| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| SFOR founds weapons | High temperatures in BiH | Anniver. of Kiseljak crime | BH delegation in USA |
| Gotovina’s indictment | BiH citizens and visas | Charges vs. SBS Mile Juric | Mladic is not in Serbia |
| British asylum | Bombs on police in Doboj | Venice biennale | Iraq Commander arrested |
| World news | Kenedy’s Mercedes | US seeks for Sadam’s allies | Israel to withdraw |
| Oslobodjenje | The Fisovic family will finally get a house?; In Washington and London: Lobbying for BiH |
| Dnevni Avaz | Following storm about housing loans: Veterans request revision of the lists |
| Dnevni List | Ashdown and Rumsfeld about unified customs, army and crime; EU membership between 2009 and 2012; New authority will not have strength to stop social unrest |
| Vecernji List | Party for BiH against appointment of HNC Government; Sutjeska divides partisans |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic: Gotovina most probably in Austria |
| Glas Srpske | No Glas Srpske today, owing to National Holiday of Pentecost |
| Nezavisne Novine | Withdrawal of Russian contingent from BiH completed: Russians left BiH, the withdrawal from Kosovo commences; How were resources of Gacko Plant spent: Millions for the roads that noone walks on; the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Customs Administration versus producers and distributors of the false drinks: BiH Prosecutor’s Office waiting for reports |
BiH-International Community relations | |
| HR, BiH Delegation in US
| RTRS – High Representative Paddy Ashdown traveled to Washington on Saturday. On Monday, he will meet with the World Bank Director and US Secretary of Defense. CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic, BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Mladen Ivanic and the BH Central Bank Governor Peter Nicholl are also visiting Washington. Paddy Ashdown has criticized BH authorities for over spending. He said that the country could not spend that much money on administration and so little on the people, at first place on investments and opening of new posts; and stressed it was ridiculous to have political structures spending all the money, while they could not pay teachers. Paddy Ashdown will inform the World Bank Director on the economic reforms that have to be implemented while the international community could finance them. Reforms will also include BH armies. For RTRS, Ashdown says that BH goes through reforms which mark the beginning of process leading towards Atlantic and European integrations, and adds that would be only possible if there is willingness to reform army structures and reduce them to the level acceptable to BH budget. After this visit, High Representative will travel to London and will also participate EU summit to be held in the Thessaloniki. On the issue of the ICC, High Representative said he was sure there would be no problems following BH rejection to adopt recommendation made by European Commission not to ratify agreement with USA on ICC. He adds that Europe understands the situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in this regard. Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Presentation of the BiH Development Strategy’ By Sead Numanovic, special Avaz reporter from Washington – In the afternoon on Monday, Terzic and members of the BiH delegation are scheduled to meet with Wolrd Bank President James Wolfenson. On the occasion, they are expected to present to the WB and IMF leaders the BiH development Strategy aimed, among other things, to attract foreign investments in BiH. Within the article, the newspaper carries statement by Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite on the High Representative’s activities in the USA. Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Lobbying for BiH’, Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Ashdown in Washington on priorities in BiH’ carry an OHR press release on Ashdown’s US/London/Thessaloniki/Banja Luka tour. Dnevni List page 5, by Miso Relota, “Ashdown and Rumsfeld about unified customs, army and crime” carries a statemenn on the issue by OHR Spokesman Mario Brkic. |
| Ivanic: BiH to become EU member in the period from 2009- 2012 | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Ivanic: BiH to become EU member in the period from 2009 to 2012’, Dnevni List front and page 2, by SRNA, “Ivanic: EU membership between 2009 and 2012” – The BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, said on Sunday that BiH should become an EU member in the period from 2009 to 2012. In an interview for SRNA news agency, Ivanic stated that the BiH authorities had only submitted to EU answers to 400 questions about the application of the European standards in BiH. “The Feasibility Study on the BiH accession to EU should be completed in autumn,” Ivanic said. |
| Thessaloniki Summit | Vecernji List (page 2, by G. Knezovic, “EU programme for Balkans will be presented in Thessaloniki”) – a statement by Head of Information office of the European Commission in Sarajevo, Zekerijah Smajic, who says that “a new plan of approach to countries from the western Balkans will be presented at the forthcoming EU summit Thessaloniki” adding that the programme has already been determined on May 21 under a name “European integration partnership”. Basics of the programme consists of a defined process of stabilization and accession and the focus from the stabilization is now switched to methods of accession already familiar from the central European and Baltic countries. Dnevni List (page 3, unsigned, “Accession of five countries from southeast Europe to EU”) – reports that Foreign Ministers of EU countries should in Luxembourg today approve a Draft declaration which obliges the EU to give membership status to five countries from southeast Europe that are covered by the Process of Stabilization and Accession. The EU will reportedly request that the economic and technical help for preparation of these countries for talks on membership be connected to closer co-operation between the five countries. The Draft that should be adopted at the Thessaloniki summit next week should read that “the future of the Balkans in inside the EU” and that “the speed of progress is in hands of the countries in the region”. |
| Russians withdraw from BiH after seven years | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 2, ‘Withdrawal of Russians from BiH completed, withdrawal from Kosovo to commence’ – Russia has completed the withdrawal of its troops within SFOR from BiH. On Tuesday, the withdrawal of the Russian troops from KFOR is to commence. |
| BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro | Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Belgrade objection was not rejected’ – Tibor Varadi, the agent of Serbia and Montenegro in the BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro before International Criminal Court in The Hague, stated that Serbia and Montenegro stick to their position that the BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro for aggression and genocide is not grounded. He explains that: “The court decision of 12 June reads that there will be no further exchange of written reports, as we requested. Instead, the debate will be held.” Dnevni List (page 2, by FENA, “Lawsuit against NATO will be withdrawn once Croatia and BiH withdraw charges against S&M”) – a statement by the Serbia and Montenegrin (S&M) Defence Minister, Boris Tadic, who says S&M will send an official request to join the Partnership for peace programme and that S&M will drop the charges with the International Criminal Court against NATO once Croatia and BiH drop charges against S&M. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Veterans request revision of the housing loans lists
| Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 4 ‘Veterans request revision of the lists’ – The representatives of the FBiH Association of Demobilised Soldiers will on Monday present to FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and Minister for Veterans Issues Ibrahim Nadaravic all relevant data in their possession that are related to the lists of supposed housing loans recipients. “We agree that a timeframe for the revision be set and that all have a right to publicly objected to any candidate,” the Association’s Vice-president, Mehmed Sisic, told the newspaper. |
| Update to Gacko Plant | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 5, ‘They received millions, built roads that noone will walk on’ – Mine and Thermal Power Plant Gacko (RiTE Gacko) and Hydroelectric Power Plants at Trebisnjica (HET) were regularly paying resources to the bills of the municipalities of Bileca, Gacko and Trebinje, which is in accordance with the Law on power and Law on mining. The resources are intended for the local community development. However, the resources ended up in the private pockets. NN has learnt this information from its source close to the Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda. According to the source, RiTE Gacko paid the amount of KM 8 million on the accounts of municipal assemblies of Gacko and Treninje in the past two years. |
| Update to F BiH Customs Adm. Action | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 3, ‘F BiH Prosecutor’s Office waiting for reports’ – Zdravko Knezevic, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chief Prosecutor, yesterday told NN that the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor’s Office has not still received criminal reports against producers and distributors of the false drinks, adding that such reports are yet to be filed. He expressed his belief that the reports are still being compiled and well-documented. |
| Cavic on economic crime | Nezavisne Novine, page 7, ‘Inefficient judicial system to be blamed’ – The information that only 54 persons are serving prison sentences for economic crime describes the inefficiency of the judicial institutions, stated the Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, He also said that tow months ago, he addressed a request to the Republika Srpska Government, seeking from it to set prevention of economic crime as one of its priorities. |
| RS Minister announces reorganisation of health services | Nezavisne Novine, page 8, ‘Reorganisation should give solution to the problem at Republika Srpska health services’ – Marin Kvaternik, Republika Srpska Minister of Health, said that there are no additional resources at the Republika Srpska budget, that would satisfy requests of the clinical centre staff. He also said that a definite solution to the current problems at the Banjaluka Clinical Centre, indulging regular pays, lays in reorganisation of the medical services. |
Political developments | |
| HNC Government formation
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘HNC Government to be appointed today?’ – If today, Mirsad Kebo and Sefik Dzaferovic, the members of the SDA Presidency, succeed to convince their partisan colleagues, who are deputies to the HNC Assembly, that the establishment of the cantonal government is their common political goal, a several month long political crisis related to functioning of the HNC executive authorities might be overcome. The SDA leadership tasked Dzaferovic and Kebo with the issue, and they are expected to attend today’s session of the SDA caucus in the HNC Assembly. In the course of the day, the Assembly will hold its session with the formation of the cantonal government as the only item on the agenda. Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Racic: I was nominated by representatives of all three peoples’ – Dusan Racic is the candidate for the HNC Health and Social Welfare Minister, which is the only post in the government foreseen for Serbs. His name, however, has come in the focus of public interest during the past days due to the opposition of certain parties to his appointment. “I have been nominated for the post by representatives of all three peoples,” Racic told the newspaper, adding that the problem was in a fact the only member of the Serb caucus in the cantonal Assembly had not met him before and therefore knew nothing about his capabilities. Vecernji List (front “Party for BiH against appointment of HNC Government” and page 3 “Party for BiH protects Serb interest”, by Zoran Kresic) – an anti Party for BiH (SBiH) article in which the author criticizes the SBiH for not supporting the appointment of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) Government saying the SBiH is obstructing the appointment by manipulating its Serb MP in the HNC Assembly, Vesna Katanic, and the Serb Civic Council (SGV). Moreover VL says the SGV has with its latest statement shown to be an instrument of the Bosniak circles in Mostar adding that positions of the SGV, SBiH and SDA are identical i.e. aimed at preserving divisions and parallelisms in the process of formation of HNC Government and Mostar restructuring. When it comes to Vesna Katanic, the only Serb MP in the HNC Assembly, the author claims she made it to the Assembly owing it to the Bosniak votes. In that context, the author says Katanic was voted for by only 286 people from her constituency (Konjic) saying she could hardly be a legitimate representative of the Serbs in the HNC. Dnevni List page 5 – Questioned to comment on establishment of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Government, OHR Spokesman Mario Brkic says: “We sincerely hope the politicians in the HNC will get smarter and form the government. Apart from that there is not an alternative solution because too much has been spent (…) Parties must honor obligations they have taken upon themselves.” Nezavisne Novine, page 7, ‘Party for BiH offers “its” minister of Serb nationality’ – As a way-out from the crisis related to the establishment of the government of Heretva Herzegovina Canton, Party for BiH suggested that Club of the Serb delegates at the Cantonal Assembly should propose the Minister of Serb nationality. |
| Interview with NHI’s Kresimir Zubak | Dnevni List (front and page 7, by Pejo Gasparevic, “New authority will not have strength to stop social unrest”) – an interview with the President of New Croat Initiative (NHI), Kresimir Zubak. Zubak says the current social and economic situation marked with strikes of workers will get complicated in the autumn and that the current authority will not be able to resist the pressure once the workers take it to the streets at mass scale. Regarding his, Lagumdzija’s and Dodik’s motion about early elections in BiH, Zubak believes the early elections will take place because of the social problems and because of lack of common ground between the ruling parties as demonstrated in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton where a cantonal government has not been formed 8 months after the elections. Zubak continues: “High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, I believe you remember that, said long time ago that problem in BiH was not nationalism or parties that promote such ideological projects. Now, when everything that happens denies him, he cannot publicly say he was wrong. With his statements and behaviour, he contributed to establishment of such an authority and such election results.” |
| Interview with Jakob Finci, Head of Civil Service Agency | In his interview for Vecernji list (p 5, “Revision criteria met by over 90% of civil servants”, by Eldina Medunjanin), Jakob Finci, the Head of Civil Service Agency, disapproves of estimations that there is a huge number of civil servants at the State level. On the contrary, Finci says there are less civil servants at than level than there were before the war, however, due to the constitutional arrangement, the number of employees is increased at the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and particularly at the cantonal levels. Commenting on the results of the UNDP research on the civil service, Finci says BiH public has a negative charge towards almost everything going on around us. As for the activities of the Civil Service Agency, Finci says that revision and checking of civil servants qualifications are underway, adding that the results so far show that over 90% of civil servants on the state level do meet criteria. “The thing which definitely must be done is to influence the improvement of civil servants quality either through education or through setting of different criteria for joining the civil service”, he says. As for the attitude of political parties to the Agency, Finci says the establishment of the Agency was a shock to them as we have suddenly found ourselves in a situation where civil servants are selected on the grounds of their quality solely. |
Crime | |
| Charges filed against SBS official for aiding Serbian spy
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Dnevni list front page & p 4, “Armed Serbian agent moved and operated freely in BiH”, unsigned,Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Suspected of having given a free entrance to intelligence officer from Serbia to BiH’ – Charges have been filed against BiH State Border Service director, Mile Juric, because he allowed an armed agent of the Serbian secret services to enter, leave and reside in BiH for several days. Juric has, thus, acquired illegal gains for himself and others by abusing his office and has failed to implement prescribed procedures, read the charges filed with the BiH prosecution service by the chief of the international relations unit of the BiH SBS, Svevlad Hoffman. |
| SFOR actions in Han Pijesak, Knezevo | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni list p 5, “SFOR found huge quantities of weapons near Han-Pijesak”, unsigned – SFOR has reported that it had found a large amount of military equipment, mortar-shells and a few types of mortar in the Han Pijesak region (eastern RS). The report adds that the weapons search operation began on Friday, June 13, after intelligence findings pointed to the possibility of arms and ammunition being stored in a prohibited area. SFOR will carry out a detailed investigation to find the group or individuals linked to these illegal activities, the report says. Nezavisne Novine, page 2, ‘SFOR action in Knezevo/Skender Vakuf’, Vecernji List p 3, “Armed members of SFOR searched Police Station in Knezevo/Skender Vakuf: Search for weapons!?”, by Branka Stevandic – During the Saturday search at houses in Knezevo/Skender Vakuf, SFOR Soldiers found some ammunition. According to Marc Hamilton, Deputy Spokesperson of the MND SFOR NorthWest, around 30 SFOR soldiers searched police station, from which they took computers and some documents. SFOR also searched the apartments of ten Knezevo police officers, giving the explanation that “there are criminals” amongst Knezevo policemen. |
| Gotovina case | Vjesnik (front page, by Dada Zecic, “Granic: General Gotovina is most probably in Austria”) – “General Ante Gotovina is certainly not on the territory of the Republic of Croatia but is probably somewhere in Austria”, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of relations with the ICTY, Goran Granic, told the daily over the phone. Granic did not want to be precise whether it is an information coming from the Croatian intelligence, however he stressed that General Gotovina did not contact the Croatia Government. The same daily on front page (by HINA, “Newsweek: The Hague Tribunal could reconsider charges against Gotovina”) carries an article by “Newsweek’s” Roy Gutman, who writes: “TRIBUNAL OFFICIALS now acknowledge that the accusations against him—that he was responsible for the murder of at least 150 ethnic Serbs and the flight of more than 150,000 in 1995—were based on circumstantial evidence. “Circumstantial evidence is valid unless there is some other reasonable hypothesis,” a Hague prosecution official tells NEWSWEEK. But, he says, there could be evidence proving Gotovina “was not responsible” in papers released last Friday. If Gotovina is freed, the tribunal will have to face down the fact that it issued an eight-count indictment based on untruths. The most bizarre charge, the deportation of Serbs from the Krajina region of Croatia, flew in the face of media reports that the Serb exodus was ordered by Serb leaders. (also in Vecernji List, page 10, ”Newsweek: Charges against Gotovina being reconsidered”, “G. Granic. There are indications Gotovina is in Austria”, Slobodna Dalmacija, front and page 2, “The Hague Tribunal could reconsider charges against Gotovina”, “Gotovina most probably in Austria”, Dnevni List, page 17, “There are assumptions that General Gotovina is in Austria” and “The Hague Tribunal could reconsider charges against Gotovina”, Jutarnji List, front page “New evidence could set Gotovina free” and page 5 “Granic: Ante Gotovina most probably in Austria”) |
Other issues | |
| Preparations for Pope’s visit
| Vecernji List (pages 8 and 9, by Robert Bubalo, “Pope will be guarded by 4000 Serb policemen during the visit in Banja Luka”) – a story about security aspect and preparations for the forthcoming visit of the Pope John Paul II to Banja Luka. According to the Head of Administration for information with the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior (RS MoI), Risto Basic, the RS MoI will deploy more than 4000 police officers to provide the security to the Pope. He also says the competent bodies are checking every information related to the Pope’s visit and that so far there is no knowledge that could jeopardise the visit. Dnevni List (page 3, unsigned, “Pope’s visit to Banja Luka will be quiet and without incidents”) – Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, told the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Radio that different figures on number of security officers during the Pope’s visit are not reliable adding that all the competent domestic institutions in BiH plus the SFOR troops will be involved. Covic also said that many of them would not be wearing uniforms. |
| Gligoric against Mikerevic | Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘Mikerevic should be punished over contempt of law’ – Tihomir Gligoric, former head of the Republika Srpska Administration for geodetic and real property affairs, claims that Republika Srpska Premier, Dragan Mikerevic, placed himself above the OHR and the law and should be punished because of that. |
| Property laws implementation in Banjaluka
| Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘Banjaluka has never been a black spot’ – Drago Vuleta, Assistant to Republika Srpska Minister of Refugees and DP’s, stated that Banjaluka has never been a black spot on the BIH map, when it comes to the implementation of property legislation. He also said that the Ministry has no intention of presenting false information regarding this issue to the international officials. Sonja Pastuovic, OHR Regional Spokesperson, last week stated that there are still 7000 unresolved property reinstatement claims in Banjaluka, which makes this city “the worst city in BiH, when it comes to the implementation of property legislation”. Vojin Mijatovic, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Refugees and DP’s, said that Miladin Djuranovic, Head of Banjaluka OMI, presented the percentage of 76% implementation of property legislation in the first five months of this year. |