Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 18 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs) |
| | Exhumations in |
| BOSS: Remove BiH Defence Minister | Main hearing in Dodik case on 9 May |
| India-Pakistan relations | Olli Rehn in SCG |
TV news broadcast on 17 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| IC on Manjaca/Bileca ceremonies | Jasenovac liberation anniversary | IC on Manjaca/Bileca ceremonies |
| Doko on FTA issues with | Doko on FTA issues with | Jasenovac liberation anniversary |
| Mtg of Agriculture Trade Union | | Jasenovac, feature background story |
| Police reform debate in Livno | Olli Rehn on war crime indictees | Similar ceremonies across |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Jasenovac liberation anniversary | Commemoration in Donja Gradina | 60th Anniversary of “Jasenovac” |
| Similar ceremonies across | Circle 99 in session | Life story of “Jasenovac” inmate |
| Circle 99 in session | IC on Manjaca/Bileca ceremonies | Report on “Jasenovac” |
| IC on Manjaca/Bileca ceremonies | Association of judges meets | Cavic on “Jasenovac” |
| Oslobodjenje | |
| Dnevni Avaz | Karadzic and Krajisnik are behind crime in RS customs; Tihic: Incidents in Manjaca and Blieca were prepared for a long time; Stankovic must carry out investigation |
| Dnevni List | Croats are still divided |
| Vecernji List | NATO sanctions BiH because of RS |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Nezavisne Novine | Commemoration for innocent victims of fascism |
| Glas Srpske | Sin is not without witnesses |
| EuroBlic | Crime was left without punishment |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
| Srpski Nacional | Serbs reached a settlement with the Hague Tribunal |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| RS MoD Stankovic condemns events in Bileca, Manjaca
| FENA – The RS Defence Minister Milovan Stankovic condemns the events that took place at taking of solemn oath at Manjaca and Bileca, when the conscripts self-willingly changed the text of the oath, stated the RS MoD spokesman, Branko Trkulja. Trkulja stresses that the (RS) MoD and RS Army General Staff have been requested to make reports on the events on basis of which appropriate measures will be taken. |
| Ashdown to meet FBiH Parliament to discuss police reform
| FENA – According to the Speaker of the FBiH House of Representatives, Muhamed Ibrahimovic, the chamber will make a recess during the tomorrow’s session, during which the Collegiums of both the chambers of the FBiH Parliament will meet with the HR, Paddy Ashdown, to discuss the Police reform. |
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| BH Radio 1 by Radmila Grubisa – |
| Mayors conference in Brcko commences
| BH Radio 1 by Nedjo Djurovic – Mayors and heads of municipalities from all around the country have gathered in Brcko to attend two-day conference of mayors and civil society stakeholder on the occasion of 3rd anniversary of BiH’s membership to Council of Europe. Today, participants have focused at the discussion on implementation of the the European Charter on the local self-governance. The Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic pointed out to the importance of the local self governance stressing that the system must be reformed to ensure local communities are less depended on the centralized authorities. |
| Olli Rehn visits SCG: SCG must apprehend all PIFWCs at large
| BH Radio 1 by Slavisa Numic – Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica, SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, SCG President Svetozar Marovic held separate meetings with the EU Enlargement Minister, Olli Rehn, in |
War crimes | |
| Commemoration for WWII victims held in Donja Gradina
| PINK, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pgs 2-3 ‘Commemoration for innocent victims of fascism’ by D. Kovacevic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Blood does not wash blood out’ by Dobrila Majstorovic and Snjezana Milankovic– RS President Dragan Cavic said on Sunday in Donja Gradina that the crimes committed in Jasenovac WWII concentration camp must never be forgotten and that it is a historic commitment to always seek the truth about the sufferings of Serbs, Jews, Roma and antifascists. Addressing the memorial manifestation on the occasion of marking the 60th anniversary of the breach of Jasenovac detainees, the holocaust and the victory over fascism, Cavic said that the truth was never precisely determined nor the crime was punished, and the consequences of criminal genocide, although historically condemned, had stricken entire peoples. The ceremony was attended by the number of officials from neighboring countries. BHT 1, Hayat, RTRS, FTV, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Cease the hatred to prevent it becoming revenge’, mentioned on cover, by B. Kahrimanovic – A. Becirovic, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Here in BiH we are all on a historical test’, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pgs 2-3 ‘Commemoration for innocent victims of fascism’ by D. Kovacevic, Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Sin is not without witnesses’ by E. G. S., EuroBlic cover and pg 2 ‘Crime was left without punishment’ by Mirna Soja, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘Commemoration for victims, punishment for executors’ by M. Aprilski– also reported. |
| EU Enlargement Comm. Rehn: it is extremely important to apprehend Karadzic, Mladic
| PINK – The EU Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, stated in |
| Lawyer Toma Fila: Pavkovic and Djordjevic are going to
| Srpski Nacional cover pg splash ‘Serbs reached a settlement with the Hague Tribunal’ and pg 3 ‘Pavkovic and Djordjevic are going to the Hague, Lukic is returning’ by U. Mrdic – Lawyer Toma Fila thinks General Nebojsa Pavkovic will, most probably, surrender and voluntarily go to the Hague soon. ‘I expect Djordjevic (Vlastimir), who is most probably in |
RS Army recruits’ swearing in Bileca, Manjaca | |
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| RHB, RTRS, Hayat, FTV, BHT1, Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘RS must realize it is entity and not a state’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘RS can exist only within BiH’, mentioned on cover ‘Stankovic must carry out investigation’ by S. Numanovic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘RS must understand that it is entity and not state’ by dj, Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Minister Stankovic was ordered to launch an investigation’ by V. Popovic and M. Cubro, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘They condemn and warn’ by N. Z– The joint statement by EU Presidency, US Embassy, NATO and OHR with regard to events in Manjaca and Bileca at the occasion of taking solemn oath condemn the incidents during the military induction ceremonies in the RS on April 16 when the first generation of the RS Army recruits asked to swear loyalty to BiH rather than just the RS refused to do so and booed the national anthem. “These events have to be taken very seriously as they indicate a deeper problem within the RS. As BiH approaches crucial decisions on the country’s Euro-Atlantic future… this could not come at a worse time. The RS must realize that it is an entity and not a state and can only exist within BiH and as part of BiH… this attitude can only lead to isolation and exclusion for BiH,” reads the statement. It was added these events also raise serious questions about the RS Defence Ministry and underline the need identified by Carla Del Ponte and NATO to eliminate systemic weaknesses in the security structure of BiH, including entity ministries of defense. “The response so far given to these events by RS PM [Pero] Bukejlovic and RS Defense Minister [Milovan] Stankovic are wholly inadequate. We expect RS MoD Stankovic to make clear his unqualified condemnation of the events and to initiate an immediate inquiry and report to Defense Minister [Nikola] Radovanovic. We expect the report to identify those responsible for the incident and detail further actions to be taken by 19 April in time for NATO consideration at the Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘NATO sanctions BiH because of RS’, pgs 2-3 ‘Sanctions against soldiers follow’ by D. Jazvic and B. Stevandic – report on the incidents. |
| EUFOR Comm. Leakey condemns incidents
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘EUFOR’s condemnation’ – EUFOR Commander, David Leaky, fully supports the strong statement issued by the Office of the High Representative concerning reports of the conduct of the RS Army recruits at Bileca Barracks on April 16. EUFOR condemns this incident, which calls into question the integrity and commitment of the officers in the VRS chain of command, was announced by the Public Information Office of EUFOR. |
| Radovanovic: this is serious incident to be investigated
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Taking solemn oath is in authority of entities’ ministries’ by B. Ka. – BiH Defence Minister, Nikola Radovanovic, stated for daily that the issue of taking solemn oath ceremony is in the hands of the entities Defence Ministries. Commenting to the 16 April incident in which RS Army recruits rejected to take solemn oath for BiH, Radovanovic said that “it is important to do the analyses to gather reliable information, after which things will be done to ensure that future ceremonies are carried out in accordance with the Law and in a dignified manner of recruits.” Rejecting to comment any sanctions, Radovanovic adds that it seems to him that RS MoD’s intention is to check the entire incident. Dnenvi Avaz pg 2 inset ‘Radovanovic: Serious incident’ – Radovanovic told DA this is a serious incident which deserves the investigation, to be followed by the appropriate measures. He added he talked to Stankovic telling him investigation must be carried out. |
| Becirbasic: BiH MoD should investigate
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Defense Minister can order investigation’ by S. Se – Commenting the 16 April incident involving RS Army recruits, BiH Deputy Defence Minister, Enes Becirbasic told daily that the BiH Defence Law doesn’t stipulate the sanctions in the case of disrespecting the national anthem and taking solemn oath, however added that there are other state and entities’ institutions to deal with this issue. This, says Becirbasic, would mean they could initiate the investigation on the incidents, but he stresses this is a matter for lower levels of authorities such as prosecutors’ officers and entities MoDs. Becirbasic concluded that under the law the Minister has a right to initiate specific investigations. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘BiH MoD should investigate’ by M.K. – Becirbasic told daily that he believes that MoD should investigate this incident. |
| RS MoD Spokesperson: Recruits behavior was expression of their will, reply to pressures for single army
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Oath and hymn broke down’ by M. Dzepina, M. Mihajlovic and S. Aleksic – With regard to the incident on the occasion of taking the oath, Spokesperson of RS Defense Ministry Branko Trkulja says, from legislative point of view, a misdemeanor has been committed. The fact recruits changed the text of the oath was an expression of their will and a reply to pressures for establishment of a single army. Trkulja said no person can ask from another person to like somebody and, in this moment, there can be no single army. Inset ‘Playing with destiny’ – RS Association of POWs condemned institutions and individuals at BiH and RS authorities for misusing young soldiers by saying the recruits have believed they would serve under the flag of RS. Inset ‘There were worse times’ – President of Banja Luka Veterans’ Association Tomislav Cavic has stated young soldiers have took the oath worthy of Serb people. He has sent a message to the High Representative that there cannot be any forcible reconciliation without a will of peoples. Inset ‘I did not know’ – carries a statement of RS PM Pero Bukejlovic who stated that RS recruits did not know for the changed text of the oath. This was, according to him, known only by few RS politicians that he did not want to name. |
| Tihic says recruits in Manjaca/Bileca events were manipulated by political forces
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 5 ‘Anti-Bosnian mood has been created in RS for long time already’, mentioned on front ‘Incidents at Manjaca and Bileca had been prepared for long time’, by Mirela Kukan – Bosniak member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, in an interview for Dnevni Avaz blames the political forces in the RS for the events that took place at Manjaca and Bileca over the weekend (soldiers swearing allegiance to RS). He stresses that anti-Bosnian and anti-state mood has been created through institutions of system and media when it comes to defence and police reforms. “Those soldiers are children that were manipulated with by political forces that constantly send messages against single army, police and state of BiH. It can be overcome by, firstly, the change of political forces that are in power in the RS, or by changing their behaviour, so they are more responsible towards the state and citizens of the RS and BiH. They have opted for stopping the reforms and that’s not good for any normal state and policy”, says Tihic. |
| Terzic expects Radovanovic to investigate incidents
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Terzic: RS Army’s officers are responsible’ – The Chair of the CoM, Adnan Terzic, told DA that the 16 April incidents “clearly show that political subject in RS have an alternative to the BiH’s path to European and NATO”. “They must stop with the incidents… Someone has to be held responsible for the behaviour of the RS army’s recruits and I expected that BiH MoD, Nikola Radovanovic, will investigate this further,” said Terzic. |
| Comments by SDA, SNSD, SDS, PDP
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Minister Stankovic was ordered to launch an investigation’ by V. Popovic and M. Cubro – RS Deputy President Adil Osmanovic (SDA) thinks RS Defense Ministry officials and RS Army Headquarters officials should take the responsibility for such a behavior of recruits. SNSD Secretary General Igor Radojicic thinks RS Defense Minister Milovan Stankovic should resign because ‘recruits have been forced to take the oath while no person has told them in which army they will serve their military service’. Desanka Radjevic (SDS) thinks the recruits have behaved sincerely in accordance with their feelings and they should not be condemned over this. Velimir Sakan (PDP) thinks this example indicates complexity of the implementation of reforms and represents a situation BiH can expect to repeat in the course of further implementation of reforms of defense and police. |
| Circle 99 condemns Manjaca/Bileca incidents | Hayat, FTV – At the Sunday’s session of the Association of the Independent Intellectuals ‘Circle 99’, participants sharply condemned the incident which occurred during the oath taking ceremony of the RS Army’s generation. BHT 1 by Mirela Cosic – At the Circle 99’s session, former BiH Army General Jovan Divjak said that the representatives of the authorities are to blame for the incident that took place during the ceremony of taking the oath of the RS Army recruits. “Because if the defence minister was not present, and this is the first time that the recruits are taking the oath for BiH, than he bears at least a part of responsibility”, said Divjak. Journalist Gojko Beric stated for BHT1: “We are talking about the army, about the soldiers that clearly do not obey their commanders. That is not the army, that is the unbridled rabble, despite the fact it was well dressed up.” |
Police and defence reforms | |
| Tihic on police reform meeting on Vlasic: FBiH opposition parties should be invited
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 5 ‘Anti-Bosnian mood has been created in RS for long time already’, mentioned on front ‘Incidents at Manjaca and Bileca had been prepared for long time’, by Mirela Kukan – Bosniak member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, in an interview for Dnevni Avaz, whilst commenting on the Vlasic meeting on police reform that has been organized by the High Representative for BiH, regrets that all representatives of opposition parties from the FBiH have not been invited to the meeting, since all the RS opposition parties have been invited. Tihic argues the FBiH parties should have been invited too, since they will have to vote on the related laws in the respective parliament. |
| Oslobodjenje on upcoming police reforms talks: Maps will be difficult to agree on
| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Regional division is an obstacle towards the path to EU’, mentioned on cover, by A. Omeragic – The Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, says he is optimistic in the light of upcoming meetings organized by the OHR to finalize the agreements on police reform. “I believe we will reach a consensus and adopt the action plan for the reform, which is a condition to receive EU’s approval in May [for beginning of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement],” says Terzic. However, as daily notes, even OHR said that it would be difficult to reconcile everybody’s stands on the issue. PDP member, Velimir Sakan, already announced that PDP intends to offer solutions different from those proposed by the Police Reform Commission. FBiH Interior Minister, Mevludin Halilovic, supports proposal by the PRC, however notes 10 police regions is not the best solutions especially not organized as the Commission proposed. HDZ also support reform, but opposes abolishment of cantonal MoIs if entities’ are to remain. However, the RS politicians strongly oppose abolishment of the RS MoIs. |
| Public debates on police reforms held in Livno, Mrkonjic grad
| RHB – Members of EUPM and OHR organised in Livno a public debate on police reform in BIH. EUPM members David Hamilton and Nikola Mantun and OHR member Senad Zlatar presented the report of Police Reform Commission to Livno citizens, policemen and local officials. It was stressed that some of main advantages of the reform are better security for BIH citizens as well as partner relation of police and local community, protection of police from political influence, joint system if financing, equal working conditions for all police employees and more efficient fight against crime. Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘The path leads to unitarisation’ by S. D. – A public discussion on police reform was held in Mrkonjic Grad. OHR advisor Michael Doyle and representatives of EUPM David Hamilton and Nichol Mawten (sp!) discussed goals of police reform. The conclusion reached during the discussion was that organisational reforms are possible but the abolishment of RS MoI is not. |
| Spokesperson for Chair CoM: BiH doesn’t expect invitation for PfP at upcoming NATO mtg
| Dnevni List pg 5 ‘BiH is expecting positive comments, but not invitation’ by M. Karacic carries that the NATO meeting will take place in |
| Becirbasic: BiH will not be invited to join PfP
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘BiH without invitation letter for the Partnership for Peace’ by M. Cubro – Deputy BiH Minister of Defense Enes Becirbasic has stated BiH Ministry of Defense has fulfilled all technical pre-requisites set by NATO, but there is still a political pre-condition of full cooperation with the Hague. ‘It is clear NATO demands for arresting of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, which has not been fulfilled, therefore there is no need to expect anything else but a rejection letter’, Becirbasic has stated. |
| NN op-ed: BiH and RS authorities failed to understand message of EU re admission to NATO | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘The expected no’ by Mirza Cubro – the author says BiH and RS authorities have obviously failed to understand the message EU has sent by postponing negotiations with Croatia due to failure to arrest Ante Gotovina. ‘The message is very clear: arrest all Hague fugitives and only then can you proceed’, the author says, referring to the forthcoming NATO summit and attempts of BiH to join PfP. |
Economic and judicial issues | |
| Doko: To resolve FTA issue through dialogue btw
| Hayat, PINK, RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘BiH especially cares about agreement with Croatia’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘To resolve trade dispute between BiH and Croatia through dialogue’ by Hina, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘To resolve trades dispute with Croatia trough a dialogue’ by Hina – BiH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Dragan Doko judged that the dispute with Croatia regarding the Free Trade Agreement might be resolved through a dialogue between Zagreb and Sarajevo. Doko added: ‘We are expecting reaching of the agreement within the working group and the Board which is in charge of monitoring the Free Trade Agreement’s implementation.’ |
| Terzic says dispute over FTA btw
| Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Good neighbouring relations are not being built in Brussels’, mentioned on cover ‘Politics of entities aggravated relations with Republic of Croatia’ by Z. Kresic – In an interview to VL, the Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic comments on the announcements that Croatia will introduce counter-measures regarding the Free Trade Agreement with BiH by says that this is a matter for the Croatian authorities and he added: ‘I am concerned about the statements that relations between Croatia and BiH will be resolved in Brussels. Good neighbouring relations are being built in Zagreb and Sarajevo and not in Brussels.’ |
| Avaz: Dismissed employees of RS Customs Administration on illegalities in RS customs/reaction by Causevic
| Dnevni Avaz, front pg splash ‘Karadzic and Krajisnik are behind crime in RS customs’ and pg 4 ‘Proven criminals are among customs officials’, by M. Kukan – Dismissed employees of the RS Customs Administration (RS CA), who claim they have been unjustly fired, sent the Director of Indirect Taxation Authority (ITA), Kemal Causevic, and Head of CAFAO, Alen Jensen, an open letter in which they reveal alleged crimes that had happened in the RS customs in past years. The six-page letter goes name by name, revealing identity of persons who have allegedly organized the “customs cartel”, which damaged the RS budget by several million KMs. Allegedly, the organizers of the schemes in 1996 and 1997 were Radovan Karadzic, Momcilo Krajisnik and Momcilo Mandic, whilst the executor was one Dragan Spasojevic AKA Mangas. The letter apparently lists people who were involved in the scheme and who are still employed in the state/entity institutions. Dnevni Avaz, pg 4 ‘We requested checking from Prosecutor Jurcevic’, by M. K. – Carries Causevic as commenting the allegations from above. He believes that the letter was not sent by former employees, but by former leadership of the RS CA. He believes it is indicative that the letter appears two years after the ITA got established and after the 4th round of vacancies (in ITA presumably). Saying that he has received some 150 similar letters, Causevic notes that he had meeting with the State Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic who was requested to look into the customs related frauds. |
| Sekovici municipal account still blocked
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Account blocked because of the 20 years old debt’ by Onasa – The bank account of the Municipality Sekovici has been blocked for past 3 months due to debts made about 20 years ago. According to Head of Municipality, Snjezan Sokic, the account was blocked based on the judicial verdict ordering the Municipality to pay out 40.000 KM. Sokic explains that the Municipality was supposed to pay out 600 KM to an individual in 1986, however the debt was never paid. “Debts were create by former authorities, and now everyone comes to us to collect the month we are not in a possibility to deal with this on our own, so we will seek the assistance from the RS Government,” concluded Sokic. RTRS by Sladjana Jasarevic – RTRS report says that in addition to this, there are other debts as the citizens of the municipality demand to be compensated in a sum of a million KM for the land used to construct the street. |
| Bicakcic and Covic accused of damaging the budget for 825,000 KM
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘Bicakcic was accused of damaging the budget for 825,000 KM’ by M. Cubro – A collocutor from BiH Prosecutor’s Office has stated that former F BiH PM Edhem Bicakcic and former F BiH Minister of Finances Dragan Covic have been accused of damaging the budget for approximately 825,000 KM because they have transferred these funds to the Association of Families of Shehids and Fallen Soldiers from Zenica in 2000. The Special Department of BiH Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an investigation in this case. Dragan Covic’s lawyer Josip Muselimovic has confirmed Covic was interrogated with regard to this case. |
| John McNair: Accomplices are protected if they are offering substantial evidence to the Prosecutor | Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Accomplices are protected if they are offering substantial evidence to the Prosecutor’ by A. Durmo – Deputy Chief Prosecutor and Head of the Special Department for Organised Crime and Corruption, John McNair, has extensively explained legal provisions on immunity granted to protected witnesses, refusing to comment on two cases that are currently processed at BiH Court (the cases of Asim Fazlic and Abduladhim Maktouf). |
| BHT1: 260.000 KM for protected witness in Leutar case returned to budget? | BHT 1 by Boris Grubesic – Approximately 260.000 KM out of a half a million intended for the protected witness in Jozo Leutar’s case has probably been returned to the FBiH budget. Main FBiH Prosecutor Zdravko Knezevic confirmed this information for the BHT, adding that the Prosecutor’s Office is currently checking the facts in a case of a murder of the former FBiH Deputy Interior Minister. Protected witness Merim Galijasevic was paid approximately 230 thousands of KM for his testimony [based on which 7 suspects were accused, and after spending a year in detention were released], but defense attorneys claim that it was completely false. “It is unacceptable that the witness is rewarded for telling lies in order to indict innocent persons”, commented lawyer Josip Muselimovic. The money was paid to an account of the UN employee who, according to the BHT reporter, was close associate of the former Head of the UNMIBH Jacques Paul Klein. Six years after the murder of Jozo Leutar, purchasers and the perpetrators of this crime remain unknown. |
| Judges in FBiH dissatisfied with the draft law regulating their salaries | FTV – FBiH Association of judges held meeting in |
Constitutional changes /other political issues | |
| Tihic on constitutional arrangement in BiH
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 5 ‘Anti-Bosnian mood has been created in RS for long time already’, mentioned on front ‘Incidents at Manjaca and Bileca had been prepared for long time’, by Mirela Kukan – Bosniak member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, in an interview for Dnevni Avaz, says the SDA is advocating changes to the Constitution of BiH that foresee a de-centralized state with three levels of authority, namely a local, regional and state levels. Tihic argues that the local and state level should get more authorities, whilst on the regions, he says: “The best proposal is the five economically sustainable regions that have been forwarded by the European Commission: Zenica, |
| HNI leader Zubak says Croats divided over constitutional changes
| Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Croats are still divided’ and pg 3 ‘Croat parties in BiH divided in 2 fractions’ by I. Glibusic – Commenting on the last meeting of NHI, HSS, HNZ, HSP Djapic-Jurisic and HDZ on constitutional changes, NHI President Kresimir Zubak stated that at this meeting HDZ representative Velimir Jukic confirmed that HDZ agrees to participate in the process of reaching agreement among Croat political parties and Zubak added: ‘However, HDZ published on Friday that they will come up with their own initiative or that together with their political partners from the authority they will define their joint appearance with regard to the constitutional changes. This is different from the things that Jukic told us at the meeting…’ |
| Terzic: BiH has to adjust Constitution to European one
| Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Good neighbouring relations are not being built in Brussels’, mentioned on cover ‘Politics of entities aggravated relations with Republic of Croatia’ by Z. Kresic – Asked whether it is realists to expect constitutional changes and establishment of the state with 3 authority levels, the Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic says in an interview to VL that BiH has to adjust the Constitution to the European one and he added: ‘I believe that if we start to discuss proposals on 3 authority levels and abolishment of entities now, we do not have a chance to reach an agreement. However, if we agree to transfer authorities within certain reforms at the state level I believe that we would achieve big progress during this year.’ Asked whether the time has come for reduction of the International Community’s powers in BiH after the departure of current High Representative Paddy Ashdown, Terzic says that by signing the Agreement on Stabilization and Accession BiH would be on the way to change the HR’ role. Asked whether this might happen in 2006, Terzic says: ‘I believe it is realistic to make it happen by the end of mandate of the current authority composition under condition that we get consent for beginning of the negotiations in May.’ |
| SPRS’s Djokic: revision of
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘The revision of the Dayton is a defeat of SDS’s policy’ by V. Popovic – In an interview to NN, SPRS President Petar Djokic has stated he thinks the Resolution of European Parliament on Western Balkans, in which it was pointed on the necessity of revision of the Dayton Agreement, was ‘a product of defeat of nationalistic parties’ policies, which have not managed to organize BiH society even ten years after the Dayton was singed’. |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Much ado about Sarajevo City Council while Bosniaks and Croats treated like non-existent in RS’ by H. Orahovac – The Chair of the RS Constitutional Court, Mirko Zovko, announced the session of the Court to take place on 20 April when most probably discussion will include about a dozen of cases regarding the protection of the vital national interests. The objections were mainly filed by the RS Council of Peoples, i.e. its Bosniak and Croat delegates. The Chair of the RS CoP, Remzija Kadric, explains that delegates seek examination of the Declaration on initiatives on disputing constitutional base for name of Republika Srpska, which was passed by the RSNA on 31 March last year. Kadric said that the RSNA conclusions on police reform are also disputable, as well as the implementation of the law on local self-governance. He concludes by saying that employment of Bosniaks and Croats in RS municipalities has been absolutely ignored. |
| Rycroft denies | PINK – The U.K Ambassador to BiH, Matthew Rycroft, says that the fact that two Englishmen, Paddy Ashdown and David Leakey were heading OHR and EUFOR did not mean that the U.K was performing the duty of BiH’s “mentor”. The Ambassador expressed a hope that BiH is going to start negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement in the second half of 2005. He says that interests International Community still focus at the police reform and cooperation with the ICTY. Rycroft also believes that BiH Constitution needs to be changed to enable BiH institutions to develop. He welcomes RS authorities’ efforts regarding the issue of cooperation with the ICTY. |