Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on June 20
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| HoR to discuss VAT amendments | BiH HoP adopts custom laws | ITA SB in session in SA |
| Hop to discuss customs law | BiH HoR still on Law on VAT | Privatisation of Brod Refinery |
| World day of refugees | Seminar on financial investigations | UN SC on KosMet |
TV news broadcast on
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Support to possible | Terzic addresses BiH HoR on VAT | BiH in control of air traffic |
| Syndical meeting in ‘Hepok’ company | BiH takes control over air traffic | |
| Terzic informs HoR on VAT effects | Igman Initiative in session | Peaceful march in Mostar |
| Control over the airspace | March against violence in Mostar | BiH HoR in session |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| HoR rejects report on VAT effects | BiH HoR in session | HR invites politicians to dinner |
| Alleviation of VAT consequences | District Brcko on RS Govt’s initiative | Cannabis farm discovered in Prijedor |
| Terzic on SDA- | BiH in control of air traffic | BiH HoR rejects info on VAT effects |
| Feature on pre-election campaign | Peaceful march in Mostar | Public revenue distribution |
| Oslobodjenje | State parliamentarians refused Terzic’s information on VAT |
| Dnevni Avaz | [BiH CoM Chair Terzic] RS tears down police reform |
| Dnevni List | Mostar: First victims of heat |
| Vecernji List | Cousins on two sides (feature on football World Cup) |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | I am leaving Pecara with my head high (sports story) |
| Nezavisne Novine | RS Government did not approve contract with “Vitol” (Bos. Brod Oil Refinery) |
| Glas Srpske | Double-dealing goddess of justice |
| EuroBlic | F BiH stinting pensioners in RS (RS |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
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| LATEST NEWS OF TODAY |
| BiH HoP adopts set of Laws on Custom Policy
| BH Radio – BiH House of Peoples gave approval for ratifying of set of agreements and contracts between BiH and international institutions. BiH HoP has adopted, in both readings, amendments to the BiH Law on Customs and Custom Policy, in the same text that was passed in the BiH House of Representatives. BiH HoP Chair Goran Milojevic said that goal of these laws is to release from custom obligations the projects that are approved by Council of Ministers, including projects of rebuiling and reconstruction. |
| BiH HoR still discusses the amendments on Law on VAT
| BH Radio by Mirsad Bajtarevic – At today’s session, BiH House of Representatives should discuss the High Education Law, which is important for BiH European road, but until now the MPs haven’t managed to move from the second point of the agenda, which refers to amendments to BiH Law on VAT. The VAT discussion continued upon demand of |
| BiH Fiscal Council to convene today
| RTRS – The BiH Fiscal Council will hold session in |
| RS Pres. Cavic: current police reform solutions unacceptable for RS
| Fena – RS President Dragan Cavic stated today (Tuesday) that it would be good to carry out some changes when it comes to finding future model of police reform, because if the current positions remain, such solutions would not be acceptable to the RSNA and RS. |
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| Economic issues |
| BiH HoR in session: MPs reject information on first VAT effects despite ITA, CoM claiming progress achieved
| Hayat by Alem Karamesic – On Monday, the BiH House of Representatives resumed its work after blockade caused by the refusal of the RS MPs to attend sessions before the establishment of the Commission for on suffering in |
| HoR on VAT:
| Hayat – Commenting the information on the VAT effects, the BiH HoR representative Tihomir Gligoric said Parliament wanted a report, not information containing no realistic picture of social and economic situation in BiH, and he stressed the situation in BiH is quite difficult since no new jobs are being created, poverty is increasing etc. |
| VL: As elections approach, more and more requests for zero VAT rate
| Vecernji List, pg 7 ‘More requests for zero rate’, by Eldina Medunjanin – also reports on the BiH HoR session underlining that with the October elections approaching, more and more parties and MPs are advocating changes to the VAT law, for example the |
| RS Fin. Min says he will propose 66.6% of revenues is allocated to F BiH, while 33.3% is allocated to RS
| Glas Srpske cover pg report ‘One third to Srpska’ by – Aleksandar Dzombic, RS Finance Minister, has confirmed in a statement to daily that at today’s session of the ITA Steering Board, he will propose 66.6% of revenues is allocated to F BiH, and 33.3% of revenues are allocated to RS, adding: “This is a model of entities’ participation in pay-off of foreign debt…My proposal is that within the frame of this percentage, we should agree on percentage to be allocated to Brcko District and what percentage will be allocated for financing of joint institutions.” According to him, it is acceptable that apart from debated VAT claims, the size, number of population, income or combination of all these may be a model for distribution of revenues. |
| ITA SB member Hafizovic on money allocation from ITA single account: RS Finance Minister Dzombic would have to explain upon what did he reach percentage he is demanding
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Will there be agreement on method of money allocation?’ by T.Lazovic – Commenting the session of the ITA Steering Board on Tuesday, FBiH member of the Board, Sefika Hafizovic, told DA that FBiH Finance Ministry cannot accept proposal of the RS Finance Minister Aleksandar Dzombic who proposes fixed coefficient for the RS [32% of total income] in allocation of money from the ITA single account. She added that FBiH’s suggestion is to allocate funds on base of the monthly VAT payments, as defined by law: “On base of what does he demand 32% or defining 2% for someone else? It has to be explained how that number was reached. Besides, it would mean demand change of law, which is more apprehensive procedure.” Daily reminds that deadline for ITA SB to determine method of money allocation is end of month, adding that if it is not respected, ITA single account could be freeze again, as happened in previous two months. |
| Brcko District: RS Government’s initiative to reduce revenues collected through VAT is an attempt on economic and political destabilization
| FTV – As it was pointed out during the meeting between the Brcko District Assembly representatives, Brcko Mayor Mirsad Djapo and Supervisorof Brcko District Susan Johnson, Brcko District finds the RS Government’s initiative to reduce VAT distribution coefficients as an attempt on economic and political destabilization. “By reducing the revenues, District would no longer be financially sustainable”, said Djapo. “In this way, District’s fiscal self-sustainability would be endangered and despite the fact that, according to the Final Award, entities should be the one to finance the District, the question is whether they would do that since they have never done it”, Head of Brcko District Revenue Agency Osman Osmanovic said. The District officials believe that the District Assembly would stress the issue in a resolution, which is being prepared. Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘With 2% from BiH treasury, District loses financial independence’ by E.R, EuroBlic pg RS9 ‘They will defend taxes with Resolution’ by L. S. –Brcko District Assembly delegates adopted the Resolution on criteria on distribution of VAT revenues in BiH late Monday afternoon, by which they demand from the Mayor and BD Office at BiH CoM, with the support of the Supervisor of Brcko District, that in urgent communication with BiH institutions they explain the necessity of implementation of the Final Award and the existing manner of self-financing of Brcko District of BiH. |
| Three PMs meet to discuss public revenues allocation; ITA SB to do the same on Tuesday
| RTRS – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic met the entities Prime Ministers Milorad Dodik and Ahmet Hadzipasic to discuss the allocation of the public revenues. ITA Steering Board will discuss the same issue on Tuesday. If the Board fails to reach an agreement on coefficient of VAT income distribution, the assets at the ITA single account will be blocked again. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘On distribution of revenues today’ by Srna – announces ITA Steering Board meeting. |
| HR and BiH Minister of Communications and Transport Dokic met with representatives of IT sector
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Whether state institutions are closed for BiH IT industry?’ – The High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling and BiH Minister of Communications and Transport Branko Dokic met on Monday with the representatives of BiH companies dealing in Information Technologies (IT), gathered in the Association “Bajt”. After the meeting, HR said that talks were continued on the subjects arranged recently in Hanover IT fair, with accent on the laws that must be amended and implemented. On the other side, said Dokic, representatives of the IT sector have requested amendments of the Law on Ownership, additional explanations in the Law on Indirect Taxation and ensuring of competitiveness of domestic IT industry, especially in the State institutions. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Computing systems in BiH institutions are led by ignorant people’ by Az.K. – Dokic stated: “In many state institutions there are incompetent people that deal with software, which adds to overall weakening of IT technologies in the state.” |
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| Political issues |
| Peaceful march in Mostar against violence, xenophobia and hatred
| FTV – On Monday, Youth Cultural Centre ‘Abrasevic’ organized a peaceful march against violence, xenophobia and hatred in Mostar. Namely, after several recent incidents that took place in Mostar, including riots after football match between |
| DL op-ed on Mostar riots: Schooling system, general public has to do more
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Stop to hatred’, by Sanja Bjelica – commenting on the recent cases of hooliganism in Mostar and yesterday’s protest march organized by ‘Abrasevic’ youth centre, Bjelica believes that more people of Mostar should be protesting against violence and that the schooling system has to play a bigger part since it is not teaching children about tolerance, as well as the public in general. |
| HR organizes dinner to re-launch talks on constitutional changes
| RTRS – RTRS learns the HR Christian Schwarz Schilling invited leaders of seven political parties to dinner, with an aim to re-launch the dialogue on constitutional changes. Leaders of five political parties confirmed they would attend dinner to take place in the HR’s residency in |
| Six party leaders met HR
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Politicians at Schwarz-Schilling’s for dinner’ by S.N. and A.M. – Leaders of six major parties, that supported the proposed constitutional amendments [HDZ, SNSD, |
| CEIS: only way out from const. crisis is if three constituent peoples were to abandon their “war myths”
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Bosniaks without Yugo-domination’, by Zoran Kresic – reports that the CEIS (Centre for European Integration Strategies), whose membership includes prominent European politicians and professors, including former High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, assessed that the only way out of the crisis in BiH regarding the constitutional reform is if the three constituent peoples were to leave their ‘war myths’, namely if Croats are to get closer to solutions reached by other two peoples, if Bosniaks are to give up the domination resembling the old Yugoslav model (in which they would rule as majority people in BiH) and if Serbs realize that survival of the RS is untenable. CEIS also warns that the Serbs in the RS have not completely accepted the fact that the RS would always be a part of BiH, whilst the Bosniaks have to support de-centralization of state. |
| SD:
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 15, mentioned on front ‘Schilling’s authorities ‘clipped’’, by Zlatko Tulic – SD notes that the Peace Implementation Council should be discussing about possible abolishment of the High Representative’s Bonn powers at its session scheduled for end of this week. VL comments one can already say that the abolishment will go gradually, noting that RS parties are in favour of the abolishment of the Bonn powers, whilst the Bosniak parties believe it is too early to do that and the Croat parties have not reacted probably thinking it cannot influence the position of Croats in BiH. Finally, SD claims it has learned from sources close to the OHR that a part of the |
| BiH CoM Chair Terzic: We have chance to receive green light to sign
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘RS tears down police reform’, pg 2 ‘We have chance to receive green light from EU in October already’ by E.Sarac – Commenting blockade of the Police Reform Directorate [ |
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| RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘Return of transferred authorities to RS requested’, not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Dodik should remove SDA and PforBiH Ministers’ by Agencies – President of |
| Former PDHR Hays: transferring authorities from the state back to entity level would stop BiH way to EU and help criminals
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Dodik is now leading wrong policy’, mentioned on cover ‘Every attack on VAT is attack on European way’ by Sead Numanovic – Commenting demands of some RS political parties, in an interview for daily former PDHR Donald Hays said that transferring authorities from the state back to entity level would stop BiH way to EU and help criminals. He reminded that former EU demanded from BiH to introduce single VAT rate: “Reason for such demand was the fact that duty rates were in pretty mess. Our estimates were that due to that, BiH is yearly losing between one and two billion KM. That money was vanishing either in certain political channels or it was result of corruption.” He stressed that demand for transferring the authorities to the entity level is just a try of some politicians to gain money for their pre-elections campaign. Asked to comment series of statements made by RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik regarding possible referendum on RS secession, Hays said that the policy Dodik is leading now is wrong and that it can ‘turn on’ only ignorant: “Majority of BiH people do not want past. They want to be part of |
| Brcko District Mayor Djapo: Brcko wants to have right to vote at BiH institutions, wants to be either police region or seat of police region
| EuroBlic pg RS9 ‘They will defend taxes through Resolution’ by L. S. – Brcko District Mayor Mirsad Djapo presented some stances with regard to continuation of negotiations with state institutions, which will be held in next several days in Sarajevo with mediation of American administration, and he noted Brcko District wantsto be represented in every BiH institution and wants to have the right to vote in these, especially at the ITA Steering Board and at the Fiscal Council. He warned no further transfer of competences of the District would be allowed without consent of the elected representatives of the authorities in Brcko, and emphasized, when it comes to the police, Brcko must be either a police region or the centre of a police region. |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Objection filed against verification of HDZ 1990 for general elections rejected’ by FENA, Dnevni List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Covic lost, Ljubic to take part in elections’, by Lj. Vidacak, Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘HDZ 1990 – together in elections’, by Fena, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Covic’s attempt to exclude us from elections failed’ by Fena – FENA has reported that the BiH Court has rejected the complaint HDZ to BiH filed asking annulment of election verification of HDZ 1990. The Court assessed that the Central Election Commission rightfully and legally verified HDZ 1990’ application for general elections. |
| SDA Ahmetovic: Denying our support to RS Gov would not change anything
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Ahmetovic: Us leaving would not change anything’ by N.D. – Commenting why SDA Main Board did not bring decision on leaving RS National Assembly majority and deny support to the Government of the RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, SDA Presidency member Sadik Ahmetovic told daily: “Regardless to the fact we are in the majority with SNSD and that we do not support antireform processes launched by Dodik, situation would not change even if we would withdraw the majority.” |
| Parties to disclose names of candidates during the course of next week
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Parties to disclose names of candidates during the course of enxt week’ by A.Malagic – Daily observes that although 10-day deadline for application of lists of candidates for the upcoming general elections starts on Friday, Party for BiH, Patriotic Block (SDU and BOSS), HDZ and |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘ |
| HDZ BiH’s Herceg calls on Croats to turn out in October elections
| Vecernji List, pg 6, mentioned on front ‘Get Croat member of BiH Presidency through coalition’, by Zoran Kresic – carries an interview with HDZ BiH Secretary General, Nevenko Herceg, in which he calls on the Croat electorate in BiH to turn out in the October elections in order to prevent Bosniak parties from representing the Croats. In this context, he fears Bosniak parties could be able to win the elections for the office of the Croat member of BiH Presidency, underlining that this especially refers to the |
| SBIH replies to SDA’s Tihic: it is SDA members who are leaving their party to join SBiH
| Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘Tihic’s quisling-like policy’ by Presidency of Party for BiH – Referring to the interview SDA President Sulejman Tihic gave to Nezavisne Novine [see OHR BiH Media Round-up, June 19], the Presidency of the Party for BiH reached a conclusion the editorial board of NN treats everything that has anything to do with Party for BiH in a malicious manner since the interview’s title reads SBiH committed a crime towards the state only because it failed to support an arrangement of Tihic with regard to constitutional amendments. Referring to Tihic’s reply to journalist claim [that SBiH members are leaving the party and joining SDA], SBiH says it is SDA members who are actually leaving their party to join SBiH because they have recognised “Tihic’s quisling-like policy”. |
| GS op-ed says situations at both sides of
| Glas Srpske op-ed pg 2 ‘Contradictions of the great ones’ by Nenad Kecmanovic – The author says that “the contradictory approach the USA and EU – embodied in insistence that BiH is centralised while Serbia and Montenegro disintegrated – represents a drastic level of inconsistency especially in regard to attempts of western centers of power not to connect the future status of Kosovo with RS status! However, the situations on both sides of |
| Serb delegates at BiH HoR will not support framework law on high education, sent to the procedure by Minister Halilovic
| EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Deadlines approaching, no compromise’ by R. R. – Serb delegates at BiH HoR have announced they would not support framework law on high education, which was sent to the parliamentary procedure upon a request of BiH Civil Affairs Minister Safet Halilovic. SNSD’s Dusanka Majkic thinks BiH CoM had deliberately transferred this sensitive issue onto BiH Parliament, although it was not realistic to expect RS delegates would support the framework law since BiH Constitution foresees the entities should keep certain competences in this field. PDP’s Jelina Djurkovic too confirmed she would not support the framework law because she did not get consent of RS NA for such action, while |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Every single day is important for BiH’ by FENA – Christian Schwarz Schilling, HR to BiH stated Monday at the Forum “BIH and European Union – one-sided process of association or mutual learning?” that |
| Chief BiH negotiator with EU Davidovic: Liberalization of visa regime is key issue
| Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘Visa regime is mother of all issues’, by Danijela Kozina – carries an interview with the chief BiH negotiator with EU, Igor Davidovic, who mostly talks about economic aspects of negotiations between BiH and EU, underlining that the public focuses on issue of liberalization of markets between the two sides. However, according to Davidovic the key issue in the negotiations is the issue of liberalization of visa regime. In that context, he says one cannot say with certainty as to when the liberalization will indeed take place, underlining that the BiH negotiating team and he personally use every opportunity (in talks with EU officials) to stress the issue. |
| Serbian President Tadic paying visit to BiH on June 28
| Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Boris Tadic in |
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| War crimes, criminal procedure code, judiciary |
| BiH Prosecution welcomes decision of HR to change Criminal Procedure Code, BiH HoR MP Novakovic says it would had been better for Parliament to do that
| BHT1 by Damir Simic – BiH Prosecution welcomes the decision by the HR Christian Schwarz-Schilling to introduce changes to the BiH Criminal Procedure Code, especially in terms of detention issues, which extends detention in the |
| BiH Prosecution, Justice Minister and Attorneys greet the HR’s decision on extending of detention for most severe cases
| Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Three years of detention only to ones indicted for most severe war crimes’, mentioned on cover, by A.Omeragic– Spokesperson of the BiH Prosecution Boris Grubesic welcomed the decision of the HR Christian Schwarz-Schilling to amend the BiH Criminal Process Code and extend the detention for most severe cases to maximum three years. BiH Justice Minister Slobodan Kovac said these changes were necessary and added he advocated for two-year detention, however the HR decided otherwise. Daily comments that OHR, which passed state judiciary laws, was trying to accelerate the processing of war crimes and make judiciary more efficient, but the deadlines showed to be too short. It also stresses the ICTY experiences have shown it takes more than a year for a trial. Attorneys are pleased with HR’s decision, as they do not have to wait for an end of the trial to be paid. Attorney Dragan Gotovac says this is a good thing, adding that in other countries detention period is also longer for most severe cases. Commenting the fact that HR imposed the decision despite the fact he said he would not use |
| RS President Cavic call on BiH judiciary officials to take the stance toward information on humiliating and inhuman treatment of war crimes’ indictees in Tuzla
| RTRS – On Monday, the RS President Dragan Cavic called on BiH Chief Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic, President of the BiH Court Meddzida Kreso and BiH Justice Minister Slobodan Kovac to present their stances on the information “that quite precisely reveal arguments about harsh violations of criminal laws and brutal treatment of persons detained under suspicion they had committed the criminal acts of war crimes, which is done by the Cantonal Court in Tuzla”. According to the claims of detainees, their families and legal representatives, some of the detained persons were treated in a humiliating and inhumane way, which resulted in great revolt of families, citizens in the Zvornik region and the RS, including the announced mass protests, reads the statement issued by the Cabinet of RS President. BHT1, Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Court in |
| Dusko Tomic, defence attorney of Mandic in PB ES case says new developments regarding his client makes us suspect the aim of actions is to keep Mandic in prison
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Double-dealing goddess of justice’ by V.Bugarin – In regard to latest developments in the court proceeding against Momcilo Mandic, daily reports that announcement on new indictment against Mandic (for war crimes) has raised disbelief amongst Mandic’s defence attorneys in Privredna Banka East Sarajevo case (frauds and embezzlement charges). Dusko Tomic, one of them, says that new indictment, at this point in time and in this manner, makes us suspect it is extremely incorrect and rigged process, raising the question as to whether the aim of new indictment is solely to keep Mandic in prison. Tomic also expresses discontent with the fact that Serbs are unequally treated before |
| SD warns of interference into work of BiH judiciary by SDA’s Izetbegovic
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 15 ‘Mercy to defenders’, by Milo Jukic – Following reports that suggested that Vice President of SDA, Bakir Izetbegovic, stated at meeting of SDA Main Board held in Tuzla last Friday that judges should “be braver toward the criminals and more sympathetic toward people that defended the state” (for details see OHR Media Round-up, June 18), SD says if this is true, then it clearly represents interference into the work of judiciary, in the same time warning if Izetbegovic’s words “hit fertile ground”, the BiH judiciary would be heavily compromised. |
| Montenegrin President Vujanovic:
| BHT1- Commenting the material damage retribution, |
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| Other issues |
| BiH takes over partial control of its air space in area above 3 thousand meters
| FTV by Nerminka Emric – As of June 19, BiH will be in charge of a part of its air space, controlled by EUFOR to date. On Monday, the BiH Minister of Communications and Transport Branko Dokic and EUFOR Commander to BiH Gian Marco Chiarini signed a protocol on transfer of authorities. The protocol transfers all EUFOR authorities to BiH institutions in terms of air traffic control in area above 3.000 meters. “Our civil authorities are ready to take over full responsibility in organizing and controlling the air area in BiH”, said Dokic. EUFOR will remain in charge of air area below 3.000 meters. “We are ready to transfer the authorities regarding this part of the air space to local authorities the moment they technically become able to take over the responsibility”, said Chiarini. Hayat – BiH will have 100% control over its airspace once it purchases necessary equipment, which could happen at the beginning of 2009, said Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Administration Marinko Simunovic. The headquarters of Flight Control will be in Banjaluka. BHT1- BHT 1 argues that due to technical inability, flight control from |
| Igman Initiative Conference: regional media offer no quality or accurate information on neighbouring countries | BHT1 by Lejla Zvizdic – Two-day conference of the Igman Initiative under title “Monitoring of Media Reports in the Dayton Triangle States” commenced in |