| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18:00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19:00 hrs) | FTV (19:30 hrs) | RT RS (19:30 hrs) |
| Robbery in Mostar | Covic’s hearing | Croatia on corridor 5c | Storm in Banja Luka |
| Covic hearing | Racan on 5c | Drug chain in RS | Fires in Manjaca |
| Croatia on 5c | Baghdad explosion | Victims in Baghdad | Ashdown visited Crni Vrh |
| Lozancic on education | SIPA | Covic before court | Kosovo update |
| Oslobodjenje | Covic wants seats in Europe and Paravac in Washington; Covic on Eronet privatisation – a process in the scenario of unreformed communists; Racan announced – a letter of intentions for the construction of 5c corridor today; Ashdown visited Crni Vrh mass grave – find the money for exhumations |
| Dnevni Avaz | Terzic – Racan should not worry about BiH!; Ashdown at the site of the Crni Vrh mass grave – the crime committed here is unimaginable; Zigic – new steering boards by the end of August; Halilovic – investigation on explosions progressing |
| Dnevni List | Jean-Pierre Bercot – pre-war Mostar excellent example of co-existence; Former party colleagues persecute Covic; Racan and Terzic are signing Protocol on Ploce Port; Press conference of international organizations seated in Mostar: Unification of Grammar Schools is not possible yet |
| Vecernji List | Gadaffi’s wife is a Croat from BiH; State leaders travel to America |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpski | Clash between police and drugs smugglers in front of the ‘Hajducke Vode’ Motel – heroin sowing death; Republika Srpska – shorter military service |
| Nezavisne Novine | Armed clash between police and drugs smugglers at the parking lot of Motel ‘Hajudecke Vode’ near Teslic – one smuggler dead, another injured, and third one surrendered; Chairperson of the BiH Presidency interrogated in Mostar – Dragan Covic claimed he had not misused official position; Barisa Colak – I cannot affirm that BiH does not have its own mafia; Following disclosure of disputable contracts between the Nova Banjalucka Banka and Republika Srpska Finance Ministry – sentences up to 10 years of imprisonment possible |
| Blic | RS Army stays without 2,500 soldiers; Police killed a drug dealer, another injured; Railways will increase the price of fuel |
Political Affairs | |
| Batic
| Glas Srpske pg. 2 ‘All evidence to The Hague’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘BiH should withdraw lawsuit, evidence exist’ – Vladan Batic, Serbian Justice Minister, yesterday reiterated his determination that the best solution would be if BiH withdrew the lawsuit it filed against Serbia and Montenegro, because his statement was grounded on the evidence and documents in possession of his Ministry. Dnevni List pg. 2 ‘BiH has to withdraw lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro’ – the Beta News Agency reported that Serbian Minister of Justice Vladan Batic stated that he was sticking to his statement given earlier saying that it would be the best that BiH withdraws a lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro because the statement was grounded on evidence and documents that his Ministry possesses. |
| Mostar utility company
| Dnevni List pg. 15 ‘Deadline extended by end of September’ – Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic respectively, yesterday met with a representative of the World Bank, Sima Ingee, discussing the issue of solid waste dump in Mostar. During the one and a half hour meeting closed for public, representatives of the World Bank once again extended the deadline for the formation of a single city utility company for Mostar until end of September. Ms. Inge explained if the company was not established by end of September, all the funds allocated for the project, some $7 million, would bypass Mostar adding that there would not be further extension of the deadline. |
| Masic case
| Glas Srpske pg. 3 ‘Surprise over Republika Srpska MoI report’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 6 ‘Surprise over report of Republika Srpska MoI on Gorazde Mufti’ – the Islamic Religious Community (IRC) in BiH is surprised at a report presented by Chief of the RS MoI Crime Police Management, Milorad Jelisavac, charging the Gorazde Mufti, Hamed Efendic, with provoking national and religious hatred displayed in his speech at the funeral of the murdered Bosniak returnee, Safija Masic. The IRC welcomed the swift and efficient police operation to identify the murderer, but added that it would be good if the RS MoI were so swift and efficient in identifying persons responsible for the murder of Murat Badic. He was killed during the Ferhadija riots in Banja Luka on 5 May 2001. A press release issued by the IRC also noted that ‘at the funeral, Efendic said something, what everybody already knew’. According to EUPM Spokesperson Jon Oscar Solnes, the murder of Safija Masic was unnecessarily politicised. |
| PDP on Masic case | Nezavisne Novine pg. 6 ‘Over exaggerated politicisation of the murder of Safija Masic’ – according to yesterday’s press release issued by the PDP, the resolving of the murder case in Serb Gorazde, when returnee Safija Masic was robbed and murdered, was of extreme importance, especially bearing in mind the over exaggerated politicisation of this case. Commending the arrest of Nihad Masic as the main suspect for the murder, the PDP expressed full support to ministries of Internal Affairs of the Republika Srpska and Federation. The press release also expressed a conviction that representatives of religious communities and media from the Federation would demonstrate more patience and tolerance in the future, as well as more trust in the Republika Srpska institutions. |
| NN editorial | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Muharem Insanic pg. 7 ‘Alarm has been set’ – the author refers to objective international and domestic (analytical) sources, according to which the social, economic and political situation in BiH reached ‘the alarming stage’. He is also of the opinion that chances of seeing such situation change are small. He is also critical of the ruling coalition of nationalistic parties, stressing that he and People’s Democratic Party of BiH saw it coming on the eve of the last elections in BIH. According to him, the most frequent requests for convening new elections do not surprise at all. “It is not pathetic nor over exaggerated dramatisation if I conclude that the patience of our citizens and the threshold of their tolerance reached its ultimate level. The current and coming authorities should seriously think about these issues, which raise concerns.” He also notes that officials of the international community should also deal with these problems and start having serious doubts in the functioning of such a political coalition in BiH. |
| Supervisor Clarke | Brcko Supervisor Henry Clarke said on Wednesday the Brcko District should make two major steps before it was ready for the local elections. “The first step is passing of a truly democratic election law and the second step is qualitative registration of voters.” He confirmed at the first press conference after summer holidays that the election law should be passed by the end of the month. “I think that delegates and political parties had plenty of time since the law’s entrance into the parliamentary procedure to articulate reasonable amendments, which will enable the harmonization of the final text of the law,” he said. He criticized poor response of citizens to the registration process. Supervisor Clarke praised the Assembly for reaching compromises in solving ethnically sensitive issue – dislocation of mono-ethnic monuments from the Brcko center and the adoption of principles for erecting new monuments. Also reported by SRNA, BN TV, Radio Brcko District, HIT TV, Nezavisne Novine, Dnevni Avaz, Vecernje Novosti, Blic. |
| DL editorial on SDS – SDA dispute | Dnevni List pg. 2 by Miso Relota ‘Warmongering statements by officials of SDS and SDA’ – amid numerous exchange of statements between officials of the SDA and SDS, Relota says statements and reactions are in fact a sign that the current organizational set-up in BiH is the main obstacle to normalisation in BiH. Relota says there should be a discussion of new set-up that would satisfy needs of all constituent people because ‘this cannot go any longer’. “This is probably clear to the IC too. As long as all three peoples are not satisfied, there will not be peace in this state,” concludes Relota. |
| DL on BiH diplomacy | Dnevni List pg. 6 by Anica Tomic-Babic ‘BiH diplomacy turns snowballs of lies into avalanche’ – criticizes the BiH diplomacy in the situation when a modern day diplomacy is mostly dedicated to economic and cultural issues i.e. creating new jobs, various joint ventures, attracting investments, something that, according to the author, the BiH diplomacy is not doing. Furthermore, the author says the BiH diplomacy is burdened with parallelisms and information leaks, which usually wind up in the press as ‘scandalous’ stories. Tomic-Babic suggests that the BiH Foreign Minister should evaluate the work of all ambassadors, and then ambassadors who pass would evaluate their subordinates in respective embassies. |
| Zigic on steering boards | Avaz pg. 1 and 4 – Federation Minister of Industry and Mining, Izet Zigic, said they would suggest tot eh Federation government to respect recommendation of the Federation ombudsmen and cancel the appointment of presidents and members of steering boards in public companies. Zigic, who is also a member of the Working Group that is to submit a report and opinion on the ombudsmen’s report, emphasized he would personally advocate the following of procedures as stipulated by the Law on Ministerial, Governmental and Other Appointments. |
Education Affairs | |
| HDZ
| CRHB at 18:00 hrs – during a session held in Vitez on Tuesday Presidency of BiH Croatian Democratic Party (HDZ) drew a few conclusions regarding the education reforms in the country. According to a HDZ PR office, the HDZ demands from the cantonal ministries of education to obey all constitutional and legal principles during the reforms implementation, and to observe the principles of the UNESCO convention against the discrimination in education. “Protection of the national identity and obeying the constitutional rights of all people in BiH cannot be interpreted as an alleged segregation and discrimination in education,” says the statement. Dnevni List pg. 9 ‘Preservation of national identity is not discrimination in area of education’ – According to the press release, the HDZ BiH remains open for all talks and agreements, which have for its purpose welfare of every person and people in BiH, never bringing into question survival of the Croatian language and the curriculum in the Croatian language in accordance with adopted common cores. Also in Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Respect constitution and laws’. |
| OSCE | CRHB at 18:00 hrs -“The process of the administrative uniting of two Mostar grammar schools will be completed by September 1st, but they will not be physically united,” stated OSCE Spokesman at a press conference held in Mostar on Wednesday. The building where the ‘Fra Dominik Mandic’ grammar school doesn’t fulfil the requirements needed to place over 600 students since there are only five usable rooms in the building. OSCE Spokesman supported a statement of the Vice Chairman of the HNK government Miroslav Coric regarding the administrative union of the schools. Coric stated he would make all necessary efforts on submitting the instructions for the uniting of schools. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Martina Kristo – the OSCE Mission in BiH directed the Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonal Education Ministry to issue by the end of this week guidelines for the abolishment of the administrative duplication in the schools. “We have seen a lot of obstruction by the authorities at all levels in this Canton and attempts to avoid their responsibilities,” said Richard Mesic from OSCE Mostar. The OHR gave deadline to the HNK Education Ministry to submit guidelines on the administrative unification of the schools. Otherwise, sanctions against those responsible are possible. |
| Catholic Centre in Konjic | CRHB at 18:00 hrs -“It is still not clear if the IC’s instructions on the uniting the ‘Two schools under One roof’ refers to the Catholic Schooling Centres,” stated Director of the Catholic Schooling Centre in Konjic Anto Ledic. Since all catholic centres have a uniform syllabus, Ledic said that the reforms would probably not be yet implemented in these schools. “Catholic Schooling Centre in Konjic has not yet received any instructions from the IC or the cantonal Ministry, and it is preparing for the new school year,” said Ledic. Dnevni List pg. 12 ‘Catholic School Centers will be working according to their curriculum’. |
| ‘Fra Grga Martic’ grammar school | DL pg. 14 ‘Gavran: Include Grammar School ‘Fra Grga Martic’ in integration too’ – the School Board of ‘Fra Dominik Mandic’ grammar school held another session yesterday to discuss the unification of two Mostar grammar schools and the Board reiterated the already stated conditions. Secretary of the aforementioned Grammar School, Anto Gavran, stated: “We should have a complete program of unification, and not the one that we received from Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, Robert Beecroft, which is full of misinformation.” |
| Lozancic | CRHB at 18:00 hrs – Federation President Niko Lozancic proposed to the Federation Minister of Education Zijad Pasic to submit an initiative to the Federation government that would result in examining of the possibility on providing free textbooks for students in elementary schools. Lozancic also invites Pasic to propose to the government a partial financing of this project for the cantonal ministries of education that could not provide the necessary funds on their own. Also in Avaz pg. 3 ‘Free textbooks for children in primary schools’ and Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 4. |
| IC press conf in Mostar | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 14 – a report from the regular press conference of international organization in Mostar during which the OHR stressed that the education ministers in Cantons 6 and 7 must issue instructions on the unification in order to put an end to double administrations in schools. “These reforms will result in the decrease of amount of money that is spent on the administration and will be re-routed for children and teaching staff,” stressed the OHR. Answering to a question whether it is possible for two Mostar grammar schools (‘Fra Dominik Mandic’ and ‘First Grammar School’) to be unified by the start of the new school year, OSCE spokesperson, Richard Medic, stated that the process of administrative unification of the schools was in progress and that the unification would take place beginning of the school year. As for the physical unification of the schools, Medic stressed that the premises of the Old Grammar School would not be able to accommodate 600 students from the two schools. Medic reminded that one of the pre-requisites for the reconstruction of the building of the Old Grammar School, as set forth by the IC, was the implementation of the Integration Plan. Due to numerous obstructions, the Plan has not been implemented so the IC did not have a chance to provide funds for the reconstruction. |
Economic Affairs | |
| Racan on 5c
| CRHB at 18:00 hrs – Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan stressed that the Croatian government at a session on Thursday would establish the contents of the letter of intention on Croatia’s participating in the construction of the 5c corridor. Racan also expects a meeting with BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic to be held soon, when the Article 9 of the Agreement on Ploce harbour would be modified. “With this act I want to confirm my conviction that the relations between BiH and Croatia are improving,” said Racan. BHTV at 19:00 hrs – “We are not just generally interested, but in this case we are directly interested for that motorway to be built as soon as possible. We are ready to finance between seven and nine million US dollars for the construction regardless of the fact whether our or some other companies will be awarded the work at the international public tender,” stated Racan. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Melisa Sefer – Račan said: ”It is not important which companies will get the contract, but it should be done through the international tender…our proposal anticipates 14 years of concession or loan, which is much shorter then other offers…our calculation for preliminary works is cheaper for 100 millions KM…our offer will be delivered tomorrow.” Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 – PM Racan did not want to go into the issue of ‘Bosmal’ getting the job, stressing it was the bodies in BiH that had to take a decision and deal with consequences. PM Racan hopes that he would be meeting Terzic in the next two days ‘somewhere halfway between Zagreb and Sarajevo’, possibly at Kostajnica. On the same issue Vjesnik pg. 1 – carries PM Racan as saying: “Croatia is ready to fund the project documentation if an international public tender is to be invited, at which we expect that the best bidder will get the job, regardless whether it is Croatia or other companies.” An insert with the article entitled ‘The media stories’ – reports on an article published on Wednesday in the Zagreb based Vjesnik where they suggest that ‘Bosmal’ intends to buy the land by the highway to be able to later sell it for much higher price. On Tuesday, Slobodna Dalmacija revealed that Croatian offer was cheaper than ‘Bosmal’s’ offer for $100 million. The daily suggests that such articles do nothing but confuse people and can only have negative consequences for the two states. Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 7. |
| Terzic on 5c | Avaz pg. 1 and 2 – commenting Racan’s statement (he said BiH bodies could opt for other solution than international tender, but then would have to face the consequences), CoM Chair Adnan Terzic said that no one in BiH would have to make decisions that would lead to facing of any consequences. “PM Racan should not worry about BiH and consequences that it would have to face upon making decisions. And if he really wants to worry about BiH, then he should focus his concern by making efforts for concluding other issues such as the return of Croatian refugees that are still in BiH, as well as speeding up of the signing of a contract on property –legal relations.” |
| Hays, Hadzipasic and Mikerevic | BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Renata Katic – PDHR Donald Hays and entity PMs Ahmet Hadzipasic and Dragan Mikerevic yesterday visited ‘Metalno’ company from Zenica, coke-chemical combine ‘Lukavac’ and ‘Sava’ company from Bijeljina. In the Lukavac combine, they met with union representatives from different parts of BiH. Before the war, the combine employed about a million of workers, while the current union information shows the number of workers are about 400,000 today. “You must understand that some businesses will be shut down, while some other that have a chance will need investments to start,” said Hays during the meeting with BiH union reps. The international community gave entities 18 months deadline to implement economic reforms, which would improve the conditions of the economy in BiH. Having in mind that economy in BiH faces a large number of problems, the question is where to start from. “The opening of a large number of those fronts can surely suffocate quality improvements. So, we have to go with the strategy. There are programs, support of the international community exists,” said FBiH Prime Minister Hadzipasic. Union representatives announced protests. RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Vesna Vukovic – Mikerevic stated that privatisation process was too slow, but stressed governments of both entities, together with the international community, would find strategic partners that would provide technological and other development. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 ‘Privatisation of strategic firms slow’. Dnevni List pg. 4 ‘BiH needs domestic and not only foreign investors’. In Avaz pg. 4 ‘The privatisation so far unsuccessful’. Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘BiH annually loses million KM in taxes’. |
| UNDP report | Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Banks take out more than 1,2 billion marks a year from BiH’ – excerpts from the UNDP report, which says that foreign banks in BiH keep most of their assets abroad, the result of which is a high interest rates on the banking market in BiH. The report blames the state of BiH for the current situation because it does not allegedly have its own monetary policy and is totally dependent on moves of the IC and international financial houses. Furthermore, the report says that in this kind of situation, the banks take out more than 1 billion KM from BiH each year through various financial transactions. |
Humanitarian Affairs | |
| Ashdown at Crni Vrh | CRHB at 18:00 hrs – during his visit to mass crypt in Crni Vrh, High Representative in BiH Paddy Ashdown submitted an invitation to the IC to continue financing the exhumations. Ashdown also recalled the Human Rights Chamber decision, according to which the RS government had a deadline by September 7th to provide the necessary information on the location of mass graves. BHTV 19:00 hrs by Samir Krehovic – Up to now, 160 body remains of killed Bosniaks were exhumed from the Crni Vrh mass grave near Zvornik. Paddy Ashdown is the first High Representative so far to visit the mass grave. “The scale of the crime committed here is unimaginable. The stain of the shame of that crime is inedible,” stated Ashdown while visiting location. President of the BiH Missing Persons Commission Amor Masovic estimated that over 350 bodies would be exhumed from this location and added that the operations would continue for another six weeks at least. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Salih Brkic – “Those who committed these crimes have to face justice…The RS government has to reply to demands of the Human Rights Chamber in 15 days…international organization should provide financing for these investigations…such crimes are unthinkable and shameful acts, which leave long-term scars”. RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Tihomir Joksimovic -“This is one of the most daunting places discovered since 1997, when the exhumations started in BiH,” stated HR Ashdown. Journalist paraphrased High Representative as saying that in this mass grave there were Bosniak victims of crime based on ethnicity, which requires bringing perpetrators before the justice, which is blind and knows no ethnicity. “Undoubtedly the worst, probably the worst mass grave in BiH. During the war a large number of crimes were committed in this region, but those were not the only crimes that occurred in BiH. Too many people, members of all peoples in BiH, suffered because of those people who were part of all peoples. Justice that we seek is impossible to escape. Those who committed crimes here must be punished,” stated Ashdown at the site. Glas Srpske pg. 2 ‘Ashdown condemns crimes’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 8 ‘Republika Srpska authorities should co-operate’. Dnevni List pg. 2 ‘Ashdown: This disgrace cannot be erased!’. Dnevni Avaz pg. 1 and 3 – Upon concluding that HR Ashdown was the first HR who visited the site of a mass grave, Masovic thanked him on behalf of the Federation Commission. Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 3. |
Judicial Affairs | |
| Covic testified | CRHB at 18:00 hrs – after an investigative hearing at the Mostar cantonal Prosecutor’s Office, BiH Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic stated that there had been no violation of the law regarding the Eronet stocks’ transfer from an HPT account to the accounts of three private companies in Herzegovina. Covic responded to the court summons after the Prosecutor’s Office commenced an investigation following the charges against Covic by the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Finance Police in Mostar. The charges were based on a suspicion that Covic was involved in illegal stocks’ transfer while he was Chairman of the HPT Steering Board. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Seid Masnica – “This is the opportunity for the Chairman of the Presidency to say that he acknowledges institutions of this state and that in order to see that this a political persecution, which was directed against the institution and the name of Dragan Covic, makes no sense, and there is no reason for these kind of processes,” stated Covic. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Ivan Pavkovic – “The prosecution needs to prove his allegation from indictment and I came here to demonstrate a respect for our institutions.” Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 2, Glas Srpske pg. 2 ‘Dragan Covic interrogated’. Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘There were no abuses in transfer of shares’, Dnevni List pg. 1 and 5 and Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘Mostar: Hearing of Dragan Covic’ also covered this issue. Also in Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Covic made a statement in the Eronet case’ and Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 3. |
Police Affairs | |
| SIPA
| CRHB at 18:00 hrs by Zana Rebo – the Federation government allowed SIPA to use the part of the building of the Police Academy in Vraca. According to the Deputy Minister Mevludin Halilovic this act confirmed the government’s willingness on supporting the stated institutions in the struggle against the organized crime and illegal migration. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Senad Pandzic – the BiH State Information and Protection Agency on Wednesday was officially given the access to facilities of the FBiH Interior Ministry at Vraca in Sarajevo. The Agency will be located in these facilities until it gets its permanent location. “We have two regional offices… in Banja Luka and Mostar, so we will be dislocated from Sarajevo and will be operational in the entire BiH,” said Dragan Lukac, Deputy SIPA Director. Deputy SIPA Director Emir Bijedic said that the problem for this Agency is the financing, and the 5 million KM donated by the EU through the CARDS program was not sufficient for its work. Barisa Colak, BiH Security Minister, said that the Ministry would try to secure additional finances through the budget rebalance. SIPA currently employs 30 people, while 100 more people are expected to be employed soon. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Eldara Sarajlic – Head of the Police Academy Emir Bijedic said the Federation was committed to continue in assisting the state-level institutions in establishing and starting operations. Dnevni List pg. 3 ‘Pre-requisites for stronger fight against crime and terrorism created’ – It is a dedication of the FBiH government and FBiH Interior Ministry to help the Ministry of Security, foremost the Agency for Information and Protection, as the operative part of the Ministry,” said Halilovic adding that with this act the fight against organized crime, terrorism and illegal migrations is strengthening. Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Minister Colak announces financial support’ – carries the BiH Minister of Security, Barisa Colak, as saying that the financial problems the SIPA is facing could be solved through the re-balance of budget. Avaz pg. 8 ‘SIPA moved in the police academy in Vraca’, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘SIPA Agency on new premises’. |
| Halilovic | BHTV at 19:00 hrs – FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic refused to comment whether a terrorist group was behind the recent series of explosions that occurred in Sarajevo. He said that a circle of persons interrogated was wide, and that the authorized team continued with the investigation. “I think that in that context, there were certain results achieved, about which I could not talk as this was an operational part and that we had, in that regard, very strict powers when it came to the FBiH MoI authorities and those of the Sarajevo Cantonal MoI,” said Halilovic. |
| Covic on security situation in Sarajevo Canton | RTRS at 19:30 hrs – Chairman of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic believes that the situation in the Sarajevo Canton following a series of explosion was seriously worrying. He stresses that the investigation would show that these incidents were not related to the ethnicity issues, but criminal activities. On Wednesday, Covic appeared before the Mostar Cantonal Court for the first hearing, after criminal charges were pressed against him in the case of ‘Eronet’. After the hearing, Chairman of the Presidency refused all charges, adding that there was a political persecution lead against him. |
| Interview with Colak | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 6 ‘I cannot affirm that BiH does not have its own mafia’ – Barisa Colak, BiH Minister of Security, cannot affirm that the more frequent bomb attacks in Sarajevo were committed by an organised criminal group. In spite of everything, the Minister admits he feels safe, even without his bodyguards. |
| Policeman attacked in front of the OHR | Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Policeman attacked in front of the OHR’ – policeman Edin K., who was securing the OHR’s building in Sarajevo, was attacked by Senad S. on Tuesday night. VL says that although many persons suspected that this incident was about potential threat to the OHR, the Ministry of Interior of the Sarajevo Canton dispels such suspicions. VL says that the policeman was actually attacked while he was trying to separate Senad. S. and a person with whom Senad S. got into a physical conflict close to the OHR’s building. According to the article, the Prosecutor decided not to detain Senad S. but just to take his personal information so that criminal charges can be issued against him. Nezavisne Novine pg. 15 ‘Assault against police officer securing OHR‘ – the police officer securing the OHR building in Sarajevo on Tuesday night was attacked by Senad Skamo, the Sarajevo police said. The police officer tried to prevent a fight between Skamo and another person. A criminal report was filed against the assailant. According to Sarajevo Canton MoI Spokesperson Ljiljana Sakic, 12 attacks on police officers have been registered in 2003, which is a significant reduction in such cases compared to the last year. |
Property Affairs | |
| Property laws in BL | CRHB at 18:00 hrs – Spokesman for the UN Commission for Refugees in Banja Luka Momir Sirko expressed his concern regarding the statistic data that point out the fact that the number of resolved property cases had reduced compared to last year. At the same time, the number of evictions conducted by the RS Ministry for Refugees also reduced. Sirko stressed it was very unlikely for the property laws to be completely implemented by the end of the year. Nezavisne Novine pg. 10 ‘2000 multiple property claims identified’ – Sirko stated that the Banjaluka OMI successfully identified around 2,000 multiple property reinstatement claims. However, he also said that the international organisations were still concerned with the percentage of the implementation of the property legislation in Banjaluka, which was now 73.8%. |
Military Affairs | |
| Reforms | Glas Srpske pg. 3 ‘Two armies remain’ – during a meeting between officials of the armies of the Republika Srpska, Federation and SFOR it was finalised that the entity armies will not be abolished. Simon Young SFOR Deputy Commander confirmed this. The Republika Srpska National Assembly and FBiH House of Representatives are expected to discuss several proposals, including a proposal on the reduction of a number of professional soldiers to 4,000 in the Republika Srpska and 8,000 in the Federation. |