Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| BiH CoM to hold session today | Paravac on police reform | PRC Chair met with RSNA collegium |
| Problem of alcoholism in BiH | OHR on VAT | CoM to hold session today |
| | Mostar City Council inaugural session | Terzic in |
TV news broadcast on
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Catholic priest killed in RS | Catholic priest killed in RS | Catholic priest killed in RS | Catholic priest killed in RS |
| Marking of HB anniversary | Meeting on police reform | BiH Police reconstruction | Workers protests in BL |
| Remembrance in Vukovar | BiH policemen in | Threats to prosecutors | Jelsingrad workers |
| Remembrance in Skabrnja | Cancar’s trial next week | HR’s visit to | RS Gov. in session |
| Oslobodjenje | A parish priest killed |
| Dnevni Avaz | Audit is to be strike on criminal lobbies |
| Dnevni List | Help promised |
| Vecernji List | Catholic priest perfidiously killed |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | State gifted Zenica Steelworks |
| Glas Srpske | Gigovic admitted crime |
| Nezavisne Novine | Workers are hungry; BiH Prosecutor’s Office is investigating on businesses of Hasan Cengic; Parish priest was killed; Michael Humphreys: The police must be at BiH level |
| Blic | Thief killed parish priest in house |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related titles |
| Ljiljan | If Covic be against lawsuit in |
| Slobodna Bosna | Who is delivering threats to BiH Prosecution? |
| Dani | Who are the bosses of narco-mafia? |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Paravac on police reform | BH Radio 1 News at 1200 – Chairman of the BiH Presidency Borislav Paravac said today in |
| PRC Chair Martens met with head of caucuses in RSNA
| RS Radio News at 1200 – Police Restructuring Commission Chair Wilfred Martens today in |
Crime/Security/Legal Proceedings | |
| A Catholic priest killed in Bosanska Gradiska
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘A parish priest killed’, Dnevni Avaz ‘Burglar Bogdan Gigovic killed parish priest with axe’, Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Catholic priest perfidiously killed’ and pg 3 ‘Priest tied up and killed in church’, by Branka Stevandic, Dejan Jazvic, Dnevni List, pg 32, mentioned on front ‘Murderer of priest Kazimir Viseticki arrested’, by NINA, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 7 ‘Crime in Bosanska Gradiska’, mentioned on front ‘Catholic priest killed’, by A. Macanovic, KTA, Glas Srpske, cover page story ‘Gigovic admitted crime’ by E. G. S., EuroBlic, cover ‘Thief killed parish priest in house’ and pg. RS1 ‘Murder for gain, special forces have arrested the murderer’ by Milan Pilipovic, Nezavisne Novine, cover ‘Parish priest was killed’ and pg. 3 ‘Parish Priest Kazimir Visaticki was killed’ by S. Garic and B. Grgic– Catholic priest Kazimir Viseticki was killed on Wednesday night in Bosanska Gradiska in his flat in the compound of the church of Saint Rocco. The police have caught the killer. According to unofficial reports, priest Viseticki was most probably killed with a metal object. A police report issued in the afternoon on Thursday says that the murder was reported by the deceased Kazimir’s 91-year-old mother, who had found him in his flat. Objects in the flat where the priest was found dead had been scattered about, which prompted the police to conclude that this was an attempted robbery. Following a blockade of the roads around Bosanska Gradiska and Gornji Podgradci, the police caught Bogdan Gigovic, who is believed to have broken into the parish office in order to commit robbery, the police report said. It has been learnt unofficially that priest Viseticki had caught Gigovic red-handed, which led to the killing with a metal object. Herceg Bosna Radio also reported on the murder. According to the radio station’s report, no one in the RTRS also carried Cavic’s statement. |
| International prosecutors in BiH to continue their work normally
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘McNair and Schmidt continue their work’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘McNair: We will continue to work regularly in spite of the latest threats’, ONASA, AFP – International prosecutors at the top BiH court dealing with organized crime and corruption have received security threats, an official said Thursday. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 22, mentioned on front, ‘Special forces guarding BiH Court’, by Z. Tulic, Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘USA and Canada fear for security of their people’, by Zdenko Jurilj also covered the issue. |
| DL’s says BiH becoming unsafe in eyes of the world
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Unsafe country’, by Erna Mackic – Commenting to the story that foreign prosecutors in BiH, who work on most difficult cases, namely John McNair and Jonathan Schmidt, have received threats, the author argues that BiH, in the eyes of the world, is becoming known as an unsafe country. |
| SB: Criminal circles in a panic fear of apprehension of his leader Hasan Cengic exerting pressures on BiH Prosecution
| Slobodna Bosna cover page ‘Who is delivering threats to BiH Prosecution?’, pgs 6-7 ‘Criminal circles in a panic fear of apprehension of his leader Hasan Cengic exerting pressures on BiH Prosecution’ – According to the magazine, the international intelligence services and domestic investigating bodies are confident that the main centre of credible threats against the international prosecutors in BiH including US’ John Schmidt is linked with the uncrowned Bosniak sovereign Hasan Cengic. The SB sources say that the |
| Cengic under an investigation
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5 ‘BiH Prosecutor’s Office is investigating on businesses of Hasan Cengic’ by M. Cubro – A source close to BiH Prosecutor’s Office says the Financial Police of the Federation of BiH has handed to BiH Prosecutor’s Office several denunciations with regard to financial malfeasant acts within BIO consortium, controlled by Hasan Cengic, a delegate at the BiH Parliament HoP and DS Main Board member. According to the source, several other cases are also linked with Hasan Cengic. International Prosecutor John Schmidt is carrying out the investigation in case of Hasan Cengic. John McNair, the Head of the Special Department of BiH Prosecutor’s Office, neither confirmed nor denied that threats sent to him and Schmidt were linked with the investigation on Cengic case. |
| Merdzo and Mandic charged with abuse of office and authority
| Dnevni List, pg 7, mentioned on front, ‘Separation of process in ‘Redarstvenik’ case?’, by N. Dedic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 22, mentioned on front, ‘Money for ‘Redarstvenik’ charges Merdzo and Mandic’, by A. Vlaho – Trials in the ‘Redarstvenik’ case to Josip Merdzo, a member of HDZ Presidency, and Dragan Mandic, former Interior Minister of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, was adjourned yesterday at the Cantonal Court in Mostar after Mandic’s lawyer submitted documents that show that his client recently underwent a surgery on his spine, therefore he is not able to attend trials. Cantonal Prosecution in Mostar is charging Merdzo (at the time the Canton 7 Prime Minister) and Mandic with abuse of office and authority, saying they, back in 1997, illegally transferred 700.000 KMs from the cantonal budget onto the ‘Redarstvenik’ company. According to information DL learns from sources close to the Court and Prosecution, there could be a separation of the case. |
| VL says AID still active
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Croat ‘moles’ working for AID’, by Zoran Kresic – VL claims to be in possession of documents, which allegedly belong to AID (former Bosniak intelligence service), and which show that almost every senior Croat official has been wiretapped, and on top this, these documents offer detailed analysis of every Croat politician, role of the Catholic Church, behaviour of IC etc. VL argues that it is completely inappropriate that these reports are used as basis for several trials that are being conducted before various courts in BiH and that AID is still recruiting people and working independently. Finally, VL says that AID has recruited many Croat ‘moles’. |
| SB claims parallel security structures still active in BiH
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 25-27 ‘All the misery of the reformed security system: Neither OSA nor SIPA exists and they are doing nothing serious!’ by Suzana Mijatovic – The author claims that the parallel and nationalistic security services are still active in BiH and they are still opposing to any king of unification of the security system in BiH. |
| 329 survivors from Srebrenica file charges against UN
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘People from Srebrenica file charges against UN’, by NINA – 329 Bosniaks, who survived the Srebrenica massacre from summer 1995, are demanding financial compensation from the UN because the UN troops had left the enclave. The lawsuit was filed yesterday at |
| Serbian Police Minister on whereabouts of Hague indictees
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 ‘Addresses from Banja Luka are not exclusive’ by N.N. – Dragan Jocic, Serbian Interior Minister, on Thursday announced that the Interior Ministry would soon hand a report to Rasim Ljajic, Chairperson of the SiCG Council for Cooperation with ICTY, regarding nine addresses RS handed on whereabouts of the Hague fugitives. He made a remark by saying that “information from |
| RS President Cavic expressed his support to Matijasevic
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 ‘Support to arrest of war crime suspects’ by Bi. G. – Dragan Cavic, RS President, expressed full support to Darko Matijasevic, RS Interior Minister, in the arrest of war crime suspects, adding: “I expect from Matijasevic, all police members and especially RS Government and Dragan Mikerevic to fully understand and acknowledge that obligations regulated by domestic and international laws must be respected.” Cavic also raised the issue of responsibility of the BiH State Intelligence Agency (OSA), operating for six months now and under the authority of BiH CoM Chair, Adnan Terzic, noting: “What have they been doing? Where is their responsibility regarding compilation of intelligence data concerning these issues? |
Political Developments/Reforms | |
| PRC session: Only Matijasevic against a single police
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz cover and pg 4 ‘Only Darko Matijasevic opposes to single police?’ by E.S. – E.R.; Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Matijasevic oppose to single police’ by V. Jahic, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Serbs still against single Police’, by Tihomir Bijelic, Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Organization of Police according to European standards’, by Nada Koturic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 23 ‘Serbs do not give up their Police’, by Mario Ivkic, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 No agreement on structure of BiH police’ by N. Tanasic, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘Everything is still open’ by M. Djurdjevic, EuroBlic, pg. RS3 ‘Cavic: RS MoI must exist; Matijasevic: constitutional position’ by Srna – Two-day session of Polcie Restructuring Commission in Brcko ended Thursday and the next session is to be held in Sarajevo in December. Oslobodjenje notes the word in the hall during the session breaks was that Darko Matijsaevic, RS MoI, offered the concept of “a single” police at BiH level, which would see the survival of entity ministries with their own budget. Oslobodjenje notes that judging by reactions of the Commission members from RS, this model would not be accepted. Matijsevic did not want to make any comment on this claim. According to DZ, Matijasevic seems to be lonely in the stance to defend entity ministries, noting that even Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director, has gone soft. According to DA, Wilfred Martens, Commission Chair, said: “My ambition is toset the best model possible on future BiH police force and to have a single police structure.” Barisa Colak, BiH Security Minister, stated (according to Oslobodjenje): “The end will come when Commission sets final concept and offers it for parliament procedure. It is hard for me to say who is obstructing talks. It depends on the talks who fast we would proceed towards According to Oslobodjenje inset “Two levels’, word was heard during session breaks that future BiH police force would be organised at two levels -state and regions (with centres in According to DA inset ‘Milicevic asked for three more centres’, Milenko Milicevic, Brcko District Polcie Chief, proposed that three additional regional centres (apart from already proposed five) are established in Brcko, Doboj and Prijedor. |
| Dnevni Avaz op-ed on police reform
| Dnevni Avaz op-ed pg 3 ‘A single BiH police’ by Edina Sarac – The author notes that not a single issue in BiH over the past eight years, involving terms single or state, could have been adopted without severe opposition of the politicians from “smaller BiH entity”. She adds that obstructionist winds have been blowing from |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed:
| Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 9 ‘ |
| NN interview with EC Delegation Head Humphreys: The police must be at BiH level
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4 ‘The police must be at BiH level’ by Sasa Cavrag – In an interview to NN, Head of EC Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys has stated that all jurisdiction of the police within BiH should be transferred to the state level and should be regulated by a state law, should be under a political control of the state ministry. He claims this is the only way to create a single police system. ‘This does not exclude the possibility that the state would transfer certain functions to lower levels’, Humphreys has stated. |
| DA: ‘Sead Avdic sent demand for audit into police certification’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Sead Avdic sent demand for audit of police certification’ by M.K. – At the last session of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament representative Sead Avdic forwarded to the BiH Presidency the initiative for audit of police certification carried out by IPTF two years ago. Avdic stated that most decertified policemen were treated unfairly. According to Avdic, each decertified policeman has right to know why he lost right to work, since this is one of basic human rights and someone from the domestic authority or the International Community should give them the answer to this question. Avdic stressed that he also interfered because decertified policemen announced a protest in front of BiH institutions in |
| Update to FBiH Government crisis
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Discussion on crisis in FBiH Government on Monday’ by Ad.H. The talks among SDA, SBiH and HDZ Ministers on the FBiH Government crisis, which were supposed to take place yesterday, have been postponed for Monday at the request of FBiH Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic. DA says that Vrankic demanded postponement so that HDZ can get time to declare itself on harmonized stands of SDA and SBiH regarding speeding up reform processes, control of privatization and collection and distribution of public funds. On the same issue Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Crisis in Government is still on’, mentioned on front, by A. Omeragic carries that the FBiH Government crisis is still on after the aforementioned meeting was postponed. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic stated that the meeting was postponed due to obligations of the FBiH Government Ministers and that it would take place on Monday. An inset in Oslobodjenje under headline ‘Parliament’s support is necessary’ reports that FBiH Minister of Industry Izet Zigic did not want to speculate whether the FBiH Government crisis would be resolved on Monday and he added: ‘SDA, HDZ and SBiH will have to reach an agreement since it is useless that we adopt laws in the FBiH Government if they will not get support in the Parliament.’ |
| Schroeder:
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Germany support BiH on its road to EU’, pg 3 ‘Germany supports BiH’s accession to PfP’, Dnevni List, front pg splash ‘Help promised’ and pg 7 ‘Political relations should be followed by economic cooperation’, by M. Batarello,Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘A progress in fulfilling pre-requisites for EU’ by N. N., ONASA – Germany will help BiH on its road towards the European Union, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Thursday in Berlin during a meeting with Chairman of the BIH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic. Schroeder said that beside political, |
| Ashdown meets with British Foreign Secretary Straw in
| FTV – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, was on Thursday in |
| SDHR Wnendt met with RSNA Speaker Stojicic
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 23 ‘First step in cooperation with The Hague has been made’, by A. Macanovic – Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, who met with the Speaker of the RS NA, Dusan Stojicic, to discuss issues pertaining to fulfilling of conditions related to Stabilization and Association Agreement, stated that the recent Police operations in the RS, which resulted in arrests of 8 persons charged with war crimes, meant that the RS had made first steps in cooperation with The Hague Tribunal. “Still, a full cooperation is required, and that means arrest of all persons charged with war crimes”, said SDHR Wnendt, adding that a lot must be done by end of this year. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 9 ‘OHR isa not satisfied with return to RS’ by M. J. and V. P., Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘Hague is the only obstacle’ by G. D., EuroBlic, pg. RS5 ‘The key problem is the cooperation with the Hague’ by Srna – The determination of institutions of the RS to cooperation with ICTY is not questionable, but coordination of work and efforts of the State Border Service, SIPA and strength of the international community are needed, as Speaker of the RS National Assembly Dusan Stojicic said on Thursday during a meeting with SDHR Werner Wnendt. SDHR Wnendt pointed out the contribution of the RS National Assembly to reforms and emphasized that the trend should be kept at the adoption of the laws on courts, on conflict of interests and on refugees and displaced persons. According to Wnendt, the international community believes that the RS is an equal partner in further reforms, but that the only problem is its cooperation with the ICTY. NN also reports on meeting of SDHR Wnendt with RS Minister for Refugees and DPs Jasmin Samardzic. SDHR Wnendt has stated OHR is not satisfied with the return process to RS, especially to Dnevni Avaz pg 10 also reported on the meeting. |
| Serb delegates to BiH HoR Kunic and Milicevic on the Resolution of European Parliament
| Glas srpske, pg. 5 ‘Three are needed for the Constitution’ by D. Vrhovac – Mihajlovic – Delegates of BiH HoR, Petar Kunic and Ljiljana Milicevic commented on the adoption of the latest Resolution at the European Parliament, which recommends improvement of the Dayton Agreement. Kunic thinks this is a cover for attempts to unite BiH, and also, in relation to explanation given in the Resolution that the institutional construction in BiH is weak and not capable to face corruption and crime, he says: ‘What is OHR doing in BiH for the past nine years if it, as the supreme authority, is not capable to repress all these problems?’. Milicevic reminds the Dayton Agreement has already been additionally developed by will of all three peoples. ‘If they complain about a complex structure of BiH, why don’t they say that the problems derived from the Washington Agreement, which has created the Federation of BiH with ten Cantons, hundreds of Ministries, which inevitably cause doubling of authorities’, Milicevic says. |
| Tihic says constitutional changes to be made next year
| Ljiljan pgs 10-13 ‘BiH soldiers will go to Iraq, mentioned on cover ‘I have never told Hadzipasic to move to Party for BiH’ – In an interview with the magazine, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said that the time had shown he was right when he was advocating for necessary changes to the BiH Constitution and that the vast majority within the international community was now speaking about these changes as well. “I expect that the changes will be made on the 10th anniversary of the |
Economic/Social Affairs | |
| FBiH HoR adopts draft law on audit into privatization process
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Audit is to be strike on criminal lobbies’, pg 2 ‘Deputies approved audit into privatization irregularities’, Oslobodjenje pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘Audit to determine who respected the law’, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Zigic’s Draft law on revision of privatization carried out so far adopted’, by Eldina Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 19 ‘Government shaken by law’, by F, FENA – The FBiH House of Representatives on Thursday adopted the Draft Law on audit into the process of privatization in BiH, which was proposed by the FBiH Government. Its official name is the Draft Law on Controlling the Registration of Shares and Contracts Concluded in the Process of Privatization in Federation of BiH. FBiH Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry Izet Zigic said that the passage of this law makes sense because 65 percent of the state capital has not yet been privatized. “The entire privatization process carries a mortgage of thievery. The privatization should be reviewed also because of the people that did not behave in this (irregular, illegal) way in the privatization process”, said Minister Zigic. He said that the FBiH Government would define the mechanisms for preventing the so-called “speculative controls”. Speaking before the House of Representatives, Minister Zigic said that this law should cover the auditing into the privatization of companies, while checking on the privatization of banks and insurance companies should be regulated with a special law. He also underlined the need for issuing an entire set of legal amendments that will further cover the process of privatization. The aim is to create a more favorable environment for privatization, said Minister Zigic. |
| FBiH HoR adopt FBiH budget 2004 re-balance
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘SDP and SBiH MPs vote against draft re-balance’, by Nermin Bise – The FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives adopted at its session held yesterday (Thursday) a draft FBiH budget re-balance for 2004. The budget was decreased from the original 1,250 billion KMs to 1,183 billion KMs because of failure to fully collect public revenues, mostly taxes and customs. 53 MPs voted in favour of the re-balance, 20 were against, 3 abstained from voting. It is worth noting that SDP and SBiH MPs voted against the re-balance. According to the President of the SDP Caucus in the said chamber, Karlo Filipovic, a draft FBiH budget for 2005 should have been presented too at the yesterday’s session, however since it was not, the FBiH Government has been tasked to submit the draft 2005 budget within next 15 days. Commenting on the next year’s budget, FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, says the budget will not be ‘development-oriented’. |
| Protest of workers in
| BHT, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2 ‘Workers are hungry’ by S. Gojkovic, Glas Srpske, Dust on conclusions’ by M. Milunovic, EuroBlic, pg. RS4 ‘We do not want charity, we want to work’ by Rajna Radosavljevic, Vecernje Novosti, pg. 20 ‘Sale on the detriment of workers’ by N. Gagic – all articles report on the protest of approximately 3,000 workers held in Banja Luka on Thursday. They protested over a disastrous situation in economy and authority that have brought workers in such a situation. Obrad Belenzada, the Chair of the Confederation of Trade Unions, has said that this protest represented an ultimatum for RSNA to fulfill demands of workers within ten days. He says workers would organize more radical protests throughout RS should there is no reply within the deadline. NN carries three insets: ‘Condemnation of use of force against pensioners’ – Obrad Belenzada, the Chair of the Confederation of Trade Unions, addressed workers during the protest and condemned the use of force against pensioners. ‘Radivojac: protest is not a solution’ – The Spokesperson of RS Prime Minister, Goran Radivojac, has stated that the RS Government is of an opinion nothing can be resolved by protesting. He emphasized that the RS Government is no longer an employer, but it will help any group of population to achieve its rights in the best possible manner. ‘Justified dissatisfaction’ – RS President Dragan Cavic has assessed that some categories of the population have a full right to protest because their status is not in accordance with their expectations and wishes. On the other hand, he emphasized that ‘RS Government cannot bring funds out of nothing, but it can increase collecting of budget revenues in some sectors’. |
| Hadzipasic on BH Steel
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Hadzipasic: Claims about problems in ‘BH-Steel’ are not correct’ by Ad. H. – Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic rejected as incorrect and ill-intentioned claims about problems in the realization of the contract between the FBiH Government and LNM in the project ‘BH-Steel’. Hadzipasic added: ‘The contract between LNM and the FBiH Government is in the phase of registration before the |
| SD on ‘murky’ deals surrounding sale of Zenica Steelworks
| Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pg 17 ‘State gifted Zenica Steelworks’, by Zlatko Tulic – The daily carries a similar article to the one published yesterday (Thursday, see OHR Media Round-Up, Nov 18, 2004) by Vecernji List, which reported on ‘murky’ parts of a deal on sale of the ‘Zenica Steelworks’ to the ‘LNM” company. Like VL, SD too points finger at the SBiH, foremost the FBiH Minister of Industry, Izet Zigic, and founder of SBiH, Haris Silajdzic. SD also claims that all the stories about crisis in the FBIH Government, which was triggered by conflicts between ministers from the SDA and SBiH, are in fact fabricated and that there are no real conflicts between the two. |
| Party for BiH’s Zigic on Vrankic, BH Steel
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 ‘Vrankic opposes tax privileges for foreign partners’ by R. Cengic – The Federation of BiH Minister of Industry, Izet Zigic, has rejected claims of Minister of Finances Dragan Vrankic saying that the Contract on joint investing with LNM company to “BH Steel” Zenica contains illegal elements. Vrankic finds as disputable the obligation the Federation of BiH Government has taken to start an initiative on changing laws regulating tax privileges for foreign investors. |
| Hays on Public Moneys law
| Vecernji List, pg 6 ‘Stop the plunder of public funds!’ – Carries an article signed by the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, in which he announces that the FBiH Parliament’s House of Peoples will be discussing the Law on investment of public moneys on November 23. Noting that the law should have been adopted long time ago, PDHR Hays says the law is aimed at protection of interests of the citizenry and determining responsibility for use of taxpayers’ money. |
| Mikerevic met with EFT consultant Gelbard
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 ‘EFT will buy brown coal mine “Stanari”’ by P. K. – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic met on Thursday in Banja Luka with EFT Consultant Robert Gelbard to discuss a possibility of buying brown coal mine “Stanari” near Doboj. EFT is the biggest supplier of electricity in |
| Mikerevic – WB’s Reinermann meeting
| Glas srpske, pg. 3 ‘Reforms in accordance with plans’ by M. Mi. – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic met on Thursday in Banja Luka with World Bank Country Manager for BiH Dirk Reinermann to discuss current economic issues in the RS and BiH. The two officials also discussed the course of reforms in the field of pension-disability insurance and health system in the RS and BiH. Mikerevic pointed the problem of non-payment of pensions from the BiH Federation Pension-Disability Insurance Funds to pensioners in the RS who have earned pensions in the BiH Federation and emphasized the need for urgent resolving of this issue. |
| Kukic on financial investigation into FTV operations, Ramadan coverage
| Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘FTV is public, not religious television’, by Arijana Beus – Following a request made by the Deputy President of SDA Caucus in the FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Amila Alikadic, that the Financial Police undertakes a financial investigation within the FTV (Federation of BiH Television) and that an investigation be launched into the issue how the FTV Steering Board was appointed, the Chairman of the FTV Steering Board, Slavo Kukic, welcomes the initiative regarding the financial investigation into the FTV operations. When it comes to the latter request, Kukic notes that the High Representative for BiH appointed the Steering Boards to all three public broadcasters in June last year, because the entity and state parliaments failed to do their part of the job. Commenting to Alikadic’s dissatisfaction regarding FTV’s coverage of Ramadan activities, Kukic says everybody is entitled to his/her won opinion, noting that a fine measure need to be established in order not to turn a public broadcaster into a religious one. |