| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18:00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19:00 hrs) | FTV (19:30 hrs) | RT RS (19:30 hrs) |
| Fires in BiH | Explosion in Baghdad | Car bomb in Baghdad | Fires in Manjaca |
| BiH military forces | Update on Masic | Transport of oil | Probe into Telecom Srpske |
| Iraqi issues | Japan’s assistance to BiH | Strike in Bihać | SC on Kosovo |
| SFF | SC on Kosovo | Disputes btw SDS and SDA | Baghdad explosion |
| Oslobodjenje | White plague threatening to BiH; Assistant minister illegal |
| Dnevni Avaz | Rasevic knows where 400 Foca people disappeared; Ashdown watching movies too; BiH has to have economic possibilities for restitution |
| Dnevni List | Senior delegation of the HDZ BiH on education reforms – our own curriculum is minimum; Interview with President of the HNZ Dr. Milenko Brkic – Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Croat land too; Jacques Andrieu takes over Jean-Pierre Bercot’s place |
| Vecernji List | OHR strikes on University; Colak – we are not giving up our language |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpski | Bomb attack on UN HQ in Baghdad – 17 people killed |
| Nezavisne Novine | BiH Court cannot access criminals with dual citizenship; Serious car accident near Ljubuski – a couple killed; Verdict in Chicago for deceiving donors – Enam Arnaut sentenced to 11 years and four months imprisonment; Sarajevo – an organised criminal group responsible for explosions |
| Blic | Fires all around; Use of false stamps prevented in Zvornik |
Political Affairs | |
| SDA vs. SDS
| FTV at 19:30 hrs by Arijana Saracevic – the recent statements by the party leaders indicated misunderstandings between the SDS and SDA. Dusan Stojicic, Spokesman for the SDS, announced ‘the SDS and SDA should reconsider their relationship after the recent statement by SDA President Tihic during his visit to a mass grave in Zvornik’. The SDA believes that possible cancellation of co-operation will come due to disappointment with the progress of reforms. BiH Presidency member, Borislav Paravac, stated that his party had not discussed the relationship with the SDA, but Tihic’s comment had been very serious for the future co-operation. Vice-President of the SDA underlined the following. “If the SDA decides to quit participating in the RS government then the SDS will have to find other Bosniaks for vacated ministerial positions.” |
| SDA replies to SDS | Avaz pg. 4 ‘Bosniak politicians do not have an aggressive approach towards the RS’ – SDA Vice-President, Elmir Jahic, stated the SDA was helping with its activities to the RS government to act in accordance with the Constitutions and fulfill obligations it had taken on. He added the SDA role was constructive and that he did not think the relationship of certain Bosniak politicians towards the RS was aggressive. |
| SDA PR | Dnevni List pg. 10 ‘The RS authorities must arrest Karadzic and Mladic’ – the SDA issued a press release where the party again demands the Republika Srpska authorities to establish responsibility for crimes and mass graves and say where the other mass graves, which had not been disclosed so far, were located. The press release also says that the SDA believes that the SDS will prove its dedication to fight against terrorism only if the RS authorities arrest war criminals, especially the most wanted ones Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. |
| Kukic’s open letter to Hadzipasic | Dnevni List pg. 9 ‘You can do whatever you like, but not for as long as you like’ – an open letter by Professor Slavo Kukic to FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic on the issue of appointments of temporary steering and supervisory boards in the FBiH companies, which is in fact a reaction to an interview that Hadzipasic gave for Dnevni List on August 15. “You interview in Dnevni List – at least when the HT d.o.o. (Croat Telecommunications) is concerned – is full of insinuations, unfair constructions and untruths. Nothing that you said corresponds to the truth. Foremost, it does not correspond to the truth that you have at any of sessions (of the FBiH government) expressed dissatisfaction with a control of business operations of the HT. On the contrary, in his public appearances, the competent minister praised the business operations of the company,” said Kukic and denied that the HT failed to submit complete reports as Hadzipasic stated in the interview. Also in Slobodna Dalmacija on pg. 15 ‘Prime Minister lost in time’. |
| EFT lawsuit against int. auditor | Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Lawsuit against international auditor approaching to its end’ – Vuk Hamovic, a member of the EFT Steering Board, said that lawyers of this London firm are preparing a lawsuit against an international auditor who made false accusations against the EFT. |
| Oslobodjenje commentary | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘The freedom that lasts’ by Amra Kebo – argues that Bih can not go forward unless its free from the burdens of the past. And, according to Kebo, the only way to do it, is through the truth. She goes on to say that there is a consensus ont eh nature of the war and crimes that took place in BiH. To explain the nature of that consensus she gave examples of recent reactions to Tihic’s statement by Cavic and Paravac. Finally, she concludes that there is a consensus amongst IC reps to arrest war criminals, but no such consensus exists amongst the local authorities, more specifically in the RS. |
| BiH Foreign Ministry of Trade | Dnevni List pg. 3 ‘Put an end to self-will of Seadeta Ceric’ – the daily received an anonymous letter from what appears to be an employee of the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations who is warning about ‘irregularities’ within the Ministry and the behavior of Assistant Minister, Seadeta Ceric. The letter accuses Ceric of making a detrimental agreement on free trade that BiH signed with a number of countries, which the Ministry, according to the letter, is trying to contest in some details. In this context, the letter says Seadeta Ceric represented the ‘Slovenian’ Ministry of Foreign Trade during the rule of the Alliance for changes, something that she advocates even nowadays. “The other reason that is not known to many people is of private nature. Namely, Seadeta Ceric has stakes in some poultry companies. One does not need to be too smart to realize what the story is all about,” concludes the letter. |
Education Affairs | |
| Colak | FTV at 19:30 hrs by Nadja Ridjic – representatives of the HDZ and cantons 6 and 7 discussed education reforms in Vitez on Tuesday. President of the HDZ, Barisa Colak, stated after the meeting that they were committed to continue with reforms and modernization while preserving own language and curriculum, which will include the joint basics. He expects guidelines for the elimination of Two schools under One roof to be issued by Friday. Avaz pg. 4 ‘The right to one’s language has to be guaranteed in the process of the education reform’ – Colak stated he hoped a satisfactory solution on the issue would be reached in the course of this week. Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 – reports that Covic and Colak held a meeting with Croat (cantonal) education ministers and acting head of Schooling Institute, Mladen Kvesic. One of the conclusions of the meeting was that, in case of the realisation of the ‘Two schools under one roof’ project, if the project was about downsizing of administration and rationalisation of costs one could talk about it. Furthermore, DL reports that there is a good will to realise the project, however the minimum that can be accepted is the right to education in one’s own language and right to own curriculum. |
Economic Affairs | |
| Privatisation
| FTV at 19:30 hrs by Azra Pasukan – the privatisation process has not given positive results since thousands of jobs have been lost. Nineteen privatisation deals have been broken so far. The Federation Privatisation Agency informed they would introduce some changes in the existing privatisation mode. The World Bank provides $20 million for the privatisation of strategic companies. The agency believes that the public utility companies should not be privatised and also they asked that 24 companies be transferred from the Canton agencies to the Federation Agency. The OHR is organizing a seminar on the privatisation in Lukavica on Wednesday where new guidelines for the process will be presented. |
| Telecom Srpske | RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Zeljko Dragicevic – the RS Ministry of Interior awaits for a decision by the Banja Luka Prosecution’s Office and findings of the international audits to continue with an investigation into the work of Telecom Srpske. Chief of the RS Crime Police, Goran Jelisavac, said that the BL Prosecution asked the RS MoI nine times to conduct the investigation. He added that the police responded with the required information in all nine cases, but the Prosecutor’s Office feedback referred to one case only, which was the good enough reason for further criminal proceedings. “The RS Interior Ministry in the first trimester of this year, after it conducted measures and actions required by the Prosecutor, contacted the international auditor with a written request to provide us with information on the factual situation they found out in Telecom Srpske and we did not get any answer from them,” said Jelisavac adding that the report of the international audit should be published in September. Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Police waiting for new move of Banjaluka Prosecutor’s Office’. |
| OHR on Herceg-Bosna EP donations | Vecernji List pg. 1 and 2 – the daily learns from the Herzeg-Bosnia Elektroprivreda (EP HZ HB) CEO, Vlado Maric, that Special Auditor for BiH, Dale Ellen Ralph, has recommended the EP HZ HB not to pay out donations to the University of Mostar (in west Mostar, predominantly Croat) assessing the previous decision of the FBiH government as illegal. (FYI, the government approved that the EP HZ HB allocates 270,000 KM to the University every month until the end of the year.) VL also learns that the letter with a negative opinion was sent to Croat officials from the OHR. “Representatives of the OHR expressed astonishment with the decision of the FBiH government and claimed it was in violation of the Law on donations,” confirmed an anonymous Croat official. |
| Restitution | Avaz pg. 1 and 13 – the OHR thinks BiH and its entities have to have economic capacities to implement the process of restitution for taken properties. According to OHR Spokesman, Vedran Persic, the governments have to ensure fair and adequate compensation for all those who have the right to it regardless of their ethnicity. He added that it not right for the governments to use money for compensations in the restitution process considering how bad the economic situation was. |
| Hays, Hadzipasic and Mikerevic | Avaz pg. 12 ‘Hays , Hadzipasic and Mikerevic today in Zenica, Bijeljina and Tuzla’ – FBiH PM Hadzipasic, RS PM Mikerevic and PDHR Hays today will visit Tuzla, Bijeljina and Zenica. OHR Spokesperson, Kevin Sullivan, yesterday stated thay they would visit companies ‘Metalno’ in Zenica and ‘Sava’ in Bijeljina. |
| Law on Taxation | Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Adoption of the law in October’ – OHR Spokesperson, Kevin Sullivan, said PDHR Hays has been discussing this week with reps of government and parliamentary leaders the deadline for the enforcement of the Law on Indirect Taxation. He added that as soon as the Law was adopted it would be possible to move towards practical measures for the modernization of the fiscal system in BiH in accordance with the European standards. This, according to Sullivan, will ensure millions in revenues each year that can be invested in advancing government services for the citizens. Dnevni List pg. 9 ‘Determine deadline for Law on Indirect Taxation to take effect’ – “As soon as the Law is adopted, it will be possible to take practical steps in modernisation of the fiscal system in BiH, which will be harmonised with European standards and secure hundreds of million of KMs in revenues that can be spent on improvements of government services for the citizens,” said Sullivan. |
| Vjesnik on 5c | Vjesnik pg. 10 by Alenko Zornija ‘Bosmal wants to make money by re-selling land used for highway?’ – “What are the real intentions of the Bosnian-Malaysian company ‘Bosmal’ when it comes to the construction of the 5c corridor through Bosnia and Herzegovina? Again, there are speculations in the public that the hidden intention of the company is to buy the land that is going to used for construction of the future highway only to re-sell it to whoever wants to build the highway for a multiple price. For example to Croatia…” |
| CARDS program | With regard to the CARDS Program funds, which bypassed the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton this year, Dnevni List on pg. 15 ‘Returnees accuse: FBiH government and IC decided to stop return’ – some people believe that such decision was passed due to the fact that about 60% of refugees have returned to the HNK and that some lobbies within the SDA and HDZ believe that this percentage is quite enough and that it should not go over this percentage for strategic and political reasons. DL goes on to say that even if this is the case, why do representatives of the IC tacitly approve this act which is directed against the return and full implementation of all provisions that Annex 7 of the Dayton Peace Agreement envisages. On the same issue DL pg. 13 ‘Funds for reconstruction of returnees’ homes envisaged’ – carries an interview with Head of the UNHCR Mostar, Mohammed Karmul Huq, who says that this issue was raised during a meeting of all leading representatives of the international organizations in Mostar and Sarajevo. He adds that the EU is considering this issue and hopes that some positive changes will take place. Huq added that within the UNDP project certain funds have been envisaged for this area. |
Military Affairs | |
| Military reforms | CRHB at 18:00 hrs – a meeting on the reconstruction of the BiH military forces was held in Bihac on Tuesday. High-ranking officials from both armies, as well as SFOR representatives, attended the meeting, which was not open for the public. After the meeting, Brigadier General Simon Young (Deputy Commander of SFOR in BiH) stressed that this was one of the regular meetings on the matter. According to Young, the main purpose of these meetings was forming of a single BiH army with a single command. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Boris Grubesic – On behalf of the FBiH Army the meeting was attended by General Major Ramiz Drekovic and General Ivica Zeko, and on behalf of the RS Army representatives were generals Cvjetko Savic and Stojan Vulcevic. The topics of the meeting included the reduction of the FBiH and RS armies as well as the decrease of army facilities and warehouses. “And by restructuring we are talking about a smaller army. Ideally, we are talking about one army for Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are talking about one army with the central chain of command, with two component parts in that army,” stated SFOR General Simon Young. Reforms plans envisage the RS Army with 4,000, and FBiH Army with 8,000 soldiers. Meetings on army restructuring will be held every 15 days. RTRS at 19:30 hrs – very brief report on the meeting. Avaz pg. 3 ‘The RS Army will have 4,000 and Federation 8,000 soldiers’ – asked when BiH would get a joint army, Young replied that it would be soon because what had been done so far in both armies was encouraging. Dnevni List pg. 2’Federation of BiH Army has to discharge 5,200 troops’ – Following the meeting, which was closed for the public, Deputy COMSFOR Young stated the purpose of this and meetings, that were to be held every 15 days, was the formation of a single army for the entire BiH with a central chain of command. Young says the future army will have two components, one for the RS, the other for the FBiH. He also says there are intensified talks about downsizing of the forces and according to talks made so far, it has been foreseen that the RS component will have 4,000 and the FBiH component 8,000 troops. |
Police Affairs | |
| Masic case
| BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Zorica Lolic – a joint action conducted by the entities’ local police, the murder of Safija Masic – a returnee to Serb Gorazde – was solved. At a press conference of the RS Interior Ministry held on Tuesday in Banja Luka, it was said that during the investigation, suspect Nihad Masic admitted he committed the murder and rape. The criminal proceeding against Masic will be conducted at the Sarajevo District Court. In regard to this investigation, RS Serb Gorzade police reported Prosecutor’s Office in Rogatica the case of ethnic hatred being spread by Gorazde mufti Hamed Efendic. “At the funeral of Safija Masic, mufti Efendic used the opportunity during his speech to spread religious and ethnic intolerance by inviting the citizens to show resistance towards the RS authorities and police. One group of citizens left the funeral during that speech,” said Jelisavac. RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Zeljko Dragicevic – also reported briefly on the press conf. Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Criminal report against mufti Efendic over religious hatred’– the (Serb) Gorazde police station has filed a criminal report with the Prosecution in Rogatica against mufti of Gorazde, Hamed Efendic, over inspiring of religious and racial hatred, as stated yesterday by Chief of CID of Republika Srpska’s MoI, Milorad Jelisavac. According to Jelisavac, Efendic used the funeral of Safija Masic, who was killed on August 11, to inspire the intolerance and call on the people to resist the RS authorities and institutions. Reportedly, Efendic stated during the burial that the ‘old woman was killed by the ones who expelled her in 1994’, suggesting ‘ that criminals should leave Bosniak land’. Blic pg. 7 ‘Neighbor raped, robbed and murdered’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 21 ‘They are waiting for auditor’s report’. Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 4. Avaz pg. 1 and 30. Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘RS MoI report against Gorazde mufti’. |
| Sarajevo explosions | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 2 – Sefik Halilovic, Head of the Crime Department at the Federation Interior Ministry, stated that an organised criminal group planted and activated explosions in Sarajevo. According to him, colleagues from the Doboj PSC in the Republika Srpska gave them useful information, which helped police investigation in the Federation to identify suspects. |
Property Affairs | |
| Property laws implementation in Banja Luka | Glas Srpske pg. 5 ‘Disputable calculation’ – Miladin Djuranovic, Head of the Banjaluka OMI Office, claims that the implementation of property legislation in Banjaluka is 80.8%. He also added that according to unofficial information, 2,370 requests, which made around 20% of claims, were left to be resolved by the end of this year. He also noted that there were 1,700 double requests, which make the percentage of the property legislation implementation lower than it actually was. According to him, if the OHR admitted there were 1,700 double requests, the level of property legislation implementation would reach 91.1%. The OHR disagrees however with Djuranovic. Sonja Pastuovic, OHR Spokesperson in Banjaluka, said the following. “The Banjaluka OMI identified around 2,000 double requests. The UNHCR included this figure in the latest statistics for July. Accordingly, this percentage for the property legislation implementation for Banjaluka is 73.8%.” |
International Community Affairs | |
| New Head of Mostar South | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 5 – High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, welcomes Ambassador Jacques Andrieu as the new Deputy High Representative and Head of OHR Office South. Ambassador Andrieu takes over from Ambassador Jean-Pierre Berçot, who has been appointed as Ambassador of France in a West African country. Also reported briefly on the CRHB at 18:00 hrs, Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Jacques Andrieu comes to unify Mostar’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 2 ‘Jacques Andrieu is new Head of Mostar OHR’, Avaz pg. 4 ‘Jacques Andrieu replaced Bercot as head of the OHR South’ and Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Jacques Andrieu new head’. |
Media Affairs | |
| VL on FTV | Vecernji List pg. 2 by Milan Sutalo ‘Horsecow TV for multi-conflict BiH’ (NB: ‘horsecow’ as in hybrid creation) – the author is protesting against the national composition at the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Television (FTV) and the organizational set-up of the state TV and radio saying the way it is organized now it only denies media freedoms of peoples. The author sees the remedy in one state TV and radio with three national channels, which will give the audience an opportunity to watch what they like by simply flicking through the channels. The author also notes that the SDU (Social Democratic Union) protested against the national composition of the correspondent office of the FTV and PBS in Mostar, where, according to the SDU, ‘only one Bosniak, as oppose to nine Croats, works”. This triggers Sutalo to say that ‘Lagumdzija’s renegades’ confirmed that there were no ‘non-national’ parties in BiH. |