OHR BiH Media Round-up, 24/2/2004

Oslobodjenje

Trial of Milosevic goes back to its beginning!?

Dnevni Avaz

Avaz journalists against censorship: Great support by the public

Dnevni List

“Blockade: Next step is blockade of FBiH Government”; “Mesic’s first visit to Mostar’

Vecernji List

“ ‘Standard’ burnt down”; “Al’Qaid expelled two years ago”

Slobodna Dalmacija

“They blocked road because of Aluminij”; “Returnees’ houses demolished”

Glas Srpske

Republika Srpska PIO Fund: Postmen yet come at door; Banjaluka: Council washes its hands

Nezavisne Novine

Fahrudin Radoncic: Braithwaite swindled on my friend Ashdown; “Standard” hall burnt down; BiH Council of Ministers: Stankovic is the most serious candidate for BiH defence minister; Sarajevo: Experts claim that BiH removed Al Q’Aeda cell; RS police information on import of acetic acid anhydride: BiH Prosecutor does not hold evidence against Raja Krsmanovic

Defence

Milovan Stankovic to be new nominee for BiH Defence Minister

BHTV – New SDS candidate for BiH Minister of Defence will probably be current RS Minister of Defence, Milovan Stankovic. According to SDS Presidency member, Nedjo Djekanovic the only question is will he accept the nomination. SDS Presidency has started its session tonight in Banja Luka. Although SDS Spokesperson, Dusan Stojicic has said that they are still waiting for official explanation of Chairman of Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, for rejection of nomination of Branko Stevic, it seams that SDS has realised that Stevic will not be appointed. Oslobodjenje back page carried the BHTV report.

Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4, ‘Stankovic is the most serious candidate for BiH defence minister’ – NN interlocutors from the offices of Serb member to BiH Presidency and BiH CoM claim that Milovan Stankovic, currently Republika Srpska Defence Minister, is the most serious candidate for the position of the first BiH defence minister.

SDS Presidency in resignation last night held a session in Banjaluka, which was to discuss the issue of nomination of defence minister. Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, said that the name would be made known during the course of today or tomorrow.

According to NN inset, Cvijetin Nikic, SDS Vice President, in Bijeljina stated that SDS would do all it can to prevent BiH from becoming a world of perpetual darkness. He commented on statement by Sulejman Tihic, saying that SDS would do all it could not to allow Serb people in BiH ever again feel endangered.

RS POWs to oppose possible nomination of BiH Army generals Delic, Drekovic

Herceg Bosna Radio – Association of War Prisoners from RS will organise demonstration in Banja Luka if Borislav Paravac, Member of BiH Presidency does not refuse nomination of Rasim Delic or Ramiz Drekovic for joint Command structure of BiH Army. Slavko Jovicic, Vice President of the Association said that he had unofficial information that SDA intend to nominate one of those two Bosniak Generals for those positions. Jovicic reminded that War Prisoners from RS initiated to press charges against Delic and Drekovic before the Hague Tribunal due to their war history and commanding responsibility for crimes committed against Serbs in BiH.

SFOR and BiH parliamentarians on defence and security

Slobodna Dalmacija (page 8 “Support to reorganization of defence”, by B. Kristo) – reports that representatives of SFOR HQ on Monday met with members of the state and entities’ parliamentary commissions for defence and security issues to discuss SFOR’s role during the reorganization of defence structure in BiH. Topics of discussion included de-mining issues and process of establishment of partnership between SFOR and BiH authorities and BiH armed forces. According to an SFOR press release “SFOR is supporting activities aimed at strengthening of democratic control of military, which is one of pre-requisites for BiH joining the NATO’s Partnership for peace programme”.

Judiciary/security

Judiciary/media/OHR

Dnevni Avaz front page, pgs. 8-9 ‘Great support by the public’ – Following the Avaz employees’ protest rally in front of the OHR building in Sarajevo last Friday, the thousands of our readers have expressed their support to our principled demands submitted to Paddy Ashdown, the newspaper says. “The veterans’ associations, trade unions, artists, sportspersons and pensioners have been announcing they would join our (second) mass protest before OHR building next Friday,” Avaz adds. On the page 8, Avaz published a list of their demands against as they say introduction of censorship, as on the page 9 there are a number of reactions/support to these demands by some BiH intellectuals, artists, veterans, musicians, actors etc. including Sacir Filandra, Fatmir Alispahic. Note that there are no reactions by any prominent politician, public official.      

Kukic on Avaz protesting in front of OHR

Dnevni List (page 6 “Journalism in ‘service of people’”, by Dr. Slavo Kukic) – the author criticizes “Dnevni Avaz’s” employees, who protested in front of the OHR building in Sarajevo the other day, over the alleged censorship for which they accused the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown. Kukic notes that there was no censorship involved, saying it was in fact a court order to “Avaz” to stop writing untruths about people, and the author goes on to commend the HR for responding to “Avaz” the way he did. “Hats down to Ashdown. But, I think he is in for a rough ride. I think he could feel what Avaz’s punishment means”, says Kukic.

Interview with Radoncic

Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘Braithwaite swindled on my friend Ashdown’ – Fahrudin Radonicic, owner of “Avaz” claims that the attempt to abolish Bosnian media is behind the court verdict against “Dnevni Avaz”, banned from reporting any lies about Zlatko Lagumdzija. He repeats once more “Avaz” finds this court verdict to be representing introduction of censorship in printed media.

On OHR protest, he says Avaz personnel did not gather in front of OHR because of the fine stipulated (BAM 10 thousand), because this amount will be today paid to the account of Lagumdzija. He further claims that JulianBraithwaite tried to swindle on the public, which Avaz did not allow him, but did succeed in swindling on Paddy Ashdown, a personal friend of his, as he claims, who thought Avaz were on strike just because of the fine.

He also claims that Avaz did not violate the Law on slander. Namely, it published something about Lagumdzija, he sued them, Avaz then released an apology for wrong information, and this is where the whole case should end.

He is also alluding that two judges could destroy a company, referring to Judges Nevenka Milosavljevic and Milan Srdic, concluding it may have not been so if the judges were Bosniaks.

Protection of witnesses to be part of EUFOR mandate

Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Protection of witnesses to be part of EUFOR mandate’ – Support to the program of protection of witnesses will be a task to be assigned to the future EU forces in BiH if they are to replace current SFOR in the country, learns Dnevni Avaz. The task is part of a proposal on EUFOR mandate made by Javier Solana, the European Commissioner for Common Foreign and Security Policy, and accepted by EU Foreign Minister at a meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Dnevni List (page 2 “Importance of agreement between EU and NATO on responsibilities in BiH”, not signed) – carries the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, as saying that the main goal of the EU military mission to BiH, which would replace SFOR, is to help the country in its efforts to join the EU and NATO. Addressing the EU member countries’ foreign ministers, Solana stated in his report that such mission should guarantee safe environment needed for fulfillment of goals of the OHR and for progress in the association and stabilization process. “Completion of the EU mission would depend on fulfilling of those aims i.e. on creating a viable BiH”, said Solana. EU foreign ministers note that preparations for deployment of EU troops should continue in close cooperation with NATO, and in the same time, the BiH authorities should be included. (Vecernji List, page 2 “EU Ministerial Council on departure of SFOR”, by F)

Update to Visegrad Judge Djuliman issue

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Council washes its hands’ – Sanela Tunovic, Spokesperson of HJPC’s, stated that the HJPC’s cannot react upon claims presented against a judge or a prosecutor without a proper documentation, which it would re-examine.

She commented on press release issued by Visegrad Association of families of the missing persons, who were critical of Kemal Djuliman, judge at Visegrad Basic Court.

New Head of EUPM appointed

Dnevni List (page 3 “Bartolomew Kevin Carty is new head of EUPM mission”, not signed) – reports that Bartolomew Kevin Carty was yesterday appointed the new Head of EUPM in BiH, the duty he is taking over on March 1. According to the EUPM, the new Head was appointed by the Council of EU, at proposal of EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘New EUPM Commissioner is Bartholomew Kevin Carty’, Sarajevo media also covered the issue.

War crimes/terrorism

Trial of Milosevic before ICTY goes back to its beginning?

Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Milosevic’s trial goes back to its beginning’, FENA – The trial of the former Yugoslav president, Slobodan Milosevic, before the Hague Tribunal, at which the Prosecution’s procedure was supposed to be completed on Tuesday and Wednesday, will not resume due to defendant’s health problems, it was announced on Monday by ICTY. The prosecutors need two more working days to complete the two-year long procedure against Milosevic, indicted on 66 counts for genocide in BiH, the most tragic war with over 250.000 casualties, and for the crimes against humanity in Croatia and in Kosovo. A new moment in this trial is the resignation of British judge Richard May, which he announced on Sunday due to health reasons. This could lead to new delays in this long court procedure. The greatest concern is seen in the possibility that Milosevic does not agree to continuation of trial with a new judge and requests a new trial, which he can do in line with the Rules on Procedure and Evidence of ICTY. However, the remaining judges can decide to continue the procedure with the new judge without compliance of the defendant if “they unanimously decide this is the interest of justice”.

RS report on Srebrenica to be completed within deadline – chairman of the Commission

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 11, ‘First phase of work soon to end’, SRNA – Marko Arsovic, the chairman of the commission for investigating the events in Srebrenica in July 1995, told SRNA on Monday that the first phase of gathering information about the wartime events in this area is completed. He said that in the forthcoming period, a large number of Serb and Bosniak witnesses will be questioned, expert opinions sought, various inquests conducted and the number of the Srebrenica victims determined. Arsovic pointed out that the commission would meet the deadline of the RS Government in order to devise the final report on the wartime events in Srebrenica by June 12 2004.

Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘ICTY promised assistance in revealing the truth’ – According to Smail Cekic, the Srebrenica Commission member, the Commission members were promised by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte during their recent visit to the Hague she would support the body in collecting relevant information on the Srebrenica 1995 massacre.

Two-day conference on fighting terrorism opens in Sarajevo

BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Conference on fight against terrorism’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Becirbasic: There is no Al-Qaeda in BiH; Gunaratna: Al-Qaeda members were arrested in BiH’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Experts claim that BiH removed Al Q’Aeda cell’, SRNA – The general secretary of the BiH Standing Committee for Military Matters (SCMM), Enes Besirbabic, on Monday said in Sarajevo that BiH and the state institutions for defence and security were improving daily for fight against terrorism. During a recess of the two-day international conference entitled “Fight against terrorism”, Besirbabic told journalists that the conference had started with a discussion on “assessment of terrorism in BiH and particularly with regard to the influence of Al-Qaeda”. “We had an explicit opinion of experts in this field that in BiH a significant progress had been made in eliminating potential terrorist threats and possible activities of people who were close to Al-Qaeda since 2001,” Besirbabic said. The two-day international conference started this morning in the Holiday Inn hotel with a theme “Current situation in connection with Al-Qaeda”. The aim of the conference will be to examine all aspects of terrorism, to provide forecasts and recommendations for a better international and regional cooperation in combating terrorism and to provide education and assistance to government officials in implementing these activities. The SCMM announced that government officials from various ministries and organizations would attend the conference, including from Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and the USA.

Dnevni List (page 3, “There are no cells of Al’Qaid in BiH, by R. Radic) also carries that a two-day conference “Struggle against Terrorism” in being held in Sarajevo. Head of Marshall Center, that gather representatives of Military Academies of countries belonging to Partnership for Peace, Bruce McLane, stated: “BiH is an important country for us, especially when we are talking about breaking down of terrorist networks.” He added that the BiH authority was working on breaking down of certain terrorist networks that used to exist in BiH. Secretary General of BiH Standing Committee for Military Issues Enes Becirbasic stated that this conference indicates BiH resoluteness to face with crime. Becirbasic also said that there are no cells of terrorist organization Al’Qaid in BiH now. Vecernji List (front and page 3, “Al’Qaid was expelled from BiH as early as two years ago”, by E. Medunjanin) also covered this conference.

Mandic case update

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Firm of Mandic family being checked’ – Zdravko Milovanovic, representative of the Republika Srpska Ministry of Energy, yesterday confirmed that the Ministry of Energy would demand from the Tenders’ Commission of Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda to deliver all the information available regarding the credibility of “MVS Impex” firm from Bijeljina (owned by Mandic family). This request follows numerous statements by distributors and media coverage.

Education

International organizations on higher education law

Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Higher education law should urgently be sent to the parliament’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 10 ‘BiH must fulfil given promises’, Slobodna Dalmacija page 20, “Opportunism does not help higher education in BiH”, by D. Pasic,Vecernji List, page 2 “Council of Ministers risks BiH’s future”, by Eldina Medunjanin, FENA – The failure by the BiH Council of Ministers to forward the draft Higher Education Framework Law to the BiH Parliamentary Assembly is alarming and jeopardizes BiH’s chance to improve its education system, OHR, OSCE, CoE, WB and EC said in a joint statement Monday. Last year, BiH authorities signed the Bologna Declaration and ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention.  By doing so, they committed themselves to modernize higher education in BiH, in line with European standards and in line with the needs of BiH students. The World Bank, recognizing the importance of higher education reform to the future prosperity and economic viability of BiH, is prepared to make available a loan that includes 12 million USD for education, plus 30 million USD budget support.  The one condition: the modern State-level framework law on Higher Education must be adopted no later than 31 March 2004. The law fully meets international standards. It is carefully balanced to respect the interests and concerns of the citizens and constituent peoples of BiH.  For the past year, a team of experts, including Education Ministry representatives of both Entities and university professors, have labored on the draft law which would bring much needed reform to BiH’s higher education sector. Given the urgency and importance of this law and what is at stake, the Council of Ministers must move the draft law into Parliamentary procedure without delay.  Failure to do so demonstrates lack of seriousness and dedication towards the fulfillment of commitments undertaken by BiH authorities for the purpose of bringing the country closer to Euro-Atlantic structures. It is a matter of the greatest concern that the Council of Ministers are not willing to honor the obligations BiH has made to its European neighbors and, more importantly, the citizens of BiH. They have risked an opportunity for BiH to belong to the European structures of higher education.  Further, they have risked an opportunity for BiH citizens, in particular students, to benefit from the 42 million Dollar World Bank assistance for much needed reforms, the international organizations stated.

Dnevni Avaz pg. 10 ‘Barisa Colak: We do not trust to much to the Federation institutions’ – BiH Security Minister and HDZ leader Barisa Colak said he would be satisfied if the law on higher education is harmonised/determined at the state level since “one should not trust too much the Federation institutions.”

Political developments

CoE monitoring team visiting BiH

BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Four priorities in reforms’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Priorities are reforms of local administration and higher education’, FENA – BiH Presidency Chair Dragan Covic and BiH Presidency members Sulejman Tihic and Borislav Paravac met in Sarajevo on Monday a Monitoring Team of the Council of Europe

Secretariat led by CoE Strategic Planning Director Jean-Louis Laurens. The Monitoring Team is in BiH as part of the regular procedure of assessment of progress in BiH and preparation of the sixth report on fulfilment of post-accession commitments towards the CE. Reform of local authority, the need to pass a law on higher education, cooperation with the ICTY and the strengthening of judicial institutions and institutions dealing with human rights are priorities in fulfilling post-accession commitments towards the CE, Laurens said. The fulfilment of commitments towards the CE will help the fulfilment of commitments towards the Stabilization and Association Agreement and the Partnership for Peace program, it was stated during the talks. BiH Presidency members underlined the need for the implementation of reforms in accordance with the plan set by the CoE.

Dnevni List (page 3, “Demand for intensified work of state institutions”, not signed) carries that members of the Council of Europe Monitoring Team had talks with representatives of Collegiums of both Houses of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly requesting faster filling up of state institutions’ capacities and intensified work of state Ministries because this is the only possible way to pass high-quality laws that represent meeting of a part of prerequisites on the way towards European integration. DL says that the joint conclusion from the yesterday’s meeting says that a halt in adoption of laws appears because of obstacles in the BiH Council of Ministers. Vecernji List (page 3, “Education and The Hague main problems”, by D. Jazvic) and Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, “In reforms more resolutely”, by D. Pasic) also covered this meeting.

BiH Foreign Ministry of recent visit to Moscow

Dnevni List (page 2 “Legal visit to Moscow”, not signed), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘BiH delegation travelled to Moscow through regular procedure’ – reports that the BiH Foreign Ministry reacted to media reports on “visit of delegations of Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republika Srpska” to Moscow. The Foreign Ministry stresses that the visit of a BiH delegation to Moscow, which was led by the RS President, Dragan Cavic, from February 17 to February 22, was announced in a regular procedure and in a timely manner. The said Ministry also notes that previous official visits of the entity Prime Ministers to the US were prepared in the same procedure. Sarajevo media also carried the release.

VL on BiH foreign policy

Vecernji List (front “Three peoples in BiH, three different foreign policies” and page 4 “Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks represent BiH differently”, by Robert Bubalo) – carries a piece on the BiH foreign policy claiming that the problem usually occurs when BiH diplomats go abroad, since most of them represent BiH differently. VL notes that the Bosniaks usually present BiH as a unitary state, that the Serbs usually focus on their entity whilst the Croats show it as it actually is, a multiethnic state, with a very low degree of trust and cooperation. VL continues: “What is the most tragic thing about the foreign policy is the fact that the three constituent peoples have excellent historic-political relations with powerful countries from the world. Instead of building a strong international authority on those basis, diplomats usually undermine it, complaining to their foreign friends about the partners in the state”.

Session of Municipal Council of Mostar Municipality Southeast

Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Statute was not adopted”, by E. Karamatic) carries that during its last session the Municipal Council of the Mostar Municipality Southeast did not adopt the decision on the future organization of the City of Mostar passed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown. The Council believes that the imposed decision is contrary to the expressed will of citizens and that the decision on the abolishment of local self-government units of the Mostar Municipality North is unconstitutional, illegal and illegitimate and for this reason it has been requested from the Federation of BiH Parliament to consider this decision and take stand by which it will protect the constitutional system of both, BiH and the FBiH. It was also concluded that through public forums the Councilors of the Municipal Council will inform the citizens of this Municipality about their aspirations and ask for their opinion about further steps and moves in respecting the will of the citizens of this Municipality.

Colak on Croatian/BiH HDZs relations, Mostar Statute

Jutarnje novine cover, pg 2 ‘I have no evidences of Zagreb preparing divisions inside HDZ BiH’ by Ruzdija Adzovic – In an interview to JN, HDZ BiH President Barisa Colak denies allegations that Croatian HDZ is trying to divide HDZ BiH, which appeared in Croatian media after 35 HDZ BiH officials attended the talks with Croatian Parliament without knowledge of leading party officials. In addition to this issue, Colak was asked whether HDZ would implement HR Ashdown’s decision on Mostar: “We have to be realistic. We live in such country where the High Rep’s decisions are the Law. All of us in BiH already experienced that, not only one party. At all times, we were pointing out to our dissatisfaction with such decision, actually with the way it was presented to us, … and especially when it comes to the elections of the City Council. We still believe this is not righteous solution for Mostar. However, I will repeat that the HR’s decision is the Law and I never stated anything else, and there is no possibility for us to be in favour of something else. Decision, as such, has to be implemented, but we have to work towards creating preconditions to adopt Mostar Statute suitable for all citizens of Mostar in near future.”

SDS on announced March protests/early elections initiatives

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘March protests could jeopardise the institutions of RS ‘; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Shaky threats’ – Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, yesterday stated that the announcement of March protests represents a classic threat aimed at breaking up parliament majority. He said such intention could result in destabilisation of Republika Srpska institutions.

He denied opposition claims that early elections would result in settlement of economic and social crisis in Republika Srpska, and implementation of reforms would be accelerated.

According to NN inset, Milorad Dodik, SNSD President, said that at mid March, this party would bring around 30 thousand people on the streets of Banjaluka, who will be demanding convening of early elections in Republika Srpska.

Economic/social issues

Protest of former Aluminij workers

Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 9, mentioned on the front page ‘Common factories in the common town’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12 ‘Dissatisfied workers requested return to their jobs’ – Around 200 former Mostar-based Aluminij company employees (mainly non-Croats) protested on Monday by blocking M-17 road for two hours, because their problems have not been resolved yet. According to former employees their goal is to draw attention of public to fact that it has been 8 years since their status has not been solved. On the other side, Croat Demo Christians estimated that their protest have political background, adding that Bosniak structure obviously would not only politically destruct Mostar but they would extend it to the Economic level. Croat Demo Christians are of opinion that it has been obvious that somebody is not in favour of Croat side, which fully implement current law and IC arbitrage.

Dnevni List (front page splash and page 16 “Blockade: Next step is blockade of Federation Government”, by S. Bjelica) – reports that a hundred or so former employees of “Aluminij” and “Soko” companies of Mostar yesterday blocked the M-17 road at Salakovac between 1000 and 1200 hrs because the FBiH Government and BiH Council of Ministers turned the deaf ear to the workers’ demands. DL explains that the workers demand that recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) be observed, which recommend that the workers be either returned to their pre-war jobs or to be given proper compensations. The workers also demand from the FBIH Government to undertake all the necessary measures to start the arbitration process in “Aluminij”, the aim of which is to establish the ownership structure in the company. Workers announce that the blockade will resume today between 1000 and 1200 hrs, and if there is no reactions by Thursday or Friday, they will go to Sarajevo to block the FBiH Government. (Vecernji List, page 3 “Former workers block M-17 road”, by F, Slobodna Dalmacija, front page splash and page 17 “Road block because of Aluminij”, by E. Karamatic, D. Juka)

Dnevni List (page 2 “Apparition of Mujo Hodzic”, by M. Batarelo) – claims that the powers that be in Sarajevo and Mostar are manipulating with former employees of “Aluminij” in order to achieve their goals, namely to either destroy “Aluminij” or squeeze as much money from it as possible. DL also notes that the attempts first started with numerous audits within the company, then with the electricity issue and now they use Mujo Hodzic, the leader of the sacked workers, to achieve their goals. The author believes that the powers that be are doing this also because of the ongoing process of Mostar restructuring in order to spice things up.

Suada Hadzovic on passing of Law on Rights of War Invalids and Families of Fallen Soldiers

Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Passing of Law on Defenders is being postponed deliberately”, by Fena) carries that member of the SDP Main Board Suada Hadzovic issued a press release saying that the current Federation of BiH authority is doing everything in order to postpone passing of Law on Rights of War Invalids and Families of Fallen Soldiers waiting that soldiers forget their pre-election campaign. Dnevni List (page 4, “Authorities are doing everything to postpone passing of Law on War Invalids’ Rights”, not signed) also covered this press release.  

‘Statement of Day’: BiH Refugee Minister Kebo

Dnevni List (page 2) carries in ‘Its Statement of Day’ BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Mirsad Kebo as saying: “Collective Centers are civilization disgrace.”

Payment of pensions through post office

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Postmen yet come at door’ – Jovo Kosmajac, Acting Director of Republika Srpska PIO Fund, claims that Fund owed over BAM 1 million to Srpske Poste, but it paid out some of the debt and the rest of BAM 350 thousand will be paid out in the near future.

BiH Unions on audit of privatisation

Dnevni List (page 9 “Detailed audit of privatization in Federation”, by A. Beus) – reports that Commission for audit of privatization with the Association of independent unions of BiH has sent all the Cantonal privatization agencies a list of companies for which it had determined that they were not privatized according to the law. According to the Commission Chairman, Amer Toskic, all the documentation that the Commission possesses will be made available to the cantonal privatization agencies. “They are obliged to check it and send us a return information about the audit executed so far. If we are not happy, meaning if our and their data collide, it will be evidence that the agencies were working against the law. In that case we will speak to the Prosecution”, says Toskic. According to DL’s information the list of companies include such companies as Trgosirovina of Sarajevo, Sarajevo Tobacco Factory, Simes, Milcos, Sarajevo Brewery etc.

DL: “Half a million people in BiH unemployed”

Dnevni List (page 6, by M.M.) – according to Statistics Bureaus of the RS and FBiH, the number of unemployed people in BiH in January 2004 is 445.182. DL fears that, in reality, the number is bigger by at least 20%.