| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| FBiH HoR in session | FBiH HoR in session | Floods in BiH | BiH Pres. On BiH Generals |
| FBiH Government’s session | BiH Presidency session | BiH Presidency session | Bosniaks object Amendm. |
| Circus show in HoR | Bruce Jackson in Sarajevo | HoR adopted the Budget | RS Official- EUPM Commis. |
| Impl. Of Prop. Laws in Mo | HDZ initiative | New investments in BiH | Opposition about protests |
| Oslobodjenje | What stands behind HDZ request for abolishment of FBiH – Federation would disappear in four years |
| Dnevni Avaz | Military to be headed by 12 new generals |
| Dnevni List | “Rain-swollen Neretva is threatening Mostar again”; “HDZ is endangering way of reforms” |
| Vecernji List | “Rivers have broken their banks”; “UHSP members want to divide BiH” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Old Bridge endangered – houses evacuated”; “Nothing has changed for citizens for Mostar, city is still divided: Unification on paper” |
| Glas Srpske | Assistance of RS Government to Kosovo: BAM 700 thousand to Kosovo |
| Nezavisne Novine | Armed forces without “war-time” Generals; Niko Lozancic announces possibility to disband F BiH Parliament: Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina getting closer to early elections; Opposition sends message to authorities: Protests or elections |
Defence/security | |
| BiH Presidency decide on BiH armed forces structure
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘BiH Army will have 12,000 soldiers’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Military to be headed by 12 new generals’,Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Armed forces without “war-time” Generals’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘War-time generals at ease!’, Dnevni List (page 3 “Resignation of director of SBS adopted”, by Erna Mackic), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 2 “Current generals to lose their positions”, by F), SRNA – The BiH Presidency adopted a decision on the overall size and structure of the BiH armed forces and a plan on the structure of the general corps at Wednesday’s session. It was decided that the serving generals would not be appointed to the 12 military posts at the level of the Joint Command of BiH armed forces. The Serb member of the Presidency, Borislav Paravac, told a news conference held in Sarajevo after the body’s session that the decision was made in order “to lift the burden of the war past”, especially because it was very likely that people to be proposed for these posts received additional education in NATO camps and at international seminars. He added that posts reserved for generals in the Joint Command would be open to colonels, who would be promoted once appointed. Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Future generals will meet the highest NATO standards’ – Commenting on the BiH Presidency decision not to appoint current (wartime) generals to the new posts within the BiH armed forces structure, Bosniak member of the Presidency Sulejman Tihic said he had accepted such the orientation since he would not like that Bosniak generals deserving tremendous tributes and having their place in history come into a unpleasant situation or possibly be compromised. |
| SCMM adopts defence reform strategy
| Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘War generals go to pension’, Dnevni List (page 9 “Appointment of 13 generals next week”, by Renata Radic), Vecernji List (page 3 “Decision of future structure of BiH armed forces”, by eme) – At a session on Wednesday, the BiH Standing Committee for Military Matters (SCMM) adopted a draft report on the implementation of defence reforms in our country, which is going to be presented to NATO. According to the state Presidency chairman, Sulejman Tihic, the SCMM confirmed the agreed strategy that, within the agreed deadlines, state and entity institutions fulfill the required conditions so that BiH joins the Partnership for Peace at a NATO summit in Istanbul in June this year. It was agreed that, in line with NATO standards, the armed forces of BiH retain a total of 12,000 members, out of which 8,000 in the Army of Federation of BiH and 4,000 in the Army of the RS. It was agreed that the armed forces retain a total of 12 posts for the rank of general with an additional one within the Defence Ministry. |
| BiH Presidency accepts resignation of State Border Service director | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Kovac resignation accepted’, Dnevni List page 3 “Resignation of director of SBS adopted”, by Erna Mackic, Vecernji List (page 4 “Kovac resigns from office of director of SBS”, by F), Slobodna Dalmacija (back page “BiH Presidency accepts Relja Basic’s resignation”, by F), SRNA – The BiH Presidency on Wednesday accepted the resignation of the State Border Service (SBS) director, Relja Kovac, journalists were told by Presidency member Borislav Paravac. Paravac announced that the Presidency will resolve the issue of an efficient functioning of the DGS next week when it is going to place an ad for a new director. |
| Bruce Jackson on relations between BiH and NATO | Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Apprehension of Karadzic is the main pre-condition for joining PfP’ – In an interview with the newspaper, Bruce Jackson, the President of the US NGO Project for Democracy in Transition having influence on decision being made by the US Administration, said that the officials in Washington, Brussels and Sarajevo wanted to see BiH in Partnership for Peace, but that the preconditions for such the outcome had to be fulfilled. “There is a good plan to achieve this made in cooperation with the international officials but it is not being implemented (appropriately). It is also very important that BiH fully cooperates with the Hague Tribunal and this includes apprehension of Radovan Karadzic,’ said Jackson. Oslobodjenje pg. 7, mentioned on the front page ‘Accession to PfP will cost nothing’ also carried an interview with Jackson. |
| EUPM Commissioner meet with RS political, police leaders | RTRS, BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Concern about attacks on religious facilities’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Carty rejected to comment on attacks on returnees’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Mikerevic: Corruption and crime impede development of Republika Srpska’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘To harness crime’ – RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, RS Minister of Interior, Zoran Djeric and Director of RS Police Radomir Njegus in separate meetings on Wednesday met with new EUPM Commissioner in BiH, Bartholomew Kevin Carty. Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, said that capacity of RS Police, in cooperation with EUPM, should be strengthened for fight against organized crime. Commissioner Carty pointed that best result in this field would achieve appropriate Agency at the state level, like SIPA and that EUPM will provide all necessary assistance to this Agency. During a meeting with RS Minister of Interior and Director of RS Police Commissioner Carty mentioned the issue of protecting returnees’ property and religious facilities. Director of RS Police, Radomir Njegus said that Commissioner had expressed concern about recent incidents, but he added that they had also talked about actual problems in BiH Police Institutions. |
| SFOR on detentions | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Human rights were not violated’ – Dave Sullivan, SFOR Spokesperson yesterday denied claims that SFOR violated basic human rights of people it had recently detained. He said that: “Within legal framework, SFOR is allowed to detain any person, suspected of being supportive of network of war crime suspects.” |
| SD on alleged terrorist training camp in Zenica | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 5 “Mujahiddin camp is in Milan, not Zenica”, I. Milesic) – following reports by the Italian media, which reported that the Madrid bombers were trained in Zenica, SD carries a statement by the Ministry of Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton, which says the MoI has no knowledge about it. Spokesperson of the Cantonal Police Commissioner, Admir Katica, admits that the “El Mudzahid” unit, which was formed of foreign nationals, was indeed a part of the 7th Muslim Brigade of the BiH Army’s 3rd Corps, however Katica rejects the possibility that members of the aforementioned unit were connected to Al-Qa’ida and terrorism. According to him, some of those foreign nationals got BiH passports and settled in BiH as loyal citizens. SD also learns from a source close to the Cantonal MoI that the Italian media knew about the mujahiddin training camp in Milan, but kept the information away from the public |
Political developments | |
| FBiH HoR adopts draft Federation budget for 2004
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 6, mentioned on the front page ‘Draft federal budget adopted’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘HDZ, BOSS abstained, SDP deputies were against (the budget), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Budget for 2004 adopted, HDZ MP’s abstained from voting’, Vecernji List (page 2 “Budget adopted without HDZ”, by E. Medunjanin), Dnevni List (page 3 “Proposal of Federation budget for 2004 adopted”, by NINA), Slobodna Dalmacija (Proposal of FBiH budget for this year adopted”, by F), FENA – Following a two-day debate, the Federation of BiH House of Representatives adopted a draft entity’s budget for 2004 at an extraordinary session held in Sarajevo on Wednesday. According to the draft proposed by the Federation government, the budget will amount up to 1.25 billion KM. A total of 55 deputies voted in favour of the draft budget, 14 voted against and 16 abstained. A majority of SDP deputies voted against while HDZ deputies abstained. Dnevni List (page 4 “Additional strike on Federation budget”, by M. B.) – the SDP BiH minds the plan of FBiH Government to hire additional 188 people this year, claiming that the money should be instead spent on social welfare and subsidies to agriculture. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina getting closer to early elections’ – Mato Franjicevic, Head of Croat Caucus at the Parliament of F BiH, said that HDZ and Caucus at House of Peoples of F BIH Parliament will today decide whether they would demand protection of vital national interest regarding the adoption of the budget of F BiH for 2004. If HDZ decides that budget is of vital interest, it would decelerate the final adoption of the budget. Niko Lozancic, President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said he is engaged on consultations with his advisors. If they agree Constitution explicitly stipulates early elections, he would disband Parliament and convene early elections. |
| Initiative for the abolishment of FBiH | Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Federation would disappear in four years’ Azhar Kalamujic – The draft constitutional law on transfer of authorities from the Federation of BiH to the state of BiH and the cantons designed by HDZ BiH foresees complete abolishment of the Federation by 2006 without conditioning the development with the abolishment of Republika Srpska. The future state would one day be divided in 20 cantons, which would, according to the initiators, confirm the existence of a Swiss model in BiH. BHTV, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘HDZ’s project would only make damage to Croats’ also covered the issue. |
| UHSP demand reorganization of BiH | Vecernji List (front page, “UHSP members want to divide BiH”, and page 3, “UHSP members demand establishment of Republic of Herzegovina”, by M. Stankovic) – the UHSP (United Croat Party of Rights) issued a press release saying that this party believes that BiH entities should be abolished and that BiH should be organized as a state made of two federal units, that is, the Republic of Bosnia and the Republic of Herzegovina in their historical and geographical borders. According to the UHSP, the seat of the Republic of Bosnia should be in Travnik, while the seat of the Republic of Herzegovina should be in Mostar. UHSP also believes that Sarajevo should be organized as a District and be the BiH capitol city. |
| VL advocates for abolishment of entities | Vecernji List (page 2 “Destruction of Federation”, by Jozo Pavkovic) – the author argues that BiH, organized as it is with several levels of authority, is the most complicated state in the world, which is so expensive that even the US would not be able to afford it. Pavkovic is of opinion that BiH does not need the entities, that the entities need to be abolished and competencies be transferred onto the State and cantonal levels. Pavkovic concludes that “if the IC really wants to solve the BiH crisis, it must again go to Washington or Dayton”. |
| DA: SDA, HDZ, Party for BiH reached the agreement
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘SDA, HDZ, Party for BiH reached the agreement’ – According to the newspaper’s source, the leaders of SDA, HDZ and Party for BiH have reached an agreement to de-block executive authority in the Federation of BiH. The leaders on Wednesday agreed that the Croat Ministers return to the FBiH Government soon and that the reforms aimed at BiH’s joi9ning Euro-Atlantic integration are accelerated. According to the agreement, the FBiH Government will not be making decisions on the ethnic basis but the mechanisms for more efficient harmonisation of the proposals before their final adoption will be introduced. On the other side, Dnevni List (front and page 2, “HDZ is endangering BiH way of reforms”, by M. Relota) carries that the negotiations on the Federation of BiH Government crises that HDZ and SDA have had so far did not give visible results or concrete and finally harmonized stands. The article says that the resolution of the crises will be known by the end of this week and then it will be clear which way HDZ will take. DL also carries that SDA President Sulejman Tihic stated that the problems with HDZ are not such that they require breaking up of the partner’s relations since it does not serve interests of the citizens who voted for these parties. Commenting on the HDZ demands for signing of the agreement between HDZ and SDA, Tihic says it is not necessary to sign the agreement since the protocol on cooperation, that defines goals and tasks on whose realization it should be worked, already exists. Dnevni List (page 6 “Is brotherly love breaking up?”, by Professor Marko Tadic) – reflects on the crisis within the FBiH authorities, noting that the alleged “conflict” between the SDA and HDZ is using the same old scenario. Arguing that the conflict is all about who controls important financial institutions, Tadic says the SDA is accusing, as usual, the HDZ of wanting more money and establishing the third entity, whilst on the other hand, the HDZ is using its good old tactics, namely the HDZ leaves the Government and starts talking about the Croat language and identity getting endangered, without mentioning the disputable FBiH Pension Fund. Tadic reckons that the conflict between the two parties will soon calm down, that the HDZ will vote in favour of the Law on Higher Education, which they contested so many times, and that the SDA and HDZ, “the two brotherly parties”, as Tadic puts it, will continue “defending national interests by securing new offices and funds”. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘HDZ can demand early elections’ – In a brief interview to NN, Elmir Jahic, SDA Vice President, says that SDA will not succumb to blackmail-like way for resolving problems in the work of the Government of F BiH. As a member of the negotiating team of SDA, which is holding talks with its coalition partner HDZ and trying to resolve the crisis of authority in F BIH, Jahic says that HDZ can demand early elections, but the question remains whether the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and BiH, can function through some system of blackmails or through dialogue and compromises. |
| VL: Interview with leader of HSS Marko Tadic | Vecernji List (page 6 “Agriculture on verge of collapse”, by Ljuba Djikic) – commenting on the political situation and implementation of reforms in BiH, the new leader of HSS (Croat Peasants Party), Marko Tadic, argues that the political situation in BiH is not good. “Of course, representatives of the IC and current domestic authorities convince us the political situation in BiH is good and stable. Unfortunately, that was the case in Kosovo a few days earlier. The message and lesson were clear”, says Tadic. Tadic also stresses the difficult situation the BiH agriculture is in: “Leaving the agriculture without the subsidies and any protection whatsoever, which coincides with the liberalization of import, the agriculture has been taken to the verge of collapse”. |
| Ashdown and Silajdzic in Kuwait | Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘BiH is a country of one thousand years long tradition and European values’ – High Representative Paddy Ashdown and founder of Party for BiH Haris Silajdzic participated in work of a conference on peace and tolerance that took place on March 22-23 in Kuwait. “Both Ashdown and Silajdzic each from his own position spoke on BiH and its values,” a Kuwaiti journalist, Yasin Ravashde, told the newspaper. Siljadzic addressed one thousand years long BiH’s tradition as Ashdown spoke on his experiences in the country, according to Ravashde. |
| Reactions to RS opposition protest rally | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4, ‘Protests or elections’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Clear messages to authority’ – SNSD, DNS and SPRS yesterday said that if the authority fails to acknowledge the message sent out from Tuesday protest, it can expect new protest until early elections are convened. Igor Radojicic, SNSD Secretary General, said that the authority must undertake some concrete steps to improve the general situation in the Republika Srpska. He also expressed hope that Syndicates, which have been extremely silent and quiet lately, would become more active, because they represent the interests of workers. Miroslav Mikes, Vice President of SPRS (Socialist Party of RS ) said that opposition parties will consider new steps it would possibly undertake, which are to result in change of authority in the interest of Republika Srpska citizens. Mirko Banjac, Vice President of DNS (Democratic Peoples’ Alliance) said that opposition parties will consider the possibility of holding similar protests in other cities across Republika Srpska, or it would apply new models such as collection of signatures for early elections. According to NN inset, the OHR Spokesperson, Oleg Milisic, yesterday commended the role of local police and their co-operation with the EUPM and SFOR. He also said that right to hold protests is a basic democratic right. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Citizens recognised the fight for authority’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘People recognised fraud’ – SDS yesterday released a press statement saying that the opposition rally in Banjaluka “has showed that the majority of Republika Srpska citizens does not support opposition requests for holding early elections, because those demands reflect the opposition fight for authority”. SDS grounds this conclusion on a small number of participants of the protest. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘One entire budget gets stolen in RS on an annual basis’ – In an interview to NN, Radoslav Kanjeric, President of the Serb Radical Movement of Republika Srpska, says that any protest of citizens in Republika Srpska is justified, because the atmosphere in Republika Srpska is a catastrophe. He also claims that one entire budget of BAM 1 billion gets stolen in Republika Srpska on an annual basis, going to private pockets of people on authority and some other people close to that authority. As an example of such he refers to Momcilo Mandic. Nezavisne Novine editorial by Marko Pavic, pg. 7, ‘A day after’ – The author is writing about protest in Banjaluka and one day after the protest. He once more reiterates the importance of early elections, but wonders what kind of message authority understood – and whether it would react at all. He also says that the authority should provide solutions for current problems in Republika Srpska. Moreover he concludes that the only way-out is early elections. |
| RSNA Speaker on cooperation with NDI | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Co-operation bore fruit’ – the RS Parliament Speaker, Dragan Kalinic, yesterday expressed thanks to NDI (National Democratic Institute) for the assistance this organisation has provided to Republika Srpska National Assembly over the last year. He stressed that the assistance has contributed to making the work of the Parliament more organised and constructive. According to press release issued by Kalinic Cabinet, the meeting discussed the plan on co-operation over the course of this year. NDI announced it would continue its work with Caucuses. |
| SD claims Mostar is still divided city | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 18, “Unification on paper”, by E. Karamatic) argues that nothing has changed for the citizens of Mostar after the decision on unification of Mostar was passed by High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown. According to the author, the division of the city is the most obvious in everyday life and most probably the situation will remain as such for a long time. SD says that many institutions in the city are still divided (post offices, ambulance services etc). The article notes that the Mostar Mayor, Hamdija Jahic, stated that, in the future, the City of Mostar would only finance those institutions that would be truly called the joint ones. |
| DL on meeting between Croat Education Ministers and OSCE and OHR | Dnevni List (front and page 5 “Croatian language ‘on dropper’”, by Miso Relota) – notes that the Coordination of Education Ministers of Posavina, Central Bosnia, Herzegovina-Neretva, West-Herzegovina and Canton 10, held one in a series of meeting with the OSCE and OHR yesterday, stressing that the public was not informed, by the time the newspapers went to the press, of conclusions from the meeting. DL suspects that, since there were no information from the meeting, that the “status quo” remains i.e. that nothing spectacular happened. DL goes on to wonder as to why the IC representatives are hard negotiators, why they do not try and reach a modality which would satisfy both parties. In that context, DL claims that the minimum that would satisfy the Croats is that the Croats be allowed to have classes in the mother tongue and to have their won curriculum. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Dispute about premises at Medicinska Elektronika building in Banjaluka | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Business premises, which “Krajina Kopanik” sell, have no owner’ – NN has learnt at the Banjaluka City Hall that the business premises at the third floor of A business complex of “Medicinska Elektronika” in Banjaluka, which “Krajina Kopanik Insurance” company has offered for sale, has not legal owner, because there is no licence for construction issued for these premises built onto the original building. |
| Protocol to review status of refugees, DP’s adopted | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Census at the door’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 10, ‘Protocol for review of status of refugees and DP’s adopted’ – Ivica Marinovic, President of BiH Commission fir refugees and DP’s, said that the Commission yesterday adopted the plan of activities on sustainable return. Slobodan Nagradic, member of the Commission, confirmed that the Commission adopted Protocol for review of the status of refugees and DP’s by the end of this year. |
| Mostar completes PLIP | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 21, “Property Laws successfully implemented”, by Z. Zekic) – international organizations seated in Mostar held a press conference yesterday during which an OSCE spokesperson, Richard Medic, expressed on behalf of the OHR, OSCE and UNHCR satisfaction over the property laws implementation. He added: “Property Law Implementation Plan Agencies congratulate the housing authorities in Mostar for having finalized the property law implementation process in their regions.” Dnevni List (page 17, “Implementation of Property Laws in Mostar completed”, by S. Bjelica) |
| CIA’s estimation on size of BiH population | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 19, “570 000 Croats in BiH”, by M. Landeka) – according to the Central Intelligence Agency’s data, in July of 2003, BiH had 3.989.018 inhabitants. Of this number, 1.479.926 or 37,1 % are the Serbs, 1.914.729 or 48 % are the Bosniaks and 570.430 or 14,3 % are the Croats. According to these figures, there are 200.000 less Croats than back in 1991. |
Other issues | |
| Terzic attends state commemoration in Madrid
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘In Madrid Terzic met with Powel, Schefer, Blair, Schroeder…’, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, FENA – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic headed the BiH delegation in Madrid on Wednesday at the state commemoration for victims killed in terrorist attacks in the Spanish capital on March 11 this year. Spanish King Juan Carlos I expressed the gratitude of the Spanish royal family for the presence of the BiH delegation at the commemoration, the BiH Council of Ministers stated. Terzic also briefly met British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, US Secretary of State Collin Powell, Polish Prime Minister L. Miller, Romanian Prime Minister A. Nastase and Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor. Irish Prime Minister and current EU chair Bertie Ahern again commended efforts of BiH authorities on fulfilling conditions from the Feasibility Study and reiterated the determination of Ireland to support positive processes in BiH. A large number of heads of state from across the world, as well as senior EU and European Parliament officials took part in the commemoration. |
| SDA condemns Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader | Dnevni Avaz pg. 9, FENA – The murder of the spiritual leader of Hamas, Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, is a serious threat to the future of the peace process in the Middle East, the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) has said. The SDA condemns this latest act of violence and calls on the UN, USA, EU and the Russian Federation to take an active part in resolving the situation which has ensued and help the peace process. The Middle East crisis can only be resolved on the principles of the recognized road map which envisages the right of the Palestinians to their own state, says the SDA. |
| RS assistance to Kosovo | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘BAM 700 thousand to Kosovo and Metohija’ – Cvijeta Kovacevic, Head of RS Government Bureau for Public Affairs, yesterday confirmed that the assistance of BAM 700 thousand worth, which Republika Srpska Government has prepared for Serbs and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija, will be sent from Bijeljina to Serbia tomorrow. RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, yesterday addressed a letter to Serbian Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica. The letter reads: “We find local authorities in the province and international community to be mostly responsible for the escalation of violence in KosMet. |
| Hilmo Pasic died
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘President of BiH Election Commission Hilmo Pasic died’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Hilmo Pasic died’ – The President of BiH Election Commission, Hilmo Pasic, yesterday died in Sarajevo at the age of 70. Sarajevo media, Vecernji List, Dnevni List also reported on Pasic death. |