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SFOR arrest in Travnik | SFOR action in Travnik | SFOR arrests in Travnik | SFOR arrest in Travnik |
Covic in Nova Bila | Farmers for delay of FTA | Farmers with CoM on FTA | CoM with farmers on FTA |
FTAs on hold | New Gov’t in Croatia | Miners’ Day | Dissatisfaction with budget |
HoR on Indirect Taxation | Miners’ Day |
| RS NA on Budget |
Oslobodjenje | SFOR arrested Algerian, BiH citizen?!; The award for the information on terrorists; Terzic: There will be no strikes |
Dnevni Avaz | The investigation against me was like conducted at the time of IB [Note: IB is ‘Inform Bureau’ – marking the period of communist persecution of Stalin supporters in former Yugoslavia]; M’hamed Zitouni Perenda arrested; Safet Halilovic: The fear of future created among Bosniaks; Srebrenica: Smail Cekic for Avaz: It is also important for Serb people to disclose the truth |
Dnevni List | Winterstein: Mostar becomes one municipality with seven constituencies; SDA: SDA: Norbert Winterstein in service of Debis and Aluminij |
Vecernji List | Travnik: Islamic terrorist arrested; RS is European record holder in non-working days |
Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
Glas Srpske | Should Republika Srpska yiled on some holidays: Special Serb dish is not for Donald |
Nezavisne Novine | Elmir Jahic: SDA does not exert pressure against judges in order to protect criminals; Travnik: SFOR arrested the Algerian citizen Mohamed Zitouni |
Blic | More money for salaries and pensions; Columbia in the Balkans |
Security issues | |
SFOR arrests a BH citizen of Algerian origin under terrorism suspicion | RTRS, CRHB, Dnevni Avaz cover, pg 3 ‘M’hamed Zitouni Perenda arrested’, Vecernji List front pg ‘Travnik: Islamic terrorist arrested’, pg 3 ‘SFOR arrested Islamic terrorist in Travnik?’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘SFOR arrested Algerian M’Hamed Zitouni’, Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 3 ‘SFOR arrested the Algerian citizen Mohamed Zitouni’, Blic pg 13 ‘Suspected of terrorism’ –On Sunday about 00.30 hrs in Travnik, SFOR troops carried out the arrest of M’hamed Zitouni Perenda, born on 3 March 1972 in Algeria. In a statement issued earlier on Monday, SFOR said that it arrested a man suspected of taking part in activities threatening security in Bosnia-Hercegovina. The suspect M’hamed Zitouni added Perenda to his surname after marrying Melika Perenda, a Bosniak woman, and receiving BiH citizenship. SFOR searched the hideout of the charged person and confiscated materials, some written, related to investigation. Zitouni is said to be kept at the safe location. BHTV 1 – Action was participated also by British troops, whose colonel Julian Bower stated: ‘The action was in line with our mandate to provide secure environment. Local police forces assisted in the action. Investigation is underway and there are no other details for now.’ SFOR could not provide an answer as to why BiH Security Ministry had not been informed on this action if the security of the country was threatened. FTV – Suspect’s wife, Melika Zitouni said that SFOR ‘did not allow [her] to see him before he was taken. We have been married for 8 years. He has not make any problems in his life.’ FTV claims that Zitouni had two ID numbers, and that he had not registered address in Travnik. Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘SFOR arrest Algerian, BiH citizen?!’ – Daily claims that local authorities conducted the investigation on Zitouni about a year about, however at the time Prosecutors’ Office allegedly dismissed the findings and did not order arrest. |
USA offers awards for information on terrorism | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Money awards for information on terrorists’, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 3 ‘The award for the information on terrorists’, Dnevni List last pg ‘Awards for information on terrorists in BiH’, FENA – The US Defence Ministry will commence with the campaign today within its programme which encourages BiH citizens to given any information on terrorist activities in turn for financial price. The statement from the Ministry reads that the BiH Government significantly contributes in the global efforts to fight terrorism. Campaign will also include TV spots, radio jingles and posters ‘which illustrate terrorists could look like anybody living anywhere, but that their actions are dangerous for all’. US Defence Ministry asks from all those with information on terrorists or their activities to call 033 49 49 49. |
RTRS feature on Intelligence Law | RTRS by Dejana Radovanovic – Members of the BiH Council of Ministers for past six months were not able to reach conclusion on the draft Law on the BiH Intelligence and Security Agency, thus on December 17 High Representative Paddy Ashdown sent the Law to the Parliamentary procedure. The text of the Law now includes the recommendation of the Council of Europe for only one minister to be politically responsible for the work of the Agency – in this case that would be Adnan Terzic, the CoM Chairman. Barisa Colak, BiH Security Minister said that “this version talks about the collective body, Executive Board, in the advisory role to the Chairman of the CoM.” Asked by journalist if this is the compromise to the requests of Serb Ministers in the CoM, Barisa replied:” in certain sense I could reply positively”. Answering to the question by journalist as to who will officially submit the Law as the High Representative can not do that, Nikola Spiric, the Speaker of BiH House of Representatives, answers: “He [Paddy Ashdown] has to find those he worked with on this law, and that is SDA, and I presume SDA representatives will bring that Law as their own into the discussion.” Deadline to the Law to be enacted is March 1, 2004. |
Bond: NTO office in Sarajevo | Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Permanent NATO office in Sarajevo’ – US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, confirmed that with the EU take-over of the military mission in BiH, the US State Department had decided to propose the NATO Council to open a permanent NATO office in Sarajevo. By doing so, the US would maintain its military presence in BiH. |
Economic and social issues | |
Terzic met local producers on Free Trade Agreements | FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘CoM will try to postpone implementation of the agreements’, Oslobodjenje cover, pg 5 ‘There will be no strikes!’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘BiH delaying Agreement on Free Trade’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘On old regime’, Dnevni List front ‘Agreement on free trade to be postponed’, pg 4 ‘Ministers prevent blockade of border crossings’- At its next session scheduled for Tuesday, December 23, the BiH Council of Ministers will take all necessary steps for the purpose of prolonging implementation of the agreements on free trade with the neighbouring countries, which, in the opinions of many domestic groups of agricultural and food producers, processors and farmers, are endangering the survival of BiH agriculture. If a solution is found, was stated on Sunday at the meeting of CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic with representatives of trade unions, producers and processors of meat, agricultural producers and associations of entrepreneurs in BiH, these groups will give up on their announced blockades of the state border. Supporting the requests of BiH agricultural worker and cattle breeders, after the meeting Terzic accepted the request on including one member from the representatives of producers and one from the representatives of agricultural processors, respectively, in the Council’s commission that will work on the proposal of amendments of the Law on Customs Tariff for the purpose of respecting their requests on the occasion of designing the final text of the mentioned Law. At the next session, as arranged, the Council of Ministers should also issue a decision on strengthening the examining of certificates of origin, EUR 1, from countries with which BiH has signed the agreements on free trade. CRHB – Association of the farmers of BIH welcomed the agreement that was reached with Terzic in Sarajevo on Sunday on CoM session to be held on Monday in order to prolong the implementation of FTAs, which were supposed to be enacted on January 1, 2004. BHTV 1- Farmers are satisfied with outcome and believe these short-term measures will be effective, so they cancelled announced protests on border crossings. The CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic commented on the measures to be discussed among the ministers: “These measures will be considered next week and they can help to bypass expected problems in agriculture… Postponement of free trade regimes with Croatia, SCG, Macedonia is very likely, but we need to wait for partners in these governments currently being formed.” RTRS – Chairman of the BiH Association of farmers Vladimir Usorac stated following the meeting: “We have accomplished our goal to protect the producers and consumers and there will be no blockades of the roads.” The joint commission will be formed on Tuesday, the Council of Ministers is expected to initially prolong all foreign trade agreements with the neighbouring countries for three months. |
RS NA discusses proposed budget and economy police for 2004 | RTRS, Blic pg 13 ‘More money for salaries and pensions’, Vecernje Novosti pg 21 ‘The day for the budget’ – RS National Assembly will discuss the draft budget for 2004 and the government’s Economy Policy Proposal for 2004, as announced on Sunday by the RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic. According to the draft policy, the GDP [Gross Domestic Product] will increase for 6 to 8%. “We will have fiscal multiplicities in the GDP growth, and first positive reaction of privatisation early next year” – says Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of the RS Prime Minister. Obrad Belenzada, President of the Union of metalworkers and miners of RS, stated that it was not good to base the RS efforts only on few companies, as other economies should be encouraged. |
RS Union doesn’t support budget proposal | RTRS – The President of the RS Union of the Syndicates Cedo Volas stated that the propose RS budget for 2004 was not acceptable for the Union, requesting for social needs and revival of production to take bigger part of it. The RS Association of the families of the fallen and captured soldiers and civilians also expressed its dissatisfaction with the draft budget, and announced that 10.000 their members will organize protests if the budget is adopted in current form. The Presidency of the association will hold the session on Monday in front of the RSNA building. “It is necessary thing to do,” says Radojka Boric, the President of Republika Srpska Association – “our dissatisfaction is based on the fact that the provision on the invalid payments is reduced, which is pure nonsense, as we have not received payments regularly this year.” |
Hadzipasic on Aluminij issue
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Hadzipasic: The sell of electricity is business, not politics’ – In according with the instruction from the government, FBiH Minister for Industry, Mining and Energy Izet Zigic scheduled a meeting between BiH Elektroprivreda, [Croatian Union Herzeg Bosnia] HZHB Elektroprivreda and Aluminij from Mostar. The managements of these companies will discuss possibilities and conditions for electricity supply to Aluminij, while the FBiH Government will tomorrow review the contract on delivering electricity to Debis and a decision to terminate the contract. ‘The discussion at the last session was big improvement in solving these issues. Now, it is up to business subjects…. To finish this job. The sell of electricity is business, not politics.’ – stated FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic. He also said that Elektroprivreda BiH has a surplus of the energy needed to Aluminij. Minister Zigic added that the scheduled meeting will be focused at finding solution: ‘There is an issue of entire chain consisting of mines, Elektroprivredas and Aluminij. Electric energy is a product… Politics should not, and must not, be infovled in that market’. |
Brankovic demands from Eronet to obey CRA decision | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Brankovic asks from Katica and Prlic to respect CRA’s order’ – FBIH Transport and Communications Minister Nedzad Brankovic sent a letter to the BH Telecom’s acting director Hamdo Katic and director of Eronet Stipe Prlic, informing them that CRAs decision to ban Eronet from using the block of 100.000 phone numbers starting with digit ‘8’ as Eronet was not licensed operator. While BH Telecom adopted the decision disabling its users to call those numbers, Prlic explained to Avaz that he asked for additional explanation from CRA before shutting down the numbers in question. |
HoP do discussion Commission on ITA Law | CRHB, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Discussion in indirect taxation today’ – At session on Monday in Sarajevo, the BiH House of Peoples is expected to discuss the report of the Joint Commission of both Houses regarding the identical text of the proposed Law on Indirect Taxation. The proposed law was adopted in two different texts at BiH Houses, owing to which reason the Commission was established. |
Political issues | |
Update on Mostar structure | Dnevni List front, pg 3 ‘Mostar becomes one municipality with seven constituencies’ by De. L. – DL carries excerpts of the report on the work of the Mostar Commission and a proposal of the future, permanent statute for Mostar that the Chairman of the said Commission, Norbert Winterstein, had prepared and sent to the High Representative Paddy Ashdown. DL learns from “its sources in OHR” that the HR will most likely adopt all the solutions envisaged in the proposal regarding the issues that the Mostar Commission could not agree upon. Regarding the proposal itself, DL notes it offers a compromise on debatable issues. Namely, Winterstein in the article 7 of the new statute defines Mostar as single city municipality with six areas in it that match the current municipalities. Regarding the issue of elections, Winterstein’s election rules envisage the City Council with 31 councilors. When it comes to national quotas, Winterstein proposes that every constituent people has at least 4 representatives in the future City Council, whilst the “others” should have at least one representative. Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Statute enables rule over Croats!’ by Zoran Kresic – The author believes that the proposed election rules are discriminating Croats because it allegedly enables Bosniaks to have more councilors in the City Council. Dnevni List front, pg 3 ‘SDA: Norbert Winterstein in service of Debis and Aluminij’ by Vedran Kljajic – DL reports from an extraordinary session of the City Board of SDA of Mostar held on Saturday evening, which was entirely dedicated to the Winterstein’s report. Apparently, the main conclusion from the session was: “We recognized that the main goal of Norbert Winterstein’s proposal is to put the hydro power-plants on Neretva – Mostar, Salakovac and Grabovica, as well as Municipality North, under the administration of Mostar City Council, which would be controlled by Mijo Brajkovic. It is clear that would solve the problem of supplying Aluminij with cheap electricity and secure special profit for Debis”. Furthermore, according to DL’s anonymous source within the SDA of Mostar, all the events regarding the future of Mostar and Winterstein’s report will result in the Bosniak parties forming a joint front. |
RS PoWs against change of Dayton | RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Signature for adventure’ – The Presidency of the RS Union of the former war prisoners expressed their dissatisfaction with the initiative of some individuals from the European Parliament for the revision and changes to the Dayton Peace Agreement. It estimated that the initiative was an attempt to force changes of BiH Constitution without the consent of Serb People in BiH. The Presidency of the Union send the letter to the President of the SEE Delegation of Parliamentary Assembly Doris Pack, warning her that if the pressures were continued to be applied on RS, they will start with the initiative for referendum on RS separation from BiH. |
GS on Hays comment on January holidays | Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Special Serb dish is not for Donald’ – GS starts the article by saying that Donald Hays, Principal Deputy High Representative, has two different approaches on religious holidays – he would like to celebrate his, but to abolish some RS holidays. GS further says that the remark placed by Hays would not have arisen so much public attention if the humanitarian ball of foreign embassies in Banjaluka had not been postponed a couple of days ago, owing to the fact that foreign diplomatic core wanted to spend Christmas holidays with their families. Dusan Antelj, Director of the RS Secretariat for religions, says that Hays has no right to interfere in this issue. Vesna Ecom Zlojutro, SDS MP, says that Donald Hays could never acknowledge the importance of Januray holidays for Orthodox believers, since he is not an orthodox. Krstan Simic of SNSD shares the view of Hays, noting that exact date in Serb history should be determined. |
DL interview with Martin Raguz | Dnevni List front, pg 5 ‘Without stability of BiH there is no stability of whole Europe’ by M. Relota – DL carries an interview with Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament Martin Raguz. Asked to judge the dynamics of the implementation of a big number of reforms that are necessary for BiH, Raguz says these are the most serious interventions after the Dayton Peace Accord, however, he believes that all these reforms will be limited by the current, internal organization of BiH. Raguz also said that the crucial thing that is ahead of HDZ is a final re-structuring of HDZ into a right center party of people’s orientation and into a trustworthy party with clear stands on all important issues that refer to BiH and especially the position of the Croat people. |
Feral’s editorial on nationalism in BiH | Feral Tribune pgs 34-36 ‘Festival of ethno-politics’ by Ivan Lovrenovic – Editorial warns of growing nationalism in BiH. ‘Day in, day out, there are more obvious symptoms of national psychosis in BiH, manifested as events that sometime so closely remind of situations that preceded the war, during 1991 and 1992. The foundation of them are expressing and raising the feeling of national jeopardy and discrimination. The guilt is often addressed to other peoples: causes of stagnation in ‘its’ people are seen in ‘progress’ of the other two, without any vision of harmonic society and state’, says Lovrenovic. |
Judiciary | |
Failed candidate criticises HJPC
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘The investigation against me was like conducted at the time of IB’ [Inform Bureau – the period of communist persecution of Stalin supporters in former Yugoslavia], pg 4 ‘I was a subject to the investigation like in the times of Inform bureau due to my ‘closeness to SDA’’ – Former prosecutor of Sarajevo Municipal Court II, Alma Colo after 19 years of the work was decided as not satisfying the conditions of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council for the appointments. In the article she condemns the HJPC for the treatment towards the candidates [‘They just call you over the phone and tell you that you did not pass… without explaining why’] Colos also says that the explanation for her failure to be appointed reads that she was the subject to the investigation by OHR’s Independent Judiciary Commission, and that she failed due to close relations with the SDA. However, Colo denied this adding that she stepped out SDA three months before the Law on judiciary and prosecutorial vacancies was passed. |
Halilovic: Bosniaks not equally represented in judiciary and finances | Dnevni Avaz cover, pg 5 ‘The fear of future created among Bosniaks’ by Edina Sarac – In an interview to DA, BH Civil Affairs Minister and the President of Party for BiH [SBIH] Safet Halilovic said that ‘there is a complete judicial insecurity created in BH judiciary thanks to some important players form the international community.’ He also stressed that the way appointments are carried out put in question independency of the judiciary. Asked whether that means that he agrees with the criticism directed against the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils, Halilovic answered: ‘You see, some representatives of the IC treat this field in the way of discretion principle allowing only them to impact the judiciary and prosecutorial bodies. This is not only the situation in judiciary, the same situation is in finances sector. We have a situation where both state and federal come from Croats people, as well as the director of the Customs Administration. Without High Representative reacting, ITA [Indirect Taxation Administration’ Director would probably be Croat as well.’ |
NN interview with Jahic, SDA on judiciary
| Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 6 ‘SDA does not exert pressure against judges in order to protect criminals’ – In a half-page interview to NN, Elmir Jahic, SDA Vice President, said that the SDA does not exert pressure against judges and prosecutors, in order to protect somebody, but instead to make sure that professional and competent people are appointed to these positions. Hearby, he also refers to the positions of Police Director and Interior Ministers, who should have equal authorities as RS Interior Minister. According to him, OHR ahs appointed members of the HJPC’s in charge of selection of judges and prosecutors. Accordingly, he accuses the Councils of nepotism, noting that only BiH Parliament could appoint members of the HJPC’s. He stresses the importance of judicial reform, noting that Bosniaks should not be neglected in this regard. He accordingly stresses the importance of census of 1991, which should be followed during these appointments. |
Ajanovic demands FBiH HoR to discuss Bosniak position | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Discussion on Bosniaks’ marginalisation necessary’ – BOSS delegate in FBiH House of Representatives, Mirnes Ajanovic sent a request for the next session’s agenda to include the discussion of unequal representation of Bosniaks in judiciary, police, economy, media and other aspects of the society. |
Srebrenica Commission | |
Cekic: It is important to reveal truth on Srebrenica for Serbs too | Dnevni Avaz cover ‘It is important for Serb people to disclose truth’, pg 5 ‘For a future of Serb people it is important to reveal the truth on Srebrenica’ – Smail Cekic, director of the Institute for Investigations of the War Crimes against Humanity, was appointed, together with the OHR official Gordon Baker, by the High Representative to the RS Government’s Srebrenica Commission. ‘I will do everything possible that the truth is established on events in Srebrenica based on available material.’ – stated Cekic to Avaz, adding that one of the most important factors in this is an interests of the international community: ‘As the result of such activity of the IC this commission is established. I think that this is a grand civilised act at the right time, to establish truth and only truth based on available materials.’ Cekic also said that there was a possibility for obstructions of the Commissions work, however stressed that it was important for all peoples, including Serbs, to reveal the truth. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Report on Srebrenica until 14 April 2004’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘No further delays’, Blic pg 13 ‘Ashdown’s warning’ – carry reports on appointments of Cekic and Baker, as well as the High Representative’s letter to RS President Dragan Cavic and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic warning them that the Srebrenica Commission has to finalize its work by 14 April 2003. |