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| Inauguration of Cro President Mesic | BiH HoR in session |
| BiH HoR’s session | Bomb hoax in Mostar school |
| Komarica met SDHR Wnendt | Mesic’s inauguration today |
TV news broadcast on
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Bomb hoax in Mostar | EP West Balkans resolution | BiH pilots will return from |
| School in HNC continues | Issue of resignations in BiH CoM | BiH – |
| Presidency at Mesic’s inauguration | New RS Govt took over duties | Turkey Prime Minister visited Mostar |
| Turkish PM in | Investigation of bribery cases | New RS Government inaugurated |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Saida Dautovic died of meningitis | BiH officials wants more privileges | EP West Balkans resolution |
| A child died of meningitis in | Blood donating in BiH | New RS Government takes over |
| EP West Balkans resolution | Possible shortage of fuel in BiH | Hays visits |
| Crvenkovski met Presidency memb. | War crimes suspects arrested -SCG | RS MoI workers want higher salaries |
| Oslobodjenje | We have rejected payment in installments a long time ago! |
| Dnevni Avaz | Ahmet Hadzipasic: We will cut administration for 30% |
| Dnevni List | Revenues in January lesser by 30 million KMs |
| Vecernji List | Hostage crisis almost over |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Mostar: Flu epidemic pronounced |
| Nezavisne Novine | Berkovici without water and electricity |
| Glas Srpske | Winter related titles |
| EuroBlic | They have wished for pensions in the amount of 2,500 KM |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
| Ljiljan | Why man cannot have more than one wife?; General Steven Schook: We must destroy war criminals support network |
| Slobodna Bosna | Tihomir Blaskic commanded over Ahmici massacre |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| BiH HoR in session
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| Bishop Komarica met SDHR Wnendt | RHB at |
Political affairs | |
| RS Govt. hand-over
| TV PINK, RTRS – Duty handover between RS PM in resignation Dragan Mikerevic and new PM Pero Bukejlovic took place Thursday. Bukejlovic stressed that the new Government will have an active stance towards cooperation with ICTY. He also added that the current reforms in RS must continue. BH T 1 – New RS Government will follow the practice of the former Government when it comes to social and economy policies, with possible corrections, Bukejlovic stated. “If the same economy policies of the former Government continues, especially regarding bankruptcy, that won’t give results and it will lead us in even more difficult situation,” representative of the RS Trade Unions Confederation, Obrad Belenzada, stated. RTRS – Former PM Dragan Mikerevic stated that his Government could have done a better job but it is now up to the new Government to continue with reforms and obligations. Bukejlovic stated that continuation of reforms and pro-active cooperation with ICTY is ahead of the new Government. Mico Micic now former Minister of Labour and Soldiers and Invalid Protection handed over his duty to Miodrag Deretic. Deretic stated that he will visit every municipality in RS and speak to all organisations of pensioners and veterans. Micic stated that he will be available to the new Minister and added that before taking over any new positions he will take a long holiday. Other Ministers also introduced their replacements with all the necessary issues. Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘RS Government announced active cooperation with the Hague Tribunal’ by V. Popovic, EuroBlic pgRS2 ‘Ministers are eager to get rest’ by Nedeljka Breberina and Rajna Radosavljevic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Hands full of work’ by G. Dakic, Oslobodjenje announced on cover and pg 4 ‘Cooperation with the Tribunal – immediately!’ by O. Vukovic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Especially active stand with regard to The Hague’ by bs – also report on handover of duty. |
| OHR on Govt.’s tasks
| TV PINK – OHR Banja Luka Spokesperson |
| US Embassy in BiH on RS Govt. | Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘They expect from RS Government to fulfill obligations’ by V. P. – US Embassy to BiH expects from RS Government to fulfill international obligations and to cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. |
| DL column criticising RS Govt.
| Dnevni List pg 16 ‘RS Government is again a Great Serb one’ by Marin Erceg – The author criticizes almost every detail regarding the process of the appointment of the new RS Government, saying, among other issues, that the SDS and Serb Radical Party have appointed three of their “private Croats” because the SDS and SRS had to do so, owing to “scandalous constitutional changes” enacted during former High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, which lack legitimacy. The author also notes that it is scandalous that the OHR welcomes the appointment of such government, firstly because there are no legitimate representatives of the Croats and Bosniaks in it, secondly because it is the SDS and SRS’ government, whose representatives together with PDP’s officials cannot go to the USA and most importantly because the policy of these parties is very radical, supporting the Greater Serbia and on top of this, they are the greatest opposition to all reforms in BiH. |
| RS NA Club of centre of alleged bribery case at RS NA
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Somebody must lay accounts’ by N. D. – Centre Club of delegates Thursday demanded from MoI and RS Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether certain delegates had been offered a bribe to support the new RS Government. A delegate of Serb Patriotic Party and member of Centre Club, Radivoj Trbic, has stated the Centre Club is satisfied with personnel solutions of PM Pero Bukejlovic. ‘Our four delegates have supported Bukejlovic’s program of work and composition of his cabinet. However, should there be no results, we will withdraw our support’, Trbic has stated. |
| Kalabic in a statement to Prosecutor’s Office only mentioned Cavic’s name
| Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Nothing new from Kalabic’ by V. J. – According to unofficial information, DNS delegate Drago Kalabic has revealed no new information to the Prosecutor’s Office with regard to his claims on alleged attempt of bribery. Sources close to the investigation claim Kalabic, in a statement given at the Prosecutor’s Office, had not mentioned any other name but Cavic’s. TV PINK – Banjaluka police informed that it had conducted investigation regarding allegations stated by DNS representative Drago Kalabic, on being offered bribe in return for support to RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic. |
| Further reactions to upcoming Neum meeting
| BHT 1 – The meeting is to be attended only by the representatives of the five strongest parties in the state parliament, without representatives of the opposition. RS parties still didn’t confirm their attendance. There will be no discussion on constitutional changes as announced at first. “I think that authorities should first see do they agree on things, if they don’t agree, they should leave,” said SDP President, Zlatko Lagumdzija. “SNSD believes that nothing big will happen, even changes of one or two ministers won’t change the way of thinking and working of the Council of Ministers, which currently leads country to nowhere, not to mention towards the European Union,” said SNSD representative,Nebojsa Radmanovic. Party for BiH (SBiH) supports the idea of giving more authority to the State and municipalities. One of the most important issue on which PDP wants discussion is when BiH institutions will take full responsibility for decision-making process, instead of the High Representative. “If SDS and other participants believes that these are not the basis for BiH functioning, than PDP doesn’t see itself cooperating with these parties,” said PDP representative, Vinko Radovanovic. SDS still considers Dragan Covic’s invitation to participate in this meeting. “I can’t tell you at this moment will we attend that meeting, who would go, but I expect this issue will be solved soon enough,” said SDS representative, Dusan Stojicic. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed: Chance for BiH’s introduction to ‘ | Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Chance for BiH’s introduction to ‘Brussels’ phase’, mentioned cover, by M.K.S. – Daily reads that the topic of the political parties’ meeting to be held in Neum on 22 and 23 February will be only the functioning of the state level of authorities, confirms the HDZ spokesperson, Pero Pavlovic. SDP Secretary, Svetozar Pudaric, says that this meeting cannot bring anything new as these ruling parties for years now have shown what they can do. his meeting |
| Novakovic: SDS does not want to talk about constitutional changes in Neum’ | Dnevni List pg 3 ‘SDS does not want to talk about constitutional changes in Neum’ by N.B. – Commenting on the upcoming meeting of few political parties in Neum, member of the SDS Presidency Momcilo Novakovic stated: ‘First of all, it should be made clear which are the intentions of all participants of such meeting and if SDA is intending to rise the issue of the Constitution SDS will not participate at such or similar meeting.’ He added that so far SDS has not received the invitation to discuss the constitutional changes or the official invitation for the meeting in Neum. |
| Terzic on PDP resignations from BiH COM
| TV PINK – Chair of BiH Council of Ministers (CoM) Adnan Terzic said that he was going to hold talks with routgoing PDP members in BiH CoM and afterwards brought decision on eventual official dismissals. If ministers and deputy ministers, PDP representatives, decide not to withdraw their resignations, Terzic said that he would have to nominate new ministers. Terzic said “Every politician in BiH is absolutely aware of the fact that BiH has no time for long discussions and negotiations, thus I believe that we are going to overcome the existing situation and, if necessary, we are going to nominate new persons, as soon as possible.” PDP representative Vinko Radovanovic, said:“PDP supported reasons due to which resignations have been issued, and it is up to representatives to decide whether they are going to withdraw them.” HDZ representative Vinko Zoric, said: “If Ivanic’s and Dokic’s resignations are to be rejected, that does not have to mean that they are defeated. On the other hand, these persons should be criticised if their reasons are good; such persons should be relieved of their duties as soon as possible and new CoM should be nominated.” |
| Terzic hopes Ivanic, Dokic and Tesanovic would withdraw their resignations | NTV Hayat – Terzic said that the Council was going to be complete by the end of this month He expressed hope Ivanic, Dokic and Tesanovic would withdraw their resignations. |
| BiH Parliament Commission on property purchase of Marsal Tito barracks / on BiH CoM report
| NTV Hayat – Constitutional-Legal Commission within BiH Parliament Assembly House of Peoples accepted report issued by ombudsmen, regarding appeals filed by political parties, which refer to the work of BiH CoM. The Commission supported the decision on purchase of part of property, which belongs to Marsal Tito barracks. Nezavisne novine pg 3 ‘CoM had not investigated on complaints of citizens’ by Srna, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘The Council is avoiding obligations’ by N. Z. – Member of HoP Commission for Constitutional and Legal matters Bosko Siljegovic has confirmed that the Commission Thursday adopted the report of Ombudsmen with regard to citizens’ complaints on the work of CoM. BiH Ombudsmen’s report reads is was humiliating that CoM has took no measures with regard to any of the cases nor it had allowed Ombudsmen to investigate claims brought in the complaints. |
Economic / social affairs | |
| PDHR Hays in B. Luka
| TV PINK – PDHR RTRS – Branko Krsmanovic stated that 2005 is the year of financial challenges and it will take great efforts to sustain entity and state administrations. RS Minister of Finance Svetlana Cenic stated that she is now sitting in a “hot chair”. Cenic and Hays stressed that they are pleased that Krsmanovic will remain in the working group for fiscal sustainability. EuroBlic pgRS1, announced on cover ‘Bosnia is facing bankruptcy’ by Tijana Veselinovic and Mirna Soja, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Oversized bureaucratic apparatus is an obstacle of the admission of BiH to EU’ by S. G., Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Positive changes’ by Lj. C., Dnevni Avaz pg 6 ‘The admittance into EU is disputable without rationalisation’ by J.S. – also reported on the meeting. |
| Macedonian President in visit to BiH
| RHB – Agreement on the social insurance between BiH and Dnevni Avaz announced on cover ‘Macedonia and BiH have same strategic goals’ and pg 2 ‘Admission into EU and NATO are strategic goals of both states’ by A.M.; Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘We will again live in the same state – EU’ by M.K. – Macedonian President said that Macedonian Prosecutor’s Office had closed the report on tragic death of former Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, noting it was caused by pilot’s mistake. Family members of the killed persons and wives of the pilots announce a legal suit against Macedonia, BiH and SFOR in the international court. RHB, BHTV1, PINK, FTV, NTV Hayat, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Economic cooperation does not follow good political relations’ by D. Polovina-Mandic, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘We have same goals’ by E. Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘To publish results of investigation on Trajkovski’s death’ by D. Pasic, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Contract on Social insurance was signed’ by M. Cubroalso report on the visit. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on OHR warning regarding BiH going bankrupt
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 8 ‘We rejected the payment in instalments long ago!’ by A.A. – FBiH Association of Pensioners says that the proposal of the BiH Pensioners Trade Union to receive a payment of debts towards the pensioners in instalments was unacceptable. The Vice Chair of the FBiH Association, Jozo Ljiljanic, explains that such solution was proposed by the authorities however the pensioners immediately rejected it as the debt could be paid out in as many as 30 instalments. Ljiljanic concludes that BiH Pensioners Trade Union could destroy efforts of his organization which this proposal. |
| Hadzipasic announces reduction of public administration
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘We will decrease administration for 30%, pg 4 ‘Administration costs in FBiH are critical’ by A. Dzonlic – FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic announces the establishment of the team which will carry out analysis Govt’s staff members, their competencies and number: “There are about 16.000 people on the FBiH budget, including police and military. Not even the salaries for them are the biggest problem… However, administration works somewhere, uses telephones, heating, vehicles, and all that is being paid from budget. Only for the accommodation of the administrations, directions, agencies we spend 4 million KM per annum. Those costs are critical.” PM underlines that the constitutional changes are precondition for the decrease of the administration. He adds that the group will have a task to rationalize the distribution and a number of employees, believing that staff could be decreased for 30%. |
| FBiH PIO: Revenues in January lesser by 30 million KMs’
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 9 ‘Revenues in January lesser by 30 million KMs’, by V. Soldo – According to the Director of FBiH Pension/Disability Fund, Nadir Kovacevic, the amount of collected revenues for the month of January (2005) is lesser by 16 million KMs in comparison to the month of November 2004. However, Kovacevic says there is no reason to be worried since that is nothing unusual for months of January and February because the pensions will be paid out in the usual amount since the extra revenues collected in November and December will ‘cover’ the months of January and February. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on OHR warning (that BiH would go bankrupt)
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Your life’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – Op-ed refers to OHR’s warning that could soon face bankruptcy due to the costs of its public administration. The author is highly critical of the authorities on this issue, especially since parliamentarians proposed the law to regulate their benefits which fits them entirely, concluding “this is logical since the post-war crime is the dominant factor in establishing new political class [with few exceptions]. That class lives a life which has nothing to do with the citizens.” |
| FBiH Association objects proposal for paying out pensioners debt in instalments
| Oslobodjenje cover splash pg 8 ‘We rejected the payment in instalments long ago!’ by A.A. – FBiH Association of Pensioners says that the proposal of the BiH Pensioners Trade Union to receive a payment of debts towards the pensioners in instalments was unacceptable. The Vice Chair of the FBiH Association, Jozo Ljiljanic, explains that such solution was proposed by the authorities however the pensioners immediately rejected it as the debt could be paid out in as many as 30 instalments. Ljiljanic concludes that BiH Pensioners Trade Union could destroy efforts of his organization which this proposal. |
| Kemal Causevic on ITA severance pays
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Five thousand KMs to each redundant custom official’, by Milan Sutalo – Carries an interview with the Director of Indirect Taxation Administration, Kemal Causevic, in which he notes that a decision on amount of severance pays that is to be paid to the surplus customs officials should be taken at the session of ITA Steering Board scheduled for March 2. Causevic says he proposed that the severance pays amount to 5.000 KMs and that the FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Vrankic, and BiH Treasury Minister, Ljerka Maric, agreed with this, however the newly appointed RS Finance Minister is yet to give the approval. Questioned to comment on the date of start of application of the VAT law, Causevic says the application will start three months after the EU-donated IT equipment becomes operational. “When the equipment will become operational, I really do not know. I do know it is unrealistic to expect the introduction of VAT on July 1”, says Causevic. |
| Turkish premier visiting BiH
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Old Bridge is the world pearl which the humanity must preserve’ by F. Vele, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Stimulus to economic development’ by I.B., Dnevni List pg 13 ‘Turkey is still willing to help Mostar’ by S. Bjelica, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Turkish Prime Minister visited Old Bridge’ by ra, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘To preserve Old Bridge’ by M. Landeka, Nezavisne Novine pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Mostar – the town of future’ by V. Coric – Two-days long visit of Turkey delegation to BiH, led by Prime Minister Recep Erdoan ended with visit to Mostar. Erdoan stated that visit to Mostar is important to him since he couldn’t come to the Mostar’s Old bridge opening ceremony due to heavy train accident in Turkey at that time.Turkey was one of the first donors of the Old bridge reconstruction and Turkey’s company worked directly on the reconstruction. Mostar’s Mayor, Ljubo Beslic said that Erdoan’s visit is significant message that goes to the world, at the time when Mostar has applications in UNESCO and other international institutions. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Meeting with members of BiH Presidency’ inset – Erdoan discussed during the meeting with the BiH Presidency members that Turkey is ready to contribute to a full and more qualitative development of bilateral cooperation. Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Turkish businismen encouraged BiH politicians’ by NINA, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘Turkey wants joint market with BiH’ by D. Pasic – also reports on the meeting at BiH Presidency. |
| FTV feature on privileges of BiH parliamentarians
| FTV – BiH public is still shocked with BiH parliamentarians who shamelessly intended to ensure additional privileges for their retirement, in spite of difficult material status of many BiH citizens, commented FTV, adding that parliamentary farce has no end.In the country with 60% of unemployed citizens, with average pension amounting 160 KM, in country in which one Government doesn’t function every three or four months and no one ever answered for that – the highest governing institution discuss increase of their salaries and shortening of their years of service before retirement, announced reporter. Parliamentarians justify this request with need for ensuring of conditions for performing their duties. “Public officials need to be financially independent in order to work professionally on the base of their expertise, so that they could work on creating of environment from which the State can have profit,” stated member of the BiH Parliament Constitutional and Legal Commission, Mirsad Ceman. If it comes to voting on this proposal, FTV commented that this would be unique opportunity to see efficiency and unity of the representatives in BiH Parliament. |
| NN op-ed on Constitutional-Legal commission
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Privileges as national interest’ by Slavo Kukic – The Commission for Constitutional and Legal matters has returned the Draft law on rights of delegates for additional development and, according to the author, this was not the first time this Draft Law was offered to the delegates – it was offered for the first time a year and a half ago too. Back then, protectors of national interests have not managed to get this Law to be adopted, due to pressure of public. The author thinks the Law would not be adopted this time either. |
| F BiH Govt convened
| TV PINK – FBIH Government supported position of the FBiH Finance Ministry on withdrawal of the legal suit against “Ljubljanska bank”. Municipal Court in Sarajevo brought judgement that protected FBiH interests in a satisfactory manner, so Government concluded that FBiH legal suit can be withdrawn. Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘Proposal of law on criminal proceedings determined’, by N. B., Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘To withdraw suit against Ljubljanska Banka”’ |
Police and intelligence affairs | |
| Matijasevic: RS MoI negotiates on surrender of another Hague indictee
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘RS MoI negotiates on surrender of another Hague indictee’ by S. Karic – RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic Thursday confirmed the Ministry is currently conducting negotiations on surrender of another Hague indictee, but he refused to say who this indictee is. NN unofficially learnt that the person the Ministry is negotiating with is Vinko Pandurevic, who currently resides in |
| RS MoI Syndicate on salaries
| Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Thinner envelope as a reward’ by M. Milunovic, Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Policemen want higher salaries’ by B. G. – Trade Union of RS MoI workers called upon the new Government to deal with the issue of material situation of police employees. They announced that they would use all forms of Union struggle to accomplish their rights. RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic announced that he would intensively speak about conclusions of RS National Assembly regarding the increase of resources for members of MoI. Matijasevic also stressed that he will have the same stance in the next phase of police restructuring in BIH, which means the existence of RS MoI. TV PINK, BH TV 1 also report on the mtg. |
| Verification of legitimacy in dismissing process at OSA
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Verification of legitimacy in dismissing intelligence officers’ by M. Cubro – The Parliamentary Commission for Surveillance over the Work of OSA will in the course of the next week launch the procedure of verification of legitimacy in dismissing intelligence officers of former entity intelligence services, as the Commission Chairman Tomislav Limov has stated. He refused to say whether the Commission would ask OSA chiefs to resign in case it was determined they had violated laws. |
Defence/war crimes issues | |
| Nikolic: Bosniaks against civilian service of military service’
| Dnevni List, pg 8, mentioned on front ‘Bosniaks against civilian service of military service’, by Marko Karacic – According to the FBiH Defence Minister, Miroslav Nikolic, the biggest opposition to the idea of civil service of the (compulsory) military service comes from the Bosniak side. “The truth is that there is a resistance towards this idea in the Bosniak politicians’ way of thinking. Why they are against the civil service and why they limit rights of individuals, it is a question for those with such way of thinking”, says Minister Nikolic, noting that every conscript is entitled to choose the way of carrying out the military service. |
| Schook: Double Armies and Defense Ministries in BiH are not sustainable
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Military budget to be harmonised with VAT’ by A.P., Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘This year is critical for BiH membership to NATO’ by FENA, Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Double Armies and Defense Ministries in BiH are not sustainable’ by A. Sisic, TV PINK– NATO Commander to BiH Steven Schook says that BiH defence structures have to face serious rationalization, since it is clear that BiH budgets do not have enough money for military structures to be financed. When it comes to BiH’s admittance to NATO, Schook said that conditions were clear, single BiH Army and arrestment of war crime indictees. |
| Stojicic with Gregorian
| RTRS, TV PINK – RS National Assembly Speaker Dusan Stojicic met with Co-Chairman of Commission for defence reform in BIH Raffi Gregorian. Stojicic stated that he informed Gregorian on the importance of implementation of those issues that were agreed upon when Mr. Locker was Chairman of the Commission. Gregorian stated that he is grateful for all suggestions that he received in previous meetings with RS officials. Stojicic stressed that Gregorian will be a good replacement for Locker and added that today’s meeting is a continuation of contributions regarding the establishment of political consensus in RS and BIH. |
| Rojs charged for hiding Rajic
| BH TV 1, Dnevni List, back pg ‘Rojs was hiding Ivica Rajic’, not signed, Vecernji List, pg 12, mentioned on front ‘Rojs accused of hiding Rajic’, by Jasna Babic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 5 ‘Criminal report against Rojs for hiding Ivica Rajic’, by Marko Didic – Police filed criminal report against Ljubo Cesic Rojs, suspected of assisting in hiding of ICTY indictee Ivica Rajic, through ensuring fictitious employment in Ministry of Defence and accommodation in military facility to him. Ivica Rajic is also charged with having persuaded Rojs to commit criminal act. In 1994, Rajic obtained false documents in Kiseljak, using the name Jakov Kovac. |
| Todovic refused to enter pleae
| BH TV 1, NTV Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 11 ‘Savo Todovic refused to enter plea’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Todovic refused to enter plea’ – Savo Todovic, indicted for war crimes in Foca in 1992, refused to plea on guilt before ICTY for second time. Todovic is Deputy Chief of Foca prison. This was registered in trial documentation as he pleaded not guilty on indictment. |
| Sarajevo-based NATO HQ Commander Schook says war crime indictees support network must be destroyed
| Ljiljan pgs 10-13 ‘RS’ hundreds of millions marks are being spent in support tyo suspected war criminals’, mentioned on cover ‘We must destroy war criminals support network’ – “If we look at the laws referring to those supporting suspected war criminals, I think that these laws are terrible exactly because they are giving immunity to such the people. Even if some of them are being sentenced, the maximum sentence amounts up to three years in prison. Moreover, not a single person has been apprehended on the basis of these laws. If I were serious about to resolve this issue, I would first adopt laws that treat the problem appropriately, and then I would get funds/tools and start breaking the support network,” said Sarajevo-based NATO Headquarters Commander Steven Schook in an interview for the magazine. |
Other issues of interest | |
| Bomb hoax in Mostar
| Dnevni List, pg 40, mentioned on front ‘Ministers leave Government because of bomb hoax’, by N. Dedic, Vecernji List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Bomb threat in Mostar’, by Robert Soldo, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 22, mentioned on front ‘False bomb chases ministers away’, by A. Vlaho – An anonymous person on Thursday phoned the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Government stating that there was a planted explosive device in the building of HNC Government. Police immediately came to the site and determined that there were no explosives in the building. Investigation is ongoing. TV PINK, BH TV 1 also reports. |
| Hercegovacka bank trial
| Dnevni List, pg 7, mentioned on front ‘Sokovit ‘lied’ to bank about 17 million marks!? – Reports from yesterday’s (Thursday) continuation of trails to Ante Jelavic in the ‘Hercegovacka bank’ case, when former manager of ‘Sokovit’, Branko Kolobaric, was again questioned by Prosecutor John McNair. Prosecutor McNair asked Kolobaric whether Sokovit asked for a loan from the Hercegovacka bank in February 1998 (200.000 KMs), and Kolobaric replied that the company indeed got the loan, however he could not remember his contacts in the bank regarding the loan, neither he could remember who were members of the bank’s Steering Board despite the fact that he was a member of the bank’s Supervisory Board. Still, Kolobaric noted that the loan was returned to the bank. DL notes that like the previous time, Kolobaric could not respond to majority of questions posed to him by McNair. Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘McNair called his witness Branko Kolobaric a liar’ by H. Orahovac also reports on the case. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 17 ‘Target is Covic via Jelavic?’, by Zlatko Tulic – Commenting on the course of trials to Ante Jelavic, the author says that many people, who follow the case, concluded that the Prosecution, led by John McNair, wants to gain evidence against Dragan Covic, which would result in an indictment against him. |
| Arnor crew leaves
| Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘Arnor’s crew tonight leaves Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘BiH pilots coming back from Gabon on Saturday’ by Aldijana Omeragic – According to daily, the BiH Security Ministry will examine the entire case, while Foreign Ministry confirms that BiH pilots will return to BiH on Saturday. Crew claims that conditions of the work were terrible, and the pilot Refik Focic specifies: “We were the hostages of negotiations between two companies.” Dnevni List pgs 4 and 5 ‘7-member crew returns home tomorrow’ by A. Beus, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘Airplane from BiH illegally in Africa?’ by M. Skobic, M. Landeka, Hina, Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Hostage crisis almost over’ pgs 2 and 3 ‘Hostage crisis’ by V. Rupcic – also reports on the issue. |
| European Parliament Resolution on Balkans
| RTRS, NTV Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Entities contribute to regional instability’ – European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee prepared a resolution proposal on West Balkans. According to the proposal obstacle for BIH membership in EU is institutional framework determined by Dayton Agreement. European Parliament should take a stance on this resolution in March. TV PINK – Resolution also states that entities, which act like states, contribute instability in the region. |