| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Session of BIH Presidency | FBIH HoR session | Electricity price to increase | HR & Del Ponte warn RS |
| FBIH HoR session | RS NA session | Highway Podlugovi-Visoko | Attack on RTRS team |
| RS NA session | Session of BIH Presidency | TI on corruption in BiH | Samardzic’s condition |
| Interpol meeting in SA | Trial of Fazlic and Kobilic | Session of BIH Presidency | MoI raided Makroprom |
| Oslobodjenje | Ambassador in Strasbourg Bozanic is on EU black list |
| Dnevni Avaz | Richard Sclar: Economy is now a key challenge for BiH |
| Dnevni List | Ashdown-del Ponte meeting: January is deadline for start of trials |
| Vecernji List | Ashdown warns HDZ and SDS from |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | HDZ is blocking war crimes court |
| Glas Srpske | Purchase cleans |
| Nezavisne Novine | Investigation on crime at BiH Football Union; Suspicious death of the main witness of BiH Prosecutor’s Office; The police have searched “Makroprom”; PSC Trebinje: the police are afraid of certain citizens; Hague Tribunal: HDZ too stands in the way to cooperation with |
| Blic | Nedjo was shot in his back; Municipalities are facing a bankruptcy |
| Ljiljan | Why Ramiz Delalic has been transferred to |
Political developments | |
| BiH Presidency appoints new ambassador to Council of Europe
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Dragan Bozanic appointed ambassador to CoE’, mentioned on cover ‘Tihic outvoted by Paravac and Covic’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Paravac and Covic outvoted Tihic’, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Despite Tihic’s opposition, Bozanic appointed as ambassador’, by Erna Mackic, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Karadzic’s minister a BiH’s ambassador’, by D. Pasic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Tihic outvoted’ by N.Z.; Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Dragan Bozanic as BiH Ambassador to Council of Europe’ by A. Sisic ,SRNA – Member of the BiH Presidency on Wednesday appointed Dragan Bozanic BiH ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Bozanic was until recently BiH’s ambassador to the Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Ambassador in Strasbourg Bozanic on EU black list’ – According to the daily, EU Ministerial Council on September 15 1997 banned Dragan Bozanic from entering EU over his obstructions to the implementation of the Dayton Agreement as a year later US State Departments rejected to approve his appointment as BiH Ambassador to US. |
| RSNA adopts draft law on refuges, changes to the law on
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, RTRS – RS National Assembly adopted draft law on displaced persons, returnees to RS and refugees from BiH. RS NA also adopted changes to law on FTV, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 9 ‘SDA requests for a removal of Minister Samardzic’ by V. Popovic, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘SDA requested removal of Minister Samardzic’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘SDA caucus requested removal of Jasmin Samardzic’ – The SDA Caucus in the RSNA launched an initiative for dismissal of RS Minister for Refugees and Displaced Persons Jasmin Samardzic because of an irresponsible relation towards displaced persons, returnees and refugees. Glas Srpske, pg. 2 ‘There will be no removal’ by G. Dakic – also reports on RSNA session and initiative of SDA caucus on removal of Minister Samardzic. The article reads that RSNA delegates have rejected SDA initiative. It also quotes Minister Samardzic as saying he thinks SDA has brought such an initiative because they were dissatisfied with the amount of funds allocated for resolving of issues of returnees in RS. |
Economic/social issues | |
| FBiH House of Representatives adopts Law on Internal Debt
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Deputies accepted draft Law on Internal Debt’, Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Determining of old foreign currency savings within nine months’, mentioned on front, by Ivica Glibusic, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Payment of part of old savings in next four years’, by Eldina Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 18 ‘Old savings in cash and bonds’, by B. Kristo, FENA – The FBiH House of Representatives adopted the draft FBiH Law on Internal Debt in Sarajevo on Wednesday. For a long time this law has caused much debate and protest by associations of foreign currency savers. Representatives of the BiH Association of Foreign Currency Savers protested again on Wednesday. Besides protesting against the text of the law they also protested against the fact that representatives of the Association, Amila Omersoftic and Muhamed Cengic, were prevented from attending the session of the House of Representatives. Reacting to this development Association President Amila Omersoftic sent an open letter to House of Representatives Speaker Muhamed Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic told FENA that he did not know why Omersoftic and Cengic had not been allowed to attend the session or who banned their presence. He claims that one representative of the Association was present at the session, but added that he is not certain whether that was the FBiH or the BiH association. BiH Association of Savers member Muhamed Cengic said that security officials did not allow him to enter the Parliament building under the explanation that he did not have an official invitation. He added that he attended sessions on a number of occasions in the past and that he never needed an invitation. Cengic thinks that he and Omersoftic were prevented from attending the session because “we know what happened with the money from old foreign currency savings”. The adopted law treats old foreign currency savings as internal debt, but since its amount is not known the new law has left a nine-month period for establishing and verifying its true amount. Once this is done a special law or amendments to this law will define the methods of payment. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic said after the session that sub-law acts should allow citizens in the most difficult position, especially pensioners and returnees to use old foreign currency savings for medical treatment or the reconstruction of houses. |
| OHR welcomes passage of the Law on Internal Debt by FBiH HoR
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Hays: This is the right decision’, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Doors open to development’, by F, FENA – The OHR welcomes Wednesday’s passage of the Law on Determination and Settlement of Internal Debt by the Federation House of Representatives. OHR believes this is a bold step by Parliamentarians who have accepted responsibility for the entire country. “Without the law in place, the whole country would face a delay in payments to pensioners and workers who are owed money by the authorities. In addition, it would cause delays in payments to foreign currency account holders. Most citizens will regret this delay. The Brcko, RS and BiH assemblies had already adopted the law,” OHR said in a press statement. Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays said on Wednesday “it is not a perfect bill, but this is the right decision. Enacting this Law in the Federation will gear up the economy in this country”. This affordable plan worked out between the BiH authorities and the international financial organisations (IMF, WB) is the fairest arrangement that was possible. It will allow payments to start being made to the most vulnerable sections of the community, such as pensioners. It will clear the way for BiH to attract the investment that will create jobs. “It is out of utmost importance that the House of People’s passes this law so that the benefits of the plan can be delivered to citizens without further delay”, said Ambassador Hays. This represents a step forward in meeting commitment by BiH toward the IMF regarding fiscal sustainability. The law is essential for resolving a problem that has deterred serious investment in BiH and thus prevented the creation of new jobs in significant numbers. In addition, the FBiH House of Representatives has adopted the Law on Public Companies that will enable the more transparent management of public companies. |
| EC supports implementation of BiH mid-term development strategy
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Economic policy to be designed at one place in the future’, Oslobodjenje pg 5 Expert planning of economic policy’, Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Research team will create economic policy’, mentioned on front, by Danka Polovina-Mandic, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Two million Euros for development’, by eme,, FENA – Chair of BIH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic and Head of Delegation of European Commission in BIH Michael Humphreys signed Memorandum of Understanding valued at KM 2 million. This Memorandum will enable establishing of Unit for Coordination of economic surveys/research and implementation of BiH middle-term development strategy. |
| Transparency International report shows BiH in danger of sliding into uncontrolled corruption
| BHT, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 ‘Mafia, with help of political elites, is ruling in BiH’ by A. Sekulic, Glas Srpske, pg. 3 ‘There is no lack in bribery’ by D. Vrhovac – Mihajlovic, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘BiH shares the 82nd place on CPI among 146 countries’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘BiH belongs to part of world with uncontrolled corruption’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 2 “Judging by corruption BiH IS like Armenia’ by bs and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘BiH like Madagascar’, mentioned on cover, by A. Macanovic, ONASA – Chairman of the BiH Transparency International (TI) Board of Diectors Boris Divjak said on Wednesday that BiH shares the 82nd place with Armenia and Madagascar on the TI’s global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) among 146 countries. “Instead of maintaining last year’s 70th position, BiH draws closer to the part of the world with uncontrolled corruption and anarchy,” Divjak said, adding that the delay in and lack of reforms have weakened the position of BiH, which now has a higher corruption rate than a half of African countries. Of the former Yugoslav countries, Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘OHR employees among those corrupted as well’ also covered the issue. The daily quotes Divjak as saying that the most corrupted in BiH are governing institutions as well as the representatives of the international community including OHR. |
| Richard Sclar: Economy is now a key challenge for BiH
| Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Richard Sclar: Economy is now a key challenge for BiH’, pg 5 ‘I agree that the revision of the privatisation should be done’ – Interview with Richard Sclar former envoy of the former US President Bill Clinton. Although he is already being treated as a member of the Office of the BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic, Sclar did not want to explicitly confirm he had accepted to be Terzic’s economic advisor. In the interview, Sclar among other things emphasized BiH’s potentials in the sector of energy and human resources. He also said he agreed the privatisation process should be reviewed if the re were clear evidences on irregularities. |
War crimes/police/judiciary/legal proceedings | |
| Ashdown and Del Ponte call on BiH Parliament to make War Crimes Chamber operational by January 2005
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, RTRS, Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 2 ‘Ashdown-del Ponte meeting: January is deadline for start of trials’, by De. L., – At a meeting on Wednesday in the Hague, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, and the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, underlined that there can be no compromise on the long term commitment to the Rule of Law in BiH. “Independent and effective trials at BiH’s State Court are an essential element of the Rule of Law reforms in BiH”, said the High Representative. Carla Del Ponte added that “BiH has undertaken to ensure the effective processing of war crimes cases through the country’s domestic legal system – to fail in this regard would be a very negative signal”. The High Representative and the Chief Prosecutor discussed progress made in establishing the War Crimes Chamber, which will enable BiH to effectively prosecute war crimes through its own judicial system. The Parliament will on Thursday review amendments to the current BiH Law on Courts, Prosecutors Office and the Law on Transfer of War Crimes Cases from the ICTY to the Court of BiH. It was agreed that failure to pass these amendments would severely undermine the fight to hold war criminals accountable. Carla Del Ponte underlined that “it is essential War Crimes legislation is passed by the Parliament on Thursday, so that BiH can fulfil its January target for commencing with trials of war criminals.’ FTV, Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash ‘HDZ is blocking war crimes court’, and pg 9 ‘HDZ and Covic blocking war crimes court’, by B. Kristo, Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Trials of war criminals depend on laws’ also reported on the meeting. According to these reports, the High Representative claims that passing of the necessary legislation is obstructed by HDZ representatives. “It is completely unacceptable that only few weeks after they gave promises to ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte on cooperation with the ICTY, BiH politicians are not ready to do everything necessary to ensure that this legislative is passed. I can say this directly to member of the Presidency Dragan Covic – you are the person in charge for HDZ, you are the person that promised to Carla del Ponte cooperation. You are the person that will suffer serious consequences if HDZ block passing of these amendments,” stated Ashdown after the meeting with Del Ponte. Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Ashdown: SCG, Croatia and BiH must freeze all assets of Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina’, mentioned on cover ‘Freeze assets of criminals’, FoNet Serbian news agency – High Representative of the International Community in BiH Paddy Ashdown said in The Hague that the EU “today (Wednesday) reached a decision that EU entry candidate states, including Serbia and Montenegro, BiH and Croatia, must freeze all accounts held by the Hague Tribunal indictees Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina“. “This is a big step forward. To date, this obligation applied only to EU member states, while from now on it applies to Balkan states. I hope Inset in DL pg 2 entitled ‘Discussion was not planned’, carries the Deputy Speaker of BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, Velimir Jukic, as saying that a discussion about the Proposal of law on changes and amendments to Law on BiH Court is not on the agenda of BiH HoP today (Thursday). Jukic notes that the Proposal will be discussed today by the competent commission (of the BiH HoP) and should the commission complete its job today, it is possible that the said Proposal of law be included on the agenda later in the day. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5 ‘HDZ too stands in the way to cooperation with the Hague’ by Bojana Radmanovic, Glas srpske, pg. 2 ‘New pressures to follow’ by Beta – High Representative Paddy Ashdown met with ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte on Wednesday. Both article report HR Ashdown has stated that EU demands from former Yugoslav countries to “freeze” property of Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina. NN article reads that HR Paddy Ashdown has stated that Croat member of BiH Presidency Dragan Covic has met Carla del Ponte and promised her a full cooperation with the Tribunal. HR ashdown added that Covic is the President of HDZ and HDZ was blocking the adoption of legislative regulations at BiH Parliament. ‘We all know RS is not cooperating with the Hague, but now we have a situation in which HDZ too stands in the way to cooperation with the Hague’, HR Ashdown has stated. Vecernji List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Ashdown warns HDZ and SDS from The Hague’, by Goran Jungvirt and Zoran Kresic – Notes that HR Ashdown and Prosecutor del Ponte warned representatives of political parties, foremost of HDZ and SDS, that the failure to adopt the set of laws related to the issue of processing of war crimes in BiH would seriously undermine efforts to proclaim war criminals responsible for their deeds. This leads the daily to say it means the HR and del Ponte are announcing a possible continuation of sanctions, which would hurt the SDS the most. President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, says that the charges at HDZ’s account are not grounded because the HDZ is supporting the building of domestic judiciary that would process war crimes. VL also carries the Speaker of BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Martin Raguz, as saying the MPs, BiH Presidency and |
| HDZ’s Jukic says HDZ not obstructing laws on war crimes trials in BiH
| Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘HDZ MPs summoned for meeting at OHR’, mentioned on front, by Ivica Glibusic – Notes that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, at a meeting with Carla del Ponte, labelled the HDZ and SDS as parties that oppose changes to the legal framework that would enable formation of war crimes department with the BiH Court. According to the Deputy Speaker of BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, Velimir Jukic, neither the HDZ nor any other party obstructs the adoption of the necessary legislative changes. Jukic says that there is a consensus by all parties that form the majority in the BiH Parliament regarding the establishment of war crimes department with the |
| Ljiljan claims HDZ Croatia, IC in BiH reached deal on Covic’s removal from politics
| Ljiljan pgs 26-27 ‘Double collapse of Dragan Covic’ by Faruk Vele – “Judging from chronology of events… it is entirely obvious that near future will bring collapse… of Dragan Covic’s political career,” reads the introduction to Ljiljan article. Author comments that even “in halls of HDZ headquarters” it is not disputed that Covic will end up in a cell of Kula prison due to his involvement in a number of economic crimes which resulted in six lawsuits filed against him. According to Ljiljan, the reason for his potential removal follows “obvious deal reached between the international community in BiH and HDZ leadership in |
| Mikerevic urges RSNA not to discuss Srebrenica Commission’s report
| Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Srebrenica must not be subject to political trade’, Dnevni Avaz pg 15 ‘Mikerevic warned from US that report on Srebrenica should not be discussed’, FENA – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic sent a letter to representatives in the RS National Assembly (RSNA) urging them not to discuss the Srebrenica Commission’s final report before it is discussed by the BiH Constitutional Court’s Human Rights Chamber, after which this document will become public. Mikerevic stressed that all comments on the contents of the final report, which have been made before the assessment by the Human Rights Chamber, represent a violation of secrecy in a court process and threaten to compromise the significant progress achieved so far. He said that the RS Government would review the report on October 28 and forward it to the Human Rights Chamber. The RSNA adopted a proposal by the Democratic National Alliance (DNS) representative Drago Kalabic that the final report of the Srebrenica Commission is put on the agenda of the session taking place in |
| Nacionalclaims HR Ashdown will remove Dragan Cavic
| Nacional pg 8 ‘Ashdown to remove Cavic’ – Serbian daily reports that information has leaked out from the OHR that Paddy Ashdown intends to remove Dragan Cavic, RS President, by the end of this year, in spite of the fact that Cavic has obeyed instruction to publish the fabricated report on Srebrenica on 15 October. Ashdown must have chosen this time period owing to post-election gap (in The sources at the Geo-strategic studies (seated in Washington) notes that persistent support (which some international factors provide to establishment of the Albanian state in the area of Kosovo and Metohija) should comply with claims that it is high time to consider the possibility for establishing a sovereign and separated state of Bosnian Serbs. According to inset “First he removed Miletic, then reinstated him’, Paddy Ashdown on 20 April removed Dejan Miletic, who was in charge of war crimes investigations, and then ordered Serb leadership to accept his islamistic version of Srebrenica events, in spite of the fact that this version is in complete contradiction with the independent forensic report of experts. According to inset ‘MP’s should not discuss it’, Dragan Mikerevic, RS Prime Minister, on Tuesday sent a letter to RS MP’s asking them not to disucss Srebrenica Report before Human Rights Commission at BiH Constitutional Court does that. |
| Samardzic’s wife claims her husband did not shoot at SFOR
| EuroBlic cover and RSpg 1 ‘He was shot in the back’ by V. Mihojevic-Tanjug; Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘My husband did not shot’ mentioned on cover/second edition ‘My husband did not shot at SFOR’ by M.C.; Glas Srpske pg 8 ‘A child also targeted at’ by S. Aleksic ,, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘They were shooting at his back’ by A. Macanovic, Dnevni List pg 9 ‘SFOR points guns at Samardzic’s wife and son!?’ by NINA – Aleksandra Samardzic, the spouse of Nedjo Samardzic, yesterday denied claims that her husband shot at SFOR soldiers, adding that the entire event took place in front of her and their two-year old son Ivan. She said: “At the moment when we approached our car, five men in black overalls and with masks on their faces ran out of a van in our direction. Nedjo started to run across the loan, and when he was ten meters away, they shot him in the back…Two soldiers pointed their guns at me and my child. I thought they would kill us.” Samardzic family notes that not a single SFOR or RS authority has approached them hitherto with any sort of comment or explanation into current health state of Nedjo. According to NN inset ‘Njegus visited Samardzic’, Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director, on Wednesday visited Nedjo Samardzic at Kosevo hospital, but he did not want to give any comment. According to hospital officials, Samardzic’s medical state is stable at the moment. EuroBlic also carries statement of Mrksa Skocajic, Head of Trebinje PSC (see above). |
| Trebinje Police press conference on SFOR’s action in Bileca
| Nezavisne Novine, cover ‘The police are afraid of certain citizens’ and pg. 4 ‘The police are afraid of citizens’ by N. Kolak, Glas srpske, pg. 12 ‘Kovacevic was beating, police were watching’ by M. B.,Dnevni List pg 20 ‘Policemen encouraged attack on RTRS cameraman’ by N. Kolak – The Head of PSC Trebinje, Mrksa Skocajic, on Wednesday condemned the attack on RTRS crew in Trebinje on the occasion of arrest of Nedjo Samardzic and he said a denunciation has been filed against one of the attackers. NN article quotes Skocajic as saying: ‘We were surprised by this act. A number of policemen are afraid of certain citizens. We will investigate on responsibility of certain policemen after which we will inform the public on this’. NN also reads that Skocajic has stated PSC Trebinje was not aware of the action of SIPA and SFOR in Bileca, but have learned about the action only later. NN also carries the inset ‘Matijasevic condemned the attack on journalists’, which reads that RS Police Minister Darko Marijasevic expressed regret, on his behalf and on behalf of RS Police, over the attack of RTRS crew. |
| Reaction of RS Association of Former Camp Inmates on arrest of Nedjo Samardzic
| Glas Srpske, pg. 12 ‘Clear message to Serbs’ by G. K. – RS Association of Former Camp Inmates thinks judiciary system of RS was once again avoided by arresting Nedjo Samardjic. ‘RS citizens were sent a message that their institutions cannot provide them with a legislative security, as well as that the approach of BiH Court in processing of war crimes would be a selective one, i.e. detrimental for Serb people’, a press release of the Association of Former Camp Inmates reads. The press release reads that neither legal nor personnel pre-requisites for functioning of |
| On working meeting of Interpol multi-disciplinary group for struggle against terrorism in
| BHT, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘There is no efficient struggle within national borders’ by D. Polovina-Mandic, Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Struggle against terrorism’ by D. Jazvic and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 19 ‘BiH actively in struggle against terrorism’ by F – A two-day working meeting of Interpol’s working group for fight against terrorism started on Wednesday in Sarajevo. Representatives of 19 countries will discuss many aspects of international fight against terrorism and more efficient participation of South-Eastern Europe countries in world anti-terrorist front. BiH Deputy Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, said that BiH, through its Interpol department, State Information and Protection Agency (SIPA) and Information and Security Agency (OSA), would give its full contribution in anti-terrorist activities. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Level of terrorism threat in BiH is unknown’ by M. C. – Director of BiH Interpol Brane Pecanac on Wednesday stated that BiH authorities do not know the level of a terrorist threat in BiH and they do not even know whether there is any terrorist threat in BIH. BiH Interpol hosted a workshop of the Interpol’s Multidisciplinary group for fight against terrorism. |
| | Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Constitutional Court on appeals regarding immunity’, by A. B. – The daily announces that the BiH Constitutional Court will be discussing the issue of appeals regarding cases of immunity that the Constitutional Court has received so far at its session scheduled for October 29 and 30. Among appeals the Court has received so far, there is an appeal by the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic. |
| Rojs on his involvement in Hercegovacka Banka case
| Vecernji List pg 6 ‘I could not even employ my own relative in Hercegovacka Banka!’, mentioned on front, ‘I did not take anything from Hercegovacka Banka’ by Z. Jurilj carries an interview with Ljubo Cesic Rojs, whose name has been frequently mentioned in the context of persons involved in the Hercegovacka Banka case. Commenting on this case, Rojs says that he did not take anything from the Hercegovacka Banka and added that his stand is that if someone was working illegally in the HB that person should be held accountable. |
| | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 ‘Five Islamic organisations from BiH were linked with terrorism’ by D. Ra. – US authorities have published a “black list” of 27 Islamic humanitarian organisations, five of which are from BiH, believed to be linked with financing of terrorit operations throughout the world. According to |
| Nacional on terrorism links in BiH
| Nacional pg 6 ‘Fanatics getting out of Bosnian gorges’ – This article refers to information published by US Geo-strategic Institute (Foreign Affairs and Security Department) and obtained through a secret Wahhabi organisation in Bosnia, showing that Saudi and Iranian Governments jointly support the combat operations against Russian troops in Chechnya. Apart from this, the organisation ahs significantly expanded in 2004 in regard to financing, and opened its offices across |
| Update to Fazlic case
| BHT, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, cover ‘Suspicious death of the main witness of BiH Prosecutor’s Office’ and pg. 2 ‘Fazlic was accused of extortion and bribery’ by A. Durmo,Slobodna Dalmacija pg 17 ‘Key witness suddenly died’, mentioned on cover, by B. Kristo and Dnevni List pg 52 ‘Change of bill of indictment announced because of death of witness’ not signed – Trial to Asim Fazlic, former Deputy Director of BiH Interpol, commenced at BiH Court on Wednesday. Fazlic was accused of abuse of office, extortion of money from Zijad Turkovic, receiving of bribery, dishonest conduct of his duties etc. The article reads that the court council has rejected a request of defence for releasing Fazlic from detention, saying that there is a possibility he might influence statements of witnesses. The trial will resume on November 17. NN inset ‘Suspicious death of the key witness of the Prosecutor’s Office’ reads that Prosecutor Johnatan Schmitt has asked to be approved with additional 30 days make preparations of re-organising evidence procedure, having in mid that former Fazlic’s associate Izet Mustafic died two weeks ago. ‘We are not sure about causes of death of the key witness. An autopsy will provide with answers to many questions’, Schmitt explained. |
| Investigation into alleged crime at BiH Football Union
| Nezavisne Novine, cover ‘Investigation on crime at BiH Football Union’ and pg. 3 ‘Investigation on crime of officials of BiH Football Union’ by A. Sisic – the article claims BiH court has confirmed that BiH Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-investigation activities on the work of BiH Football Union upon information on involvement of the Union officials in crime acts and corruption. The article listed names of persons whose activities will be investigated – Ahmet Pasalic, Munib Usanovic and Miodrag Kuresa. According to a source of NN at Inset ‘Usanovic: I know nothing about this’ says Munib Usanovic has rejected claims on his involvement in criminal activities. |
| SD feature on judicial system in BiH
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 19 ‘Indictees are guilty in advance’, by Z. Tulic – The article argues that the current legislation in BiH, especially in the area of criminal code, is causing displeasure among a growing number of attorneys-at-law, who claim that the laws are breaching fundamental human rights. Former President of FBiH Bar Association, Ekrem Galijatovic, claims that many lawyers cannot find their way through the new system, stressing that it is in fact prosecutions, not the court, that manage processes. Galijatovic explains: “Criminal code is being learnt in college and in practice for years, and we are in situation in which a completely new law is proclaimed and put in force within three days”. He also stresses that the current law treats an indictee as if he/she is already guilty. Regarding the role of prosecution, Galijatovic says: “Let them do their job, but the court has to be the one that decides about everything. Prosecutors are a party in proceedings, same like lawyers, but the new legislation transfers almost all authorities onto the prosecutor”. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 19 ‘Ashdown: Foreign judges introduce new elements”, by B. Kristo – The daily carries the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, as explaining the role of foreign judges and prosecutors in the BiH Court and Prosecution. The original interview was given to Belgrade-based ‘Beta’ news agency. “International judges and prosecutors are here because of two reasons: whilst this institution is being built, nobody can say that the nationality of the judge or prosecutor is influencing a certain case. Secondly, in order to help BiH judges and prosecutors to adapt to the new Criminal code and Law on criminal procedure and reformatory laws that are introducing new elements from the western practice and which represent the key that will ensure that courts can solve cases and decrease the number of unsolved ones”, said HR Ashdown. |
| GS on police reform in BiH
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Story is public, work is secret’ by V. Janjic – GS today carries a half-a–page article on the reform of police forces in BiH. The daily says that the proposal with regard to the future organisation of police forces in BiH carried a mark of strictly confidential and that the same has been the practice of the work of the Commission in charge of this reform since the beginning. This means according to the daily that all attempts to find out what will be the proposed organisation of the police will fail. The public has, however, learnt that there are three possible options. The most-pushed option is the one anticipating the existence of a single MoI with between 5 and 7 PSCs in BiH. Velimir Sakan, the President of the RS NA Committee in charge of monitoring the work of internal and defense bodies, confirmed that this concept does not provide for the existence of the RS MoI. The daily wonders if this means that Wilfred Martens supported by Ashdown is undermining the foundation of the RS constitutional system. The RS NA has, also, been deprived of the right to be informed of the intentions of the Commission. This all suggests that the RS public will not be consulted on what police forces it would like to have. Dusko Jandric, the President of the RS MoI Trade Union, said that this institution requested a high level of independence for the RS MoI and that if the police reform could not ensure its autonomy in line with the requested standards, the Trade Union wile be against that. Especially, if the exclusive goal of the announced changes is to centralize and transfer all police powers onto the state level. |
Miscellaneous | |
| BiH Islamic Community slams Helsinki Committee for bias | BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Freedom should not being defended by jeopardising others’, FENA – The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, led for a long time now in BiH by Srdjan Dizdarevic, represents an international organization which concerns itself with the protection of human rights, although Dizdarevic, when it comes to Islam and the Islamic Community, especially the institution of the Reis-ul-Ulema in BiH, has not demonstrated the required objectivity and impartiality. This was said on Wednesday by the Reis-ul-Ulema’s office in response to the statement by the BiH Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, which condemned the attacks on the media by the head of the BiH Islamic Community, Mustafa Ceric signed by Srdjan Dizdarevic, and which the BiH media relayed on Tuesday and Wednesday, MINA (Muslim News Agency) reports. Dizdarevic has the right to retain the inherited ideological prejudice against religion and religious institutions, especially Islam and the Islamic Community in BiH, but the chairman of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH has no right to be prejudiced against the human rights of Muslims, which some electronic and written media are flagrantly and constantly violating. |