22.01.2006

OHR BiH Media Round-up, 22/1/2006

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TV news broadcast onJanuary 21, 2006

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Ibrahim Rugova passes away

Regional News

Ibrahim Rugova dies

Jovic on Rugova

OHR on BiH winter resorts

Reactions to Rugova’s death

Old BiH savers to issue proclamation

Clients asks for their savings

Old foreign currency savers

HNZ on constitutional changes talks

Illegal employment in BiH

Bjelasnica-Igman working group

 

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Ibrahim Rugova passes away

Ibrahim Rugova dies

Regional News

RS NA Collegiums to hold session

Old foreign currency savers

BiH Lawsuit against SCG on Feb 27

BiH old savers association in session

Government in BIH session

Pensioners ask for RSNA session

World News

Feature on social programs

Stojicic on SNDS accusations

 

Oslobodjenje

Connect Bjelasnica and Igman to Jahorina

Dnevni Avaz

Big loss for Kosovo at deciding moment

Dnevni List

Stop to nationalism in football (BiH football association’s initiative)

Vecernji List

Harder to citizenship for Herzegovinians (on possible change Croatian citizenship law)

Nezavisne Novine

It is possible that terrorists are being trained in BiH (Novic interview)

 

Political Developments

Hayat report argues police certification carried out by IPFT was full of mistakes, allowed certification of war criminals, suspects, opinion poll re revision

 

 

 

 

 

HayatBy Nevzeta Skrijelj – Mistakes, the IPTF had made while carrying out police certification process in BiH, are unforgivable, says the reporter. Namely, it seems as if the IPTF gave certificates to police officers suspected of war crimes, for example to ‘Scorpions’ members, who executed six Bosniaks from Srebrenica. “Here, we are dealing with three persons, but we are familiar with only two of them, namely Boban Simsic and Deronjic Milan”, explains the Chair of FBiH Decertified Police Officers Association Ramo Suljic. “In 2002, 17 RS police officers were given the certificate, and in period of 2002-2005 they have been processes by the BiH Prosecution and Court, for war crimes”, said Drago Sunaric, a decertified police officer from the RS. Suljic added that a number of decertified police officers, who were performing their duty professionally, were removed only out of political incompatibility, saying that leading political parties cleaned police forces out of their political interests. Report brings feature on several decertified police officers from both entities, who said that they were feeling disgraced with such IPTF’s decision, such as for example Drago Sunaric. Sunaric says that during the war, he brought an injured Muslim girl in a Serb village in order to save her. He believes that it was the reason why he was removed. I have saved 10 year-old girl Nermina Mesic and that is my greatest sin, as far as the IPTF is concerned, says Sunaric. Report also features Nenad Stacevic, another RS decertified police officer. My greatest sin was in rejecting JNA’s invitation to go to battlefield in Croatia, said Starcevic. The only thing decertified police officers are asking from BiH authorities is to establish commission, which would re-examine decertification process. “Mr Terzic presents executive authority and he has to do it (solve the issue). What I would like him to do is to put himself in our position and imagine what he would do if someone would ban him from doing something he has been trained to do all his live”, said the Chair of the RS Decertified Police Officers Association Zoran Bijelic.

Hayat opinion poll – The question was: Should certification process of BiH police forces be fully revised?

Results:
Yes   97 %
No      3 %

RSNA Collegium to meet on Monday, discuss confidence in RS Govt related issues

Hayat – The RS National Assembly Speaker Dusan Stojicic scheduled session of the RSNA Collegium for Monday, January 23rd. On January 11th, SNSD representative Krstan Simic submitted Stojicic with initiative on scheduling special RSNA session, which would discuss the issue of casting a vote of no confidence in the RS Government.

Stojicic’s cabinet says RSNA Speaker is not buying time for Bukejlovic’s Govt

 

RTRS – Office of Dusan Stojicic, RSNA Speaker, reported that SNSD accusations from Friday on Stojicic buying time for RS PM Pero Bukejlovic’s Government are groundless. Report also said that Stojicic was acting in accordance with regulations of RSNA. (also in Oslobodjenje, pg 3 ‘Groundless charges about ‘buying time’’, by Fena, Dnevni Avaz, pg 8 ‘Pressures of Speaker of RSNA and unnecessary and unfair’, by Srna, Nezavisne Novine, pg 2 ‘Stojicic is not buying time for RS Government’, by V. Popovic)

Ivanic: SDS and SNSD to form new Government?

 

Oslobodjenje, pg 8 ‘SDS and SNSD could form new Government’, by Fena, Dnevni Avaz, pg 8 ‘It is not ruled out that SNSD and SDS form new Government’, by Fena – The PDP President, Mladen Ivanic, told the Banja Luka-based ‘ATV’, that he could not rule out a possibility that the SDS and SNSD could form a new RS Government. In that case, says Ivanic, the PDP is ready to go into opposition.

Brkic ( HNZ): It is success that political parties discuss constitutional changes

 

RHB – The Chair of Croat People’s Community (HNZ) Milenko Brkic said on Saturday in Mostar that a great progress had been achieved in the constitutional changes talks due to the fact that representatives of three constitutive people started negotiating. Brkic added that the talks started out with some ‘cosmetic’ changes but that almost all issues had been discussed through. In terms of internal BiH’s reorganization, Brkic pointed out that it was a difficult issue due to the fact that one side wanted to keep achieved positions, while the other wanted its biological right, namely provide equality to its people, being that the three people were constitutive and equal. (also in Oslobodjenje, pg 8 ‘It is success that BiH politicians are sat at the same table’, Fena, Dnevni Avaz, pg 4 ‘It is too early for civic concept’, by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Success in negotiations’, not signed

BiH foreign currency savers: Change of Constitution cannot be neglected, no changes to Constitution are foreign currency savings are resolved

 

RHB – Representatives of the BiH Old Foreign Currency Savers Association are going to issue a proclamation, which criticizes constitutional changes talks in BiH, led by the U.S.A Institute for Peace and the U.S. Embassy. Any talks, which lead towards BiH’s prosperity are welcomed, regardless of fact who organized or led them, but meetings which recently took place behind the closed door and thick BiH Central Bank’s walls are not well-intentioned; a state’s Constitution is such a great issue and it cannot be allowed to have it created by a small group of parliamentary parties, since there is no ‘parliamentarianism’ in BiH at all, reads the proclamation. The proclamation calls on BiH citizens to realize that change in the Constitution is an extremely serious issue to be neglected. The proclamation furthermore reads that if statements made by the U.S. International Law Professor Francis Boyle are true that the new Constitution foresees final division of the state, damages made to BiH citizens would be enormous. We are tasked to stop this fraud; there will be no changes in the Constitution till the issue of old foreign currency savings is solved, states the proclamation.

HR Ashdown: Lukic cannot teach students, get paid

 

RTRS – High Representative Paddy Ashdown said that OHR would not give up measures that were taken against dean of Law School East Sarajevo Radomir Lukic. “We made very clear that Professor Lukic cannot teach students in a way which will qualify them. And if he is teaching now, the students he is teaching cannot be qualified. He cannot be a member of Faculty of EastSarajevoUniversity and he cannot be paid. These are decisions that I passed, these are decisions, as far as I know, that are being observed”– said Ashdown.

RTRS feature of BiH lawsuit v SiCG: comments by Paravac, Tihic

 

RTRSBy Sanja Stankovic – BiH Lawsuit against SCG for aggression and genocide will start before International Court of Justice in The Hague on February 27. Member of BiH Presidency Borislav Paravac asked from BiH Constitutional Court to give opinion on legitimacy of lawsuit and to stop proceedings in The Hague by the time BiH Constitutional Court takes its decision. However, BiH Constitutional Court, according to Sarajevo media, will not on its session scheduled for January 28 discuss Paravac’s request. Sulejman Tihic, member of BiH Presidency believes that lawsuit is legitimate and in accordance with BiH Constitution and decisions of BiH Presidency. Tihic said that since 1993 when lawsuit was started, post Dayton Presidency confirmed twice legitimacy of the lawsuit. Paravac believes that lawsuit has never been available for inspection to three-member Presidency of BiH and for that reason is not legitimate. Paravac added that people in RS are not supportive of this lawsuit. Tihic believes that purpose of lawsuit is explaining past in order to have better future and that lawsuit is not directed against Serb people in BiH and out of BiH. “Mr.Tihic cannot understand that civil and national war was in BiH, not aggression”– said Paravac. “Why be afraid of the truth? Why would Borislav Paravac and I argue about what happened and how it happened? There is jurisdiction, and highest jurisdiction is in the International Court of Justice.”- said Tihic. Radoslav Stojanovic, legal representative of SCG, denies existence of genocide. RTRS did not manage to get in touch with Sakib Softic, legal representative of BiH but his position is known from before. Softic believes that attempts of Serb representatives in BiH institutions to challenge lawsuit will not bring results. Amount of money that will be needed for this lawsuit is around 3 million Euros.

 

Economy

Foreign currency savers want their money back, announce individual lawsuits

 

 

 

 

BHT – Report by Irena Kljajic – Old foreign currency savers organised peaceful protests outside of BIH Central bank on Saturday. They expressed their displeasure with the fact that the authorities still haven’t resolved their problem. Chairwoman of Association for protection of old foreign currency savers Amila Omersoftic stressed that countries in the region resolved this issue and added that BIH savers are tired of waiting. Association stresses that BIH Constitutional Court ordered that BIH must adopt law on payment of old foreign currency savings. Savers demand payment of their savings through the banks. They also stressed that they will start individual lawsuits towards banks if everything else fails. FTV – Savers stressed that they would look for their rights at Human Rights Court in Strasbourg if necessary. (also reported by Pink, Oslobodjenje, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘To stolen money via thousands of lawsuits’, by S. Hodzic, Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘State must enact law on payment of savings’, by Resad Dautefendic, Nezavisne Novine, pg 2 ‘Asking for payment of savings by protest walk’, by R. Rakic)

Ashdown, Butler argues Bjelasnica, Igman and Jahorina could be leading ski resorts in southeast Europe

 

PinkBy Aida Hasanbegovic – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, transferred the duty of Chairman of Working Group Bjelasnica – Igman onto PDHR Larry Butler, on Mt.Bjelasnica on Saturday. Ashdown and Butler believe that Bjelasnica and Igman should be connected with Jahorina in order to make these winter resorts more attractive to tourists. “It is time to start thinking big in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And that is what we try to do in Bjelasnica – Igman project. I had big vision that we work with local authorities to make Bjelasnica primary, biggest, best ski resort in South East Europe. Five thousands beds, another ten kilometres of ski slopes, three hotels and that is already beginning to happen “- said Ashdown. “Five thousands beds means potentially five thousands jobs. To make this place attractive to people from Finland and United States, you will have to connect Bjelasnica and Igman with Jahorina” – said Butler. (also reported by BHT, RTRS, Oslobodjenje, front pg splash and pgs 4-5 ‘Connect Bjelasnica and Igman to Jahorina’, by S. Sehercehajic, Dnevni Avaz, pg 2 ‘Bjelasnica, Igman and Jahorina could be best skiing centre in south-east Europe’, mentioned on front ‘You can have biggest skiing centre’, by T. Lazovic, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3 ‘Connect Bjelasnica and Igman with Jahorina’, by E. Duvnjak)

Avaz op-ed: More investments required to attract tourists

 

Dnevni Avaz, pg 3 ‘How to attract foreign tourists’, by Tarik Lazovic – the author believes that in order to attract tourists to BiH mountains and ski slopes, there need to be a lot more investments, not only into accommodation, but also into other infrastructure, such as parking lots, better roads, as well as into the better image of BiH tourist resorts. Lazovic reckons that BiH should look up to Zagreb authorities that managed to bring and organize a World Cup race despite not even having a decent ski slope.

FTV feature on VAT consequences: Still no program to help the poor

 

FTV – Report by Anita Damjanovic – Programs for socially endangered categories in BIH are still not being implemented. Reporter comments that 1200 people in Mostar visit public kitchens on daily basis. Zora Damjanovic from Mostar social centre stated that she has nothing against VAT implementation if it means that the state will help socially endangered. Advisor in Council of Ministers Zlatko Hurtic stressed that CoM is aware of problems made by VAT implementation and added that social programs should take care of that. Reporter states that Hercegovina-Neretva Canton Government still hasn’t received any money for such program. Damjanovic stressed that social centre hasn’t received any instructions on this program. Hurtic stated that payments should start in February.  Reporter concludes that February is drawing nearer and no one knows anything about the programs yet.

Shadow cabinet warns timing of VAT was wrong

 

FTV – Government in BIH (shadow cabinet) session was attended by representatives of FBIH and RS Association of Pensioners as well as BIH Trade Union. It was concluded that standard of pensioners is further endangered by VAT implementation. Government in BIH stressed that the timing of VAT implementation in BIH is completely wrong. (also in Oslobodjenje, pg 5 ‘Introduction of VAT opened door to abuses’, by Onasa, Dnevni Avaz, pg 8 ‘Introduction of VAT is additionally endangering standard of pensioners’, by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Irresponsible authorities beat up poorest citizens’, not signed)

 

War Crimes

Hayat feature on ‘Zvornik seven’ case

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayat – Report brings feature on case of a Srebrenica citizen, Ahmo Harbas, one of seven who managed to escape from Srebrenica but after they met the International Community soldiers, they were extradited to the RS authorities, who faced them with false court process, the so-called ‘Zvornik seven’ case, in which they were charged with murder of four Serbs, and afterwards changed for three real war crime indictees. During the court process, the prosecution presented no valid evidence whatsoever. The RS authorities are now seeking for Harbas in order to have him detained in one of its prisons, due to, as the reporter believes, lawsuit which BiH filed against Serbia-Montenegro and which is to be dealt with soon. Harbas is now imprisoned in a Swiss prison, while some of the most prominent Swiss lawyers are trying to have Harbas released, while the BiH authorities do nothing. “I think that Swiss should extradite Mr Harbas since his situation would change a lot after the BiH judiciary becomes in charge of the case”, said the FBiH Vice President Sahbaz Dzihanovic. “We believe that the BiH Court could be interested in the case and that a legal verdict could finally be reached”, said Mensur Radoncic, a lawyer. “This court process is not over yet and it will be ended in one of two ways, either by closing the trial in the RS or else by amnestying the charged ones”, said Dzihanovic. According to some information, the BiH Presidency could have this case solved for good. However a BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic has never answered letters sent by Bosniak Intellectuals Congress Council or the Endangered Peoples Association.

Oslobodjenje op-ed on Mladic arrest operations: RS and Serbian authorities cannot fool people in BiH

 

Oslobodjenje, pg 9 ‘At the right moment’, by Senka Kurtovic – The author comments on alleged operations in Serbia and in the Zepa area, the aim of which was to arrest Ratko Mladic. Kurtovic argues that efforts of the RS and Serbian authorities to show that they are trying to arrest Mladic are in vain since nobody in BiH expects them to carry out the arrest that much. Kurtovic also notices in an ironic tone that the Serbian Defence Minister Zoran Stankovic was claiming until recently that Mladic was not in Serbia, only to announce the other day that an operation aimed at arresting him was under way (in Serbia).

 

Miscellaneous

Kosovo President Rugova died, comments by Jovic, Tihic, Ivanic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PinkBy Safet Muhovic- Ibrahim Rugova, President of Kosovo died on Saturday morning at age of 61. Rugova suffered form lung cancer. Nexhat Daci, Speaker of Kosovo Parliament is appointed acting President. Soren Jessen – Petersen, SRSG to Kosovo scheduled meeting with all political parties in Kosovo. (news on Rugova’s death also reported by RHB, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje, pg 12, mentioned on front ‘Ibrahim Rugova died’, by Fena, Dnevni Avaz, front pg splash ‘Big loss for Kosovo at deciding moment’, and pgs 14-15 ‘Ibrahim Rugova died’, not signed, Dnevni List, pg 14 ‘Advocate of freedom and democracy died’, not signed, Vecernji List, pg 13 ‘Rugova’s death will make situation in Kosovo difficult’, by ri, Nezavisne Novine, pg 4, mentioned on front ‘Ibrahim Rugova died’, by agencies)

RHB – The BiH Presidency Chairman Ivo Miro Jovic said that the Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, who passed away on Saturday, marked the most difficult period Kosovo was facing. Jovic added that Kosovo lost a great person who advocated equality and stabile Kosovo’s future. BHT – BIH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic stressed that Rugova tried to be President of all people living in Kosovo. BIH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic claims that start of negotiations on Kosovo status after Rugova’s death is something that the entire region needs. Report also features reactions of regional and international officials.

Croatia to change law on Croatian citizenship, effects on Croats in BiH

 

FTV – Report by Zinaida Hamidovic – If Croatian Parliament adopts European Convention on Citizenship, it will be very difficult for ethnic Croats to get Croatian citizenship. According to the convention a person must live 5-10 years in a state in order to gain citizenship. RHB – If the Croatian Parliament is to adopt the Convention, it would strike the BiH Croats the most. Vecernji List, front pg splash and pg 9 ‘Harder to citizenship for Herzegovinians’, by Davor Ivankovic, HINA – carries Chairman of BiH Presidency, Ivo Miro Jovic, who says that Croats in BiH that have the dual citizenship will not be affected by the possible changes. (also reported  by Oslobodjenje, pg 8, mentioned on front ‘Stricter conditions for getting Croatian citizenship’, by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Croats from BiH will have tougher time getting Croatian citizenship’, by HINA)

NN: Novic interview on war criminals whereabouts, terrorism threats, SIPA

 

Nezavisne Novine, front pg splash and pgs 8-10 ‘It is possible that terrorists are being trained in BiH’, by Almedin Sisic – carries a lengthy interview with the Director of SIPA, Sredoje Novic, in which he mostly answers to questions related to arrest of war criminals, terrorism threat in BiH and work and organization of SIPA. Asked whether he agrees with claim of the IC in BiH and BiH authorities that Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are not in BiH, Novic says everything points out that the two as well as other 6 indictees from the ICTY’s public list are not in BiH, however BiH authorities have to keep working on the issue. In this context, Novic warns that BiH i.e. state authorities are not cooperating as much as they should be with the SCG authorities, since it is mostly done by the RS MoI. Asked whether there are Al Qaeda cells and terrorist training camps in BiH, Novic says it would unserious to give a brief answer to that. Instead, Novic argues that the whole issue requires an in-depth analysis and thorough investigation in whole of BiH to establish facts, the operation that should be led by SIPA and OSA. On terrorist training camps, Novic believes there are no training camps in the conventional meaning of the word, i.e. with barb-wire camps, where people are trained to use guns etc. However, Novic cannot rule out a possibility that terrorists can be trained in small, low-key facilities, something that, according to him, needs to be investigated into. Finally, when talking about SIPA-related issues, Novic says there are two factors that hinder work of SIPA, the (lack of) accommodation and low budget.

Nadja Dizdarevic’s lawyer files criminal report against Lagumdzija, Limov and others

Hayat – Lawyer Hadzic Ragib, who represents Nadja Dizdarevic, whose husband is detained at the Guantanamo bay prison, filed a criminal report to the FBiH Prosecution against Zlatko Lagumdzija, Tomislav Limov and several unidentified persons, Sarajevo Central prison employees, charging them of violation of the BiH Constitution and decision made by the Human Rights Chamber in the ‘Algerian group’ case.