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| Rajic’s extradition | No entry for Zemun clan | SARS spreading | Orthodox Easter in RS |
| Orthodox Easter | New Iraqi authorities | US – Iraq | Easter Mass in Sarajevo |
| Pope’s proclamation | Orthodox Easter | Orthodox Easter | Serb returnees attacked |
| SARS in Peking |
| Attack on returnees | Law on Land Registration |
| Oslobodjenje | Leave Bosnian heroes, search for criminals; Privatisation packed with illegal activities; Pensioners threatening with protests; Nothing new after the 8th HDZ Assembly – efforts of Bozo Ljubic in vain |
| Dnevni Avaz | Veterans are joining the Union and Biber; Colak – hardliners can not stop the politics of the HDZ; The Civil Service Law – all parties for professionals, but also for the vetting of those employed; Ashdown speaks before the RS NA tomorrow – we request the arrest of serious criminals |
| Dnevni List | Interview with HDZ President Barisa Colak – we do care about good relations with the US, however, we are part of Europe; Representatives of the BiH authorities on issue of the Ploce Port and Neum – resolving of the Ploce Port issue only after elections in Croatia! |
| Vecernji List | Colak – we still do not have authority in BiH; Spreading of the ‘Chinese’ SARS threatens |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Tomcic refused to go to visit Canada; Euro News published that SARS appeared in Croatia |
| Nezavisne Novine | Orthodox believers celebrated the most joyful Christian holiday – Easter celebrated; BiH Presidency – Covic and Tihic: crime tied with authorities; RS – the Syndicate announces hot spring; Law on Civil Service alienated OHR and FBiH authorities – the SDA placing its personnel in institutions |
| LJILJAN | Bosniak intelligence games with The Tribunal – false defence witness |
Political Affairs | |
| Interview with Colak
| Avaz pg. 1 and 5 – an interview with the newly elected HDZ President Barisa Colak. Asked whether he was worried about speeches by certain HDZ members at the 8th assembly as it proved that hard-liners were still active, Colak stated that each party makes mistakes and he understood all criticisms, if supported by facts, as well intended. Asked whether there would be radical changes in the party now that he is party President, Covic replied that no drastic changes would take place. Added that the party politics in the last year had a full support of the majority party members, therefore there was no need to make any drastic changes. As for claims by many during the Assembly that Croats were not equal with Bosniaks and Serbs in BiH, Colak agreed with those statements. He said Croats were not equal with other two constitutional peoples in terms of collective rights. He also added that members of the other two peoples feel they were not being treated equally in some parts of BiH. An insert ‘European standards’ – whether the HDZ has the strength and knowledge of making Croats equal with the other two peoples (if they think they are not equal), Colak replied positively. Vecernji List pg. 1 and 5 – also an interview with newly elected HDZ President Barisa Colak. He says that the HDZ will start with preparations for the next year municipal elections immediately. Asked about criticism coming from the Canton 10 HDZ Board, Colak said that this was not the problem of the two towns, Tomislavgrad and Livno, but of a few persons who make bad moves and cause problems. Asked about cooperation with the IC, Colak said that changes could be seen, however, they had not become the true IC partners yet. With regard to cooperation with other parties, especially the SDA, Colak says that they are not satisfied and that the example of Mostar shows it. Colak added that they would not be able to wait too long and they would have to look for new partners. Asked to comment on the theory that HDZ Vice Presidents Dragan Covic and Niko Lozancic control him, Colak said that in case this claim was true he would not propose Covic and Lozancic for the positions of HDZ vice presidents. Asked to comment on the claim that the Alliance still creates and implements policy through their cadres in all governments, Colak said the following. “The IC demanded appointment of professional structures in all state services. I am supporting it as well, but I believe that it should be organized in a different way, so that it is determined up to which level professionals are being elected and who can be changed after each elections.” Dnevni List pg. 1 and 7 – almost the same interview as in Vecernji List. |
| Reactions to civil service issue | Avaz pg. 1 and 4 – following the dispute between the OHR and SDA regarding the establishment of the civil service in the Federation, daily carries reactions by several politicians on the issue. Safet Halilovic, SBiH President, thinks the service should be professional, competent and organized rationally. Added he had nothing against the issuing of vacancies for the posts. “I hope the problem will be solved soon and to mutual satisfaction,” said Halilovic. HDZ Vice-Preisident, Niko Lozancic, claims his party is only for the professionalism in the civil service. He however is in dilemma whether those employed currently in the service are professional. “We suggest the revision of those already employed. We also want to know which categories do not fall under the civil officials category.” Mirnes Ajanovic, BOSS President, also suggested the revision of those currently employed in the service. Added that if the revision proved they were working in the best interests of citizens they should be left to do their job. “I know that does not suit parties in power because they have many people whom they promised a job in the civil service,” said Ajanovic. An insert ‘Justified remarks due to Alliance’s personnel’ – President of the SDU, Mijo Lazovic, said he understood Tihic’s dissatisfaction because most officials in the service were appointed by the Alliance. Lazovic thinks that therefore the Law should be adopted ASAP and issue vacancies for all posts, and let the best candidates win. |
| HR to address the RS NA | Avaz pg. 1 and 3 – HR Paddy Ashdown tomorrow will address the RS NA. Amongts other things, Ashdown will say that that the time has come for the crime fighting institutions to start working. He will put an accent on the issue of implementing the second phase of reform from the ‘Jobs and Justice’ package. “It is time to go from words to actions. We already accomplished that through the Bulldozer Commission amendments. An environment is being built to attract and suit foreign investors, we will have to work on the judiciary reform that will be in favour of those who invest in the new working places and contribute to the general well-being.” HR Ashdown will state the IC expects the adoption of the laws like the Crime Law and Law on Criminal Procedures within the fight against crime. |
| Commentary in Oslobodjenje | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Distribution of power’ by Ibrahim Prohic – on the on-going war for the civil administration. The war, according to the author, is between the ruling government (meaning the SDA and HDZ) and the OHR. Prohic adds that there is a discreet, third party – the Alliance who installed a significant number of their personnel in the service. “The politics wants the control over all key segments in the state and that is pretty normal. In normal states however, it is defined to what level of authority the change of government goes after each elections. It is not like that in BiH. Everything is changed – from a receptionist to the carpets. It is necessary to ensure conditions for building a professional and competent administration independent form politics, and in accordance with the European standards.” |
| CRO press on missing passports | With regard to the issue of 930 Croatian passports, which disappeared from the Croatian Consulate in Mostar, Dnevni List on pg. 1 and 5 carries a statement by the current General Consul in Mostar, Ratko Maricic, as saying that no one has contacted him with regard to this issue. He added that certain irregularities could happen in the period from 1992 until 2000, when the passports were made in Mostar. Asked to comment how a member of the Zemun Clan, Milorad Lukovic Legija, could get the Croatian passport, Maricic said that in case that Legija was at large at that time and if he could provide valid documents he could get the passport as all other Croatian citizens. On the same issue, Vecernji List pg. 3 ‘Partnership of criminal and intelligence milieu!?’ – carries that some sources, who were directly or indirectly involved in the work of the Croatian, BiH and world diplomatic network, claim that the passports could only disappear with a help of individuals from intelligence services. Croatian Ambassador in BiH, Josip Vrbosic, says that they do not know anything about this affair and now it is the subject to an investigation. Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘Mostar Consul accuses Croatian Interior Ministry of disappearance of passports’ –Grubicic, who was directly accused of disappearance of 930 Croatian passports from the Consular Mission Office, stated that the Croatian ministries of internal and Foreign affairs were responsible for the disappearance of 930 passports. He, along with five other officials of the Croatian Consulate in Mostar, confirmed that no document could have been issued without a prior assent given by the Croatian Interior Ministry. |
| Ploce Port | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 4 – Croatia has not yet ratified the Agreement on Free Passage through Ploce Port and Neum and many people believe that the BiH economy has been suffering consequences as a result of the situation. “At this moment, the Croatian side is not ready to talk seriously about the issues of Ploce Port and free passage through Neum. We are simply forced to wait, we are in such ungrateful situation,” stated Bosniak Presidency member Sulejman Tihic. Acting Assistant of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Olga Kresovic-Rogulja, says that Croatia is not avoiding its obligations and it will meet them sooner or later. She added that it would not be good if the issue became a pre-election issue in Croatia. DL says that representatives of the BiH authorities believe that the ratification of the aforementioned Agreement will take place exactly after the elections in Croatia. |
| Crisis in the authority | In light of last week’s election of Nikola Spiric to the position of Vice-Chairman of the BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Vecernji list pg. 19 ‘The opposition in BiH wishes for early elections’ – recalls how political parties voted on that occasion and what reactions Spiric’s appointment caused. The daily says that it is the opposition of the social-democratic parties of Zlatko Lagumdzija and Milorad Dodik that rejoice over clashes in the ruling five and that they count on the ruling coalition falling apart, which would open the door for early elections in BiH. |
| SDP initiative | Vecernji list pg. 4 ‘Social-democrats in favor of a new Constitution too’ – the biggest BiH opposition party, SDP, is about to propose new constitutional changes. The paper says that the party prepared 11 starting points for a wide-range intra-party discussions, as well as for the SDP’s dialogue with other interested political parties, NGOs and citizens’ groups. The SDP’s goal is to offer a solution for a normal and modern BiH as an alternative to the current non-functional, costly and contradictory Dayton model. The party holds that this proposal must be an expression of the original will of BiH democratic forces, and not a solution imposed from the outside. The party adds that the constitutional changes, confirmed by the BiH Constitutional Court, were being implemented either slowly or were not being implemented at all. VL comments that initiatives for the new constitutional changes will surely get support by most opposition parties in the FBiH and that it will be no surprise if some of the ruling parties also support the process, since almost all the parties in the FBiH advocate the strengthening of state and weakening of the entity powers, i.e. consensus in FBiH is possible on this matter. On the other side, RS parties have already announced they would oppose the initiative and any change of the DPA and the state Constitution. |
| DL on SDP Main Board session | Dnevni List pg. 6 ‘New authority violates amendments on constituency of peoples’ – that Main SDP Board held its session yesterday. Among other things, while discussing the Information on implementation of constitutional amendments on constituency of peoples, the Main Board concluded that since the new authority took over the adopted amendments are not being applied or they are being violated deliberately. Thus, constitutionality and legality of state bodies and institutions is being seriously undermined. The Main SDP Board tasked all SDP caucuses in the state, entity and cantonal parliaments to launch discussion on the realization of constitutional amendments on constituency of peoples and to start with the drafting of proposals of legal solutions that should be passed becauseof consistent implementation of the amendments’ provisions. |
| Tihic and Covic on crime | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 & 3 ‘Crime tied with authorities’ – Croat and Bosniak members of the BiH Presidency respectively, Dragan Covic and Sulejman Tihic, share the view that there is organised crime in BiH, which is tied with the authorities. Covic is of the view that certain individuals ‘got in power through criminal activities and think they can do anything’. Tihic believes that crime in BiH originates from the war crimes in BiH. “Those who lost the job of a war criminal acquired the new job of a criminal,” said Tihic. He further claims that it will be hard to confront organised crime in BiH, owing to the existing order in which the state has no mechanism to fight the crime. Instead, entities have those powers, but entities treat different occurrences differently. He also believes that in two years time, the current situation of nationally dominant occurrences would be overcome and crime would be confronted. Although NN sent a letter to Borislav Paravac, a Serb member of the BiH Presidency, he did not answer it, explaining he was preoccupied with preparations for the Easter celebration. |
| SDS vs. OHR | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 & 6 ‘The SDA placing its personnel at institutions’ – Seada Palavric, SDA Vice President, yesterday announced that this party would start with appointing its personnel at executive authority institutions before the FBiH Law on Civil Service was enacted and in spite of the agreement reached with the OHR in February. According to Palavric, ‘they expected the Law would be enacted soon, but they now intend to act in accordance with election results’. In spite of the OHR letter, in which HR Ashdown warned Sulejman Tihic of consequences of such actions, Palavric further noted that the SDA could no longer wait for the enactment of the Law on Civil Service. Oleg Milisic, OHR Spokesperson, stated the following. “I cannot speculate whether the SDA would indeed violate the agreement reached with the OHR… The OHR simply just wants to make sure that exclusively professionals, rather than political officials, fill in positions at the civil service.” |
| NN editorial | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Nihada Jablic ‘Paddy is not responsible’ – the author comments on the current dispute between the SDA and OHR, following an SDA’s announcement it would start appointing its personnel at the authority positions. The author is extremely critical of the stances by the SDA and its justifications into the announcement made. “Let’s assume naively, as a child, that Lord believed that the EU door would open to BiH under the control of the SDA, SDS and HDZ. If he did, it is of no epochal importance. As it is human to err, it is also human to be naive. But let’s leave HR on the side for now. Regardless of whether his often says that he does not believe in promises of BiH politicians, but just their acts, the fact is that citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have chosen his partners for cooperation. Paddy did not prophesy to see which BiH officials would help him to implement reforms. Whether BiH officials make a fool of the HR and prevent him in his well-intended purposes, or they just help him in his fooling the public, Paddy in not responsible. Honestly speaking, nobody saw him cast the ballot on 5th October last year.” |
Economic Affairs | |
| New support to revision of privatisation
| Avaz pg. 1 and 2 – the Association of demobilised Federation veterans will send a request to the Federation government to adopt the Law on the Revision of Privatisation. This was stated for the daily by Mehmed Focic, who was re-elected President of the mentioned veterans Association two days ago. A letter of support will also be sent to the BiH Union and its President Edhem Biber. Focic stated that veterans supported Federation PM, Ahmet Hadzipasic, in his efforts on the issue in question and they would request the revision of some large economic systems to show which privatisation investment funds failed to meet contract obligations. He added the final goal of the Association was to advocate the adoption of the Law on Veteran’s Rights. Oslobodjenje pg. 1, 4 and 5 – carried a general review on the events surrounding requests by the BiH Union on the revision of privatisation. |
| Interview Brajkovic | In his interview for Jutarnji List on pg. 8 ‘Each sacked worker will get shares in the value of 8,000 Euro’ Mijo Brajkovic, Aluminij CEO, announces that the long-lasting dispute over the most successful BiH company could soon be ended. This would remove impediments for new, millions worth investments into the ‘Aluminij’. Nearly 1,500 former workers would get shares worth 19,000 KM (around 8,000 Euro), and the ownership structure would finally be confirmed. Speaking of the international arbitration agreement, prepared by the World Bank in cooperation with the OHR, Brajkovic said that they were not aware if the arbitration body, which was to hold its first session last December, had been appointed at all. “We have come to an idea to try to reach a settlement since costly and long-lasting arbitration suits practically no one. I have talked to OHR representatives and to FBiH Prime Minister Hadzipasic, and it is in everyone’s interests to find an acceptable solution as soon as possible,” Brajkovic said. According to him, the ownership structure of the ‘Aluminij’ would remain unchanged, yet the majority package of shares would be re-allocated to all former and current employees. According to the Law on Labour, it is those who have already been compensated and the ones who have in the meantime found other employment that could not claim the shares. “If the settlement is formalized, the majority of 64% will be re-allocated to former employees as well. The state should be satisfied with that, as the value of the current 24% is higher than the value of the entire ‘Aluminij’ prior to 1997 privatisation,” Brajkovic said. |
| LJILJAN on reforms | LJILJAN pg. 40 ‘Eager Adnan Terzic’ by Mirsad Sinanovic – on the aftermath of the Bjelasnica meeting and ambitious statements by CoM Chair Adnan Terzic, best captured by his statement that BiH should join Europe by 2009. “The magazine points out that the current government, just like the previous one, talks most of the increase of export by local companies in the next six months in order to decrease the trade de-balance that should reach over five billion KM this year. At the same time, the fact is that the trade deficit kept increasing annually after the DPA, yet none of the governments every made a concrete step that would force at least neighbouring countries to reciprocal import-export.” |
| Interview with Hays | LJILJAN pg. 42, 43 and 44 ‘Your economy is like a plan on a runway – pilot is waiting for us to green light the take off’ – asked about topics of the Bjelasnica meeting, PDHR Donald Hays stated that they discussed economic and legal reform and the joining of BiH to the EU. He stated that they agreed to establish 15 councils at the BiH courts for solving economic crime cases. Furthermore, discussed steps to be taken to improve export and in the sphere of the rule of the law – rules and laws necessary to restore BiH courts. “This is the best meeting I participated with presidents of local authority bodies since I arrived here two years ago.” As for balancing export and import, Hays stated that if BiH wants to become a part of Europe than it has to follow European rules. “Once you reach that you will have a market of 4 million people who will be buying your products.” As for the requests for the revision of so-called Markovic privatisation, Hays said that the revision of three telecommunication companies would show all shortcomings just like in the case of three elektroprivreda companies. |
The Hague Affairs | |
| Srebrenica people support Oric | Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 7 – the biggest front-page story informs of yesterday’s gathering by Srebrenica survivors in front of the Hague Court building in protests of Naser Oric’s arrest. The main message to The Hague Court and it’s Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, was ‘to leave Bosnian heroes alone and go search for real criminals’. In a letter that Srebrenica survivors handed to the Court it says that ‘they killed us and not you are putting us on trial’. Demonstrators further accused the IC of ‘allowing chetniks to kill innocent people’ and added it would have been worse if Oric did not organize the city’s defence. Obviously disappointed with Oric’s arrest, Srebrenica survivors requested that Oric he be allowed to defend himself from freedom. |