| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Explosion in Glamoc | SFOR’s operation | SFOR checkpoints | SFOR mission |
| Presidency’s session | India – Pakistan | BiH Presidency | SFOR training |
| Education workers’ strike | Kreka mine | Kuwaiti delegation | BiH Presidency session |
| World news |
| Strike in steel mill | Privatisation in Serbia |
| Oslobodjenje | Tihic rejected to pay for Paravac’s expenditures |
| Dnevni Avaz | Tihic received a threat from Chetniks |
| Dnevni List | “Ljubo Beslic: Dives from Old Bridge used for promotion of intolerance”; “Consensus with regard to proposal of Draft Law on Indirect Taxation reached”; “Milorad Dodik: We are interested in HDZ stand on early elections!” |
| Vecernji List | “Betting shops are violating laws”; “Paravac endangered work of state top”; “Russian Embassy: We do not have spy in OHR!” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Banja Luka: Crude oil to be delivered to Brod refinery; How much are the health workers paid? As clerks |
| Nezavisne Novine | Following the negative opinion regarding credit with EBRD given by the Deputy Director General of RS Telekom, Milenko Stanic: Dokic and Ivanic arranged illegal privatisation of Telekom; SFOR action in Pale: SFOR soldiers monitored Sonja Karadzic mansion |
| Blic | Satchel of 300 KM |
Political developments | |
| BiH Presidency session
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 6 ‘Tihic rejected to pay for Paravac’s expenditures’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Paravac should look for additional funds by his own’, Dnevni List page 4, by E. Mackic, “Presidency decides to sanction Paravac!?”, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Internal debt more than 5 billion KM’, Glas Srpske, pg.2 –‘Kovacevic instead of Nikic’, FENA – The intern debt of BiH, although not yet fully defined, is estimated at approx. 5.2 billion KM, said BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic. “The debts include foreign currency savings, banking debts, i.e. citizens’ claims, but not the obligations of the state that may appear in the process of restitution”, said Tihic on Tuesday at a press Conference held after the body’s session. “The foreign debt on June 30 was estimated at 4 billion KM or approx. 34 percent of GDP. Of this amount 55 percent are pre-war and 45 percent are post-war debts. The greatest part of post-war debts was spent on recovering the country, and insignificant sums for development and employment. The total debt of the country, including the intern and foreign debts, is estimated at 84 percent of GDP”, said Tihic. According to him, the foreign debt is not worrying primarily because it is being paid off regularly. The BiH Presidency did not adopt the Report and Finance Plan of the Presidency. According to Tihic, the Report was not accepted due to irrational spending of planned funds in the office of Presidency member from the RS. This office also has its branches in Lukavica and Banja Luka. According to Tihic, in the first six months the office of BiH Presidency member from the RS had spent 453.010 KM, the office of Croat member spent 321.721 KM, and his office had spent 257.455 KM. Tihic insisted that the report is not accepted on Tuesday so that it was agreed that the session be interrupted at this item and be continued on Wednesday next week. Tihic does not agree with the proposal from the office of the Serb Presidency member that the remaining budgetary funds be equally distributed to the offices of all three members of the body. At the session, the Presidency appointed Ljubo Kovacevic as a member of the BiH Central Bank Steering Board. Vecernji List (front “Paravac endangers work of State top” and page 2 “State top facing bankruptcy”, by E. Medunjanin) reports that Tihic could not confirm whether the employees of the Presidency would be paid the August salary. Dnevni List (page 2, “Spendthrifts and persecutes ones”) carries a commentary by Zvonimir Jukic criticising the behaviour of the BiH Presidency, namely Borislav Paravac, during times of hunger strikes of workers in Bihac and when BiH citizenry are having tough times to make ends meet. Jukic adds it is disgraceful to request from the entities to cover the costs of nonchalant behaviour of the Presidency. |
| Paravac meets with British Ambassador to BiH | Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Europe has been making progress, BiH stagnating’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Cliff: It is hard to learn people in BiH how to lokk in the future’, Vecernji List page 3, “Paravac met Cliff”, by ms – BiH Presidency’s member Borislav Paravac and British Ambassador to BiH Ian Cliff discussed on Tuesday the nature of Dayton Agreement and initiatives for its change. According to a press release from the BiH Presidency, Paravac said that positions of three members of the BiH Presidency on the Dayton Peace Accords are different, but that there is a consensus for the admission into the European Union (EU) and NATO Partnership for Peace, which will bring joint solutions. He stressed that the intentions of BiH are directed towards the admission into the EU, but that it is impossible to achieve that without qualitative reform of legislation. The officials agreed that the economic situation is the biggest problem in BiH. Cliff said that there have been changes and progresses in the economy in Europe in the past thirteen years, while the economy in BiH has been stagnating. The officials concluded that the stability in the Balkans is important for European citizens. |
| EC’s Humphreys in RS | BHTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 – Head of the European Commission’s Delegation in BiH Michael Humphreys discussed with the RS President Dragan Cavic the economic and social issues in RS. The special attention was paid to the economical reforms’ implementation, tax system, as well as defence and security issues. Humphreys also met the President of the SNSD Milorad Dodik. After the meeting Humphreys stressed that it was not up to IC to decide on extraordinary elections in BiH. (Dnevni List page 10, unsigned, “Early elections are not matter for International Community”). RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic and Michael Humphreys also held a meeting, after which they visited Ljubija coalmine. After the meeting Mikerevic stated the following: “There will be no social demonstrations in RS, because the RS Government is doing everything in its power to put an end to the black-market in RS. (…) I tried to present the basic issues we are involved at the moment, and I also pointed out to the results regarding the public finances after introducing the so-called ‘mini PDV’. After that we discussed about the privatisation process in RS.” |
| DL on Mostar restructuring
| Dnevni List (page 9, by Z. Jukic, “Returnees propose new commission with M. Garrod at helm”) – according to DL, representatives of returnees’ associations that gather returnees of all nationalities will soon present a new initiative on organizational set-up of Mostar. DL also says claims that, after the Mostar Commission suffered a fiasco, the IC has determined two paths how to reach a solution. The first one is an arbitration and is supported by the HDZ, and the second one is mediation and long talks through formation of some sort of new commission. The returnees’ associations’, believing that the long talks would only deepen the agony and that an imposition of a solution would only create new problems on the ground, suggest establishment of a new commission that would offer a solution within three months the most. The new thing about this proposal is that the returnees request that such a commission be chaired by a foreign national and the returnees believe that the right man for the job is Sir Martin Garrod, a British politician who was “an international administrator in Mostar in second half of the nineties”. The new commission would not include representatives of political parties only, but also prominent public and political officials, former Mayors of Mostar and legal experts. The returnees see their proposal as the basis for making of a new Statute of Mostar, the proposal according to which Mostar should be one municipality with guaranteed equality for all peoples and citizens in bodies of authority. According to DL, sources in the OHR say the returnees’ proposal is the best solution for the city. The daily also corrects a technical error from yesterday’s issue. It originally wrote that the OHR finds the returnees’ proposal unacceptable, instead of that, it should have written that the OHR finds the proposal as the most acceptable solution for Mostar. |
| Following Werner Wnendt’s initiative: Prominent Mostar citizens for a single city | Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Following Werner Wnendt’s initiative: Prominent Mostar citizens for a single city’ – Many of the prominent Mostar citizens (or those of Mostar origin) were surprised with the information that the Senior High Representative, Werner Wnendt, might consult them as well regarding the future status of the town. However, in the statements given to the newspaper, some of them, including Zdravko Grebo, Sarajevo University Professor, Milivoj Gagro, former Mostar Mayor, Gradimir Gojer, the director of the Sarajevo National Theatre, and Safet Orucevic, also former Mostar Mayor, advocated for the establishment of Mostar as a single town. |
| Interview with SNSD’s Dodik | Dnevni List (front and page 7, by Miso Relota, “We are interested in HDZ’s position on early elections”) – an interview with the President of SNSD, Milorad Dodik, in which he says that the IC takes credits for many good things it has done, adding that the IC should also be held accountable for many “misses”. “One of the most important misses is a fact that we see that BiH is more and more far away from a democratic society in which there is no co-operation between local structures and politicians. Political parties simulate co-operations, and in the essence of it, there is a conflict”, says Dodik. Talking about the initiatives on early elections in BiH, Dodik says there are changes within the HDZ BiH and that one could expect the HDZ BiH to make that reform step which would make that party acceptable in democratic framework. Dodik adds that the official position of the HDZ BiH is that the party is not in favour of early elections, however Dodik says that they (SNSD and other parties that support the initiative) would be happy to hear that the HDZ too is for early elections since the HDZ BiH, according to Dodik, does not have to fear that its electorate would abandon it. |
| RS political parties on early elections | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4 – ‘Opposition: a way out from the crises; ruling parties: Unrealistic idea’- representatives of the opposition parties in Republika Srpska strongly believe that early election would not only radically change political scene in BiH, but would take the country out from a deep social and economic crisis. On the other hand, ruling parties do not think that early elections would significantly change political configuration of the state and entities. SNSD representative, Nikola Spiric believes that too much time was wasted in negotiations with the authorities and that it is more expensive for BiH to have the authorities as they are than to organise new elections. PDP Spokesperson, Igor Crnadak recalled that the recent elections were held only nine months ago and that the opposition idea on early elections is not realistic as it would not lead to a significant change of political situation. DNS supports the idea of early elections as the party believes that is the only way out from the crisis for RS and BiH. ‘People should open their eyes and give a chance to new and capable leaders.’- said Vice President of the Party, Mirko Banjac. Chairman of executive board of one wing of Serb Radical Party, Mirko Blagojevic said that early elections would be the cheapest way out from the crisis for BiH, due to the fact that current authorities damage the country, on daily basis for much more money than would be spent on organisation of elections. Member of the SDS main board, Milenko Stanic believes that holding of early elections would significantly deteriorate financial situation in the country and would not lead to significant political changes. The Head of the European Commission Delegation to BiH, Michael Humphreys, who visited Banja Luka yesterday, stated that it is not the international community who should decide on early elections, but local politicians. Glas Srpske, pg. 3 – ‘To accelerate changes’ – the daily also reports on Humphrey’s visit to Banja Luka but it focuses on his meeting with the Banja Luka Mayor, Dragoljub Davidovic. GS also carries Humphrey’s statement regarding early elections and briefly mentions that he met with one of the opposition leaders, Milorad Dodik. |
| Interview with SDU BiH Vice-president Tokic | Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘We shall form pro-Bosnian block with the Party for BiH and SNSD’ – Interview with the BiH Social Democratic Union Vice-president, Sejfudin Tokic. Tokic said that the story had ended on the return of SDP BiH on power, and that the SDU intended to form a pro-Bosnian political block with the parties such as Party for BiH and SNSD in order to pull BiH out of a sandwich made of national political parties and those with a Bolshevik mentality. |
| DL editorial on political situation in BiH
| Dnevni List (page 6, by Professor Marko Tadic, “Will autumn be hot?”) – argues that the IC is getting more and more concerned with the overall situation in BiH, which got a confirmation in many reports of international organizations such as the ICG and UNDP, the reports that talk of deteriorating security, indifference of citizens, war crimes indictees at large etc. On top of this, Tadic says that even the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, who was very optimistic upon his arrival to BiH, is expressing dissatisfaction with the situation in BiH, and goes on to say that HR’s optimism is melting every day, the optimism which was built on statements by the ruling national parties that they were in favour of modern and BiH integrated to Europe. Tadic sees the main reason behind the bad situation in BiH in the three leading national parties (SDA, SDS and HDZ) not being able to take a single, important political decision. According to Tadic, the troika has different ideas when it comes to the most important issue in BiH that is the organizational set-up of BiH. In that context, the SDS glorifies and defends the DPA, the SDA vigorously requests change to the set-up of BiH advocating the abolishment of entities, whilst the HDZ, despite being unhappy with the set-up, is wisely staying silent in fear of possible actions by the IC and because of its incapability to formulate its proposal. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Paddy Ashdown and Dragan Covic to open Gradacac Plum Fair | Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Paddy Ashdown and Dragan Covic to open Gradacac Plum Fair today’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, and Chairman of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic will in Gradacac today open The International Fair on Agriculture and the Food Processing Industry at Gradacac, better known as the Plum Fair, the organizers announced. |
| BiH Presidency, PDHR Hays discuss draft law on indirect taxation
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Covic and Tihic dissatisfied’ – BiH Presidency members met on Tuesday with the Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays and discussed the Draft Law on Indirect Taxation, which has been submitted to the BiH Council of Ministers for further procedure. Ambassador Hays said the three finance ministers and the authorities from both Entities had reached a consensus on the draft law, which, as such, meets European Union standards, and which takes into account the macroeconomic situation in BiH. “Bearing in mind that the state is supposed to play its role in tax collection, but the Entities as well, the European Commission has said clearly that the adoption of the Indirect Taxation Law is of a crucial importance for Bosnia’s joining with the European integration processes,” Hays told reporters after the meeting. BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic said a major effort had been made with the aim of implementing the planned reforms, adding, however, that in his opinion those efforts were still below the minimum necessary for the project to be endorsed in its entirety. Tihic’s remarks relate to the headquarters of the state administration for indirect taxation, then the mode of decision-making within the administration, plus he also believes there should not be three separate revenue administrations. According to BiH Presidency Chair Dragan Covic, it is necessary that the legal regulations be put in procedure as soon as possible in order to start the necessary reforms when it comes to tax and customs policies, which should accordingly be moved to the state level. Dnevni List (page 3, “Consensus with regard to Draft Law on Indirect Taxation was reached”, by De. L) carries that together with representatives of the European Commission and International Monetary Fund, Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays informed members of the BiH Presidency about the Draft Law on Indirect Taxation yesterday. Also, Hays expressed satisfaction after the talks he had with the members of the BiH Presidency yesterday, and stressed that the consensus was reached with regard to the proposal of the aforementioned Draft Law. Asked to comment on the fact that he stated that the BiH Presidency members reached an agreement with regard to that law, while the BiH Presidency members say that they are not satisfied and that the law is minimum below which they cannot go, Hays replied that they agreed with the concept that the tax goes at the state level, that the customs unify and that some changes can be introduced, however, a new law is out of question. Asked to comment on the letter of Zelimir Rebac and Sefika Hafizovic saying that the election of the Director of the Indirect Taxation Agency was a farce, Hays stated that Chairman of Indirect Taxation Commission Joly Dixon did his part of job correctly, and that he (Hays) cannot elaborate on the way of voting. |
| DL: “Chairman of Indirect Taxation Commission Joly Dixon disappeared from BiH” | Dnevni List (page 3, by De.L) carries that according to their source from Indirect Taxation Commission, Chairman of this Commission Joly Dixon unexpectedly and suddenly left BiH a few days ago and the same source confirmed that Dixon will not return to BiH. DL says this fact confirmed suspicions in Dixon’s correct relation and fair approach to the establishment of the most important state institution and election of its Director. DL says that on the ground of arguments this daily was referring that Dixon was violating the Interim Law on merging of customs administrations self-willingly and against the OHR’s consent, however, the OHR and Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic were not too much concerned about this issue until unofficial information on grounded suspicions that Dixon ran away from BiH with certain amount of money appeared. |
| Agreement on single customs reached | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Single customs adopted’- following the meeting of the BiH Presidency with representatives of CAFAO, IMF and PDHR Donald Hays, it was announced that the BiH Presidency accepted the concept of the Draft Law on Indirect Taxation. PDHR Hays stated that establishment of single customs at the state level and introduction of VAT was agreed: ‘Other details will be agreed in democratic parliamentary procedure.’ Donald Hays emphasised that members of the Presidency have different views on the concept of this Law. |
| Revitalisation of Brod refinery production | Glas Srpske, cover page – ‘Crude oil to be delivered to Brod’ – the daily reports that the first shipment of crude oil from the ‘Petrochemic’(sp!) company from Nigeria will be delivered to Brod refinery in twenty days. With the first shipment of oil, the implementation of the agreement signed yesterday by representatives of Brod refinery and British company, will begin. During the course of one-year time, the Company is obliged to deliver 960 000 tons of crude oil to the Refinery for the price of around 170 million US dollars. |
| Wages of health workers | Glas Srpske, cover page – ‘They are paid as clerks’ – the daily carries a report on wages of the health workers in Republika Srpska. According to GS, the minimum wage in Banja Luka Clinical Centre is 80 KM. |
| RS Telekom | Nezavisne novine, cover and pages 4, 5 – ‘Dokic and Ivanic arranged illegal privatisation of Telekom’- the daily reports that the former RS Minister for Transport and Communications, Branko Dokic, signed pre-contract on EBRD credit for RS Telekom, amounting 30 million Euro in October last year. According to the daily, Mladen Ivanic, the Prime Minister at the time was aware of Dokic’s action. By signing the contract, the RS Telekom entered the privatisation process with no knowledge of the RS National Assembly. On December 19 last year, the same contract with EBRD was signed in Banja Luka by Zeljko Jungic, RS Telekom Director General, and Mladen Ivanic signed the Agreement on support on the same day. According to the RS Law on Privatisation, companies from the telecommunications sector can be privatised through special privatisation programs of the Government, with consent of the National Assembly. When signing the contract with EBRD, Branko Dokic ignored the key objection by the Deputy Director General of RS Telekom, Milenko Stanic, that the paragraph of the contract that allows conversion of the credit into shares of the Company, should be deleted. According to NN, it is still uncertain why the RS Government accepted the credit contract, according to which it [the Government] has to privatise RS Telekom within 24 months deadline and sell it to a strategic investor acceptable for EBRD. |
| DL: “Dynamics and way of implementation of ‘Bulldozer 2’ reforms agreed upon”
| Dnevni List (page 6, not signed) carries that during a meeting between representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Ministries, which was held in the FBiH Government on Tuesday under chairing of the FBiH Government Secretary, Ismet Trumic, and in presence of the OHR coordinator, Benjamin Herzberg, he way and dynamics of the work on the implementation of “Bulldozer 2” reforms were agreed upon. FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, stressed that the FBiH Government absolutely adopted reforms of the Bulldozer Commission and realized obligations envisaged in the first phase of work. |
| Ploce Port/ Vc Corridor | Dnevni List (front and page 5, by I. Glibusic, “Zagreb refuses to give concessions in Agreement on Ploce Port”) – following a decision of the BiH Presidency to reject the Protocol on Agreement on Ploce Port, which was to be signed by Croatian and BiH PMs last Friday, Dnevni List learns from sources close to the “ruling structures” in Croatia that the Croatian Government does not intend to give any concessions to BiH when it comes to the Protocol because it would directly mean the loss in the coming elections in Croatia. Moreover, having in mind that this is an election year in Croatia, opposition parties in Croatia request that the Croatian Government be more firm in talks with BiH. Nacional weekly from Zagreb (pages 14-16, by Mladen Plese, “War profiteers and Mafia people Hasan and Husein Cengic stand behind Bosmal”) – says that refusal to sign agreement (protocol) on Ploce Port and obstructions of the Croatian offer on construction of the Corridor Vc through BiH, confirm the terrifying truth that the BiH authorities have not been taking decisions that would suit its national and State interests, but interests of Mafia and criminal groups linked to the Alija Izetbegovic’s SDA. According to Nacional, the key figures in the whole process are Hasan and Husein Cengic, who are, according to the weekly, behind the “Bosmal” Company that wanted the Corridor Vc job without going through a tender process. Nacional also learns from “senior political circles of the IC in Sarajevo” a “well-kept secret” that Hasan Cengic is running the Energopetrol’s oil terminal in the Ploce Port, which is being used for smuggling of oil to BiH and Croatia. According to the weekly, the Cengics blocked the agreement (protocol) on Ploce Port because it would not suit their interests. |
Education | |
| OHR: There will be no further sanctions for HDZ
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, Dnevni List page 2, by F, “There will be no further punishment of HDZ BiH”, Vecernji List, page 2, by F, “There will be no further punishment of HDZ”, FENA – The spokesperson of OHR, Oleg Milisic, confirmed at a press coference in Sarajevo on Tuesday that there would be no further sanctioning of the BiH Croat Democratic Union (HDZ) for disobeying the deadline on administrative unification of schools in Canton Central Bosnia (SBK). Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 carried OHR Chief Spokesman Julian Braithwaite’s statement on the issue. OHR and OSCE acknowledged the announcing of instructions on administrative unification of schools, which were issued by the SBK Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport. This step shows the readiness of the Canton to seriously take its obligations from the Education Reform Strategy and to put an end to segregation in education, said the spokesperson for OSCE, Zinaida Delic. Although the instructions had not been announced within the given deadline, the OSCE Mission expects them to be implemented at once so that they could come into force till the beginning of the new school year, stressed Delic. According to her, administrative and legal unification is a procedural process that will not influence the current teaching plan and programme. Instructions request that all primary and high schools in Canton Central Bosnia, which represent “two schools under one roof” appoint one school board, one school director, register as one legal body with one school name and one budget. Due to failure to announce the instructions on administrative unification of schools in the mentioned Canton until the end of last week, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, has decided yesterday to sanction HDZ with approx. 40.000 KM. |
| HN Canton Education workers on education reform | BHTV – HN Canton education workers are not satisfied with education reforms. They claim reform is being implemented politically and profession is on the last place. It is incomplete and unclear and it its implementation on the field is subject to scepticism. (Reporter talks with two professors who claim that those who are supposed to implement reform have lack of confidence in those who are imposing it). Beginning of the new school year is also under question mark since education workers have proclaimed general strike. Main dispute is related to signing of collective contract. Education workers would not comment political games related to education but stress strong dissatisfaction with way they are being treated by the education ministry. |
| Interview with HNC Minister of Education Musa | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 16, “Instruction recognizes singularities of curriculums, use of language and textbooks”, by Zoran Zekic) carries an interview with the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Minister of Education, Jago Musa, with regards to the education reform. Among other things, Musa says: “Expected reactions coming from the Croat intellectuals, institutions, Church, cultural institutions, Trade Unions, public were a logical consequence of the fact that the International Community does not understand ethnic singularities.” He adds that this is also a consequence of the post war phenomenon where each disturbing of national sovereignty causes collective insecurity. With regard to the unification of Mostar Grammar Schools, Musa says: “Definitely, the model of tolerance, frankness, respecting of singularities, the right to one’s own education and language, but also quality of co-existence in multi-cultural area will either pass or fail on this issue. Apart from this, a new life of the Mostar Grammar School should urge responsible ones to make possible that the Croat children in Sarajevo, Travnik, Zenica, Tuzla, Vares, Republika Srpska to truly have their own curriculum, language, textbooks.” |
| OSCE on education and unification of grammar schools in Mostar | Vecernji List (page 4, by M. S., “We welcome idea on unification of grammar schools”) – a reaction to an editorial entitled “What’s behind war of platitudes”, published in Vecernji List day before yesterday (see Cropress summary from August 25). The reaction signed by the Head of OSCE Mostar, Ambassador Thomas Young, says the aim of the education reform is not to create single language and culture, like the VL’s editorial claims. “We also believe that the students should have lectures in the mother tongue during the language classes, which will be performed by a teacher qualified to teach them that language. It is important to stress that the common core was prepared by the citizens of BiH, and the IC offered technical and mediation assistance in that process”, reads the statement. The reaction also reads that the future of Mostar is in a unified city, therefore the unification of the Mostar grammar schools would be an example of non-discrimination. Finally, OSCE denies the author’s claim that the OSCE does not accept unification of all three grammar schools in Mostar saying that the idea deserves rendering. However, the OSCE says that the unification of all three grammar schools should not be used as a tactic for stalling of the process. |
War crimes/incidents | |
| SFOR surrounded the house of Sonja Karadzic
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, Nezavisne Novine, pg.3, Blic pg. 7 ‘Secret SFOR action in Pale’ – ‘SFOR soldiers monitored Sonja Karadzic’s mansion’, Glas Srpske, pg. 2 –‘SFOR all over Pale’, Vecernji List front “SFOR again at Pale” and page “Pale in SFOR circle”, unsigned, Dnevni List, page 10, by F, “Circle around Radovan Karadzic tightens!?”, FENA – On Tuesday in Pale the soldiers of SFOR have been deployed around the house of the daughter of Radovan Karadzic, the most wanted war criminal. Spokesperson of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) Captain Dale McEachern told journalists that the stabilisation troops are carrying out an operation “with the aim of disrupting the persons that are conducting anti-Dayton activities”. It was not clear immediately weather the soldiers were attempting to apprehend Karadzic or those that help him avoid justice. American, French and Italian peacekeepers have started to gather around the house of Sonja Karadzic at 10:00 hrs. The spokesperson of RS Ministri of Interior, Zoran Glusac, said that he did not have any information on nature of the operation. |
| Explosion in Glamoc | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, Dnevni List front and page 41, by N. Dedic, “Luca and Nedjeljko Knezevic got killed”, Vecernji List, front and page 18, “Explosion kills son and mother”, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 15, by Mile Penic, “Two dead in Glamoc” – Two persons died on Tuesday in an explosion in Glamoc. Croat refugees Luca Knezevic and her son Nedeljko were killed when unknown explosive device exploded in their family house. |
Affairs/reactions | |
| OHR letter to Slobodna Bosna
| BHTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘The newspaper from the time of Slobodan Milosevic’ – The Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite sent a letter to the Sarajevo magazine Slobodna Bosna following “the disgraceful and unfounded attack on the integrity of a senior Russian diplomat working on secondment in the OHR (“Slobodna Bosna” br. 353, 21 August 2003).” “The OHR categorically rejects these allegations as unsubstantiated and untrue,” said Braithwaite. “This is not investigative journalism. It resembles more the smear campaigns familiar to us from the days of Milosevic and Mira Markovic’s Dnevnik,” added Braithwaite. According to Dnevni Avaz, the OHR might support its officers if they decide to sue Slobodna Bosna. Vecernji List (front and page 3 “Russian Embassy: We do not have spy in OHR!”, by Ivica Pjanic) – the Russian Embassy to BiH denies writings of two Sarajevo-based weeklies, “Ljiljan” and “Slobodna Bosna” about alleged suspicious and anti-state activities of two Russian representatives in international organizations in BiH saying that the accusations are tendentious and insulting fictions. As a reminder the Sarajevo press claims that a senior OHR official, Vadim Gorelov, is an SDS man in the OHR because of whom the SDS does not fear the OHR any more since some OHR employees are on the SDS payroll. The same daily (page 3, “OHR: Attacks on Gorelov are disgraceful”) also carries a reaction by the Chief Spokesperson of OHR, Julian Braithwaite, who denies writing of “Slobodna Bosna” about Gorelov, claiming it is about the disgraceful and unfounded attack on the integrity of a senior Russian diplomat working on secondment in the OHR. The reaction further reads: “The OHR categorically rejects these allegations as unsubstantiated and untrue. The article fails to meet even the most basic standards of journalism. There are no named sources, as should be the case for libelous allegations of this nature. Nor does it contain our response to these allegations. No serious editor in Western Europe or the United States would have accepted it”. (Dnevni List, page 4, “Accusations at expense of Russian representatives – fictions”, “Basic journalism standards missing”; Vjesnik, page 10, by Alenko Zornija, “Russians deny spying on Ashdown”) Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4- ‘Avdic: Braithwaite denies nothing’- the Office of the High Representative denied the report of the ‘Slobodna Bosna’ magazine on Russian diplomat, Vadim Gorelov. Nezavisne Novine carry excerpts from the letter of the OHR Chief Spokesperson, Julian Braithwaite addressed to the Editor in Chief of ‘Slobodna Bosna’, Senad Avdic. Avdic responded to Braithwaite’s letter saying that SB report on Gorelov is a result of two months research of SB journalists who spoke with many people, from OHR and SDS. According to Avdic, Braithwaite is not denying writing of Slobodna Bosna, he is only attempting to teach journalism. He added that Braithwaite’s letter most probably will not be published in next edition of Slobodna Bosna: ‘This is only between OHR and Slobodna Bosna and I think that Braithwaite should not send his letter to other media as well. But, he is trying to get as many media as possible on his side, in an attempt to dominate. To be honest, I do not know any normal country in which Gorelov and Braithwaite could serve as diplomats.’ |
| Mostar Deputy Mayor Lj. Beslic on dives from Old Bridge manifestation | Dnevni List (front and page 15, “Beslic: Dives from Old Bridge used for promotion of intolerance”, by D.L.) carries that Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, issued a press release regarding the issue of dives from the Old Bridge in Mostar saying the organizer used the event to promote intolerance. Saying that the City of Mostar agreed to sponsor the event because it was dedicated to all the peoples and citizens of Mostar, Beslic says that contrary to announcements, the official master of ceremony called for moment of silence for sehids (fallen Bosniaks) and members of BiH Army. Beslic says he personally has nothing against paying tribute to the fallen ones, however he says the event has been misused by the organizers to promote intolerance. Deputy Mayor goes on to say that other peoples live in Mostar and that members of other units died in defense of Mostar too. Beslic stresses that the reconstruction of the Old Bridge was promoted as a symbol of reconciliation, therefore a tribute should have been paid to all divers who died during the unfortunate war and not only to members of army of one people. Beslic deems that the City Administration will not in the future sponsor any such events and if it does, a proper protocol would be signed in advance. Vecernji List (page 4, “Not only Bosniaks were getting killed for Mostar”, by M.S.), Sarajevo dailies also covered this reaction. |
| Mostar Mayor H. Jahic reacts to article published in Dnevni List yesterday | With regard to the article which was published in Dnevni List yesterday under the title “Ashdown refused to come at traditional dives from Old Bridge”, Dnevni List (page 15, “Jahic: Organization of dives was at extremely high level”, not signed) carries a reaction of Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic. Jahic’s reaction says that the complete organization of dives, including the protocol and invitations, was done by Divers’ Club “Mostari”, while the City of Mostar was and remained a patron of traditional high-altitude dives from Old Bridge. The reaction also says: “Personally, I believe that the organization of dives was at extremely high level this year, and I want to consider as a mistake and not deliberate omission of the organizer the fact that the tribute to all killed divers from Old Bridge was not paid. All other claims in the aforementioned article are presenting of incorrect information and an attempt to impute certain negative things to the Mostar City Administration, and, unfortunately, this is something that your daily has been doing constantly lately for the reasons that only you are aware of.” |
| ‘Tihic receives a threat from Chetniks’ | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Tihic receives a threat from Chetniks’ – The Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic received on Tuesday a letter of threat signed by three members of the Chicago-based Gavrilo Princip terrorist/chetnik organisation. Commenting the letter for the newspaper, Tihic said it would not influence his ongoing political efforts and actions. |