Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on January 26
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Traffic conditions in BiH difficult | Snow storm throughout BiH | Problems caused by heavy snow |
| BiH HoP in session | BiH HoP in session | Matijasevic visiting |
| RS NA on blockades of accounts | RSNA in session | Plane accident in Podgorica |
TV news broadcast on January 25
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Snow storms in | Hasan Cengic indicted | 300 dead in | Boban Simsic surrendered |
| BIH,CRO mtg of bishops | 60th | OHR’s economy newsletter | Protests in Bileca |
| Mostar’s UNESCO candid. | Simsic imprisoned | Parliamentarians to HR | Failed robbery attempt |
| 60th | Body remains identification | Disabled persons issues | SBS, RS MoI incident |
| Oslobodjenje | Minister Matijasevic tried to illegally cross border; Indictment submitted to BiH Court for confirmation; Goran Novic, investigator in Omarska, is a director in OSA; Terzic: CoM is not in the crisis |
| Dnevni Avaz | Covic: I told prosecutor that I have nothing to do with Lijanovici; Karavelic: I was protecting Serbs in |
| Dnevni List | Government is forming commission for taking over of strategic companies tomorrow |
| Vecernji List | Merdzo sues Rojs |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Proud son of chetnik at celebration of anti-fascism |
| Nezavisne Novine | Michael Humphreys: Adnan Terzic should resolve authority crisis; Security defeated bank robbers |
| Glas Srpske | Attempted bank robbery prevented |
| EuroBlic | He headed for a bank robbery with a pistol gun |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| BiH HoP in session, discusses several laws
| RHB, RTRS, BH Radio – BiH Parliament’s House of Peoples is holding a session today. The chamber will, among other issues, discuss Proposal of budget of BiH institutions and BiH’s international obligations for 2005 and Proposal of law on execution of the said budget. The HoP should also discuss Law on changes to the law on public procurements in BiH. |
| RS NA will discuss Trebinje and Vlasenica cases
| RHB – The RS NA should be today discussing issues of blockades of accounts of municipalities of Trebinje and Vlasenica. RTRS, BH Radio report on the session and says delegates are engaged in discussion on Law on insurance. |
| Miljevic announces demand for removal of Minister Doko | RTRS – Damir Miljevic, President of RS Association of Employers, has announced that the Association will soon demand removal of Dragan Doko from the position of BiH Minister of Foreign Trade. Miljevic has stated it is high time businessmen started raising the issue of ministers’ responsibilities. |
| Salkic says CoM crisis would be resolved soon
| FENA – Head of the Bosniak Caucus in the RSNA Ramiz Salkic stated for BNTV last night that the BiH CoM crisis will be resolved soon and that Serb Ministers will return to their positions. He added that according to his information Mladen Ivanic and Branko Dokic do wish to return to the CoM and they are looking for the way to do it. |
Political issues | |
| Humphreys: All CoM members should appear on 1 Feb session
| Nezavisne Novine cover ‘Adnan Terzic should resolve authority crisis’ by D. Risojevic; Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Assistance to new Government’ by G.D. – The Head of EC delegation to BiH, Michael Humphreys, stated that all members of the BiH CoM, including those who had filed resignations, should appear at the session of the CoM on 1st February since it is their duty, reiterating that EC would not interfere into the crisis related to the functioning of the BiH COM. On this issue he said: “We are not in a delicate, and I would say critical moment, in regard to reforms and processes, which should bring BiH closer to further integration. Owing to these reasons, we need a full Government, that is fully operational and functional.” Following Tuesday’s meeting in RHB, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Michael Humphreys satisfied with the work of Government’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘EC will not interfere in election of RS Government’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘RS cooperation with ICTY undisputable’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Support to Government oriented reforms’ by f – also reported on the meetings. |
| Terzic: ‘I still claim there is not crisis in CoM’
| Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘I still claim BiH CoM is not in crisis’ by Vedrana Zivak – CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic said he would not give in before political games and blackmails. Asked whether initiatives on reconstruction of the state Government were raised only by RS, Terzic said even some representatives of the international community were announcing such initiatives. With regard to the announcement of Serb Ministers who said they would not attend CoM session on February 1, Terzic said should this happen all those who have wished for CoM to lose its legitimacy would be right. He says he expects from Ministers to attend the session. |
| CoM Ministers on crisis, attendance of forthcoming CoM session
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Threats do not help’ by N. Dillic – Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister, stressed that Adnan Terzic had broken the promise he gave after the RS Government had resigned, adding: “Terzic then stated that the issue of resolving the crisis at BiH CoM should be settled following the establishment of the new RS Government. The majority shift at the RS NA might result in some changes at the composition of the BiH CoM, but also the majority at the BiH Parliamentary Assembly.” Slobodan Kovac, BiH Justice Minister, stated: “I have not still decided whether I would attend the CoM session. Anyway, I would act as other Serb ministers.” Branko Dokic, BiH Minister of Transport and Communication, stated: “Since we have tendered resignations, Adnan Terzic has not approached us neither has he taken a stance regarding our moves.” Zoran Tesanovic, BiH Deputy Civil Affairs Minister, stated he would be on leave at the next BiH CoM, adding: “Instead of taking official stance regarding our resignations, Terzic is now blackmailing us via media.” Nikola Radovanovic, BiH Defence Minister, has stated that he is not a member of a single political party, stressing: “I have no right to represent the interest of the Serb people at the BiH COM. There have been no sessions since the crisis has been staged, but bearing in mind mine restricted political capacity, I would not take part at those sessions until the legitimate representatives of Serb people are elected.” |
| Sadovic says PDP uses crisis to increases its importance
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘SDA will be opposition’ by O. Vukovic, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘SDA: PDP concluding a deal’ by V.P.; EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Political profiteering’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Tarik Sadovic, the Head of SDA Caucus at the RS NA, is of the view that PDP “is concluding the deal by increasing its price in regard to participation in the new RS Government” on one side, and is sending a message to the IC on the other side that PDP “is a key element for crisis settlement”. Asked whether BiH COM could function without PDP, Sadovicsaid that CoM had been established “on ethnic principles and that it is the issue of parliamentary majority who would give ministers from Serb people”. He confirmed SDA would meet with Pero Bukejlovic on Thursday, although SDA does not expect any invitation to take part in RS Government. |
| BiH Parliamentarians demand from HR to sanction those obstructing CoM work
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Crisis has been set up in RS’, Dnevni List, pg 8 ‘Crisis of Council of Ministers – strike against reforms’, by NINA – The BiH Parliamentarians Forum requested the HR Paddy Ashdown to show consistency in the implementation of sanctions against all those who are deliberately obstructing or hindering the so far successful work of the BiH Council of Ministers. The Forum think that the “crisis in the functioning of the CoM, which was designed by representatives of RS political parties in the BiH Parliament, is a classic and well planned blow to reform path of BiH and its efforts to join European and global structures.” |
| BiH presidency will not appoint Karavelic to BiH Ambassador to
| RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Tihic: That is a good recommendation’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Karavelic without support of Ivanic and Paravac’ by A. Sisic; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Proper references for Karavelic’- Sulejman Tihic, member of BiH Presidency, on Tuesday confirmed that Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister, would not sign the proposal on the appointment of Vahid Karavelic to the position of BiH Ambassador in Pakistan. Tihic also added that Boprislav Paravac, Chairperson of BiH Presidency, did not want to support the nomination either. On this issue, Tihic also said: “The fact that Karavelic was the Commander of defence of BHT1, FTV – also reported on the session. |
| Karavelic denies all allegations
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘I was protecting Serbs in and around Sarajevo’ by M. Drinjakovic, mentioned on cover – Carries a denial of General Vahid Karavelic upon claims of the Deputy President of RS Association of former Camp Inmates, Slavko Jovicic. Karavelic claims he respected provisions of Geneva Convention and human rights. |
| Government of Brcko District takes solemn oath
| RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Interests of Brcko District must be before national and political’ by E. Razanica– Brcko District mayor Mirsad Djapo and 11 members of his Government took a solemn oath on Tuesday. At the occasion, Djapo stressed that one of his priorities will be to build relations with entities and the state. Brcko supervisor Susan Johnson stated that Brcko District has its advantages that cannot be easily dispersed, and added that its officials need to work towards protecting and further strengthening those advantages. Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Brcko Government members took an oath’ by N.T. – also reported on solemn oath of Brcko District Government members. |
| Covic: ‘IC should be a partner to BiH, not a protector’
| Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash ‘I have told the Prosecutor I had nothing to do with the Lijanovics’ and pg 5 ‘I have been assuring the prosecutor I had nothing to do with the “Lijanovics”’ by Husein Orahovac – Croat member of BiH Presidency Dragan Covic said he thinks talks on constitutional changes should commence in the course of this year. He says a state cannot be functional if there are five levels of the authority in it. With regard to the lawsuit against SiCG, Covic said he does not thinks it should be withdrawn, but he emphasized that the lawsuit should be treated as a state project. He denied he had any relations with the Lijanovics, especially in context of illegal activities, and he also denied he had anything to do with illegal activities in Hercegovacka Banka. As a comment on Ante Jelavic, Covic has stated he does not know why he needs to stand trial. Covic says the international community needs to be a partner to BiH, not a protector. ‘I think High Representative Paddy Ashdown and his associates are sincerely working on establishing partnership relations with the domestic authorities’, Covic has said. |
| NN op-ed on HR: ‘Ashdown on thin ice’
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Ashdown on a thin ice’ by Aleksandar Sekulic – The author is extremely critical of HR, Paddy Ashdown, and his most recent warning addressed to the Ministers at BiH COM. The author notes that Ashdown needs to have a functional BiH CoM before the PIC session on 3rd February, when he would address this body and justify his monthly income of BAM 50 thousand. The author stresses that Ashdown is solely interested in his own success, instead of assisting local authorities in reforms’ implementation and establishment of rule of law. The author also claims that Lord Ashdown does not want to acknowledge there is a crisis at the BiH level. The author is further also critical of Dragan Cavic is cold-headedly thinking about the upcoming privatisation of some big companies and whom to appoint to lead those. |
| Merdzo says he would sue Rojs | Vecernji List cover pg ‘Merdzo sues Rojs’ and pg 3 ‘I will sue Rojs’ by I. Barbaric – Upon the statement of Ljubo Cesic Rojs on alleged irregularities during Croatian presidential elections in Mostar, President of theHerzegovina-Neretva Canton HDZ Board Josip Merdzo has announced he would, most probably, sue Rojs because of a slander and insult. |
Economic and social issues | |
| Hays presents economic bulletin, urges reduction of administration costs
| RHB, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘In Europe with strong budget’ by H. Arifagic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Reforms need to be accelerated’ by V.S., Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘It is necessary to improve work of authority bodies’ by B. Kristo – The OHR economic newsletter for the last quarter of 2004 was presented in Sarajevo on Tuesday. Principal Deputy High Representative Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Soon, establishment of the working group for reduction of administration costs’ by E.D.– “It is necessary to reduce the expenditures of authorities at all levels and make them more efficient and responsible before the citizens, if BiH wishes to make progress on the road of associating with the EU“, said Hays. FTV by Melisa Sefer commented on this presentation as saying that foreign experts were explaining for an hour facts that were well known in BiH, adding that there was even conclusion that BiH citizens are talented and capable. Also, FTV announced its report as the report on latest OHR’s discoveries. The FTV reporter concluded: ‘Everything is well known, except one thing – was this the last OHR’s newsletter for talented and capable citizens.’ |
| RSNA adopts the changes to law on pensions and disability insurance
| RTRS, FTV, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Laws on Vault and RS Legal Office enacted’ by V.P.; Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Vault has been opened’ by D. Zec – RS NA adopted on Tuesday the draft law amending the law on pension and disability insurance. This draft law proposes that the right to pensions based on decisions made before this law takes effect, for users of pensions that were earned in FBiH and for pensions that are being paid outside the RS, ends on the day this law takes effects. Explaining the draft law resigning RS Labour and Veterans Minister Mico Micic reminded that the FBiH Government has still not adopted the Memorandum on Principles concerning PIO. As a result the RS Government reached the decision to stop the payment of pensions to returnees in FBiH, who earned their pensions in that entity, on the day this law takes effect. |
| Elektroprivredas BiH and HZHB sign agreement on sale of electricity for 2005
| Dnevni List, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘Start of cooperation between tow Elektroprivredas’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – BiH Elektroprivreda and Elektroprivreda of Croat Community of Herceg-Bosnia (HZHB) signed the Contract on sale of electric power in 2005 on Tuesday. On basis of the FBiH Government’s Decision dating from December last year, the two companies have arranged the sale of 700 GWh of electric power for this year. The price of electric power was defined in the amount of 33 Euros per MWh, and the delivery commenced on January 1. Thus, BiH Elektroprivreda has directed all disposable surplus of electric power to the requirements of Elektroprivreda HZHB. Also covered by RHB, BHT 1, FTV, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Better electricity supply’ by D. Pasic, |
| DL: ‘Govt forms commission for taking over of strategic companies’
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Government is forming commission for taking over of strategic companies tomorrow’, by Nermin Bise – Announces that the next session of the FBiH Government that is scheduled for Thursday should be dedicated to the issue of sale of big strategic companies in FBiH. According to DL, the FBiH Govt will be appointing a commission tasked to determine the procedure and criteria for selection of new partners and to lead activities pertaining to striking deals. DL says that one of aims of forming of the said commission is also to create space for possible abuses related to the issue of audit of privatization in companies such as ‘Aluminij’, ‘Sarajevo Brewery’, ‘Sarajevo Tobacco Factory’ etc. Unofficially, the FBiH Minister of Energy and Industry, Izet Zigic, an international law expert, Ahmet Zilic, Director of FBiH Privatization Agency, Resad Zutic, and Manager of ‘Energopetrol’ Company, Namik Busatlic, will be members of the said commission, and having in mind earlier announcements that the commission would have 5 members, DL learns it would have additional two members in order to satisfy the national representation criteria. |
| DL: Croat Ministers outvoted again in FBiH Govt on privatization matter
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Resistance to arrival of companies from Croatia’, by Jurislav Petrovic – Learns from the FBiH Deputy Prime Minister, Dragan Vrankic, that the Croat Ministers in the FBIH Government were outvoted during the last session of the Government that was held the other day in Mostar. Namely, the Croat Ministers opposed the Draft law on privatization, which forbids participation of companies that are in majority ownership of other states in the privatization of companies in the FBiH. DL notes that this law will directly affect efforts of the ‘Croatia Osiguranje’ (insurance company), which gave the best bid for takeover of the ‘Sarajevo Osiguranje’. |
| Minister Kristo says Law on privatisation was interpreted incorrectly
| Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Kristo: Law on privatization illegally interpreted’, by Zoran Kresic – Carries the FBiH Justice Minister, Borjana Kristo, as saying that the interpretation of the Law on privatization was done incorrectly. Minister Kristo does not accept explanations of Minister Zigic, who says that the Proposal of changes to the privatization law will give solutions for privatization-related issues, since the Bosniak majority in the FBiH Government prevented participation of foreign companies in privatization process in BiH. |
| Hajric: Only 5% investments planned at Mostar investment conference carried out | Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Business world does not understand privatization audit’ by D. Polovina-Mandic and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16, mentioned on front ‘Green light to foreign capital’ by M. Landeka – The 2nd Business-Investment Summit finished in Sarajevo on Tuesday. FIPA Director Mirza Hajric stated that participants of the BHT 1 – Almost a year following the conference on investments, held in Mostar, out of over 350 announced investment projects only 5% have been carried out. FIPA Director Mirza Hajric said: “Some projects were realized, some have been changed, and some of them were rejected.” According to domestic experts, the existing crisis and the blockade in the work of BiH Council of Ministers can cause negative consequences in encouraging potential investors. An oil company from RHB – also carries Hajric’s statement. |
Legal and security issues | |
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| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Indictment will be submitted to BiH Court for confirmation’, mentioned on cover, by L.S. – The indictment against the delegate in the BiH House of Peoples and SDA representative, Hasan Cengic, was submitted to the BiH Court. According to Oslobodjenje the indictment has not yet been either confirmed or rejected, and the judge has a deadline of eight days. The indictment against Cengic was filed by the international Prosecutor working in the Special department against organized, economic crime and corruption, Jonathan Schmidt, and it accuses Cengic of illegally issuing a licence for weapons production for a company [Bosnian Investment Ogranization] at the time when he was Deputy Defence Minister. BHT 1 by Damir Simic – Chief of the Special Department, John McNair, did not want to comment on the content of the indictment: “The indictment is now being discussed in the Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Indictment on verification’ by M. Cubro – also reports on verification of indictment before |
| VL on Cengic’s underhand dealings and crimes
| Vecernji List pg 3, mentioned on front ‘From underhand dealings to connections with Al’Qa-id’ by Z. Kresic – Regarding the indictment against Hasan Cengic, VL says that according to the information coming from intelligence agents, Cengic is the owner or co-owner of Bosnian Investment Organization, Airport Visoko, many planes and helicopters he uses for transport of weapon and other military equipment, real estates and a company in Turkey etc. Also, together with Fatih al Hasanein, who was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, Cengic was running humanitarian organization TWRA through which huge financial assistance of the Arabic world for the defense of Bosnian Moslems was arriving. According to VL, Cengic has also been charged with many other severe crimes and he was suspected of being involved in the case of Mostar mortar rounds revealed in Mostar a few years ago. |
| SBS files complaint against RS MoI for incident in BL airport
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 7‘Minister Matijasevic tried illegally to cross the border’ by Azhar Kalamujic – BiH Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that BiH State Border Service has filed complaint against RS Interior Ministry about the incident which broke out between RS MoI and BiH SBS at the Mahovljani airport. According to daily, complaint accuses Darko Matijasevic of trying to illegally cross the border, threatening the security of flights at |
| EUPM, OHR on SBS/RS MoI incident
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Institutions keep silent about confrontation between RS MoI and BiH SBS’ by S.K. – NN comment that domestic and international institutions keep silent about this. Alun Roberts, EUPM Spokesperson, said: “We have no information that something unusual had taken place at the airport. We will investigate into these information, after which we would be able to give comment.” |
| BL Airport Director confirms incident did happen
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Vehicles were not disputable, but people under cover’ by Onasa, EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Incident at the airport hidden as official secret’ by Tijana Veselinovic, Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Incidents between RS MoI and DGS’ not signed– Banja Luka Airport Director, Velimir Bobic, confirmed the incident had taken place. According to his information, the incident broke out when it was determined that only two not three official vehicles had been previously announced to be allowed an entry. He said he had no further details about the case. |
| Papers slam appointment of Novic to OSA
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Goran Novic, investigator from Omarska, is a director at OSA’, mentioned on cover, by B. Kahrimanovic, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Prison camp investigator appointed OSA Director’ by D. Pasic– The article condemns the appointment of Goran Novic to the position of a director at OSA considering his background as of an investigator at Omarska concentration camp. Citizens of Prijedor strongly oppose this appointment. Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Victory for crime’ op-ed by Senka Kurtovic – Editorial refers to Novic’s appointment to OSA, telling that neither HR Paddy Ashdown nor US Ambassador Douglas McElhaney have managed to reassure that those working in state institutions have been through though vetting procedure. This example, says Kurtovic, shows that those committing crimes would taking care of our security. |
| Bileca citizens continue to hold protests
| RTRS, Dnevni List pg 49 ‘Mucovic, Bovan and Colovic cleared of suspicion that they raped 23 years old girl’ by N. Dedic, Vecernji List pg 25 ‘Revolt of citizens because of release from detention supported’ by bs, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘There is no evidence against 3 young men’; Glas Srpske pg 12 ‘Those responsible be brought to justice’ by S. Aleksic – Citizens of Bileca citizens continued with the protests following the release of 3 men suspected of rape of 23 years old girl. Members of Citizen’s Board presented their demands to local authorities but received no response. Trebinje County Prosecution issued a statement confirming that there is no evidence that the men in question had anything to do with the case. Bileca citizens will not give up on their demands and announce new protests for Wednesday. |
| Defence Ministers held a session in
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Unified BiH troops should be established by the end of this year’ by SRNA, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Efforts exerted in order to join PfP welcomed’ by De.L. – The Defence Ministers of the signatory-states of the American-Adriatic Charter stressed at two-day session in Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Srpska is not an obstacle’ by SRNA – Nikola Radovanovic, BiH Defence Minister, on Tuesday in Zagreb stated that blanket statements that RS, over failure to cooperate with the ICTY, was the main obstacle on the BiH progress towards NATO were ungrounded. |
| Another bank robbery failed
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Beating was real, pistol was plastic’ by D.B.; EuroBlic RSpg 1 ‘Security “arrested” masked robber’; Nezavisne Novine pg 37 ‘Bank security guards arrested a robber’– Zeljko Knezevic from Novi Grad was prevented from robbing the branch office of the Nova banjalucka Bank in Prijedor Tuesday. Knezevic, who sustained serious injuries during the failed robbery attempt, has been hospitalised. After his recuperation, he will, most likely, be put in detention. |
| SD: officials are manipulating with provisions on ethnic representation
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 17, mentioned on front ‘Father Jovan, mother Aisa and son is Croat?!’ by M. Jukic – SD says that many officials manipulate with legal regulations regarding ethnic representation of 3 BiH peoples in BiH institutions in order to preserve their positions. As an example SD states Director of the Federation of BiH Ministry of Interior Police Zlatko Miletic who declares himself as a Croat although his father is Jovan (a Serb) and his mother Aisa (a Bosniak). |
| Update to incident involving Adil Osmanovic
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Impudence, but whose?’ by V. Janjic – 5 police officers, members of the RS MoI, against whom disciplinary procedure has been launched on the basis of the statement given by an RS Vice-President, Adil Osmanovic, to the Federation media, have been absolved of responsibility on Tuesday. The disciplinary procedure concerned an event in which the vehicle of Osmanovic was stopped by the police on the road entering |
War crimes/defence issues | |
| Simsic detained in Ustikolina for a month
| BHT1, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Boban Simsic turned himself in’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Boban Simsic was guard in prison camp in Visegrad’ by B. Stevandic– Former police officer from Visegrad accused of committing war crimes against non-Serb civilians in 1992, Boban Simsic, has been sentenced to a month of detention in Ustikolina. After he voluntarily surrendered to EUFOR, Simsic was transferred to Gorazde where he will appear before the court in next two days. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Raped women will testify against Boban Simsic’ by E. Sarac – A. Bajramovic – The President of the ‘Women – Victims of War’, Bakira Hasecic, stated for DA that this association has proved a plenty of evidence against Simsic. |
| Matijasevic meets Del Ponte
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Minister Matijasevic to meet Prosecutor Del Ponte in the Hague today’ by E. Sarac – RS Police Minister Darko Matijasevic should meet Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte in the Hague today. The Spokesperson of the Hague Tribunal Florence Hartmann has confirmed the information on Matijasevic’s arrival to BHT 1, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Matijasevic paying a visit to the Hague Tribunal’ by M.L. – also reports on the meeting. |
| Work Group for implementation of Srebrenica report conclusions will hold session today
| Oslobodjenje pg 2, announced on cover ‘Stranglehold around those responsible for genocide is strengthening’ by Dl. O. – The Work Group for implementation of conclusions of Srebrenica Commission Final Report, which was appointed by outgoing RS PM Dragan Mikerevic mid January, will hold its first session in Banja Luka today (Wednesday). The task of the Work Group is to analyze all data on persons mentioned in the report, especially those currently employed at RS and BiH security structures, as well as to develop a report and send it to RS Government by mid February. |
| DL op-ed criticises EUFOR checkpoints
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Communist strategies of European forces’ by M. Karacic – The author criticizes the fact that EUFOR is setting up checkpoints in BiH in order to arrest war crime indictees. The author goes on to say that instead of going to state institutions where the biggest crime is present, they stop and maltreat ordinary citizens on BiH roads. The author concludes: ‘It is certain that they will never arrest Radovan Karadzic and the others in this way, and it is even more certain that they will not influence decreasing of crime in BiH. However, why would they (EUFOR) even care bout it since they are paid 10 times more than BiH citizens and they will go their homes, while we are the ones who have to stay here to fight with our daemons from the past.’ |
| Jovicic made a distance from Association’s statement re number of Srebrenica victims
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘It is a sin and shame to minimize Bosniak victims of Srebrenica’ by J. S., mentioned on cover ‘Jovicic made a distance from RS Association of Former Camp Inmates’ – Deputy President of RS Association of former camp inmates Slavko Jovicic made a distance from the recent statement of the Association in which it was stated “only” 2,300 Bosniaks were killed in Srebrenica. Jovicic thinks it would be a shame and sin to minimize victims of any of peoples, which in this case refers to Srebrenica victims. |
| BiH Helsinki Committee criticizes RS PoW
| Dnevni List pg 7 ‘RS prison camp inmates only see Serb sufferings’ by NINA – The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH expresses solidarity with the victims of genocide in Srebrenica and their families, and joins the families of the victims in condemning the attempts of members of the RS Association of Prison Camp Inmates to minimize the Bosniak victims of the genocide committed in Srebrenica. |