| Radio Herceg-Bosna (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30 hrs) |
| Del Ponte visited Mostar | Carla del Ponte in BiH | Carla del Ponte in BiH | Del Ponte met Hays |
| Del Ponte met PDHR Hays | Law on Trade | Project of BH Steel | Del Ponte visited Mostar |
| Reduced SFOR’s soldiers | Trial of Momcilo Perisic | Succession: Share of gold | Reduced SFOR’s soldiers |
| Iraq developments | Trial of Momcilo Krajisnik | Case of Mirko Norac | Iraq developments |
| Oslobodjenje | BiH got former SFRY gold worth to 16 million dollars |
| Dnevni Avaz | Registration of 15 political parties challenged |
| Dnevni List | CONFIRMED-Del Ponte interested in crimes at Vranica, Grabovica and Uborak |
| Vecernji List | Dragan Covic denies six new indictments: No more Croats in The Hague |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Our elders talked about oil in Dreznica |
| Glas Srpske | Property reinstatement claims Commission: Evictions on makeup test |
| Nezavisne Novine | Dragica Miletic: State cannot protect its property; Transfer of duties between entities’ and state agency for security: OSA starts operating in spring; Carla del Ponte in Bugojno and Mostar: All criminals must be prosecuted; OHR says to Mladen Ivanic: BiH cannot be a hostage of RS |
| Blic | Blue tongue epidemic is threatening; Minister Trkulja as salesman on market; Del Ponte: Time for arresting has come |
Cooperation with the ICTY /PfP | |
| Del Ponte visits Mostar
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘Only generals and senior politicians will be tried in The Hague’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Cases from the Hague to be processed by cantonal courts as well’, Blic, pg. RS1 ‘Time for excuses has passed’ by J. D. mentioned on cover ‘Del Ponte: Time for arresting has come’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 2 ‘All criminals must b prosecuted’; Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘The Hague demanding arrests’ (inset), Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Grabovica in focus of attention’, by Zoran Kresic – Del Ponte for the first time visited Mostar yesterday when she, according to VL, commended the work of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton’s Cantonal Court, which conducts very demanding war crimes trials. Del Ponte did not want to reveal details of her talks with the Mostar Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic respectively, and with the President of the said Court, Mladen Jurisic. Deputy Mayor of Mostar Beslic confirmed that del Ponte was most interested in war crimes cases at Uborak near Mostar, Grabovica and the ‘Vranica’ case. Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Indictments for crimes in Bugojno by end of year’, mentioned on cover, by J. Senda, A. Vlaho, Dnevni List, front and pg 3 ‘CONFIRMED-Del Ponte interested in crimes at Vranica, Grabovica and Uborak’, by Nermin Bise – Del Ponte talked with the President of Cantonal Court in Mostar, Mladen Jurisic, and Prosecutor, Ibro Bulic, for an hour, but none of them wanted to give statements to the media. Regarding talks with Jahic and his associates, DL carries del Ponte as saying that most time was dedicated to the future strategy of the ICTY, noting that more and more cases will be transferred onto the local court in BiH. Mayor Jahic said that the Mostar case could not be closed until destiny of 550 Mostarians, who had gone missing in the war, was revealed. “To be precise, I mentioned the case of 13 people who had gone missing from Vranica building, and apart from prison camps, I mentioned cases in the wider Herzegovina area, 150 killed in Nevesinje, among whom there were 20 children”, said Jahic. DL also says that del Ponte confirmed that the ICTY would complete its work in 2010, and it would only process cases related to senior officials. |
| Del Ponte in Bugojno | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Del Ponte in Bugojno’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘Punish all criminals’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 2 ‘All criminals must b prosecuted’; Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘The Hague demanding arrests’, Blic pg RS1 ‘Protests in Bugojno’, Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Grabovica in focus of attention’, by Zoran Kresic – says that the Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, promised the Croat representatives in Bugojno, led by the President of Municipal Council, Ivica Zelic, that the destiny of 21 executed Croats, who were liquidated by the BiH Army, would be revealed. According to VL, Croat representatives in Bugojno believe that del Ponte’s visit to Bugojno is a direct message that the case will be processed either before the ICTY or BiH Court. Dnevni List, front and pg 3 ‘CONFIRMED-Del Ponte interested in crimes at Vranica, Grabovica and Uborak’, by Nermin Bise – some 200 Croats were carrying banners demanding to know the destiny of 21 Croats, who had gone missing during the conflict between the BiH Army and HVO, whilst on the other hand, the Bosniaks were carrying banners demanding identifying of perpetrators of crimes committed against 56 Bosniak civilians of Vrbanja near Bugojno. Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg ‘Indictments for crimes in Bugojno by end of year’, mentioned on cover, by J. Senda, A. Vlaho – according to SD’s ‘reliable’ sources, in talks with Croat representatives, del Ponte expressed her assurances that several bills of indictments against several Bosniaks would be raised by end of year, and that the truth about the events in Bugojno would be revealed. Del Ponte also met with the Mayor of Bugojno, Mustafa Strukar. |
| PDHR Hays, ICTY’s Del Ponte urge RS to arrest war crime suspects | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘BiH cannot be held hostage by RS’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘The international community cannot arrest war criminals in place of RS’, Blic, pg. RS1 ‘Time for excuses has passed’ by J. D. mentioned on cover ‘Del Ponte: Time for arresting has come’, ONASA – Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays and chief prosecutor of the Hague tribunal (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia – ICTY) Carla Del Ponte assessed Tuesday in Sarajevo that time has expired for excuses and that the Republika Srpska will be judged by the results achieved. OHR’s spokesman Mario Brkic told reporters that Hays and Del Ponte discussed arresting of suspected for war crimes and BiH joining NATO’s Partnership for Peace. Brkic said that only relevant institutions of BiH, in this case the RS, can show decisiveness of BiH to fulfill international duties towards the tribunal. “The international community cannot do in the name of RS,” he added. “BiH cannot be held hostage by the failures of the RS. Those most responsible in the RS leadership will have to be held to account. Measures will need to be taken to ensure that the RS remains focused on meeting its responsibilities until they have detained those indicted by ICTY and handed them to The Hague,” Brkic said. Dnevni List, front and pg 3 ‘CONFIRMED-Del Ponte interested in crimes at Vranica, Grabovica and Uborak’, by Nermin Bise – before going to Bugojno and Mostar, del Ponte met with Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, and Senior Deputy High Representative, Bernard Fassier. Del Ponte was interested in the work of the Srebrenica Commission and possibilities of processing war crimes cases in BiH. In talks with PDHR Hays, a joint conclusion was reached that the authorities in RS should show determination in honouring international obligations towards the ICTY. |
| OHR on arrest of war criminals/possible sanctions against RS | Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘SDA and HDZ at test because of Stolac case’, by Indira Tabucic – an OHR spokesman, Mario Brkic, when questioned whether the RS would face sanctions because of failure to arrest war criminals, which jeopardizes BiH entering the PfP, stated that BiH did not need worse sanctions than the failure to join the PfP. Brkic added that sanctions at disposal of the High Representative are more or less known, stressing that he would not want to comment further what would happen if obligations towards the ICTY were not met. Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘BiH cannot be a hostage of RS failure’ mentioned on cover ‘BiH cannot be a hostage of RS’ carried similar Brkic’s statement on RS obligations towards the ICTY from yesterday’s press conference in Sarajevo. Nezavisne Novine also carries another, but somewhat shorter article on the same issue pg 2 ‘Institutions for cooperation with The Hague need to strengthen’ |
| Kalinic on cooperation with ICTY | Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Cooperation with the Tribunal is an international obligation’ – Dragan Kalinic, RS Parliament Speaker, yesterday in Banja Luka expressed his expectation that RS will fully cooperate with The Hague Tribunal, because it is its international obligation. He did not want to make any comment on Monday talks between RS top leadership and Carla del Ponte, ICTY Chief Prosecutor. |
| Blagojevic on cooperation with ICTY | Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘RS leadership will be penalized over non-cooperation with The Hague’ – Mirko Blagojevic, President of the Executive Board of the SRS “Dr. Vojislav Seselj”, is of the view that the RS leadership, that met with Carla del Ponte, ICTY Chief Prosecutor, on Monday would soon face sanctions over the RS failure to cooperate with The Hague. Blagojevic said: “Del Ponte has shaken the leadership of the RS, which is ready to act upon all of her demands and even to go a step further, which is proved by Visegrad action.” |
| Spiric says BiH will be admitted into PfP in June if RS government arrests Karadzic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Three Dragans against Radovan’ – Nikola Spiric, member of the SNSD Chair Board, in an interview given to SNSD newspaper “Odgovor”, said that if Dragan Kalinic, Dragan Cavic and Dragan Mikerevic arrested Radovan Karadzic, BiH would be admitted into PfP. Spiric also said that the representatives of the international community might be lenient towards this tripartite alliance and say they are not able of performing that. On this Spiric added: “In this case, they would give them (Cavic, Kalinic and Mikerevic) the names of some other people, whom they will have to detain or murder, as they have been doing lately.” He is convinced BiH would be admitted into PfP in June if these conditions were met. He is of the view that: “It is felt that the current authority has a strong will to arrest their ideological leaders. But I am not convinced they would do it, because it seems that the fear is a dominant category and they cannot do it.” He is of the opinion that the arrest of ideological leaders would represent a historical nonsense, although it is not a rare case that a child murders his father. On this he adds: “They are not mature politicians, but patricides.” |
| NN editorial on BiH admission into PfP | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Consequences’ by Josip Blazevic – The author is critical of the most recent statement Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister gave to BHTV 1 News (mentioned above). Blazevic stresses BiH membership into PfP is of extreme importance for the state of BiH, because, “simply put, it offers the best guarantees for permanent peace and stability in the BiH”. |
| Covic says no more Croats in The Hague | Vecernji List, front and pgs 2 and 3 ‘No more Croats in The Hague’, by Zoran Kresic – with regard to yesterday’s media report that 6 HVO officers are likely to be indicted by the ICTY (see yesterday’s Cropress summary), today’s VL carries the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, as saying that no more BiH Croats will be charged by the ICTY Prosecution, nor will they be tried by the ICTY. Covic says: “The six Croat officials (NB: referring to Jadranko Prlic and rest) are the last group of the BiH Croats who have gone to trials at The Hague, everything else is deception and abuse of public. I strongly believe in that”. However, Covic did not want to speculate about how will be processed by the BiH Court’s department in charge of war crimes. |
Defence/military issues | |
| SFOR completes vetting procedure
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Seven generals confirmed’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Five Bosniaks, two Croats met criteria’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘SFOR submitted results of vetting procedure for generals’ positions’ not signed and Vecernji List pg 4 ‘SFOR submitted results’ by f – On Monday SFOR forwarded the results of the process of checking on the candidates for the top military posts in the BiH armed forces to the state Presidency and the Defence Ministries of FBiH and RS. According to the BiH Defence Ministry, the latest vetting process was slightly more favourable than the previous one and the appointment of a total of five Bosniak and two Croat candidates had been approved. |
| BiH parliament’s human rights body says vetting process not transparent | FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Vetting of generals was not carried out transparently’, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘BiH Parliament must have last word during vetting procedure’ by D. Polovina-Mandic, FENA – The Commission for Human Rights, Immigration, Refugees and Asylum of the BiH House of Representatives on Tuesday supported the Bill amending the Law on Ombudsmen for Human Rights in BiH, which was proposed by BiH Presidency. After the session, Commission Chair Elmir Jahic told Fena that participants at the meeting also considered the proposals of conclusions submitted by representatives Seada Palavric, Zlatko Lagumdzija and Milorad Zivkovic in the course of parliamentary discussion on the list of candidates for generals’ posts in the BiH defence institutions. “It is the Commission’s stand that that the vetting processes in the BiH Armed Forces must be carried out in accord with the relevant international and domestic legal acts, such as the Convention on Human Rights, the Roman Road Rules, and the BiH Constitution”, said Jahic. The Commission ascertained that the procedure of vetting the candidates for generals’ posts was not transparent and conducted in accord with the principles of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. “The Commission declared that the legally gained labor rights, as well as the rights to appropriate social status, cannot be denied in the vetting process”, said Jahic. |
| Commission for Defense and Security Policy: BiH Parliament must have last word in vetting procedure | Dnevni List pg 7 ‘BiH Parliament must have last word during vetting procedure’ by D. Polovina-Mandic reports that during its yesterday’s session, the joint Commission for Defence and Security Policy of BiH Parliament should have discussed the issue of the vetting procedure for generals’ positions, however, due to the lack of quorum this item was left for the next session of this body, that is to take place next week. According to Chairman of this Commission Zoran Spasojevic, they were also supposed to discuss competence of the OHR, SFOR and OSCE since MPs concluded that basic human rights such as right on pension, employment etc. are being violated in some cases. |
| RS Army completes re-structuring | Herceg Bosns Radio, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘New organisation of RS Army’; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘In new formation’, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘RS Army introduced new organisational structure’ – The RS Army General Staff yesterday announced that as of yesterday, the VRS (RS Army), within defence reform process, has applied the new organisation and formational structure harmonised with the Army of F BiH, decision of BiH Presidency and average NATO standards. The VRS structure is consisted of General Staff with battalions in command, logistic base, Officers’ Training Centre, 15th Mechanised Brigade and 1st Regiment of the air force and anti-air-force protection. Two divisions have been established to replace the so far Corpses. The procedure for the appointment of the Head of RS Army General Staff is still ongoing. NN also carries a statement by Gostimir Popovic, military and political analyst from RS, who is of the view that as the system and defence force of Serb people, the RS Army no longer exists following the latest reforms. |
Security issues/investigations | |
| BiH state intelligence agency officially takes over duty from entity agencies
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Entities handed authority to the state’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘OSA to start operating next year’; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Under one roof’, ONASA – The State Intelligence and Security Agency (OSA) officially took over on Tuesday the duty from former entity intelligence agencies, read a press release issued by the BiH parliament. The handover ceremony was attended by Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic, newly-appointed Director of the OSA Almir Dzuvo and his deputy Risto Zaric, BiH Minister of Security Barisa Colak, BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic, President of the BiH Parliamentary Intelligence Commission Tomislav Limov and president of the Commission for Reform of Intelligence Service and Special Supervisor of Work of the State Agency, Ambassador Kalman Kocsis. According to Terzic, the law on the OSA and its formation is a proof of the readiness of BiH for achieving of its goal and introducing European standards in all spheres of life by reforms that are underway. He said that the reform of intelligence service should create an efficient and professional intelligence service, under the clear democratic control and without a political pressure. Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Ivan Cosic candidate for position of chief inspector!?’ by M. Relota and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 13 ‘Croat Head of secret agents is being looked for’ by M. Landeka also carry that the BiH Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA) took over duty from entity intelligence agencies yesterday. DL says that according to their unofficial information, former Minister of Interior in Canton 10 Ivan Cosic is possible HDZ candidate for position of the OSA chief inspector. SD speculates that apart from Cosic a possible candidate is also former Head of FOSS Zdravko Jukic. SD also says that the appointment of the OSA principles shows that the work of this agency will not go that smoothly. The article says that OSA Director Amir Dzuvo does not have any experience in this area, while US Ambassador Clifford Bond openly opposed election of Risto Zaric to the position of the OSA Deputy Director since Zaric has been suspected of giving protection to war criminal Radovan Karadzic. SD says that in spite of these accusations the OHR gave consent for Zaric’s appointment. |
| Dnevni Avaz: 300 intelligence officers to lose their jobs?
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘300 intelligence officers to lose their jobs?’ by E. Sarac – According to the daily, the Law on BiH Intelligence Security Agency (OSA) foresees that the process of unification of the entity intelligence agencies has to be completed in 90 days. The entity services employ approximately 1.050 people as the newly-established agency need some 740 officers. This means according to the daily that some 300 intelligence officers might lose their jobs in the course of the process. |
Political developments/education | |
| BiH Election Commission certified 56 political parties, 180 independent candidates for October municipal elections
| Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 2 ‘Registration of 15 political parties challenged’, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ’56 political parties, 180 independent candidates certified’, Blic pg. RS2 ‘Lists were verified’ by J. D.,Vecernji List pg 3 ‘BiH Election Commission verified 56 parties’ by F and Dnevni List pg 5 ‘180 independent candidates at October elections’ by Nina, FENA – Out of the total of 71 applications of political parties for participation in the October Municipal Elections, the BiH Election Commission has certified 56 political parties in the election units for which they fulfill all the conditions, and for those election units where the conditions are not fulfilled, the parties been given a two-day deadline to complete these requirements. The Election Commission did not certify 15 political parties for any election unit due to failure to fulfill the conditions, and has given them a two-day deadline to remove the irregularities (change the party name, remove from the bodies persons sanctioned by OHR and OSCE, meet all the requirements related to signatures of support). Out of the total of 184 applications, 180 independent candidates have been certified. Two candidates gave up on running for the elections, and two candidates were rejected because they are not registered as voters in the election unit they had applied for, the BiH Election Commission announced on Tuesday. Those parties that have to remove sanctioned persons from their bodies include SDA, Party for BiH, SNSD, SPRS and HDZ. |
| Stolac Youth Forum sends letters to COMSFO Packett, SDA | Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘SDA helps Croatization of Stolac’, FENA – The Stolac Youth Forum sent an open letter to SFOR Commander Gen Virgil Packett. “We voice our opposition to the activities of certain parts of SFOR. On several occasions we witnesses unprincipled behaviour by SFOR units stationed in Stolac. We think that even a doubt that certain SFOR units are protecting and guarding illegally erected symbols of crime against Stolac and its people should be a reason enough for your intervention. We expect you to urgently help Stolac citizens in normally exercising their human rights and establishing the rule of law by clearly distancing yourself from what was created by crime and is being maintained by its consequences”, stated the letter. The Stolac Youth Forum has also sent an open letter to the SDA Board in Stolac. “Citizens of Stolac, who have since 1993 suffered various forms of direct and indirect crimes, violations of the human rights and the non-existence of rule of law, have given the majority of their votes to SDA at the last elections. By giving their trust they have made elected representatives in the municipal authorities responsible for removing the consequences of crimes as well as the establishment of human rights and the rule of law in Stolac”, the Forum stated. The Forum added that SDA representatives have done nothing to change this situation and that they have legitimized acts of usurpation of rights by their passivity. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘It would have been better for them to write to HDZ’ – Kemal Isakovic, the SDA Stolac President denied allegations from the Stolac Youth Forum letter saying that the letter should have actually been addressed to the Stolac HDZ. |
| OHR on Stolac | Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Parties manipulated with the issue of Stolac’, Slobodna Dalmacija, back pg, ‘Individuals are manipulating with Stolac issue!’, by F, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘SDA and HDZ at test because of Stolac case’, by Indira Tabucic – an OHR spokesman, Mario Brkic, talking about the situation in Stolac, stated that some people are manipulating with the situation in Stolac in order to set in motion nationalistic feelings prior to forthcoming municipal elections. According to Brkic, Stolac deserves better from its leaders and political parties stressing that if SDA and HDZ wanted to promote the policy of tolerance and European integration, they would have to show it in Stolac. |
| OHR on harmonization of cantonal education laws | Herceg Bosna Radio, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘SDA and HDZ at test because of Stolac case’, by Indira Tabucic – an OHR spokesman, Mario Brkic, stated that the political parties that do not enable the harmonization of cantonal education laws with the law at the State level by Friday, would face sanctions. Brkic noted it was not true that cantonal laws had been harmonized with the State law, noting that it was the case in few cantons only. Brkic explains: “If cantons refuse to do it, they are putting authorities of the State into question”. |
| Vlatko Medjugorac new HDZ BiH Secretary General? | Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Vlatko Medjugorac new HDZ BiH Secretary General’, mentioned on cover, by zk – according to a high-ranked HDZ official, who wanted to stay anonymous, Vlatko Medjugorac will be appointed a new HDZ Secretary General at the next session of the HDZ Central Board that is to take place in Bugojno on June 4. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Succession to former socialist Yugoslavia’s property
| Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘BiH got former SFRY’s gold worth up to 16 million dollars’ by Dk.O., Dnevni List last pg ‘BiH gets 16 million dollars of former Yugoslavia gold’ – Vice-governor of the BiH Central Bank Kemal Kozaric told the daily on Tuesday that by succession to the former socialist Yugoslavia’s (SFRY) property BiH had got 15.5 percent of the monetary gold worth approximately 16 million dollars. Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Countries- successors owners of the property as of today’ also addressed the issue. |
| Mikerevic on Terzic’s statement re Law on Customs Rates | Blic, pg. RS3 ‘Mikerevic: The Government is preparing defence’ by SRNA, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Government prepared defence upon Terzic’s threat’; Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Response on threats’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stated yesterday that the Government has ‘prepared a defence upon the threat of the CoM Chairman, Adnan Terzic’ who has stated he was preparing a diplomatic attack on RS Government because the Law on Changes and Addenda to the Law on Customs Rates of BiH has not been adopted. The Prime Minister has stated he did not know the reason for such a statement but he said the Chairman must understand he ‘can do nothing to RS’. He claims that the proposals in relation to changes and addenda to the Law were opposite to RS interests. Regarding the announced protests of farmers, Mikerevic stated: ‘I really do not understand these people and associations and I think they are acting against general interests of RS farmers’, and he added these people should be asked to explain their motives for the protests. |
| Serb Brod Oil Refinery on implementation of Mrakovica agreement | Blic, pg. RS2 ‘Bureaucrats are hindering sales of petroleum’ by Nedeljka Breberina – The entity Prime Ministers have recently reached an agreement in Mrakovic, in accordance with which they should have found temporary solutions and abolish double taxation of high tariff goods in inter-entity trades. The deadline has passed, yet old Books of Procedures are still in force in RS and the Federation of BiH. ‘They have been assuring us that the agreement will be changed within a month, but this still has not been realized although a month has passed. The culprits for this are the entity governments, CoM and High Representative, who are replacing and abolishing everyone and everything in this state, yet they cannot abolish a common regulation’, the Associate of Serb Brod Refinery Executive Director, Dusko Bogdanovic, has stated. RS Minister of Trades and Tourism, Boris Gaspar, has stated that it is not enough just to abolish the existing regulations in order to avoid double taxation, but it was necessary to change the Law on Taxes and to establish a single account of ITA. ‘RS is interested in abolishing administrative barriers as soon as possible, but it seems as if the Federation is obstructing this’, Gaspar stated. |
| Mladen Micic on inter-entity trades | Blic, pg. RS3 ‘The Federation of BiH imports even what is produced in RS’ by SRNA – The President of the RS Chamber of Commerce, Mladen Micic, yesterday warned that there is four times as much products from the Federation of BiH at RS market than RS products at the Federation of BiH market. It has been concluded at a meeting with representatives of the Federation of Bih Chamber of Commerce that neither RS businessmen nor Federation of BiH businessmen were satisfied with the existing inter-entity trades, which is on the detriment of RS. An appeal was sent during the meeting to businessmen to stop paying fees to BiH Foreign Trades Chamber, with a comment that it is too expensive and was not performing its duties. |
| BiH Public Attorney on state property protection | Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 4 ‘State cannot protect its property’ – In a brief interview to NN, Dragica Miletic, BiH Public Defender, says that four different legal systems govern the property of state of BiH. She stresses there is no unified data base on BiH property. She stresses that the Laws need to be passed, which would protect the state property and determine which level of authority would manage it. |
| RS pensioners leader says they will insist on their demands to be met | Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘They demand full pensions’ – Rade Rakulj, President of the RS Association of P ensioners, says that pensioners do not give up on their demand that RS Government should improve their social status and meet its duties. He said: “The Association Assembly has addressed a request to Government to pass the conclusion, according to which the full pension amounts would be paid out in RS as of 1st July.” As a reminder – RS Government last year promised it would pay out outstanding obligations and pay out four outstanding pensions from 2000 until 1st July this year. Also, Rakulj said that: “It is not excluded that the pensioners would go to Sarajevo in July and protest in front of the Office of Paddy Ashdown. He deprives us of our standard. Ashdown is consciously preventing the resolution of our problem.” |
| Workers of ‘Vitezit’ Company prevent export of products to Croatia | Vecernji List, page 5 ‘Vitezit blocked by explosive’, mentioned on front, by Srecko Stipkovic – Employees of the Vitez-based ‘Vitezit’ Company parked a truck loaded with explosive at the entrance to the company yesterday, preventing the export of armament and military equipment that the FBiH Ministry of Defence arranged at an international tender to the Croatia-based ‘Scoud’ Company. Apparently, the deal is worth 2 million KMs. The employees say they will not allow any kind of deal until the FBiH MoD honors its obligations towards the company, since the company cannot afford to pay electricity bills and the employees’ wages. Manager of ‘Vitezit’, Marijan Skopljak, briefly explains the background: “We have for a long time been claiming from the FBiH MoD 221.897 KMs, and we reached an agreement with Minister Nikolic (Miroslav, FBiH Defence Minister) about it, and there’s minutes about it. However, the debt was never verified by the FBiH Government. We do not know why . On the other hand, we want that our debts to Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna be re-programmed to 120 installments. The Steering Board of Elektroprivreda does not accept that. Moreover, the Government does not give the ‘green light’ to that either, and at the same session it approves the postponement of payment of debts for Elektrobosna of Jajce that owes 20 million KMs. One has to say that the ‘Vitezit’ is the only military industry that is in the Croats’ hands. We cannot work today because our electricity is disconnected“. |
| Farmers’ protests begin on June 10 | Dnevni List pg 7 ‘BiH farmers begin with blockades’, mentioned on cover, by J. Petrovic carries that due to the fact that the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament did not adopt amendments to Law on Customs Tariff, the BiH Association of Farmers decided to start with protests. According to President of this Association Ranko Bakic, farmers will start with the protests on June 10 at a border crossing Gradiska. Bakic added that the protests will be lasting a whole day and all farmers from this area will take part in them. |
| On project ‘Bjelasnica-Igman’ | Dnevni List pg 10 ‘Reconstruction of Olympic facilities in FBiH only’ not signed says that ‘Bosnalijek’ has bought recently a few hotels in Bjelasnica and Igman. DL also says that the project ‘Bjelasnica-Igman’ had been made before and according to this project reconstruction of Olympic sports grounds and hotels in the Federation of BiH was planned, while sports grounds and tourist facilities on Jahorina mountain that belongs to the RS were left out. According to DL, apart from ‘Bosnalijek’ other investors in this project are unknown, however, the one can suppose that the investors are coming from the closest political and economic circles of the authority in Sarajevo and the best proof for this claim is the fact that the state institutions are involved in the promotion of this project. |
| FBiH HoP adopts Law on Trade | Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Salespeople at markets will have to have kiosks’, by Erna Mackic, Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Chinese merchants still without permits’, by Eldina Medunjanin – The House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament yesterday adopted the Law on trade, which was prepared by the FBiH Government. The law apparently regulates majority of issues pertaining to trade. According to the law, among other issues, people who sale clothes and footwear at outdoor markets must have business premises, something like kiosks. “The aim of this is to help the socially most endangered population, in other words the salespeople at markets, by giving them minimal technical requirements which will be registered in the law”, says the Secretary of FBiH Ministry of Trade, Josip Basic. Sarajevo electronic and print media also covered the issue. |