TV news broadcast on
RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
Humphreys presents Kamensko | Serbian media on Mladic surrender | Constitutional changes agreement |
Tihic on constitutional agreement | Stojkovic on hand over of Mladic | New Kamensko border crossing |
Transparency Int. on corruption | Signing of const. changes agreement | RS Govt to file lawsuit against ITA? |
Humphreys visits farmers in SA | Commemoration for Boris Trajkovski | TI on corruption and crime in BiH |
NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
Tihic on HDZ re const. changes | TI on corruption and crime in BiH | Signing of const. changes agreement |
Transparency Int. on corruption | Situation in ‘Sipad Export-Import’ | Transparency International on BiH |
Humphreys presents Kamensko | | Law on RS Special Prosecutor’s Off. |
Ceric on EU Muslims’ declaration | New Kamensko border crossing | Kamensko border cross opened |
Oslobodjenje | BiH expected to keep sending troops to |
Dnevni Avaz | BiH will get 100 billion dollars! (interview with professor Francis Boyle) |
Dnevni List | HDZ will give in (Tihic believes HDZ will not block constitutional changes) |
Vecernji List | Drago Josipovic free as of tomorrow (ICTY convict served jail sentence) |
Nezavisne Novine | Changes in BiH will continue after constitutional reforms (interview with Amb. Rycroft) |
Mladic Arrest, BiH lawsuit v | |
Serbian Justice Minister Stojkovic: Government doing its best to find Mladic
| Pink – By Sanja Nikolic- Serbian Minister of Justice, Zoran Stojkovic, said that responsibility that |
Blic: Mladic under house arrest, to be extradited on Feb 27 or 28
| Pink – According to Serbian newspaper “Danas”, Ratko Mladic, should be in |
Speculations have it Mladic will be arrested in either
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Hayat: Indications that something is happening re Mladic case; no one talks about Karadzic any more
| Hayat – By Senka Hadzovic, from Eagle’ base near Hayat – By Medzida Buljubasic – Presenter stated that Ratko Mladic is just a pawn in the political game of Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica used for preservation of his Government; tool in the negotiations on stats of Kosovo, and the presenter adds that now no one mentions the arrest of Radovan Karadzic. Report features Mladic’s orders given to Serb military groups around |
| FTV – Serbia-Montenegro Assembly Speaker Zoran Sami said that the
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Hayat opinion poll: What will happen to Ratko Mladic?
| Hayat opinion poll: Citizens were asked to comment: Do you believe that Ratko Mladic is arrested, will be arrested, will never be arrested or he will be killed/commit suicide? 22% believe that Mladic is arrested 12% believe that Mladic will be arrested 18% believe that Mladic will never be arrested 48% believe that Mladic will be killed or commit suicide |
BiH representative in lawsuit against
| Hayat – By Senad Hadzifejzovic – In an interview for Centralni Dnevnik (CD), BiH representative in the BiH lawsuit against SiCG, Sakib Softic, stated that the first hearing will start on Monday and that the BIH team is ready because that is something BIH and its citizens have waited for 13 years. Softic noted that BIH and SiCG would have 7 days to present their evidence respectively. “The witnesses’ testimonies start on 17th March ending on 28th March. The hearings should be finished by 9th of May” explained Softic. He added that Drafting Committee should reach a written verdict within next 7 to 10 months. Softic stressed that facts that the ICTY passed the sentence on genocide in BIH and UN passed the resolution on genocide in BIH are not legally biding for International Court of Justice in this case. |
| RTRS – Radoslav Stojanovic, |
Serbian Justice Minister Stojkovic: Charges for genocide cannot stand
| Pink – By Sanja Nikolic- When it comes to BiH lawsuit against |
Professor Boyle: BiH will win lawsuit against
| Dnevni Avaz, front pg splash and pg 5 ‘BiH will get 100 billion dollars!’, by Sead Numenovic – carries an interview with professor Francis Boyle, the man who wrote the BiH lawsuit against |
Constitutional Changes | |
SDA’s Tihic: SDA not entirely happy constitutional talks agreement, however claims agreement is not about ‘cosmetic’ changes, tells SBiH to stop politicizing, HSS calls on Croat parties to withhold support to agreed changes
| BHT – By Mirela Cosic – Agreement on constitutional changes in BiH between 8 BiH political parties is not going to be singed on Sunday. SDA Chair Sulejman Tihic claims that the agreement does not consist of ‘cosmetic’ but crucial changes in 5 relevant areas. Tihic says that SDA is not satisfied with all solutions, especially the one which refers to rotation in the Presidency and entity voting in the BiH House of Representatives. “In order to reach the agreement, 2/3 majority has to be provided in the BiH Parliament, entity majority has also to be provided, as well as the one in the BiH House of Peoples…these are all restrictions Party for BiH and any other party has to bear in mind instead of giving statements similar to a list of wishes”, says Tihic. Party for BiH finds results of constitutional changes talks completely unacceptable. “Instead of promoting the constitutional-legal situation in BiH, we made small corrections”, said Party for BiH Chair Safet Halilovic. HDZ also disagrees; it requests indirect way of electing Presidency members. “If the direct way of electing Presidency members is to remain, then we will ask for BiH to be a single election unit”, said HDZ Spokesperson Miso Relota. “HSS has been introduced with only a part of BiH constitutional changes and we do not support such changes, due to what we are going to call on Croat political parties in BiH not to support such changes”, said HSS Chair Marko Tadic. FTV – carries the bit that agreement will not be signed on Sunday, and Tihic’s statement that changes are not ‘cosmetic’, HSS’ statement. Oslobodjenje, pg 6 ‘Call to HDZ and |
SDA Main Board adopts President Tihic’s report on const. Changes, party unhappy with entity vote in BiH HoR
| Oslobodjenje, pg 6, mentioned on front ‘Constitutional changes harder than peace talks’, by S. Sehercehajic, Dnevni Avaz, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Call to Party for BiH to stop politicizing’, by N. Jamakovic – carry reports from Saturday’s session of SDA Main Board with similar statement by SDA President Sulejman Tihic (see report above). SDA Main Board adopted Tihic’s report regarding constitutional changes talks and suggested to him (Tihic) to advocate, if possible, the abolishment of entity vote, if not in the first phase of talks, then in later phases. (brief reports also in Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘HDZ will give in’, by Erna Mackic, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3 ‘SDA Main Board supported agreement on Constitution’, not signed) |
SDA’s Tihic: We are doing best to sign agreement on Sunday, RS PoWs want agreement to be subjected to public debates in RS
| RTRS – “Sunday is one of possible days to sign agreement on constitutional reforms. At this moment I cannot say whether it will be exactly on Sunday, but we do our best in order to make it happen on Sunday”, said SDA President Sulejman Tihic. RTRS did not manage to get more information on Sunday’s meeting from the US Embassy and UK Embassy. According to the RTRS, there are speculations that HDZ obstructs signing of agreement. HDZ reported that Croats in BiH are supportive about new Constitution in order to open talks on lower level of power after the elections. RS Organization of Prisoners of War warned participants in negotiations on constitutional changes, especially those from RS, that agreement that they will sign on their own cannot proceed to BiH Parliament without compliance of RS National Assembly (RSNS) and public discussion in RS. |
SDA’s Tihic hopes HDZ will sign agreed changes
| Hayat – SDA Leader Sulejman Tihic expressed belief that HDZ would not block the constitutional changes and that it would sign the agreement since the request of HDZ Leader Dragan Covic was met and it will be noted in agreement that this was the first phase of the negotiations followed by the second round after the elections. (similar report by |
VL: Constitutional changes will not be signed on Sunday because of negative reactions to proposals coming from FBiH
| Vecernji List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Tihic’s agreement will not happen on Sunday, by Zoran Kresic – According to VL, the real reason why BiH political parties will not meet and sign the agreement on constitutional changes on Sunday is the barrage of negative reactions in the FBiH to the concessions the SDA leader Sulejman Tihic made to the SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and the Serb side, which include, among others issues, the entity vote in the BiH House of Representatives. Instead, VL announces that the next meeting, which will also be attended by a representative of the US State Department, will happen later next week. VL also notes that the recent constitutional changes talks coincide with election of Dodik’s government (RS Govt), which require SDA’s votes, and alleged agreement between the SDA, SNSD and |
HDZ’s Relota: HDZ will not sign agreement without clause on negotiations on lower levels of authority
| Nezavisne Novine, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Signing of agreement postponed because of HDZ’s request’, by D. Muminovic – Notes that the constitutional changes agreement will not be signed in |
HDZ’s Covic with Austrian Ambassador Almhoffer: EU must not allow cosmetic changes
| Oslobodjenje, pg 6 ‘EU must not allow cosmetic changes’, by Fena, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Covic and Almhoffer’, not signed – HDZ President Dragan Covic met with the Austrian Ambassador to BiH Werner Almhoffer in Mostar (does not state when). According to a statement issued by the HDZ, the two talked about many issues, including the constitutional changes talks. Covic stressed that the EU must not allow that the changes should deal with only state level authorities, because the Croat people advocate enactment of new Constitution of BiH, and opening of talks about lower levels of authority after the 2006 elections. Dnevni Avaz, pg 2 ‘Attempts to eliminate Croats are destined to fail’, by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘HDZ: Croats are for new Constitution’, not signed – HDZ’s statement also says that all attempts to eliminate the smallest people in BiH (Croats) are destined to fail. “BIH must not be turned into a classic civic state, it should be organized as a country of peoples, citizens and national minorities”, reads the statement. |
NN interview with
| Nezavisne Novine, front pg splash and pgs 8-9 ‘Changes in BiH will continue after constitutional reforms’, by Natasa Krsman – carries an interview with the UK Ambassador to BiH, Matthew Rycroft, in which he mostly talks about the constitutional changes in BiH and tasks BiH has to carry out en route to EU. As for the constitutional changes talks, Ambassador Rycroft underlines that the recent results of talks of political parties were not products of pressures by the IC, saying the agreed changes are “adequate for this stage BiH is in when it comes to obligations towards the EU”. In that context, the Ambassador says the road to the EU is long, which will require additional changes that do not necessarily have to be called ‘constitutional changes’. Ambassador Rycroft also reiterated the priorities for |
Journalist Mijovic on constitutional changes: Political elites are bargaining with constitutional changes
| Hayat – By Vlastimir Mijovic – Journalist Mijovic commented on constitutional changes in BIH. He noted that in last four months the BIH “political elite” has been “bargaining” with the constitutional changes Mijovic stressed that “political elite” did less than expected: “So, for their sake, citizens should cheer, expresses thrill and satisfaction regarding the outcome of their political bargain. Please, express satisfaction when you hear that Presidency will not be lead by a Chairman but by a President whose mandate ‘Hooray!’ has been extended to 16 instead of 8 months” ironically stated Mijovic. He ironically noted that some new Terzic will not be “insulted” by the title “Chairman”, instead he will be “proudly” called President. “Nevertheless, when we look around, we cannot but agree with (Sulejman) Tihic, (Zlatko) Lagumdzija, (Milorad) Dodik and (Dragan) Cavic who are urging that this was the step forward. The step forward was indeed made, so meticulously that it resembles no-progress-situation” ironically commented Mijovic. “The real conflict in the soap opera on constitutional changes was never present, they finished what they started. The only difference made is that BIH has lost another chance for progress and that all these so-called victories lead to defeat” concluded Mijovic. |
Reforms | |
General Podzic: BiH Armed Forces will have to fire as many as 2070 troops; BiH to send more troops to | Oslobodjenje, front pg splash and pgs 4-5 ‘BiH expected to keep sending troops to Iraq’, by Antonio Prlenda – carries an interview with the Chief of Joint HQ of BiH Armed Forces, Lt-Gen Sifet Podzic, who, whilst commenting the progress in the defence reform, says that he fears that as many as 2070 troops will have to be fired. Apart from this, general Podzic says the BiH Armed Forces are burdened with too many facilities they have to man, and too much obsolete armament and equipment. Questioned whether BiH Armed Forces would send more troops to Iraq, Podzic explains the BiH Presidency took decision on sending two contingents, however Podzic says that it would appear that the coalition forces (in Iraq) expect BiH to send Additional Two contingent. In that context, Podzic says it is down to the BiH Presdency to decide. |
Judicial Proceedings/Corruption | |
Will RS authorities sue ITA over 37 million KMs?
| BHT – By Boris Gagic – BiH Indirect Taxation Administration (ITA) could face lawsuit, as the RS Government has announced. The Government is going to propose to the RS National Assembly to launch court process against the ITA. The Government claims that only in this way, the RS could be paid out 37 million KMs due to unjust allocation of incomes from ITA’s single account. “In terms of incomes and allocation, decision cannot be taken if the three Finance Ministers disagree. Any other decision is illegal and it violates basic agreement which has been signed”, said RS Finance Minister Svetlana Cenic. OHR did not want to engage in the issue, by saying that BiH ITA Steering Board should deal with it. The Chair of the ITA Steering Board Joly Dixon claims that the RS budget has not been damaged. The Board states that ITA only implements law regulations, brought by the Steering Board. |
Cantonal Prosecution in | FTV – By Salih Brkic – Cantonal Prosecution in |
Transparency International warns of high corruption rate in BiH
| BHT – Transparency international (TI) finds 2005 as a year in which small progress has been achieved in terms of fight against corruption and organized crime in BiH and adds that BiH is one of the lowest developed countries in the world with high criminal rate. TI furthermore states in its report that political elites are engaged in illegal activities and not interested in fighting corruption. FTV – TI praises work of the |
RS PM designate Dodik announces fight against economic crimes in RS
| RTRS – By Mirsad Kebic- RS PM designate Milorad Dodik said that the RSNA would, right after the election of new RS Government, discuss new Law on Special Prosecutor’s Office that will fight crime in RS. Dodik believes that crime rules in RS institutions. “After the election of Government on Tuesday, we will propose Law on Special Prosecutor’s Office”, said Dodik. Dodik said for |
Minister Dokic denies FTV’s report regarding investigations within RAK | FTV – BiH Minister of Transport and Communications, Branko Dokic, denied information published in a report that had been originally broadcast on FTV on February 13th, on activities SIPA carries out in BiH Communication Regulatory Agency (RAK). Dokic said that numerous accusations without arguments were published in the report. Dokic said that on February 13, no FTV journalists contacted him or his cabinet. Dokic added that information on the audit report on RAK being positive was false. Dokic also said that the (BiH) Chief Auditor Milenko Sego denied that the report was positive, in an interview for ‘Nezavisne Novine’, on February 16th. There are rumours going on that positive audit reports are being checked; I have to say that these are nothing but speculations. Audit report on |
Miscellaneous | |
Kamensko border crossing opened, money donated by EC | BHT, |