| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| EU Ambassadors in Mostar | HR on Busek’s claims | Construction of highway | BL Clinical Centre strike |
| PMs in HB Canton/Livno | 5c corridor | 4 arrested for corruption | Mikerevic on return |
| Refinery in Brod sale | World news | Ashdown in Geneva | 5c corridor |
| David Kelly’s death |
| EU ambassadors in Mostar | Fires in Herzegovina |
| Oslobodjenje | The (FBiH) Government to decide on increase of pensions today |
| Dnevni Avaz | Hadzipasic decides on pensions |
| Dnevni List | “EU maximally supported Ashdown’s principles for organization of city”; “Key for snap elections in hands of Party for BiH”; “Beslic and Jahic’s initiatives: There will be no more rotations and linking of offices?”; “6 Municipal clerks will be appointed for Mostar” |
| Vecernji List | “Serbs are taking away water from Herzegovina”; “Mostar: SDA boycotted meeting with Ambassadors” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Serbia demands Rudo, railway and power plants”; “Dalmatia is waiting for 60 tons of Livno cheese” |
| Glas Srpske | First estimate into the value of arts stolen from the gallery of Terzic in Banjaluka: Pictures of KM 2 million worth; Srebrenica: Church has complained |
| Nezavisne Novine | Republika Srpska Telekom Commission detected some irregularities in games of reward of MOBI’s: Reward coupons were printed at ten times bigger price; Banjaluka Clinical Centre: Eight babies infected with sepsis; Dragan Popovic, Head of Customs investigations Department at the Republika Srpska Customs Administration: The international chain of smuggling in meat found |
| Blic | Crisis and poverty destroy families; Ashdown: Responsibility for return to be taken over by BiH authorities; Banja Luka’s Clinical Centre in agony; War for media |
BiH/International Community | |
| Busek says BiH is under international protectorate
| BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje back page ‘Opened issue of protectorate in BiH’, Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Protectorate is the first obstacle’, Dnevni List page 6, not signed, “Long way of Balkans countries towards West” – Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South East Europe, Erhard Busek stated that what makes BiH accession to EU more difficult was its status of de facto protectorate in which the state government has no authorities over the entire state. ‘In BiH there is an open issue of protectorate and a single state government that has no authority over the entire country’ – stated Busek in an interview to Austrian daily Courier. |
| Ashdown denies existence of protectorate in BiH
| Commenting on this statement, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said in a telephone interview with BHTV1 that BiH was not a protectorate, but that the international community would have to speed transition of powers to BiH authorities. “Everybody believes that is the right thing to do, and we have implementation plan for that for the first time. It is of vital importance that BiH takes over responsibilities. This is not a protectorate, or anything like that, but it is important that the international community now progressively and speedy transfers powers to BiH. Why? Because BiH will join Europe. BiH cannot join Europe through Office of the High Representative. For that reason, I strongly advocate the idea of BiH taking over the responsibilities from the international community rapidly in next two or three years, so BiH becomes fully functional state which manages its affairs, not under the influence of the international community but on its own way to Europe. It cannot join Europe unless it does that.” – stated Ashdown. The statement was carried by Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘BiH is not protectorate’. |
| Interview with BiH Ambassador with UN Mirza Kusljugic
| Vecernji List (front page, “One should manage to survive next year”, page 6, by Zvonimir Banovic, “2004 will be crises year for BiH citizens”) carries an interview with BiH Ambassador with the UN Mirza Kusljugic. Kusljugic says: “In a way the UN is showing satisfaction over the things that have been done in BiH, especially over the post-war reconstruction and even over the results achieved in the area of return. It is about indicators which are the best in the world proportion.” Kusljugic also says that 2004 will be a crises year for BiH citizens and for this reason BiH has to implement fast reforms, privatize strategic companies and obtain foreign investment in some other way and not through privatization of these strategic companies. With regard to the court proceedings against his predecessor Muhamed Sacirbegovic, Kusljugic says that the case is in the hands of the BiH and USA judicial bodies. |
Dayton Agreement’s Annex 7 implementation | |
| Ashdown meets with UNHCR representatives in Geneva
| BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘The return process under control of BiH authorities as of the next year’, Dnevni List page 3, by M.R., “International Community will be helping return of refugees”, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Handing over responsibility onto local institutions until 2004’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Refugees are their own concern’, Blic pg. 7 ‘BiH authorities take care about return’ – High Representative Paddy Ashdown met with senior UNHCR representatives in Geneva on Monday to discuss ways of handing over the return responsibilities to BiH authorities. Ashdown (by phone) said: “BiH is no more priority within donor community for refugee return, but some financing is still available for return process in BiH…I will come again here in September with BiH Minister Kebo to discuss future assistance for BiH…we also discussed return of Serbs from Croatia…I opt for early end of OHR and international community’s mandate in BH and transfer of power to BiH authorities when they are ready…BiH has no status of protectorate.” |
| BiH Minister Kebo, Entities’ Prime Ministers visit Livno Canton | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘RS Government will reconstruct 100 houses’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Difficult economic situation represents the biggest problem’ – Representatives of the Council of Ministers, and entities’ Governments lead by Prime Ministers on Monday visited Glamoc, Livno, Bosansko Grahovo and Drvar, the cities where majority of population were returnees. The reason for their visit was difficult financial situation in these municipalities. In Herceg-Bosna canton, the only promising and encouraging fact was the high level of returns, however the big problems was that those returnees faced very difficult living conditions. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic stated: “Today’s visit has an aim to analyse existing situation and to try offer solution to intensify sustainable return.” BH Minister for Refugees and Human Rights, Mirsad Kebo said that the situation in Canton 10 was one of the hardest in BiH, where return was facing poverty disabling people to organize their lives. The problems of returnees in canton could only be compared to those in Eastern Bosnia and Posavina. Authorities promised that one part of Japanese donation would be directed to assist this canton. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic: “What I would like to stress is RS government’s interests in return process and assistance of return to FBiH, that is to Canton 10. In that sense, we already are starting a project of reconstructing 100 houses in this region.” Vecernji List (page 5, by Z.M, “Problem of return are finances”), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 19, by Frano Mioc, “Return is not political but economic issue”) and Dnevni List (page 4, by Onasa, “Part of Japanese donation for help to returnees”) also reported on the visit. |
Mostar | |
| EU Ambassadors visited Mostar
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘EU Ambassadors request continuation of the work of the commission for Mostar Statute drafting’, Vecernji List front page, “Mostar: SDA boycotted meeting with Ambassadors” and page 2, “SDA boycotted EU Ambassadors”, by Z. Kresic, Dnevni List front and page 5, by M.R.,”EU maximally supported Ashdown’s principles on organization of Mostar”, Slobodna Dalmacija last page, by Zoran Zekic and Miro Skobic, “Local authorities must be more responsible towards their people”, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Administrative organisation of Mostar to be urgently worked out’- Ambassadors of the EU countries in BiH visited Mostar on Monday. Ambassadors talked with representatives of the city and canton and Commission for Creation of the Mostar City Statute. Even invited, SDA and Party for BiH members of the commission, who left it some time ago, refused to meet with ambassadors. Italian Ambassador in BiH Saba D’ Elia: “As far as Commission for Creation of the Mostar City Statute is concern, we have requested all the members of the commission to work together in order to meet the OHR-established deadline and to present the statute in August. This is unique opportunity for the Mostar City that, through work of the commission, representatives of different components of the city can reach agreement on the future of the city on the new and unique way without International Community’s input.” The Ambassadors reminded cantonal government that time has finally came for it to start working in a benefit of all citizens. HNC government was reminded to implement 8 tasks from priority list as soon as possible, which also includes education systems reforms. The representatives of EU were not satisfied with the attitude of cantonal prime minister who requested postponement of reforms implementation. ‘There was sufficient amount of time. As I remember, promise for reforms was given in 2002 and not time has came to implement those reforms without delays.’ – stated the Italian Ambassador to BiH. |
| Mostar Statute issue | FTV by Ivan Pavkovic – New Statute of Mostar is still not prepared and the Commission has stopped its work. Existing administrative structure in Mostar is not sustainable and all agree that more efficient and less costly solution should be found. (Interviews with citizens supporting idea of unified City.) SDA withdraw from negotiations and final solution seems very far at the moment. HDZ pushes for a single municipality and SDA wants several units with limited power. It seems that organization of the City is closely linked with future election districts. |
| DL on rotation of offices in Mostar
| Dnevni List (front and page 9, by Zvonimir Jukic, “There will be no more rotations and linking of offices”) – commenting on the recent statement by the Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, who stated he would be requesting a rotation in the office(s) of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, and a letter that the Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic, sent to representatives of the IC in Mostar in which he requests linking of the offices of Mayor of Mostar and Prime Minister of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the author says after the Decision on constituent status of peoples, abolishment of office of Cantonal Governor and special regime status for the Canton 7, the issue of rotation and linking of offices becomes irrelevant. On top of that, the author writes that even the OHR officially stated that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, after the office of the Governor has been abolished, do not have to rotate, but it was an issue of an inter-parties agreement. Jukic concludes it is an about an uninventive attempt by Beslic and Jahic to draw attention to the work of the City Administration of Mostar which has gone into lethargy and has not been able to start a single big project in past few months. |
Economic / social affairs | |
| 5c corridor
| BHTV 1 – Croatian government will submit proposal of preparations and building of 5C corridor to BiH authorities, news agency Fena reported. Decision of BiH government to continue working with Bosmal on this project will have impact on further plans of the Croatian authorities, said diplomatic sources close to Zagreb to Fena. According to the Concession Law in BiH there is a possibility to award contract for 5C corridor to Bosmal company without publishing international tender. A decision for possible tender would be brought by the Concession Commission. However, problem is that CoM still did not act in that direction. It is known that the Commission would include three members from both entities each and one member from Brcko District. “There is a lot to do to find real people so we would have Commission which would be able to professionally and independently decide on not only this concession of 5C corridor, but all others in BiH and entities.’ – stated Chairman of CoM Adnan Terzic. CoM already practically sees Bosmal as partner in 5C corridor building, and before that Bosmal would have to fulfil several conditions, including drafting of Feasibility Study and solving property issues. ‘In case Bosmal would do all this you mentioned, than we can see Bosmal’s offer as self-initiative and there would be no need to go for the international tender’ – added Terzic. FTV, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘We can build faster and better than the Croatian companies’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘BOSMAL is the only company that gave a correct offer for the highway construction’ – Construction companies from BiH discussed participation in Vc highway construction. It was said foreign companies should not be preferred and domestic companies need support. Director of ZGP company Sahzudin Jahjaefendic opted for tender which would not favor Croatian companies since BiH are capable to build 7 km a months. Croatian companies will be available as of 2005, but then taxes and salaries will not stay in BiH. Bosmal company promises to give priority to the local companies, what would open 20 thousand jobs. RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Branko Dokic: Offer by “Bosmal” is accepted’ – BiH Council of Ministers accepted offer of Bosmal company in regard to building 5C corridor. Bosmal was given a four months deadline to secure 300 million Euros needed to finance project documentation and solve property issues. This investment would be followed by drafting Feasibility Study. Poverty in BiH was one of the main reasons for such concession for the motorway that would go through Bosnia and Herzegovina with 433 km of length. In case Bosmal rejects offer any time, 300 million Euros would stay with BiH authorities. ‘I am not sure that there are many interested ones for building this, since this is about large financial means, very difficult terrain and very short deadlines, so I personally have no fear, I wish there were more candidates, but I am afraid there would not be. In talks with some companies building in the world there was no interest expressed for building this through concession. There was an interests for this [to be done on] loan basis.’ – stated BH Minister for Transport and Communications Branko Dokic. Feasibility study should show on how any years concessions would be awarded. Deadline for project documentation and solved property issues is a year, while motorway would have to be built within 5 years with participation of local companies. Current estimate of the entire project is 2.5 billion US dollars. Seventy kilometres of the motorway would go through RS. ‘I am absolutely sure that this was important for RS, as it solves the issue of road infrastructure at that part, it creates precondition for planning of fast road between Banja Luka and Doboj.’ – added Dokic. The corridor will go from Italy to Ukraine, with a separate road from Budapest to port Ploce. Dnevni List (front and page 7, not signed, “Croatia will submit to BiH proposal of plan for Corridor Vc”), Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, by Fena, “Everything is ready for agreement”) and Vecernji List (page 3, by Dejan Jazvic, “They do not allow construction in BiH but they would construct in Croatia”) also deal with the issue of construction of Corridor Vc. DL carries that Fena News Agency learns from diplomatic sources in Zagreb that the Croatian side will submit the proposal of the plan and model for preparations of the Corridor Vc construction to the BiH authorities. DL and SD also carry a press release issued by ‘Bosmal’ company which says that the Management of this company is expecting that they will receive from the BiH Council of Ministers the signed agreement on accepting of the preliminary Bosmal’s’ offer on the construction of Corridor Vc during this week. VL says that 8 biggest construction companies demanded from the competent BiH authorities that they do not allow postponing of the Corridor Vc construction and they believe that the proposal of the Republic of Croatia postpones the beginning of works. They also welcome the fast reaction of the BiH Council of Ministers to Bosmal’s offer and they support giving of the contract for the highway construction through concession. |
| Strike in Banja Luka Clinical Centre | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV 1, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12, Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Promises give us headaches’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 9, ‘Medical staff announce lawsuit against the Republika Srpska Government’, Blic pg. 7 ‘Agony continues’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 21 ‘Payment or lawsuit’ – Striking board of Banja Luka Clinical Centre announced that unless their demands were met by Wednesday 23 July, it would sue RS government and Clinic’s management board over unpaid salaries. Once more, workers gathered on the streets of Banja Luka on Monday to express their dissatisfaction and request dismissal of Clinic’s General Director and charges to be filed against employer. In addition, syndicate of workers accused Clinical Centre’s management of illegal gain through office misuse. Risto Krizomora, general director of Banja Luka Clinical Centre stated that ‘charges would filed against employer and in accordance with the Law workers have a right to file charges.’ However, he said workers would not gain anything with winning that law suite, since Court would probably decide for management to sell the facility in order to pay overdue salaries. In that case, said Krizomora, workers would have no place to work, while he denied office misuse. Zdenko Stupar, president of Striking Board, said that the workers in strike would not give up any of their demands announcing even more radical fight. |
| Sepsis at Banjaluka Clinical Centre
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Eight babies got sepsis in two months’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 – Owing to bad hygienic conditions at the Children’s Clinic of Banjaluka Clinical Centre, the sepsis (serious blood poisoning) has occurred. The sepsis may have fatal consequences for the babies. NN learned at CC yesterday that six babies, that were infected, recovered and were released home, while two more babies, whose current state is stable, are still hospitalised. |
| Revision of the privatisation | FTV – BiH Trade Unions presses for passing the Law on privatisation revision. They want Federation Government to draft the Law as soon as possible and to send it to the Parliament for adoption before September 1. Head of Trade Unions Edhem Biber: “The Law must be passed very soon since 80% of workers have been affected by dubious privatisation and new complaints arrives every day.” Minster of Energy and Industry Izet Zigic expects the Law to be prepared in next 10 days and passed in September. |
| Decision on possible increase of pensions to be made today? | Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 6 ‘The Government to decide on increase of pensions today’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 5 ‘Hadzipasic decides on pensions’ – A decision on possible increase of pensions for July has been postponed until further notice since it had not been possible to reach a consensus on the issue. But, there is still hope for pensioners. The final decision on possible increase of pensions is likely to be known today following a meeting of the Federation Pension-Invalid Insurance Fund Steering Board and Management Team representatives with the Entity Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic. |
| Mostar Aluminij | Vecernji List (front and page 3, by Zoran Kresic, “Aluminij losing billion US$!?”) – reports that senior representatives of the DaimlerChrysler Services (financial service of the US-German concern) and Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and Herzegovina (EP BiH) will on July 24 and 25 continue talks in order to find an acceptable solution for both sides after the EP BiH sent an ultimatum requesting an increase of price of electricity for the Mostar-based “Aluminij” Company. Earlier, the EP BiH said it would stop supplying the electricity to the “Aluminij” starting August 16 this year, unless the price has been increased by 20%. The daily notes the “Aluminij” is already paying the most expensive electricity in the world when production of the aluminium is in question. On the same issue, Dnevni List (front and page 3, by Miso Relota) says if the increase does takes place that could end up in the factory not being able to cover for all its expenses eventually resulting in the company getting closed down. Furthermore, DL says if the EP BiH sticks to its request, there could be consequences for the overall BiH economy through weakening of the export oriented companies. Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Darko Juka, “If Aluminij takes tumble – region will be shaking”) – says the whole case is about political games in which certain Bosniak lobbies are trying to politically destroy the company. SD goes on to say that the last business audit, which was carried out by the OHR, in which an SDA official Damir Sadovic participated, showed the company abided by the world standards. |
| VL on construction of Fatnicko Polje tunnel | Vecernji List (front “Serbs take water from Herzegovina” and pages 4 and 5 “Hutovo blato becomes – desert”, by Milo Jukic) – an article on construction of the Fatnicko polje-Bileca lake tunnel and possible consequences if the construction goes ahead. The daily carries that Professor Ibrahim Busatlija from the University of Sarajevo claimed that the all waters that make up river basins of rivers of Bregava, Buna and Bunica from Stolac to Buna near Mostar will end up in the Bileca lake if the construction of the tunnel goes ahead. According to Head of Stolac Municipality (in resignation), Zeljko Obradovic, the project on construction of the tunnel was prepared before the war adding that the further analysis show that the realisation of the project would disturb underground waters in the area meaning the waters would be re-routed to other areas. On the other hand, Dr. Mato Uljarevic, who received the journalist at the very construction site, says those claims do not respond to reality. |
| Irregularities in Republika Srpska Telekom lottery | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Lottery tickets printed at ten times bigger price’ – The lottery tickets for the lottery of “Mobi’s Fun”, which was organised by Republika Srpska MOBI’s, were printed at ten times bigger price. And this has damaged the firm for the amount of KM 400 thousand. Moreover, the report of the Republika Srpska Telekom Commission for analysis of activities of “Mobi’s Fun” states that the firm “Stojic Company” from Brcko printed the coupons at the cost of 10.8 phoennings per piece. The total number of coupons printed was 4,644,000. However, the market price for printing such coupons does not exceed the amount of one phoenning per piece. The Commission also established some other irregularities. For example, the date when the prices were to be presented, was changed. The approved amount of resources for the lottery was exceeded for the amount of around KM 689 thousand (almost double price). |
| Meat smuggling chain cut | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘The international chain in smuggling of meat detected’ – In an interview to NN, Dragan Popovic, Head of the Customs Investigations’ Department at the Republika Srpska Customs Administration (RUC), said that RUC detected and cut an international organised chain in smuggling in meat in BiH. He noted that regarding this matter, 4 criminal reports have been filed against 21 persons, who were engaged in meat smuggling activities, and also against customs officers, who assisted them in doing that. On single customs administration and VAT, Popovic said that the co-operation within the Indirect Tax Commission would ensure better and more efficient collaboration of all bodies. Accordingly, the fight against organised crime will be much more efficient. |
| RS Trade Union’s letter to Kalinic | Blic pg. 6 ‘RSNA does not respect decisions’ – The Republika Srpska Trade Union sent an open letter to RS National Assembly Speaker Dragan Kalinic on Monday, warning him of the fact that many parliamentary conclusions of significance to workers remain unpracticed, which could result in social riots and protests. The conclusions in question are related to revival of economy, reprogramming of debts, adoption of a social welfare programme for workers who will lose their jobs in the privatisation and liquidation processes, and budget revision. The Trade Union asks the Parliament that at its next session discusses the realisation of its own conclusions. |
| Sale of oil refinery in Bosanski Brod | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Vecernji List (page 16, by Zdravko Cesar, Branka Stevandic, “MOL is also buying oil refinery in Bosanski Brod?”) and Dnevni List (page 7, not signed, “Hungarian MOL interested in oil refinery in Bosanski Brod?”) carry that the public tender for the sale of oil refinery in Bosanski Brod will be announced in December this year or in January 2004. Among those who are interested in purchase of this company is Hungarian company ‘MOL’, which has recently bought 25% plus one share of Croatian oil company ‘Ina”. VL says that according to the sources from the Republika Srpska Privatization Agency, Russian companies ‘TNK’ and ‘Lukoil”, as well as, Greek company ‘Hellenic Petroleum” and Austrian ‘OMV’ are also interested in the purchase of the oil refinery in Bosanski Brod. VL says that Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament Nikola Spiric claims that it has been already agreed that BiH-Malaysian company ‘Bosmal’ purchases the oil refinery in Bosanski Brod although the RS Privatization Agency denied this information. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic says that privatization of oil capacities is not possible before their re-structuring. |
Other issues | |
| Update to robbery of paintings
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Pictures of KM 2 million worth’ – From the gallery of the deceased Draginja and Vojo Terzic in the Street of Milan Tepic in Banjaluka, an unidentified robbers took away pictures of an estimated value of KM 2 million. The robbery took place on the night between 6th and 7th July this year. Danka Damjanovic, Banjaluka Museum Custodian, who is also a court expert, said that the robbers took away some work of arts of “biggest artists from the former Yugoslavia”. |
| Srebrenica Orthodox Church complains | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Church has complained’ – The Serb Orthodox Church Community in Srebrenica yesterday filed a complaint at the Republika Srpska Ministry for Urbanisation, housing, ecology and construction works against a decision issued by the municipal inspector. The order demanded from the Church to remove the cross at Stari Grad. According to complaint, the cross was placed during the consecration of the Church. The cross was placed at the same spot where it used to be before the Church was devastated. According to complaint, nobody was bothered with the cross until Naser Oric was apprehended and taken to The Hague. |
| Review of history textbooks | Glas Srpske, pg. 5, ‘They are bothered with everything Serb’ – Ranko Pejic, Professor at the Banjaluka Faculty of Philosophy, says that Bosniak historians demand anything with ”Serb” prefix is excluded from the text-books, because they find this to be extremely insulting! Pejic also says that Bosniak historians are pleading for their politicial, instead of facts recognised in science. For example, Bosniak historians also demand that history of BiH is studied through the history of the Osman Empire and that term “Serb” is replaced with the term “south Slavic”. |
| War for media
| Blic pg. 7 ‘War for media’ – There are more and more requests of domestic authority, as well as of the IC, to change the structure of media stage in BiH, which has been interpreted in the Republika Srpska as an attempt to unitarise the media. The requests are evident, as well as numerous decisions of IC’s representatives for changing the structure of entity RTV, which culminated by the OHR’s decision on centralisation of RTRS’s Steering Board to level of BiH public service, and that might lead to RTRS’s losing autonomy in acting. At the same time, there are requests for forming a single news agency that would unite the existing ones and erase possibility to report from entity level. OHR claims it is not about unitarisation of media in BiH, but it represents an attempt to prevent financial collapse of entity emitters. “When announcing the decision, the High Representative said that the decision would protect and not subvert entity systems,” OHR Banja Luka spokesperson Sonja Pastuovic says. She says this is an temporary decision that will be changed at the moment when entity Parliaments adopt amendments on Law on Public Broadcasting System, announcing that soon the OHR will propose them to the BiH Council of Ministers. On the other side, Republika Srpska Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic thinks that the decisions on centralisation of RTRS’s Steering Board are unacceptable and contrary to the Law on Public Broadcasting System. He claims the Republika Srpska Government will pledge for keeping the Srpska system of information. “The Republika Srpska Government supports the independence of all media in BiH in order to have unbiased, truthful and timely information,” Mikerevic says. |
| DL on future role of Party for BiH
| Dnevni List (front and page 8, by Z. Jukic, “Party for BiH holds key to early elections”) – an article dedicated to possibility of early elections in BiH and role of Party for BiH (SBiH) in it. The article says that recent public statements by member of SBiH Presidency, Beriz Belkic, who is according to DL unhappy with the pace of reforms conducted by SDA-HDZ-SDS, are announcing a possibility that the SBiH, at least at the State level, leaves the ruling coalition, thus endangering the majority in the State Parliament. DL goes on to say that the problem Belkic’s fraction is facing is a group of SBiH officials participating in the executive authority led by Safet Halilovic who do not want to lose their “comfortable ministerial armchairs” at any cost. Finally, DL says that a possibility of early elections is even slimmer given the position by the IC led by Paddy Ashdown, which on numerous occasions stated that the current 4-year mandate should expire presenting the lack of money as the argument. |
| DL’s editorial: “Architects and heirs” | Dnevni List (page 6, by Slavo Kukic) – saying that the “leaders, and in the same time, architects of the BiH tragedy (Tudjman, Milosevic and Izetbegovic) are more or less out of picture” and that only Izetbegovic sometimes suggests something to “his people”, Kukic says “other masters have taken the stage”, the masters being the current members of the BiH. According to the author, the three members of BiH Presidency have not brought changes to the philosophy which started 15 years ago. In that context, Kukic says the “soap operas” presented by Tihic and Paravac resembles the fighting spirit their bosses had and adds that the only member of BiH Presidency that reminds of a modern politician is Covic. However, Kukic says Covic has different burden on his shoulders, namely a number of criminal charges that have been pressed against him. |