| Radio Herceg-Bosna (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30 hrs) |
| SFOR actionin Han Pijesak | SFOR in Han Pijesak | Request of RS pensioners | Action of SFOR at C.Rijeka |
| EU and EC support HR | SDS respects all decisions | Audit into SDS finances | Audit into SDS operations |
| HR about removals in RS | Financial business of SDS | Action of SFOR | SDS about decisions of HR |
| SDS-s illegal activities | Credibility of BiH | Statement of Mikerevic | Statement of Mikerevic |
| Oslobodjenje | New unannounced SFOR action in RS: Mysterious raid into a military facility near Han Pijesak |
| Dnevni Avaz | COMSFOR Virgil Packett: Clock is ticking for Karadzic |
| Dnevni List | No money for |
| Vecernji List | Saddam: ‘This court is theatre, Bush is criminal’ |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Cyrillic letters in third class of primary school! |
| Glas Srpske | Han Pijesak: They flow Crna Rijeka; Zoran Stankovic, VMA Head: Soldiers beat up on Starovlah’s |
| Nezavisne Novine | SFOR and RS police action at Han Pijesak: Facility of RS Army searched; OHR on financial dealings of SDS: Audit reports on corruption at SDS to be forwarded to BiH Prosecutor’s Office; SDS Presidency: Vojislav Gligic: Election of new members today |
| Blic | Medical findings of injuries of Starovlah’s: SFOR did beat up on priest and his son |
| Vecernje Novosti | SFOR searched RS Army facility: Invasion against Han Pijesak |
| Dani | Weapons black market: |
| Slobodna Bosna | SB investigates: Crime within Croats: Miroslav Prce, Dinko Slezak Ante Jelavic |
| Ljiljan | Karadzic’s assistants removed by OHR decision |
Cooperation with ICTY/PfP/Measures against SDS/EU black list | |
| SFOR operation in Han Pjesak area
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Mysterious raid into a military facility near Han Pijesak’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘SFOR raided into Mladic’s headquarters’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Karadzic is more wanted than bin Laden and Mula Omar’ not signed , Vecernji List pg 5 ‘SFOR soldiers were looking for war criminals again?’ by B. Stevandic, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘They were searching Mladic’s war-time residence’ by A. Macanovic, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘RS Army facility searched’; Glas Srpske cover page report ‘They plow Crna Rijeka’; Vecernje Novosti pg 5 ‘They search Mladic’s base’ mentioned on cover ‘Invasion against Han Pijesak’ – Around 04:00 hrs yesterday morning, SFOR members launched inspection of the RS Army military facility at Crna Rijeka near Han Pijesak, where the logistics command of RS Army was seated. According to Marc Hope, SFOR Spokesperson, this SFOR action was in accordance with SFOR mandate. He also said that some RS MoI units had been informed of this action, without giving exact information what units were informed. Radovan Pejic, Spokesperson of the PSC Serb Sarajevo, confirmed that at Njegus did not want to speak about yesterday’s action of SFOR at all. Pejic later on stated that the SFOR action saw no arrest or detention. He also could not confirm whether SFOR members took anything from facilities, they were inspecting. Late in the afternoon, a large number of SFOR members left the site and withdrew to Han Pijesak Police Station. According to NN inset 1 ‘SFOR asked citizens to stay away from the inspection site’, SFOR has asked the local population, through a press release, not to approach the inspection site. According to NN inset 2 ‘Antenna on Hotel’, SFOR members yesterday morning searched hotel at Han Pijesak and placed a large antenna on the Hotel roof. The antenna should be catching radio waves. According to NN inset 3 ‘Ashdown: It is not easy to arrest Karadzic’, Paddy Ashdown, High Representative to BiH, yesterday told RFE that the capturing of Radovan Karadzic in the wildness of Durmitor, Zelengora, Maglic, and amongst population, which regards him as a hero, it is not easy to carry out a military operation, but it will happen. |
| SFOR resumes checks at Karakaj
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘SFOR resumed checks at BiH border with SiCG’ – Tim Kendall, First Sergeant with SFOR MND North yesterday confirmed that no war crime suspect would be able to cross border crossing point Karakaj between BiH and SiCG. He also confirmed that the so far action saw no suspicious person or activity. |
| Packett: Karadzic will be arrested by the end of this week | Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 3 ‘Packett: Karadzic will be arrested by the end of this week’ – SFOR Commander Virgil Packett told SCG news agency Tanjug on Thursday that the most wanted war crime indictee Radovan Karadzic would be apprehended by the end of this week. |
| VL on arrest of Karadzic and Mladic
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Where did the man disappear to?’, by Mila Stankovic – The author wonders how it is possible that international forces cannot find Radovan Karadzic as well as Ratko Mladic even after almost 10 years, noting that the situation leads people to say that the IC is even protecting them. Commenting on the interview that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, gave to Croatian TV (HRT) the other day, when the HR stated that Karadzic was allegedly somewhere on Mt. Zelengora, which was used by Tito during the WWII to hide himself, the author notes that one would even find a needle in a haystack, if you searched the haystack every now and then throughout 10 years time. VL concludes it is sad that former ICTY judge, Richard May, who dies yesterday, will not see the arrests taking place. |
| VL: Law on SIPA does not give optimism when it comes to arrest of Karadzic and other war crimes suspects
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Former RS MoI minister to arrest Karadzic’, by Dejan Jazvic – the author argues that the new Law on SIPA, which came into force last month, does not give optimism when it comes to arrest of Karadzic and other war crimes suspects. VL argues that the law in question has some scandalous provisions, which could lead to another failure in arrest of war crimes suspects. As an example, the author cites that contrary to agreement between the ruling parties, according to which a Croat is to lead the SIPA, the law allows the current Director of SIPA, Sredoje Novic, to be in the office for few months more. In that context, VL notes that Novic was the RS Interior Minister for two years, therefore it is unrealistic to expect him to do more on arrest of Karadzic. |
| Update to Starovlah’s case
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Soldiers were beating up on Starovlah’s’ – Dailies carry report from yesterday’s press conference in Belgrade held by Zoran Stankovic, Head of Belgrade VMA (Military and Medical Academy). Stankovic said that the injuries of Archpriest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar were not caused by explosion, but instead the injuries were of mechanical nature and were caused by other people. |
| Ashdown’s interviews for Vecernje Novosti, Dnevni Avaz
| Vecernje Novosti pg 2 ‘I do not hate Serbs, I do not abolish RS’ by Slobodan Pesevic – In a page-long interview to Vecernje Novosti, Paddy Ashdown, High Representative to BiH, reminds of authorities given to him by Dayton Peace Agreement to make deliberations. He reiterates his task is to protect RS, since he is a protector of RS and Dayton Peace Agreement as well. He does not exclude the possibility of seeing some more radical measures passed in the future, if SDS does not reform. He emphasises decisions were not aimed against RS or SDS – instead his measures are aimed against individuals, who obstructed development of this state using methods of corruption. He claims he was suggested to ban SDS participation at the upcoming elections, but he did not want to do that. On police reform, he stresses police force needs to strengthen. If necessary, authorities would change, but only with the assent of both entities. Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Corrupted individuals will not destroy future of BiH’, mentioned on cover ‘I delivered a very clear message’ also carried an interview with HR Paddy Ashdown on his decision to sanction SDS and certain officials in RS. |
| Head of EU, EC missions in BiH welcome HR’s measures
| Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Apprehension of the indictees way to Europe’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘BiH is held hostage by irresponsible politicians’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘EU and EC member supported Ashdown’s decision’, FENA – The EC and EU countries head of missions in BiH fully support the measures taken by the High Representative against the obstructionists in the cooperation of RS with the Hague Tribunal. Cooperation with ICTY is the basic element of the Stabilization and Association Process, which directly refers to the Feasibility Study and the Thessalonica Declaration, stated the heads of missions of EU participating states and EC, according to the Embassy of the |
| Anonymous
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Petric and Pejcic were involved in personal protection of Karadzic’ by N. Jablic – US official to BiH yesterday told NN, under terms of anonymity, that Public Company “Srpske Sume” has organised illegal wood cutting for a long time and financed war crime suspects with money obtained in this manner. American diplomat further claims that Zoran Petric and Mile Pejcic, both from Bijeljina, have been removed because of their involvement in personal protection and transport of war crime suspect, Radovan Karadzic. According to inset ‘Investigation on corruption at “Telekom Srpske”, US diplomat said: “We are currently engaged in positing whether the aim of corruption carried out at Telekom Srpske was to finance Radovan Karadzic and other war crime suspects. We do not hold such evidence for now, but we continue with checks.” |
| NATO on HiReps’ decisions
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘NATO did not carry out removals in RS’ – James Apathurei, NATO Spokesperson in Brussels, stated that removals of most senior officials in Republika Srpska were not ordered nor carried out by NATO. He said that Paddy Ashdown has most probably made this deliberation as a logical thing following completion of NATO Summit. He added: “All measures aimed at accelerating BiH cooperation with the ICTY are good.” |
| OHR: Financial review reveals abuse, corruption, tax evasion in SDS
| Herceg Bosna Radio BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘Parts of report on SDS have already been forwarded to the prosecutor’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Prosection Office looking into financial report on SDS operations’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 2 ‘Audit report on corruption at SDS go to BiH Prosecutor’s Office’; EuroBlic RSpg4 ‘Invoices, bills, donations, accounting – disputable’, Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Details about abuse, corruption and tax evasion’ by D. Polovina-Mandic , Vecernji List 5 ‘SDS catalogue of abuse’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 17 ‘Abuse, corruption and tax evasion’ by D. Pasic , FENA – The OHR on Thursday published the financial review of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) carried out by the Special Auditor. Responding to the Special Auditor’s findings, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown said, “This review reveals a catalogue of abuse, corruption and tax evasion at all levels of the SDS. There is a complete, even criminal absence of proper control designed to ensure the observance of the law and to prevent the passage of funds to and from criminal and war criminal networks, and support structures; the financial review also reveals substantial evidence of illegal transactions by SDS subsidiaries with enterprises and public bodies and, prime facie, clear indications of repeated, multiple and flagrant breaches of electoral law”, the OHR spokesman, Kevin Sullivan, said at a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. The Special Auditor’s Office visited 16 SDS municipalities as part of their review, which was carried out over a number of weeks. In addition the financial review uncovered systematic accounting discrepancies, underreporting of expenses, assets, and donations, incomplete membership lists (violating the party’s own Statutes), failure by the party to pay social benefit and employment tax costs for members of its staff, SDS use of municipal property free of charge unpaid bills owed by the SDS to public companies, said Sullivan. |
| Oslobodjenje editorials on HR’s measures
| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘The Purge’ In Focus column by Zija Dizdarevic – “It is true that Ashdown’s autocracy represents a strike on democratic manner and human rights protection. But it has also been showed that such the BiH democracy is powerless towards widespread antidemocratic practice. This is a devastating truth about international representatives in BiH but also about us – the voters,” wrote Dizdarevic commenting on the measures against some RS/SDS officials taken by the High Representative. Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Power and fat (referring to benefits of being in government)’ op-ed by Hamza Baksic – “Reactions to the removal of Dragan Kalinic in RS show that the entity is still not prepared for democratic changes, just like the Federation. In the both entities there is still a war to protect/preserve positions obtained during the war by all means’, wrote Baksic. |
| SDS Presidency held session
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 4 ‘Election of new members today’; EuroBlic RSpg 1 ‘What will happen with elections’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Main Board to decide on replacements’ – At yesterdays’ session in Banja Luka, SDS Presidency discussed several political options and proposed short-term measures aimed at consolidating and ensuring continuity of the party work. According to press release issued after the session, ‘SDS Presidency condemned decisions of High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, which resulted in removals of 59 officials of RS in a brutal manner.” SDS Presidency also denied ungrounded accusations ascribed to SDS and RS institutions. SDS Presidency also warned HiRep, as well as other international officials who took part in enactment of “protectors’ measures” that decision has violated basic democratic principles and human rights. At today’s session in SDS Presidency has also encouraged all progressive forces in RS and BiH, and inside international community, to speak up and oppose to protectorship-like of HiRep. (Apart from report on SDS Presidency session and press release issued afterwards, EuroBlic article also carries statements of Vehid Sehic, BiH Election Commission President – see below According to BHTV, SDS Presidency decided however to honour and implement HR’s decisions. |
| HDZ on possibility that SDS officials leave government
| Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘Comparisons with HDZ’, not signed – an HDZ spokesman, Pero Pavlovic, did not want to comment on possibility of SDS’ officials leaving institutions of authority, although his party had been involved in similar situations. Believing that earlier decision of HDZ’s ministers in the FBiH Government not to participate in the work of it was justified, Pavlovic says that progress can only be made by acknowledging all three constituent peoples. |
| ‘Terzic: Crisis of government to follow, the only question is how deep it will be’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Terzic: Crisis of government to follow, the only question is how deep it will be’ – “I think that the crisis of the authority is to follow and the only question is how deep it will be. From this perspective and at the moment it is not possible to say if the crisis will lead to early elections in RS or it is about a crisis to last for a while,” said in a statement for the daily Adnan Terzic, BiH CoM Chairman, commenting on the political situation in RS/BiH following the HR’s sanctions against certain SDS/RS officials. |
| Milojevic on Ashdown’s decision
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Ashdown attempted to cause crisis in RS’ – Goran Milojevic, PDP Vice President, is of the view that Paddy Ashdown, High Representative to BiH, attempted to “cause institutional crisis in RS by making most recent decisions”. Milojevic added: “I do not claim it was his intention, but his decisions have coincided with desires of the SDA leader, Sulejman Tihic, and others, who would like to see RS vanish.” He said that PDP would undertake all legal measures to protect institutions of RS in a legal manner. He further announced PDP Chair Board would hold session at Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Politicians use removals for pulling down of RS’ not signed also carried the statement. |
| Solaja on election of Telekom Srpske Acting Director
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Ban on money spending of “Telekom Srpske” – Dragan Solaja, RS Minister of Traffic and Communication, yesterday confirmed that the Steering Board of “Telekom Srpske” would one of these days elect the Acting Director of “Telekom Srpske”, after Zeljko Jungic has been removed from his position. Solaja also issued an order according to which company assets should not be spend until Acting Director is appointed. |
| Election of new MP’s
| BHTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘New appointments soon’ by A. Sekulic – The author writes about procedures which need to be applied during the appointment of new officials, who would replace 59 removed officials. Dragan Mikerevic, RS Premier, last night stated that Government instructed Ministries to carry out an analysis and ensure proper procedures should be applied during the appointment process, since “staff, capable of bearing responsibility for the functioning of companies” would be appointed as soon as possible. (Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘RS Government on appointment of new cadres after removals’ by FU also covered the issue) Vehid Sehic, President of BiH Election Commission, yesterday stated that “election of new RS NA Speaker is regulated by RS NA RuleBook. Political parties are to elect MP’s and decide who should be new Speaker with majority vote.” He also said that each official, whom High Representative has removed, will not be able to take part at the upcoming local elections. According to NN inset ‘Trifkovic: Some people work, others speculate’, Nevenka Trifkovic, Head of PDP Caucus at RS NA, commented on speculations she would be the new RS NA Speaker, said: “While some people are doing serious work and thinking how to overcome this situation, others engage in speculations.” |
| Op-ed on removals
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Ashdown’s removals’ by Tanja Topic – The author starts the article by saying: “The fact the life in this state is becoming more and more tiring is proved by the latest removals of Paddy Ashdown, who deliberately or accidentally, killed the residues of hope in the citizens to participate in political life.” Apart from being critical of local politicians, who should be held responsible for misdeeds and accordingly brought before justice, she also criticises HiRep for having denied his own statements. Hearby, she referred to his statement that nationalistic parties as true carriers of reforms. She stresses by having passed such a decision, HiRep has brought into question the point of holding elections, because every average citizen of RS – following 30th June removals – could wonder why to vote for anybody when HiRep can replace him whenever he wants. She is also wondering how come RS PrimeMinister could have lost ministers over RS failure to cooperate with the ICTY, and was denied any responsibility. |
| RS Association of war inmates on Ashdown’s decision | Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘Bosniak recipe’ – RS Association of former inmates assessed that High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, decided to implement a devils’ plan of Bosniaks, because, in collaboration with them, he is carrying out moves with one aim: to satanise Serb people and destroy RS. |
| SPRS Djokic on decision
| Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘No time for elections’ – Petar Djokic, President of RS Socialist Party, yesterday in Banja Luka, stated that this party does not approve of HiRep’s decision on removals of 59 officials. He said: “decision is tough, harsh and might result in complicated political consequences.” Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Individuals from SDS are not RS’, Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Ashdown should make a balance’ also carried the statement. |
| NHI’s Dobrica Jonjic on HR’s measures
| Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Change of Dayton’s structure of BiH’ not signed – Commenting on the HR’s decision on behalf of NHI Dobrica Jonjic stated that this party does not believe that the last HR’s moves will result in the arrest of war crime suspects. They believe that any kind of personnel change will not bring in any progress since BiH divided in 2 entities is a country in which corruption, crime, unemployment and poverty rules. |
| DL on removals in RS
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Stalemate’, by Vedran Vujovic – Notes that after the last decision of the High Representative for BiH to remove 59 officials from the RS, it becomes more than clear that BiH is far from political independency, which is a feature of a sovereign state, but is rather a protectorate of the IC. Vujovic continues: “The move by the High Representative to remove a part of political forces that obstruct any form of integration of BiH is a serious warning to all of those that the practice of non-cooperation will not be tolerated. So, on one hand we have the OHR, which threats and removes, on the other we have the RS authorities that have to arrest war crimes suspects, and they do not want to do it, not a slightest chance. This situation is stalemate to BiH. Some people go, different come, and back to same old story! You can remove thousands of them, but if the IC does not stop being hypocritical by shifting the responsibility on domestic authorities, instead of admitting that the Dayton division into entities is the main obstacle to the future of BiH and stability in the region, Raso (Karadzic) and Mladic will not be in The Hague, we will not be in Europe. It is time that the foreigners realized that their BiH Frankenstein has been politically exhausted and that it’s time to move on, however hard it may be”. |
| Sarajevo magazines on HR sanctions
| Ljiljan pg 7 ‘First removal’ op-ed by Mensur Brdar – Referring to the decision of HR to remove 59 RS officials, Ljiljan writes: “This decision [to remove Dragan Kalinic] was expected earlier, because if [Paddy] Ashdown had done it two months earlier perhaps BiH would be in PfP, and [Radovan] Karadzic in Sheweningen… However, it is never too late for good move… As every other medicament, which is bitter but necessary for health, HR’s decision also have to be harsh, but they will certainly help Bosnian society to get better.” Dani magazine pg 16 the Bosnian barometer column – Magazine marked HR measure as a ‘bad move’ stating that these sanctions, without ban of SDS, will not bring expected results. Ljiljan pgs 23-24 ‘Ashdown’s ‘dukes’ cutting’’ by Mustafa Borovic – Article outlines details of the decisions announced by Paddy Ashdown regarding the sanctions against SDS and removal of 59 officials. Journalist calls the decision “very brave, wanted and well timed. Removals so far in smaller BiH entity did not, objectively, produce expected results… so it is difficult to say whether these will more significantly influence the change of overall political climate in RS… the main problem of the HR measure is lack of concrete, legal responsibility… or Ashdown intentionally left that up to ICTY and BiH Court.” Slobodna Bosna pgs 5-9, pg 16 ‘In a fear of punishments, hundreds of RS politicians for days have withdrew money from their bank accounts!’ by Suzana Sacic – Writing about HR measure, author says that for days before it was announced a real chaos was presented among SDS officials. In addition to outlining the decision and reactions, SB claims that the list of those sanctions included also RS Police Director Radomir Njegus, Chiefs of Public Security Centers in Banja Luka and, Deputy OSA Director Risto Zaric and his former advisor Goran Radovic, Chiefs of OSA in Trebinje, Bijeljina and Srpsko Sarajevo, however they were “saved” thanks to certain foreign officials [according to SB, EUPM and British saved Njegus]. These apparently Magazine also claims that that the new RS Interior Minister will be Velimir Sakan from PDP. |
| Ljubo Cesic Rojs on EU black list
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 2 ‘Rojs: Ashdown is just a quack’, by M. K. Sabolic – carries reaction by Ljubo Cesic Rojs, whose name got included on the ‘EU black list’ of persons who are denied entry to the EU countries. Cesic says he is a democrat, announcing that he will contest the decision before the European Court for Human Rights. “This nonsense is silly, but it does not come as a surprise from Paddy Ashdown, because he is just a quack who said that late president Franjo Tudjman drew him on a napkin a division of Bosnia”, said Cesic. He refused to answer when he had last contact with an ICTY indictee at large, general Ante Gotovina, noting that “Ante is my best friend and will not betray him. Even if I had to pay it with my own life”. |
| Croatian President Mesic on EU black list
| Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 2 ‘Mesic: I do not know why Bagic is on the list’, by I. Celevska, Dnevni List, pg 19 ‘I do not have information about ban to Bagic to enter EU’, not signed – The Croatian President, Stipe Mesic, commented the fact that an employee of his Office, Zeljko Bagic, found himself on the latest ‘EU black list’. President Mesic explains that Bagic is a secretary of his office, who is currently on leave and who has asked to be relieved of duty. “He has done his job in accordance with the law and I do not know what he is charged with. He was a liaison of the Office with the ICTY and he handed all the necessary documents to the Tribunal”, said Mesic adding in a informal conversation that he believes that conclusions are being drawn from friendship between Bagic’s daughter and son of Hrvoje Petrac (also on EU black list). President Mesic also says that he minds that the bans are pronounced without clear argumentation, noting that an institution cannot be held responsible for outside deeds of individuals working in it. |
| Ljiljan, Radovanovic on NATO summit
| Ljiljan pg 5 op-ed by Mirsad Sinanovic – Editorial refers to the statements on BiH presented by the NATO communiqué: “What NATO representatives wanted to tell us, and what he heard from EU officials for several times this year is the following: We will accept BiH in the world’s and European associations as the state, and therefore we say that the conditions were not fulfilled by the state, and it is upt to the state institutions to search for those guilty of failure! They want to tell us that our task is to strengthen state institutions… State and legally wise, it is good that the state is to be blamed, to be known that RS is not the state and that it depends of the state of BiH.” Ljiljan pgs 35-37 ‘Not much time will pass before BiH is admitted to NATO’ by Mustafa Borovic – BiH Defence Minister, Nikola Radovanovic, in an interview to the magazine says on NATO summit: “I did not go to Istanbul with a feeling that we carry something unknown in our bags, but that we leave to the environment in which we already belong in way… We are ready for PfP. I think that we need PfP now, because that is a framework which helps those in favor of reforms enabling them to move faster and easier… We don’t have much time to throw away.” |
Security/investigations/legal proceedings | |
| OHR on police restructuring in BiH
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Police that will protect interests of citizens’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Police forces change course’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Commission for BiH police restructuring to be presented today’, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic and the Commissioner of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM), Kevin Carty, on Friday will present the Commission for Police Restructuring, the OHR spokesman, Kevin Sullivan, told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. Appointment of the Commission’s Chair is also planned to take place Friday. Sullivan said that substantial improvements in the capabilities and capacities of the police have been realized, primarily thanks to support of IPTF and then EUPM. “However, it is clear that the very structure of police in BiH is in the way of taking efficient measures against the major criminals and ‘syndicates’ of organized crime operating in BiH”, stressed Sullivan. He reiterated that this sector is also covered by the Communiqué from the NATO Istanbul Summit and the EU Feasibility Study, and called on BiH to enhance its police structures in order to join the Partnership for Peace and progress towards European integration. |
| Zlatko Miletic: Single BiH Police forces by 2010 | Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Single Police in BiH in five years time’, mentioned on front, by E. Mackic – Representatives of EUPM, State, entity and cantonal judiciaries, FBiH Army, Police Commissioners and representatives of the FBiH Ministry of Interior gathered yesterday to celebrate the Day of Police of FBIH MoI. On this occasion, the Director of Police Administration of FBIH, Zlatko Miletic, stressed results and positive achievements of the FBiH MoI from the past period, noting that, as far as single Police forces for whole of BiH is concerned, it will be established by year 2010. Oslobodjenje pg 10 ‘Establish a police of European quality’ also covered the issue. |
| NN op-ed on police reform
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Polcie reform ‘by Josip Blazevic – The author starts the editorial by referring to most recent statement by Ahmet Hadzipasic, F BiH Premier, when he said BiH needs a highly professional police force. The author agrees with Hadzipasic in assessment that eight years after the Dayton Peace Agreement, police force has not reached the level of professionalism. Namely, it is still serving the interests of a small number of population – the rich and those on reign. The author concludes police reform is one of main pre-requisites for bringing BiH closer to European Union. |
| Lukac critical of Njegus
| Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Njegus passed verdict before Court’ – Dragan Lukac, former Head of RS MoI Special Police Unit, is astonished over decision of Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director, to deny further allocation of resources for legal representation of two special policemen involved in Visegrad action. Lukac says that Njegus’s statement (Ministry has no resources to cover expenses) is absurd. He said: “RS Interior Ministry has an obligation to pay defence attorneys, because those men went there not because they wanted, but because Njegus ordered them to carry out that order.” According to inset 1 ‘Indictment soon’, Serb Sarajevo District Prosecutor’s Office will most likely press charges against members of the RS Special Police Unit, Vedran Perisic and Drazen Bojic in the near future. The charges will be brought on the basis of murder of Novica Lukic in Visegrad in April. |
| The Hague: Woman from Srebrenica protest in front of Duth Government’s building
| BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Peaceful protest of Srebrenica women’, Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘Protest in front of the Dutch Government’, FENA/Hina – Some fifty women from Srebrenica on Thursday protested in the Hague requesting from the Dutch Government to provide the compensation of two billion euros, because it had failed to prevent the massacre of their relatives. Gathered behind the long white poster, with the names of their family members who had been killed in the worst massacre committed in Europe after the Second World War, the women from Srebrenica held a peaceful protest in front of the Dutch Parliament. Member of the legal team representing the survivors from Srebrenica Semir Guzin said that he had handed the request for an out of court deal/settlement to the representatives of the Government of Holland. “They now have six weeks to respond, and if they fail to do this, we shall launch a legal procedure before the competent court in Holland”, he added. |
| RS Government on further work of Srebrenica Commission
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Only complete results can lead to reconciliation’, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘List of missing persons by July 17’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 7 ‘Support to Commission’ by F , FENA – The RS Government concluded on Thursday that the Srebrenica Commission would continue intensive work on documenting the list of missing persons until the end of its activities scheduled for July 17. The Government concluded that the Srebrenica Commission had fulfilled tasks set by its mandate with the presentation of its final report. The RS Government however tasked all institutions to continue cooperation with the Commission in the same intensity because all of its good work could be undermined otherwise. The RS Government thinks that only a complete and thorough analysis of the events in Srebrenica can lead to peace and reconciliation and that the model of the Srebrenica Commission can serve as an example in other cases of discovering the faith of missing persons in the entire BiH. The RS Government will continue to provide full support for the work of the Srebrenica Commission. |
| Potocari: Remains of 330 Srebrenica victims to be buried on July 11
| BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Yet 330 Srebrenica victims to be buried in Potocari’, Dnevni Avaz pg 10, FENA – The remains of 330 identified victims of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica will be buried July 11 at the Memorial Centre in Potocari, the FBiH Commission on Missing Persons Chair, Amor Masovic, said at a press conference on Thursday. Of 330 victims, 329 are men and one woman. The victims include 26 close relatives to the persons that had been buried in previous three burials at the Memorial and Cemetery in Potocari. The programme of marking the ninth anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, titled “Let us not forget”, officially started on Thursday in the Hague with organizing peaceful protests by the survivors of genocide and seeking support for the suit against Holland, and will be completed on July 12 with the exhibit of paintings and photographs “The Missing ones”. So far, 989 victims from Srebrenica have been buried at the Memorial Centre in Potocari. |
Political developments | |
| CoM session postponed | FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Serbs boycotted work of BiH CoM’- Session of BiH Council of Ministers, which was scheduled for Thursday, was not held. Official reason presented was a lack of quorum. However, several Ministers did not appear at all. Only two of them have justified reason for their absence, and they are BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Mladen Ivanic and Minister of Finance and Treasury Ljerka Maric, while Dragan Doko, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations has no excuse for his absence. Out of Serb Ministers, no one except Dragan Mektic, Deputy of BiH Minister for Security, showed up. This may be a kind of protest of Serb representatives against the HR measures/sanctions against RS/SDS officials. Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Disagreement or boycott? not signed also covered the issue. VL wonders whether this lack of quorum happened accidentally or it is a consequence of the HR’s decision on removal of RS officials since after this decision was published the announcements about possible authority crises and withdrawal of Serb representatives were coming. Commenting on this situation Bojan Zec-Filipovic, who is a Spokesperson of Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic, stated that the postponement of the BiH CoM session was not caused by the boycott of the Serb representatives, but the travels of some Ministers lasted longer than it was expected. Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘Serbs did not come at session of BiH CoM’ by B. Kristo carries on the same issue that, by all accounts, the Serb representatives consolidated their ranks again until they decide what they will do. |
Economic/social issues | |
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| Dnevni List front pg and pg 11 ‘There are no money for Old Bridge opening ceremony’ by S. Bjelica and Slobodna Dalmacija pg 16 ‘There is no money for Old Bridge, ceremonious opening brought in question’ by M. Landeka – The dailies says that the Old Bridge opening ceremony has been brought in question due to the lack of financial funds. For this reason the Federation of BiH Minister of Culture Gavrilo Grahovac submitted an irrevocable resignation to the position of the President of the sub-committee for culture with the Organizational Board of the ceremony. DL reminds that the BiH Council of Ministers approved 2 million KM for this manifestation, while the FBiH Government approved 1,5 million KM, however, these funds have not been operational yet. Head of the Coordination Board of this manifestation Amir Pasic said that in case that money is not operational on July 5, when the contract with a contractor should be signed, then everything will fail. Dnevni Avaz pg 11, mentioned on cover ‘Grahovac resigned’ also covered the issue. |
| DL on old savings: SDA and HDZ give in under PDHR Hays’ pressures
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Are old savers being left without their money?’, mentioned on front, by Ivica Glibusic – DL notes that the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, pressured by the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, withdrew from its agenda a Draft law on honouring of internal obligations of FBiH. DL says it is interesting that the decision came only after a meeting held between PDHR Hays with Presidents of Caucuses and FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic. The daily also notes that that PDHR Hays’ statement, that the said law should be discussed and adopted as soon as possible without too much discussion otherwise BiH will not have any possibilities to enter Euro-Atlantic integration, is odd. As a reaction, members of Association of savers expressed big dissatisfaction. The President of Steering Board of Association for protection of old foreign currency savers in BiH, Amila Omersoftic, told DL that the proposed law did not envisage who the liabilities/duties of the FBIH, RS and Brcko District are. “We requested to set up a single database at State level and to have a State level law to determine what entities and what Brcko District have to pay. We also requested that a part of claims be compensated through stocks in public companies”, said Omersoftic. She adds that if the SDA and HDZ opt to adopt the ‘tale it or leave’ type of law, which would be at detriment of savers, that would be a direct treason of citizens of FBiH. |
| SB on Hercegovacka Bank
| Slobodna Bosna cover page ‘Crime among Croats: Miroslav Prce, Dinko Slezak, Ante Jelavic’, pgs 23-26 ‘Accused Croats will be proving they spent Susak’s and not FBiH’s money!’ by Suzana Mijatovic– Dealing with the Hercegovacka Bank case [whose trail SB calls ‘trial of the century’], SB examines the content of charges brought against Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce, Miroslav Rupcic, fra Ivan Sevo and Ivica Karlovic by the state Prosecutor for organized crime John McNair. Journalist writes that defendants have been intensively preparing the case, and that allegedly they will defend themselves claiming that “intention of money paid for Croat component of FBiH Army was decided on at the time by the Croatian Government as donor. According to these claims, project of establishing Hercegovacka Bank was drafted by late Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak.” Basically, SB says that defendants will defend claiming they have spent Croatian, and not FBiH money. |