OHR BiH Media Round-up, 26/10/2005

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs)

RTRS (12,00 hrs)

ICTY indictee I. Rajic to plead guilty

Ashdown on SAA talks

ICTY interested in 8 HVO officials

Covic on third entity in BiH

BiH Presidency session today

New quake in Pakistan

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Report against suspected terrorists

Cavic on SAA negotiator

No avian influenza cases in BiH

Bagaric on fight against avian flu

HR in London

HQ on fighting avian influenza in BiH

Crisis HQ formed in Canton Posavina

Czech experiences on EU presented

Regional News

Situation on border crossings

BiH HoR rejected VAT Amendments

Regional News

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Dead birds in Trebinje

Rajic to plead guilty

Report against suspected terrorists

Life of a pensioner

BiH HoR in session

Talks on the chief BiH negotiator

Lawsuit against BiH MoFA

Dzaferovic on BiH HoR’s decision

HR Ashdown in London

FBiH Police indicted “terrorists”

FBiH pensioners meet with Vrankic

HoR rejects changes to the VAT law

Oslobodjenje

Amendments to Law on VAT rejected

Dnevni Avaz

Prosecutor McNair: Jelavic will face with new charges in Croatia

Dnevni List

Indictment against Covic to be withdrawn?

Vecernji List

Eight HVO commanders under investigation

Slobodna Dalmacija

Marriages with several women spreading over Bosnia

Glas Srpske

Dead set quarrel to alive ones (exhumations)

Nezavisne Novine

They are infected with TBC and scab (situation in a refugee centre in Prijedor)

Blic

He was accused, yet appointed Director (criminal charges against Gacko plant director)

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

Ivanic on SAA negotiations

RS Radio – Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister feels that it is more important for the BiH authorities to draft a negotiation platform instead of wasting time electing a chief negotiator for the negotiations on SAA talks with EU. Ivanic stated during Lavirint show on OSM TV in Pale last night that “The recommendation of the European Commission for the beginning of negotiations on stabilisation and association is a very positive event since it marks the beginning of an irreversible process of Euro-Atlantic integration for BiH. The process brings certain dangers as well, since the long-term economic system of the country will be defined in negotiations.” He did not comment on the candidates for chief negotiator, but did not reject the possibility of seeing his name added to the list of potential candidates along with Igor Davidovic and Miloard Dodik. Ivanic said that the future negotiations with the EU will not be of a political but exclusively an economic nature and should be held at the state level, that is to include the Council of Ministers and the BiH Parliament.

Political Developments/Reforms

RS President Cavic meets with EC’s Humphreys; discussion on BiH negotiator appointment underway

RTRS, Pink, BHT, Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Davidovic a candidate for chief negotiator’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Cavic not giving up on Dodik’, Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Igor Davidovic is a candidate for chief negotiator’ by V. Popovic inset ‘Davidovic confirmed he is running for chief negotiator’ – The RS political leaders’ negotiations on the main BiH negotiator with the European Union will be held by the end of the week, RS President Dragan Cavic announced on Tuesday. While talking with the Head of the European Commission delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys, Cavic repeated that he would like to see SNSD President Milorad Dodik as the chief BiH negotiator, but he did not exclude the possibility of former BiH Ambassador at Washington Igor Davidovic being appointed as the chief negotiator on talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Cavic added that he has another two candidates for that spot, but he did not want to reveal their names; he only said that those are two educated candidates with the knowledge of several languages and with no party history. Party of Democratic Progress PDP members suggested that their leader Mladen Ivanic should be the chief BiH negotiator. According to Dnevni Avaz, the candidates for chief negotiator also includes Banja LukaUniversity professor Rajko Tomas, former RS Finance Minister Branko Krsmanovic, and RS Association of Employers Chairman Damir Miljevic. European Commission would not get involved in the process of appointing the chief BiH negotiator, said Head of the EC Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys. He added that he is pleased with the way RS is cooperating with the Hague Tribunal, but stressed that three main war crimes indictees are still not in the Hague. “It would be very difficult to complete the negotiations if remaining indictees were not handed over… so they must be handed over”, said Humphreys, who, in the course of the day, also met with the RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘It will be hard to complete talks with EU until all suspects are in The Hague’ separately carried Humphreys’ statement on need to establish full cooperation with ICTY. Nezavisne novine pg 9 ‘Extradition of Hague indictees before the end of negotiations between BiH and EU’ by V. Popovic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘First step is the most important’ by G. Dakic also reported on the Cavic/Humphreys meeting. 

Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘First step is the most important’ by G. Dakic inset ‘Framing from Sarajevo’  – Deputy Chairman of DNS Hadzi Jovan Mitrovic has stated that the offer to RS to have its representative as a leader of negotiating team was yet another framing of political establishment from Sarajevo, made with an aim to finally destroy RS.

DA op-ed on Dodik-Cavic connection

Dnevni Avaz op-ed pg 3 ‘Where did “love” between Dodik and Cavic come from’ by Edina Sarac – Raising the issue as to where the “sudden love” between Milorad Dodik and Dragan Cavic, until recently strong political opponents,come from, Sarac notes that RS President is aware he would get an ardent defendor of smaller BiH entity, but also a personality whose support would improve his rating at the political scene. Speaking of appointment of chief BiH negotiator with BiH, the author, however, notes that it would be better if SNSD President were not appointed, since he would be defending “colours” of RS instead of BiH in Brussels . 

Spiric, Terzic and Lagumdzija to meet today to discuss SAA talks preparations

Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Terzic, Spiric and Lagumdzija on platform for negotiations’ by A.M. – In a statement to daily, Nikola Spiric, Chairperson of the BiH HoR, confirmed that he will today meet with Adnan Terzic and Zlatko Lagumdzija, BiH CoM Chair and delegate at HoR respectively. The meeting will discuss the platform of negotiations which needs to be determined after the Agreement on SAA talks is signed. Spiric said: “Off course, it is necessary to tie all state bodies that should give maximum in order to accelerate BiH path towards EU.”

Blic interview with EC’s Humphreys: EU has no interest to abolish Srpska

EuroBlic pg RS1 ‘EU has no interest to abolish Srpska’ by Nedeljka Breberina – In an interview to EuroBlic, Head of EC Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys stated that EU has no interest to abolish RS as an entity. He also assessed BiH is on the right path to start negotiations on SAA by the end of this year, i.e. to sign it by the end of 2006. He explained the procedure BiH needs to follow in order to join EU and, asked whether the current constitutional organization was an obstacle to the admission to EU, Humphreys said: ‘Our message was always clear – we will not define what kind of a constitution BiH should have’, noting that there are differences between constitutions of European countries too. Nevertheless, Humphreys emphasized: ‘we will demand that this is a constitutional organization and government that are functional’. Asked whether this is the right time to decrease the role of HR and to revoke his Bonn powers, Humphreys said HR Ashdown would leave BiH in couple of months and his replacement would arrive. ‘There is an ongoing debate with an aim to define how long would the mandate of HR to BiH last. In any case, there is less and less of this time’, adding that the role of HR would gradually be abolished as BiH would approach European integrations closer and closer.

Ashdown on SAA talks, upcoming reforms: BiH is to face even harder two to three years 

Dnevni Avaz pg 5, mentioned on cover, ‘It will be even harder in the next three years’ by Sead Numanovic – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, urges BiH politicians to set the SAA negotiating team so the country is ready when the EU announces opening of talks on 12 December. In an interview to DA, Ashdown, who has just recently met with the British Foreign Minister Jack Straw, underlined that BiH is yet to face its “difficult years”: “Two to three difficult years are before us when agreed and new reforms must be implemented. In order to enter BiH, the processes must be much faster.”  He adds that SAA negotiations could be completed within several months, or by October next year as set by the BiH Council of Ministers Chair, Adnan Terzic. Ashdown commented that the proposal of the chief negotiator coming from RS was a good idea, and stressed that before all the person must speak English. Asked about the content of the SAA, Ashdown expects is to be done on grounds of the document prepared for the SCG with some modification. BiH has to become more functional, says Ashdown: “[BiH] will never be member state if spend 70% of its budget on itself, and 30% on its citizens. Police reform is [another] key issue. EC has a key role in overseeing the reform and it is possible that SAA demands its implementation even though all political agreements were reached… Of course, full cooperation with the ICTY is another very important precondition.” Inset ‘It is fuming in parties’ – Ashdown says that one can observe boiling inside the ruling parties: “Internal disputes can be seen in SDA, SDS and HDZ.  They are aware of either having to reform or dying out… I hear SDS President Dragan Cavic saying that the party changes… When I come back to BiH [from London] I will reconsider this and see whether some measures can be undertaken.”  Inset ‘Offensive to arrest Karadzic and Mladic’ – Following his meetings with officials in London, Ashdown said “it was clearly said to me that the West wants to close this question once and for all… It must happen as soon as possible… In the next several months this issue will be a priority and it will demand some decisive actions.”

Pink, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘BiH achieved progress’ by Srna also reported on HR’s meeting with Straw.

Ashdown: OHR shuts down by October 2006, EUSR to take over

Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘OHR shuts down by October next year’, inset to the interview by Sead Numanovic – In an interview to DA, the HR Paddy Ashdown says of the OHR future: “We intend to start reducing the usage of the Bonn powers, and by the October next year the OHR should be shut down. The job will be taken on by the EU Special Representative (EUSR). My successor will be both HR and EUSR by that time. The condition for all this is for the BiH to continue with reforms.”  

Ashdown addresses ceremony marking 60^th anniversary of UN at St Paul’s Cathedral in London

Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Lesson from BiH’, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘UN failed to prevent war in BiH’ by F, FENA – “In Bosnia and Herzegovina as elsewhere, the United Nations failed to stop the war that cost a quarter of a million lives – despite, as so often, the valiant efforts of its peace-keepers, many of them British, to whom we should also pay tribute today. One lesson we have learned from this, is that when actions within a state so breach international law as to threaten the wider peace, then the international community has a duty, moral and practical, to step in and stop it,” said the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, in his speech on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the UN Organization held at the St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, according to an OHR press release issued on Tuesday.

RS NA Board for European integrations met Czech Board for European issues: HR’s role should be redefined

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Cooperation with Czech parliament’ by Srna – Members of the RS NA Board for European Integrations and Regional Cooperation agreed with members of the Board for European Issues of Czech Parliamentary HoR that the role of HR to BiH should be redefined. The Chairman of the RS NA Board for European Integration, Vitomir Popovic, has stated that the talks were substantial and useful, as well as that they have agreed to continue with the cooperation between the two Boards and between the parliaments. Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Czech recipe for success’ by G. Dakic, EuroBlic pg RS3 ‘Czechs advise RS: reforms pay off’ by M. S. also reported on the issue.

VL interview with US Ambassador McElhaney on constitutional changes, police reform

Vecernji List, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘No talks about third entity’, by dejan Jazvic – Carries an interview with the US Ambassador to BiH, Douglas McElhaney, in which he mostly talks about the constitutional changes in BiH. McElhaney notes that there are not many states in Europe that spend so much money on administration, and in which the prime minister cannot fire one of his ministers. On top of this, McElhaney notes that right now inter-party negotiations are taking place in Washington the aim of which is to see whether there is consensus for some changes, such as introduction of one instead of three presidents. Furthermore, the Ambassador says he was recently told by one American diplomat, who was among writers of the DPA, that the establishment of a third entity “is not on the negotiating table”. On police reform implementation, McElhaney says he does not know whether the implementation will take 5 years. “The most important thing for me is whether there is the political will to implement what is agreed upon and to do it as soon as possible”, concludes the Ambassador.

BiH politicians on constitutional changes – SDA, Party for BiH, SDS, PDP, SNSD, SRS Vojislav Seselj

EuroBlic pg RS 2 ‘Changes before elections’ by Rajna Radosavljevic and Nedeljka Breberina, announced on cover ‘Changes to the Constitution before 2006 elections’ – SDA’s Mirsad Ceman says there is a general consent to introduce certain corrections to the Constitution, and he noted there were no talks on establishing the third entity so far. Party for BiH’s Beriz Belkic also says there is a possibility to introduce constitutional changes before the next elections, while SDS’s Mladen Bosic says there are only talks, not negotiations, on constitutional changes so far and he says the aim of talks is to establish whether such an agreement could be reached in the first place. PDP’s Slobodan Nagradic also says nothing has been agreed so far in talks on constitutional changes, while SNSD’s Krstan Simic says BiH politicians and American Institute for Peace are at the moment only going through possible solutions and suggestions that would be acceptable for BiH.

Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Dayton remains the basis’ by Z. Ma. – PDP’s Nevenka Trifkovic says PDP’s stance is that the Dayton Agreement should remain the basis for all possible constitutional changes.

Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Let alone the Constitution’ by D. Mo. – SRS “Dr. Vojislav Seselj” is of the stance that the existing Constitution does not represent an obstacle for the admission of BiH to EU.

President of HSP Djapic-Jurisic on const. changes, HDZ, possible coalitions

Oslobodjenje pgs 4 and 5, mentioned on cover ‘HDZ has spent all loans’ by J. Vricko carries an interview with President of HSP Djapic-Jurisic, Zvonko Jurisic. Talking about constitutional changes, Jurisic said that these days they are going to promote their concept of BiH with 8 Cantons (provinces) based on the principle that BiH as a state is not questionable. Talking about the current support of Croats to HDZ, Jurisic says that HDZ has from 12 % to 15 % of the support at the moment. Asked about possible coalitions of HSP Djapic-Jurisic, Jurisic says that they will not form coalitions with the parties that were dividing BiH, that is, SDS, SDA and HDZ. He added that they have nothing against the coalition with SDP and all parties with a Croat prefix.

Professor Zepic: Constitutional changes can only be imposed

Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Future solutions can only be imposed’, by J. Terzic – According to professor Bozo Zepic, a sociologist and member of Commission for making of a new BiH Constitution, the proposal of HSP regarding constitutional changes (which foresees abolishment of entities and establishment of 8 cantons/provinces) has little chance to get through, especially in light of recent statements by the US administration “which said that we should change the BiH Constitution, however that we should not touch the RS”. Zepic argues that if any one people in BiH enjoys political autonomy (thinking about the RS), other peoples should be enjoying the same right. Finally, Zepic believes that future solutions regarding the constitutional changes can only be imposed to the peoples in BiH.

SD: No unity among Croat parties re constitutional changes

Slobodna Dalmacija pg 22 ‘Agreement or disappearance’ by B. Magas comments on the last Croat parties’ meeting on constitutional changes, which was held on October 10 in Mostar, and the author says that by judging the conclusions from this meeting it is obvious that leaders of the Croat parties are still far from a concrete agreement when the future organization of BiH and its Constitution are in question. The author also says that there is no concrete joint agreement on this issue since some politicians, especially HDZ President Dragan Covic has been presenting lately his version of constitutional changes.

Interview with HDZ’s Covic: I do not support third entity

Nezavisne Novine pg 6, announced on cover ‘I do not support third entity’ by A.Sisic – In a half-page interview to daily, Dragan Covic, HDZ President, expresses conviction he will not be sentenced before BiH Court, adding he is prepared to “test BiH judiciary on his own skin”. Responding to press question whether he would escape from BiH like Ante Jelavic, he says he cannot imagine his life anywhere outside BiH. he says he does not support establishment of a third entity in BiH, but instead an organised BiH, structured in modern manner. He adds he would support a modern Constitution of BiH, noting he has never referred to establishment of three federal units, but instead four or five multi-ethnic regions.

HDZ Presidency to meet on Wednesday to discuss situation in party

Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Postponement of expulsions or party breaking down’, by Ivica Glibusic – Announcing today’s (Wednesday) session of HDZ Presidency, which is to discuss the situation in the party following the 9^th Convention of HDZ, Glibusic argues that the Presidency will foremost discuss the signing of the ‘Promemoria’, which includes senior members of HDZ such as Martin Raguz, Vinko Zoric, Josip Merdzo and others. DL presents a few possible scenarios that could happen today, arguing that the dominant idea is to expel Raguz and Zoric from the party. Glibusic also notes that other ideas/plans are to either lobby within the party and decrease Bozo Ljubic’s influence within the HDZ or to exclude all signatories of the ‘Promemoria’, which is highly unlikely because of the pressures coming from the Croatian HDZ and European People’s Party. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 22 ‘Session of HDZ Presidency today’, by F – carries announcement of session.

Economic/Social Issues/Education

BiH HoR rejects SDP-proposed amendments to VAT Law

Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pg 3 ‘Amendments to Law on VAT rejected’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘SDP-proposed amendments to VAT Law rejected’, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Discussion on VAT rejected’, not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Same VAT rate for bread and milk’ by M.Cubro  – The BiH HoR on Tuesday rejected the changes and amendments to the Law on Value Added Tax, proposed by SDP representatives Zlatko Lagumdzija, Jozo Krizanovic and Selim Beslagic. House of Representatives’ Commission for Finances and Budget stated that changes to the VAT law could affect the introduction of VAT, scheduled for January 1^st, 2006. Lagumdzija briefly explained why they proposed those amendments, saying that their main goal was to protect domestic production and BiH citizens. “After January 1^st, VAT would mean that each BiH citizen would have to spend ten KM extra per month”, stated Lagumdzija. Opposition parties’ representatives from both BiH entities supported SDP ’s proposal, but majority of leading parties’ representatives voted against it. Indirect Taxation Administration is also against those changes to the VAT law.

BiH CoM Chair Terzic meets with Bechtel Company representative to discuss Vc corridor construction

BHT, Hayat, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Redman fascinated with progress in BiH’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Vc corridor is of strategic interest for BiH’ – Chairman of CoM Adnan Terzic on Tuesday met with Regional Representative of Bechtel Company Charles Redman, to discuss building of Corridor Vc through BiH. The Bechtel representative presented the company’s experiences in construction of highways throughout the world. Bechtel confirmed its participation at an international conference scheduled to take place on November 17 in Sarajevo , when a Feasibility Study on Corridor Vc construction will be presented.

FBiH HoR set to discuss re-capitalization of ‘Energopetrol’

Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Extraordinary session on Energopetrol requested’, by I. G. – Notes that initiators (SDP and BOSS) of the extraordinary session of the FBIH House of Representatives, which is to discuss the FBiH Government’s decision regarding the re-capitalization of ‘Energopetrol’, managed to collect enough signatures, so the session could be organized within next 15 days. Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Annulment of tender for privatization of “Energopetrol” is possible’ by M. Rener, other BiH media also covered the issue.

Colak, Energopetrol and Unions representatives on future of company

Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 21, mentioned on front ‘Caretakers of Energopetrol’, by Zlatko Tulic – According to an MP in the FBiH House of Representatives, Ante Colak (HSS), the FBiH HoR will during one of its next session annul the tender for re-capitalization of ‘Energopetrol’. “We will insist on taking care of debts, and then to try and form a state oil company together with the Bosanski Brod refinery”, says Colak. On the other hand, Mijo Milicevic from the company’s Supervisory Board and Izet Kuljic from the Unions are wondering how come all of a sudden there are plenty of people who are worried about the company’s future/status. Both of them note that destiny of 1059 employees and their families are now in hands of the ‘caretakers’.

Terzic on future of tourism in BiH

Dnevni List, pg 8 ‘Development of tourism in danger because there is no law’, by E. Mackic – The Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, addressed the 2^nd three-day regional conference on development of tourism of the western Balkans countries in Sarajevo on Tuesday. According to him, BiH is expected to generate some 950 million KMs from tourism in 2005, whilst the amount could climb to 2 billion KMs by the year 2015. In order to achieve that, Terzic says there changes need to take place, foremost there needs to be single legislation and setting up of standards in tourism business. The issue is also covered by Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘BiH will earn 950 million KMs from tourism this year’, by f, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 22 ‘Sarajevo: 950 million KMs from tourism’, by F, Sarajevo media.

Poor living conditions in Prijedor collective centers

Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘They are infected with TBC and scab’ and pg 11 ‘Refugees are getting infected with TBC and scab’ by D. Kovacevic, Vecernje novosti pg 16 ‘Tuberculosis, fleas, scab’ not signed – both articles report on difficult living conditions at Ljubija and Kozarusa collective centers for refugees near Prijedor. The Head of Prijedor OMI, Dragana Kovacevic, says there is no way to move refugees from these centers because there is no available alternative accommodation in Prijedor, the Municipality has no funds and there are no foreign donations either.

Eastern Sarajevo University ’s professor Lukic affair

Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Cavoski: I will not convene a session of the Council this year’ by G. Maunaga – Kosta Cavoski, the Chairman of the Council of the East Sarajevo Faculty of Laws, on Tuesday stated that he will not convene a session of the Council this year, although RS Government had ordered this body to remove the Dean of the Faculty, Radomir Lukic. Cavoski explained he will not convene the session because the Council had already presented its stance by saying it opposes Lukic’s removal. The article reads Lukic still goes to work, although the Government had banned all future payments of salaries to him. OHR Spokesperson Ljiljana Radetic said RS Government had appointed new members of the Council and a new session should be convened as soon as possible and reiterated OHR’s stance that RS Education Ministry and RS Government were responsible for removal of Lukic.

Crime/Legal Proceedings

Prosecutor McNair: Jelavic will face with new charges in Croatia

Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash and pg 2 ‘Jelavic will face with new charges in Croatia’ by F. Vele – Prosecutor John McNair stated that Ante Jelavic will face soon with new charges for the Hercegovacka Banka case in Croatia. McNair added that he is willing to assist in the new investigation that Croatia would conduct. Asked whether this means that the Jelavic case is being ceded to the Croatian authorities McNair said that said this case would not be ceded to Croatia under any circumstances. McNair also said that it is too early to say whether Jelavic might serve his sentence out of BiH and McNair added that they have not decided yet do demand this from Croatia . According to McNair, as far as they are concerned Jelavic is an international fugitive and he is a subject to arrest if he enters BiH or some other country. 

BiH Court to decide on bail for ‘Covic and others’, Covic’s lawyer insists his client should be set free

Dnevni List, front pg splash ‘Indictment against Covic to be withdrawn?’ and pg 5 ‘Decision on bail for Lijanovics and withdrawal of indictment against Covic tomorrow’, by Erna Mackic – At a request of prosecutor Jonathan Rattel, the BiH Court will on Thursday organize a hearing in the ‘Covic and others’ case during which the BiH Court will decide on the Prosecution’s request to set a bail for Covic and other indictees in the case. It is still unclear what the Prosecution will ask for. According to DL, the defence teams say there is no need to set a bail, be it money, detention or handing over of travel documents because their clients respond to summons in an orderly manner. Unset ‘Covic exempt from bail?!’ says the BiH Court, prior to taking decision on possible bail, will have to take a decision on possible withdrawal of part of indictment against Covic. Covic’s lawyer, Josip Muselimovic, insists that his client has been cleared in the findings of an expert witness, Abid Hodzic, whilst prosecutor Rattel notes there is no ground to withdraw the indictment. (Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Bail for Covic and Lijanovic unnecessary’, not signed – Carries lawyers’ statement/opinion)

VL: ICTY investigators investigating role of 8 senior HVO officials

Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Eight HVO commanders under investigation’ and pgs 2-3 ‘HVO under investigation’, by Zdenko Jurilj – VL learns from ‘well informed sources’ that the ICTY investigators have started investigative proceedings against 8 former HVO commanders, who were commanders of HVO operational zones during the HVO-BiH Army conflicts. VL notes that one former senior official of Herceg Bosna MoI and retired HVO general are among them. Allegedly, the ICTY investigators, after completing the analysis, have forwarded the findings to the BiH Court i.e. its War Crime Chamber, which will be dealing with middle and junior level commanders. One of the suspects is carried as saying that the interrogation took place in the OHR, where the investigators have offices, noting that the interrogation was done in a correct manner, without any pressures.

FBiH MoI forwards criminal report against terrorist suspects

RHB, Hayat, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Citizens of Turkey and Sweden were preventing raid’, by De. L., Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Suicide (bombers) resisting arrest’, by Robert Soldo, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘The suspects were resisting the arrest’ by A. D.  – FBiH MoI Police Administration on Tuesday forwarded to BiH Prosecutor’s Office the report against two persons suspected of committing the criminal act of preventing police officials in performing their duties. One Swedish and one Turkish citizen were arrested last Thursday under suspicion that they have committed the criminal act of terrorism and preparing of this criminal act; one of them did not allow police official to enter the room, while other was holding a loaded gun in his hand. Those two arrested persons will spend one month in detention.

NN on mujahedeens /terrorists in BiH

Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Who were mujahedeens, residents of Bocinja village’by G.Maunaga – According to daily, a large number of 40 mujahedeens displaced from Bocinja (with logistic support of local officials) mainly remained in BiH, while no trace is available for some of them following 11^th September attack against USA. Daily holds possession over an official document of RS OBS, containing names, surnames, DOB and country of origin of mujahedeens who came to BiH during the war. OBS grounds it document on documents produced by MoI of Zenica Doboj Canton.

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘It is suspected 40 persons are linked with terrorism’, announced on cover ’40 persons from BiH possible terrorists’ by M.Cubro – Dragan Mektic, BiH Security Minister, confirmed that the security agencies in BiH are investigating around 40 persons on grounded suspicion they are linked with terrorist activities. Mektic noted: “I cannot give any detail since it would impact operational activities conducted in the field. I can confirm our agencies are running investigations and some persons are under surveillance on suspicion of being linked with terrorists.”

New criminal charges pressed against Gacko power plant, mine management

EuroBlic cover pg splash ‘He was accused, yet appointed Director’ and pg RS12 ‘The accused person was again appointed Director’ by V. Mihojevic, Vecernje Novosti pg 18 ‘Tenders are disputable this time’ by Radivoje Gutic, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘They have approved a deal 1,2 million KM worth without a tender’ by V. Duka and D. Risojevic – PSC Trebinje filed new denunciations with Trebinje Prosecution against Dragomir Culic Director of power plant Gacko, Director of Gacko mine Kostadin Jerdic and Executive Director of the company Milivoje Boljanovic. They are accused of misuse of position thus damaging the budget of the company. Namely, they are accused of having signed contracts without publishing tenders, therefore they have violated the Public Procurement Law.

Incident at Visoko Cemetery between Missin Persons Commissions’ officials Masovic and Skrba

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Masovic assaulted Skrba’, announced on cover ‘Amor Masovic physically assaulted Slobodan Skrba’ by SRNA, Glas Srpske cover page ‘Dead quarrel alive ones’ – Amor Masovic, President of F BiH Commission for search after missing persons, at City Cemetery in Visoko Tuesday, physically and verbally assaulted Slobodan Skrba, member of RS Commission for search after missing persons. After he pushed Skrba, with no proper reason, Masovic attempted to verbally confront with journalists of Srna, “Glas Srpske” and RTRS, trying to prevent them to familiarize with the procedure of DNA sample-taking. Exhumation and DNA sample-taking commenced at Visoko gravesite Tuesday upon order of East Sarajevo District Court. While Skrba claims Visoko cemetery contains bodies of Serbs, Masovic claims that graves contain bodies of Bosniaks.