Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 26 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Vlasic mtg behind closed doors | 18 children injured in bus accident | Vlasic mtg resumes |
| Rehn on BiH starting SAA talks | Bank robbery attempt | Danilo Maljukan released |
| | Vlasic talks on police reform | Pavkovic to enter plea on 28 April |
TV news broadcast on 25 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Meeting on Vlasic | BiH HoP in session | Meeting on Vlasic/police reform |
| BIH HoP in session | Vlasic meeting | Boycott of the cooperation with HR |
| Institute for missing persons | EUFOR and NATO search action | Terzic on ICTY suspects |
| Paravac met with | BiH Missing Persons Institute | Missing Persons Institute in BiH |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Vlasic meeting commenced | Meeting on Vlasic/police reform | Rehn on SAA |
| NATO and EUFOR inspect Maljukan | Olli Rehn on police reform | Vlasic meeting commenced |
| Regional News | Lukac candidate for SIPA Director | RS police arrested Maljukan |
| Regional News | HoP adopted the resolution | PSC Bijeljina found weapon |
| Oslobodjenje | End of May – new chance for BiH |
| Dnevni Avaz | Negotiations on edge of being interrupted |
| Dnevni List | Police reform accepted |
| Vecernji List | Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | ‘Stampedo of maniacs’ (incidents after football match in Mostar) |
| Glas Srpske | He murdered his father |
| Nezavisne Novine | Zeljko Maljukan detained and then released |
| Blic | Arms and forged money seized |
| Vecernje novosti | Serbian related topics |
| Srpski Nacional | Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Dodik: Police reform issues will have to be returned to RS Govt/RSNA for reconsideration
| BH Radio 1 by Vanja Ilicic – Talks on police reform continued on Vlasic today. Since the leaders of 11 parliamentary political parties yesterday accepted EU principles as a framework for talks they have not moved any further from that position. According to participants, the first day went in a sort of preparing the terrain and the hard negotiating job is expected to start being done only today. The international representatives headed by HR Paddy Ashdown are trying to bring opposite positions of politicians from two BiH entities closer. SNSD leader Milorad Dodik confirmed to journalists this morning that the basic problem was related to the future status of RS police. According to Dodik, the entire issue will have to be returned to RS Government and RS National Assembly for reconsideration. SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija, who left the talks this morning due to earlier scheduled obligations, said that nothing had been agreed until everything is agreed upon. Other SDP BiH representatives stayed on Vlasic. |
| Lagumdzija: If three ruling parties agree on police reform with HR, SDP will support it
| RTRS – In a statement to the press, Zlatko Lagumdzija stressed that if three ruling political parties in BiH (SDS, SDA and HDZ), together with HR, agree on police reform, SDP will support and accept their stance, even if such is to go under minimum requirement of his party. If they are not capable of reaching an agreement, SDS, SDA and HDZ should inform the BiH public that reforms have failed, and they should leave the political scene of BiH sooner the better. He also expressed expectation that talks on police reform would reach agreement. He is of the view, BiH should have efficient police to fight organised crime and that would be serving all its citizens. Lagumdzija denied speculation there was no positive progress made on police talks. However, RTRS learns from unofficial sources that the participants are still at the beginning of talks, having failed so far to agree on legal framework. |
| Police releases Maljukan after interrogation | RTRS – Danilo Maljukan, in whose house EUFOR and NATO Monday detected a large quantity of arms and ammunition, was released from police after interrogation. East Sarajevo PSC announced Maljukan was arrested on suspicion of having committed a criminal act of illegal production and trade in arms and explosive devices. |
Vlasic talks / police reform | |
| Vlasic mtg participants agree on 3 EC principles, but interpret them differently
| RHB, PINK, FTV, RTRS, Hayat, BHT1, Oslobodjenje pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘All in favor of European principles, but they interpret them differently’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘Coordinated statement’, Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown’ by M. Relota, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Budget changes the address’ by N.Diklic, Dnevni Listcover pg splash ‘Police reform accepted’ and pgs 2 and 3 ‘BiH Police according to European model’ by NINA, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Talk on legal framework of police’ by B. Kristo – Talks between eleven leading parliamentary parties on police reform in BiH started at Vlasic on Monday morning. The meeting is also participated by the representatives of the international community and the Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers. The joint statement by delegates negotiating refor released by the OHR reads that the Head of the European Commission Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys reminded participants of the three EU principles for police reform [. At the request of the High Representative to state their positions concerning these principles, leaders of the eleven political parties confirmed that they accept the principles as a framework to work within, but also stated that there also other possible interpretations. The debate during the day focused on the legal framework and the single budget for the work of the police in BiH. |
| OHR: no statements to media until the end of negotiations
| RHB, PINK – OHR Spokesperson RTRS – Asked by the OHR banned any contact with the press, spokesperson |
| Media report no change of political stances were made after day 1
| Oslobodjenje pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘All in favor of European principles, but they interpret them differently’ by A.O. Az.K. – The negotiations on police reform were continued on Monday but without concrete results. “Everybody accepts the three key principles, but at the same time they interpret them differently,” stated one of the participants for daily. Its collocutors announce “long difficult negotiations which would last for days certainly.” Hayat also reported that no stances were changed after the first day of negotiations. RTRS by Gordana Cimesa – RTRS reporter commented that HR Paddy Ashdown evaluated this meeting as “historical” further adding: “We should believe him, since either OHR is careful giving official statements, or, as many unofficial sources claim, everything had been predetermined and prearranged before the actual meeting”. |
| DA: Negotiations on edge of being interrupted
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Negotiations on edge of being interrupted’, pg 2 ‘Cavic not giving up on RSNA conclusions’ by E. Sarac – DA learns that at the first day of the negotiations on police reform none of the parties even slightly changed it stances on the issue. It further notes that the first seven hours of the discussion there were several moments when some of the participants threatened they would leave, thus the IC reps have decided to continue with ‘bilateral’ meetings with parties leaders after the bear in order to ensure reaching any kind of deal. According to DA, RS delegation lead by Dragan Cavic is not showing any intention of giving up any of the RS National Assembly’s conclusions regarding police [which stipulates existence of RS MoI, and entities’ control over work and financing]. “The only dose of flexibility was shown only by Milorad Dodik, SNSD leader, and as day was passing by, leader of SPRS Petar Djokic was getting softer,” reads the article. According to unofficial information, if the agreement on police is not reached today [Tuesday], the HR Paddy Ashdown would instruct 11 political reps to stay at Vlasic until further. At the same time, other information show that there is a possibility to stop the negotiations because of stance of Cavic’s delegation, and that eventual continuance could follow after RSNA approves it. DA concludes that this option is more likely to happen. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Police controls the space within a KM radius around hotel’ by E.S. – descriptive feature on tight security measures around the hotel. |
| Media speculate on stances of RS side: announcements of walk out
| FTV – FTV unofficially learned that the negotiations practically have not even started before some leaders of RS political parties announced that they would leave the meeting if they will be exposed to pressures to accept the solutions on police reform. RTRS by Gordana Cimesa – RTRS unofficial learns that all offered solutions at meeting were unacceptable for RS side. RTRS obtained the information on alleged threats posed by certain participants at the meeting that they would walk out of the talks and reveal to media all that was demanded from RS. Representatives of Bosniak caucus were not pleased with the guarantee for preserving the existence of the entity. PINK, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Unity at Vlasic’, Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown’ by M. Relota– According to SRNA, leaders of all RS parties participating in the meeting are determined that RS Ministry of Interior must remain with all its constitutional authorities. Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14, mentioned on cover ‘Politicians ‘closed’ for 3 days’ by A. Macanovic carries that a working dinner under patronage of the HR took place on Vlasic on Sunday evening and most RS politicians expressed reserve towards the announced proposals for the police reform. |
| Ivanic: PDP plays no big role; Colak: No serious objections; Tihic: 5 regions better; Lagumdzija: state control necessary; Dodik: Politicians should’ve discuss police before PRC
| BHT 1 by Zoran Sarenac – BHT 1 carried several comments of the Vlasic negotiation’s participants without specifying whether the statements were taken before or after commencement of the session. BiH Foreign Minister and PDP official, Mladen Ivanic stated that his party cannot do much about the outcome of the negotiations. “Objectively speaking, when it comes to RS, it’s up to SNSD and SDS to decide”, said Ivanic. “You know that we did not have serious objections about the proposed police reform process”, said HDZ President Barisa Colak. “Five regions would be better, nine plus one is not in consistence with the standards we want to meet”, said BiH Presidency member and SDA President Sulejman Tihic. “BiH Police must have authority at the state level, just as police forces in neighbouring countries have”, said SDP President Zlatko Lagumdzija. “This is something that state institutions should do, and not the political leaders”, said SNSD President Milorad Dodik adding that these talks should have been carried out before the Police Reform Commission had started working not after. Although participants at this meeting agreed not to communicate with the media, one unofficial source told BHT that the negotiations are difficult, but the final agreement is possible. Hayat by Denis Zaimovic –When asked by reporter if there was a progress in the discussion, Ivanic responded: “I’m afraid that here we have a lot of exclusiveness” without further explanation. Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14, mentioned on cover ‘Politicians ‘closed’ for 3 days’ by A. Macanovic – In addition to Ivanic, Dodik and Tihic, SD also carries Marko Pavic form DNS as saying that his party’s stand is to respect BiH Constitution and the DPA. RTRS also carried Dodik, Lagumdzija; Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown’ by M. Relota – carries Terzic and Colak; |
| FBiH parties not reached to compromise on EU standards
| Dnevni Listcover pg splash ‘Police reform accepted’ and pgs 2 and 3 ‘BiH Police according to European model’ by NINA, inset ‘Opposite stands on result of talks’ carries statements of HDZ President Barisa Colak stated that he is not too optimistic and added: ‘A compromise solution, which will be efficient and based on European principles and standards, should be reached.’ NHI President Kresimir Zubak stated: ‘As far as I am concerned there is no the compromise solution when this kind of issues are in question. Possibly, it can be discussed whether proposed regions are an optimal solution.’ President of the SBiH Presidency Safet Halilovic stated: ‘These negotiations are like weather forecast. Weather forecast is bad, however, if the conditions improve it might happen that the project of the unified police succeeds.’ |
| Terzic: This is not discussion on police only, but on whether BiH should joint EU or not
| FTV Nadja Ridzic – The Chair of the BiH Council of Minister, Adnan Terzic, who arrived at the Hotel on Monday afternoon, stated that this meeting could have major influence on BiH’s European future. “I don’t see this meeting as a consultation about how our police should look like. I see it as the discussion on whether BiH should join the European processes or not”, said Terzic. “We don’t have to agree on the police regions; it is not European standard, and every country defines its own appropriate police regions. But we must agree on these three basic BiH Police reform principles – that’s the minimum”, added Terzic. Hayat by Denis Zaimovic – In a statement to media, Terzic expressed hopes that participants would agree on the key principles and that these 11 political subjects will choose to make agreement in order to start the negotiation on Stabilization and Accession Agreement (SAA). “I am really interested in the opinion of these 11 political subjects” said Terzic. BHT 1, PINK – Addressing the delegates of the BiH House of Peoples at the session on Monday, Terzic said BiH has a chance to get European Commission permission to begin the SAA until the end of May 2005. “We have a chance, but it’s up to the political leaders currently on Vlasic mountain if we are going to make use of it”, said Terzic. |
| FTV ’60 minutes’ claims Ashdown’s goal is to preserve RS MoI
| FTV ’60 minutes’ current affairs program by Bakir Hadziomerovic – The host comments that HR Paddy Ashdown has decided, under pressure from the Serb nationalists, to save the RS Interior Ministry. Hadziomerovic says that it is already clear that the “ridiculous gathering” of local politicians in Vlasic has only one goal – to save RS police. However, he claims that none of the three proposals prepared by the Police Restructuring Commission included the preservation of entities’ MoIs. |
| RTRS ‘Pecat’ comments IC/FBiH stances almost identical while RS parties divided
| RTRS ‘Pecat’ current affairs programme by Biljana Knezevic– Reporter characterises the gathering in Vlasic as continuance of the ‘diplomatic seize’ [referring to months long lobbying by the IC] with unseen security measures. Noting that diplomatic efforts regarding police reform have not yet resulted with the expected agreement, RTRS estimates that for the reason where there was no political will to solve the issue at the beginning negotiations are expected to be long and ‘painful’. Reporter also notes that RS opposition is drifting apart and claim they have not been much consulted in these circumstances [refers to Petar Djokic’s statement that the largest responsibility is with ruling parties, not opposition]. “While division between opposition and position is visible among RS politicians, FBiH delegation has come to Vlasic with clear and identical stands. Their and international reformers’ stories are different only by shades, but the purpose is the same- state police, state budget and erasing of entities’ lines,” says the report concluding that the police reform could be of mutual help for all side as long as the mutual understanding is not left out. |
| IFIMES: Participants to boycott OHR as long as Ashdown is HR; Parties deny allegations
| RHB, Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown’ by M. Relota, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘IFIMES: talks on boycotting of Ashdown’ not signed- Referring to the Vlasic talks on police reform which gathered leaders of 11 political parties, according to the Ljubljana-based IFIMES institute claims to have at its disposal data that at the mentioned meeting a part of the representatives of political parties will talk about an eventual joint boycott of the cooperation with the HR Paddy Ashdown as long as he is on the top of OHR. BHT 1 by Sanita Lisica – “Our analysts have such information, but that does not mean that it will happen immediately”, said IFIMES President Bahtijar Aljaf in a statement to BHT. According to the reporter, SDA and SDP will not boycott the cooperation with the HR, although SDP will not accept the compromise on the police reform process. “Out relations with the HR are not great, but since this is the European Commission proposal, we do not have the reason to boycott the police reform process”, said SDP member Alija Behmen. Alternative HR in BiH Josip Pejakovic stated he supports Ashdown’s efforts regarding police reform. “Without the change of the police organization there will be no prosperity in BiH”, added Pejakovic. Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘BiH needs police everybody will trust’ by Fena – also carries Pejakovic. |
| EU Enlargement Comm. Rehn: Police reform another big challenge | FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Rehn: I hope May check will be the last for BiH’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘BiH steadily progressing towards EU’ by N.N., Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Part of political parties prepare boycott of Ashdown’ by M. Relota, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Police reform another big challenge’ by zeda – BiH is making steady progress and that progress will be evaluated at the meeting of the Consultative Task Force scheduled for May, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Monday. Speaking after the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council Rehn said that this will be the final evaluation. “We think that significant progress has been made in cooperation with the ICTY, however, efforts need to be continued in order to achieve full cooperation”, Rehn said. He thinks that police reform in BiH is another major challenge and that it is important to achieve parliamentary consensus and reach a decision on that issue in order for a conclusion to be made that significant progress has been made on the issue of police reform as well. “If the necessary conditions are met in the next several week I am confident that I will be able to recommend the start of talks on the SAA with BiH, but BiH is responsible for making the final efforts to make the next step in its relations with the EU”, Commissioner Rehn said. |
Political issues | |
| BiH HoP adopts resolution on Feasibility Study
| RHB, FTV, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Resolution on conditions from Feasibility Study adopted’ by Agencies, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Faster to Europe’, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Terzic hopes that negotiations will take place this autumn’ by HINA, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘We have met 95 % prerequisites from Feasibility Study’ by eme, Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘End of May and beginning of autumn – new chance for BiH’ V. Zivak, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Institution of BiH Ombudsman facing collapse/abolition’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Institution of BiH Ombudsman facing collapse/abolition’ – Presenting the report on realization of conditions set by the Feasibility Study presented to delegates of the BiH House of Peoples, the CoM Chair Adnan Terzic said that BiH has a chance to receive concordance for beginning of the negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement in late May, and to launch them in fall. The HoP adopted the resolution confirming that BiH’s membership in the EU is the country’s strategic goal. It also fully supported the CoM in meeting the conditions defined by the Feasibility Study urging all institutions and authority levels in BiH to cooperate in fulfilling the remaining conditions and indicating the necessity of establishing the institutions defined by the Feasibility Study. |
| Terzic: 95% of conditions set Feasibility Study implemented
| PINK – “I’m glad that BiH House of Peoples saw the importance of this subject and, unlike BiH House of Representatives, adopted a resolution that clearly supports CoM and encourages all political subjects in BiH to try to reach a consensus and accomplish this part of EU road by May 19th, …when we expect to get the green light for the start of [SAA] negotiations.” said Adnan Terzic addressing the HoP delegates. He added that BiH has already fulfilled 95% of conditions from the Feasibility Study and that now all depends on results of Vlasic meeting and a consensus on Law on PBS. He also emphasized that the cooperation with ICTY no longer presents an obstacle. However, the cooperation with ICTY would have to continue until all war crime suspects are arrested. RTRS – Terzic said that BIH accomplished 100 requirements of the Feasibility Study out of 110 in which 46 laws are included. He added that the start of SAA negotiations will be a guideline how to reform the role of OHR in BIH. [Terzic statement on 95% being met was also reported by all abovementioned media that carried the report on HoP session] |
| DL: ‘Croats to get TV centre in Mostar’
| Dnevni List, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘Croats to get TV centre in Mostar’, by Ivica Glibusic – According to information DL received from a source close to international circles, the Croats in BiH will be offered a compromise when it comes to the issue of public broadcasting. According to that offer, a technical TV centre would be established in Mostar, parallel to the existing ones in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. That TV and Radio centre would be used for preparing and making of programming in the Croatian language, which would be broadcast via the state TV channel. After the initial phase, one third of the programming for the state channel would be prepared in Mostar. DL says it is unclear whether the Croats would agree to this. |
| Jukic says agreement on PBS law in next 20 days
| BHT 1 – The BiH House of Peoples’ Speaker Velimir Jukic believes that the agreement on the PBS law, which is one of the preconditions set under the Feasibility Study, could be reached in next few weeks, “So far, proposed solution is not acceptable for the most of the Croat representatives, but I believe that it will change in next – let’s say, twenty days”, added Jukic. Hayat – HoP delegate, Tomislav Limov, said the draft law on PBS is still in the parliamentary procedure due to incapability of parliamentarians to decide what are the priorities of this country. “Politicisation of the law indicates the indifference towards the admission to EU,” stated Adnan Terzic addressing the HoP delegates. |
| Croat Associations of Journalists demand TV channel in Croatian language
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 14 ‘We are demanding TV channel in Croatian language’ by Z. Zekic – With regard to the proposal of the Law on Public RTV System, the Association of Croat Journalists and Independent Trade Union of Journalists issued a press release demanding channel in Croatian language within the public RTV system. They also protested over the fact neither of them were consulted in the discussion on the aforementioned issue. |
| Jurkic accusing IC representatives for ‘culturocide’ over Croats
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘ ‘Culturocide’ over Croats’ not signed carries that Stjepan Jurkic, who initiated signing of the petition for establishment of a Croat TV channel in BiH, issued a press release which, among the other things, says: ‘Some representatives of the International Community in tragically hypocritical and irrational way, which is, first of all, illegal and illegitimate, are intending to impose embargo on a TV channel in Croatian language to BiH Croats in order to make possible continuation of the obvious media ‘ culturocide’ over the BiH Croats.’ |
| Vrankic to replace Doko? | Vecernji List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Dragan Vrankic replaces Minister Dragan Doko’, by Miso Relota – VL unofficially learns from sources close to the BiH Council of Ministers that the FBiH Finance Minister, Dragan Vrankic, will soon replace Dragan Doko in the office of BiH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations. Apparently, Doko plans to retire because of family reasons. Apparently, the FBiH PM, Ahmet Hadzipasic, is not happy with this at all, because Vrankic is allegedly one of his strongest links in the FBiH Government. Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Vrankic to replace Doko in BiH CoM?’ – DA carries same allegations. |
| Hays, Hitchner meet Paravac, offer assistance with reforms
| FTV, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Building of ethnic trust crucial issue in BiH’ by NINA, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Discussion on implementation of Dayton should be continued’, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Hitchner and Hays offering assistance in discussions on Dayton’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Dayton set everything in motion’ by N.Z., Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Dayton implementation should resume’ by N.N. – Representatives of the Institute of Peace from Washington DC Prof. Bruce Hitchner and Ambassador |
| Paravac: ‘Serbs do not support constitutional changes’’
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 and announced on cover ‘Paravac: Serbs do not support constitutional changes’ by G.Dj. – Borislav Paravac, member of BiH Presidency, warned that scheduling of referendum for secession of RS is one of possible responses to, as he said, illicit insistence from Sarajevo on the change of BiH Constitution. He noted: “If referendum is to be held, we will know what one people thinks.” He also added that scheduling of referendum is “to the same extent illicit as insistence on constitutional changes”. |
| NN: ‘Conflict between PDP and SDS for control over “Srpske Sume” culminating’
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘Conflict between PDP and SDS for control over “Srpske Sume” culminating’ by V.Popovic – Daily notes that SDS intends to take over leading position at the “Srpske Sume” Ribnik Forestry Unit from PDP. In a letter addressed to SDS President, Dragan Cavic, Ribnik SDS Board asked that Nedjo Galic, SDS member,is proposed for the position at Ribnik Forestry Unit instead of Acting Director Milisav Macanovic from PDP. Macanovic comments that “influence of SDS President may be of crucial importance, since the rule reigned that senior officials decided who would be appointed director.” Inset ‘Kezunovic and Malovic excluded from PDP, because they voted for SDS candidates’ reads that Sokolac Board of PDP on Monday excluded Brane Kezunovic and Nenad Malovic from PDP membership, because they had voted for the election of SDS candidate during voring for Assembly delegates. (Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Kezunovic and Malovic excluded’ by B.G.) |
| VL int with Ivo Miro Jovic: ‘BiH already has three entities, but none of them is Croat one’
| Vecernji List, pg 6 ‘BiH already has three entities, but none of them is Croat one’, mentioned on front ‘BiH already has three entities’, by Ana Drmac – Carries an interview with an HDZ MP in the BiH House of Representative, Ivo Miro Jovic, who is one of candidates to succeed Dragan Covic in the BiH Presidency. Asked to comment on the position of the BiH Croats, Jovic says the DPA has stopped the war, however there is no peace in BiH, because peace means democracy, justice and equality. In that context, Jovic says the Croats are not equal in BiH, since there are two entities in BiH, in which the Croat representatives are not in position to decide on the future of the country on equal footing. Asked to comment on charges that the Croats are trying to establish a third entity in BiH, Jovic says there are already three entities in BiH, with all elements of statehood, namely the FBiH, the RS and the Brcko District, “however none of them is for the Croats”. Commenting on the Law on Public RTV System, which Jovic labeled in the Parliament as “racist-like”, he says the Law has elements of racism because it does not abide by the BiH Constitution and European declarations on human rights and use of languages. “For the sake of illustration, the Law offers that the RTV RS’ signal does not spill into the Federation and vice versa, which confirms the dedication of representatives of the Bosniak and Serb people, as well as a part of the IC, to fortify the division of BiH into two parts, the Bosniak and the Serb one”. |
| DL: ‘Bakir Izetbegovic main Tihic’s counter-candidate?!’ | Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Bakir Izetbegovic main Tihic’s counter-candidate!?’ by N. Bise carries that many sources from the SDA Presidency confirmed that Bakir Izetbegovic will be the main counter-candidate to current SDA President Sulejman Tihic at the SDA Congress that is to take place on May 26, 2005. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on preparations for SDA convention: Groundless pretensions
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic ‘Groundless pretensions’ – SDA is organizing its 4th Congress under slogan: Bosnian Identity – European Road. In a draft program declaration, SDA defines itself as a Bosnian national party of political center, which is opened to all BiH citizens supporting its political goals. “Such program goals (particularly thesis on Bosnian identity) of SDA contradict its and BiH reality. SDA must first analyze its alliance with SDS and HDZ as well as its absolute confrontation with SDP and results of such a policy,” wrote Dizdarevic. |
War crimes | |
| Protocol on establishing state Missing Person Institute arranged
| FTV by Verica Kalajdzic – Almost two years after the discussion started, the text of the Protocol on establishing the Missing Persons Institute in BiH has finally been arranged on Monday in Sarajevo, after the meeting of BiH Council of Minister Chairman Adnan Terzic, Entity Prime Ministers Ahmet Hadzipasic and Pero Bukejlovic and the Brcko District Mayor Mirsad Djapo with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Chairman James Kimsey. “The main goal of this institute is to ensure a sustainable state mechanism that will deal with the issue of persons missing during the war in BiH, disregarding their ethnic or religious affiliation”, said Kimsey.This institute will be independent from the State and Entity governments, and will have central database on missing persons. One of the basic goals of the Missing Persons Institute is to resolve the faith of approximately 30.000 registered missing persons in BiH. BHT 1 – The Institute should become functional in the next 90 days, said Kimsey. RTRS, Hayat, PINK, RHB, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Protocol on BiH Institute for Missing Persons harmonised’ by N.Krsman, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘First step towards truth’ by N.Zelenovic, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘BiH should get Institute for Missing Persons soon’ by D. Polovina-Mandic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Institute for Missing Persons’ by eme, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘State Missing Persons Institute being established’ S. Sehercehajic– also reported. |
| EUFOR, NATO raid Maljukan’s housing searching info on PIFWCs at large
| RHB, FTV, Hayat, RTRS, EuroBlic cover pg splash and RSpg 2 ‘Arms and forged money seized’ by Dusanka Stanisic, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Zeljko Makaljan arrested in Pale’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘EUFOR in search after The Hague indictees’ by h, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘House raided of former Karadzic’s guard’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘House and apartment of Zeljko Maljukan raided on suspicion of helping Mladic’s hiding’, mentioned on cover ‘Arms, forged money found in house of Zeljko Maljukan’– The members of EUFOR and NATO on Monday carried out the action of collecting documentation from the business premises in Pale owned by Zeljko Maljukan. According to RTRS, Maljukan was arrested and later released. Certain documents were confiscated, and EUFOR Spokesperson, Franck Cowborn, confirmed that the action is aimed at collecting intelligence info on war crime suspects. BHT1, PINK – According to unofficial information, NATO believes that Maljukan is a part of Ratko Mladic’s support network. He is also believed to be the keeper of Radovan Karadzic’s family house. EUFOR and NATO soldiers found a certain amount of false money and illegal weapons. According to unofficial information, Maljukan used to work for RS Security Service. |
| NN: Zeljko Maljukan detained, and then released
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 2 ‘Zeljko Maljukan detained, and then released’ by M.Cubro – Daily writes that EUFOR and NATO Monday arrested Zeljko Maljukan during their action in Pale and handed him to East Sarajevo police, where he was interrogated and then released. Police then arrested his father Danilo Maljukan (56),where arms were found. As NN learns, Danilo admitted to police he, not his son, owns the arms found. Police will file a denunciation against Danilo Maljukan with the Prosecutor’s Office. Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Suspicious banknotes are actually notebooks’ – Makuljan told journalists that EUFOR, NATO found some ammunition but not weapons and added that suspicious banknotes were actually notebooks. |
| Terzic: SIPA reports no PIFWCs at large hide in BiH
| BHT 1 Gvozden Sarac – The latest SIPA reports indicate that the ICTY suspects are not hiding in BiH any more, stated BiH Council of Ministers Chair, Adnan Terzic. Terzic expressed his doubts regarding the recent statement by the RS Interior Minister, Darko Matijasevic, who said that Radovan Karadzic was hiding in St. Nicholas Monastery on the Ozren mountain at the end of 2004. “I’m not sure if his statements are trustworthy”, added Terzic. Unofficial sources from the intelligence circles told BHT that Karadzic in fact was hiding on Ozren, but two years earlier, in 2002. |
| Serbian President: Mladic and Karadzic as obstacles | Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Two obstacles for Serbia’, Vecernje Novosti pg 15 ‘Karadzic and Mladic – major obstacle’ by M.Dj. – The Serbian President, Boris Tadic, Monday stated that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, Hague fugitives, represented an enormous obstacle on the path of Serbia toward the EU. Tadic added that the cooperation with the international community was not about passing almost all the tests, but about passing all of them. |
Judicial and other issues | |
| Motion Dokic/Pavic filed rejected
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Complaint filed by Dokic and Pavic rejected’ by Sn.K. – Banja Luka Basic Court rejected all the motions filed upon indictment, which defence attorneys of Branko Dokic and Marko Pavic have filed with this court two weeks ago upon indictment charging them for office abuse. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Recommended to step down from office’ by V.P. – Commenting on Dokic’s case, |
| Procedure in Ferhadija mosque case completed, ruling expected in 30 days
| Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘ What did Ivanic order?!’ O. Vukovic – A formal legal proceeding has been completed before the Banja Luka First Instance Court in the so-called Ferhadija mosque case. Owners of ten buses and another vehicle that were set on fire by a group of Serb protesters on the occasion of the town’s Ferhadija mosque cornerstone laying ceremony on May 7 2001 sued RS requesting for compensation. According to their lawyer Faruk Balijagic, the Court is expected to make a ruling in 30 days. During the formal process, a number of high-ranking BiH and RS officials including BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic, who was RS Prime Minister at the time of the incident, appeared as witnesses in this case. Ivanic among other things said that he had ordered police forces that day to act by law and undertake all necessary security measures. |
| Terzic: Dragan Lukac most probable candidate for SIPA Director
| FTV – FTV reports that at this moment Dragan Lukac is the most probable candidate for the position of the State Information and Protection Agency (SIPA) Director, stated BiH Council of Minister Chairman Adnan Terzic for FTV. “I’m sure that we will appoint the new SIPA director on Thursday”, added Terzic. The BiH House of Peoples did not discuss changes to the SIPA law on Monday even though it was on the agenda. |
| SD: Jelavic arrest was grave violation of law
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 14, mentioned on front ‘Nobody signed arrest warrants’, by Ivica Mlivoncic – SD reports that the BiH House of Representatives determined on April 21, 2005, that the arrest of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic, dated on January 21, 2004, was carried out contrary to provisions of the Law on interior affairs of FBiH, since the arrest warrants were not signed by competent persons, in this case the FBiH Interior Minister or FBiH Director of Police Administration. |