| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Lozancic on HB EP | Historical moment for BiH | Warning from HR | HR urges defence reform |
| PIC urges reform | EC assistance for aviation | Misuses in Fed Army | PIC session in Sarajevo |
| Mostar Commission started | Law on RTV system | Pension and Health Fund | NATO delegation in Sa |
| US marines in Neum | Trial for Krajisnik |
| Russian position on Iraq |
| Oslobodjenje | Defence reform agreed |
| Dnevni Avaz | BiH to accede PfP by the end of this year |
| Dnevni List | Winterstein: To positive results through consensus; Message of HR to political leaders: Future of children in BiH depends on decision you pass; HNC PM Coric: Coric: We will not give in to blackmails of Union leaders! |
| Vecernji List | Croats get 20 out of 500 donations in BiH; Paddy Ashdown: If you do not want to join NATO, you will not enter EU either |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Update to Potocari Battery Factory: Deadline expires, debts remain; At the stadium in Serb Brod: Mass Grave |
| Nezavisne Novine | Delegation of Belgrade arrived for official visit to BiH: A door open to co-operation between Sarajevo and Belgrade; Mirko Sarovic,: SDS discussed the possibility of seeing Dragan Kalinic withdraw from party top; Potocari near Srebrenica: Workers at Battery Factory refuse to leave the factory premises; NATO delegation in Sarajevo: Decision of defence reform falls on BiH authorities; Report of the Republika Srpska Government Task Force: Suspension of works at Fatnik Polje tunnel would cause a loss of BAM 145 million to RS |
| Blic | A Serb killed Anna Lindh |
| Ljiljan | A request by Paddy Ashdown: Let the Parliament decide |
| Slobodna Bosna | Naser Oric: The truth about fall of Srebrenica |
| BH Dani | Ismet Gavrankapetanovic: My patient Alija Izetbegpvic |
Defence reform | |
| Agreement reached on defence reform
| Oslobodjenje front page ‘Defence reform agreed’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 4 ‘BiH to accede PfP by the end of this year’ – The Defence Reform Commission chaired by American expert James Locher late on Thursday, including its Bosniak members, signed a report on recommendations for the draft BiH Defence Law. |
| Ashdown on defence reform
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘The future of children is in your hands’, Slobodna Dalmacija page 17, “Next days are crucial”, FENA – High Representative Paddy Ashdown said in a message to political leaders in BiH on Thursday that the next few hours and days would be crucial for the future of BiH and again urged them to adopt proposals of the Defence Reform Commission in order to open the door to BiH becoming a credible candidate for NATO’s PfP. “But it is more than just BiH’s credibility that is at stake. If you reject these reform proposals, you will set this country back maybe for many years. The choice is yours. I cannot do this for you. BiH cannot get to NATO or Europe through the OHR”, OHR spokesperson Mario Brkic said at a press conference in Sarajevo while presenting the High Representative’s message. FTV – In a statement for the TV station, Ashdown insisted that BiH authorities adopt the Draft Law on Defence at the state level. “If BiH says NO, why should Europe say YES. It would be very bleak days for BiH if reform are not approved. BiH politicians should not only think about themselves, but also interest of all citizens. If reforms are implemented there will be economic benefits for whole country as well security guarantees from partnership within NATO,” he said. Ljiljan pgs. 23-24 ‘Give parliament a chance’ – An article on the defence reform written by the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. “This is too important issue and we should therefore not allow ourselves to make any thoughtless tactical mistakes. The way ahead is completely clear. Give parliament a chance”, concludes Ashdown. Blic pg. 7 ‘Resolution today and tomorrow’ also reports on the increased international community pressure for agreement to be reached withing the defence reform commission. |
| VL: Interview with High Representative Paddy Ashdown
| Vecernji List (front page, “If you do not want to join NATO, you will not enter EU either” and page 5, “Europe will not give positive answer if you say no to NATO”, conducted by D. Jazvic) carries an interview with the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown. With regard to the defense reforms, the HR says: “The agreement of domestic, political factors has to be reached with regard to this issue. Also, I am asking them to bear in mind that this is not only about NATO. They should be aware that in case that BiH says ‘no’ to NATO, there is no reason because of which Europe should say ‘yes’ to BiH.” Asked what chances BiH stands to enter “Partnership for Peace” by the end of 2003 under condition that the defense reforms are harmonized, the HR says: “There is no any guarantee that it will happen…However, if the agreement is reached it is very possible that BiH enters that program by the end of the year…It is very likely that we shall not have such chance for a long time. It is questionable whether the successor of Lord Robertson will stand for entering of BiH to ‘Partnership for Peace’ so strongly.” |
| NATO delegation visits BiH, supports proposals on defence reform
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘NATO expects urgent acceptance of reforms’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘NATO reps informed on progress made in armed forces’, Dnevni List page 5, “Fages: We hope that BiH authorities will accept proposals of Commission”, by Fena, FENA – The members of the NATO Military Committee who arrived in Sarajevo on Thursday on a two-day visit to BiH expressed their support for the proposals on the defence reform and called on BiH officials to endorse the report by the defence reform commission as soon as possible. “We hope that the BiH authorities will endorse the commission’s proposals, and take other political decisions bringing the country closer to membership in the Partnership for Peace,” deputy chairman of the Military Committee Vice Admiral Malcolm Fages said. He added that NATO was looking forward to the day when BiH would join the Partnership for Peace, and when its armed forces would take part in the programme’s activities. “The door of the Partnership for Peace is open to BiH and we hope that the BiH officials will take the necessary steps to meet all the criteria,” SFOR Commander William Ward said, adding that the Military Committee’s visit was well timed in view of the consultations on the defence reform in the country. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Decision of defence reform falls on BiH authorities’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘A step towards Partnership’ also reported on the issue. |
| Oslobodjenje interview with Italian Ambassador to BiH | Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Without reforms you will be the black hole in the region’ – In an interview for the newspaper, Italian Ambassador to BiH Saba d’ Elia emphasized that by rejecting the offered defence reforms BiH might become a black hole in the region. |
| PIC Steering Board start its session in Sarajevo, discusses defence reform | FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘How much progress has been made in the implementation of reforms’, Vecernji List page 2, “Political directors are discussing results that authority achieved in area of reforms”, by E. Medunjanin – The Peace Implementation Council Steering Board is holding its meeting in Sarajevo on Thursday and Friday at the level of political directors. The political directors are expected to be informed on reform processes in the country and legal solutions on defence, intelligence services and indirect taxation. The HR Paddy Ashdown will inform political directors on overall progress in BiH and measures for strengthening the rule of law. The HR will also introduce initiative on fight against organized crime. Political directors will sum up progress in fulfilling obligations that BiH authorities took over this year. Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Defence reforms – a key for Europe’ – On Thursday, the PIC Steering Board Political directors considered the draft BiH Defence Law foreseeing the establishment of BiH Defence Ministry and putting the country’s armed forces under the state control. They emphasized that the defence reforms represented one of the key pre-conditions for BiH’s accession to PfP. |
| Bisera Turkovic on defence reforms in BiH | Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘BiH will have armed forces in accordance to NATO standards’ By Bisera Turkovic, the director of BiH Centre for Security Studies – “It is now up to the members of parliament to through a democratic parliamentary procedure make their positions with regard to the proposed defence reforms and try to harmonise their views on whether BiH will use the opportunity to continue moving towards its accession to NATO and Euro-Atlantic security structures or it will for a time being remain out of the process of Euro-Atlantic integration,” Turkovic concluded. |
| Bond on defence reform | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Defence reform through consensus’ – In an interview to ONASA news agency, Clifford Bond, US Ambassador to BiH, stated that the conclusions of the defence reform commission must be grounded on consensus, because BiH and its parliaments must implement these conclusions. Responding to press question as to whether he would support eventual OHR sanctions against SDA, Bond said that OHR has never made any mention of possible sanctions. According to him, ‘sanctions would be illogical, because BiH must meet requisites necessary for its admission into Partnership for Peace.” |
| Cliff on defence reform | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Ian Cliff, pg. 7, ‘BiH at the crossroad’ – IN an editorial to NN, Ian Cliff, British Ambassador to BiH, claims that BiH and its two entities are at the crossroad. According to him, ‘if they really want to be admitted into EuroAtlantic integrations, especially NATO programme PfP, and also be admitted into European Union, their institutions must commence with process of taking over political responsibility. However, those institutions are still frail and their work used to be blocked in the past by political parties and individuals..” Cliff underlines the necessity for BiH to pass defence reform as soon as possible and accordingly supports activities of Defence Reform Commission. |
| General Delic interview for Ljiljan | Ljiljan pgs. 18-22 ‘Delic: Once abolished parallelisms are being introduced again’ – Interview with General Rasim Delic, the military advisor for Bosniak member of the Presidency Sulejman Tihic. Delic in the interview repeated well-known SDA position on the BiH defence law (introduction/cementing of the ethnic division inside the BiH armed forces, establishment of three mono-ethnic armies etc.) |
Political developments | |
| Hadzipasic and Mikerevic meet with EC delegation
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Good cooperation of EU with BiH authorities’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8, Blic pg. 7 ‘Feasibility Study by the end of year’, Dnevni List page 8, “Submit CRA to control of democratic institutions”,FENA – FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic met in Sarajevo on Thursday an European Commission delegation led by West Balkans Department Director Reinhard Priebe. They discussed the meeting of the working group preparing the report on the Feasibility Study and the session of Peace Implementation Council political directors in Sarajevo taking pace on Thursday and Friday. Priebe told journalists after the meeting that they discussed numerous issues required for BiH accession to Euro-Atlantic structures, but that they focussed on reform of the power sector and the Public Broadcasting System. The European Commission’s report on the Feasibility Study will be prepared by the end of the year and will precisely show in which segments the pace of reforms needs to be stepped up. He said that the European Union is satisfied with co-operation with BiH authorities on the development of the Study and that BiH authorities have largely helped in explaining certain issues to EU members. “BiH wishes to move forward towards integration into European structures and we shall support it in this”, Priebe said. Hadzipasic and Mikerevic said that both entity governments would raise the already high level of co-operation on the development of the feasibility study. Mikerevic stressed that the requested expert assistance from EU representatives in terms of new legislation in the field of media and that this issue would be discuss further as many RS representatives think that the establishment of the Public Broadcast System would deprive this entity of its property, which is undemocratic. “Our major complaint is against the position and role of the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA). It has practically been lifted to a position above all ruling structures and I think that this is not a good thing for strengthening democracy and that it needs to come under the control of democratic institutions. This is something the BiH public will have to have an influence on”, Mikerevic said. |
| RS expert group rejects OHR model for laws related to BiH PBS | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Politics messes up the picture’, ONASA – The models of laws on Radio-Television of Republika Srpska, Federation TV, Public RTV System and Public RTV Service, drafted by the OHR are political and not legal documents and will not be a base for work of the Expect Group of the RS Government of drafting of these laws, said one of members of the Expert Group Miodrag Zivanovic at a press conference on Thursday. He said the Expert Group at its first meeting concluded that the models drafted by the OHR, or its unknown experts, are a political document that hampers the legal-constitutional structure of BiH and its entities. Coordinator of the Expert Group Milan Dupor said the OHR models foresee one television with three channels. “The entity televisions have no subjectivity, they have nothing,” he said. Head of the International Press Centre Banja Luka Milos Solaja said the group will draft laws pursuant to European standards and experiences, respecting the legal-constitutional structure of BiH. The RS Ministry for Traffic and Communications has handed the law models to the Expert Group. The deadline until when the group is to make principles and documents of legislation expires on November 7, when they should be forwarded to the parliamentary procedure. The group assessed the OHR models are “a road towards disappearance of radio broadcaster in BiH” and that BiH citizens might turn to commercial TV’s presently existing in BiH. “Assumptions are put beforehand that RTRS will be discriminatory to Croats and Bosniaks, while Federation TV to Serbs. Then, a roof television is proposed which would be a correction to the entity televisions,” Zivanovic said. |
| Colin Powell met heads of states and foreign ministers of Southeast Europe countries | Dnevni List (page 8, “USA will give support to BiH joining Partnership for Peace”, by De.L) carries that USA Secretary of State, Colin Powell, met with heads of states and ministers of foreign affairs of Southeast Europe countries. According to the press release issued by the spokesperson’s office of the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Powell expressed hope that Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic will be finally arrested and brought to justice. BiH minister of foreign affairs Mladen Ivanic stated that he is expecting full US support to BiH joining Partnership for Peace and Powell stressed that the USA will support BiH. Sarajevo media also reported on the meeting. |
| First session of Mostar Commission | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Dnevni List (front and page 7, “Winterstein: To positive results through consensus”, by Miso Relota) – reports that the first session of the Mostar Commission was held in Mostar on Thursday noting that nothing “spectacular” happened apart from Commission members getting acquainted to each other. DL says it is to be expected that the Chairman of the Commission, Norbert Winterstein, will prepare an operational plan how to organize sessions of the Commission, which would in principle, according to DL, be organized in afternoons. In that context, DL says it is not yet clear whether the Commission will be meeting once or more times a week. Regarding technical information, the author says unconfirmed information say the OSCE will rent the “Integra” building in Mostar, which will host the Commission. Prior to the first session of the Commission, the Chairman of Commission, Norbert Winterstein, held a press conference together with the SDHR Werner Wnendt, and Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic respectively. Chairman Winterstein said he was convinced Mostar had a future and according to him, the Commission will achieve results and positive results can be reached through consensus. “I will make an effort and give my all to make a new statute of City of Mostar with the Commission, which will be interest of Mostar and its citizens”, said Winterstein. DL notes that Chairman Winterstein yesterday stated that he was yet to appoint independent experts to the Commission. SDHR Wnendt is carried as saying that the Commission should provide proposals which will resolve the problem by December 15. “I hope that next year, when the Old Bridge is joined, the Mostar citizens will be joined too”, said SDHR Wnendt. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, “Winterstein prognoses success to himself”, by Zoran Zekic) – reports that according to the Constitution of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar and Travnik have the same status, and a new statute is prepared for Mostar only. In light of that, SD says Winterstein was asked whether that was an intervention into the Dayton Peace Accord, to which he replied that his mission was foremost concentrated on Mostar and that the rest could follow the example. Vecernji List, page 3, “Norbert Winterstein: There will have to be compromises on Mostar”, by M. Brkic-Milinkovic, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Winterstein: I hope we will unify Mostar’, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Winterstein looking for compromise’ also covered the issue. Slobodna Bosna pgs. 5-8 ‘Croats for a single Mostar, as Bosniaks are afraid of (establishing) ‘the third capital’ in BiH’ By Danka Savic – The author said that in the next three months the fate of Mostar should finally be defined through the passage of law that will either divide the Herzegovina capital on two ethnic Ghettos or integrate it into a single administrative and political area. |
| Interview with HNC PM Coric on education | Dnevni List (front and page 9, “Coric: We will not give in to blackmails of Union leaders!”, by Miso Relota) – an interview with the Canton 7 Prime Minister, Miroslav Coric, ahead of today’s protest gathering of education Trade Unions in front of the Canton 7 Government building. Regarding the protest, PM Coric says the Unions leaders, once they realized that the attendance of its members would be poor, started inviting other associations, turning the event into a social gathering. “I claim, with full responsibility, this is all politics, that someone assessed this was the right time. We must know that municipal elections are approaching. They will come soon and I think this is all being done because of one strategy”, says Coric. PM Coric again calls on the parents and students to get involved in the process so the school year could start, reiterating, talking about the teachers’ salaries, that nothing can be paid out outside the Law on Execution of the budget. In that context, Coric still complains about the poor filling of the cantonal budget putting the Mostar office of the FBiH Tax Administration at fault. |
| SDS Congress today | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘SDS discussed the possibility of seeing Dragan Kalinic withdraw from party top’ – In an interview to NN, Mirko Sarovic, SDS Vice President, claims that there are no rifts within SDS membership, adding that rumours about the alleged split of party are products of somebody’s wishes. On the eve of today’s SDS congress, Sarovic expressed conviction that there will be no changes amongst party top leadership. He also denied possibility that he is to replace Dragan Kalinic on the position of SDS President. He also added that there were certain discussions following his withdrawal from position at BiH Presidency, related to proposal by Kalinic to withdraw from his position and leave it to him. “However, those were just inter-party talks and I have no intention of denying them. But it is still an internal issue for SDS”, stressed Sarovic. He also expressed dissatisfaction over the work of the Republika Srpska Government and supported the proposal for its restructuring, because it failed to meet expectations of citizens. Regarding this, he said that it is up to Premier and Ministers to decide where changes would take place. Blic pg. 7 ‘No division within the SDS’ – The SDS congress is to take place today in Banja Luka. Although the public speculates there are divisions within the SDS between Dragan Kalinic and Mirko Sarovic, i.e. there are great chances that Sarovic replaces Kalinic as the party’s president, the SDS’s officials deny that. SDS spokesman Dusan Stojicic says there will be no changes in the party’s top, but that the session will be of reporting and not of election character. He claims that inter-party elections in the SDS would be a bad move, because it would mean that the party is dealing with itself instead of spending energy on European integrations, adding that the party’s opponents are trying to create a different picture on happenings in the party. On the other side, Lubljana’s IFIMES (The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies) in its recent report said that SDS is in a deep political crisis, divided on two wings – reform and militant. However, the SDS’s officials have denied it. The SDS president Dragan Kalinic says there is no division within the party, and that these stories are the result of someone’s wishes. The SDS vice-president Dragan Cavic says there are different opinions within the party but not division. However, he refuses to comment on the claims that he is leading reform wing of the party, while Kalinic is leading militant wing. |
| Belgrade delegation arrived to Sarajevo | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘A door open to co-operation between Sarajevo and Belgrade’ – Delegation of City of Belgrade, led by Belgrade Mayor, Radmila Hrustanovic, yesterday arrived in first official visit to Sarajevo after the fall of former Yugoslavia. Hrustanovic said that visit would enable the improvement of co-operation between two cities. Sarajevo Mayor, Muhidin Hamamdzic, expressed his expectation that the inhabitants of both cities would support this process of building friendly relations, dialogue and co-operation with the neighbouring states. Sarajevo media also reported on the visit. |
| RS Government to discuss report on criminal reports against public and political officials | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘RS Government on criminal reports against politicians’ – At today’s session in Banjaluka, the Republika Srpska Government will also discuss the information prepared by the Republika Srpska Prosecutor’s Office on current status of criminal reports filed at PO against public and political officials. Cvijeta Kovacevic, Head of Government Public Affairs Bureau, could not make any further comment into the matter nor to give names included in report. |
Economic/social issues | |
| European Commission suspends support for BiH civil aviation
| Croat radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7, FENA – The European Commission is forced to suspend advisory support for the BiH civil aviation because the BiH Council of Ministers again failed to appoint the director of the organization. The EC said that the BiH civil aviation could suffer if the project ends because of a lack of necessary activities. The director and his two deputies were selected in June, and their names were forwarded to the Council of Ministers to make the official appointment. “The EC delegation is disappointed that the authorities of this country are not capable of taking responsibility for the process and meeting their obligations regarding the appointment of the director and his deputies,” the statement says. The EC has earmarked 3.5m euros since 1999 for the advisory support implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with the aim of building a more efficient civil aviation department in BiH. |
| Update to Fatnik Polje tunnel | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Suspension of works at Fatnik Polje tunnel would cause a loss of BAM 145 million to Republika Srpska’ – Task Force established to review the justification of continuation of construction works at Fatnik Polje Tunnel assessed that the tunnel must be built, because any suspension of further works would cause a loss of BAM 145 million to Republika Srpska. The Republika Srpska Government is expected to discuss this Task Force report at today’s session in Banjaluka. The report also recommends that Republika Srpska National Assembly is to make final decision on project destiny. |
| Potocari Battery Factory | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Deadline expires, debt remains’; Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Workers at Battery Factory refuse to leave the factory premises’ – As of late afternoon yesterday, it was not known in what manner the problem related top Battery Factory in Potocari would be resolved, since the Factory personnel do not want to leave the factory facility until the compensation is paid out to them. No agreement was reached at several hour meeting between the officials of the Republika Srpska Government, Srebrenica Potocari Foundation, OHR (led by Charlie Powell), and Abdurahman Malkic, Srebrenica Mayor. What was agreed around 19:00 hrs last night was that transfer of battery factory, whose ownership is to be transferred onto Srebrenica Potocari Foundation, should be performed. Following proposal by Malkic, it was also agreed that Foundation should place its security within facility, whilst personnel and renters of business premises at Factory should remain there until 25 December, until when Government is to pay out its duties. Mico Micic, Republika Srpska Minister of Labour and soldiers and veterans protection, stated during his visit to Factory yesterday that Banjaluka seated Economic Institute is to be blamed for the failure to pay out compensations to workers, since Institute failed to prepare an estimate into worth of share-holders capitol. Sarajevo media also reported on the issue. |
| Srpske Poste affair | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Kalinic pressed charges against Pejic’ – Milutin Pejic, the General Manager of “Srpske Poste”, whom Steering Board removed from position, yesterday expressed expectation that Dragan Kalinic would carry out his public threat that he would press charges against Pejic for slander. It is obvious that Pejic was not informed that Kalinic did yesterday press charges for slander against Pejic at Banjaluka Basic Court. |
| Niko Lozancic on Action Plan on restructuring of power sector/Lozancic visited ‘Aluminij’ | Vecernji List (front page, “Abolishment of EP HB goes to Constitutional Court”, and page 3, “Abolishment of EP HB goes to make-up exam”, by Z. Kresic) carries that president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Niko Lozancic paid visit to Mostar yesterday where he met with leading people of Elektroprivreda of Croat Community of Herceg Bosna (EP HZ HB). After this meeting, Lozancic stated that at the beginning of the next week he will launch an initiative for the judgment of constitutionality of the Action Plan on re-structuring of the power sector. VL says that this Action Plan envisages the abolishment of EP HZ HB, although this company was profitable unlike the Elektroprivreda BiH and RS Elektroprivreda. Dnevni List (front and page 15, “Why Minister Zigic did not take into consideration arguments of EP HZ HB?”, by V. Soldo) and Slobodna Dalmacija (page 23, “It is not justified to shut down profitable ones”, by Z. Zekic) also covered this issue. DL on the same page (“Stimulus and not restriction should be secured to successful companies”, not signed) carries that Lozancic also visited ‘Aluminij’ company yesterday. On this occasion Lozancic stated: “I want to support all such companies in the whole BiH and I want to try, through activities of the FBiH Government, that all successful companies are recognized and that stimulus and not restriction are secured for them.” Sarajevo media also covered the issue. |
Other developments | |
| VL on donations for reconstruction of houses in FBiH
| Front page story of Vecernji List (continued on page 5, “Croats get 20 out of 500 donations in BiH”, by Zvonko Dragic) – says the decision of the FBiH Minister for Refugees and DPs, Edin Music, on selection of 500 beneficiaries in BiH, which are to get 14.000 KMs each for reconstruction of housing units, reflects the equality of constituent peoples in the FBiH. Apparently, Minister Music awarded 10 donations to Croat returnees in the FBiH out of 128 donations, whilst the Serbs got 18 donations. The same number (10) of donations have been allocated to the Croat returnees to the RS, this time the overall number of donations at Minister Music’s disposal for the RS was 372 donations. Dnevni List (page 4, “One people favored in distribution of aid”, not signed) carries that NHI issued a press release saying that the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons should have demonstrated more fairness in the election of beneficiaries of donations from the FBiH budget funds for 2003. The press release also says that it can be seen from the Decision on election of donation’s beneficiaries, which was published in BiH dailies on September 24, 2003, that some areas of return were given preference and this directly reflected on the ethnic representation of the donation’s beneficiaries. |
| New mass grave in Serb Brod detected | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Mass Grave’ – Marko Grabovac, President of Municipal Organisation for search for missing civilians from Serb Brod, yesterday confirmed that a new mass grave has been found at the football stadium in the Brod settlement of Tulek. The grave is believed to contain the bodies of the Serb civilians murdered during the past war |
| EUPM’s Roberts criticises “Oslobodjenje” | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Lies cause fear’ – Alun Roberts, EUPM Spokesperson, yesterday warned that text published in Sarajevo “Oslobodjenje” exemplifies an unprofessional and in-objective journalism, adding that international organisations would undertake measures in order to prevent such actions in the future. He added that it was not correct to say, not to mention publication as cover page story that Republika Srpska police ion Tuesday arrested Bosniaks in Prijedor, since nothing of this kind took place. Sarajevo dailies also covered the issue. |
| Int. audits on piled electricity bills | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Electricity bills pile up’ – According to report of international auditors, which is to be discussed at today’s session of the Republika Srpska Government , international auditors recently carried out audits at all power utility offices of RS Elektroprivreda. The reports conclude that the debts and electricity bills have piled up and are still piling up since last year. Auditors inspected papers at Power Centres in Pale, Banjaluka and Doboj. |