| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV(19,30 hrs) | RT RS(19,30) |
| Izetbegovic | Izetbegovic | Tihic appeals for mourning | Pensioners protest |
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| Protest of RS pensioners | Izetbegovic death in media | No mourning day |
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| Elections in Croatia | October pensions in FBiH |
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| APEC conference | Djindjic’s murder |
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Oslobodjenje | Alija Izetbegovic to be buried with state honours |
| Dnevni Avaz | Hundreds of people to move towards Sarajevo |
| Dnevni List | “BiH without day of mourning”; “Meeting of HR with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs: Paddy Ashdwon: Change of Dayton has finally started” |
| Vecernji List | “The six damaged reputation of Diaspora”; “Funeral without mourning day” |
| Glas Srpske | Republika Srpska Tax Administration: Tax payers owe 130 million KM; Protests of pensioners throughout Republika Srpska: Pensioners reduced to poverty |
| Nezavisne Novine | Mass protests of pensioners throughout Republika Srpska: Police prevents pensioners from entering RS Government building; Special Session of BiH Presidency over Alija Izetbegovic funeral: There will be no day of mourning; Privatisation in BiH: Tenders for 15 strategic companies by December |
| Blic | Pensioners’ protest: stronger then cordon |
| Vecernje Novosti | The Hague seeks four generals |
| | Izetbegovic |
| BiH Presidency fails to agree on day of mourning for Izetbegovic | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Sarajevo dailies, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – “No decision on day of mourning in BiH”, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 – “Alija Izetbegovic to be buried tomorrow”, SRNA – Members of the BiH Presidency failed to reach an agreement on Monday on declaring a day of mourning for former chairman of the BiH Presidency and honorary chairman of the Party of Democratic Action, Alija Izetbegovic. “We have failed to reach an agreement on the declaration of a day of mourning as we did not want to reach a decision that might not be implemented in all parts of BiH,” BiH Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic told journalists after a working meeting of the BiH Presidency and Council of Ministers. He pointed out that this did not prevent BiH state institutions, in accordance with the law, from declaring a day of mourning and conveyed that he expected this to happen. The head of the Cabinet of the Serb member to the Presidency, Simo Bozalo stated that Presidency members did not vote on the day of mourning: “Borislav Paravac did not express his disagreement with the decision. This session resulted with a correct answer for all the activities related to the funeral of the late Alija Izetbegovic. All the activities will be co-ordinated by Sulejman Tihic’s Cabinet.” Covic said that the BiH Presidency had cancelled its planned visit to Greece due to the death of Izetbegovic, but would endeavour to organize the visit for the first week of December. Dnevni List (front and page 4, “BiH without day of mourning”, by R. Radic), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 15, “There is no day of mourning”, by B. Kristo) and Jutarnji List (page 8, “Because of Serbs day of mourning was not proclaimed in Bosnia”, S. Pavic) and Vecernji List also covered this information. On Tuesday, Bosniak members of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic called on authorized institutions in BiH and all Bosnians and Herzegovinians, who supported the idea and deed of Alija Izetbegovic, to mark October 22, the day of his funeral, as the day of mourning. Tihic made the call after the Presidency was unable to reach a consensus on pronouncing the day of burying the first Chairman of Republic of BiH Presidency – the day of mourning in BiH. |
| BiH institutions cancel events due to Izetbegovic’s death | Dnevni Avaz pg. 14, ONASA – Speaker of the Federation House of Representatives Muhamed Ibrahimovic told Onasa that the eight session of the House has been delayed due to the death of Alija Izetbegovic. A two-day session of the House was scheduled for 22 and 23 October. Following Izetbegovic’s death, the Federation Ministry for Culture has decided to not to hold the manifestation Days of European Heritage in BiH, scheduled for 21-41 October. The Ministry said it will redirect the funds allocated for the manifestation in the Fund for construction of Potocari memorial. |
| Reactions to death of Izetbegovic, condolences | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pgs. 2-11, Oslobodjenje pgs. 1-6, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – “Letters of condolences sent by Chirac, Solana, Marovic…”, Blic pg. 13 ‘Funeral of Alija Izetbegovic tomorrow’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 13 ‘Tomb among fellow-soldiers’ – Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic on Monday sent a telegram of condolence to BiH Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic over the death of Alija Izetbegovic. “Death teaches us and reminds us about transience and the mistakes we all make. It places an obligation on us to strive together to do our utmost in raising the reality in which we live to a higher level of understanding, tolerance and providing better prospects for all the peoples in the region,” Marovic’s telegram says. Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic said on Monday that the death of Alija Izetbegovic does not absolve him of his responsibility for war crimes which were carried out in BiH. He said, at a news conference, that the chief prosecutor of the Hague tribunal, Carla Del Ponte, had promised him in March 2001, during talks in The Hague, that she would shortly be bringing charges against Izetbegovic for crimes committed in BiH. Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on Monday forwarded a telegram of condolence following the death of Alija Izetbegovic to the BiH Presidency chairman, Dragan Covic. “Please forward our sincerest condolences to his family,” reads the telegram sent by Vujanovic and Djukanovic. “Alija Izetbegovic was a very courageous leader of his people. Under difficult circumstances in the Balkans he played an important role in bringing an end to the war in his country. His contribution was crucial in preparing the turf for peaceful and democratic BiH”, it is stated in the statement of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Javier Solana, due to the death of the first Chair of BiH Presidency and the Honorary President of SDA. Due to the death of former President and member of BiH Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, the European Union Ambassadors in BiH expressed regret and condolences to Izetbegovic family and the BiH citizens. “We are deeply convinced that the best way of showing respect to Izetbegovic and his political engagement is seen in proceeding with carrying out of tasks aimed at building a peaceful, stabile and prosperous country for all citizens”, it is stated in announcement forwarded by the Embassy of Republic Italy in BiH. The British Government received with regret the news on the death of former BiH Presidency Chairman, Alija Izetbegovic, states an announcement of the British Minister for European Integration, Denis McShane, which was forwarded by the British Embassy in BiH. “During his life he played a significant role in the history of BiH. I wish to pay a tribute to his efforts aimed at building the BiH State. We express our condolences to his family, friends and citizens of BiH”, stated McShane. The President of Republic Austria, Thomas Klestil, extended his sincere condolences to BiH Presidency and the citizens of BiH, as well as the Izetbegovic family. “In crossing the borders of party engagement, President Izetbegovic will be remembered as the ‘father of BiH independence’. His vow is strengthening the position of BiH as a fully-pledged member of the family of states, as well as the dedication for reconciliation among the peoples and for the future of your country in the European integration structures. Austria has lost a close friend”, stated the telegram of condolence of the President of Republic Austria. Due to the death of Alija Izetbegovic, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in BiH, Seyed Mahmoud Sadri, addressed letters of condolence to Bakir Izetbegovic, and SDA President and BiH Presidency member, Sulejman Tihic. “Without a doubt the name and memory of this great man, who spent his entire life in battling for human values, affirmation of Bosniaks’ national identity, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, will be eternally remembered in the history of this country and this people”, said Ambassador Sadri. Zivko Radisic, former member of the BiH Presidency who worked with Alija Izetbegovic in the Presidency from 1998 to 2000, told FENA on Monday that he had utterly tolerant, correct and human relations with Izetbegovic. “We worked correctly and we had utterly tolerant and human relations. We did not agree on many issues, especially as his political views and orientations over the past 10 years, which he was prepared to go to jail for, were well known,” Radisic said. “He was well-known as a champion of the Bosniak people’s interests and an independent and unitary Bosnia-Hercegovina, as well as an expert on Islam and Islamic culture, but all this was not an obstacle for us to define a joint interest of all three nations in BiH for a new Dayton Bosnia and we worked on this very persistently,” Radisic said. The president of the RS Association of Camp Inmates, Branislav Dukic, has expressed his regret that the honorary chairman of the Party of Democratic Action, Alija Izetbegovic, did not live enough to be accused of war crimes by the Hague tribunal. Dukic told SRNA that he was sorry that “Izetbegovic did not live to go to The Hague for his role as a patron of crimes against the non-Bosniak population in BiH”, and he believed that the recent visit of Hague tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to Banja Luka and her meeting with Serb inmates indicated that “the Hague tribunal doors were opening for Izetbegovic”. Spokesperson of the RS Serb Democratic Party (SDS) Dusan Stojicic said on Monday that “Alija Izetbegovic is practically leaving this world as a symbol of policy that destroyed the former mutual state in which we, weather we wish to admit it or not, lived well and for which it was possible to be transformed in a peaceful way”. Stojicic said that “Izetbegovic is also a symbol of that policy that did not understand the realistic peace chances in the beginning of 1992, i.e. the Cutiliero’s plan and his responsibility is clear for accepting, and afterwards rejecting this plan that destroyed the peaceful intern, constitutional-legal and institutional transformation of BiH”. Dnevni List (page 10, “Harsh stand of SDS”, not signed), Vecernje Novosti pg. 13 ‘Culprit for murdering of Serbs’ also carried this statement. Vecernji List (front page, “Funeral without day of mourning”, and pages 4 and 5, “Day of mourning was not proclaimed”, by Dejan Jazvic) says that almost all Serb political parties, including SNSD which is thought to be one of the most liberal parties in the Republika Srpska, have a similar stand when Izetbegovic is in question and they believe that he was supposed to end up in The Hague. VL says that Croat politicians and Croat public cautiously reacted to Iztebegovic’s death. HDZ President Barisa Colak and Dragan Covic stated that all comments on Izetbegovic’s historical role should be left for some other time. VL (page 7, “He did not do good for Croats”, by M.S.) says that only Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Minister of Defense Miroslav Nikolic expressed his sincere condolences “feeling sad after the man who dedicated the last decade of his life to build independent and preserve multi-ethnic BiH”. VL also says that in most of the cases people in Mostar did not have to say anything about Izetbegovic because they believe that he did not do anything good for BiH Croats. |
| SD editorials on Izetbegovic | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 15, “Demise of most important Moslem of Europe”, by Marin Erceg) – an editorial in which the author notes that Alija Izetbegovic’s policy is best reflected in his “Islamic declaration”, which was “foundation of his political activity”. “In fact, Izetbegovic had set himself on a mission impossible – to establish an Islamic order in a European country, a multi-national and multi-religious country. In the same time, he was aware it was an impossible feat, at least during his time (…) His Moslem people and his state were above everything to him. That was recognized by the Moslem world, which is obvious because they often invited him to their conferences during the war, presented him with awards, sent him financial, humanitarian aid, ‘fighters for Islam’ etc”, says the author. Commenting on Richard Holbrooke’s recent statement, who said that there would not be BiH without Izetbegovic, the author says it is a statement made out of courtesy, “or like some critics in Sarajevo interpreted it as gratitude to Izetbegovic for agreeing to permanent division of BiH, without which there would not be the agreement (Dayton Peace Accord)”. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 12, “Hesitating Father of Nation”, by T. Klauski) – an editorial on Izetbegovic. The author says: “Alija’s opponents say that there was no need to fight for this kind of Bosnia, while those who support him say that the first part of the struggle for new Bosnia has just been completed. Like Croatia and Serbia, it is time that BiH finishes with nationalistic myths and political delusions after Alija’s death and to take some new way, without Father of the Nation, but with the wish to preserve BiH.” |
| Hundreds of thousands of people to move towards Sarajevo | BHTV, Dnevni Avaz front page, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – “Federation Interior Ministry expects 150 000 people to attend the funeral” – Books of condolences have been opened in SDA premises in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica as well Banja Luka. Long lines of those who wanted to pay tribute to Izetbegović in many other places. Citizens are invited not to use personal cars but organised transportation to funeral in Sarajevo. Railways will introduce special trains from Maglaj and Mostar and back on Wednesday 22. |
| | Economic/social issues |
| Protests of RS Pensioners | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 19, FENA – At protest rallies on Monday in Banja Luka and several other towns in the RS, the pensioners warned the authorized officials about the difficult position of this population, requesting increase of pensions. About 4.000 pensioners, which gathered at the rally in Banja Luka, moved from the Krajina Square towards the RS Government building, requesting to be addressed by RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic. Several pensioners tried to forcefully break through the police cordon and enter the Government building, crying out the requests for resignation of the Government. Pensioners request from the Government and the relevant Ministry implementation of conclusions adopted by the National Assembly, which refer to increase of pensions, amendments of the Law on Pension-Invalid Insurance, and the Law on Contributions, as well as implementation of Decision of the Human Rights Chamber on paying of pensions in the place of earning them. There are approx. 180.000 pensioners in the RS, and about 30.000 in Banja Luka. The average pension is estimated at 125 KM, and the lowest one is 90 KM. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg.2 – “Police prevents pensioners from entering RS Government building”; Glas Srpske, cover page- “Pensioners reduced to poverty” – NN has learnt from the RS Association of pensioners that 70 000 pensioners were protesting yesterday throughout the RS. Banja Luka pensioners gathered at 11:00 hrs at Krajina square and later on, walked to the RS Government building. Chairman of the Banja Luka Association of pensioners, Nenad Ratkovic, said that pensioners request the RS Government to implement the conclusion of the RS National Assembly, according to which pensions should increase for 6 percent every month. They also want all their pensions to be paid, decision of the Human Rights Chamber to be respected and the Law on PIO to be amended. Ratkovic also said that pensioners will request the Government to resign if their requests are not respected. Pensioners gathered in front of the Government building attempted to enter the premises several times, but were prevented by the police. The RS Minister for Labour and Social Welfare, Mico Micic, spoke with the pensioner’s delegation and said that he personally would resign if he knew that would help the situation. More than 3000 pensioners protested in Prijedor, and in Celinac, the police prevented a group of 50 pensioners to block the traffic. The RS Government discussed the situation at a session held yesterday. According to Glas Srpske report, there are pensioners in Mrkonjic Grad who receive pensions amounting 20 KM or even less. GS also reports that the pensioners who gathered in Banja Luka and Zvornik appealed on the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, not to be a stepmother to the RS pensioners [meaning in a bad way]. Blic pg. 13 ‘They broke through police cordon in front of the Government building’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 21 ‘Check in front of cordon’ also reported on the protests. |
| Working Group for Privatisation meets with Entity Prime Ministers | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘New categorization’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 14 ‘Tenders for 15 strategic companies to be opened by the end of the year’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 – “Tenders for 15 strategic companies by December”, Glas Srpske, pg. 3 – “To be sold in November”, FENA – Under the auspices of the Co-ordination Board for Economic Development and European Integration, the Privatisation Working Group discussed with Entity Prime Ministers Monday ways to speed up the privatisation process. Entity Prime Ministers Ahmet Hadzipasic and Dragan Mikerevic told a press conference in Sarajevo after the session that the Entity Governments would provide all necessary political and expert support to the Working Group and work on creating a favourable environment for investments and the improvement of the standard of life. They also discussed the harmonisation of legislation in order to additionally speed up the privatisation process, as well as ways for finding the best possible solutions to accumulated debts of companies, which represent one of the major obstacles for the implementation of the privatisation process in BiH. Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays said that the possibility of forming a company or a private body that would work on social problems and debts of companies based on examples from other countries was also discussed at the session. “Other countries in transition used the privatisation process as a driving forces, as a way to have capital invested in the improvement of companies, a way to develop a market economy and create new jobs. BiH needs to use the privatisation process in the same way”, Hays said. It was agreed that the Entity Governments would adopt a new ranking of companies ranging from those that can be privatised immediately, those that need to be restructured to those that need to be recovered and also to carry out a tender procedure for 15 companies by the end of the year. Dnevni List (page 3, “Hays: Privatization in BiH did not serve interests of citizens”, by R. Radic), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 6, “Preparations for tender of 10 companies carried out”, by Z. Rerig) also covered this meeting. |
| DL on removals in public companies, institutions | Dnevni List (page 6, “Charge on the unconquered”, by Slavo Kukic) – an editorial on the issue of removals in steering and supervisory boards in public companies, and other public companies/institutions. The author says that he believed, after the last elections in BiH, that the “OHR would resist the logic of revolution”, i.e. that there would be obstacles to removals of people in the said boards and institutions, however Kukic says it did not take long for the political parties to start with removals in telecommunication companies, when the parties “freed the companies from ‘terror of the suitable ones’”. Kukic goes on to say that next up are public broadcasters and Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, offering his comment on the situation: “Will the OHR intervene? Its principals have, judging by the media speculations, reached an agreement with the first man of the Federation Government. They, allegedly, will not approve such ‘roguish tricks’. But, they won’t react either. They will treat it, allegedly, as internal matter for the Government. If that’s the truth, only God can help us. Under condition that he still has mercy. But, I believe he has given up too. Because, we got what we asked for”, says Kukic. |
| Chair of BiH Presidency Covic on investments in BiH | Dnevni List (page 3, “Covic: Conference on economy and not about politics”, by R. Radic) carries that the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, talked at the press conference, held in Sarajevo yesterday, about the International Conference on Investing in BiH that is to take place in Mostar in February next year. Covic said that representatives from 50 countries will attend the Conference and added: “There will be no politics, only economy, privatization, tax policy and everything else that might be of interest to potential investors.” Vecernji List (page 3, “Change image of BiH as an insecure state”, by E. Medunjanin), Sarajevo dailies also covered this issue. |
| | Political developments |
| HR Ashdown meets Italian Foreign Minister Frattini | Dnevni List (front and page 7, “Ashdown: Change of Dayton has finally begun”, by M. S.) – reports that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, is on a two day trip to Italy, the country currently presiding the EU, where he met the Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini. DL says that “during a very positive meeting”, HR Ashdown informed Minister Frattini about the work of reform commission tasked with making draft laws on indirect taxation, defence, intelligence and about the future of City of Mostar. In that context, HR Ashdown stressed the constructive approach, which the members of the commissions have, is an embryo of the new kind of policy in BiH. “What is shaping more and more the policy in BiH is a possibility of further integration with the EU, and not the Bonn powers of the High Representative”, said HR Ashdown adding: “BiH citizens are certain about their destination, and that is Europe”. Dnevni Avaz pg. 15 ‘Process of amending the Dayton Agreement started’ carried OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic’s statement on the Ashdown’s visit to Italy. |
| DL on Mostar restructuring | Dnevni List (page 9, “Division of Mostar into national municipalities will be replaced with division into national districts”, by Zvonimir Jukic) – saying that the Chair of Mostar Commission, Norbert Winterstein, has given members of the Commission his draft of the future Statute of City of Mostar, the author of the article says although the new draft envisages stronger authorities of the City Administration, it still divides Mostar down the former confrontation line, which is against the High Representative’s principle that Mostar must be single unit of local self-government. DL says that the article 51 of the draft envisages so called “administrative districts” that would replace the municipalities in Mostar, and DL believes that instead of the current municipalities there would be national districts. Furthermore, DL says that Winterstein’s draft is also dealing with the issue of protection of vital national interests and the way how to start the procedure of invoking of the issue in the Mostar City Council. DL goes on to say that “the OHR’s proposal” also envisages 31 councilors in the Mostar City Council, which would be directly elected in 7 constituencies, and the constituencies are following the borders of the current municipalities, in other words the future administrative districts and Central zone. With regards to the election of the councilors, DL says that the City Election Commission will have a task to determine how many councilors are to be elected from every constituency and in the same time it has to bear in mind that the City Council must reflect the last census. DL also reports that the draft envisages that if there is no representative of one of the three constituent peoples in one of the constituencies, that the position remains vacated, which triggers the author to say that the provision legalizes ethnic cleansing. DL also says that the “OHR’s proposal” rejects the direct election of the Mayor, and says the Mayor is to be appointed by simple majority of city councilors. The future Statute also envisages the office of Deputy Mayor but with less competence. On the issue of parity, DL says the parity remains in the City Administration and in the City Council, where Presidents and Deputy Presidents and Heads of Departments and Deputy Heads cannot come from the line of the same people. Having reported all this, the author says although the proposal of the OHR is still a working version, it will probably be the main document for the restructuring of the city. Furthermore, DL says this cannot be a permanent solution for Mostar, but an Interim Statute Number 2, which is a slightly better solution that the current Interim Statute. DL’s conclusion is that the OHR’s proposal is far from the proper solution for Mostar, which would end the wartime divisions in Mostar. |
| Covic meets with Schwartz-Schilling / Mostar issue | Dnevni List (page 3, “Strengthen Herzegovina in terms of economy”, not signed) – the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, yesterday received international mediator for BiH Christian Schwartz-Schilling. Among other things, they exchanged views on the organization of Mostar, and Covic said it was important to stabilize this area in terms of economy. Covic also said that the Commission that is to draft a new Statute of Mostar, formed by the OHR, exists and it works on drafting of the Mostar Statute. Sarajevo media also reported on the meeting. |
| SDS critical of opposition re RTRS | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 – “The RTRS is being destroyed”, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 – “Television in agony”– the SDS Spokesman, Dusan Stojicic, stated yesterday that opposition delegates to the RS National Assembly left the last session of the Parliament in order to avoid discussion on the audit report on RTRS, which shows significant loses at this media. Stojicic believes that the RTRS Board of Governors is incompetent and does not answer to the public for its actions but to the centres of power by which it was appointed. According to the SDS Spokesman, the RTRS Board of Governors is responsible for the RTRS agony. Speaking about protests of pensioners, Stojicic said his party support pensioners and their requests, adding that solving of their problems should be a priority for the RS Government. |
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| Return |
| NGOs discuss return to and from Sarajevo | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Support genuine willingness to return’, FENA – Participants at a roundtable, organised by the Serb Civic Council (SGV), the Croat National Council (HNV) and the Council of the Bosniak Intellectuals Congress (VKBI), discussing return to and from Sarajevo said that right conditions need to be ensured in order to improve the return of people to their pre-war homes. HNV Steering Board Chair Friar Luka Markesic warned that the issue of return has a significant impact on the issue of equal status of constituent peoples in BiH. He said that people who feel that the issue of their civic rights has not been resolved cannot be expected to return to places where they used to live. He said that the problem of employment is also having a negative impact on the return process. Markesic thinks that not enough has been done on resolving this issue and that when returnees fail in finding employment they decide to sell their property. VKBI General Secretary Arif Zulic highlighted the problem of return to Podrinje, where Bosniaks used to be majority. He said that war criminals that freely roam that area are to blame to for the poor return, as well as the fact that a multiethnic police force has still not been established. SGV President Miladin Vidakovic criticised the Sarajevo Canton Government for passing the return plan for this year only in August. It is natural that plans and programs are adopted at the beginning of the year. |
| | BiH-Elections in Croatia |
| Can Bosnian Croats vote at Croatian Elections? | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – “Decision to be made by Election Commission” – the Cabinet of the Croatian Prime Minister, Ivica Racan, announced that the state election commission will decide whether Bosnian Croats, who also hold Croatian citizenship, will have a right to vote at the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Croat media report that the issue of dual citizenship will be discussed only after the elections, and that the inter state agreement on dual citizenship would not be signed by the end of this year. According to the Zagreb’s proposal of the Law on dual citizenship, only those who give up the citizenship of the country in which they lived before, will be able to obtain Croatian citizenship. |
| Lozancic to meet Sanader | Vecernji List (page 2, “Lozancic: We must choose representatives of Croats from BiH by ourselves”, by D. Jazvic) – reports that representatives of HDZ BiH and HDZ of Croatia will in the next few days meet in order to devise relationship pertaining to the forthcoming elections in Croatia. Presidency of HDZ BiH held a session yesterday and during a break, a Vice President of HDZ BiH, Niko Lozancic, told journalists that contacts between the two parties had been made, but there was no decision to give support to HDZ of Croatia. According to VL, the fundamental request of the HDZ BiH in order to give its support to HDZ of Croatia is that the HDZ BiH choose its candidates for list of Croatian diaspora i.e. candidates that would represent BiH Croats in the Croatian Parliament. “We request that we choose candidates that would represent the Croats from BiH any where”, said Lozancic refusing to say whether and which candidates HDZ BiH had proposed to the HDZ of Croatia. (Dnevni List, front and page 7, “Colak-Sanader meeting next week”, by Miso Relota) Vecernji List (front and pages 6 and 7, “The six damage reputation of diaspora”, by Robert Bubalo) – carries an article on 6 representatives of the Croatian diaspora in the Croatian Parliament, which in a nutshell, says the 6 MPs created a bad image about the Croatian diaspora among the MPs in the Parliament and among the wider Croatian public. VL comments that the said MPs in fact were the laughing stock in the Parliament because of their comments and speeches made in the Parliament. VL notes that all 6 were rigid conservatives. |
| Croatian elections and Serbs | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2- “Voting of the Serb refugees’, Glas Srpske, pg. 3-“Refugees should vote too” – the dailies report that the Serb People’s Council and Independent Serb Democratic Party announced that they will request the Croatian Government to pass a decision, (through an urgent procedure), according to which the Serbs from Croatia, who are at the moment refugees in Serbia, Montenegro and BiH, will be allowed to vote at the coming elections. Chairman of the Serb People’s Council, Milorad Pupovac said that they will also request more polling stations in Croatia and opening of polling stations for Serb refugees in Serbia and BiH. |
| | Other issues |
| Galijasevic on Mujahedeens | Vecernje Novosti pg. 8 ‘Bosnian oasis of holy warriors’ – Former Maglaj Mayor Dzevad Galijasevic says it is true that persons who participated in wars in Afghanistan and Kosovo are in areas of Zenica and Srebrenik as well as some other parts of BiH. He says that one of those places where Mujahedeens live is Bocinja, although they have settled in some bigger BiH towns such as Sarajevo. “In bigger towns they are melting into the crowd and therefore they can better exist there, which is a new policy after Bocinja. In that way they do not attract to much attention from the IC,” Galijasevic says. According to him, Mujahedeens in BiH are protected by the SDA’s establishment – Hasan Cengic, Bakir Alispahic, Semsudin Mehmedovic, as well as Ahmet Hadzipasic and Adnan Terzic who act liberally. |