unit that is much more capable of the one that Is under the SIPA’s competence I do not see the reason because of which these people would not go to SIPA.’ Vrankic added that people from the FP and International Community representatives agree with this proposal, however somebody is against this proposal. Both |
SD:
| Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pgs 18-19 ‘BiH lost hospital in Cavtat’, by Ahmet Kalajdzic – reports that the Senior Commercial Court of Republic of Croatia confirmed the earlier verdict of the Commercial Court in Dubrovnik, according to which buildings of the ‘Nemanja Vlatkovic’ Hospital for Children in Cavtat are in ownership of the local, Cavtat (Croatia) hospital. SD notes that the buildings and the land were registered on the name of BiH, however the verdict will enable the change in the entry in the land registry book. Inset entitled ‘Miletic: We will go even to Strasbourg’ carries the BiH Deputy Public Defender, Dragica Miletic, who says the BiH authorities will undertake all measures to protect BiH’s property in Cavtat since the ‘Nemanja Vlatkovic’ hospital was a part of the Sarajevo Clinic. |
Land near Bos. Gradiska radiated with radio-active waste SFOR stored
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘Land radiated’, pg 3 ‘Land radiated with radio-active waste’ by G.Golub – The research at the range in Orahova near Bosanska Gradiska, where SFOR allegedly built waste site, showed that the level of radiation goes up equally with the depth of ground. The experts from the RS Institute for health care protection concluded that radiation comes from radioactive waste stored at this location. |
Pol. parties in RS agree Bukejlovic is buying time by withdrawing budget and economic policy files from Parliament session
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Bukejlovic’ Cabinet is buying time’ by V.Popovic – The RS Government Wednesday night withdrew two documents – budget and economic policy – from Parliament session. These two documents will be returned to Parliament procedure after they are amended. The political officials (SNSD’ Dodik and Bjelogrlic, PDP’s Veselin Poljasevic, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Chasing votes’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – carries similar comments, with same message. |
Cavic: two options as get-away solution: either Government gets majority or other Government with majority is elected
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Cavic: If Government falls, |
RS Govt. proposes Draft Law on RTRS
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Draft Law on RTRS defined’ by A.S. – RS Government Thursday defined, inter alia, Draft law on RTRS. Head of public affairs office of RS Government, Cvijeta Kovacevic stated that draft law on RTRS will protect RTRS from any kind of political influence and will enable it’s financial self-sustainability, adding certain law regulations, including this one, have been conditions for launchment of |
| Judiciary |
DL: Bill of indictment against Covic and his associates for Soko case to be issued in January
| Dnevni List pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Bill of indictment for embezzling of about 850 000 KM’ by Z. Jukic carries that HDZ President Dragan Covic has been questioned recently before the BiH Court with regard to the Soko case. DL explains that according to the FBiH Financial Police report as a Director of ‘Soko’ company he embezzled about 850 000 KM. DL learns that during the hearing Covic denied all claims from the report saying that this is about imputation of his political opponents. According to the article, Covic should be questioned with regard to this case once again by the New Year, while it has been expected that the bill of indictment against Covic and his close associates from that time, first of all Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Prime Minister Miroslav Coric, would be issued at the beginning of January. |
M. Kreso presented results of
| Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Prosecution dissatisfied with achieved results’ by E. Mackic carries that on Thursday President of the BiH Court Meddzida Kreso presented achievements of the BiH Court during this year. BiH Chief Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic stated that he is not satisfied with the things that were done stressing that much more could have been done. He added: ‘I hope that results would be more positive next year, when the BiH Prosecution had 3 Departments.’ DL inset ‘International prosecutors and judges are still necessary’ carries Jurcevic as saying that it is good that international judges and prosecutors are still here. Also reported by Vecernji List pg 4 ‘ |
DL op-ed praising work of
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Just go ahead’ by E. Mackic carries an editorial in which the author praises the work of the BiH Court and says that there are no any objections when the work of this court is in question. |
NN op-ed critical of Palavric’ appointment
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘A path to new unity of authority’ by Slavo Kukic – Criticizing the current authority composition in BiH, with nationalistic parties leading it, the author is harshly judging the appointment of Seada Palavric to BiH Constitutional Court, whom she calls “one of the most extreme storm troopers” of the SDA. She stresses that judging by his information, she has not – in her entire life – written any single scientific text from the field of legal sciences. |