OHR BiH Media Round-up, 17/6/2003

Oslobodjenje

List of suspicion candidates for veteran’s housing loans to be completed by Friday

Dnevni Avaz

Damaging contracts by former heads – Miners lost millions of KM?

Dnevni List

Bosniak parties give in under High Representative’s ultimatum; WB and IMF play significant part in reform processes in BiH

Vecernji List

Croatian Embassy attacked; HNC Government voted for; SFOR in search for Karadzic

Slobodna Dalmacija

With Pope to Banja Luka; Charges against Minister Gadzic; SFOR returns airport to City

Glas Srpski

Pro and contra census: Building the house without foundation;

SFOR denies “Vijesti” report: No chase

Nezavisne Novine

Eight months after elections and following OHR ultimatum: Herzegovina-Neretva Canton gets Government; Predrag Lasica, Serb Sarajevo Mayor: KM 57.5 million were spent for the reconstruction of Serb Sarajevo; Visit to Banjaluka Clinical Centre: Doctors without pays, patients without medicines

Blic

Every fourth has psychological problems; Millions earn through spirit’s import

BiH – International community relations

Terzic, Ivanic meet WB, IMF officials

BHTV, RTRS, FENA, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Terzic offered BiH participation in the reconstruction of Iraq’ By Sead Numanovic,Slobodna Dalmacija p 6, “Key to reforms in hands of Monetary Fund”, by D. Pasic, Dnevni list front page & p 3, “WB and IMF play significant part in reform processes in BiH”, by M.R. – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic and Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic presented in Washington Monday during separate meetings with World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives the BiH Development Strategy, which contains key reforms for improving the economic and social environment in our country, the BiH Council of Ministers stated. During separate talks with World Bank Director for Southeast Europe Orsalio Kalantzolupulos and IMF Deputy Executive Director Yuriy Yakusha, Terzic stressed the importance of WB and IMF support for reform processes in BiH. “We are strongly determined to implement the action plan containing 120 reforms, but this job can be successfully implemented with the support of the international community and financial institutions”, Terzic said. The BiH delegation also met with World Bank President James Wolfenson. They discussed projects of BiH authorities and WB support for their implementation. BiH Central Bank Governor Peter Nicholl took part in the talks. In the course of the day, the BiH delegation met with US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage. According to Dnevni Avaz, during the meeting with Armitage, Terzic offered BiH participation in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Ashdown for BHTV 1 on meetings in Washington

BHTV 1 – Senior BH delegation, lead by CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic, and High Representative Paddy Ashdown met today with leadership of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The willingness of these financial institutions to continue with giving loans to BH will depend on readiness of BH authorities to implement reforms, stated Ashdown for BHTV.  At the moment of airing news, Ashdown was meeting US Defense Minister Donald Rumsfeld. In dispatch for BHTV1, High Representative confirmed to talk with Rumsfeld on recent US warning on cutting its assistance unless BH authorities fight human trafficking more effectively. Ashdown added that trafficking is an issue Bosnia deals with for a longer time. As an improvement, Ashdown mentioned Milakovic’s case before BH Court, which is the largest human trafficking case ever put on trial in BH. He added that it would be wrong to fight this problems separately from other crime related such as drugs smuggling, since they are all an act of organized effort.

Vecernje Novosti pg. 13 ‘Peace award to Richard Holbrooke’ – High Representative Paddy Ashdown has started his ten-day international tour during which he will visit US, Great Britain and Greek with the aim to lobby for BiH.  The tour will end with a meeting with the Pope during the Pope’s visit to Banja Luka on 22 June.

Colak says fears ungrounded that US will impose sanctions against BiH

Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘Fears ungrounded that BiH will impose sanctions against BiH’ – NiH Security Minister Barisa Colak does not believe that USA will impose sanctions against BiH because it has not done enough in fighting human trafficking. “Even the basic document on the issue that will be submitted to US Congress does not specify at all that the 15 mentioned countries will be sanctioned,” Colak told the newspaper.

BiH Liberals leader proposes joint admission of Balkan countries into EU

FENA, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Rasim Kadic proposes joint accession to EU’, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Admission into EU for all’ – The joint approach of the Western Balkans countries in the phase of determining the EU strategy for their inclusion into European integration and expressing of a clear stand regarding the admission must come simultaneously for all countries of this region, regardless of the current situation, which is crucial for BiH, the country that still faces necessity to change constitution and be established as a functional and sustainable state. President of BiH Liberal Democratic Party (LDS) Rasim Kadic will present these suggestions at a meeting of presidents of liberal parties of the Western Balkans, which will take place one day before the meeting of the European liberal party leaders on June 19 in Thessaloniki, LDS said in a press release. The meeting of the European liberal party leaders, which is taking place a bit before the EU Summit in the same town, will mainly focus on EU strategy for admission of the Western Balkans countries into the European Union. On the occasion Rasim Kadic is expected to meet with President of the European Commission Romano Prodi and with the Speaker of the European Parliament, Pat Koks.

DL’s editorial on Thessaloniki summit

Dnevni List (page 2, by Miso Relota, “BiH ‘light years’ away from EU?”) – an editorial on the forthcoming Thessaloniki summit and hopes of some countries from southeast Europe about their chances on joining the EU. Relota says the countries disappointed because connoisseurs say there will be no deadlines set for joining the EU. When it comes to BiH, Relota writes that analysts say that BiH is “light years” away from joining the EU.

SFOR ups its activities, looking for Karadzic?

Vecernji List (front and page 3, “SFOR in search for Karadzic”) – reports that SFOR intensified its activities i.e. patrols and helicopter flights in eastern Bosnia along the BiH, Serbia and Montenegro border last weekend. The aim of the operation, as released by an SFOR HQ in Rogatica, is a search for ICTY indictees. In that context, VL assumes it is about Radovan Karadzic who is said to be hiding in east Bosnia and Montenegro.

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘No chase’; Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘No SFOR operations at border with Serbia and Montenegro ’ – The SFOR Spokesperson, Jim Billings, yesterday denied report of the Podgorica daily “Vijesti”, that reported that the peacekeeping troops in BiH are searching for war crime suspects in the east part of the Republika Srpska, namely on the BiH border with Serbia and Montenegro. According to him, the more frequent patrols at this location resulted from the fact that there was a shift of troops in SFOR, and the new German-Italian battalion is getting familiar with its AOR.  

SFOR operation in Knezevo

Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘Still no comment by SFOR’; Glas Srpske, page 3, ‘SFOR inspected police station’ – According to NN, SFOR has not still released any information related to the weekend action at Knezevo/Skender Vakuf and Han Pijesak. Zoran Glusac, Spokesperson at the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, yesterday confirmed that SFOR searched the premises of the police station in Knezevo, and also private apartments of 12 police officers from Knezevo.

However, GS reports on the statement by Marc Hamilton, SFOR Spokesperson, who confirmed that SFOR searched police station in Knezevo, and further details on the operation will be revealed later on.

Gotovina case

Vecernji List (page 10, “Racan: I do not know if Gotovina is in Austria”) – a statement/reaction by the Croatian Prime Minister, Ivica Racan, to statement by his Deputy, Goran Granic, that General Ante Gotovina, wanted by the ICTY, is hiding in Austria. “I do not know anything that General Gotovina is in Austria. I do not want to calculate about possible indications until they are checked”, said PM Racan. The daily also contacted the Austrian Police in Vienna which said it learned about the issue from the media. (Dnevni List, page 17, “I do not know whether Gotovina is in Austria”

Political developments

HNC Government established

Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘HNC Government appointed’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘SDA and HDZ deputies elected HNC Government ‘,Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 3, ‘Herzegovina-Neretva Canton gets Government’ – Deputies in the Hercegovina-Neretva Cantonal Assembly on Monday confirmed a new government. After several adjournments and objections by the floor group of the Bosniak deputies, who demanded that a minister from the ranks of the Serb people be elected at a later date, the ministerial posts proposed by Prime Minister-designate Miroslav Coric were confirmed after all. Eight months after the elections and after several months of negotiations between the HDZ and the SDA and following two ultimatums by the High Representative and fines imposed on the SDA and the Party for BiH, the deputies in the Hercegovina-Neretva Canton confirmed the new government of Prime Minister with a two-thirds majority. The new finance minister is Semir Boric, the interior minister is Goran Bilic, the culture and science minister – Zeljko Raguz, the construction and urban planning – Esad Dzelilovic, the health and welfare minister – Dusan Racic, the justice minister – Kemal Isakovic, the transport and communications – Stjepan Krasic and the economy minister – Samir Sunagic. On this occasion, Prime Minister Coric said: “Truly there was no need for us to take up so much time to complete this, which will benefit all citizens and peoples of our county. This government is certainly facing enormous tasks. This government’s task is – and you’ve heard certain deputies – above all to restore trust.” Since the government was confirmed before the 1800 deadline set by the High Representative, it is most likely that the SDA and the Party for BiH will not be fined. Still, the question remains whether this government will be capable of resolving accumulated problems in the Canton.

Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Tihic: Vote in the interest of the peoples and citizens’ – Sulejman Tihic, the SDA President, welcomed the election of the HNC Government. “It is good the job has been completed. This is in the interest of the peoples and citizens of the HNC. The agreement I signed with Barisa Colak is a correct one and it ensures full equality of all constituent peoples,” Tihic told the newspaper.

CRO Press on HNC Government formation with reactions

Dnevni List (front and page 5, by V. Soldo, “Bosniak parties give in under High Representative’s ultimatum”) – Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) yesterday got a new cantonal government as a result of yesterday’s voting in the HNC Assembly owing it to votes from the HDZ and SDA MPs. MPs from the SBiH and SDP abstained from voting. The daily reports that everything did not go as smoothly, namely as soon as the session started it was interrupted for some 15 minutes because the Speaker of the Assembly, Omer Cevra, did not have the support of the Bosniak Caucus and there were speculations about his possible resignation. Furthermore, the President of the Bosniak Caucus, Enver Mujala, requested that the HNC Government be appointed without a Minister from the line of the Serb people (Dusan Racic) because a vital national interest issue was invoked at the last session of the HNC Assembly. HNC Prime Minister, Miroslav Coric, rejected the motion reminding of the previous agreement between Presidents of HDZ and SDA and the High Representative’s deadline. Finally, as reported earlier in the article, 21 MPs from the HDZ and SDA voted for the Government.

Reactions:

Newly appointed HNC Prime Minister, Miroslav Coric, says he was not sure whether the Government would be appointed yesterday stressing that too much time had been spent in the process. He adds that a huge task is awaiting the Government, foremost to restore trust. PM Coric also expressed hope that this composition of the Government will show it is a Government that represents all three peoples in the HNC.

Nusret Abdibegovic, an MP from the line of the Bosniak people, addressing the PM Coric, alluding to names of new Ministers, said that nobody gave in. “You think the Bosniak people is fine that the Police Commissioner and Minister of Interior are from the line of the same people. Do not think the High Representative’s decision shook MPs from the line of the Bosniak people who voted the way they voted last time around, regardless of papers which are being waved here”, said Abdibegovic stressing that the Bosniak MPs are ready to confront any sanctions and solve problems with political means. Abdibegovic also said that Miroslav Coric will be opposed if he lets down the trust of the Bosniak people.

Enver Mujala, President of Bosniak Caucus in HNC Assembly, on circumstances under which the HNC Government did not get the support last time around and reactions i.e. sanctions by the OHR: “Considering all the situations and believing that we protected interests of the Bosniaks in this canton, you saw the result of today’s voting”, said Mujala.

(also reported in Slobodna Dalmacija, page 6, by M. Landeka, “Cantonal government established”, Vecernji List, front “HNC government voted for” and page 2 “HNC government established”, by zk)

BiH Presidency to adopt document on BiH security

Vecernji List (page 2, by FENA, “BiH Presidency adopts document on security”) – BiH Presidency should on Wednesday adopt a document called “BiH Security Policy”, which is one of pre-requisites for BiH joining the Partnership for peace programme and subsequently the NATO, FENA learns from the BiH Presidency. The Presidency should also discuss a proposal of Platform for BiH appearance at the Thessaloniki summit.Sarajevo media also report on the issue.

DL’s editorial on situation in Mostar and Mostar SDP’s role

Dnevni List (page 6, by Slavo Kukic, “’Mostar’ virus attacks SDP too”) – an editorial in which the author warns of growing nationalism in BiH taking an example from Mostar. Namely, Kukic claims to have been in possession of a document on future Mostar restructuring prepared by the Mostar SDP called “Political platform for development of Mostar and single and multiethnic City”. Reportedly, the document envisions a division of Mostar into four municipalities which, according to Kukic, goes against SDP HQ’s instruction that “citizens should be offered a political platform which will give them an opportunity to ‘actively participate in solving the situation and status of their city’”. According to the author, the Platform prepared by the Mostar SDP hints two things. First that the Mostar-branch is disloyal to the HQ and second, that the “national philosophy of conquering territory” is taking over the Mostar SDP. Kukic’s conclusion says if these two assumptions turn out to be true, or as he puts it “if similar virus is spread on this party, BiH would lose its last integrating factor”

Economic/social affairs

Veteran’s housing loans

Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 7 ‘List of suspicious candidates for housing loans to be completed by Friday’ – A three-member commission comprising the representatives of the Organisation of the Demobilised Soldiers – Mehmed Sisic, Kasim Brdar and Kemal Fazlagic, is expected to submit a list of suspicious candidates for housing loans to the Foundation dealing with the issue. This was agreed at Sisic’s meeting on Monday with the FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic, Minister for Veteran’s Issues Ibrahim Nadarevic and the Foundation Director Seno Sehovic.

Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘List for housing loans on detailed additional check’ – In an interview with the newspaper, Minister Nadarevic confirmed that the list of candidates for veteran’s housing loans will be additionally checked. 

Damaging contracts concluded by Bicakcic, Obradovic unveiled

Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 9 ‘Miners suffered damage amounting millions of KM’ – Due to tremendous losses caused by a damaging contract once concluded with the German Debis company, the BiH Elektroprivreda managements headed by Steering Board Chairman Hamdo Hadzihasanovic and General Director Enver Kreso met with representatives of coal mines, which had suffered damage amounting millions of KM. Former Elektroprivreda heads, Edhem Bicakcic and Meho Obradovic were doing their best to protect interests of Debis and not of the BiH miners.

Republika Srpska Health Trade Union requests

Vecernje Novosti pg. 20 ‘We will request removal’ – If by 20 June the Republika Srpska Government and Parliament do not accept requests of the Republika Srpska Health Trade Union that refer to works price of 90 KM, social programme, changes and amendments of the collective agreement, we will ask for removal of the Government and early elections – Milenko Granulic, president of the Health Trade Union, says.  

Import of white spirit into RS

Blic pg. 7 ‘Millions of KM earned’ – According to the data of the Customs Administration, the Republika Srpska imported last year 10.6 millions of litres of white spirit, although the Republika Srpska needs only 200 t. The biggest importer is firm Alex Petrol from Bijeljina which last year imported 10.4 million of litres. The rest was imported by firms ManCo from Bijeljina, Eco Spin from Laktasi, Hemija from Modrica and Beocil from Banja Luka. During the first four months of this year it was imported 2 millions of litres of white spirit (Alex Petrol imported 1.7 millions of litres). White spirit is used for diluting, but it is also well known that it is used for other purposes and mixing it with petroleum individuals earn millions. When importing white spirit there is no need to pay excises or customs duties, while when importing fuel one has to pay 15 % of the fuel’s total value. According to the words of Minister of Trade and Tourism Boris Gaspar, this Ministry will initiate that the import of white spirit is put under control of the Ministry. “Noone will be ban from importing it, but it will have to be explain where it will be used,” Gaspar says. Alex Petrol from Bijeljina is under investigation because of tax evasion, and the Republika Srpska Tax Administration and Ministry of Interior investigate the import and use of white spirit.

Verdict in Hotel ERO privatization case to be passed on Thursday

Vecernji List (page 22, by rs, “Verdict to Bender on Thursday”) – a report from trials to former Director of MIO Mostar (Pension Fund) Ivan Bender, and Mario Boras, former Director of “TUH-invest” from Mostar, on the sale of Mostar’s Hotel “Ero” case. Closing arguments by both the defence and prosecution were delivered yesterday and the passing of the verdict is scheduled for Thursday. Deputy Cantonal Prosecutor, Ibro Bulic, dropped charges against the third defendant, Nikola Antunovic, former Chair of MIO Mostar Steering Board.

Reconstruction of Serb Sarajevo

Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 2, ‘KM 57.5 million were spent for the reconstruction of Serb Sarajevo’ – In a short interview to NN, Predrag Lasica, Serb Sarajevo Mayor, says that owing to the failure to return the loan for the reconstruction of Serb Sarajevo, the Municipal Assembly budget records a deficit of three to four million of KM on an annual basis. He also says that the amount of KM 500 thousand has been paid out from the City Budget to cover court verdicts.

Update to medical staff strike in Banjaluka

Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 11 ‘Doctors without pays, patients without medicines’ – It has been twenty days since the personnel of the Banjaluka Clinical Center has gone on strike, demanding payment of outstanding pays and improvement of working conditions.

The Clinical Center personnel expects a lot from today’s meeting with the Republika Srpska Premier and the Republika Srpska Minister of Health, which, in their view, must be a way-out, because there is no other way-out neither for them or the patients.

Census in BIH!?

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Building the house without foundation’ – BiH is still the only state in Europe, where the exact number of the population is not known. It has been 12 years since the last census was run, and it remains unknown when the next one will be run.

According to DA Annex 7, the census is to be run when the returns of refugees and DP’s are fully implemented. The demographers warn that the full and complete refugee returns have not been recorded anywhere in the world.

Sarajevo officials say it is still too early for census, whilst Banjaluka officials say it is of extreme urgency to run the census.

Mikerevic discusses economic cooperation with Austrian official

Glas Srpske, page 3, ‘A bait for investors’; Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘Austria interested in investing’ – Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Draga Mikerevic, yesterday in Doboj stated that the Austria is one of the biggest trade partners of Republika Srpska and BiH. He assessed that it would be of extreme importance if Austria involved in the process of investing into Republika Srpska.

Following yesterday’s meeting with the Trade Advisor at the Austrian Embassy in BiH, Michael Schartz, Mikerevic explained that Austrian official presented six projects, in which his state would be interested to invest.

Tax evasion in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘Existing and fictitious firms cooperate in tax evasions’ – In a short interview to NN, Midhat Arifovic, Director of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Customs Administration, claims that a large number of real and existing firm cooperates with the fictitious firms in tax evasions. He also stresses that the Customs Administration will press charges against all those legal subjects, who collaborated in any manner with the fictitious firms.

Fresh disputes over the third GSM license

Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Government does not want to pay domestic experts?!’ – At its session held last week, the BiH state government did not accept a proposal made by Traffic and Communications Minister Branko Dokic that a total of 14,000 KM is allocated from the BiH Budget to pay domestic experts, who would estimate the value of the third GSM licence, learns the newspaper from the reliable sources. 

Incidents; affairs

Incidents following water-polo game between Croatia and SCG in Slovenia

RTRS – After finals of the European water polo championship in Kranj, Slovenia on Sunday, fans from Croatia devastated stadium and clashed with Slovenian police. During victory celebration in Belgrade hooligans clashed with police and attacked the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade and removed flags and insignia. Fourteen policemen have been injured. Croatian Prime minister Ivica Racan condemned violent behavior of Croatian fans in Slovenia and Foreign Ministry of Croatia will deal with incidents in Belgrade. Ministar Picula cancelled his visit to Montenegro. Similar incidents occurred in Novi Sad and Brcko, where 9 persons were arrested. Celebration in Banja Luka was without incidents.

ONASA – Brcko District Police Administration arrested nine individuals on Sunday night on allegations of public disorder during their celebration of the victory of Serbia and Montenegro team over Croatia at the European Water-polo Championship in Kranj, Slovenia. The hooligans cruised the Brcko streets shouting, “Serbia, Serbia,” and “Brcko will be the capital of Serbia,” and insulting Brcko Mayor Sinisa Kisic and Parliament Speaker Mirsad Djapo. Violation charges will be pressed against the group, while the Public Prosecution is yet to decide whether the group can be charged criminally on allegations of displaying ethnic, racial and religious hatred.

ONASA, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Ravnopgorski Chetnik Movement should be banned’ – A group of Bosniak and Croat delegates to the Brcko Distric Assembly and ministers in the District Government condemned Saturday night’s public disorder by sympathizers of the “Ravna Gora chetnik movement” from Brcko. The delegates said such incidents have been taking place over the past four years. They demand from the Government to ban all activities of the “Ravna Gora” movement, which organizes all attacks and violence against non-Serbs, and remove all Serb nationalist insignia from public places. If the Government does not meet these demands, Bosniak and Croat delegates to the Parliament will demand that all sports events that insult the dignity of constituent and other peoples be banned.

Slobodna Dalmacija page 2, by Tatjana Tagirov, “Belgrade echoed: ‘Kill, slaughter, Croat should not be’, Vecernji List front “Croatian Embassy attacked” and page 11 “Police did not prevent attack on Embassy”, by Zorana Bajt and Milovan Nedeljkov,Dnevni List, by page 3, by FENA, “Members of Chetnik movement threat Croats”, page 17, “Serbian Police did not protect diplomatic office”, page 18 “Picula postpones visit to Montenegro” and page 20 “Supporters removed coat of arms and flag from Croatian Embassy” also report on the incidents.

SBS’ Juric case

Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna, Dnevni List page 4, by S. K., “HOFFMANN violated series of procedure of SBS”, Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘No criminal report against Mile Juric’, FENA – In view of the reports that BiH State Border Service (SBS) official Svevlad Hoffman had allegedly filed charges against SBS Director Mile Juric, the SBS has announced that it has no official information on the existence of such charges, nor information that the BiH prosecution office had issued a statement about that. “If such charges do exist then Hoffman has violated a number of DGS procedures and an investigation will be conducted and checks carried out in line with the rules of the service. If such charges do contain claims published in the media, then the DGS’s stance is that they are unfounded,” the statement by the DGS reads. The SBS is prepared, if the BiH prosecution office files an official legal request, to provide all necessary information, the SBS statement concludes.

Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘BiH suitable environment for spies’ – “If Aleksandar Bijelic, an armed agent with the Serbian secret service, has entered BiH, that it would not be the first such case,” Juric told the newspaper.

Other issues

CRA: Possible removing ethnic prefixes from names of public RTV stations

Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna, FENA, Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Names of RTV stations without ethnic prefixes’, Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘Consultations on erasing ethnic prefixes from the names of RTV stations’; Glas Srpske, page 2, ‘Signal for changes’ – The Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) decided that the Agency should commence public consultations on the matters of ethnic prefixes in the names of public RTV services in BiH. There are certain public RTV stations in BiH with ethnic prefixes in their names. The Council’s stand is that this practice is questionable, having in the view the role of public RTV stations in insuring a programme for the entire population it covers with its signal, and not only for the members of a single ethnic group. Apart from this, the Council questioned this practice because these stations receive money from public funds. This is why the public stations with ethnic prefixes are recommended to re-consider their names and start making changes. CRA has the obligation to conduct the process of public consultations on this matter, considering that the recommended changes will influence the Rule on Public Broadcasting. Once the CRA receives comments from the public and RTV stations, it will design a recommendation for which the Council will issue a decision at its next meeting in September.

In light of an announcement by the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) that the Agency will conduct public consultations on possible removal of ethnic prefixes from the names of public broadcasters in BiH, Vecernji list (front page & p 2, “HTV Mostar without national attribute”, by M.S.) reports that all the 3 TV stations which broadcast the programme in BiH in Croatian language and which were granted the CRA licence, do contain the national prefix in their names: HRT Kiss (Kiseljak) – KISS TV; HTV Oscar C (Mostar) and HRTV Mostar. Out of these 3, HRTV Mostar, which was recently issued CRA broadcasting licence for the wider Herzegovina region, is the only public one. Vlatko Menix, its director, was bitter over the CRA announcement saying such a CRA intention is contrary to the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the European Charter on Languages of Nations and National Minorities, European Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, as well as to the BiH Constitution. The CRA Press Releases are also covered by Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “71 000 KM for annual permit”, by Blazica Kristo) and by Dnevni list (front page & p 4, “Private telecom operators in BiH soon”, by M.R.).

Property laws implementation in Banja Luka

Glas Srpske, page 4, ‘Who calculates badly?’ – The question as to whether the municipality of Banjaluka is the worst municipality in the Republika Srpska, when it comes to the implementation of the property legislation has been raised: whose information is exact – OHR or local authority?

Sonja Pastuovic, OHR Regional Spokesperson, denied claims by Miladin Djuranovic, Head of Banjaluka OMI, who said that 76% of property reinstatement claims have been resolved in Banjaluka. Pastuovic made a correction, stressing that 59.18% of claims have been resolved.

GS further quotes Drago Vuleta, assistant to Minister of Refugees and DP’s, denying OHR claims that there are still 7 thousand claims unresolved in Banjaluka. He notes that 3800 claims are still left to be resolved.

Republika Srpska Minister of Justice on Crime and corruption

Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘Law to strike on crime and corruption’ – Saud Filipovic, Republika Srpska Minister of Justice, is convinced that the adopted set of laws within the field of criminal law would accelerate the performance of the courts and result in more efficient punishments for crime and corruption. He also says that the question as to why more people are not serving sentences for economic crime should be posed to judges and prosecutors. He stresses that the efficiency of the judicial system cannot be achieved over night. According to him, Ministry of Justice has been turned into the center of logistics, where the laws are worked out.

He also expressed his view on the proposal by the Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, (who recommended establishment of special chambers for crime and corruption), stressing that such an opinion would not be a good solution at the moment. According to him, such an action would result in complete chaos.