RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
HR met with Mostar officials | World News | Counterfeiters uncovered in |
FBiH Gov. on Aluminij issue | Negotiations on Mladic’s surrender | Construction of a state prison |
Constitutional Court discuss PBS law | | Jankovic and Ljubicic cases |
RS CoP on police reform | RS MoD abolished till next year | Exhumations in Budak completed |
NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
Resolution on Srebrenica- FBiH HoP | Changes of nationality in Brcko | OHR conducts audit in “Vrbas” |
| Body of Hungarian tourist discovered | Construction of State Prison |
Registree Johnson on Ljubicic case | Exhumations in Budak | Negotiations on Mladic’s surrender |
Jankovic transferred to | Construction of a state prison | Stankovic on RS Army, MoD |
Oslobodjenje | The decrease of officials’ wages accepted |
Dnevni Avaz | Secret negotiations of eight political parties |
Vecernji List | It was as if the war started (EUFOR action in Uniste) |
Nezavisne Novine | Unification proceeds slowly |
Glas Srpske | All by herself versus everybody (about Serb woman from |
Police/defence reforms | |
Terzic and Ashdown call for police reform talks
| BH TV 1 – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic and High Representative in BiH Paddy Ashdown invited leaders of political parties on a joint meeting on the police reform process, scheduled for Tuesday in RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘On Tuesday on reforms’ – also report on Terzic/Ashdown invitation. |
Terzic: I believe in agreement on police reform
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘I believe in agreement on police reform’ by M.C. – Apart from carrying Terzic’ confirmation of a meeting, daily carries Terzic’ statement saying: “I believe that all the parties would take place in talks and that we will reach an agreement, in order to get a recommendation in November for launchment of SAA talks.” Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Resumption of police reform talks’ – On upcoming resumption of police reform talks, Adnan Terzic says: “Agreement from Vlasic is an excellent basis for resumption. In my view, the most important thing is to define police regions, to close the issues of uniforms, police region seats …It is necessary to make an exact dlan for realization of the agreement with clear deadlines and possibilities for financing of police reform. Neither Vlasic or Konak talks discussed this. And such agreement would greatly loosen up political environment in BiH.” |
RS MoI denies media speculation regarding Potocari explosive
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Ramp to speculation’ by V.J., Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘RS MoI is surprised over speculation on explosive at Potocari’ – The RS MoI is surprised over speculation of some media in regard to investigation on planting of explosive at Potocari (in relation of Gojko Vasic statement). Radovan Pejic, Spokesperson of the RS Police Director, stated: “RS police announces just official information. We do not want to get involved with speculation, that can only effect investigation.” Pejic said that media took Vasic’ statement out of context, when he said that one of possibilities was smuggling in explosives, noting it was also possible explosive could have been activated on the day of commemoration, which would mark a terrorist attack. He said that motive will be disclosed after the perpetrator is identified. |
| Nezavisne Novine pg4 ‘USA supports proposals on BiH defence reform’ by AP,Vecernji List pg 3 ‘USA supports single Army’ by ra, TV PINK – Few days ago, members of Defence Reform Commission have signed the statement on accepting of Law proposal on Defence and Army Service. As response, State Department has stated that |
SRS “Dr. Vojislav Seselj” / Centre Club will not support defence reform proposal
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Remember a promise’ by Ml.S. – Mirko Blagojevic, President of the Executive Board of the Serb Radical Party “Dr. Vojislav Seselj” on Friday called on RS MP’s to remain consistent to pre-election promise from October 2002 and vote against the proposed defence reform. According to him, the proposed reform leads towards establishment of BiH Army, and brings Serb people in subordination status. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Parliament is older’ by Z.Ma. – Radivoje Trbic, delegate of the Club of Centre at RS NA, on Friday in |
Other political issues | |
DA claims secret negotiations on constitutional changes ongoing
| Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash ‘Secret negotiations of eight political parties’, pg 2 ‘Will BiH have only one president in the future’ by F.Vele – Daily reports, that the presidents of the eight parties (SDA, HDZ, Party for BiH, SDS, PDP, SNSD, SDP of BiH and one opposition party) Friday should have handed responses on three question (related to future constitutional changes in BiH) to representatives of the international community. Referring to its source from one of the eight political parties, the negotiations are talking place in secrecy. The source notes that: “It is about existence or non-existence of BiH Presidency, i.e. whether only one President will exist in BiH, how long his mandate would be, who he is to be appointed…Other two issues are related to the work of the future BiH Government and State Parliament with all details related to their election and actions.” Source further notes that second round of talks is to resume in the next several weeks. Daily also learns from unofficial sources that all the parties have handed their proposals, without being able to find out details of any. |
Terzic: I will not change decision about Ivanic
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Stand-by arrangement begins in October’, announced on cover ‘Terzic: I will not change decision about Ivanic’ by S.Numanovic – Daily asked Adnan Terzic, BiH CoM Chair, to comment on Dragan Covic’ proposal that Terzic should withdraw decision on removal of Mladen Ivanic. Terzic said: “I see no possibility to withdraw my decision unless conditions I have already presented are met…Covic has so far adhered to principles. If he is prepared to accept it, then it is not good for him, and especially for this state.” |
Oslobodjenje op-ed on current political scene in BiH: BiH is living with three hard “natural disaster”: Dayton Agreement, rule of nationalistic parties and Paddy Ashdown
| Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 7 ‘State without Government’ by Mirko Sagolj – Writing about current political scene in BiH (especially relations between Adnan Terzic and Mladen Ivanic), he raises the issue as to whether BiH has a legitimate and legal state Govenrment at all. On HR, the author notes that Paddy Ashdown finds it suitable to ghave the situation in BiH as chaotic as it can, because he can rule easier in that manner without making a single good and useful move. The author stresses that the situation at the BiH COM only represents the realistic reflection of the current political scene in BiH, where everybody poays attention for personal interests. He concludes by saying that BiH is living with three hard “natural disaster”: Dayton Agreement, rule of nationalistic parties and Paddy Ashdown. BiH will see no progress until it gets rid of all three of them. |
HR’s visit to Mostar
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Slow unification of Mostar’, Dnevni Avaz pg 21 ‘Faster rhythm to a complete reintegration of Mostar’ by F.Vele, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 2 ‘Unification proceeds slowly’ by V.Coric, RHB, BH TV 1, NTV Hayat, FTV, RTRS – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, visited Mostar on Friday where he had separate meetings with the Mostar Mayor, Ljubo Bešlić, and the chairman of the Mostar City Council, Murat Ćorić. OHR spokeswoman for Mostar region, Sanela Tunovic, said that they discussed positive impact that would have including of the Mostar’s Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Waiting for Paddy on heat…’ by Misijana Brkic-Milinkovic – Author notes that the visit of HR to Mostar was in the sign of – wait, while Ashdown said nothing spectacular. Author notes that changes in the city of |
Tadic: BiH CC reached decision on PBS, but does not want to disclose it
| BH TV 1, RHB – FTV – FTV presenter made short comment, saying that representatives and politicians in BiH often forget that Public Services should serve citizens of this country, and not certain political structures and objectives. “Public Services must have independent editorial policy, and full autonomy. Right now, I believe that Public Broadcasting Service’s autonomy is seriously endangered”, said Ombudsman Assistant for Media Mehmed Halilovic. |
RS CoP rejected all VNI claims
| NTV Hayat –RS Council of Peoples hasn’t passed any of initiatives for rising of vital national interest of Bosniak and Croat Caucuses. Bosniak and Croat Caucuses considered that RSNA’s conclusion on police maps (that they can’t cross Entities’ lines) are harming national interests of all peoples. Chairman of Bosniak Caucus in RS CoP, Remzija Kadric said that they think that this shouldn’t obstruct police reform and that conclusions of police reform commission should be accepted without any demands. On the other hand, Serb Caucus and Deputy Desanka Radjevic see this demand as unconstitutional, stressing that RHB, RTRS, Glas Srpske pg2 ‘Veto without support’ by G.D. – also report |
BiH HoR Commission for legal and constitutional issues in session: The decrease of officials’ wages accepted, Law on high education rejected
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash. pg 2 ‘The decrease of officials’ wages accepted’ by V.Z. – The members of the Constitutional and Legal Commission of the BiH HoR on Friday accepted amendments to BiH Constitution (with majority vote), according to which the wages of state officials can be reduced during their mandate/term. Three members of the Commission from RS voted against adoption of this amendment. Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Principles of proposed law rejected’ by M.R., Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘No support to Laws on tobacco and holidays’ by V.Z. – Momcilo Novakovic, SDS delegate at Commission, stated that the HoR’s commission Friday rejected principles of the Proposed Law on high education. Novakovic stated it is evident this Commission Report will be forwarded to BiH HoR, which would mean end of proposed law. |
Changes of Election Law
| NTV Hayat – Working Group of BiH Parliament for changing of the Election Law has been submitted with the demand, according to which every candidate would have to submit his/hers medical certificate. Reporter talked to some politicians like Ramiz Mehmedagic (FBiH Minister of Physical Planning and Environment), Svetozar Pudaric (Representative in FBiH HoP), Miro Lazovic (Representative in FBiH HoP) and Ibrahim Mujic (Representative in FBiH HoP), who had different opinions on this issue. While some think that medical certificate would be a good idea, some consider this to be nonsense and against basic human rights, but all agreed that rejecting of someone’s nomination because of physical disability (regardless is it about kidneys, hearth or war caused disability) would present discrimination. On the other hand, all agreed that some kind of psychological tests would be a good idea. |
Economy / education affairs | |
F BiH Govt. Report on Aluminij accepted
| RHB, TV PINK, BH TV 1, NTV Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Information on agreement with Alumij accepted’ by S.Se., Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Aluminij passed another instance’ by A.Basic Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Activities for Aluminij approved’ by Agencies – FBiH House of Peoples (HoP) adopted on Friday the FBiH Government’s report on activities aimed at resolving standing issues in Mostar’s company “Aluminij”. Report was presented to the HoP by the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic. The House of Peoples supported the activities of the Government but requested that their final result be transformed into changes to the law on the privatisation of companies. Only after changes to this law are adopted by the Parliament will the Government be able to sign the agreement with Aluminij. Some HoP delegates considered this report as underutilise and suggested that the HoP could oblige the Government to determine the ownership structure in “Aluminij”, in accordance with FBiH laws, reports RHB. The FBiH HoP didn’t adopt text of the resolution on Srebrenica at Friday’s session. This session will continue next week. |
RS Government on IMF arrangement
| Glas Srpske pg2 ‘First councilling then dollars’ by G.Dakic, TV PINK – During its session RS Government has discussed and passed Law proposals on registry of financial reports and Agency for mediator and informative services. RS Minister of Finances Svetlana Cenic stated that passing of the Law on this Agency is very important for verifying of old foreign exchange savings, considering that BiH Constitutional Court has ordered conducting of verifying of all internal debts. During the press conference Cenic stated that Government has also discussed the last session of the IMF, during which the importance of the Law on Fiscal Council has been stressed, especially being that this is a demand for signing of stand-by arrangement in amount of Km150 millions. Cenic stressed that this stand-by arrangement would last eighteen months and that all costs will be under control, being that it will last trough election and post-election period. Cenic, stressed that if the Law on Fiscal Council isn’t passed till October the signing of this stand-by arrangement will have to wait till January, till new Budgets are approves. Beside these two law proposals, RS Government has also passed law proposals on RS Inspections. |
Talks with IMF on stand-by arrangement completed
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘US $ 50 million to BiH’ by M.Cubro, FTV, RTRS – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, Fiscal Council and the Central Bank BiH Governor reached an agreement on procedures which will form the basis for a Stand-by Arrangement, worth 50 millions USD. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Stand-by arrangement begins in October’ by S.Numanovic – Daily elarns that the BiH authorities and the IMF officials Friday in NN reports that Cenic responded to |
RS Finance Minister, Svetlana Cenic, shocked with OHR’s letter in relation to RS Banking Agency
| RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘OHR opposes to removal of Dusanka Novakovic’ by S.Gojkovic – The RS Minister of Finances Svetlana Cenic says she is shocked with the letter Lawrence Butler, PDHR, addressed to RS Govenrment, RS Presidnet, RS Premier and RS Finance Minister, in which the RS Government is warned to respect legal procedures during appointment of the RS Banking Agency Director. Current acting director, Dusanka Novakovic, supposed to be replaced at Fridays session of the RS Government, according to OHR’s letter. “It seems that politics and letters in BiH are created based on unconfirmed rumours, what makes me really shocked,” said Cenic. The OHR didn’t have the comment on this issue, even though it was stated in this letter that decision on replacement of Novakovic would be politically motivated. Novakovic also didn’t want to comment on this situation. Cenic claims that the issue of appointment of the Agency’s Director will be made in accordance with law, after deadline for applications expires. |
RS Education Minister refuses to sign directives for history and geography textbooks
| BH TV 1 – RS Minister of Education and Culture Milovan Pecelj refused to sign the directives for writing the history and geography textbooks, because, as he say, they are used to impose joint textbooks. OSCE expects that Pecelj will change his mind, because those directives, made by the Joint Experts’ Commission, represent the possibility to explain the controversial issues in a way that would be acceptable for everyone. “It’s my duty to tell you that Commission’s mandate was to make didactical, methodical and technical instructions for writing the history and geography textbooks, and nothing more”, said Pecelj. Among other things, Commission proposed that controversial issues should be explained without offending anybody, and that all the constitutional peoples, ethnic and religious minorities and neighbouring countries should be portrayed impartially. |
DA op-ed critical of RS Minister Pecelj
| Dnevni Avaz op-ed pg 7 ‘New schoolbooks on hold’ by Sanja Skuletic – The author stresses that Milovan Pecelj, RS Education Minister, is the only Minister, who does not want to sign Directives for writing the history and geography textbooks, by which he has placed himself versus cantonal and federal ministers of education, international officials, etc. who regard this as priority of priorities. She ntoes that because of Pecelj, pupils in smaller BiH entity are studying from textbooks whose directives were set by Radovan Karadzic. She raises the issue asd to when authority holders in RS would acknowledge the fact that joint aspect of everything brings the only future to BiH and all of tis citizens. |
OHR’s auditors commenced on Friday with audit in company “Vrbas”
| RTRS – OHR’s auditors commenced on Friday with audit of business books of the wood industry “Vrbas”. OHR didn’t give any more information on this on Friday to RTRS, but RS Ministry of Economy stated that the OHR searches for documentation in relation to “Vrbas” management contacts with their business partners, interested in privatisation of this company. RTRS finds out unofficially that someone broke into company’s facility where business documentation was kept. “The OHR never comments on its daily work, these are regular events and we don’t think these are the things with which the OHR should go in public,” said OHR spokesman, Oleg Milisic. “Vrbas” director Milos Licina didn’t want to talk to RTRS. This company don’t work for two years. |
War crime issues | |
Kandic confirms negotiations on Mladic’s surrender ongoing
| Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Negotiations in Mladic’ surrender ongoing’ by BETA, TV PINK, BH TV 1, NTV Hayat, FTV, RTRS – Director of Fund for Humanitarian Right, Natasa Kandic stated that negotiations on Ratko Mladic’s surrender are being run. Kandic said that she is certain that negotiations are lead, but she is not sure if they are lead by the Government or someone appointed by the Government to negotiate with groups around Mladic. Kandic believes that these groups are counting on $5 million award, which were provided by U.S. Government for information on Mladic and Radovan Karadzic. |
VL: Search for evidence on detention camps in
| Vecernji List pgs 2-3 ‘The Hague investigators combing western Herzegovina’, announced on cover ’The Hague investigators in western Herzegovina’ – Daily reports referring to two sources close to intelligence community in BiH, who demand anonymity, that over the last few months, the state investigators have visited at least ten locations in western Herzegovina region (including Mostar), where prisoners of war, mainly of Bosniak nationality, were imprisoned during the war. Daily notes that investigations are ongoing in line with the previous approval of the ICTY, with an aim to collect information on former detention camps. |
Trial to Gojko Jankovic handed to BiH
| NTV Hayat, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘BiH was not aware of Del Ponte’s decision, but it supports it’ by A.Omeragic , Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Trial to Gojko Jankovic handed to BiH’, BH TV 1 – The Hague Tribunal decided to forward Gojko Jankovic’s case to the BiH authorities. Jankovic is indicted for the war crimes committed in Foca. Court of BiH’s War Crimes and Organised Crime Chamber Registrar Michael Johnson said that this institution is not informed about the ICTY’s intention to refer the Pasko Ljubicic’s case from |
BiH gets state prison
| NTV Hayat – Even though transfer of cases from ICTY to BiH War crimes Chamber and lower Courts is impatiently expected, this transfer will depend on building of State Prison, and decision on its location will be passed in next few weeks. (according to SRNA this location is determined and it is in TV PINK, BH TV 1, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘The construction of state prison commences in six months’ by A.Omeragic, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘BiH gets state prison’ by M.Cubro, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘New prison next year?’, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Kovac: Prison will be close to Court’ by H.O. – also report |