Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 26 May
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) |
| Jovic visits Plehani, Bosanski Brod. |
| Croat Caucus in RSNA on VNI |
| CoM discusses SIPA Director appoin. |
TV news broadcast on 25 May
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Transmission problems | NATO search in Pale | NATO search in Pale |
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| SIPA Director to be appointed | Pack on ICTY indictees |
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| FBiH Government in session | Commemoration in |
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| Gaspar on RS Government’s work | Exhumations in Liplje |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| | NATO search in Pale | Cavic on RS division from BIH |
| Hayat comments current situation | Pack on ICTY indictees | NATO search in Pale |
| Bijeljina PSC on BiH flag incident | RS MoD’s report | Pack on ICTY indictees |
| EUPM on Andan’s allegations | FBiH MoI’s strategic plan presented | Arrest of Milorad Kljajic |
| Oslobodjenje | Final divorce between Tihic and old party officials? |
| Dnevni Avaz | NATO raided into Karadzic’s house: Forensic experts involved |
| Dnevni List | Defender burnt himself |
| Vecernji List | Due to Catholic religious holiday VL has not been published today |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Due to Catholic religious holiday SD has not been published today |
| Glas Srpske | They drank coffee while searching the house |
| Nezavisne Novine | A step closer to Karadzic |
| Blic | Srpska is poorer than F BiH |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features |
| Srpski Nacional | Features |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| CoM discusses SIPA Director appointment | RHB – Among the other things, the BiH Council of Ministers discuses today again the appointment of the SIPA Director. |
| SDA opens its fourth congress
| RHB, FENA – The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) this morning in |
War Crimes/Terrorism | |
| NATO raided into Karadzic wife’s house in Pale
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pg 3 ‘Seized things transported to Butmir Camp for further examination’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Forensic experts to check out on whether criminal Karadzic was staying in his house’, Dnevni List pg 2 NATO’s soldiers were questioning family of Radovan Karadzic’ by NINA, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pg 3 ‘A step closer to Karadzic’ by D.Muminovic, Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘They drank coffee while searching the house’ by E.G.S., EuroBlic pg 3 ‘NATO seized belongings of Karadzic’ – NATO forces conducted a search in/raided into the house of Radovan Karadzic’s wife Ljiljana Zelen-Karadzic in Pale on Wednesday. Members of the local police forces have been informed about the action, but they are not taking part in it. The aim of the action is to collect information on war crime indictees and persons helping them. “The reason why we have conducted the search is because we have reliable information on persons who live in the house and who are being involved in supporting war crime indictees”, said NATO Spokesperson, Derek Chappel. Persons, who were in the house as NATO forces arrived, were transferred to a van, in order for the search to be done easily. Chapel said that certain items had been confiscated, but he did not want to say what kind of items. “We have confiscated certain items as result of our search, and those items will be taken back to |
| European Parliament’s Pack blames international community, BiH authorities for failures to arrest Karadzic, Mladic
| BHT Elvir Bucalo – Chief of European Parliament Delegation for FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Doris Pack: Who is responsible that Karadzic and Mladic are still at large’ by De.L. also carried Pack’s statement. |
| DL op-ed on failed attempts to arrest Karadzic and Mladic
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Karadzic is somewhere around’ by I. Glibusic carries an editorial harshly criticising failed attempts to arrest war crime indictees Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. The author says: ‘If there was a wish to arrest Karadzic and Mladic it would have been done long time ago…We can only guess as to who stands behind the current strategy of war crime indictees’ arrest. The yesterday’s EUFOR and Nato’s action in Pale was a show for small kids since Karadzic is somewhere around, however, none wants to see him.’ |
| Amnesty International on Human Rights in BiH: War criminals unpunished, victims deprived of justice
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘War criminals unpunished, victims deprived of justice’ by D.Risojevic – Amnesty International concluded in its Report Human Rights in BiH for 2004 that war crimes are still unpunished in BiH, while victims and their families are deprived of justice they deserve. The Report refers to lack of cooperation with the ICTY, especially by RS side, as the greatest obstacle on this issue. Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Courtrooms brimming with Serbs’ – Daily also carries extract from AI Report on violation of human rights of Serbs in |
| EUPM disappointed because RS Police Director Andan did not deny his claims on alleged preparations for
| Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘Andan repeated ungrounded claims’, Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘EUPM denies RS Police Director (claims), Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Report on terrorists before Ashdown soon’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘No evidence for Andan’s claims’ by S.Karic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Andan’s claims unproved’ by D.M. – RS Police Director, Dragomir Andan recently said that Madrid terrorist attacks were prepared in BiH. EUPM informed that it was disappointed with the fact that Andan did not deny his allegation in an interview for Nezavisne Novine. OHR asked EUPM to investigate Andan’s allegations and make a report, which is being completed at the moment, and which is to be submitted to the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown in several days. EUPM’s research has not resulted in any intelligence data or evidences which would support Andan’s claims. |
| Dnevni Avaz: Will the competent ones from RS hold Andan responsible and initiate his removal?
| Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘Will the competent ones from RS call Andan to responsibility and initiate removal?’ by E. Sarac – The article refers to the recent RS Police Director Dragomir Andan’s statement and criticizes the competent authorities and institutions of RS not finding it enough to call Andan to responsibly and initiate his removal. The article also criticizes failure to react on photos, taken on Trebevic in 1992, of Andan wearing a blue beret that was robbed from UNPROFOR members. The article also reiterates last week’s statement of Zoran Glusac, the Head of Cabinet of RS Interior Minister. |
Political Developments/Reforms/Appointments | |
| SDA Convention to be held today
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash and pg 7 ‘Final break up between Tihic and old personnel?’ by Az. K. and A. O. – The article carries an announcement on today’s (Thursday) Congress of SDA. According to some speculations, this Congress might see final break up between former party personnel and a part of current leadership, with Sulejman Tihic at the head. Tihic should present a new program of the party, promoting anti-fascist values and presenting the party as an opponent of discrimination and totalitarism. According to the article, permanent dissatisfaction of old personnel, who were excluded from development of party policies and reaching of important decisions within the party after Tihic became the President, lay in the background of alleged ideological differences. Some latest information says this personnel supports Elmir Jahic, a candidate for SDA President. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Leadership of the party to be elected by secret voting’ by A. M. – Also carries the announcement on SDA Congress. |
| SIPA Director to be appointed today
| BHT – BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Mladen Ivanic and BiH Minister of Security, Barisa Colak have reached agreement on nomination SIPA top officials, confirmed BiH Council of Ministers Chair, Adnan Terzic for BHT. According to this agreement, SIPA Director will be Croat; his deputy will be Bosniak while director assistant will be Serb. Colak proposed Dragan Lukac for SIPA Director while Milanic insisted on appointing of Sredoje Novic to that position. “We will vote for proposed candidates again at CoM’s session on Thursday and I am convinced that we will get SIPA director, deputy director and assistant tomorrow”, stated Terzic. Pink, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Decision on appointment of SIPA Director today’ by De.L. also announced the appointment of SIPA Director today. |
| Ivanic: Colak and I cannot resolve the issue of SIPA Director
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Ivanic: Colak and I cannot resolve the issue of SIPA Director’ not signed – BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic has stated that the conflict with regard to the appointment of SIPA Director was not a conflict about Sredoje Novic or Dragan Lukac, but it was a conflict about principles. He emphasized that CoM must primarily decide whether it would apply professional or political criteria in this case. He thinks he and BiH Security Minister Barisa Colak cannot resolve this issue alone and says: ‘These are matters of principles that should be resolved by CoM’. |
| PM Bukejlovic, Minister Gaspar on first 100 days of RS Government: Vault getting more money, salaries increase
| Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Vault getting more money, salaries increase’, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Premeir angry with tax payers’ – Pero Bukejlovic, RS PM, at Wednesday’s press conference gave assessment on first 100 days of RS Government performance, nnoting all reports point at positive trends ion production increase, RS budget increase and general standard of RS citizens. On Police reform, Bukejlovic said that both sides will have to partially step away from currently exclusive stances. In a statement given to SRNA news agency, Bukejlovic said that the bigger problem regarding police organisation exists in F BiH, than in RS, noting that responsibility for bad functioning of police wants to be transferred onto RS. He said that all indications show that RS MoI has been achieving extremely good results in both, cooperation with the ICTY and fight against crime. He notes that dismissal of some police members would result in police pay increase, adding that police reform should cost BAM 140 million. Pink, RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘A right course’, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘A hard burden of inherited problems’ by M.Soja – Deputy RS PM and RS Minister of Trade and Tourism, Boris Gaspar, stated at Wednesday press conference in Banja Luka that the Government has positive economic factors but it can always do better. He added that this Government had a lot of piled up problems when it took over, noting that political crisis has impact upon economic flows in Republika Srpska. |
| DA interview with SNSD Dodik: RS Government is sterile and a complete failure
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘RS Government is sterile and a complete failure’ by Mira Zgonjanin – In an interview to DA, SNSD President Milorad Dodik says police reform is one of basic pre-requisites BiH must fulfill in the process of accession to EU. He supports stances on police reform that were defined on Vlasic, but also thinks RS Government should give its opinion on police regions. As a comment on the first 100 days of RS Government, Dodik said: ‘I have said even earlier that its work was not noticeable and I have also said that it is a sterile, inefficient and completely failed Government’. |
| RS President Cavic:
| RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Dayton is protecting Srpska’, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘Dayton is a salvation straw’ by J.Simic – RS President Dragan Cavic, stated in Novi Sad (held a lecture at Matica Srpska on topic “RS – ten years after DPA”) that all those who are in favor of separation of RS from BIH have to know that they are opening a story on violation of Dayton Agreement. He stated that the biggest guarantee for RS is its status in Dayton Agreement and if RS wants to leave it has to know where it is going, stressing that leaving the Dayton Agreement means conflict with everyone and in that case RS would get the worst of it. He emphasized: “We must run a policy within the framework of DPA – the policy that does not violate integrity and sovereignty of BiH. However, we also demand that our international right recognized in the document is respected – and that is that Republika Srpska is regarded as factor in decision-making process.” |
| DL on background of Hadziomerovic’s resignation
| Dnevni List pgs 6 and 7 ‘Tihic sold Hadziomerovic to Ashdown’ by N. Bise – DL says that it has come into possession of a few letters exchanged among High Representative Paddy Ashdown, Principal Deputy HR Lawrence |
| NN interview with Spiric: Terzic should resign
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Terzic is Ashdown’s note without checking account’ by V.Popovic – In a lengthy interview to NN, Nikola Spiric, Co-Chairperson of the BiH HoR, says that Adnan Terzic should have tendered resignation following BiH failure to get EU green light for SAA talks. He views Terzic’s statement (that there is a possibility he would re-shuffle BiH CoM) as “impudent”. He says he has expected more from Terzic, noting it is inadmissible there is no single Serb representative leading any state agency. Spiric stresses that Terzic, strongly supported by HR and people from IC, managed to humiliate other peoples in BiH. On this he adds: “Adnan Terzic proved to be HR’s note without checking account. The blanc support Ashdown gave to Terzic may be viewed as mistake… Terzic cannot make orders to everybody in BiH and hence I find him to be note without checking account of international community, that will have to pay for having allowed Terzic to push on his concept of Bosniak people, humiliating and pushing other peoples in BiH against the wall.” He does not want to make any particular comment regarding police reform, noting that a false impression is being created in RS public on this subject. |
| SDU’s Komsic: Ashdown’s departure is the most important for BiH
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Ashdown’s departure is the most important for BiH’ by N.Ta. – Ivo Komsic, SDU BiH Vice President, Wednesday in Brcko stated that the most important issue for BiH is the departure of HR Paddy Ashdown from BiH. At the press conference in Brcko, he regarded police reform as the biggest Ashdown’s failure, noting that Ashdown managed to establish BiH institutions beyond Dayton Peace Agreement. |
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| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘BiH future is in NATO’ by R.Segrt, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘A course in unknown’ by M.Dzepina – Round table entitled “NATO challenges and advantages” was held in Banja Luka on Wednesday. US Ambassador Douglas McElhaney stated that USA would propose BIH for membership in Partnership for Peace as soon as it fulfils all obligations towards ICTY. He added that it would be good to organise these kinds of discussions throughout BIH. The US Ambassador also said that apart from cooperation with ICTY, BiH needs to complete defence reform, within framework of which a unified defence ministry of BiH would be established. The German and Canadian Ambassadors to BiH also attended the Round Table discussion. |
Economic/Social Issues/Education | |
| BiH Trade Unions Confederation established
| Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘The first serious step towards protection of workers in BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 11, mentioned on cover ‘Trade Unions finally united’ – BiH Trade Union Confederation has been established on Wednesday. The agreement on the issue was signed by leaders of the BiH Independent Trade Unions Association and RS Trade Unions. The Confederation should protect and represent interests of over 500.000 workers of BiH, and represent BiH workers in international trade union movement. “I think that this is a good and brave attempt of all of us, since we are aware of the fact that unless we do not provide equal rights to all workers and citizens, BiH will not be able to exist in Europe”, said the Chair of BiH Independent Trade Union, Edhem Biber. RS Trade Unuion representatives pointed out that by this, workers were not going to be saved, but they were going to face brighter future. “All workers are equal in the Confederation, and we are going to ask for workers’ rights, as well as salaries, to be harmonized”, said the Chair of RS Trade Union, Cedo Volas. Many European states still have not managed to create the Confederation, and BiH could serve as a positive example. |
| FBiH Oil Distributors Section believes Energopetrol should not be sold to INA-MOL
| Pink, Hayat, Oslobodjenje pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘There are too many those dealing with Energopetrol issue’, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Oil Distributors support re-capitalization of Energopetrol but oppose establishment of monopoly’ – Members of FBiH Chamber of Commerce Oil Distributors Section held meeting in Sarajevo on Wednesday. They also met with FBiH Government representatives, in order to discuss possible consequences of privatization of Sarajevo-based Energopetrol oil company. According to the Chair of the Section, Muhidin Alic, issue of Energopetrol privatization is still unsolved. Alic says that Energopetrol needs to be privatized but that the buyer should not be from the region. “Consortium INA-MOL consists of unequal partners in terms of customs, since Hungary pays 10 % on oil products, while INA pays none, and according to this, BiH is going to lose 150 million KM per year”, said Alic. During the meeting, the Section agreed that there would be no increase in prices of oil in FBiH, since the price is more or less stabile at the World market. |
| FBiH Government adopts new regulations on land planning and usage
| Pink, BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘According to the Law there is no one who can remove Stolac Cross or Radimlje Monument’, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Draft Law on Land Planning and Use adopted’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Cross in Stolac will be pulled down by end of summer!’ by M. Zorlak – After the session of the Federation of BiH Government held on Wednesday, FBiH Minister for Urban Planning and Environment Ramiz Mehmedagic stated that pre-requisites for pulling down of the cross in Stolac by the end of the summer have been met after the FBiH Government defined a proposal of the law on planning and use of the land at the FBiH level. He explained that since December last year when the |
| Former HVO soldiers burnt himself in Mostar over unresolved housing issue
| Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Defender burnt himself’ and pgs 48 and 49 ‘Defender burnt himself because of unresolved housing issue’ by N. Dedic – Anto Coric from Mostar died on Wednesday after he burnt himself on Tuesday night. His family says that the motif of the suicide is unresolved housing issue. His wife Nada Coric explained that after eviction they came to live in this flat. She said that they received a formal decision that they can live in this flat, however, in spite of this decision the police came 3 times to evict them because according to Nada Coric somebody wants to give this flat to a person who is very close to the current authority in Mostar (she did not want to reveal the name of this person). According to his wife, after the war her husband was very depressive. DL says that he also attempted to commit suicide 3 years ago. |
| NN: Higher education at the bottom
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘High education at the bottom’ by S.Gojkovic – The experts in the field of education in BiH share the view that the reason why BiH is taking the rear position (the place before the last) on the list on level of development of high education amongst participants of Bolgone process is the fact that Law on high education ahs not been adopted as yet. The experts also say that political interference in all pores of education also plays a crucial role in this. Jugoslav Tepic, RS Ministry of Education official, says that: “OHR did not allow adoption of entity laws on high education, requesting adoption of this Law at state level.” Daily further carries comments substantiating claims by Semso Tucakovic (Professor at Political Sciences Faculty in |
| Poll on living standard: To live in BiH
| EuroBlic cover pg splash, RSpg 1 ‘Srpska is poorer than F BiH’ by SRNA – The result of the poll conducted at 3 thousand households in BiH under headline “Ti live in BiH” suggested that there is a general improvement in living standards over the last four years, and also the poverty level has been scaled down. |
Legal Proceedings/Incidents | |
| FBiH Minister Grahovac on incidents after football matches in Stolac and
| Dnevni List pgs 8 and 9, mentioned on cover ‘Incident in Stolac staged before SDA Congress and HDZ Convention’ by N. Bise carries an interview with Federation of BiH Minister of Culture and Sport Gavrilo Grahovac. Talking about the latest incidents after football matches in Stolac and |
| SDA Stolac accuses HDZ for current situation in this town
| Dnevni List pg 5 ‘SDA accused HDZ for situation in Stolac’ by NINA – With regard to the latest incident in Stolac, SDA Stolac issued a press release which says that the situation in Stolac in general is very bad because of the HDZ politics in this area. SDA Stolac also harshly condemned ‘partial reports of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Ministry of Interior’ and reminded that the HNC MoI has not resolved any of numerous attacks on Bosniaks and their property since 1998. |
| Update to Alijagic case: Denunciation filed against Alijagic and Vucurevic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Denunciations filed against Salih Alijagic and Bozidar Vucurevic’ by V.Duka/P.Klincov, EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Alijavic, Vujacic and Alijagic also suspected’ by V.Mihojevic/T.Veselinovic – PSC Trebinje filed a denunciation with Trebinje Prosecutor’s Office against Salih Alijagic and Bozidar Vucurevic. Alijagic is suspected of having forged business books as well as false testimony. Former Chairman of Trebinje municipality assemblyVucurevic and former chief of trade inspection Jovan Spaic have been suspected of office abuse.PSC Trebinje announced further activities in investigation regarding Alijagic case. M.V. from Trebinje is also suspected of false testimony and M.D. from CItluk is accused of forgery and destruction of business books. |