Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 17 November
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) |
| | Conference on Vc corridor |
| Holbrooke to receive | Fire in Gradiska under investigation |
| Feature on Vukovar | Weather |
TV news broadcast on 16 November
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| ICTY: Halilovic acquitted | Fire in Bosanska Gradiska | ICTY acquitted Halilovic |
| HDZ disappointed by Halilovic verdict | Andan on war crime indictees | Reactions on Halilovic’s acquittal |
| HVO veterans on Halilovic case | ICTY acquits Sefer Halilovic | Ljajic meets Del Ponte |
| Jovicic reacts on Halilovic case | Vojkan Djurkovic imprisoned | Andan on Mladic’s arrest |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| ICTY acquits Sefer Halilovic | ICTY acquitted Halilovic | Three people died in fire in Gradiska |
| Comments on Halilovic’s release | Grabovica residents on acquittal | Reactions on Halilovic case |
| Covic and others case, update | Reactions to Halilovic’s acquittal | Update on war crimes in BiH/region |
| Marko Samardzija’s trial postponed | Speculations about Halilovic case | Ljajic/Andan on Mladic/Karadzic |
| Oslobodjenje | Tribunal acquits Sefer Halilovic |
| Dnevni Avaz | Sefer Halilovic acquitted |
| Dnevni List | Croat victims shocked |
| Vecernji List | Halilovic acquitted, Delic in fear |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | |
| Nezavisne Novine | Three people died (fire in Bos. Gradiska at Cultural Centre) |
| Glas Srpske | Three people dead in the fire (also fire in Bos. Gradiska) |
| EuroBlic | Three people missing, one injured (fire in Bos. Gradiska) |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| International conference on Vc corridor commences in
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| FBiH Govt in session
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| CoE Committee of Ministers in session | BH Radio 1 – The meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, executive body compromising of Foreign Ministers of 46 members states, started in |
War crimes | |
| Sefer Halilovic acquitted of charges for war crimes in Grabovica/Uzdol
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| HDZ disappointed with Halilovic’s acquittal | |
| Croat Veterans Assoc. against Halilovic’s acquittal: it dispels all illusions about ICTY fairness
| RTRS, |
| Jovic: Who will be held responsible for these crimes?
| FTV by Ljiljana Smailbegovic – “In principal I don’t comment decisions of the Court and before I see documents… I know only one thing: the crime was committed. Who did that, it is up to the Court to decide, but it is indisputable that Croats in this war were in camps, murdered, persecuted, 45% of them are still missing in BiH and no one is answering for that,” said Ivo Miro Jovic, Chairman of BiH Presidency. |
| RS PoWs against Halilovic’s acquittal: ICTY is anti-Serb, anti-Croat; Jovicic: PoWs to boycott
| FTV – The Chair of the RS PoWs Association, Branislav Dukic, has told |
| Residents of Grabovica/Uzdol very disappointed with acquittal
| RTRS, |
| Tihic, Silajdzic, Ganic welcome acquittal of Halilovic
| FTV, BHT1, RTRS,Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Legal authority did not support crimes’ – Member of BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic commented the verdict saying it confirmed the crimes committed were individual crimes, for which the local commanders were responsible, and that the side of the RBiH Army, the side of the legal BiH authorities did not have a system that stimulated, planned, supported or tolerated war crimes.FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Evidence there was no civil war but aggression’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Ruling is evidence there was an aggression in BiH’- Haris Silajdzic, one of officials in wartime governments, stated that this verdict is proving that BiH hasn’t suffered the civil war but aggression. FTV – People who were then in governments and members of wartime Presidency, like Nijaz Durakovic and Tatjana Ljujic Mijatovic said that this verdict is returning faith into justice. Ejup Ganic said that he expected this acquittal, adding: “On the other side our civilians were murdered in village Grabovica and all people, who committed this crime, have to be answer for it.” |
| Media: R. Delic to be held responsible for war crimes in Uzdol and Grabovica
| Dnevni List pg 3 ‘All responsibility shifted on Delic’ not signed carries that the sources from the ICTY claim that after the Halilovic’s acquittal there is an intention to sentence General Rasim Delic for all the crimes committed over Croats. Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Delic instead of Halilovic’ by Z. Jurilj says that according to the current situation, Delic would be held accountable for the war crimes committed in Grabovica and Uzdol, while the bill of indictment might be also extended on Bakir Alispahic, a wartime Minister of Interior of the Republic of BiH, since he did not carry out an investigation on this case. Slobodna Dalmacija pg 8 ‘Rasim Delic in the open’ by V. Vegar says that the Halilovic’s acquittal would affect General Delic the most as well as the Bosniak political top that has been claiming for years that the BiH Army did not commit crimes unlike the other Armies. FTV – FTV asked Sulejman Tihic to comment the speculations on Delic. “It is hard to comment this and we should leave it up to the Court to determine the foundation of such an indictment. I consider the Court to be the best place where facts should be determined and eventual existence of liability,” said Tihic. |
| DL op-ed: After Halilovic’s acquittal it turns out that only Serbs and Croats committed war crimes | Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Is it possible that only Croats are murderers?’ by A. Vrebac carries an editorial in which the author says that after the Halilovic’s acquittal it turns out that Croats and Serbs only are responsible for the war crimes in the eyes of the ICTY. The author also minds the fact that the ICTY stated that 13 civilians were killed in Grabovica while actually 32 of them were killed in this massacre. |
| Adnan: Mladic in ICTY by end of year?
| RTRS, |
| RS MoI reports to RSNA: Mladic hiding with help of
| RTRS, BHT 1 late news, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Mladic hidden by the RS and |
| Serbian official deny negotiations with Mladic
| RTRS, FTV, Hayat, BHT 1 – Chairman of |
| NN source: Stojan Zupljanin in ICTY soon
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Stojan Zupljanin soon in the Hague’ by V. Popovic – Sources close to Serbian Government claim representatives of RS and Serbian MoIs are carrying out negotiations with Stojan Zupljanin, a Hague indictee, on his voluntary surrender to the Hague Tribunal since Monday morning at the Institute for Security in Belgrade. The source claims the negotiations are being brought to an end and RS MoI will be entrusted with extradition of Zupljanin to |
| Jankovic case transferred to
| RTRS, FTV, Hayat, BHT 1, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Case of Gojko Jankovic referred to BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Gojko Jankovic will be tried in BiH’, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Trial against Gojko Jankovic in BiH’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Jankovic before BiH Court in one month’ by rv – Trial to Gojko Jankovic, indicted for rape of Bosniak women in Foca during 1993, will be held in Sarajevo, after ICTY Appeal Council rejected Jankovic’s appeal to first degree decision, which accepted the demand for transferring of this case to Bi8H Court. RTRS, FTV, Hayat, BHT1 – Start of the trial to Marko Samardzija, indicted for murder of 200 civilians in Kljuc, has been postponed before the |
| | Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Trial where the crime was committed’ by FENA, Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘BiH Court can process the most senior officials’ – On the occasion of marking the 10th DPA anniversary, the U.S. Peace Institute and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies on Tuesday in Washington organized the talks on war crimes prosecutions in BiH. BiH Minister of Justice Slobodan Kovac, Court of BiH President Meddzida Kreso, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Court of BiH, War Crimes Chamber, Vaso Marinkovic, Court of BiH Registrar Michael Johnson and Rick Barton of the the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, have participated in the talks. At the beginning of talks, Johnson said the Court of BiH meets all national and international standards for fair trials, which is confirmed by ICTY decision to refer case Stankovic to BiH. Kreso said that the other war crime case was launched by the Court of BiH itself, adding that the ICTY is expected to refer other cases to BiH. Kovac stressed that BiH is now in the phase of issuing its laws, while the international community assists in their implementation. |
Political issues | |
| BiH HoP adopts changes to citizenship law
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| RS NA enacted Law on changes and addenda to the Law on
| PINK, BHT1, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘New structure of Basic Courts’ by V. P., – RS NA delegates on Wednesday adopted the Law on changes and addenda to the Law on RS Courts, by which court department will be introduced in certain municipalities in RS. RS NA also adopted that Law on changes and addenda to the Law on Privatization, Draft Law on changes and addenda to the Law on RS budgetary system, Draft Law on changes and addenda to the Law on incentives to small-sized and medium-sized firms and Draft Law on changes to the Law on internal sailing. |
| SDHR Ney criticises authorities for neglect of culture institutions
| BHT 1 – SDHR Martin Ney met with Directors of seven Cultural Institutions in BiH, where he stressed that BiH is a founder of these Institutions and therefore its authorities are obliged to solve legal status of these Institutions. Directors of Cultural Institutions have presented their problems, emphasising that BiH authorities have to solve their legal status, and stressed their problems were overlooked, because of which some of these Institutions were closed several times. All Directors have stressed that their main problem was financing. “These Museums and Libraries weren’t acknowledged by authorities on any level. Their legal status isn’t defined with laws and because of that they don’t have financial means,” stated Ney. Beside the fact that this issue is defined by DPA this is also about the identity of this country and Ney reminded that these Institutions are the proof of that identity. Dnevni Avaz, pg 10 ‘Politicians have neglected cultural heritage of BiH’, by Z. P. – “I have seen no other country like BiH in which politicians have neglected their cultural heritage, where politicians fail to recognise an opportunity for high-class tourism through promoting museums”, Ney said. FTVby Predrag Bosnjakovski – Ney has insisted on solving of this issue and even met with BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic and BiH Minister of Finances Ljerka Maric, but nothing was done so far. Even though Council of Ministers granted Km1 million for these institutions and even though they were closed in several occasions nothing was changed. OHR will include actively into solving these issues. BHT 1, Hayat, RTRS, Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Work of judiciary welcomed’ by kta – also reported. |
| Topcagic: decision on commencement of talks on 21 November
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Decision on start of negotiations on the Dayton anniversary’, announced on cover ‘Decision on commencement of talks on 21 Nvoember’ by M. Cubro – The Head of BiH Directorate for European Integrations, Osman Topcagic, on Wednesday stated that EU Council of Ministers will reach a decision on launching negotiations on |
| Danas: ‘Djapic and Sanader would support Ljubic’s HDZ’
| Danas pgs 40 and 41, mentioned on front ‘Djapic and Sanader would support Ljubic’s HDZ’ by S. Pekic carries that HDZ Croatia and |
| Ombudsman Kazic: State of human rights in Mostar is disaster; city authorities, OHR, OSCE responsible
| Oslobodjenje, pg 7, mentioned on front ‘We live in divided city, with hypocritical authority’, by Asaf Becirovic – Carries a lengthy story about the situation in Mostar, featuring an interview with the head of Ombudsman’s office in Mostar, Amra Kazic, who underlines that the state of human rights in Mostar is a disaster, for which she blames the city authorities and the OHR and OSCE. She explains that the city authorities are pre-occupied with themselves, not implementing the Mostar Statute, whilst the OHR and OSCE are passive about it. Furthermore, Kazic heavily criticizes the process of appointment of civil servants in the Mostar City administration (in which the Croats occupy more positions than anticipated), and Kazic argues that the corresponding decision failed to observe the Constitutional Court’s decision, which says that “the three peoples are to equally participate in the work of the City administration”. |
| Avaz: Minister Zigic on leave, SBiH to propose new candidate
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 4 ‘Zigic on leave, SBiH awaited to propose his replacement’, by M. Kukan – According to Avaz’s information, the FBiH Minister of Energy and Industry in resignation, Izet Zigic, has gone on leave until his status is solved, whilst the Presidency of SBiH should soon take a decision on a new candidate for the office. Inset ‘Almir Becarevic mentioned too’ notes that SBiH principals, Safet Halilovic and Gavrilo Grahovac, could not comment on media speculation that Zaim Backovic would fill the post. However, well-informed sources of Avaz say that the mood within SBiH is turning towards the current ‘BH Gas’ manager, Almir Becarevic. |
| Former
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 5 ‘Majority of BiH politicians should be simply erased’, by Sead Numanovic – Carries an interview with former US President Bill Clinton’s, economic envoy, Richard Sklar, in which he, among other issues, notes that the BiH citizens should be ‘erasing’ majority of politicians in BiH because they are only looking after their interests and consciously arranging quarrels among the people(s). He notes that BiH should have moved forward with great amounts of money that have been sent to BiH. |
| Turkovic: ‘We shall all be Bosnians, and not Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks!’
| Vecernji List pg 5 ‘We shall all be Bosnians, and not Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks!’ by Z. Kresic – VL says BiH Ambassador to the USA Bisera Turkovic has caused a real scandal talking at the DPA discussion at the University ‘George Washington’ when she announced that 3 BiH peoples, Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks, will assimilate and feel as Bosnians. VL says that in this way she harshly violated her role of the BiH Ambassador since she presented her personal view on the future BiH organization. VL also says that this stand is nothing new and that Turkovic just reiterated the old stands of some Bosniak politicians. According to VL, a reaction from the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been expected and the article unofficially learns that she might be invited for a meeting in |
| B. Golub new | Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Branko Golub new Education Minister’ by md – The Central Bosnia Canton Assembly unanimously elected Branko Golub for a new Education Minister in this |
Economic and judicial issues | |
| Update on Covic/Lijanovici case/
| RTRS, FTV, Hayat, BHT1, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘A desire for vengeance motivated Nikolic’ by A.N., Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Zoran Nikolic wanted to revenge to Lijanovic’’ by S.Turcalo – Dnevni List pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘Nikolic’s primary motif was revenge’ by E. Mackic, Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Livingston: Lijanovici were giving bribe on receipts?’ by D. Jazvic, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘Sound recording charges Lucic’ by Z. Tulic, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Witness reported on Lijanovic out of vengeance’ by A.Durmo – The trial for the Covic/Lijanovici case continued on Wednesday when the prosecution witness Robert Livingston was questioned. |
| VL, SD bring into question foundation of BiH authorities’ objections to Croatian authorities with regard to construction of Peljesac bridge
| Vecernji List pgs 16 and 17 ‘Sarajevo mines Peljesac bridge’ by Z. Jurilj says that the Croatian Government is not obliged to submit to the BiH authorities the complete documentation on construction of the Peljesac bridge until BiH presents a complete study which would, among the other things, define what kind of ships would be entering the Neum bay. VL also says that since the BiH authorities have never made such study their demands to the Croatian authorities with regard to this issue become dubious. VL also says that Neum does not have a status of a port at all and the study, which would show that there is a possibility to build a port there, has never been made. Slobodna Dalmacija pgs 14 and 15, mentioned on cover ‘Bridge to Peljesac ‘drawn’ in Sarajevo 2 months ago’ by Z. Tuilc claims that BiH Minister of Communications Branko Dokic and his Ministry were well informed by the competent Croatian authorities about the whole course of the Peljesac bridge project. The author concludes that such behaviour of BiH politicians can be noticed whenever Croatian officials are to visit BiH and the visit of Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader announced for the end of November proves this claim. |
| DA on participants of Vc corridor conference; Dokic: nobody will be privileged
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Dokic: Nobody will be privileged’, mentioned on cover, by L. Sinanovic – In the eve of the international finance conference on construction of the Vc corridor, DA reads that the representatives of the World Bank, European Investment Bank and European Development and Reconstruction Bank have confirmed their presence. Apparently, the WB has expressed the interest in the project for the first time as it deems that the latest studies prepared are professional. In addition, Bechtel, Austrian Alpina Majer’, International Group from Brussels companies will take part in the conference, as well as the delegations of France, Malaysia, Czech and Turkish delegations. Authorized Minister, Branko Dokic, stated that some meetings have already taken place, but stressed nobody will have privileged status. |
| D. Corluka: ITA is ready for VAT introduction
| Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Fictitious export would prevent model against VAT frauds’ by A. Vrebac carries Director of the Sector for Taxes with ITA Dinko Corluka confirmed that ITA is completely ready for beginning of the VAT application. Corluka also said that it has been worked on the special model of protection from VAT frauds with a special stress on export in which experiences from the EU countries would be used. |
Constitutional changes | |
| RS President Cavic on constitutional changes: “We Serbs should say it clear: BiH is equally my state as it is Tihic’ and Covic’
| Nezavisne Novine pgs 8-9, announced on cover ‘BiH is my state, as it is Covic’ and Tihic’ by Dragan Jerinic – In a lengthy interview to daily, Dragan Cavic, RS President, speaks of numerous issues, including constitutional changes, Brussels and Washington talks, |
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| Ivanic: New Constitution is not being written, but DA is being adjusted | Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘New Constitution is not being written’ by |
| Tomljenovic in favour of BiH regionalization
| Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Tomljenovic: It is necessary to resolve Croat issue’ by F, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 17 ‘Croats support regionalization’ by F – RS Vice President Ivan Tomljenovic stands for regionalisation of BiH. He said that the current situation does not meet needs of the Croat people and he reminded that the future of BiH is questionable if the Croat issue was not resolved. |
| RS experts in constitutional rights: imposing is the worst!
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Imposing is the worst’ by Z. Markovic – Experts in constitutional rights from RS (Professor of Constitutional Laws at Banja Luka Faculty of Laws Mile Dmicic and professor at Banja Luka Faculty of Laws Petar Kunic) agree that the International Community should not impose any solutions and should only act as an advisor in the process of possible constitutional changes in BiH. Kunic claims the talks on constitutional changes were conducted in a wrong manner from the beginning – these first started as a number of private talks, which then grew into official talks. He notes the priority should have been changes to F BiH Constitution, as in accordance with recommendations of the Venice Commission. He also claims IC representatives that are participating in the talks are people who were deeply involved in wartime events therefore there is a chance they would favour one side only. |
| Danas: New BiH Const. implies erasing over half DPA provisions | Danas pg 4 ‘Former HR’s Deputy |
| SD op-ed on possible results of
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 13 ‘Serb entity as bone in throat’ by B. Krsito comments on constitutional changes and speculates as to what might happen at the talks in |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed criticises Tadic’ act of connecting Kosovo and RS/BiH status
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Entities at Kosovo’ by Edin Krehic – The author notes that the issue of resolving the status of Kosovo cannot avoid BiH, referring to Boris Tadic’ statement in Moscow (when he said that “if Albanians used the right to self-determination, other peoples in the Balkans, for example BiH, Croatia or Macedonia would acquire that same right…” The author stresses in regard to connecting RS with the destiny of Kosovo, |
| NN op-ed urges adoption of constitutional changes | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Guantanamo via Washington’ by Pero Simic – The author is actually urging the adoption of constitutional changes, if possible in Washington, in order to be able to turn towards affairs ahead of BiH on the course to EU, instead of being overburdened with indecisiveness of authority officials. He sarcastically notes that in case no agreement is reached in |