TV news broadcast on
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Talks on constitutional changes | Agreement on CoM reached | Talks on Const. changes |
| McElhaney on constitutional changes | Strategy for EU Integrations | McElhaney on const. talks |
| HSS on constitutional changes | VAT postponed- increase of prices | Mostar on UNESCO list |
| UNESCO ceremony in Mostar | Discrimination of Roman children | World News |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Agreement on CoM reached | Mostar on UNESCO list | Weber on Karadzic and Mladic |
| BiH property in Cavtat taken away | Coal depot demolition | Talks on constitutional changes |
| Fetva remains | Consensus reached on CoM | Bukejlovic on RS budget |
| UNESCO certificate for Mostar | Reactions on Const. talks | Terzic on VAT implementation |
| Dnevni Avaz | McElchany encouraged with progress |
| Vecernji List | HSS facing split (HSS congress witnessing shift at HSS after 11 years of Tomcic’ lead) |
| Nezavisne Novine | EUFOR seized arms at music tones |
NOTE: Oslobodjenje and Dnevni List were no available at B. Luka news stands this morning.
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| Constitutional changes |
| Agreement on CoM reached: Talks to continue on 21 December
| TV PINK, BHT 1, FTV –SDA Leader Sulejman Tihic stated that the agreement shows the improvement of the current situation. “We haven’t reached the consensus on issues of Parliament, Presidency and state authority. The reached agreement on CoM will make it more organised and more functional” said Tihic. NTV Hayat – CD brings few details of these negotiations, explaining that political package has to be passed till January 11th, so that it could be submitted to legislative procedure few days after and the whole process has to be finished till April 14th, when elections will be scheduled. Till now, progress has been made on Council of Ministers which will now have Prime- Minister instead of the Chairman and 11 Ministries in total, while decisions will be passed by simple majority, if consensus isn’t possible, which has to include votes of at least one Minister from each people. CoM will get Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Ministry of Science and Technology (two fields that EU finances the most) and this second Ministry will be established thanks to the efforts of RTRS – Cavic repeated that Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘On Wednesday about BiH Presidency and Parliament’ by M.Rener – Halilovic announced Wednesday resumption of talks would discuss the issues of BiH Presidency, House of Peoples and House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, as well as transitional institutions. |
| McElhaney says talks on constitutional changes will continue
| Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash, pg 2 ‘McElchany encouraged with progress’ by T.Lazovic – carries McElchany’s statement expressing encouragement over progress reached so far on constitutional changes. |
| Cavic: I will not accept introduction of one President
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘I will not accept introduction of one president’ by FENA – Dragan Cavic, RS President, stated that during continuation of talks on constitutional changes, he will not accept proposal regarding introduction of one President of BiH, since it would lead BiH into an absolute instability. |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Any change is better than freezing of existing situation’ by |
| HSS on constitutional changes
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| Reactions on the const. talks | FTV – HSS stated that HDZ will be solely responsible if constitutional changes in BIH occur at expense of Croats. HSS stressed that HDZ stance towards constitutional changes are contradictory therefore HSS demands from HDZ to have firm stance on the issue. DNS Chair Marko Pavic stated that hopefully RS representatives will stop transferring RS authorities to the state level. He added that RS representatives were not honest to RS citizens since they were obliged to carry on these reforms due to document signed in |
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| Strategy for EU Integrations
| TV PINK, FTV, RTRS – During the public debate on document “Strategy of BiH integration into the EU” it was stressed that before the next EU report BiH should increase the cooperation with the ICTY, finish the police reform, as well as reforms of public administration and establishment of singular market, where it was emphasised that even though BiH is a step behind regional countries, thanks to the strategy “Decentralization of managing of aid programs” BiH has done something that regional countries still haven’t. Director of BiH Direction for EU Integrations, Osman Topcagic said that this strategy is obligation to be prepared to conduct it as of Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Integration strategy” before BiH COM soon’ by |
| Bukejlovic not to look for support outside RS institutions
| BHT 1, FTV, RTRS – RS PM Pero Bukejlovic stated that he has no intention for looking for support outside of RS institutions for 2006 budget and economic policy. Bukejlovic is also preparing an alterative solution to be presented at the session scheduled for 28th December. This solution is a decision on temporary financing for 2006. |
| DA op-ed speculates Cavic is behind challenges ahead of RS Govt.
| Dnevni Avaz op-ed pg 3 ‘Expansion of authority crisis from RS’ by Edina Sarac – The author stresses that rejection of proposal on budget and economic policy for 2006 before RS NA does not solely contribute to deepening of crisis in RS, but also in the entire of BiH, she also speculates as to whether Dragan Cavic, RS President, is behind all these challenges placed before Pero Bukejlovic’ Government. She notes that RS President had his “fingers involved” in all the issues, including Government performance, police reform, etc. |
| RS Govt. denies any intention in running activities aimed at collecting necessary majority vote for budget/economic policy for 2006
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘No out-of-institutions activities aimed at providing MP’s votes’ by |
| Austrian Ambassador to BiH says BiH will be one of Austrian priorities after its takes over EU Chair
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5, announced on cover ‘BiH is one of Austrian priorities’ by Sanja Skuletic – In a brief interview to daily, Werner Almhofer, Austrian Ambassador to BiH, says that numerous tasks and activities Austria is about to face as of 1st January (when it will take over the role of the EU Chair) include approach to BiH as one of its priorities. On this he adds: “It is clear that European Commission is in change of BiH talks with EU. However, |
| NTV Hayat‘ Poll | NTV Hayat – First question for viewers was: Who is the most responsible person for a catastrophic situation in the country? – Sulejman Tihic 378 – Adnan Terzic 178 – Ahmet Hadzipasic 198 – Dragan Cavic 241 – Mladen Ivanic 222 – Milorad Dodik 189 – Dragan Covic 143 – Dragan Vrankic 28 – Ivo Miro Jovic 74 – Paddy Ashdown 854 Editor commented the results, stressing that he expected something else, wondering “who will you blame after Paddy Ashdown leaves” Other question was: Comment the events regarding the magazine “Latinica” and generally the authorities’ relation toward journalists. Most of viewers gave their full support to Denis Latin, stressing that all politicians would like for television to work for them, except of two viewers who said that they agree with Croatian public, being that all information published in the magazine, are lies. |
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| VAT introduction / reforms |
| VAT postponed price increases
| TV PINK – Even though New Year is few days away it is still unknown whether the VAT will be introduced or not, being that Entities’ Governments still haven’t passed their Budgets and without Budgets there are no social programs- but it seems that this issue doesn’t concern traders who have already increased prices. BiH Consumers’ Association stressed that their monitors have noted these increases, to which Reporter stressed that even High Representative Paddy Ashdown has warned about “hunters” that will try to gain extra profit. In regard to this, FBiH Government has established a Monitoring Team which should monitor all prices and passed decisions that should limit the margins to basic food products. On the other side, RS Government hasn’t established this team, considering that this is a liberal market, which enables free establishment of prices and there is no need to do this. RS Chief Trading Inspector Zdravko Milicevic said that number of producers and distributors should enable the market to control the height of prices, stressing that he considers that there will be no drastic increase of prices. Reporter reminded that FBiH Government has provided KM25 million, RS Government Km20 million and Brcko District Km3 million for consequences of VAT, while Chairwoman of RS Trade Union Ranka Misic stressed that this is far from enough, but it is better then nothing. |
| RS Fin. Minister Cenic urges adoption of 2006 budget
| Nezavisne Novine pgs 8-9, announced on cover ‘Government is not bribing MP’s’ by Dragan Jerinic – In a lengthy interview to daily, Svetlana Cenic, RS Finance Minister, says that if budget for 2006 were not adopted, there would be no VAT implementation, noting: “If there is no VAT, there is no further talks with EU. Also absence of VAT would result in no increase of revenues and increase of allocations to budget beneficiarties…If talks are halted, the political consequences would be evident, and there will be no access to EU funds either.” Urging the adoption of budget for 2006, she stresses that budget must not and cannot be a subject of election campaign and politicization. She ntoes that instead of dealing with talks with EU and processes ahead of us, we are dealing with issue as to whether Govenrment would fall. She adds she is not engaged in any sort of “buying” MP’s, adding MP’s should be responsible before people and acknowledge the importance of budget adoption. |
| Pavic critical of Terzic’ statement on VAT introduction’ delay
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Pavic: Adnan Terzic is lobbying for old coalition partner’ by |
| Draft of Law on High Education | TV PINK – Draft of Law on High Education is finally been finished by group of Entities’ representatives, which means that if everything goes as it was planed BiH students should start their University education on a better model with next year. Draft of this Law predicts that issues of high education standardization and international cooperation are being transferred to BiH level, trough establishment of two Agencies- Agency for Development of High Education and Appraise of Quality and Agency for Centre for Informing and Verification, while establishment of Rectors’ Conference is also predicted, where all authority for these institutions would belong to BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs. Member of working group for drafting of the Law, Mirko Banjac said that RS will preserve financing, managing, administrative and inspective supervision, as well as accrediting, licensing and quality appraise in executive part, stressing that draft of this Law has shown the World that BiH has personnel and will to join integrations in this area, emphasising that they have shown that Dayton Agreement is not the obstacle if something wants to be solved, being that everything was done without violation of Constitutions. |
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| Miscellaneous |
| UNESCO ceremony in Mostar
| FTV, NTV Hayat, Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Mostar officially on UNESCO list’ by Agencies, Vecernji List pg 2, announced on cover ‘Old Bridge included into UNESCO list’ by Vesna Leto, Dnevni Avaz pg 3, announced on cover ‘Reconstruction of Old Bridge also untied the world’ by F.Vele – also report
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| Weber: Karadzic and Mladic most likely not in BIH
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Webber: I do not think Karadzic and Mladic are in BiH’, BHT 1, RTRS – NATO HQ in BiH, Brigadier-General, Louis Weber, stated that he doesn’t believe that war crime indictees at large Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are hiding in BIH. He said that most likely they will be arrested in some foreign country. Weber added that he finds illogical that no one from the Karadzic family is informed on his whereabouts. |
| Face to Face- Potocnik vs. Bajrambasic on issue of Corridor Vc
| NTV Hayat – Being that Corridor Vc and initiative that it should end in Neum are also initiatives that CD advocates for, guest of tonight’s Face to Face were Mladen Potocnik– Representative in BiH House of Representatives and Izet Bajrambasic– Deputy to BiH Minister of Communications and Transport. Potocnik, as independent representative in BiH HoR has initiated this issue and gathered signatures of 22 Representatives that have the same opinion, and that is that Corridor Vc must end in Neum and that Port Neum has to be built. Potocnik stressed that this is something that BiH shouldn’t abandon, being that this issue concerns the whole Bajrambasic- said that Ministry is trying to work on the route that was decided on priory, stressing that he is glad that some one has initiated this issue and that Ministry has intention to draft an elaborate on this during the 2006. He stressed that Parliament as legislative body, should decide on this, being that CoM as executive power will have to obey. Bajrambasic agreed that PM Ivo Sanader has used several issues for his own purposes, stressing that BiH neighbours are often using BiH for their daily politics’ purposes. Bajrambasic said that he sees solution in making of Y turn down at the South of the country, where one end would lead to Port Ploce and the other to Neum- to which Potocnik said that he agrees only if part to Neum and Potr Neum are built first. |
| EUFOR’s harvest in Kotor Varos
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pg 2 ‘EUFOR seized arms at music tones’ BHT 1 – EUFOR has organised another harvest action in Kotor Varos. The EUFOR soldiers also demonstrated their musical talents by playing on the instruments for the locals. |