| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| To Croatia with IDs | World summit in France | UN Mission’s letter | Light earthquake in BL |
| G8 Summit | Visas for Chinese limited | In Croatia with IDs | No passport for Croatia |
| Bush on Iraq weapons | Travel to Croatia with ID | G8 summit | Missing from Ozren |
| Pope’s speech |
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| US-Russia talks |
| Oslobodjenje | Sarajevo special policemen definitely without jobs |
| Dnevni Avaz | Jurcevic seeks for more prosecutors |
| Dnevni List | Days of Matica Hrvatska Mostar ended with Verdi’s La Traviata; High Representative Paddy Ashdown: Nationalism in BiH connected to organised crime |
| Vecernji List | Majority of sold women comes from BiH; Interview with Federation of BiH President: We request abolishment of entities and cantonisation |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia-related headlines only |
| Glas Srpske | Aerial bombs at Petricevac come from German warehouse: They knew and kept silent |
| Nezavisne Novine | Donald Hays, Principle Deputy High Representative: I feel the same problems at telecom operators as in power utilities; BiH authorities have not still commenced with the analysis of the list form USA; BiH Prosecutor’s Office: Milka, Slavisa and Sasa Milakovic are hiding in Belgrade |
| Blic | Police demand increase in salaries and threaten with protests; Milorad Dodik: I have reinforced my security due to threats that I will be killed; Karadzic sent wreath for late Momir Talic; Henry Clarke: There is no space in privatization for habits from socialism |
BiH-International community relations | |
| UN confirmed: Decertified policemen cannot be back on work
| FTV 1930 News on Sunday, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘Sarajevo special policemen without jobs’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Decertified policemen cannot be returned to work’ – UN Mission suggests OHR not to intervene in case of dismissed Sarajevo Canton’s special police officers. OHR demanded from UN Mission assessment of certification of police officers in BiH. In its letter sent to OHR, UN mission claims entire process of certification of police officers in BiH was done in accordance with law. De-certification of 22 members of the Sarajevo Cantonal Support Unit was not mentioned in the letters but that particular case was reason for OHR’s interference. UN Mission claims any change to the certification process would be threat to peace and progress of BiH. Vecernji List pg. 3 By Dejan Jazvic ‘Decxisions of IPTF Commissioner on sacking of police officers’ also reported on the issue. |
| Circle 99 on BiH-US agreement | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna 1800 News on Sunday, BHTV 1 1900 News on Sunday By Vanja Ibrahimbegovic, FTV 1930 News on Sunday By Gordana Antonic, Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Blackmails by America, EU are immoral’, Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘BiH signed a discriminatory agreement with USA’ – Participants in the Association of Independent Intellectuals Circle 99 session on Sunday, Miodrag Zivanovic from Banja Luka and Vehid Sehic from Tuzla, expressed their opposition to the ratification of the agreement between USA and BiH on amnesty of US citizens from jurisdiction of the International Criminal Tribunal (ICC). Participants stressed that the EU opposes this agreement and that it questions the accession of BiH to the EU if this agreement is ratified. Human right non-governmental organisations also expressed their opposition to the ratification of this agreement. “I oppose the signing of this discriminatory agreement. State institutions and the Council of Ministers signed this agreement providing clumsy and hypocritical explanations warning that military and economic assistance to BiH could end”, Zivanovic said. He added that through actions of its authorities BiH is losing the little of what it has left – dignity and the treasure of living, which is a priority according to Zivanovic. Vehid Sehic said that he opposes to participate in something that will bring BiH citizens into a situation where they violate the basic principle of law – equality of all before the law. He reminded that many crimes from the first and the second World Wars remained unpunished. “We who survived the war crimes in BiH do not have the right to amnesty anyone, not even as a favour to our biggest friends, the USA. There is no dilemma for me, BiH citizens should not support current authorities in ratifying this agreement because they are the most responsible for bringing BiH into this “take it or leave it” situation. BiH as a country with no political, military or judicial sovereignty had a million reasons to demand exemption from this agreement from the US Government”, Sehic said. Dnevni List pg. 3 ‘Opposition to ratification of BiH-USA Agreement’ also reported on the issue. |
| BiH authorities keep silent on US list | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 3, ‘BiH authorities have not commenced with the list analysis’ – NN received a confirmation at the BiH Council of Ministers that the BiH institutions have not still undertaken a single step, in regard to the Executive Decree of the USA President, George Bush. The Decree orders the blockade of property of those persons, obstructing the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, violate the UN SC Resolution on Kosovo, Ohrid Agreement on Macedonia and work of The Hague Tribunal. |
| SDA’s Palavric on US list | Nezavisne Novine, page 3, ‘Bakir Alispahic on the list over Pogorelica case’ – Seada Palavric, SDA Vice President, finds Executive Order by US President, George Bush, to be wrong. She believes that Bakir Alispahic, former Police Minister of BiH Republic, was included in the list over the alleged “creation of the terrorist camp at Pogorelica”. She also stresses that the same list should not include the names of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic on one side, and Hasan Cengic , Bakir Alispahic and Senad Sahinpasic Saja on the other, because such act equated them. As for Cengic, Palavric claims that he is one of the biggest democrats in the Balkans. |
| Ashdown for FBiH Radio on BiH-EU relations | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna 1800 News on Sunday, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Close borders for smugglers’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Crime and nationalism are connected, they should be cut’, Nezavisne Novine, page 2, ‘Rule of law, and then abolishment of visas’, Vecernji List front and pg. 3 ‘Majority of sold women comes from BiH’, Dnevni List front and pg. 2 ‘Ashdown: Nationalism in BiH connected to organised crime’, Vecernje Novosti, p 3 ‘They refuse, and he is persistent’ – High Representative Paddy Ashdown said in an interview to FBiH Radio Sunday that he would request European Governments at the EU Summit in Thesalonika this month to list to the BiH delegation demands BiH needs to fulfil in order to move to a visa free regime for its citizens. He said that order first needed to be established within its own house in order to request others to do something, according to FENA news agency. “Whenever I meet Prime Minister Blair, President Cirac and Chancellor Schroeder I ask them why don’t they do something for removing the visa regime for BiH citizens, so that people finally realise the significance of Europe. They tell me: ‘You must be joking’, and add that approx. 60 percent of the sold women we can find in Manchester, Paris or Berlin come from BiH, to be more precise through BiH. Not only in terms of this kind of trafficking, but also in general BiH has become a passageway for various smugglers and immigrants. In fact the entire Balkans have become a corridor for various criminals. How do you them end or relax the visa regime”, the High Representative said. Ashdown said that BiH needs to establish the rule of law, primary within the borders of this country, and then the borders need to be protected even better, not only by a common customs administration. He added that this is the only way for BiH to move closer to Europe. |
| Balkan leaders to discuss European perspective in Ohrid | BHTV 1 1900 News on Sunday By Darko Doslo, RTRS 1930 News on Sunday, Sarajevo dailies – Presidents of Macedonia, BiH, Serbia-Montenegro and Albania will gather in Ohrid Monday to send a clear message to the EU Summit in Thesalonika on the need for integrating West Balkan states into the EU. “The meeting in Ohrid will be an opportunity to express political readiness of countries in the region for co-operation on the common objective of accession to Europe”, spokesperson for the Macedonian President Borjan Jovanovski said. BiH Presidency Chair Borislav Paravac will lead the BiH delegation to take part at the meeting. |
| OHR’s Braithwaite on arrest of Karadzic | Nezavisne Novine, page 2, ‘OHR expects from SDS to co-operate in the arrest of Karadzic’ – The OHR Chief Spokesperson, Julian Braithwaite, yesterday said that the OHR expects from the SDS to fully co-operate in the arrest of the former Republika Srpska President, Radovan Karadzic. He also said that Republika Srpska authorities have not so far done anything to arrest Karadzic. He also said that there would be no justice for all until all war crime suspects are arrested. |
| Economy to be in focus of the second round of talks with the European Commission | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Economy to be in focus of the second round of talks with the European Commission’ – Next Wednesday and Thursday, a delegation of the European Commission will visit Sarajevo for the second round of talks with BiH officials on making the feasibility study for signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with EU. “The second round will mainly be dedicated to the economic issues,” Osman Topcagic, the acting Head of the BiH Directorate for the European Integration, told the newspaper. |
Economic affairs | |
| International Community Meet to Discuss Clean-Up of Elektroprivredas
| BHTV 1 1900 News on Sunday By Mirela Cosic, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Talks to improve situation in BiH Elektroprivredas’, Nezavisne Novine, page 6, ‘Discussion on clean-up at Elektroprivredas at OHR today’, Dnevni List pg. 3 ‘Solving the issue of big losses in elektroprivredas’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg. 18 ‘Government’s measures in healing losses of elektroprivredas’ – BiH Authorities – Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, together with the Entity energy ministers and representatives of the three Elektroprivredas, will meet representatives of the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, USAID, the European Commission and the Special Auditor’s Office, at the OHR. The meeting will be chaired by PDHR Donald Hays and it will focus on the steps that have been taken by the Entity governments and by the Elektroprivredas themselves to address the huge loss of public money at the Elektroprivredas identified in the Special Auditor’s reports, according to a media advisory issued by OHR on Sunday. |
| NN interview with PDHR Hays | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 5, ‘Audits at telekom operators upon the recipe of power utilities’ – In an interview to NN, Donald Hays, PDHR, said that there are sufficient evidence for the BiH citizens on the USA list that they assist the war crime suspects to such an extent that their property should be blocked and visas not issued for this state. However, according to PDHR, there is still no sufficient evidence for their detention. He further stated that it is hard to prove money laundering in such cases and compile enough evidence for the court processing, because the money changes three banks in one day and ends up in some foreign bank. On establishment of the single customs administration, he said that Joly Dixon informed him that the authorities have reached a consensus in regard to the unification of the customs administrations. Moreover, this process of unification is to commence in July. As on Bulldozer activities, he expressed opinion that 15 firms in BiH will be immediately ready for privatisation. As on audits at BiH telecom operators, he said he did not see the audit reports, but instinct tells him that many similar or even worse problems than were detected at power utilities would be disclosed. |
| Naphtha 2003 action
| Nezavisne Novine, page 5, ‘Fuel of KM 480 thousand worth confiscated’ – Within the action in Republika Srpska called “Naphtha 2003”, the total fuel of KM 480 thousand worth has been confiscated so far. According to information received at the Republika Srpska Ministry of Trade and Tourism, Republika Srpska Trade Inspection has so far detected seven illegal devices for the fuel pouring. |
| Construction of “Mostarsko Blato” power plant | Dnevni List (page 13, by F, “Project ‘Mostarsko blato’ still on ice”) – despite announcements by the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, from April this year that the construction of the “Mostarsko blato” hydro-power plant would start by end of 2003, a report in DL suggests it is unlikely to happen. According to the leader of the “Mostarsko blato” project, Dragan Milicevic, the Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna (EP HZ HB) has transparently prepared all the necessary documentation including the feasibility study. Moreover, Milicevic notes the biggest problem is lack of funds, some 130 million KMs, and lack of support from the relevant State institutions. Further problem, according to EP HZ HB’s Director of Production, Ivica Cule, is the fact that the special auditor’s report on the work of EP HZ HB from March this year forbids all activities related to the “Mostarsko blato” project. Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘OHR’s auditor stopped construction of the power plant’ also covered the issue. |
| BiH companies want to participate in reconstruction of Iraq | Vecernji List (page 4, by Renata Radic, “Many bh companies want to reconstruct and work in Iraq”) – an article on reconstruction process in Iraq which is under the “Bechtel” company of US. VL carries a statement by the Director of sector for development of new jobs of the “Hidrogradnja” Company of Sarajevo, which is also interested in the reconstruction, Ms. Silvana Maric, who participated in “Bechtel’s” conferences on reconstruction of Iraq. Maric says the competition is fierce and that some 4500 companies from the whole world are gunning for the jobs. |
Political developments | |
| VL on relations within BiH Presidency
| Saying that conflicts within BiH Presidency during the times when Mirko Sarovic was the Serb member of the body were nicely disguised, and that this is not the case with Borislav Paravac, Vecernji List pg. 2 By Eldina Medunjanin says that the Bosniak member of the Presidency Sulejman Tihic will not accept to ignore problems and differences that are evident within the body any more. “Paravac and I obviously see BiH differently. For me, it is a state, and for him it is an union of entities, and this was evident at the latest meeting of the Presidency. But, I have no intention to run away from the problem or ignore it,” says Tihic. |
| VL: Interview with FBiH President Lozancic | Vecernji List front and pg. 5 ‘We request abolishment of entities and cantonisation’ By Milan Sutalo – Interview with President of Federation of BiH Niko Lozancic. VL: Former HDZ leadership advocated for establishment of BiH as a federation of three republics, three entities. Is it true that the current party’s leadership advocates for abolishment of the entities and cantonisation of the state? Lozancic: “I think that organisational set-up of BiH without entities is much more rational, much more functional. That is because , at the moment, we have three entities in BiH and institutions of authority are having difficulties in functioning. A cantonised BiH, with collective rights protected at the State level, is a more quality solution for all three peoples and prosperity of all peoples and areas in BiH. HDZ and SDA cannot appoint a Government in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton for 7-8 months already.” On status of Mostar: ”(…) The HDZ’s position is that Mostar and other cities should be organized in accordance with uniform principles that ensure functionality of institutions to the benefit of people living in the area. If we do not have an inhabited place in BiH that is organized like Mostar, I do not think Mostar should be organized the way it is now”, said Lozancic adding that Mostar should be organized as one municipality. |
| Interview with Deputy Speaker of BiH HoR Raguz | In his interview for Dnevni list (front page & p 5, “BiH Constitution should be changed”, by Ivica Glibusic), Martin Raguz, the Deputy Speaker of BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, speaks of a number of issues concerning relations with the Republic of Croatia. Speaking of the Agreement on Ploce Port, he says one should work on it as the BiH interest is for the Agreement to be applied and not to have status quo, adding there is a consensus of the BiH’s Foreign Policy Board and domestic political forces on the issue. As for the policy of crossing the border between Croatia and BiH with IDs only, Raguz believes it will be known this autumn if it is realistic to expect that this practice be extended to entire year. With regard to the issue of agreement on double citizenship with Croatia, Raguz says it is up to every country’s national legislation, adding Croatia has settled the issue through its Election Law but speeding the process up will not take place immediately due to forthcoming elections in Croatia. Speaking of initiatives for changing the BiH Constitution, he says this is a complex and unavoidable issue adding a view is growing in the Parliament that structural reforms are needed in this field also. Raguz finds the current BiH Constitution is neither functional nor harmonized with European criteria and standards. Answering the question on the fact the High Representative passes nearly all the key laws, Raguz says that unless BiH is independent in making decisions and passing laws, it will hardly meet fundamental European norms. |
| BiH Minister for Refugees Kebo on situation in Herzegovina | Dnevni List (front and page 7, by Vesna Leto, “People cannot live of good laws that are not implemented”) – an interview with the BiH Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, Mirsad Kebo, who talks about the situation in Herzegovina. Minister Kebo, who visited Herzegovina last week, stresses the economic situation. “Mostar is dominated, foremost, by a very bad, catastrophic economic situation. The situation does not only reflect the return but also the life in the city (…) It is high time to put an end to situation in Mostar and implement elections results”, says Kebo. Talking about the situation in Stolac where he had talks with the Head of Municipality, Minister Kebo says: “Stolac is much better than it was. I must say I carry positive impressions from Stolac. People are the factor that will find a solution. I pledge full support to the leadership of the municipality”, said Kebo. |
| DL’s editorial: “What’s left of democracy” | Dnevni List (page 6) – an editorial signed by Jadranko Prlic on decreasing interest of BiH citizens for elections in which the author says the voters are feeling they could not influence the changes. Prlic says given the role of international organizations and embassies in BiH, “it becomes evident that not much is left to domestic institutions of authority. Since they are not competent to carry out those duties too, the OHR has almost entirely taken over the competence of elected bodies. In such a situation, the politics and elections lose meaning. Elections were held more because of the OSCE’s efforts to extend the mandate of its own mission rather than strengthen democracy in current situation”, says Prlic. |
Judicial reform | |
| Jurcevic says current number of prosecutors insufficient | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 5 ‘Jurcevic seeks for more prosecutors’ – The Chief BiH Prosecutor, Marinko Jurcevic, has sent a letter to the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council requesting for a possibility of appointment of more prosecutors bearing in mind that existing number of five people is not enough. “Matters we are resolving are extremely complicated and the new ones are constantly coming,” Jurcevic said in an interview with the newspaper. |
Other issues | |
| Petricevac aerial bombs
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘They knew and kept silent about it’ – Aerial bombs, which were last weed recovered from the grounds in the area around Petricevac monastery, where John Paul II is to hold a holy mass on 22 June, were from the German warehouse during World War II. 21 bombs were of 50 kg weight each. The fact is that the warehouse of the German occupying force was located at this location. After Banja Luka was liberated on 22 April 1945, the partisans found the warehouse, removed fuses from the bombs are buried them in the grounds, where they stayed until the last week. The fact is that it was well known that bombs were buried at Petricevac, but the question is why nobody said anything about it. |
| Disputes on Petricevac | Glas Srpske, page 3, “Silence is a big sin’ – Milan Bulajic, President of the Foundation for the genocide analysis, yesterday expressed a disbelief and embiterness over the fact that nobody has so far officially condemned the intention of John Paul II to start his visit to Republika Srpska with the holy mass and beatification of Ivan Merc at Petricevac monastery, where the ustaches committed a genocide against Serbs during World War II. He reminded that heading from the Petricevac monastery, ustaches, led by the Franciscan priest Vjekoslav Filipovic, committed a massacre against 2730 Serb civilians (including 500 children) in the villages of Drakulic, Sargovac and Motike on 7th February 1942 in only ten hours. According to Bulajic, Pope twice visited Croatia, but not a single visit included the visit to Jasenovac. He also stresses that noone has ever conveyed apologies to the victims of genocide, in which the representatives of the Catholic Church participated. Friar Filipovic, who was the first one to slaughter the Serb school-girl Radojka Glamocanin in front of her teacher and school friends later on became the supervisor of the Jasenovac concentration camp known as Friar Satan. This protest of his was sent to Republika Srpska Documentation Centre, International Commission for Jasenovac, Visenthal Centre for war crimes in Jerusalem and Holy Archbishop Parliament of Serb Orthodox Church. Only the president of the International Commission for Jasenovac, Bernard Klein, responded to him, stressing that Pope made few similar gestures, which should be condemned. He noted that it is necessary to hold an international conference on the role of Vatican and Pope in the crimes of genocide and covering of those crimes. |
| Update to Milakovic case | Nezavisne Novine, pages 1 & 5, ‘Milakovic to be arrested in Serbia’ – Bozo Mihajlovic, BiH Public Prosecutor in charge of Milakovic case, confirmed to NN that the police has informed BiH Prosecutor’s Office that three members of Milakovic family, Milka, Slavisa and Sasa, are residing near Belgrade. He added that Serbian police is currently acting upon the international arrest warrant. Moreover, the State Prosecutor’s Office or Interior Ministry will seek their extradition afterwards. |
| General Talic buried | Glas Srpske, page 3, ‘A giant murdered by injustice’; Nezavisne Novine, page 4, ‘General Momir Talic buried’, Blic, pg. 6 ‘Karadzic too had sent a wreath’ – The former Head of the Republika Srpska Army General Staff, General Momir Talic, was buried on Saturday with all military honours at the family cemetery in Piskavica near Banja Luka. According to NN, the funeral was attended by: Zivko Radisic, Milorad Dodik, Petar Djokic, Dragoljub Davidovic, Slobodan Gavranovic and Cvjetko Savic. |
| The RS police dissatisfied with postponement of the budget rebalance | Blic, pg. 7, ‘Five years without a raise in salaries’ – The representative of the Trade Union of the employees of the RS Ministry of Interior, Anica Jondic, stated that the RS police are deeply disappointed with the fact that the budget rebalance was taken off the agenda. She stated that they “did not expect this would solve their problems, but they were disappointed because Prime Minister Mikerevic had promised to them that the police will have a significant place in the budget rebalance”. She pointed out that the police employees would apply other forms of protests and boycotts since they are not allowed to go on strike, as in accordance with the laws. |
| Banja Luka Red Cross Office dissatisfied with the Law on donations of public owned firms | Blic, pg. 9, ‘Ashdown “chased away” donors’ – Banja Luka Town Organization of the Red Cross will start an initiative for changes to the Law on donations of public owned firms, brought by High Representative Paddy Ashdown on April 10 this year. The secretary of Banja Luka Red Cross Office, Miroslav Vesic, stated that this Law banns public owned firms from making donations, which affects already limited finances of the Red Cross. |