| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Christmas messages | Bank robbery in Prijedor | Christmas celebration | Bank Robbery in Prijedor |
| Tihic on Aluminum | Trial for Djndjic murder | Pope’s message | Hunger strike in Gorazde |
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| World news – Pakistan | World news – Pakistan | RS Government session |
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| Pope’s message | Trial for Djndjic murder | Federation abolition |
| Oslobodjenje | Energopetrol left without permission for oil import |
| Dnevni Avaz | Bakir Izetbegovic to be SDA Vice-president? |
| Dnevni List | Not published due to Christmas holidays |
| Vecernji List | Not published due to Christmas holidays |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Not published due to Christmas holidays |
| Glas Srpske | Cantonal Court in Sarajevo re-news the proceeding against Aleksa Krsmanovic: Colonel on trial again |
| Nezavisne Novine | Members of BiH Presidency disagree: Tihic forgot what he had agreed with Covic; Prosecutor’s Office should investigate whether OBS was violating the Law; Nova Banjalucka Bank branch office in Prijedor robbed: Police apprehended the robber and found the money and a gun; Sredoja Novic: Terrorist bud remains in BiH |
| Ljiljan | Sulejman Tihic: We will not accept imposed solutions for Mostar |
| Slobodna Bosna | America anxious about terrorists who came for Izetebegovic funeral and stayed in BiH |
| Dani | Edo Maajka (popular domestic singer) for the President |
Economic/social issues | |
| Tihic on Aluminij issue
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV – Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic considers that the price of the electricity for Aluminum dd Mostar and other users is not political but economic issue. Tihic emphasised that Aluminium should not have special treatment but also that it should not be discriminated. Tihic also reminded that the Federation Government should decide on the prices of electricity for all special users. According to Tihic the Presidency was not making decisions weather it should end the international contract between Elektroprivreda BiH and Daimler –Chrysler, because it is not in the authority of the Presidency. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Tihic forgot what he had agreed with Covic’ – Sulejman Tihic, Bnosniak member to BiH Presidency, yesterday denied some claims presented at the most recent press conference (on Wednesday) held by Dragan Covic, Chairperson of BiH Presidency. Tihic namely denied claims regarding “Aluminij” firm and report provided by Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (regarding termination of contract signed between BiH Elektroprivreda and Company “Daimler Craisler”). Borislav Paravac, third member to BiH Presidency, did not want to give any comment on these claims, nor did he want to place himself on any side, saying that he had not been informed in detail of their statements. |
| Coal mines, thermo-electric plants on electricity price for Aluminij | FTV – Coal mines and thermo power plants reacted angrily on decision/recommendation of BiH Presidency related to the prices of electricity (for Aluminij). They fear their position may be undermined if power price would be under market level. Director of coal mine in Kakanj Mr. Neimarlija: “If we continue to provide electricity to Debis (under current terms) then we can only survive until 2005, because these revenues does not allow any major investment and maintenance.” Losses resulting from lower prices for Aluminium amount to 20 million KM a year. Thermo plants warn that any under-market price would undermine process of electricity production. Miner’s Trade Unions Association was also surprised with the fact the BiH Presidency was discussing power price just for one company and asked for compensation if power would be sold under market price. Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ’15,000 miners will go on general strike if Aluminij gets power at under-market price’ – If the electricity would have to be being sold to German Debis meaning the Mostar-based Aluminij at under-parket price, 15,000 coal miners in FBiH will go on general strike, according to BiH Miner’s Trade Union Association Enver Caluk. Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Aluminij is not the only one’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Politicians should not interfere into economy’ carry a reactions by the BiH Trade Unions Association saying that all companies in Federation/BiH should be treated equally when it comes to the power price. |
| Presidency protects Aluminij, FBiH Government responds
| Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Negotiations on electricity must be completed by Tuesday’, mentioned on the front page – FBiH Government requested on Thursday Industry, Energy and Mining Minister Izet Zigic to try to resolve the issue of power supplies for Mostar Aluminij (terms and price) with the representatives of the Mostar company, BiH Elektroprivreda, HZHB Elektroprivreda and coal mines by Tuesday. Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘There are no pressures for re-signing of contract’ – Zigic said that he had no intention to press on re-signing of a contract with Debis (for continuation of power delivery to Aluminij at the current price) since the Government had no money to compensate BiH Elektroprivreda and coal mines for possible damage. |
| Hunger strike in Gorazde Machine/Tool Factory ends | RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Workers terminate hunger strike’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Strike terminated’ – The workers of the Machine Factory in Gorazde ended the four-day hunger strike. The Prime Minister of RS Dragan Mikerevic promised that the Government would provide the money for production to continue and also for part of the salaries to be paid. Prime Minister Mikerevic, visited the Factory on Thursday and said the Factory has good perspectives. Milan Bogicevic, RS Minister of Industry, energy and development said: ”We have agreed to provide the salaries by the New Year as well as the funds that will assist for production to start over.” Risto Stevanovic, President of the Union said that the Strike Board decided to end the strike as most of the conditions will be fulfilled. Prime Minister Mikerevic also visited on Thursday the Timber Factory Maglic. The Prime Minister announced a new law to be enacted that will help the privatisation process. |
| Oslobodjenje: Energopetrol left without permission for oil import | Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Energopetrol left without permission for oil import’ – The Sarajevo-based Energopetrol oil company has been left without permission for oil import due to a 17.5-million debt in unpaid road taxes made by previous management team headed by Kerim Lucarevic. |
| Government compensation for Potocari Battery Factory workers to be provided | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Compensation for workers’ – The Republika Srpska Government will provide compensation to the workers of the Battery Factory Potocari, owing to termination of further work of this firm. The compensation will amount to BAM 205 thousand in total. The list includes 41 workers, who will be soon given compensation of BAM 5 thousand. The compensation will be paid from budget resources. |
| NN editorial: National GSM | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Mirza Cubro, pg. 7, ‘National GSM” – The author writes about decision of BiH COM regarding the cost of three GSM licences in BiH, saying that CoM has once again ensured the victory of politics over economy. He stresses that the GSM operators would be nationalised, meaning that Telekom Srpske will be run by Serbs, Bosniaks with BH Telekom and Croats with Croat Telecommunication or “Eronet”. He also emphasises that nobody seemingly pays attention to the fact that the citizens of BiH would still be paying the highest prices for the worst telecommunication services. He concludes the article by saying that the politics has proved to be the most important once again. |
| The Crnkovic family eviction affair | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Everything was legal’ – The Republika Srpska Ministry of Refugees and DP’s yesterday released a press release regarding the case of Crankovic family, stressing that the procedure of property exchange between Dusan Crnkovic and Ekrem Vajraca and the process of forcible eviction (which followed legal annulment of contract) was performed in a legal manner. Ministry hereby wants to deny information presented in public by the association “Together for truth”. Ministry claims that the house of Crnkovic in Karlovac was sealed and keys were given to the local Court, where the owner should pick them up. |
Political developments | |
| Bakir Izetbegovic accepted nomination for a SDA Vice-president
| Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 6 ‘Bakir Izetbegovic accepted nomination for a SDA Vice-president’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 4 ‘Bakir Izetbegovic to be SDA Vice-president?’ – Bakir Izetbegovic, son of the late Bosniak/SDA leader Alija Izetbegovic’ confirmed on Thursday he had accepted nomination for the fourth SDA Vice-president, that is expected to be appointed at an SDA convention scheduled for Saturday. “I have accepted nomination since the majority of the SDA’s municipal boards in the Sarajevo Canton had nominated me,“ said Izetbegovic. |
| SPRS initiative for BiH re-composition | RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘BiH – ten cantons plus RS’ – President of the Socialist Party of RS Petar Djokic stated on Thursday that some media have misinterpreted his statement by which the Socialist Party is allegedly in favour of abolition of Federation BiH. “We have just opened the issue of the overall functioning of the BiH Apparatus and we are definitively in favour of RS survival. The Federation is not functioning because they do not want to function and then their problems are carried over to RS,” said Djokic. “The initiative of Djokic is a beginning of the idea to abolish RS,” said on Thursday in Bijeljina Hadzi Jovan Mitrovic, the Vice- president of DNZ. Mitrovic added that SDS and PDP reactions are lay as these parties are helping disappearance of RS with their actions. Mitrovic said that privatisation is a robbery of all people in BiH by the governing authorities with the help of the International Community “The High Representative would never do this in his country”. Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘The time of conflicts has passed’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘No reason for abolishment of Republika Srpska’ – Petar Djokic, President of Republika Srpska Socialist Party, at yesterday’s press conference in Sarajevo, stated that it is high time that political and expert public in BiH initiated serious talks regarding the issue of BiH state structure, in order to ensure its constant operation. He said that some media misinterpreted the statement he gave in Trebinje, according to which this party allegedly supported the abolishment of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said he just raised the issue of state structure, noting that if anything is to be abolished it is not Republika Srpska but the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as entity, because there are many problems existing in this entity between Bosniaks and Croats. Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Abolish Federation, grant RS with the status of canton’ also reported on Djokic’s address to journalists. Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Abolishment of the entities’ In Focus column by Zija Dizdarevic – Dizdarevic reminds that SDS defending the survival of FBiH because it believes that if BiH is re-composed in accordance to the SPRS initiative: ten cantons plus RS, the RS would actually become the 11th canton. Actually supporting the abolishment of both entities, Dizdarevic concludes that the establishment of the entities itself as well as their concept are basically anti-BiH and anti-democratic. |
| DNS leaves coalition | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Charter without the future’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘SNSD and SPRS surprised over DNS move’ – Hadzi Jovan Mitrovic, Vice President of DNS (Democratic Peoples’ Alliance), yesterday in Bijeljina, announced that this party would discuss whether it would continue to operate within “Charter for future”, which it has recently signed with SNSD and SPRS. This reaction followed the recent statement given by Petar Djokic in Trebinje. Also, Mitrovic criticised SNSD for having voted for the constitutional amendments and ITA law. According to NN, Igor Radojicic, SNSD Secretary General, said it is a democratic right of each party to decide whether it would take part in further implementation of the “Charter for future”. |
| Kalinic does not exclude RS Government reshuffle | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Restructuring of RS Government’ – Speaker of the RS National Assembly Dragan Kalinic does not exclude possibility that the RS Government is fully restructured. In a statement for RS Radio on Thursday, Kalinic said a meeting was to take place soon in the office of RS President Dragan Cavic at which the members of the Government and representatives of the political parties supporting it would discuss and analyse the Government performance. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Government to “render an accounting” to Cavic ‘ – The Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, should meet the political parties officials supporting government and Government officials sometime next week. At this meeting, they should discuss the functioning of the current the Republika Srpska Government composition. Republika Srpska President recently stated that Government re-shuffle is possible, if prove this Government has failed. The RS Parliament Speaker, Dragan Kalinic, shares his view, noting that if Government is to be re-shuffled, it would be completely re-shuffled. Nevenka Trifkovic of PDP said that her party would support any well argumented and justified proposals. Pentelija Damjanovic, President of Executive Board of Republika Srpska Serb Radical Party, said this party is not totally satisfied with the work of the Republika Srpska Government. |
| SDA: Salakovac and Grabovica cannot be under control of Mostar Administration | Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Salakovac and Grabovica cannot be under control of Mostar Administration’ – A proposal by Norbert Winterstein, chairman of the Commission for Mostar Statute, that the facilities related to the Mostar public and utility companies should be put under control of the reformed City Administration has caused fierce reactions in SDA. Fatima Leho, the Mostar SDA Board President, said this would put the Salakovac and Grabovica hydro-electric power plants under control of City Council and Mayor. Bearing in mind the proposed election system, this would mean, according to Leho, that Mijo Brajkovic would control not only Aluminij but also the City Council and the entire economy in Herzegovina. Ljiljan pgs. 23-25 ‘Go in fresh robberies with a new Statute’ By Enes Ratkusic – “Deliberately or by chance, the mediator (Norbert Winterstein, Chairman of the Commission for Mostar Statute) forgets that all hydro-electric power plants were once administered by a single enterprise – the BiH Elektroprivreda, and that the two other elektroprivredas have been created exclusively on the basis of taking away/robbing of its ownership. Winterstein now proposes a continuation under a principle of statutory right to take over,” said Ratkusic referring to the claims that one of the goals of establishment of Mostar without municipalities was establishment of control of Salakovac and Grabovica hydro-electric power plants. |
| Tihic says any imposed solutions for Mostar will not be accepted
| Ljiljan front page, pgs. 18-22 ‘We will not accept imposed solutions for Mostar’ – Interview with the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency and SDA President, Sulejman Tihic. With regard to the Mostar restructuring, Tihic said that the SDA leadership fully supported the position of the party’s Mostar branch meaning the establishment of Mostar as a town with several municipalities. Wondering why the international community in this case was exerting certain pressures and standing by one people (Croats), Tihic said that it might be about a number of things including the talks on Mostar as the Croat capital, talks about the third entity establishment and about attempts of foreign capital in Aluminij to get to the electricity produced in the Salakovac and Grabovica hydro-electric power plants. “What is here a sort of unprincipled behavior when the international community is in question? All citizens in BiH recall very well that the international community was advocating for establishment of a Croat municipality of Usora in Tesanj. This means that, in this case, it was not standing for the establishment of a single municipality of Tesanj but for an ethnic municipality of Usora,” said Tihic adding that similar situation was in Zepce. “Double standards cannot be in place, those which are applied when it is about Croats in Tesanj and Zepce, and the other ones when Bosniks in Mostar are in question,” concludes Tihic. |
| UNDP survey: National parties losing support
| Slobodna Bosna pgs. 18-19 ‘Coalition of national parties has no parliamentary majority – Party for BiH, PDP left without a half of supporters’ By Asim Metiljevic – According to an UNDP research, if the elections would be held nowadays, the three ruling national political parties would not have parliamentary majority and they would hardly gain it even with the assistance of their coalition parties: PDP and Party for BiH. The poll was conducted in mid November on a sample of 2,000 questioned people throughout BiH. |
| Doris Pack: BiH has no future without serious revision of Dayton
| Slobodna Bosna pgs. 23-25 ‘BiH has no future without serious revision of Dayton’ – Interview with Doris Pack, a deputy to European Parliament and one of the authors of the Declaration for change of the Dayton Agreement announced last week. “For me, the biggest problems in the BiH structure including two entities and ten cantons. It is impossible to function. Some other form of state structure should be found. Maybe the structure of RS should be changed a bit?,” said Pack. |
Crime | |
| Bank robbery in Prijedor
| BHTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 17, ‘Police apprehended the robber and found the money and a gun’ – The branch office of Nova Banjalucka Bank in Prijedor was robbed on Thursday morning. The Police arrested the robber shortly after the robbery. Head of Crime Police Unit in Banja Luka Mile Tosenovic, stated that the arrested person will be handed over for further investigation to Prijedor Basic Prosecutors Office. The arrest was conducted with the help of citizens. The stolen amount was 4.680KM and 980 euros; the whole amount was recovered. The report contains a short background on previous similar robberies conducted in Prijedor in 2000 and 2001 |
| GS: Krsmanovic to be retried for war crimes
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Colonel on trial again’ – The Sarajevo Cantonal Court accepted the motion for launching the new trial against the retired Colonel of Republika Srpska Army, Aleksa Krsmanovic, who was immediately after the war, charged with war crimes. Veljko Civsa, attorney of Krsmanovic, claims that he has filed an appeal to this request of the Court, saying that the BiH Court is the only institution in charge of renewing the process. |
Security issues/affairs | |
| Update to RS OBS issue
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Prosecutor’s Office should investigate whether OBS was violating the Law’ – NN interlocutor from BiH Prosecutor’s Office yesterday said that the Republika Srpska Prosecutor’s Office should seek information from OBS (Intelligence and Security Agency of Republika Srpska), which were published in media yesterday, and also to investigate whether the Law was broken with this OBS “monitoring” of SFOR and ICTY activities. Marinko Jurcevic, BiH Prosecutor’s Office, did not want to make any comment on these claims, noting that: “I have not seen the report and hence I cannot speak about it.” The OHR Spokesperson, Vedran Persic, stated that intelligence agencies in BiH are politicised, discredited and are not under proper democratic control. He expressed expectation by the HiRep that all politicians support the draft law on intelligence agency. |
| Interview with SIPA Director Novic | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘Terrorist bud remains in BiH’ – In an interview to NN, Sredoje Novic, SIPA Director, says that there are many indicators showing that there is a bud of those in BiH, who are prepared top perform various terrorist activities. Noting that police forces in BiH nor intelligence agencies in the state are not operational enough, Nbovic expresses astonishment over the fact that not a single security agency of BiH reacted upon recent actions of SFOR. In his view, ‘this raises concern. Why – because SFOR conducts arrest, while we have no operational information on it. And this points out that either police structures do not work properly or maybe they do work properly but do not have courage to undertake certain actions.” |
| Slobodna Bosna on intelligence sector reform | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 26-29 ‘After he had compromised FOSS and OBS Ashdown in a hurry to transfer their heads to the state level’ By Suzana Mijatovic – The author analyses various/different opinions related to the draft Law on BiH Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA), which was delivered to the parliamentary procedure by High Representative Paddy Ashdown last week after BiH CoM failure to adopt it (agree on the text). “One can already conclude that, with the existing personnel potentials of the current Entities’ secret services that are supposed to, with OHR approval, make the core of the new OSA, BiH yet for a long time will not have a modern and professional service it, according to Ashdown, desperately needs,” Mijatovic concludes. |
Media | |
| RTV subscription fee must not be attached to telephone bills – Consumers Association | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘RTV subscription fee must not be attached to telephone bills’ – If the BiH Public Broadcasting Service has signed a contract with BH telecom and HT Mostar on collection of RTV subscription fees through telephone bills, the BiH Association of Consumers will sue the state to the Strasbourg-based Human Rights Court, according to the Association Chairman, Mesud Lakota. According to Lakota, such the way of fees collection would directly violate the BiH Law on Protection of Consumers adopted in July last year. Dnevni Avaz pg. 13 ‘750,000 citizens would be paying RTV tax through phone bills in FBiH’ – A day before yesterday, the representatives of the Telekom of Srpska, PBS and RTRS signed a contact on collection of the RTV subscription fee through telephone bills in the entity as of January next year. |