RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
Puljic meets with Covic | ICTY requests documents | BIH troops will go to | Tihic on Iraqi mission |
Colak on security in BiH | Bosnian soldiers in Iraq | New mass grave found | Mikerevic in Bijeljina |
Tihic on Iraqi mission | New fights in Najaf | Explosions in | Stolen cars found |
Cooperation with ICTY | Removing of flag in Stolac | Human rights report | Brod Refinery production |
Oslobodjenje | HDZ requests for debate on national symbols!? |
Dnevni Avaz | Tokic: It is about a disastrous decision |
Dnevni List | BiH should be de-centralized republic with Municipalities and regions |
Vecernji List | Mafia continued showdown with bombs |
Slobodna Dalmacija | 80 months of prison |
Glas Srpske | Cash register full of debts |
Nezavisne Novine | A bomb was thrown at a jeep of Amar Sljivo |
Blic | Dismissals at RS Ministry of Interior were announced; Mikerevic-Tihic talks are certain: clinch because of Ministers; Serbs support census, Bosniaks and Croats are against it |
Vecernje Novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related titles |
Political developments | |
SDU’s Tokic: Decision to send troops to
| Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Tokic: It is about disastrous decision’, pg 4 ‘Tokic: We will organize demonstrations before the Presidency’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 10 ‘Tokic wrote to Tihic’ by Fena, FENA – Social-Democratic Union (SDU) Vice President Sejfudin Tokic sent a letter to BiH Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic on Wednesday following his statement to the media on the decision to send BiH troops to Iraq. Tokic wrote that the “military intervention of America together with several other countries in Iraq, as a method of preventive war against terrorism, has only contributed to the escalation of terrorism in the world and led Iraq into bloody conflicts and war with no end in site unless the US administration changes its policy”. “Claims that the participation of BiH military units in the war in |
Tihic confirms troops going to
| BH Radio 1, BHTV – The BiH Presidency has remained faithful to the previous decision on deploying BiH mine clearance units to the peacekeeping mission in Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘BiH will not be a terrorists’ target’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘BiH is showing its clear commitment to fight against terrorism’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Sending of de-miners to Iraq will not cause threats to BiH’ by N. N., Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Tihic without responsibility for pyrotechnicians’ by E. Mackic also carried Tihic’s statement on the issue. Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘To Iraq without grounds’ not signed, EuroBlic, pg. RS3 ‘Popovic: this is a bad decision’ by Srna carries statement on the issue by Gostimir Popovic. |
HDZ requests for debate on national symbols!?
| Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘HDZ requests for debate on national symbols!?’ – The HDZ BiH Municipal Board in Stolac has proposed that the national symbols and their placement in the town (subject to political disputes for a long time) are discussed at the next session of the Municipal Council scheduled for September 25, Council Chairman Zoran Turkovic told the daily. “I have nothing against such the debate. Quite opposite. But, we want that the issues of a stone cross in the Stolac Old Town, concrete stands for new crosses and unification of the two Stolac scholls under one roof are also discussed at the session,” said Turkovic. However, Mladen Boskovic, the leader of the Stolac HDZ, is not informed about the session as well as the discussion on the national symbols allegedly launched by his party. |
DL on flags in BiH/Removal of Croat flags in Stolac
| Dnevni List pg 11 ‘Flags whose deadline expired’ by N. Bise carries an editorial on the issue of flags in BiH. According to the author, Chairman of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic has in his office a wartime, white flag with 6 lilies, while Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic has a Croat flag which for many people symbolizes Herceg Bosna and 1993. Serb member of the BiH Presidency Borislav Paravac has a flag that was guaranteed by the BiH Constitution. The author says that for all these reasons the issue of the flags in BiH should be regulated as soon as possible. The author also mentions the removal of Croat flags in Stolac and says that this act can have two motifs only: either the coming, local elections or it is an attempt to aggravate relations between Bosniaks and Croats. |
EU to discuss visa regime for BiH citizens in December
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Members of the EU to decide on visa regime for BiH in December’, mentioned on cover ‘Discussion on visa regime for BiH in December’ – At its meeting in December, the EU will also discuss the visa regime of EU members with Bi, learns the daily. In a letter sent to BiH CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic, EC Commissioner for Visa Matters Antonio Vitorino wrote that, at the meeting, the EU members would discuss progress made in BiH in the areas of fight against organized crime, money laundering, human trafficking, and illegal immigration as well as achievements in the areas of state border general safety improvement, asylum policy and issuance of the safe/protected Ids to the citizens. All these issues are of the crucial importance for possible liberalization of EU visa regime for BiH citizens. |
SDP initiates change of BiH Constitution, establishment of BiH as a single republic
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘BiH under sovereignty of its citizens’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘BiH should be a republic’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 11 ‘Initiative for changing the Constitution was brought’ by M. K., Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘The Constitution needs to be changed’ not signed,Dnevni List front and pg 6 ‘BiH should be de-centralized republic with Municipalities and regions’ not signed, FENA – The Social Democratic Party (SDP) launched an initiative for changing the BiH Constitution before the BiH Parliament, a senior SDP official stated on Wednesday. Explaining some of the main points of the initiative, SDP Presidency member Boro Bjelobrk said that SDP supports BiH organised as a republic – a sovereign, democratic, social, secular and decentralised state within existing borders. Sovereignty and power belong to the citizens of BiH, he added. “Fully committed to creating jobs for young people, providing better education, health and social insurance, tax reform and European living standards SDP will search for new constitutional solutions”, Bjelobrk said. |
Mostar City Administration Independent Trade Union on systematisation of jobs
| Dnevni List, pg 12, ‘Werner Wnendt did not keep promise’, by Nina, Vecernji List, pg 6, ‘We are facing fait accomplit’, by vr, and Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 12, ‘Tricked by the OHR’, by D. Juka – the press release issued by the Independent Trade Union of Mostar City Administration employees reflects the employees’ dissatisfaction over the fact that the proposal of systematisation of jobs in the Mostar City Administration was drafted without them. They say they were given the proposal for consideration 2 days before the date on which it is supposed to be adopted by the City Council, although the Working Group had been working on the proposal for months. The |
SD on the issue of Mostar City Administration surplus employees
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 12, ‘300 people going to Labour Exchange?’, mentioned on cover, by Darko Juka – SD claims that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Messrs. Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic, on 17 August signed the final proposal for solving the issue of surplus administration workers in Mostar. The daily says that, in accordance with the proposal, out 800 employees of the City Administration and the former 6 Municipalities, 390 persons with high and higher education are going to keep their jobs, although the biggest number of employees are the ones having secondary education. Less than 100 employees are said to be retired soon. SD adds that the systematisation foresees the City Administration consisting of the City Council, Mayor’s Office and its Secretariat, Internal Control and five departments. The daily notes that, of course, the plan is yet to be adopted by the City Council and thecompetent representative of the International Community. The job vacancies are said to be published in some 10 days, but the Mostar City Administration Trade Union unanimously decided to fight against the publishing of the vacancies until the City Administration secures alternative employment or adequate financial compensations to surplus employees. |
Orucevic visited DL/ Orucevic on Mostar future
| Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Our joint goal is return of trust among people’, mentioned on cover, by N.B. – Director of the Centre for Peace and Multi-Ethnic Cooperation from Mostar Safet Orucevic visited the seat of Dnevni List yesterday in order to express his gratitude on correct and professional reporting on work of the aforementioned Centre. In an inset under headline ‘Mostar must not be marginalized’ DL carries that on this occasion Orucevic expressed hope that after the elections Mostar will get a new leadership, better than the current one, that will lead this city to better future. Orucevic added that it must not be allowed that Mostar is marginalized in any case. |
Editorial on Alternative HR in BiH
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 68 ‘British court jester’ by P. Milos carries an editorial on an Alternative High Representative in BiH (Josip Pejakovic). SD says that by receiving Pejakovic, High Representative Paddy Ashdown promoted a comedy after a tragedy as an important guideline of the BiH political scene. The author qualifies Pejakovic as a court jester and says that throughout the history the court jesters used to be a source of information and advises and thus the HR came up with the idea to bring into life the institution of the court jester. The author goes on to say that the HR even promoted him into his alternative being aware that Pejakovic does not threaten his (the HR’s position), while on the other hand the alternative HR can profit from the whole situation. |
Human rights | |
BiH Ombudsmen recommend change to state election system
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘Mass violation of human rights’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Change to BiH Election Law recommended’, Nezavisne novine, pg. 6 ‘Level of violation of citizens’ rights is still high’ by N. Krsman, Glas Srpske, pg. 3 ‘Lawlessness in sequels’ by V. Stakic,FENA – The Ombudsmen for Human Rights in BiH have recommended the BiH Parliamentary Assembly and the Election Commission to consider the possibility for amending the BiH election system/legislation due to certain administrative obstacles in the process of voters’ registration as the condition for exercising the right to vote. At a press conference on Wednesday, Ombudsmen Safet Pasic, Mariofil Ljubic and Vitomir Popovic among other things recommended exclusion of the process of active personal voters’ registration and adopting amendments to the Election Law instead that will oblige the relevant State bodies to officially exchange information about the citizens’ address and other necessary data on the status of the voter. This would avoid the obligation to register for every election process. Another special report of BiH ombudsmen refers to citizens’ complaints about Article 143 of the Law on Labor in Federation BiH and Article 152 of the RS Law on Labour. These articles concern the status of workers on so-called waiting lists, who were regularly employed until Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Election system must be changed’, mentioned on cover, by D. Polovina-Mandic and Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Workers and depositors deprived of their rights’ by E. Medunjanin – At the press conference held yesterday BiH ombudsmen warned that human rights are still being violated in BiH in a big number of cases and they especially stressed violation of workers’ rights, rights of owners of old foreign currency savings etc. Also, it was stated that in a near future the BiH ombudsmen will especially deal with the issue of an internal debt which includes payment of the old foreign currency savings. The ombudsmen’s stand on this issue is that the old foreign currency savings is gained property and it should be treated as such. |
Cardinal Puljic received Covic, discussed process of return and reconstruction of church facilities
| Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Constant struggle for equality of Croats’, mentioned on cover, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘To preserve Croat equality in BiH’ by F and Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Way to equality with other two peoples’ by D. Jazvic – Vrhbosna Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic received yesterday Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic. During this meeting they mainly talked about the return of Croats, reconstruction of their houses and religious facilities, which were destroyed during the war. According to the article, they also exchanged their opinions about the best way on the ground of which Croats from BiH will become truly equal with other two peoples at all levels in BiH. |
Crime/security/investigations | |
Mikerevic calls for closer cooperation between police, institutions
| RS Radio, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Possible removals in RS police announced’ – In order to improve the security situation in the RS, we need closer cooperation between the police and other bodies and institutions, RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said in Doboj on Wednesday. During a visit to the |
Oslobodjenje: Lawlessness in the BiH Council of Ministers
| Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘Lawlessness in the BiH Council of Ministers’ Az. Kalamujic – The BiH Minister of Transport and Communications, Branko Dokic, has in the past two months contrary to the BiH Law on Civil Service hired/appointed three assistants and a chief inspector in his Ministry. At the same time, Dokic has neglected results of the specialist exam organized by the BiH Civil Service Agency as well as the recommendations by the BiH Ombudsmen. |
Dnevni Avaz: More than KM 380 million lost/stolen in six public enterprises
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘More than KM 380 million lost/stolen in six public enterprises’ S. Numanovic – Due to a lack of appropriate laws and regulations, six public companies in BiH last year lost in various ways more than 380 million KM, learns the daily. A high-ranking international official, who spoke under terms of anonymity, said that these funds had simply been stolen from the citizens of BiH and that they disappeared in a number of suspicious transactions. |
New bomb attack in
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3 ‘A bomb was thrown at a jeep of Amar Sljivo’ by D. Muminovic – In the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, unknown persons threw a bomb at a jeep used by Lejla Sljivo. No person was injured during the explosion. Lejla Sljivo is wife of Amar Sljivo, who is currently in custody because he had participated in a shooting in “Bosna” restaurant in Ilidza. It is not known whether the explosion is linked with the shooting. ‘Although the investigation on this case is still underway, the police is in possession of certain information on possible perpetrators of this criminal act and I hope we will soon get to the bomber’, Magbul Skoro, the Spokesperson of Sarajevo Ministry of Interior, has stated. The article carries the inset ‘Halilovic: MUP is not responsible for criminal acts’ – The Federation of BiH Minister of Interior, Mevludin Halilovic, has stated that criminal acts are not under the jurisdiction of this Ministry. According to Halilovic, only organized crime and terrorism are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry. He said he was surprised with the initiative of SDP, which has asked from him to resign over a disastrous situation in field of safety. Halilovic said Police Commissioners and Cantonal Ministers of Interior were responsible for the safety situation in the Federation of BiH. Vecernji List front pg ‘Mafia continued showdown with bombs’ and pg 3 ‘Two new explosions shaken Slobodna Dalmacija pg 5 Jeep exploded’ by A. Vlaho and Dnevni List pg 49 ‘Jeep owned by Amar Sljivo mined’, mentioned on cover ‘Explosion in settlement Grbavica’, by V. Vujovic also deal with this issue. |
On war-time documents that ICTY demanded from Croat officials
| Dnevni List pgs 4 and 5 Demanded documents release Prlic and others of any responsibility’, mentioned on cover ‘Demanded documents release Prlic and others’ by M. Relota – Commenting on the meeting held two days ago between Croat political leaders, FBiH Justice Minister Borjana Kristo and Croat liaison officer for the relations with the ICTY Goran Mihaljevic during which the plan on collecting of the war-time documents demanded by the ICTY was agreed upon, Mihaljevic says that he will have a meeting with a Head of the ICTY Department in Sarajevo and he will inform him about all activities they have taken. Mihaljevic added that in case that these activities do not give results he will address the competent Croatian institutions, first of all, the Croatian Justice Ministry, Croatian Archive and the Office of the Croatian Parliament. Asked about destiny of 6 Croats charged with war crimes, Mihaljevic says that these documents actually refer on them and he believes that there is no anything in the documents that would discredit a wartime role of the 6 Croats. Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 ‘We do not know where the documentation of Herzeg-Bosnia is’ by M. Cubroalso addressed the issue. |
Fourth suspect in Hercegovacka Banka case Azinovic to turn himself in?
| Dnevni List pg 10 ‘Azinovic is negotiating on his surrender’, mentioned on cover, by N. Dedic – According to the sources close to the BiH Prosecution, the fourth suspect in the Hercegovacka Banka case Ivan Azinovic has allegedly established contact with judge John McNair and directly with him Azinovic is negotiating on conditions of his surrender. DL says that they asked McNair’s office for a comment and he was told that McNair is not in the office and that none but McNair can comment on this issue. Also, the defence lawyers of Azinovic, Davor Silic and Nada Dalipagic said that they do not know anything about this. |
OSA Centre in Brcko District
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Establishing of OSA regional centre in the District was supported’ by M. R. – Brcko District Delegation, with Mayor Branko Damjanac and Supervisor Susan Johnson at the head, welcomed establishing of OSA regional centre in Brcko District, as according to a press release of BiH CoM issued after 3rd session of the Coordination Board for Cooperation between Brcko District Government and BiH CoM. |
On death of 6 Croats from Konjic
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14 ‘Mysterious death of 6 Croats spread fear’ by F – The Board of Croat Refugees and Displaced Persons from Konjic demand from High Representative Paddy Ashdown and BiH Security Minister Barisa Colak assistance in revealing the truth about death of 6 Croats who died in Konjic under mysterious circumstances (the autopsy showed that they died of heart attack). |
Update on ‘Herceg Bosna Forests’
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 5 ‘Detained due to abuse of position’ by F. Mioc and Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Ile Krezo detained because of illegalities’ by D. Mamic – The dailies report that former President of the Management of Public Company ‘Herceg Bosna Forests’ Ile Krezo was detained yesterday due to the abuse of position on the ground of the decision of the Cantonal Court in Livno. This decision was passed in order to prevent his influencing on the investigation, that is, collection of evidence. |
Fikret Abdic’s defense lawyer to request Abdic to be tried at
| Vecernji list, pg 4, ‘Abdic would get 7 to 10 years at the Hague’, mentioned on cover ‘Abdic demands transfer to the Hague’, by Zdenko Jurilj – Andjelko Galic, the lawyer of Fikret Abdic, who was sentenced by Karlovac District Court for war-crimes committed in Autonomous Province West Bosnia, says for VL that he will demand that his client be tried at the Hague tribunal because the trial in Karlovac was politicised. Galic adds that |
Economic/social issues/media | |
Tihic visits PBS BiH
| BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘A BH TV with 2-3 channels needed’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘To create one state TV with several channels’ – The Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, on Wednesday visited RTV Home in Sarajevo to express his support to establishment of BHT 1 and start of broadcast on its own channel. “We all should work together to create conditions for the establishment of one BiH TV with two or three channels, which will accurately report on all developments/events taking place in the entire country’s territory,” Tihic said. Dnevni List, pg 3, ‘Programme schedule accepted by entire country’, by Erna Mackic – during his visit to BHT1 yesterday, the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, gave his support to the launch of 24-hour programme by BHT1. Tihic also promised his support to passing of the Laws on the public RTV system and public RTV service. Milan Trivic, BHT1 Director, is quoted as saying that he was satisfied with the work up to date and impressed with the feedback and reactions of the audience. He added that what had to be done now was to build the rating of this TV that would be recognised not only in BiH but in the region also. |
HSS on BHTV1
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 6 ‘Croatian language is not present at all in TV programme’ by F. Mioc – HSS Vice President Anto Colak commented on launching of BHTV1 saying that Croats and Croatian language are almost not present at all at this TV outlet. Colak also announced that he will launch his personal initiative for holding of an emergency session of the House of Representatives in order to discuss public broadcasters in BiH and he called on Croat representatives to join him in this initiative. According to Colak, HSS insists on having one TV outlet at the state level with 3 national channels and one management. |
RS Pensioners’ Party ask for a meeting with HR Ashdown
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 10 ‘They are asking for a meeting with Ashdown’ by I. S. – RS Pensioners’ Party has asked for a meeting with HR Paddy Ashdown in order to demand for stopping of violation of pensioners’ rights in BiH and RS. The Pensioners’ Party has stated that RS pensioners are not allowed to exercise their right to pension in the place of earning it, which opposes to all domestic and international legal acts. |
GS cover page story on tax debts
| Glas Srpske, cover page story ‘Cash registry full of debts’ by D. V. M. – The Spokesperson of RS Tax Administration, Ljiljana Forca, has stated that the Tax Administration has initiated 2,204 proceedings of forcible collection of taxes in the total amount of 161,5 million KM. The article also brings a list of several names of firms that have the largest debts towards the RS Tax Administration. |
Talks on Banja Luka Dairy
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 8 ‘On “Dairy” today’ by P. Klincov – RS Deputy President Boris Gaspar yesterday confirmed that all interested parties will today at RS Government present their proposals on resolving of Banja Luka Dairy issue. Gaspar said that the participants of the talks will be: representatives of RS Privatisation Agency, representatives of Banja Luka Dairy and representatives of Subotice Dairy. The RS Government will present its stance regarding the proposals subsequently. |
On possible protests of BiH farmers
| Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Decision on protests has been postponed again’ by |
Employees of FBiH Tax Administration and policemen to go on strike inSeptember?
| Vecernji List pg 7 ‘Tax inspectors do not want to work for 650 KM’ by Z. Jurilj – Due to the latest decision of the Federation of BiH Government on decrease of salaries employees of the FBiH Tax Administration will go on strike in September. VL says that employees of the Customs Administration and policemen, as well as, all those who work in the authority institutions will join them in this strike. |