| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Pentagon analysing results | US attacks Iraq | War in Iraq | War against Iraq |
| Iraqi TV houses | Iraqi missiles on Kuwait | Safety of BiH citizens | Reactions from the world |
| BiH Presidency on Iraq | World divided over war | BiH Presidency on Iraq | BiH Presidency on Iraq |
| EUPM on the sec. situation | Sec. measures in BiH | Survey on war in Iraq | General Ward’s statement |
| Oslobodjenje | War in Iraq – Baghdad in flames, refugees at borders; BiH Security Ministry – Djindjic’s killers are not in BiH; Mijat Tuka and company wasted money for 1,000 houses |
| Dnevni Avaz | The first target Saddam’s HQ; Revisions – massive clearance at the Refugee Ministry; Taxi drivers protest – the blockade lasted for over three hours |
| Dnevni List | The abolishment of conscription voted out; Ashdown pays visit to Mostar today – eight principles for European Mostar; American ground forces entered Iraq |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Saddam’s bunkers targeted by Bush’s missiles; Minister Mijat Tuka took 14 million KM from refugees |
| Glas Srpski | American strikes Iraq; The Serbian government and the Ministry of Internal affairs announce – Siptar paid Prosecutor |
| Nezavisne Novine | Americans entered Iraq; OHR Audit Report on the Federation Ministry for Refugees and DP’s – removal of three officials demanded; Investigation into the murder of Serbian Prime Minister – Deputy Public Prosecutor admits Mafia is paying him |
| Vecernje Novosti | 2,000 people interrogated, 800 arrested; The war; Serbian Deputy Public Prosecutor Milan Sarajlic – on Mafia’s payroll |
| Blic | Serbian Deputy Public Prosecutor worked for Mafia; Iraq attacked; Donations for refugees in FBiH were given even to dead people; Cajavec’s employees request the removal of the Steering Board and director; Sven Frederiksen – I am not satisfied with the police in Prijedor; Radomir Njegus – courts hinder the rule of law |
| BH DANI | Wanted George W. Bush; Milorad Dodik – Bosnia is worse than Serbia |
| Slobodna Bosna | Legija watched Djindjic’s funeral (on TV) in Sarajevo |
Federation Ministry for Refugees | |
| FBiH Refugee Ministry
| Avaz pg. 1 and 3 – at yesterday’s press conf HR Paddy Ashdown called on the Federation Parliament to remove Mijat Tuka (an MP) and his party (NHI) to exclude him in the next seven days. He is accused of embezzling and probably stealing 14,3 million KM at the time he performed the duty of the Federation Minister. If the local authorities fail to remove Tuka, the HR would do it. The OHR sent a letter to Federation PM Ahmer Hadzipasic, Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic and the current Minister for Refugees and DPs Edin Music requesting that the Federation government suspended Adjul Salihbegovic, Vice-President of the Donors Board, for granting a loan to the FBiH Ministry with the money intended for refugees. Also, the OHR requested suspensions of Tuka’s Advisor, Salko Beba, responsible for mismanagement in the tender procedures, and Fehim Bekan, the Ministry Secretary who allowed opening of accounts that were beyond Parliament control. As for former FBiH Minister for Refugees, Sefer Halilovic, HR Ashdown stated his removal would be in line if he was still holding a position in the legal and executive authority. Oslobodjenje pg. 1, 4 and 5 – the Federation government yesterday removed Fehim Bekan, Adjul Salihbegovic and Salko Beba. Also, the government dismissed Fikret Ferhatovic, Assistant to former Minister Halilovic, who was not on the OHR list of responsible persons. The government did not explain reasons for his removal. SDHR Shcroembgens stated that many companies got rich in a suspicious ways and to the detriment of refugees. An insert ‘The return project under a question mark’ – Ashdown said the audit would influence decision of the IC to make further investment in BiH in the refugee return and could damage the BiH reputation. The OHR requested that the 2003 Return Plan be devised with the newly established tendering procedure and the control of the house reconstruction. According to the OHR, an international expert should lead this project. Dnevni List pg. 5 ‘Ashdown deprives Mijat Tuka of his mandate’ and Slobodna Dalmacija pg. 1 and 17 – deal with the Federation Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons audit report. DL carries that Ashdown yesterday presented the audit report on the work of this Ministry, which shows cases of the embezzlements, mismanagement and crime. Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘The removal of three officials in the Ministry demanded’, Glas Srpski pg. 3 ‘Theft in the heart of authority’ – Ashdown yesterday presented the audit report on the Federation Ministry of Refugees and DP’s, stressing that the findings were disgraceful. Blic pg. 7 ‘Donations even to dead people’ – “The findings of this audit are arguably the most disgraceful in moral terms. This time the theft occurred right at the heart of the government. And most shockingly of all, the people who were robbed are some of the most vulnerable in BiH society today – refugees and displaced persons,” said HR Ashdown. |
| Tuka | Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Tuka accuses Ferhatovic for losses’ – Mijat Tuka, former Deputy Minister at the Federation Ministry of Refugees and DP’s, accused the Assistant to Minister, Fikret Ferhatovic, for the loss of 14.5 million KM, as established in the OHR special audit report. Ferhatovic did not want to comment on these accusations, stressing that he must get permission of the current minister of refugees and DP’s to make any statement. Tuka expressed his view that the main problem resulted from the fact that following the departure of Sefer Halilovic to The Hague, the new minister of refugees and DP’s had never been appointed. Former ministry official further denies claims of the auditor that he was receiving several salaries. He admits having been paid fees for the work at commissions and projects of the UNHCR. |
| Zubak | Avaz pg. 3 ‘Zubak: all listed should be given a chance to speak’ – President of the NHI, Kresimir Zubak, said he still had not seen the audit report on the Federation Ministry of refugees and DPs and therefore could not say anything about it. “According to information I received from Mijat Tuka, neither he nor anyone else was given a chance to give their explanations on the audit report. It is hard for me to say anything and comment on the report I have not seen. I think it would be normal to publish the contents of the report and give chance to those listed in it to respond to it,” said Zubak. Dnevni List pg. 5 ‘I have not seen audit report yet’ and Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘I have not seen report’ – Zubak stated that he expected to receive at least a shortened version of the audit report and the party would then declare its stand on this issue. |
| Kebo | Mirsad Kebo, BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, stated he was shocked with the report results and the responsible ones had to bear the consequences. |
| Fed. government session
| Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 and Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘Persons responsible for the embezzlements in the Ministry of Social Welfare relieved of duty’ – a session of the Federation government yesterday. Among other things, the CARDS program was presented during the session whose funds were being used mostly for the strengthening of the state institutions. Also, with regard to the audit report on the work of the former Ministry of Social Welfare, Refugees and Displaced Persons, the government relieved of duty Bekan, Salihbegovic and Ferhatovic. Federation Minister of Refugees and Displaced Persons, Edin Music, was also instructed to dismiss Minister’s Advisor Salko Beba. |
Political Affairs | |
| CoM session
| Avaz pg. 2 ‘The security situation in BiH is stable’ – the CoM at yesterday’s session concluded that the increased activities of the Security Ministry via the SBS, Interpol and the entity ministers, which were introduced following Djindjic’s assassination, contributed to the stable situation in the country. Reps gave their support to Serbian government in their fight against crime and they requested from all relevant institutions in BiH to respond to any requests in the joint fight for the rule of law. It was further requested from the entity government and the Brcko District to consider potential consequence of the Iraqi crisis on the general economic situation. The CoM considered the possible changes to the law in accordance with the Bulldozer Commission proposals. CoM Chair Terzic stated that a procedure for changing certain legal regulations, which were obstructing the BiH business activities, could start next week. Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 7 – Barisa Colak, BiH Security Minister, stated there were no confirmation that a single person suspected of murdering Djindjic was on the BiH territory. Colak said the information could be confirmed after they carried out checks requested by the Belgrade Interpol. |
| ICC | Avaz pg. 2 ‘A reply will be sent to Washington in two months’ – the Bih Foreign Ministry issued an announcement related to BiH signing an agreement with the US on the exclusion of the US citizens from the jurisdiction of the Internationals Criminal Court (ICC). “It is still too early in the day to talk about the final decision. The process of analysing this request will take at least another two months.” Minister Ivanic thinks that, considering the specific situation that BiH is in, our country should have a different treatment from other countries that Washington is signing the agreement with. |
| RS Council of People
| Avaz pg. 8 ‘New delegates appointed in the RS Council of People’ – the BiH Election Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the BiH Election law, yesterday confirmed the appointment of new delegates in the RS Council of Peoples. The mandates have been confirmed for 28 delegates – eight from each constituent people and four from the Others. The article goes on to list the names of al new delegates. Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘The election of delegates in the RS Council of People confirmed’ – the same report as in Avaz excluding the list of names of new candidates. Nezavisne Novine pg. 9 ‘The appointment of candidates to the RS Council of Peoples certified’, Glas Srpski pg. 3 ‘The RS Council of Peoples composition certified’ – In accordance with the BiH Law on Elections, BiH Election Commission yesterday certified the election of candidates to the Council of Peoples to the RS. Blic pg. 6 ‘All deputies elected’ – a list of newly appointed members. |
| Mostar re-organization | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 12 – learns from a source within the OHR that HR Paddy Ashdown is coming to Mostar today to announce eight principles according to which Mostar should be re-organized in the future. The principles are not known yet and DL’s source did not want to reveal them not to minimize the effect when Ashdown announced them. The source also told the daily that HR Ashdown would request the newly appointed Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, to continue implementing the policy of his predecessor Neven Tomic, Regarding Tomic’s resignation, the source says it was ‘a the shock-therapy’ that Ashdown needed to realize that he had to act quickly and without a compromise in Mostar. The source says Deputy Mayor Beslic is a member of a liberal fraction within the HDZ BiH, which has won a close contest against the radicals during a selection for Tomic’s successor. It is because of this fact that the radicals are trying to exert pressure on Beslic in order to install their people in the city authorities and that’s why, according to DL, Ashdown is coming to Mostar to warn Beslic. Because HDZ radicals want to replace Tomic’s people, HR Ashdown will allegedly ask Beslic not to carry out meaningless removals. When it comes to Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic (SDA), the source told DL the HR would ask Jahic to put Mostar back on a track of unification and minimized the influence of SDA radicals on the work of the City Administration, foremost the Head of Mostar’s Municipality Stari Grad, Zijad Hadziomerovic. Reportedly, the SDA pinnacle including their President, Sulejman Tihic, has supported HR Ashdown’s position on the issue. |
| SDS on new finance minister
| Nezavisne Novine pg. 9 ‘We are ready to propose Nikic as minister of finance’ – Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, stated that the SDS was ready to propose to PM Mikerevic several candidates to assume the duty of the RS Minister of Finance. He added that Cvjetin Nikic, President of the Bijeljina SDS Municipal Board, might be one of candidates. “The appointment should have been performed already. Prime Minister should make this issue clear, as it’s his obligation. It is of crucial importance that the minister of finance is capable of responding to his/hers duties and obligations at the ministry.” |
| Anic on Cavic’s accusations | Nezavisne Novine pg. 7 ‘Anic denies Cavic’s accusations’ – Mijo Anic, former Federation Defence Minister, responded to accusations of Dragan Cavic, RS President, and stressed that restricted industry in the Federation did not produce or export weapons to any state under sanctions. Anic further stresses that several investigations into this matter proved that Iraq or any other state under international sanctions was not the final destination in any trade. He adds that reports on all these investigations were presented to the Federation government. |
| Schroembgens’ warning
| Blic pg. 8 ‘Obligations to returnees’ – SDHR Gerhard Enver Schroembgens has warned Bijeljina’s authorities of difficult position returnees in this town are faced with. After talks with SDHR, Bijeljina Mayor Dragomir Ljubojevic said that the Bijeljina authorities would invest additional efforts to change the climate in the municipal administration and other institutions and to continue the process of employing non-Serbs in the local authority. |
| SD on NHI | Slobodna Dalmacija pg. 1 and 7 – an anti-NHI article saying the party, since it is not in the authority, has been shaken by numerous affairs. The author cites examples of Nikola Grabovac (AM Sped affair), Mijo Anic (alleged involvement in the Arizona market, loans, flat in Brcko, car smuggling, ‘Orao’ affair, illegal export of rifles to Israel), Mijat Tuka (audit of the Federation Ministry for Refugees and DPs). SD notes that although Kresimir Zubak’s name is not mentioned in any affairs ‘it does not mean he is clean’. In that context, the author says there is something murky about Zubak’s flat in Sarajevo, which was bought for 144,000 KM and awarded to him for permanent use. According to SD, the flat was bought in 1998 and is an award to Zubak for ‘breaking up’ the HDZ BiH. |
| SB on Djindjic’s assassins | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 5-10 ‘Legija watched Djindjic’s funeral in Sarajevo, Ante Gotovina was his host in Herzegovina’ by Melisa Babic, Senad Avdic and Mirsad Fazlic – Milorad Legija Lukovic, the organizer of the assassination against Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, was intending to run away from the former socialist Yugoslavia territories via the Sarajevo airport on March 14. After this attempt had failed, Legija, together with his criminal companions, found shelter with his Mafia’s friends in BiH. In the past days he has been enjoying the protection of his friend from the French Legion of Honour, Croat General Ante Gotovina, who has been also hiding from the law enforcement bodies in the Western Herzegovina, according to the article. |
| Criminals in state institution | Slobodna Bosna pg. 12 and 13 ’13 war crime suspects employed by the state institutions’ by Mirsad Fazlic – searching for the war crime suspects is a permanent obligation both of the international and local institutions in BiH. In practice, however, these persons are not only successfully avoiding justice, but they are being employed by the police and other entity’s and even state institutions, which should in fact arrest them and transfer to The Hague or try them in the country. Aware of such practice, and on the basis of available information and data, The Hague investigators have been checking on 13 persons for whom there is sufficient evidences they had violated the international humanitarian law during the war in BiH. |
| Interview with Dodik | BH Dani pgs. 8-11 ‘Bosnia is worse than Serbia’ – and interview with SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. “The assassination of Zoran Djindjic is a clear warning to everyone, even the international community, that it is very dangerous to be a reformer here. It is dangerous to put your head at stake and cooperate with the international community, which leaves you very quickly if you do not meet their interests,” said Dodik. The interview is continuing in the next edition of the magazine with responses to the questions such as: why Lagumdzija and Ivanic are so close, what are mistakes of Paddy Ashdown, what is the level of responsibility of Alija Izetbegovic and where is America going to. |
International Community Affairs | |
| IC on Trebinje situation
| Avaz pg. 8 ‘International organizations follow the situation in Trebinje’ – yesterday’s meeting of IC chiefs from Mostar chaired by OHR South Head Jean Pierre Bercot. They discussed an audit report on the RS Elektroprivreda and concluded the same contributed to the difficult economic situation in eastern RS, and pointed at the necessity of urgent economic measures and the establishment of the rule of the law. They further expressed their concern over a number of security incidents and acts of vandalism that took place in the Trebinje region. Hence, they pointed out the necessity of the increased reaction by the local police and judiciary in order to restore the citizens’ trust. They said they would continue monitoring closely the situation in Trebinje. They requested from authorities in eastern Herezgovina to prioritise the fight against crime. Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Citizens are victims of robbery’ – IC heads from Mostar at yesterday’s working meeting concluded that speedy reforms in the establishment of the rule of the law was necessary in eastern RS. |
| DL editorial on OHR
| Dnevni List pg. 8 by Zvonimir Jukic ‘OHRabrenje’ (Encouragement) – an editorial in which the author says the media have shown the current ‘OHR administration’ that the road they’re taking to politically develop the country is wrong. Jukic says the biggest failure of the OHR is not its lack of support to some ‘liberal political parties, but the awarding of clear supremacy to national parties in BiH, which could eventually lead to the establishment of a brutal reign we witnessed in the second half of the nineties’. “The liberalization of the SDA, HDZ and SDS did not occur because creators of their political activities saw they were wrong. On the contrary, national parties have partially changed because they realized the open radicalism does not pay off so they tried to please and win over international representatives to allow them to return o the political scene and acknowledge them as partners by changing the behavior,” says Jukic. The author also says it is important in the short run that the High Representative does not allow the radical fractions in the SDS, SDA and HDZ to take over the intelligence services because that would compromise the balance of power in BiH, meaning the tapping of journalists, intellectuals, businesspersons etc. The author also renders the issue of Mostar saying that shy announcement from the OHR show the OHR has realized Mostar cannot be left aside. In that context, Jukic says the High Representative should make public eight principles on the re-organization and the functioning of the city. |
| BH DANI – three dots for HR Ashdown | BH Dani pg. 6 the ‘Bosnian Barometer’ column ‘Paddy sues you, Paddy convicts you’ – the magazine awarded HR Paddy Ashdown three black dots (very bad move) over the banning Edhem Bicakic from being employed by any public company. “There is a large discrepancy between the High Representative’s verbal pledges for the establishment of the rule of Law and his penalties, which have disastrous impact even on the existence of the persons whom such measures are being taken against,” read the magazine. |
Police Affairs | |
| Lagumdzija’s letter to Ashdown
| Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Return Sarajevo Canton MoI special forces policemen to work’ – SDP President, Zlatko Lagumdzija, wrote to HR Paddy Ashdown asking him to re-install 19 policemen from the Sarajevo Canton MoI to work. He further warned in the letter that due to the latest events in Serbia, BiH could become the collateral damage. He explains that borders between BiH and Serbia and Montenegro are not controlled enough, and that the local criminals are well connected to criminals from Serbia and elsewhere. He therefore calls on HR to reinstall 19 Sarajevo canton MoI policemen to work, as that would send a clear message to criminals, war criminals and terrorists that BiH is aware of danger hanging above its head. Dnevni List pg. 5 ‘Fight against crime must not be declarative but real’ – Lagumdzija sent an open letter in which he welcomes an initiative of HR Ashdown to locate the Center for Struggle against Organized Crime in BiH. “I believe that the help of the international community in the struggle against organized crime in BiH and the region must not be declarative only, and for this reason it is necessary to start with concrete activities right now.” Lagumdzija believes that the next step is the financial package, which will help the creation of the institutions and system for the struggle against the organized crime. Nezavisne Novine pg. 9 ‘Financial package necessary for anti-crime activities’ –Lagumdzija yesterday welcomed the initiative by Ashdown to station the Centre for anti-crime activities of Southeast Europe in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The next step is to prepare the financial package that will be of concrete assistance in the establishment of institutions and system.” |
| RS Police Director | Avaz pg. 10 ‘Criminals reports against 35 senior RS officials still unresolved’ – RS Police Director, Radomir Njegos, yesterday assessed that courts were obstructing the rule of law. At a press conf, Njegos emphasized the judiciary was not efficient and is late with making reforms compared to the MoI, which is why many cases are still sitting in the court drawers. He illustrated his claims with the information that until the present days not a single, out of 35 criminal reports that the RS MoI filed against senior RS officials at the RS govt at the time, has been solved. Glas Srpski pg. 2 ‘Endless disputes’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 8 ‘The RS police accuses the RS judiciary of bad performance’ –Njegus yesterday accused the RS judiciary of failing to properly process criminal reports. “The reform of the judicial system has come too late. We informed the RS government, Public Prosecutor and other institutions of this problem, but no results yet.” Blic pg. 7 ‘Courts obstruct the rule of law’ – “The police is doing everything in its power, but the judicial system hinders the rule of law,” Njegus said. |
| FOSS | Slobodna Bosna pg. 18 and 19 ‘Tesanj lobby wants its Director of FOSS, as Tihic on the basis of his self-will sent to the OHR proposal for the appointment of Velid Hamidicevic’ by Suzana Mijatovic – the latest SDA nominee for FOSS (Federation Intelligence-Security Service) Director, Mirsad Dzaferovic, is likely to be eliminated as the candidate already after the routine checking, hence experiencing the destiny of his two predecessors – Sead Kikic and Mugdim Vranac. In this way, a several-month long farce related to the appointment of a Bosniak’s Head of the FOSS will be continued and one should not exclude the possibility of additional confrontation with international officials over the issue. Apart from this, according to the magazine’s sources close to SDA leadership, the selection of a candidate for the FOSS Director seriously threatens to deepen the conflict amongst the senior party’s officials. The requests are becoming more and more loud within the party that the monopoly in the nomination of the FOSS Director is taken away from the so-called Tesanj’s lobby (Semsudin Mehmedinovic – former ZE-DO Canton Interior Minister, Hasan Cengic and some other SDA officials). |
Media Affairs | |
| PBS | Glas Srpski pg. 5 ‘Leader fails’ – The Executive Commission of the Public Broadcasting Service, at its latest session, failed to select a 12-member team, which should be in charge of preparing a day-long programme scheme of the BHTV 1. President of the Steering Board of the RTRS and member of Executive Commission, Danko Ruzicic, told GS that directors of three public broadcasters in BiH – the RTRS, FTV and PBS – failed to prepare a qualitative proposal for a team, which should devise the programme scheme of BHTV 1 until autumn. Ruzicic stressed that proposals on team leader resulted in major quarrels. |