Headlines in Print Media |
Dnevni Avaz: Sejfudin Tokic reacts once again – SDP was not consulted about the appointment of disputed directors in BiH telecommunication sector; Kostajnica border dispute – BiH did not accept Croatia’s proposal
Jutarnje Novine: The BiH Federation House of Peoples to hold its session today – Veterans waiting for the law; the BiH Council of Ministers on situation at the Kostajnica border crossing – Dispute between Sarajevo and Zagreb over 20 meters
Dnevni List: The dismissed defenders to get agricultural machines at the end of this month; the BiH customs officers withdraw to the area between the rivers of Una and Uncica at an IPTF order; BiH Cardinal Vinko Puljic – We are not supporting political parties, but we are fighting for equal rights
Vecernji List: An UN report on human trafficking in the Balkans – Annually, 120,000 women and children are being sold
Glas Srpski: Kostajnica – the special policemen did not arrive in spite of the announcement by the Croatian officials; Dragan Mikerevic – I am moving to Srpsko Sarajevo
Nezavisne Novine: The BiH Council of Ministers discusses the Kostajnica border dispute – Common border crossing as a temporary solution; Svetozar Mihajlovic, the BiH Minister of Civil Affairs – Mikerevic and PDP stand behind the CIPS affair; Milorad Dodik, the SNSD leader – Partnership against crime to be established soon
FRY Nacional: Pavkovic: General Aca Tomic met Ratko Mladic on the highway
EuroBlic: Temporary solution – shared location at the border crossing; Dragan Mikerevic moves to Serb Sarajevo; General Nebojsa Pavkovic: Tomic met Mladic three months ago
Kostajnica border crossing dispute |
“I am standing for that BiH function as a well organized state with the institutions at the state level. In this line, not a single president or mayor at the local level can takes over the responsibilities of the state institutions,” Croatian President Stjepan Mesic told journalists in Zagreb on Monday asked to comment on the situation related to the Kostajnica border dispute between BiH and Croatia. (Oslobodjenje – p 4, Jutarnje Novine – p 4)
The Vice-president of the RS Government, Petar Kunic, said on Monday following his meeting with the Srpska Kostajnica municipal leadership that the RS Government would not allow the members of the Croatian border service to pass over on the right bank of the Una river. Kunic holds the leadership of the BiH State Border Service responsible for the newly-created situation, because the members of the service withdrew 50 meters from the bridge over Una without prior consultations and order by the BiH Presidency. “BiH Presidency is authorized for the situation in Kostajnica and the SBS is under the Presidency’s jurisdiction,” Kunic emphasized. He expressed his hope that the Presidency would in near future terminate a contract related to the Kostajnica border crossing signed between the two states. (Oslobodjenje – p 5, Jutarnje Novine – p 4)
The member of the Serb National Alliance (SNS) Main Board, Jezdimir Spasojevic, stated yesterday in Bijeljina that the problem in Kostajnica represents an agreement between the RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, and the Head of UN Mission to BiH, Jacques Klein (Nezavisne Novine, p 4). According to Spasojevic, Ivanic needs this artificially created crisis to distract attention from major social problems. The President of the Democratic National Alliance (DNS), Dragan Kostic, expressed expectations that the BiH CoM will find the best possible solution for the Kostajnica border dispute. The SDS Spokesman, Dusan Stojicic, stated that the most recent developments in Kostajnica proved SDS’s stand that the RS Police should have stayed at the border crossing until the inter state agreement on regulation of the border between BiH and Croatia, in Kostajnica, is signed. The Serb Radical Party (SRS) member, Milenko Mihaljica, appealed to all Serb representatives at all levels to express unity in order to resolve the Kostajnica dispute in the best way possible for the interests of the RS.
Obstacles to signing the new stand-by arrangement with IMF – veteran’s law |
“Without the new stand-by arrangement, BiH is going to uncertainty whose negative consequences can already be seen,” BiH Treasury Minister Ante Domazet said.
(Dnevni Avaz – p 4, Oslobodjenje – p 6, Jutarnje Novine – p 4, Vecernji List – front and page 2 and Dnevni List – page 3)
The Bosniak caucus in the BiH Federation House of Peoples on Monday did not make a final position on the draft veteran’s law proposed by a deputy to the House Munir Karic. The caucus will continue the discussion on the issue on Tuesday before the session of the House of Peoples. (Oslobodjenje p 5, Jutarnje Novine – p 6)
“The Association of the Demobilized Soldiers expects deputies to the BiH Federation House of Peoples not to accept the suggestion made by the BiH Federation Government to reject the draft law on veteran’s rights,” the Association President, Mehmed Focic, told Dnevni Avaz (p 11)
“Only the next elections will show how much the current opposition will benefit and how much the governing political parties will lose because of unresolved problems of the veteran’s population,” Mirko Sagolj wrote in the Oslobodjenje In Focus editorial (p 2).
CIPS |
“STROM Telecom has no any links to the CIPS project implementation. This company did not participate in the tender, it does not implement any part of the project, nor it is in any way financed from the project’s budget,” said the company’s press release signed by the STROM Director Nihad Hurem. (Oslobodjenje – p 5)
“The disputed directors in the BiH telecommunications and members of the so called STROM Telecom lobby have not been appointed by the SDP neither the party has been consulted about their appointments,” the Vice-president of the SDP Main Board, Sejfudin Tokic, told Dnevni Avaz (front page, p 3)
The Minister for Civil Affairs and Communications to BiH CoM, Svetozar Mihajlovic, stated for Nezavisne Novine (p 5)that the launch of so called CIPS affair was nothing else but a pre election campaign of the PDP (Party of Democratic Progress) led by the party high official, Chairman of BiH CoM, Dragan Mikerevic. The daily quotes Mihajlovic: “There is no CIPS affair and what Mikerevic is talking about has no grounds.” Mihajlovic also accused RS officials by saying that they are trying to manipulate citizens before the elections by opening fake affairs and political disputes. Dragan Mikerevic did not want to comment Mihajlovic’s allegations and said he has no intention to argue with him.
Due to some announcements that there will be removal in the BiH Council of Ministers because of the CIPS, Minister for Civilian Affairs and Communications in BiH Council of Ministers, Svetozar Mihajlovic said he would request a revision of the CIPS project from the BiH Council of Ministers, in order that the documentation be checked and that a report on the implementation of the CIPS project be submitted, Vecernje Novosti (p12) reports.
He stressed that the CIPS project, which is important for Bosnia-Hercegovina and costs approximately 33 million marks, must comprise all elements of security and protection, in accordance with the European standards, and that is the reason why Siemens got it and not some BiH printing house.
OHR, international community related news |
A report on the situation in BiH made by the first monitoring group of the Council of Europe Secretariat was published on July 15 and delivered to all relevant Council’s bodies as well as permanent missions of the 44 member countries. In general, the report speaks positively about the social, political and legal developments in BiH emphasizing that the situation in the country is better and better every day, and that a strong willingness exist for fulfilling of the post-accession requirements.
The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, and the BiH Federation Prime Minister, Alija Behmen, discussed in Sarajevo on Monday the prepared package of the economic reforms, which will be presented to the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board on July 30-31. (Dnevni Avaz – p 2, Oslobodjenje – p 14, Jutarnje Novine – p 3)
The Regional Board of Association of Refugees and DPs from Tuzla sent a letter yesterday to the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, warning him on frequent cases of illegal allocation of land plots to Serb refugees who do not want to return to their pre war homes in BiH Federation. In its letter, the Board claims that people address them on daily basis with information related to illegal land allocation taking place in Kotorsko, Modrica, Zvornik, Bijeljina, Janja and Bratunac. The Board called the High Representative to visit the above mentioned areas and see the situation in field by himself.
Dnevni List (page 6) carries a reaction of Ivan Bacak, a Deputy Secretary General of HDZ BiH, to an interview titled “We broke Ante Jelavic’s gang” that a former SDHR Matthias Sonn gave to Dnevni Avaz. Bacak says that he personally did not read the interview and goes on to say that, based on what he heard about it, there are people within the IC who simply cannot leave HDZ alone until is tailored to their liking or simply gone. Protestant theologian Sonn in not interested in ethics and truth, he wants to curry favour with the former and new High Representative so he could last as long as possible either in BiH or elsewhere, says Bacak and goes on to say that Sonn will, because of decisions the former SDHR signed in cases related to former Governor of C10 Ivan Ivic and former Head of Glamoc Municipality Ivan Damjanovic, be held accountable before the Strasbourg Court sooner or later. Fin
ally, I am convinced that Mr. Ashdown will, judging by what he has done so far and judging by his statements in the media, know to find a wiser Deputy and more responsible advisor than Mr. Matthias Sonn was, and as far as HDZ is concerned, I could say that it has never been cleaner, stronger and more determined to once again win and get a compleye, absolute support of the Croat people in BiH, concluded Bacak.
Bozo Misura sends letter to Behmen, Ashdown |
Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17) carries that provoked by writings of Dnevni Avaz and statements given by Mirza Ceric, a Manager of ERC ZIPO, a company that offers information services to a part of Pension-Disability Fund Bureau, Bozo Misura, an acting Head of Federation Pension and Disablity Fund (MIO), sent a letter to Alija Behmen, the Federation Prime Minister. The article says that a copy of the letter was also sent to Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative, Joseph Ingram, a Head of the World Bank in BiH, and Federation Minister Mijat Tuka. The letter says that according to the statements given by Ceric, he (Ceric) did not work much for the Public Fund of PIO BiH and the Federation Bureau and that he exerted most of his efforts to export his intellectual services to sell equipment. Misura says that Ceric earned 2,5 million Marks. Misura also said that they warn Ceric not to threaten pensioners by suspension of printout of checks because it would be a very dangerous game.
Inteview with Cardinal Vinko Puljic |
Dragan Mikerevic moves to Serb Sarajevo |
Ivanic on the privatisation of the media |
Criminal charges against ten employees of RS Customs Administration |
Pre-election news |
The leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, stated that a project Partnership for Victory will be offered to all political parties which intend to advocate the fight against crime and corruption and implementation of the Dayton Agreement (Nezavisne Novine, p 4). The project will be offered to the SDS and PDP as well, said Dodik.
Vecernji List (page 2, signed by Milo Jukic) carries an editorial, which says that according to public opinion polls national parties will return to power after October elections. Jukic says that it is no wonder because newspapers are full of articles on financial scandals (Jukic states example of the Am Sped case), economic collapse, discrediting of successful Aluminij etc. The editorial also says that representatives of International Community were helping Alliance to come to power and they (IC representatives) still believe that members of the Alliance are not nationalistic parties in spite of their conflicts on national grounds. According to Jukic, IC has completely lost its orientation after they promoted force as the highest degree of democracy in Hercegovacka Bank.
Dnevni List (page 4) carries that holding a press conference in Tomislavgrad on July 22, the Election Headquarters of HSP BiH has officially started its pre-election campaign. The basic message that HSP BiH will send to voters is: ‘HSP believes that as soon as possible BiH has to create a strategy of development, which would be passed by consensus of all three constituent peoples.’
Session of Municipal Council of Stolac |
Headlines in Electronic Media |
- The BiH Council of Ministers “energetically opposes” further complication of the situation on the border between BiH and Croatia at Kostajnica, Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications Svetozar Mihajlovic said on Monday.
- The BiH Council of Ministers on Monday called on the entity governments and other institutions to take the necessary measures and remove the obstacles to the signing of the stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) within the next seven days.
- The Federation House of Peoples is to discuss a proposal for the law on the rights of soldiers, disabled veterans, and the families of fallen at its Tuesday session in Sarajevo.
FTV 1 (1930)
- In cooperation with RS Ministry of interior, Banja Luka Public Security Center has pressed criminal charges against 10 employees of RS Customs administration for unprofessional behavior in service.
- After yesterday’s events, the situation in Kostajnica today is calm.
- The BiH Council of Ministers “energetically opposes” further complication of the situation on the border between BiH and Croatia at Kostajnica, Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications Svetozar Mihajlovic said on Monday.
- Croatian president S. Mesic made a comment on the Kostajnica border crossing that Croatia always tried to function on the rule of law, and wanted BIH to be so as well.
RTRS (1930)
- The BiH Council of Ministers “energetically opposes” further complication of the situation on the border between BiH and Croatia at Kostajnica, Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications Svetozar Mihajlovic said on Monday. (2)
- RS prime-minister said the decision of Croatian authorities to take control of the area between rivers Una and Uncica is unacceptable. (2)
- SRS is worried with the situation in Kostajnica. Member of SRS Executive board M. Mihajlic said he is also worried with the accusations between some politicians of parties in RS. (1)
- In cooperation with RS Ministry of interior, Banja Luka Public Security Center has pressed criminal charges against 10 employees of RS Customs administration for unprofessional behavior in service. (2)