| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Intelligence service | Bank robbery in Tuzla | Coalition negotiations | Strike of Health Workers |
| Zagreb fair | Law on Intelligence | Law on Intelligence service | OSA |
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| Clashes in Israel | Lagumdzija on FOSS | Israel |
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| Strike in BL hospital | Economic summit Cro-Slo | Book fair in Banja Luka |
| Oslobodjenje | Milomir Stakic receives salary in Prijedor |
| Dnevni Avaz | Ljiljan announces continuation of the affair: Complete report will be presented to the public |
| Dnevni List | “Law on BiH Intelligence-Security Agency drafted”; “BiH gets unified power-supply market” |
| Vecernji List | “All three peoples support change of Dayton”; “SDA demands that Mesic apologizes to Bosniaks” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Minor chances for return of Serbs to Smoluca: No fire, no house Zvornik: Sieve for sick leave |
| Nezavisne Novine | Branch office of Union Bank in Tuzla robbed: armed robbers stole BAM 300 thousand; Donald Hays: Politicians are solely working in their interest; Sweden: Biljana Plavsic hospitalised |
| Blic | Orao affair: Prica rejected charges; Military uniforms same for all; New promises to refugees |
| Nedeljni Telegraf | Labus to Paten: we will arrest Mladic, Karadzic and Legija if we get a minister of police post! EU rejected this G17’s offer |
Security issues/affairs | |
| Draft law on BiH intelligence service handed to BiH Council of Ministers Chairman
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘BiH got the best law on intelligence service in Europe’, mentioned on the front page ‘Times of communist secret police have passed’, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘State secret service to start operating as of January 1 2004’, Blic pg. 7 ‘Intelligence officers together’ – The President of the Expert Commission for Intelligence Service Reform, Kalman Kocsis, gave the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, a draft law on the BiH Intelligence and Security Agency in the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo on Tuesday. The draft law has received much praise from international institutions and is in line with European and world standards in this field. The BiH Intelligence and Security Agency will be responsible for the gathering, analysis and distribution of intelligence data in order to safeguard the security as well as the sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order of BiH. The agency will not have investigative duties or police competencies. At a press conference in Sarajevo, Kalman Kocsis in particular emphasized the protection of citizens and, as the most important way of that protection, singled out judicial permission for the majority of operational means and methods. “By passing this law, BiH’s representatives will show their citizens that the days of the knock in the night, of the communist secret police, are over. And by passing this law, BiH’s authorities will show the international community they are serious about European standards, serious about the fight against crime and the war against terrorism,” said the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. The reform of the intelligence service is the second in a group of three key reforms which our country should implement during the course of this year. BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic: “Our commitment to the fight against organized crime, corruption and all other types of crime is an ongoing commitment until the time when we possess a means which would enable us to get to grips with this. The adoption of this law as well as its implementation will surely result in the securing of these means for the Council of Ministers.” The Law on the BiH Intelligence and Security Agency envisages that the two entities’ intelligence and security services be abolished by January 1, 2004. Vecernji List (page 2, “OSA civilian service completely”, by D. Jazvic), Dnevni List (front and page 5, “Law on BiH Intelligence-Security Agency drafted”, by R. Radic) and Slobodna Dalmacija (page 7, “BiH: Unified Intelligence Service by end of year”, by Z. Rerig) also carry that High Representative Paddy Ashdown and Chairman of the Special Commission Kalman Kocsis handed over on Tuesday to Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic the proposal of Law on BiH Intelligence-Security Service. Terzic stated: “I hope this is the last law that is being drafted in the OHR with participation of domestic experts.” The dailies also carry the HR as saying: “Certainly, this is about one of the best laws of this sort in the democratic world.” Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4, ‘Intelligence agency of BiH functioning as of January 1 2004’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘New structure as of next year’ also reported on the issue. |
| ICTY on FOSS report
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘ICTY sought ban be placed on publication of FOSS report’ – ICTY investigator has recently asked from the Federal Prosecutor, Zdravko Knezevic, to place a ban for publication of FOSS report on bugging of Munir Alibabic, because the report contains some information related to residence and movement of war crime suspects. Knezevic confirmed that he received a fax from ICTY Office, which sought that report is protected, because certain people, whose names were mentioned in the report, were working on locating war crime suspects. |
| Ljiljan announces continuation of FOSS affair | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘Complete report goes in public’ – After the former FOSS Director Munir Alibabic had requested the FBiH Prose3cutor to process those who publicized parts of the report, Ljiljan Director Mensur Brdar announced the magazine would public the entire report as well as all the information it get, which is relevant for the affair. |
| ‘Ljiljan might be banned’
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Ljiljan might be banned’ – “If Ljiljan continues publishing parts of the FOSS report a measure to ban its further printing and distribution might be taken,” an unnamed high-ranking FBiH Prosecution Office officer told the newspaper. |
| SDA’s Palavric on the FBiH Prosecutor’s statement | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘The Prosecutor should have checked on the statements from the report on the basis of the entire Criminal Code’ – SDA Vice-president Seada Palavric told the newspaper that, although she respected the FBiH Prosecutor’s decision, she could hardly believe the FOSS had made such a mistake and that there was nothing that might be described as criminal/illegal activity on the basis of the report submitted following wire-tap of former FOSS Director Munir Alibabic. |
| Nezavisne Novine editorial on FOSS affair | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Josip Blazevic, ‘Investigation’ – The author comments on the recent confirmation by Zdravko Knezevic, Federal Public Prosecutor, that there is no evidence substantive (media) claims that Munir Alibabic prepared coup d’etat in BiH. According to him, this claim was questionable from the very beginning, because how it would be possible to perform coup d’etat in the state where the international community has the most important role in all political spheres. The author also thinks that Knezevic should not leave this case on just a press release on the matter, but should instead direct the investigation on the other side – investigate as to whether Ivan Vuksic illegally wiretapped Alibabic talks, meaning whether Vuksic misused his Office. According to the author, this affair stresses the importance of seeing joint intelligence agency established at the state level – the agency, which would be de-politicised. |
| DL: “Demand for Cegar’s removal submitted” | Dnevni List (page 2, by De.L.) carries that according to DL sources, Head of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Interior Zlatko Miletic submitted demand for the removal of Zoran Cegar from the position of Commander of the Special Police Unit with the FBiH MoI. DL also says that according to the source close to the FBiH Minister of Interior, Minister Halilovic filed criminal charges against Cegar because of fraud, falsifying of documents etc. DL says that Cegar’s colleague, who wanted to stay anonymous, stated that Halilovic is saving his own skin before EUPM Commissioner Frederiksen who publicly called on Halilovic’s responsibility. |
| EUPM establishes units to collect information on organised crime | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Creation of anti-crime unit’ – The EUPM has established units that will collect intelligence information on organised crime in the entire BiH in line with European standards, EUPM Spokesperson Jon Oscar Solnes stated yesterday. As a result of this and other actions taken in this field, 29 persons have been charged with human trafficking and 165 police raids of bars and other facilities have been carried out. 352 women have been interviewed, 34 of which have requested assistance, while 209 had illegal documentation. Solnes denied media reports according to which 12,000 police officers and 2,000 members of the SBS had been sacked. |
Political developments | |
| Croat Ministers are returning to FBiH Government
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Hadzipasic: FBiH Government to meet today in full composition’, Oslobodjenje back page ‘Croat Ministers are returning to FBiH Government’, FTV – A three-hour meeting of the representatives of SDA, HDZ and Party for BiH held in Sarajevo late on Tuesday resulted in overcoming the crisis in functioning of the executive authorities in the Federation created following the discussion on the veterans’ rights law at the latest session of the Government. SDA president Sulejman Tihic, FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic, FBiH President Niko Lozancic, FBiH Deputy Prime Minister Dragan Vrankic, Chairman of the Party for BiH Presidency Safet Halilovic and FBiH Vice-president Sahbaz Dzihanovic reached a clear agreement on the continuation of the Government’s work. |
| Change of Dayton Peace Agreement initiatives | Vecernji List (front page, “All three peoples support change of Dayton”, and page 3, “Leaders of leading parties support change of Dayton”, by D. Jazvic, B. Stevandic, J. Pavkovic), Jutarnji List (page 2, “Paddy Ashdown: We shall have to change Dayton Agreement”, by sp) and Dnevni List (page 9, “To change Dayton agreement through compromise”, by Fena) carry that High Representative Paddy Ashdown stated at the session of independent intellectuals ‘Circle 99’ the following: “We shall have to change the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), however, it will be done by the will of people and by reaching painful, compromise solutions. It has already started and examples of it are law on indirect taxation and law on defense.” VL says that Republika Srpska President Dragan Cavic judged that it is unnecessary that the HR speaks at the sessions of the organizations such as ‘Circle 99’ since ‘Circle 99’ wants unitary and integrated BiH. SDA Secretary General Sefik Dzaferovic stated for VL that SDA welcomes the HR’s statement and that SDA supports initiatives that lead towards the change of the BiH Constitution. VL also carries Spokesperson of Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Drago Vukovic, as saying that it can be talked about the change of the DPA only on the ground of the agreement reached among three peoples and two entities. HDZ President Barisa Colak stated: “We have already stated that HDZ supports reforms that are taking place in BiH. I refer to the reforms in the area of the defense system, Security Services and fiscal reforms….In HDZ opinion, these reforms already mark the change of the Dayton Peace Agreement in a certain sense.” |
| DL on struggle of factions in SDA HNC Board | Speaking of rifts within the SDA of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) Board that might considerably shake the party stability, Dnevni List (p 8, “Fatima Leho vs. Salko Sokolovic”, by Z. Jukic) reports that the rift is not of political nature but is exclusively about the struggle for dominance between Fatima Leho’s faction and the one led by Salko Sokolovic. The daily reminds that the party rift in the 1990ies between Fatima Leho and Safet Orucevic’s factions was overcome thanks to the intervention of Alija Izetbegovic. After Orucevic resigned from the position of Mostar (Deputy) Mayor, many SDA officials took the side of Fatima Leho and have remained faithful to her to date: Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic and Head of Mostar Municipality Old Town Zijad Hadziomerovic are said to be among them. Leho’s faction is also said to be supported by Mirsad Kebo and Seada Palavric, while Sulejman Tihic and his supporters are on Sokolovic’s side. DL comments that over the next months, while Mostar re-structuring is on the agenda, the clashes might deepen but, on the other hand, the stories about Bosniaks being endangered might homogenise the factions. |
| Ashdown on defence reform at Circle 99 session | Blic pg. 7 ‘The same uniforms and insignia to soldiers’ – Defence Reform Commission should finalise today a draft proposal on future organisation of defence structures in BiH, which, according to the High Representative’s decision, will be forwarded to OHR, Peace Implementation Council Steering Board and entities’ and state’s parliaments for consideration. High Representative Paddy Ashdown said at a Krug 99 round-table discussion in Sarajevo on Monday night that BiH would build a defence system at the state level and this means that all soldiers will wear the same uniforms with state insignia instead of entity symbols. “Instead of the entities, the BiH Presidency will appoint officers and the joint command will be in control of all troops. A state defence budget will exist as well as a state defence ministry,” Ashdown said. |
| Cavic comments on Ashdown’s address to Circle 99 | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Parliament to say a final word’ – The Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, on Tuesday stated that on the basis of proposal made by Defence Reform Commission, the Parliaments of Republika Srpska and BHJF are to say final word on future organisation of defence structures in BiH. He said that: “None of us – me, Paddy Ashdown or James Locher – will pass final decision on defence reform issue. The Parliament will do so.” Commenting on statement by the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, before Circle 99, he expressed his belief that HiRep’s statement was not properly cited. Furthermore, Cavic finds Ashdown’s address to Circle ’99 to be “unnecessary, because this organisation wishes to create unitary BiH without its entities.” |
Mostar restructuring | |
| NHI on Mostar restructuring
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Unhealthy partnership relation between SDA, and HDZ’, Dnevni List p 9, “Unhealthy partner relation of SDA and HDZ fatal for citizens”, by De. L., FENA – The New Croat Initiative (NHI) came out with a press release on Tuesday claiming that all the developments regarding the restructuring of Mostar and the drafting of its new Statute are showing an absolute incompatibility of HDZ and SDA policies, although these two parties constitute the coalition in power. “The case of Mostar shows an unsound partnership concluded exclusively for the sake of power, whose result is an utter inefficiency in all spheres of life. Unfortunately the High Representative is contributing to this by trying to ‘heal’ such a condition through the appointment of new commissions” – it was said in the NHI press release. The NHI demands consistent policy of the international community in BiH when it comes to the status of all similar town including Travnik and even Sarajevo. “In this regard the NHI urges the OHR to start parallel activities in Mostar, Sarajevo and Travnik in order to send a clear message to the advocates of pure ethnic areas that their mission is over and condemned to fail,” the NHI press release concludes. |
| VL: “BiH cities with Berlin walls” | Vecernji List (p 4, by Robert Bubalo) carries that, although Mostar is often given as an example of the most striking ethnic division, there are many other such examples in BiH: Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje, Vitez, Novi Travnik, Bugojno, Vares, Stolac, Jajce, Drvar, Sarajevo. “The most specific one is Velika Kladusa, the town where there is inter-Muslim division. There are many Berlin walls in BiH and they are no exception but a rule. They were all built during the war and show that not much trust between the peoples that were at war has been restored in this country”, the article concludes. |
| VL: Interview with Ljubo Beslic, Mostar Deputy Mayor | In his interview for Vecernji List (p 5, “Mostar needs no exclusivity”, by Zoran Kresic), Mostar Deputy Mayor Ljubo Beslic says that his optimism about the Mostar Commission and the new Statute derives from the fact that the party leaderships have not gotten involved and from the fact that the parties committed themselves they will not leave the Commission. Beslic adds he would not like Mostar to be regarded as a special unit of the local self-government, but expects this town to be the model of how to organise other units of local self-government in BiH. Speaking of the number of Municipalities Mostar could in the future have, Beslic says: “The High Representative believes the most painless thing to do is to make one Municipality as it once used to be. Time will show if the local community will ask for other and different solutions”, adding that Croats in other regions should have the same rights that one would expect to have in Mostar. As for the establishment of a single public utility company in Mostar, Beslic says Mostar must act swiftly now in order not to lose World Bank’s loan. In light of recent talks in Zagreb on Mostar Airport, Beslic hopes the Airport will be able to preserve its international character. |
| Editorial on Mostar: Compromise excluded in advance | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, by M. Erceg) carries an editorial dealing with the new Mostar Commission and the author says that he believes that it is clear to High Representative Paddy Ashdown that he himself will have to pass the decision on this issue at the end. The editorial also says that there was no need at all for the new Commission, that the Commission will not bring any result because any compromise would only mean bad, non-functional and non-democratic solution. The author goes on to say: “The one who supports democratic BiH also has to support application of BiH laws in democratic Mostar. Mostar must not be some exemption just because it is the only bigger city in BiH in which Croats are majority. If Bosniaks are afraid of dominance of Croats in Mostar because of the number of Croats, how can one expect that Croats are not afraid of dominance of Bosniaks and Serbs in BiH which is even more expressed.” |
| New head of OHR South J. Andrieu visited Mostar City Administration | Dnevni List (page 16, “Andrieu: Work focused on prosperity of Mostar citizens”, by V.S.) carries that new head of the OHR South Jacques Andrieu visited the Mostar City Administration yesterday where he met with Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic. On this occasion they were talking about the current political situation in Mostar, as well as, about the visit of High Representative Paddy Ashdown and signing of the Obligation by representatives of 6 political parties. DL says that Andrieu used this opportunity to inform Mayor Jahic about his previous work but also about future directions in his work which are focused on prosperity of Mostar citizens. They agreed that the close cooperation between the OHR South and the Mostar City Administration will continue. |
Economic/social affairs | |
| FBiH House of Representatives discuss power sector restructuring
| BHTV, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘By abolishment of monopoly the power will be cheaper’, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘The Plan of Action divided deputies’, Dnevni List front and page 3, “Bosnia and Herzegovina gets unified power-supply market”, by M.R., FENA – The FBiH House of Representatives approved in Sarajevo Tuesday the decision on defining the FBiH action plan for restructuring and privatising the electric power sector in BiH. FBiH Power, Mining and Industry Minister Izet Zigic said that this action plan proposes a common electric power market in BiH. Its second feature is the separation of production, transfer and distribution of electric power into three separate sectors. “It also proposes a rational organisation of the water resources management system and management of thermo power”, Minister Zigic said. According to Zigic, the plan was harmonised with the RS action plan. The Action Plan was supported by deputies of SDA, Party for BiH, SDP and other political parties except HDZ. Ivan Medunic explained that the Government-proposed document was not in compliance with the Constitution and the HDZ would therefore address the FBiH Constitutional Court with regard to the issue. |
| Interview with PDHR Hays | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘Politicians are solely working in their interest’ – In an interview to NN, Donald Hays, PDHR, touched many issues of interest. On Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda, he said that this company is being badly run and managed with, stressing that the situation within it may be improved. According to him, around 30% of power is lost in transport, meaning that over 20% was stolen. He also said that it is high time Premiers of both entities started implementing reforms and recommendations. On Buk Bijela Plant, Hays said that OHR and OSCE only recommended the Republika Srpska Government to conduct its own analysis before it makes any decision on the project. On Fatnik Polje tunnel, he explained that OHR recommended the Republika Srpska Government not to suspend further activities, but to review the entire project and then to make a final decision. Responding to a brief press question, “Is there a hope for us”, Hays said that he has never seen a state with more potentials, expressing conviction that in five or ten years time, somebody would not be able to recognise this place. According to him, this region develops faster than people actually think, but still too slow if compared with wishes of BiH citizens. |
| Update: Strike of RS health workers | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Health workers hissed at the Prime Minister and Republika Srpska Minister of Health’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘March as a warning’ – The personnel of the Banjaluka Clinical Centre, who have been on strike for three months and a half, organised a protest march on the street in front of the Republika Srpska Government. They also hissed Republika Srpska Prime Minister and Republika Srpska Minister of Health, Martin Kvaternik, who passed by them driving in Audi. Republika Srpska police secured the streets during protest march. Zdenko Stupar, President of Striking Board, said that protest marches would be held until April and last salary and meal allowance are paid out to them. He also said that the minimum labour is provided at the Centre, stressing that an adequate medical treatment is provided to patients. Sarajevo media also covered the issue. |
| Update to meat smuggling affair | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Seven RS customs officers dismissed over meat smuggling affair’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Seven customs clearance officers dismissed’ – Republika Srpska Customs Administration dismissed seven its officers, who took part in customs clearance of smuggled meat in BiH. One officer has been released of any responsibility. |
| Birac company | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Sieve for sick leave’ – The Commission for sick leave review has been formed at the Zvornik Alumina Factory “Birac”. The Commission was formed in order to review and accordingly decrease the number of sick leaves of firm personnel. Out of the total of 1025 staff, 61 worker has been on sick leave at the present time. Out of this sum, 25 have been on sick leave for over a month. Some workers have already returned to their jobs, which gives an impression that the Commission establishment has already bore fruit. |
| RS debt
| Vecernje Novosti pg. 21 ‘Debt – sometime a good companion’, Blic pg. 8 – RS Assistant Treasury Minister Zarko Mionic said on Tuesday that the debt of the RS amount to 3.5 billion KM, out of which the internal debt is 1.9 billion KM and the foreign debt is 1.6 billion KM. Mionic said that the foreign debt of the RS is expected to be returned in the year of 2041 if it stays at the same level of repayment. The foreign debt is the biggest guarantee that the initiative of some Federation’s circles for abolishing the Republika Srpska will not be realised at least in next 38 years. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Republika Srpska was not damaged with contracts with Nova Banjalucka Banka’ – Zarko Mionic, assistant to Republika Srpska Minister of Finance for vault, explained that Republika Srpska Ministry of Finance did not place budget resources as time deposit at Nova Banjalucka Bank at inappropriate conditions. He added that: “The conditions offered were not inappropriate. Banks do not offer big interest rates. Moreover, the conditions set were not inappropriate, because we could always use those resources.” |
Return/property laws implementation | |
| Kebo supports Mesic’s initiative for regional Summit on return
| Blic pg. 7 ‘Because of joining the EU, Croatia is ready for an agreement’ – BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, Mirsad Kebo, welcomed the initiative of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic to organise a regional meeting of presidents of BiH, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro in order to solve the problem of refugees. “I was assured by representatives of the Croatian Government that they will resolve all property claims, but an additional pressure from the IC would be a necessary factor for solving of this issue,” Kebo said. “I hope Croatia is ready to harmonise legal regulations, especially if it wants to join the EU,” Kebo concluded. |
| BiH, international official consider return process results, difficulties in Banja Luka | BHTV, RTRS – BiH Minister for refugees and displaced persons Mirsad Kebo praised result of return process at a conference in Banja Luka on Tuesday. He said that rate of return reached 85% and was likely to be 100% at the end of year. Representatives of the BiH and Entities’ authorities as well as the international organisations participated in the conference. OHR representative was not so satisfied with process of returns, urging for more efficiency in solving property claims. RS minister for refugees Samardzic said: “Process of return is progressing very well and officials will be tasked to solve 3 cases a day what will help to solve 2100 unsolved cases in BL.” RS President Dragan Cavic raised the problem of Serb returnees in Zenica-Doboj and Sarajevo Canton. OSCE Mission to BiH Head Robert Beecroft concluded: ”It is just second meeting of this kind and we need to continue work on implementation of (property) laws”. Minister Kebo summarized that BiH has made the largest progress in the region, while problems of Serbs from Croatia have not yet been resolved, what complicates situation in BiH. Blic pg. 7 ‘New Promises’ – “The most difficult situation concerning the resolving of refugees’ problems is in the municipalities of Bratunac, Srebrenica, Visegrad and Srpsko Gorazde, but there are also problems in the area of Banja Luka and Prijedor because of the big number of refugees and displaced persons,” RS President Dragan Cavic said on Tuesday. After a meeting with the Coordination Board of the RS Association of Refugees and Displaced Persons, Cavic said he was unpleasantly surprised with the information he received from this Association, particularly from the Bratunac municipality, related to the obstruction of repossession of apartments, property and houses in the area of Sarajevo Canton and Zenica-Doboj Canton. “I am surprised with the fact that people have been facing the obstruction of the property repossession not only by those who are in charge of the property laws implementation, but also by the courts in which they launch procedures,” he said. RS Minister of Refugees and Displaced Persons, Jasmin Samardzic, said that the process of property laws implementation would be completed in the RS by the end of the year. |
| Property implementation in Banjaluka
| Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Faster to property re-possession’, Blic pg. 7 ‘Banja Luka is late’ – In the coming three months, OHR will provide all assistance necessary to the Office of Ministry for Refugees and DP’s in Banjaluka, in order to resolve all property reinstatement claims by the end of this year’, stated yesterday John Glazebrook, Head of RRTF seated in Banjaluka. At the RRTF meeting yesterday, he stated that 500 evictions should be taking place on a monthly basis, in order to accomplish the plan and aim, which is that all people should get back their property. |
| Return to Smoluca | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘No fire, no house’ – 980 Serb families used to live in Smoluca (near Lukavac) before the war. None of Serb houses has been reconstructed so far, while around 30 Serb families, who returned, are living in shack. According to Serb returnees, nobody is trying to provide them assistance, in regard to reconstruction of devastated houses, etc. |
War crimes; related developments | |
| Milomir Stakic still on Prijedor medical centre’s payroll
| Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 7 ‘Milomir Stakic receives salary in Prijedor’, ONASA – Bosnian Serb Milomir Stakic, sentenced by the Hague tribunal to life imprisonment, is still on the payroll list of Prijedor’s Health Department, director Spomenka Pavkovic confirmed to media on Tuesday. She explained that the former head of the Crises Headquarters of Prijedor Municipality, leader of the SDS and first war president of the Municipal Assembly was returned to the payroll list after the opinion of the Health Ministry on April 17, at the request of Stakic’s spouse. The Ministry recommended in the case the application of Article 119 of the law on labour, in aim of making the workers’ rights, Pavkovic said. The Hague tribunal has sentenced Stakic to life imprisonment due to crimes against humanity over non-Serbs in Prijedor and surrounding area in 1992. |
| Plavsic hospitalised | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Biljana Plavsic hospitalised’, Blic pg. 3 – Biljana Plavsic, former Republika Srpska president, who has been serving prison sentence at the Swedish prison of Hinsberg, has been hospitalised yesterday, because her health state had deteriorated. Prison guard said that Plavsic will be returned to prison cell after medical check-ups are completed. |
| Placement of plaque in Viktor Bubanj barracks | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Door closed before the truth’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Republika Srpska inmates do not give up on commemorative plaque at “Ramiz Salcin” barracks’ – Republika Srpska Association of inmates remains faithful to its initial intention to place a commemorative plaque at “Ramiz Salcin” military barracks on 19 September, regardless of the fact that municipality of Novi Grad yesterday denied to give its assent to this. Novi Grad Mayor, Damir Hadzic, asked from the Association to postpone the holding of this event until legal procedure related to this matter is fully implemented. Blic pg. 7 ‘Inmates do not give up’, Dnevni List (page 4, not signed) also covered the issue. |
Incidents/investigations | |
| SDS MP sentenced
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘SDS delegate sentenced to year and a half imprisonment’ – SDS MP from Doboj, Olivera Babic, has been sentenced to year and a half imprisonment, owing to forgery of graduate diploma from the Faculty of Medicine. The Doboj Basic Court passed this verdict at the end of July this year. Holding a forged med school diploma, Babic has been general practitioner at surgery for five years (since 1997). |
| Armed robbery in Tuzla | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 13, ‘Armed robbers took away BAM 300 thousand’ – Two robbers armed with automatic rifles and pistol with silencer yesterday morning robbed the branch office of Union Banka in Tuzla settlement of Slatina. The robbers took away BAM 300 thousand. Police is investigating the case. Sarajevo media also reported on the crime. |
| Orao affair trial | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Milan Prica: I deny indictment’, Blic pg. 8 – Before the Bijeljina Basic Court yesterday, the trial against 17 suspects in Orao affair has resumed. The Panel of Judges rejected motion filed by defence attorneys for disqualification of Court President, Dragomir Zivanovic, and President of Court Panel, Nebojsa Jovanovic. The trial resumed with presentation of the indictment. The prime suspect in the case, Milan Prica, former Director of Orao centre, did not accept the indictment. He said that: “I had no knowledge of UN SC Resolution, nor was it delivered to the Centre while I assumed the most responsible position. The Resolution was officially delivered to the Centre in November 2002.” |
Education | |
| Strike of HNC teachers
| Dnevni List (page 15, “Beginning of classes depends on Government”, by V. Soldo) carries that president of Trade Union of Secondary School teachers (Croats) Josip Milic stated that the secondary school teachers are willing to start classes as early as on Monday if the salaries for July are paid by the end of this week. He added that in case that the Government does not do this the Trade Unions will raise the issues and demands that they were ready to give up temporarily. |
| Editorials on education reform | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, “ ‘Reform’ of Croatian language”, by Petar Milos) carries an editorial criticizing the education reform in BiH. Among the other things, the author says: “Personally, I am convinced that the parents (referring to the parents who oppose merging of ‘two schools under one roof’) are more concerned about their children even than High Representative Paddy Ashdown who keeps stressing that we have to adopt western experience and models. Why would not we then accept the Swiss model of education where everybody has a school in mother tongue that works according to Cantonal curriculum?” In light of ambiguous behavior of the HDZ BiH with regard to education reform in BiH (on one hand, HDZ obediently implements “the IC decision” and does not dare to oppose any IC official while on the other hand the party expresses its dissatisfaction and disagreement with the decision by using minor political parties and NGOs it controls), Dnevni List editorial (p 6, by Marko Tadic) comments the party is aware of the fact that “2 schools under 1 roof” project is just the beginning of the genuine education reform and that is why it plays the card of threatened national interests. In Tadic’s view, education reform may even be bigger interest of Croats than of the other 2 constituent peoples as Croat interests are defended best if Croats are present on every inch of their homeland BiH and for that reason Croats should resist any ghettoising in any aspect of life. Tadic concludes by saying that education reform is too responsible a task to be let to politicians only, adding that Croats should give their full contribution to the reform. |