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| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Report on tragedy in southeast Asia | Earthquake in |
| Cardinal Puljic’s Christmas reception | Stojicic on RS PM designate |
| Tihic on RS parties’ agreement | Talks on new RS PM resumed |
TV news broadcast on 26 December
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Earthquake in | Earthquake in | Earthquake in | Earthquake in |
| Puljic’s Xmas reception | Elections in | Elections in | Cavic on RS survival |
| Bomb in Tepcici, Brotnjo | RS parties agreement | Arrests – anti-Serb graffiti | NGOs greet the agreement |
| Firecracker injury in Losinj | Ivanic resignation issue | Reactions on agreement | Reactions on agreement |
| Oslobodjenje | Call on Ashdown to ban work of those destructing the state |
| Dnevni Avaz | Ahmet Hadzipasic: Review of privatisation a priority |
| Dnevni List | BiH will block construction of highway along its border? |
| Vecernji List | Waves killed thousands of people |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Glas Srpske | Velimir Sakan: Paddy, it is not like that |
| Nezavisne Novine | Following information that Ratko Mladic was hiding at military facility at Han Pijesak: BiH Defence Ministry has opened investigation; Gerald Knaus: Ashdown would be using his powers more in the coming months |
| Blic | Reactions on Agreement: Solution or a theatre show |
| Vecernje Novosti | Dusan Stojicic: Premier from opposition |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| It is possible that SDS support nomination of Dodik as PM designate | RS Radio – RSNA Speaker, Dusan Stojicic, stated that it was possible that SDS would support Milorad Dodik as RS PM designate.He also said that SDS was ready to be a part of opposition, since its members are of the view that RS should get new Government as soon as possible. |
| Talks on RS PM designate to be resumed today | RS Radio – Goran Milojevic, PDP senior official, stated/confirmed that the leading officials of six leading political parties in RS would resume talks on nomination of RS PM designate in |
Political developments | |
| Cavic on RS survival
| RTRS – RS President Dragan Cavic has expressed his stand that RS will survive, because it was established by the will of Serb people and the International Community has only accepted and recognized that. Cavic said that this will isn’t decreased nowadays and that he is optimistic regarding the RS’s future. Cavic added that ICTY indictments and relation toward the ICTY aren’t political but judicial issues that are producing political consequences. |
| RS President Cavic says entity is scapegoat for international failures
| BETA Belgrade’s news agency – RS President Dragan Cavic said on Sunday that the RS authorities had been trying to establish a “relationship of trust” with the international institutions in BiH as far as cooperation with the Hague tribunal was concerned, but that he had the impression that they needed a “scapegoat” for their failure to arrest indictees. Appearing as a guest on BK Television, Cavic said that the RS, up until the fall from power of FRY (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000 “did not have a chance of fulfilling any of the obligations” towards The Hague, because up until that time “there was a country which officially did not accept the jurisdiction of the Hague tribunal” and had great influence over the RS. Cavic said in the “It is not Serbian to be quiet” programme that “Milosevic’s rule reflected directly on political relations” in the RS, and only after his departure for The Hague did it become clear that “there were no untouchables”. The RS president recalled that the indictments against Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, former political and military leaders of the Serbs in BiH, had been issued as far back as 1995, but that the international troops had not even tried to arrest them until 1999, because their mandate only allowed for arrest if they came across them, and not in a special operation. Cavic said that the pressure on BiH, Croatia and SCG regarding cooperation with the Hague tribunal had intensified “at the moment when several international factors decided to close the doors of the Hague tribunal in 2010, and when talk of a general war crimes court started”. “Clearly, that was the time when pressure on Cavic said that he maintained good relations with Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, adding that this was his obligation as RS president. |
| Mikerevic says establishment of Defence, Interior Ministries at state level not condition for Euro-Atlantic integration
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Election of the news Government as soon as possible’, SRNA – Outgoing RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic says that transferring of the defence and interior ministries from RS to the BiH state level is not condition for Euro-Atlantic integrations and BiH membership in the EU. Mikerevic said that he was not forced to resign. “I made the move on the basis of assessment that the Government cannot accept that kind of decisions and messages by the High Representative,” said Mikerevic. He warned that an eventual non-acceptance of his resignation by RS National Assembly would not be good for RS. Mikerevic added that the new RS Government should be appointed as soon as possible. |
| Sakan denies HR
| Glas Srpske cover page report ‘It is not like that, Paddy’ by M.Dz. – Velimir Sakan, Presidnet of the RS NA Board for control over Defence and Security Bodies, told GS that HR Paddy Ashdown had not stated the truth by saying that RS NA had previously agreed that RS Army should have been abolished by 2007. Sakan denies this by saying that RS NA has never passed such decision. |
| VN int. with Stojicic
| Vecernje Novosti cover and pg 2 ‘Premier from opposition’ by Slobodan Pesevic – in a page interview to VN, Dusan Stojicic, RS NA Speaker, confirms the consultations on the nomination of the new RS-PM designate are still ongoing. He further fully supports and commends the work of the RS Interior Minister, Darko Matijasevic. On alleged Karadzic’ letter, Stojicic notes: “It is a political manipulation calculated to hinder these negotiations. The aim is to accuse SDS that Karadazic is running SDS from the shadow. The letter was worked out by enemies of RS. This is not the first time somebody publishes alleged Karadzic’s letters.” On future RS Government composition, he notes: “The Constitution does not stipulate that five Bosniaks at Cabinet should be from SDA or some other Bosniak party. This has not been stipulated by the Constitution. SDS has proposed the political platform of authority structure, in regard to division of departments. This proposal is already at tables of parties we are engaged in negotiations with.” |
| GSint. with Dodik
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Reforms are excuse for torture’ by S. Sabljic – in an interview to GS, Milorad Dodik, SNSD President, expresses belief that although HR Paddy Ashdown claims he has no intention of abolishing the RS, Dodik is convinced there is a tacit concept and and desires of some people to see it vanish gradually. On SDS he says: “SDS has drastically changed its policy. You cannot recognise this party now in comparison with the party of six years back. It is not the same party. But apart from this, there is still a stereotype according to which it is still the prime responsible for immediate past and everything else.” |
| BHT: Reactions to RS political parties’ agreement by journalists, NGOs
| BHT – Leading political parties in RS will continue on Monday with discussion on Prime Minister (PM) designate and structure of the new RS Government, reports BHT. Two proposals are still under consideration: SDS’s proposal on PM designate that doesn’t belong to any party and Government with three ruling parties, and SNSD’s proposal on Government without SDS.There are different reactions in BiH public in relation to agreement on joint political acting, signed by 6 RS parties. “It is proved once again that there can be consensus when it comes to key issues. Nevertheless, regarding internal political issues, forming of new Government, these are still old options,” said Banjaluka’s ATV journalist, Vladimir Susak. “What remains a question is what SNSD and Milorad Dodik are looking for in this unnatural informal political coalition. Another question is how long RS citizens will let RS politicians to manipulate with them,” stated Branko Todorovic, President of RS Helsinki Human Rights Board. RS Coordination Centre of 11 NGOs welcomes signing of agreement. “I think that this is first time in the RS history that, with President Cavic, political parties united. This is answer that the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, and SDA cannot violate |
| Reactions of OHR, RS branches of SDA, SDP, Partu for BiH to the Serb political parties’ agreement
| RTRS – First reactions to signed Agreement have arrived and as it was expected the loudest ones are SDA and other Parties that were named as “generators of the crises in BiH”, while OHR had no official stand. The only official statement from OHR was- “We have heard that the Agreement was signed”. RS Vice-President Ivan Tomljenovic is worried by open stand against IC, and he said that he is not thrilled by Saturday’s message, because for him it doesn’t represent the exit from the crises, but clear stand against reforms. “This Agreement will slow down reforms, it will not stop them and that is very clear and it should be clear for the Parties where does BiH goes and where RS should go as well”- said Tomljenovic. Recent coalitional partners, and as of Saturday “main generators of the crises”, SDA and Party for BiH think all the worst of the Agreement and they claim that nothing important will change, being that they don’t believe to much in accomplished agreement. “Political fraternity and unity that was reached by six Parties will not last for long. That is a certain form of blackmail to the IC and this national homogenization is an already seen thing. Obstruction of reforms is a finger to the eye of the IC as well as the auto goal on domestic field”, said Tarik Sadovic, Chief of SDA Caucus in RS National Assembly. “I would like those gentlemen to say where they are taking us. They don’t have that right, they can do it in their name but not in the name of their children’s future, not in the name of others and not in the name of all citizens in RS and IN BiH”, said Muharem Murselovic, Chief of SBiH Caucus in RSNA. Open support the Agreement got from SDP BiH and they say that they will support all agreements that lead out of the crises and that are in citizens’ interest. “Any solutions that will be brought in the future, must be created by domestic political forces and IC, lead by the High Representative finally must be the one that will only help us in finding of best possible solutions”, said Slobodan Popovic, Vice-President of SDP. There are many opinions on the agreement, but the one thing is mutual- the question how to get on and who will be the next PM. Other Parties have no information on possible candidate, so they are carefully monitoring the further events. |
| Comments on Saturday Agreement of political parties in RS in Serbian/RS press
| EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘Solution or a theatre show’ by Nedeljka Breberina-Marija Jandric – Tanja Topic, political analyst, commented on Saturday’s Agreement by saying that the Agreement would not bring any sort of solution to the crisis, adding it is just a waste of time. She stressed: “The political parties are now clear with what to do next. A sort of Agreement was indeed signed, but stances are still different. The issue remains how the situation would be settled. It is not excluded the entire issue is just a theatre show for the public.” The report also carries comments on Agreement of political parties signed in Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Authorities and HR should resolve crisis in BiH’ by V. Popovic – Pero Pavlovic, HDZ Spokesperson, said: “Failure to cooperate with the ICTY is aggravating factor for BiH, and the largest responsibility rests with RS. It is still too early to prejudice what the new Agreement of political parties would bring, but we expect nothing spectacular.” The report also carries comments on Agreement of political parties signed in |
| SDA warns RS: Blockage of the state represents anti-Dayton action
| Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Call on Ashdown to ban work of those destructing the state’ by A. Omeragic – SDA believes that the representatives of SDS and PDP will this week continue work in the state institutions or they will bear consequences of anti-Dayton behaviour. SDA Vice-president Seada Palavric told the daily on Sunday that SDA “expects SDS and PDP representatives to attend a meeting of ruling parties leaders and a session of CoM scheduled to take place in the course of this week.” “Otherwise, if the parties from RS do not implement HR measures and if they block work of the state institutions thereby destabilize the state, than it must be considered an anti-Dayton behaviour and it will require concrete OHR moves. And this means that the HR should ban them from political acting just like he did in some similar cases before,” said Palavric. |
| Sulejman Tihic: Serb political parties are held hostage by Karadzic’s policy
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Serb political parties are held hostage by Karadzic’s policy’ by A. Malagic – SDA President Sulejman Tihic said in an interview with the daily that the agreement on coordinated political action signed by leaders of six Serb political parties in Banja Luka two days ago showed that those parties were still being held hostage by the policy of Radovan Karadzic. Tihic added that that the leaders of those parties were forgetting they were not in position to set conditions but that they just had to fulfil obligations towards ICTY. |
| Reactions to Serb political parties’ agreement by SDU’s Tokic, Party for BiH’s Belkic, BOSS’ Ajanovic
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Recipe for Serb unity reminds of nationalists’ messages from 1991’ – Agreement on coordinated political action signed by leaders of six Serb political parties will not lead to resolution of the crisis in RS and BiH state institutions but it might contribute to further worsening of the political situation in the country, according to BiH Social Democratic Union (SDU) Vice-president Sejfudin Tokic. “Recipe for Serb unity offered in |
| NN op-ed on political situation in RS
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Devil and politics’ by Branko Todorovic – The author is somewhat critical of Milorad Dodik and his signing of the Agreement with political parties. The author stresses: “Dodik should acknowledge his voters do not expect to see him a part of political combination with SDS, as well as that any new re-composition of the political forces in RS should result from new elections instead of political bargain. Otherwise, if Dodik accepted the position of RS Premier with PDP and SDS ministers in it, Dodik would be seen as another official eager for power. His voters would not forgive him this.” |
| Editorial on RS crisis
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Government of National Salvation’ by S. Bjelica carries an editorial regarding the RS crisis and the author concludes that the decisions passed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown are counterproductive every time and this time they united enemies from the RS political scene. The author also says that although SDS and SNSD could not reach an agreement with regard to forming of the Government, nevertheless, a new Government could be called the Government of National Salvation. The author added: ‘Obviously, such situations only lead to new, deeper divisions. Without respecting of the Constitution, no matter what it is like, and without the fact that all 3 peoples equally must decide on the future of this country there will be no progress. The HR should be aware of this.’ |
| Russian Ambassador Grischenko denies NN report, says HR role in BiH indisputable
| Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘Russia continues cooperation with Ashdown’ signed by Alexander Grishchenko – “I strongly disagree with the title in ‘Nezavisne Novine’ (issue of 25/26 December 2004), which misquotes the Embassy by adding words that are not written in the Embassy’s press release issued on 24 December 2004,” wrote Russian Ambassador. This title says something that we did not even had in mind and presents our position wrongly/incorrectly. Unfortunately, there was also a mistake in the translation from the Russian language made by the Embassy. It is clear that there are no at all accusations against the High Representative (as written in the subtitle). The essence of our standpoint was given in the press release issued by the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry on |
| US Peace Institute Director Server: Abolishment of RS Possible
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Abolishment of RS possible’ by S. Numanovic – Director of the American (US) Institute for Peace Daniel Server warns that the abolishment of RS was possible due to the Entity politicians’ failure to fulfil their international obligations. In an interview with the daily, Server emphasized that the circles within the Peace Implementation Council are becoming more and more aware that BiH could not be punished all the time because of the RS politicians’ incapability to resolve the problems they are facing with. |
| Interview with Carlos Westendorp
| Vecernji List pg 3 ‘BiH joins EU without entities’ by M. Relota – Talking for Radio Free Europe Spanish diplomat Carlos Westendorp sated: ‘We (the International Community) were forced to do in BiH many things which are usually undemocratic because of wrong decisions and acting of the people in power. It was very difficult to remove the people who did not accept implementing of the |
| ESI’s Knauss on HR Ashdown
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘Ashdown would be using his powers more in the coming months’ by D. Risojevic – In an interview to NN, Gerald Knauss, President of the Executive Board of the ESI (European Stability Initiative), is sceptical towards the latest measures undertaken by Paddy Ashdown, High Representative to BiH, which have resulted in one of the most serious political crises over the past years. it is not clear to Knauss why Ashdown has destroyed the agreement BiH politicians had reached on defence reform, neither does he understand the claims that BiH needs one defence ministry, since Ratko Mladic was hiding at one military facility in RS, adding: “The biggest irony is that Mladic is not in BiH for sure. The irony is that Mladic is most likely in SiCG. I do not know how the new ministry – knowing it would take years to prepare such – would accelerate the attempts for arrest of people, who are not even in BiH.” According to Knauss, the only undisputable issue about Ashdown is that he wants to get another mandate. In regard to this, he stresses: “Conclusion can be drawn from Ashdown’s latest decisions that he believes he should be a high representative not only in this mandate, but also in the future. Ashdown believes in his powers, and he will be using them more in the coming months.” On proposed police reform, Knauss notes that: “Try implement such reform with a single police centre in Germany or Switzerland, where the police structure is decentralised, and you would see that such reform would result in numerous controversies even there. This is an example of a normal democracy.” |
| Sanader on HDZ Croatia policy with regard to BiH
| Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Croats must resolve issue of their destiny in Sarajevo’ by Z. Jukic – According to the sources close to Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Prime Minister Miroslav Coric, during his visit to Mostar paid last week Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sander sent a message to HDZ BiH leadership which says that they must resolve the issue of their destiny in Sarajevo and not Zagreb and that HDZ Croatia will not be exerting influence on HDZ BiH any longer. |
| Heads of Departments in Mostar City Administration appointed
| Dnevni List pg 13, mentioned on front, ‘Heads of Departments in Mostar City Administration appointed’ by NINA, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12 ‘Heads of 5 Departments in Mostar City Administration appointed’ by M. Landeka – Mostar Mayor Ljubo Beslic appointed Heads of 5 Departments in the Mostar City Administration (MCA) on Friday. (Predrag Supljeglav was appointed the Head of Department for Organization, Legal Issues and Administration, Edita Avdic was appointed the Head of the Department for Finances and Real Estate, Bozo Coric became the Head of the Department for Social Activities, Zarko Markic was appointed the Head of the Department for Urban Planning and Construction, while Mirsad Saric became the Head of the Department for Economy, Security and Environment.) DL says that the decision on appointment of 16 Heads of services with the MCA will be implemented by |
Economic/social issues | |
| On issue of Corridor Vc and
| Dnevni List front pg and pg 3 ‘BiH will block construction of highway along its border?’ by Z. Jukic – DL says that after Croatia announced that it will bypass Neum during construction of the bridge Komarna-Peljesac many media and political analysts interpret this fact as a definitive defeat of BiH’s efforts exerted in order to get extremely big privileges for its economy in the Ploce port. DL explains that, nevertheless, the Croatian highway, which will connect northern and southern part of |
| Ahmet Hadzipasic: Review of privatisation a priority
| Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 5 ‘Review of privatization a priority in the next year’ – In an interview with the daily, FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic said that the FBiH Government had contributed significantly in the past period to the establishment of functional state institutions, economic reforms and preparations of BiH to accede the Euro-Atlantic integrations. “The priorities in the next year will include further strengthening of the economic capabilities, attracting of foreign investments, reduction of the Budget expenditures as the key moves will be related to the review of privatisation and unburdening of the business operations,” said Hadzipasic. |
| Audit into Herceg-Bosnian Canton expenditures
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘BAM 22 million spent on salaries’ by R. Cengic – The report on F BiH budget audit, prepared by the F BiH Audit Office, reads that over BAM 22 million, out of BAM 31 million, of the budget of Herceg Bosnia Canton in 2003, was spent in 2003 on salaries. Owing to this and many other irregularities, the Auditor has gave a negative assessment to the |
| BAM 1.5 million from RS goes to pensions for 9500 returnees to F BiH | Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘BAM 1.5 million from RS goes to pensions for 9500 returnees to F BiH’ by I.S. – Slavko Basic, RS PIO Fund Director, confirmed that the next session of the RS NA would decide on the destiny of 9500 pensioners returnees to F BiH, who have accomplished their pensions in F BiH, but RS PIO Fund is paying out pensions to them. |
Miscellaneous | |
| Becirbasic on military facility at Han Pijesak
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 5 ‘BiH Defence Ministry has opened investigation’ by M. Cubro – Enes Becirbasic, BiH Deputy Defence Minister, on Sunday confirmed that the BiH Defence Ministry had ordered the investigation inside the RS Army, in regard to possible involvement of RS Army officers in hiding of wear crime suspects at the underground military facilities, adding: “HiRep Paddy Ashdown has demanded this investigation be conducted and we have already ordered RS Defence Ministry to conduct it.”Branko Trkulja, Spokesperson of the RS Defence Ministry, confirmed that this Ministry had already handed all the information available on underground military facilities, stressing that the BiH Defence Ministry is conducting investigation on possible involvement of RS Army officers in hiding of PIWC’s. Trkulja ntoed RS Defence Ministry would provide full support and assistance to this investigation. |
| Party for BiH founder Silajdzic: They are trying to discredit me
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘They are trying to discredit me’ by BETA – Haris Silajdzic, former BiH foreign minister and founder of Party of BiH, denied media speculation that “Court in The Hague has been interested in his case lately” and that bill of indictment would have been handed to them by the end of January 2005. in an interview to BETA news agency, he said that nobody from |
| 5000 complaints against work of judges and prosecutors
| Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 8 ‘5000 complaints against work of judges and prosecutor’s by N. Krsman – In an interview to NN, Branko Peric, President of the HJPC, says that HJPC has received approximately 5000 complaints against the work of judges and prosecutors, noting that majority of complaints are ungrounded. Peric stresses that 30% of judges and prosecutors, have not been re-elected during re-election process owing to grounded suspicion on their biasedness and violations of the law and Code of Conduct. |