| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Mostar one city | BH farmers protest | Mostar one city | MoD Nikola Radovanovic |
| MoD Nikola Radovanovic | Mostar one city | SFOR action in Zenica | Law on Public Bcasting |
| SFOR action in Zenica | SFOR action in Zenica | MoD Nikola Radovanovic | Kristal bank affair |
| About HDZ/SDA crises | Coup d’état affair | Protests of BIH farmers | Protests in Banja Luka |
| Oslobodjenje | SFOR was looking for weapons in apartments of Zenica citizens; Mostar municipalities officially dissolved; Public service threats independence of three RTVs; BiH HoR: There was no coup d’état |
| Dnevni Avaz | Sudden visit from the Hague; Oxford master holder the first Defence Minister; Houses and apartments searched; Novo Rajak surrendered |
| Dnevni List | Foreign judge to try tycoons from Herzegovina; Ashdown: Parallelisms abolished – Mostar becomes single city |
| Vecernji List | Mostar one city; SFOR is looking for terrorists at several places |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Historic day – Mostar united |
| Glas Srpske | Jovo Torbica released: From genocide to furniture; Rohan Gunarathna on Al Q’Aeda in BiH: Osama’s cells |
| Nezavisne Novine | Six Mostar municipalities stopped existing: Mostar re-unified; BiH House of Representatives: Nikola Radovanovic is first defence minister of BiH; “Kristal Banka” affair update: Before it was sold, Government of Mladen Ivanic addressed threats; OHR warns: Dokic’s proposal of law does not lead BiH to Europe |
Political developments | |
| Mostar municipalities abolished, city united | RTRS, BHTV 1, FTV, RHB, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 8 ‘Mostar municipalities officially abolished’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Six municipalities in Mostar do not exist anymore’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 2 ‘Mostar re-unified city’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Mostar re-unified’ – In accordance with the decision by the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, as of Monday, Mostar is a single city with one City Administration. “As of today, Mostar has one mayor, a single budget and a single administration which will serve all its citizens,” High Rep said at news conference in Mostar on Monday. In addition, Mostar municipal councils cease to exist legally, economically and administratively. “Today Mostar is taking a decisive step in the city’s unification process and this on schedule, on time and according to the new Statute of an united Mostar. Many doubted that it would ever come to this. They believed that the two sides were too far apart to ever meet and work together in a single city administration, but today Mostar has shown all the skeptics that they were wrong,” Ashdown said. In his address, Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic said one important phase of implementing the decision of the High Representative has been completed, although the most difficult part remained. “We anticipate the abolishment of parallel institutions, that is unifying them in accordance to the multiethnic character of the city. We have to introduce new organizations and adopt a new budget based on the principle that the city will fund only that which is urban, unifying and which will serve all its citizens… I hope that through this construction we will, in fact, realize specific projects that will benefit the city and its citizens,” Jahic said. Ashdown met with both Jahic and his deputy Mayor Ljubo Beslic whom he stressed that no people will have domination over others in Mostar and ythat the Statute will provide a chance for better management of the public acquisitions. HR has explained that while rights of citizens to be provided with the services will not change, the quality of those services would. Ashdown also said he would insist on adoption of the law, according to which five of FBiH Ministries should be transferred from Sarajevo to Mostar. RHB, Dnevni List front pg, pg 7 Ashdown: Parallelisms abolished – Mostar becomes single city’, Vecernji List front pg splash ‘Mostar one city’, pg 5 ‘Mostar without municipalities and any domination’, pg 18 ‘New beginning for Mostar’, Slobodna Dalmacija front pg splash ‘Historic day – Mostar united’, pg 16 ‘Historic day for Mostar’, ‘Neither Ashdown nor Bosniaks mind the monument’, Vjesnik pg 10 ‘Paddy Ashdown abolished Mostar municipalities’ – HR Ashdown also commented the issue about his alleged opposition to the construction of the monument to Croat defenders in Mostar, on Rondo Square, the story that the Bosniaks would take it as a provocation. “I have been informed that the erection of the monument is legal, and on the other hand, the Bosniak leaders assured me they do not take it as a provocation”, said HR Ashdown. |
| Op-eds on Mostar unification | Nezavisne Novine ‘Date for history’ op-ed by Josip Blazevic – The author is writing about re-unification of the City of Mostar. He disagrees with the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, in his view that Mostar sides are now closer than they have ever been before. On this, author says that there is enormous distrust between ethnic communities not only in Mostar, but the entire BiH. However, he agrees with the HiRep that a first step has been made, which is the most important thing. He concludes the article by saying that: “The other side of the medal is that Ashdown did not have courage to use the sample of Mostar as solution for similar multi-ethnic communities in BiH.” Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Big step’ op-ed by Mirko Sagolj – Author regards unification of Mostar as a historical move, however argues that unless political parties support it the results of it will be ‘taken by Neretva.’ |
| Serbian Deputy PM visits BiH and meets number of officials | RHB, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘If we find Mladic, we would arrest him’, ‘Good neighbor’s relations are priority’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Special relations to be extended to the entire BiH’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 4 ‘Businessmen of Serbia and BiH together to third states’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Belgrade now even closer’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘We are willing to do everything in order to arrest Mladic’, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Labus, if Mladic is in Serbia we shall extradite him to The Hague’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 6 ‘Common goal: European integration’ – The chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, and Presidency member Borislav Paravac on Monday met with the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus. The meeting agenda included discussion on the improvements in the bilateral and economic cooperation, while Tihic stressed that the special relations between SCG and RS have to be expanded to cover entire BiH. Labus also met with CoM Chairman, Adnan Terzic, who welcomed the formation of the Serbian government. Labus stressed that stressed that the Serbian government would be democratic, reformist and pro-European and that improvements in relations with the neighbors would continue to be among its priorities. Serbian Deputy PM also met with the FBIH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic. During these talks, Labus announced that the citizens of FBiH would soon not be treated differently when crossing the border with Serbia-Montenegro. Asked whether the USA will on 31 March give a positive assessment of Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague tribunal and arrests of war crimes suspects, primarily General Ratko Mladic, Labus stated in Sarajevo that he hoped for progress in this area too. He added that SCG has received an order to investigate allegations which claim that Mladic was hiding in Serbia and he added that if that turns to be a truth there will be no obstacles coming from the Government towards his arrest. BHTV 1 – In the evening, Labus visited Banja Luka, where he held talks with RS president Dragan Cavic, BiH Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic. Following the meeting, Cavic stated hat they both agreed that the solutions created by the Dayton Agreement represented the future for the Serb Republic. Cavic said the new government in Serbia believed in the principle according to which the three nations in Bosnia-Hercegovina had to make decisions by consensus. He added that this political stance was in accord with policies pursued in the Serb Republic. RTRS – Labus, in visit to Sarajevo for the first time, agreed with BiH officials on the concrete steps for improvement of relations between those two countries. This includes effort to launch Free Trade Agreement. “We are fully open to continue cooperating with Serbia, something we have started… is first of all political dialogue and than, what is the most important, stronger economic cooperation,” said Adnan Terzic, following the meeting with Labus. In talks with Mikerevic, officials discussed relations and possibilities investment in RS, but also outstanding debts. Labus concluded the visit with a late evening meeting with RSNA Speaker Dragan Kalinic. |
| HDZ/SDA crisis | RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘HDZ demands annulling of FBiH Government decisions?!’ – SDA and HDZ on Monday did not continue with their negotiations on the partnership relations and the problems in FBiH government. The meeting is expected to be held on Tuesday, where SDA-appointed team consisting of Mirsad Kebo, Bakir Izetbegovic and Ahmet Hadzipasic, and according to unofficial information HDZ will seek annulling of decisions made by FBiH Govt in the absence of HDZ ministers. HDZ Spokesperson Pero Pavlovic stated HDZ still has no negotiations team, as its president Barisa Colak expected to meet SDA President Sulejman Tihic instead of teams. HDZ SP Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Colak postponed today’s meeting with Tihic’ – DA brings that SDA Vice President Elmir Jahic [not Mirsad Kebo] are part of the commission tasked to negotiate with HDZ. According to Tihic, the meeting was supposed to be held today, however Barisa Colak postponed it. Also, SDA tasked Tihic to organize the meeting of all parties that make up parliamentary majority on both state and entities levels. The agenda of the meeting should include the discussion on 16 preconditions laid down in Feasibility Study. |
| NN int with Tihic on SDA/HDZ crisis | Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 6 ‘We will not accept HDZ ultimatum’ – In an interview to NN, Sulejman Tihic, SDA President, says that SDA will not accept any HDZ ultimatum, neither changes of the Rule Book of Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He promised he would do all he could to prevent that decisions at Government of F BIH are not passed through outvoting. He does not believe that HDZ would leave the authority. He concludes that media give more attention to relations between SDA and HDZ than it actually deserves. He further blames parties from Republika Srpska for problems regarding BiH admission into PfP. |
| SDP on HDZ/SDA rift | RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Rule or leave’ – SDP Presidency commented that “public break-up of the so-called partnership between the SDA and the HDZ which has lead to the blockade of the cantonal, FBIH and state institutions and completely paralyzed the reform process,… such toying with government institutions by the leadership of the nationalist parties was utterly unjustified.” SDP believes this will lead to the blockade of the reformatory process in entire country. Last night, SDP Presidency held the session concluding that BiH citizens became the hostages of SDA and HDZ personal problems, and they invited International Community to ensure government functions at all levels. |
| DL Statement of Day | Dnevni List, pg 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ Party for BiH President Safet Halilovic as saying: “Party for BiH will consider whether it will stay in authority or not.” |
| SNSD on protests and early elections; SDS and RS Radicals against early elections
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Opposition brings down the authorities’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Early elections through protests’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Peacefully to changes’, RTRS – Protests in Banja Luka, announced for 23 March will be only a beginning of the same protests around RS and other parts of BiH, said Chairman of SNSD Executive Board, Nebojsa Radmanovic. He pointed out that the problems are same in entire country and that is why the party will not give up on its demand to hold extraordinary elections. Radmanovic added that disturbance of the public order will not take place during the protests, adding that the Government intimidates the citizens. On the other side SDS Spokesperson, Dusan Stojicic, said that extraordinary elections would be contra-productive for RS, adding that SNSD-organized protests are only another attempt by Milorad Dodik to return to power, and a trial to bring down legally elected Government. SRS President, Mihailo Mihajlica said his party was also dissatisfied with the work of the Government, especially when it comes to the privatisation process, but agreed that early elections would not solve problems. |
| BiH delegation in visit to Slovenia | BHTV 1, RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Economic cooperation on new grounds’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘BiH delegation in visit to Slovenia’ – BiH delegation headed by BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic on Monday have commenced with the official two-day visit to Republic Slovenia, at invitation of Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop. The first official bilateral meeting of BiH and Slovenian Prime Ministers will focus on discussing the advancement of the overall bilateral cooperation, especially on modalities of further Slovenian support to BiH on the road to Euro-Atlantic integration. The visit of BiH delegation to Slovenia will also be an opportunity for a presentation of investment opportunities in BiH, which will be held at the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. Apart from meeting Prime Minister Anton Rop, Terzic is also planned to meet with the Slovenian President, Janez Drvnosek. |
| DL editorial supports Ashdown | Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Ashdown needs to be supported’ by Dr. Slavo Kukic – The author claims that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, has taken on “the nationalists of all colours” in past one month, first by giving a lecture to the owner of “Dnevni Avaz” that censorship is not when judges ban you to write untruths, and lately when he pointed finger at the parties (SDS, HDZ and SDA), who he put at fault for delays in implementation of reforms. According to Kukic, even the Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, was surprised with the sharpness of the HR, even suspecting his good intentions. Kukic concludes the piece by saying that HR Ashdown has realized what kind of games the aforementioned parties were up to, noting that it seems that the HR will start dismissing everything that represents an unwanted weight. In this context, Kukic says people should not be constantly accusing the HR of mistakes he has made, but give him support “for moves Paddy is, it looks that way, definitively ready”. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on SDA, HDZ, SDS | Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Parties are not to be blamed’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – In a light of the newest OHR warning regarding the public broadcasting, author writes that this is a continuation “of the strongest criticism” coming from OHR and “directed to the local authorities.” Arguing that such attitude by IC was commenced during the HR Paddy Ashdown’s visit to UN Security Council and continue upon return, editorial reads that the strong pressures is placed on RS, especially in the matters around the appointment of the Defence Minister and workings of Srebrenica Commission. Noting that SDA and HDZ also faces criticism for different obstructions [in judiciary and education], editorial concludes: “International authorities objectively, and subjectively, supported nationalistic parties. But, the key BiH paradox is that, despite everything that happened since 1990, majority of Bosniaks by voting for SDA, actually votes for SDS and HDZ; the vote of Croat for HDZ is a vote for SDS and SDA, as votes of Serbs for SDA are at the same time votes for HDZ and SDA. That threesome is being constantly elected by the active electoral body, but also by elections-wise passive population who is in that way the most responsible for the situation in BiH.” |
Defence and security issues | |
| BiH Defence Minister optimistic regarding BiH’s admission to PfP in June
| RHB, BHTV 1, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Radovanovic Defence Minister, Becirbasic and Pendes deputies’, Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Oxford master holder a defence minister’, ‘Nikola Radmanovic elected for the first BiH Defence Minister’, Nezavisne Novine cover ‘Nikola Radovanovic is first defence minister of BiH’, pg 4 ‘Lagumdzija and Alibabic did not prepare coup d’etat’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Nikola Radovanovic first Defence Minister’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Appointment of Nikola Radovanovic to position of BiH Defence Minister confirmed’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘Partnership for Peace is priority’, Vjesnik pg 10 ‘First BiH Defence Minister appointed’ – After the OHR completed with the vetting procedure, the BiH House of Representatives has confirmed Nikola Radovanovic as the first BiH Defence Minister. Enes Becirbasic and Marina Pendes have been appointed his deputies, Minister Radovanovic said that the priority in the work of the state Defence Ministry will be meeting the conditions for membership of the Partnership for Peace. “I believe that significant progress, which would render BiH a credible candidate for membership of the Partnership for Peace at the NATO summit in Istanbul, can be made in this short period of time. At this moment I cannot speak about deadlines. I shall be briefed about what has been achieved so far. This in any case is one of the first things we will face: to fill posts in the ministry and the Joint Staff and the Operational Command,” stated Radovanovic. All three new appointees gave their oaths before BiH HoR. FTV – Following the endorsement of the Radovanovic, Chairman of the CoM Adnan Terzic also addressed the BiH HoR confirming that the BiH Defence Ministry should be established by the end of April. Ministry of Defence priority will be fulfilment of conditions for entrance to Partnership for Peace programme. RTRS – When it comes to the Deputy Minister Enes Becirbasic, there is an issue of whether he fulfils one of the conditions that is whether he has at least three years of experience working with the civil service. “I see no obstacle and in that sense I have no dilemmas,” said Becirbasic. |
| Terzic says delays in defence reforms are not acceptable | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Still possible for BiH to access PfP by the end of June?’ – “I think that it is not acceptable to be late with defence reforms in BiH. We appointed Defence Minister but we lost time in preparing a number of other assignments in order to launch an avalanche of activities after the first man of defence is appointed,” says Chair of the CoM Adnan Terzic, commenting warning by the international community that BiH will not be admitted to the PfP program in June, and adds that it is necessary for “BIH Presidency to resume leadership role in defence field, as that is exclusive constitutional jurisdiction of this body.” |
| SFOR raids houses in Zenica
| BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, RHB, Oslobodjenje cover splash, pgs 4&5 ‘SFOR was looking for weapons in apartments of Zenica workers’, Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Houses and apartments searched’, pg 9 ‘Houses and apartments in a number of ‘targeted’ locations searched’, Nezavisne Novine cover ‘Nikola Radovanovic is first defence minister of BiH’, pg 4 ‘Lagumdzija and Alibabic did not prepare coup d’etat’, Vecernji List front pg ‘SFOR is looking for terrorists at several places’, pg 3 ‘SFOR is looking for terrorists in BiH’, Slobodna Dalmacija ‘SFOR is looking for weapon in high-raise buildings’, Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Private computers were also SFOR’s target’ – SFOR troops in cooperation with local police and EUPM carried out unannounced operation in Zenica and surrounding area on Monday. The report says that the operation was carried out in order “to supervise adherence to the general framework of the peace agreement”, and “to prevent persons carrying out activities which are hindering progress and development in Bosnia-Hercegovina”. SFOR Spokesperson, Dave Sullivan, later stated that this was a part of the harvest operation, and that nothing was found. According to RHB source, the action included the search carried out in several buildings in city centre. According to the same source two hand grenades and few knives were took from the house of Mithat Trako, against whom the Police will bring the charges. SFOR, EUPM and police have searched the house of Doctor Dzelal Imamovic, Deputy Director of the Cantonal Public Health Department and took his computer. Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 2 ‘SFOR raided military barracks, apartments and houses’ – SFOR confirmed that for the third time in the last few months, SFOR soldiers conducted inspection of apartments and other objects in Zenica and suburb settlements. |
| BiH HoR Commission concludes there were no plans for coup d’état | RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 6 ‘Report on so called coup d’état case adopted’ – At the session on Monday, the BiH House of Representatives adopted the report of the Commission established to investigate alleged so-called coup d’état case, which concluded that such plan did not exist. The report further states that the FBiH Intelligence Service (FOSS) conducted an operational procedure under the name “Varta” investigating the former dismissed FOSS Director. The Commission established that human rights were violated with the “Varta” case as contents of private conversations and material from two CDs labeled as confidential were released to the public without the approval of relevant institutions. The Commission established that there is clear and specific legal regulation defining the method of protection and use of confidential information. Even though certain representatives described the Commission’s report as having gone beyond its authorities, subjective, arbitrary, unfounded and inconsistent, the House at the end adopted it. RTRS – SDA and SDU claimed that report is tendentious and unserious, and other group lead by SDP and members of Commission considered that the report was done well. BHTV 1 – Investigation was completed after 5 weeks of investigation and interrogation of 25 persons. FTV, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 8 ‘There was no coup d’état’ – The report recommended authorities to urgently harmonize the legislation in the field of intelligence services. The High Judicial and Prosecutorial council was recommended to reconsiders the role of judicial and prosecutorial officials in this affair, and the Press Council was advised to investigates into work of media that published confidential documents, while the FOSS supervisory body has been tasked to once again investigates the entire case and takes appropriate measures. The report also raised a number of reactions by parliamentarians – against it were Seada Palavric from SDA and Sead Avdic from Party for BiH. Palavric objected that report was lacking arguments for its claims, and criticised that SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija was a member of the Commission. Avdic also accused Lagumdzija of his influence in report writing, which was rejected by HoR Speaker Nikola Spiric. Chairman of the Commission, Tihomir Gligoric, addressed to parliamentarians stressing that the commission carried out its assignments in an objective manner, and with consensus of all its members. |
| Presidency advisor claims Kovac appointed SBS Director in accordance with the Law | Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Kovac was appointed in accordance with the current legislation’ by E. Sarac – Advisor to Bosniak member of the Presidency for internal affairs, Mehmed Zilic, says that BiH Presidency respected legislation in the process of appointing Relja Kovac to the position of State Border Service Director. Zilic argues that according to the Decision on criteria and procedure of appointing and dismissing SBS Director, adopted in April 2001 and still in force, candidate must be a BiH citizen with at least five years of working experience in the field of internal affairs. “It says nowhere that it has to have a rank of chief inspector an, or at least 16 years of professional police experience,” says Zilic and further claims that the rank of chief inspect is awarded to the Director upon his appointment, and taken from him at the time of leaving the service. Article concludes that Relja Kovac on Monday appeared at work, despite uncertainty around his appointment. |
| FBiH MoI: There was no announcement of arrest of Dragan Covic and HDZ top | Dnevni List front, pg 2 ‘There was no announcement of arrest of Dragan Covic and HDZ top’ – FBiH Ministry of Interior issued a press release denying the information published in Slobodna Dalmacija on March 13, 2004 under headline ‘I will arrest Covic and HDZ top because all Herzegovinians are thieves!’. The press release says that during the disputable the meeting organized by Director of the FBiH Police Administration, Zlatko Miletic, the arrests were not announced and the citizens of Herzegovina were not called thieves as SD published. The reaction also says that apart from employees of the FBiH Crime Police Department, EUPM representatives also attended the meeting and the official minutes of the meeting were made. |
| DL on alleged preparation of assassination on John McNair | Dnevni List pg 5 ‘McNair does not want to comment on information that person who wants to kill him arrived to BiH’ by N. Dedic – With regard to media speculations saying that a contract killer arrived from Croatia to BiH in order to kill Prosecutor John McNair and that the contract killer is in the area of Mostar at the moment, DL carries that people from the FBiH Interior Ministry stated that it is possible that these claims are correct, however, the FBiH MoI has not been involved in any actions with regard to this issue yet. DL says that McNair himself did not want to comment on this information, while spokesperson of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton MoI Srecko Bosnjak said that they will have more information on these claims on March 16 or March 17 at the latest. DL says that the Police failed to track the contract killer down, although they have been looking for him for 4 days already. |
Public broadcasting | |
| Dokic dismisses OHR’s accusations; says IC inserts pressure before Wed meeting
| RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Minister Dokic says OHR’s claims are pressure and blackmail’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 4 ‘Dokic’s proposal of law does not lead BiH to Europe’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Office for blackmails’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘OHR’s remarks are pressure and blackmail’, Vecernji List pg 10 ‘Dokic: Blanket condemnation by the OHR’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 9 ‘Law does not support entity televisions’, Vjesnik pg 10 ‘Labus: New Government wants stability in region’ – BiH Minister of Communication and Transport Branko Dokic at the press conference held on Monday rejected the OHR’s accusation that he has failed to devise an adequate Law on public broadcasters, and that the Law did not set a framework for establishing public broadcasting system in BiH. Minister Dokic told OHR’s reaction to the Law forwarded to the Council of Ministers could be interpreted as a way of exerting pressure and blackmail ahead of the scheduled meeting, at a request of the OHR, between CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic and representatives of the international community and the working group that drafted the bill. BHTV 1 – Branko Dokic pointed out that the key elements of the agreement signed by the BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic and Entity Prime Ministers were incorporated into the draft Law. However, the draft does not include part of agreement on which refers to the establishment of a single legal system, which would incorporate public broadcasters. Branko Dokic disagrees with this, claiming it would breach rights of all three public broadcasters: “Elements from the agreement which support system as a legal subject are not incorporated into the draft, as it would mean we have 5 legal subjects, and we have only 4.” RTRS – “Maybe only some individuals from the OHR don’t consider that everything that is suggested by them automatically has to be included into our legal norms,” said Branko Dokic. The meeting between CoM Chairman, Adnan Terzic, IC representatives and that working group that developed the Law is scheduled for Wednesday to make finalize the draft Law. Oslobodjenje cover, pg 7 ‘Public service threats independence of three public broadcasters’ – Dokic said he admitted not to accept OHR’s advice, adding that would threat independence of RTRS, FTV and BHTV, underlying that three broadcasters must continue to exist as state broadcasters. Dnevni List pg 10 ‘PDP rejects OHR’s remarks’ – DL reports that the Presidency of PDP rejected remarks of the OHR regarding the Draft PBS law, assessing that the said Draft ensures editorial independence and financial viability of RTV systems in BiH. |
| IC says current draft Law will not satisfy European standards | RTRS, FTV, RTRS – International community will keep insisting for authorities to ensure strengthening of the entire broadcasting system, and not only o the entity systems. “Nothing from all of those things Minister Branko Dokic said exclude our opinion and that is that the plan of Law does not include elements from agreement of three Prime Ministers”, said Vedran Perisic OHR spokesman. Laws will be delivered to Council of Ministers for reconsideration. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Adoption of the law risks European future’, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 7 ‘Public service threats independence of three public broadcasters’ – “Choice is clear – draft Law that Dokic proposed or Europe,” commented OHR spokesperson Oleg Milisic. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Agreement between three prime minister must be respected’, BHTV 1 – European Commission confirmed OHR announcement that the draft law will not pass European exam, and EC considers that BIH has to have strong public broadcasting service. According to plan of the Law on Public Broadcasting Service, a system should be made up of four legal subjects: BHTV, FTV, RTRS and Public corporation for programme transmitting, with all services independent. |
War crimes | |
| ICTY officials visit former concentration camps in Prijedor area
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Claude Jorda on the crime scenes’ – The President of the ICTY judge Claude Jorda and Assistant Prosecutor Joanne Corner, together with their associates, on Monday stared with the visits of almost all scenes of Bosniak and Croat sufferings in Prijedor area. Under strong RS police protection, six vehicles first visited former Omarska concentration camp, and camps Keraterm and Trnopolje, as well as several other locations. After this, the ICTY team went to Sanski Most, also visiting locations were captured Bosniaks were held. Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Sudden visit from the Hague’, pg 3 ‘Judges from the Hague visited concentration camps and locations of mass Bosniak sufferings’ – RS Government’s official for the relations with ICTY, Dejan Miletic, refused to commented the visit of ICTY officials and said that RS Secretariat had nothing to do with its organization. |
| War crimes suspect surrenders to local authorities
| Dnevni Avaz cover, pg 4 ‘Novo Rajak surrendered’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Suspect Novo Rajak surrendered’ – Ex-policeman from Visegrad, Novo Rajak, accused for war crimes by the BiH judiciary, on Monday turned himself in to the Cantonal Prosecution in Gorazde. Rajak is accused of detaining and torturing Bosniaks and taking part in attacks at Crni Vrh, Drokan and other villages near Visegrad. After taking a statement, cantonal prosecutor Mirsad Bilajac set a one-month detention to Rajak. Bilajac said there is enough facts for pressing charges and that the Prosecution will collect evidence in next 30 days. |
Education and social issues | |
| Terzic says CoM will forward Higher Education Law to parliamentary procedure
| RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Law on Higher Education in parliament soon’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Disagreements on Law on Higher Education removed’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Framework Law on Higher Education in parliamentary procedure soon’, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Law on Higher Education in parliamentary procedure on Thursday’ – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic confirmed that the Framework Law on Higher Education would be forwarded to parliamentary procedure at the next session of the Council of Ministers scheduled for March 18. Terzic made this announcement at a consultative meeting held at his initiative with BiH Civil Affair Minister Safet Halilovic, BiH Security Minister Barisa Colak and BiH Transport and Communications Minister Branko Dokic. The meeting was also attended by Head of OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Robert Beecroft, Word Bank Director Dirk Reinermann, OHR and the Council of Europe’s officials. The focus was to provide solution for concerns raised in previous CoM discussions regarding the law. Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘If fail to adopt the Law, we would lose 12 million US dollars’ – Rector of Sarajevo University, Boris Tihic, warned that unless the Law on Higher Education was adopted by 31 March, BiH would lose 12 million US dollars of donations through the World Bank. He also said that consequences of failing to meet the deadline would be tragic, as that would mean that a number of planned projects would not be implemented. |
| Farmers’ protests | RHB – Several hundreds of farmers protested on Monday in front of the Government’s building of the Brcko District expressing their dissatisfaction with Entity and Brcko Governments. “With the protest we want to point to the disastrous position of farmers and draw the attention of the publicity to very low subsidies for agriculture not only in the District but also in both Entities,” said Ranko Bakic, president of BiH Farmers’ Association which demands from the authorities to establish two funds: one for credit support and the other for relief in case of natural disasters. According to Bakic, the Entities should each allot 100 million KM for agriculture, and the District 5 million KM. FTV, BHTV 1 – The protests are also scheduled tot ake place in Sarajevo on 22 May. |