29.06.2005

OHR BiH Media Round-up, 29/6/2005

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Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 29 June

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00hrs)

BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs)

EUFOR searches Roguljic’s facilities

Hasan Cengic acquitted of charges

BiH HoP disc. law on RTV system

EUFOR searches Rogiuljic’s premises

BiH HoR’s session takes place today

US helicopter crashed in Afghanistan

TV news broadcast on 28 June

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Jovic assumes BiH Presidency Chair

US HoR adopts Srebrenica resolution

US HoR adopts Srebrenica resolution

Jovic on Presidency’s priorities

Bulatovic on Ratko Mladic

Reactions on US HoR declaration

BiH HoP Com. adopts draft PBS Law

570 victims to be buried in Potocari

570 victims to be buried in Potocari

Jukic on draft PBS law

Jovic assumes BiH Presidency Chair

BiH citizen killed in Iraq

 

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

US HoR adopts Srebrenica resolution

Reactions on Monday mtg on crisis

SCG official Darinic on ICTY indictees

Marovic on Mladic’s arrest

PDP on CoM crisis

RS Army Saint Dayt

HR on Draskovic’s proposal

Jovic assumes BiH Presidency Chair

Regional news

CoM crisis still has not been resolved

BiH HoP Com. adopts draft PBS Law

Feature on family of fallen soldier

 

Oslobodjenje

War crimes suspects must be arrested

Dnevni Avaz

370 congressmen adopted Srebrenica Resolution

Dnevni List

Reconstruction of Council of Ministers

Vecernji List

Lijanovici taped the raid

Slobodna Dalmacija

Court twisting hands of meat tycoon

Nezavisne Novine

Serb forces in BiH made genocide

Glas Srpske

Publish all tapes!

EuroBlic

Walking on paths, mines are in forests

Vecernje novosti

Features Serbian related titles

Srpski Nacional

Mladic overthrows the Government

 

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

BIH Court ’s verdicts acquits Hasan Cengic of charges

 

 

 

RHB, BH Radio 1 by Vanja Ilic – BiH Court’s Trial Chamber, presided by judge Steven Swanson, acquitted BiH House of Peoples’ delegate Hasan Cengic of all charges accusing him of misusing the position at the time when he performed the duties of the FBiH Defence Minister in 1996. Judge Swanson stated Prosecutor failed to prove the key accusation that Cengic signed the memo authorizing BIO company to produce weapons and explosives. Prosecutor Drew Engel told journalists he is disappointed with the verdict, adding that the Appeal Council will most probably have to reconsider some facts in the process of appeals. Hasan Cengic expressed his satisfaction adding the Court’s verdict proves the process was politically orchestrated and carried out with the assistance of the ‘unprofessional’ police. The travel documents, confiscated at the beginning of the trial, will be returned to Cengic.  

BiH HoR in session

 

RHB, BH Radio 1 by Senka Jasarpasic – At the session of the BiH House of Representatives today, Chair of the Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, will address the HoR reporting on the situation in the CoM and the agreement reached between the BiH Presidency and ruling parties for overcoming the crisis. HoR will also discuss two different resolutions on Srebrenica proposed by delegates Elmir Jahic and Muhamed Morangic. BiH HoR representatives are also expected to confirm the appointment of the BiH Deputy Foreign Affairs Ministers and consider the draft BiH Law on Holidays.

EUFOR, NATO search premises owned by businessman who was close to Karadzic in war

 

RHB, BH Radio 1 – EUFOR troops, supported by NATO, has started a search of motels ‘ Bomi’ and ‘Jezero’ this morning, as well as a number of other private facilities owned by Slavko Roguljic from Banja Luka. EUFOR Spokesperson Robbie Baillie told Fena news agency stated that the goal of the search is looking for the war crime indictees and those who support them. Businessman Roguljic was close to Radovan Karadzic during the war, and has been blacklisted by EU and USA including the ban on traveling in these regions. 

A. Colak (HSS) demands public discussion on law on FBiH internal debt

RHB – HSS Vice President Anto Colak sent a letter to the FBiH Constitutional Court demanding as soon as possible a public discussion on constitutionality of the law on internal FBiH debts (with regard to the issue of old foreign currency savings depositors). He added that alleged consultations with IMF and OHR cannot be a reason for delay of the discussion since it is well-known that this ‘unconstitutional law damaging for depositors’ came from the IMF and OHR’s cuisine with the support of domestic reformers.

 

War crimes

US Congress HoR adopts Srebrenica Resolution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PINK, Hayat, FTV, RHB, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘370 congressmen adopted Srebrenica Resolution’, pg 3 US Congress HoR condemned Srebrenica genocide’ by L.  Sinanovic, Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘War crimes suspects must be arrested’ by Onasa. Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Serb politics and UN are culprits’ by dja, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Serb forces in BiH made genocide’ by N. N., EuroBlic pg RS 3 ‘Deadline for arrests expires’ by Beta – The US Congress House of Representatives adopted the resolution on Srebrenica which demands perpetrators of the crimes to be brought before the justice as soon as possible. The Resolution, adopted on Monday evening and similar to the one adopted last week by the US Senate, also urges for the politics of aggression and ethnic cleansing carried out by Serb forces in BIH, supported by former Yugoslavia, to be defined as genocide, reports Voice of America. BHT 1 Ivica Puljic – Congressmen Christopher Smith stated on the reasons that led him to propose this resolution: “First, there are those who, despite being indicted for genocide, are still at large; secondly, there are those who still act like the crime did not take place, and some claim that it was not a genocide. We have adopted this resolution so the international community can understand that it has to prevent such crimes.” The resolution states that the United Nations and UN member countries should bear the part of the responsibility because they have not taken decisive and timely action to prevent massacre in Srebrenica.

RSNA Speaker Stojicic: War crimes issues should be resolve in another way rather than resolutions

 

PINK Dragica Tojagic – RS National Assembly Speaker Dusan Stojicic stated that the issue of war crimes should be resolved in another way, rather than with resolutions which are in effect always a political document, regardless of whether parliaments of particular countries adopt them and which express the basis of a foreign policy stance on a certain matter. Commenting to the US HoR’s adoption of Srebrenica resolution, Stojicic told journalists in Banja Luka that “sooner or later the full truth about what happened in BiH during the last war will be established and this truth must be established by the relevant academic institutions“. He stressed that the resolution does not bring into question the legitimacy of the RS. “First of all, I believe that RS has came about as an expression of the will of the Serb people who are a sovereign nation in BiH, which was stated in international legal terms at Dayton,” said Stojicic.BHT1, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Politics are not writing the truth’ by M. Dz.- also covered.

Djurkovic: Resolution will not influence lawsuit against SCG

 

Glas srpske pg 5 ‘One side of the medal’ not signed – BiH House of Representatives delegate Jelina Djurkovic has stated that, considering the fact the Resolution has no legal power, its adoption should not cause any serious consequences and, opposite to what Bosniaks desire for, it will not reflect on lawsuit against SiCG. She thinks Bosniaks have achieved a success through this Declaration because they have managed to “push forward” lies they have been publishing for the past decade.

BHT 1 brings reactions from of Srebrenica associations

 

BHT 1 Mirela Cosic – BHT brings reactions on the adoption of the Srebrenica Resolution by the US Congress House of Representatives. The families of Srebrenica victims believe that the United States should have condemned the genocide in Srebrenica few years earlier, however they agree that even now this resolution has a great importance. “We’ve asked for the truth for years, and it is finally accepted. Better now than never, although we almost lost hope”, said Kada Hotic from the “Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves” Association. “This is the unique opportunity for those who doubted in the truth about Srebrenica to finally comprehend what happened in Srebrenica in July 1995. I expect that this resolution will contribute to stabilisation of the relations in region”, said Mirsad Kebo from the Foundation “Srebrenica-Potocari”.

RS MoI warns participants of Srebrenica March of Death to be careful because of mines

 

RTRS, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS3 ‘Walking on paths, mines are in forests’ by N. B. – RS police Tuesday appealed to participants of “March of death – path of freedom”  [which mostly follows the path through which Bosniaks were escaping from Srebrenica to Tuzla in 1995] to be held from Zvornik to Potocari from July 8 to July 11, to follow instructions the organizer will give to them and to follow the path and not enter forests. According to RS MoI, several minefields were noticed in vicinity of the path. Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Minefields were spotted near path of the march’ by S. K. and R. S., Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Caution because of mine fields’ – also carries the warning.

ICMP: 2070 Srebrenica victims identified to date

 

PINK Zeljko Mandic – About 570 victims of crimes in Srebrenica identified by International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) are going to be buried in Potocari on 10th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide, on July 11, stated ICMP Spokesperson, Doune Porter. “Last week we said that we believed that about 550 victims are going to be buried but as you can see we worked hard on identification and we surpassed that number”, said Doune Porter adding that they were not sure how much time they are going to need to prepare the bodies for burial. In totoal, ICMP has identified 2070 Srebrenica massacre victims.

BHT 1, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘2070 Srebrenica victims identified’, mentioned on cover, by A.P., Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘2070 Srebrenica victims identified until now’ – also carried.

Stojicic: We have not yet been invited to Potocari memorial

 

Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘We still did not receive invitation!’ by Fena – The RS National Assembly Speaker, Dusan Stojicic, on Tuesday said that he did not receive an official invitation for attending the commemoration in Srebrenica on July 11 in Potocari, and that he does not know whether a delegation of the Entity Parliament would attend this gathering.

NN: Croatia , BiH reject joint statement of apology, reconciliation w/ SCG in Srebrenica

Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘BiH and Croatia refused reconciliation with SiCG’ by Beta – As according to Rijeka based media (quoting anonymous diplomatic sources), BiH and Croatia have rejected a proposal of Great Britain to sign a joint statement of apology and reconciliation with SiCG in Srebrenica on July 11. 

Serbian Intelligence: Kostunica’s office stabile, he will fall only if arrests Mladic

 

PINK, Srpski Nacional cover pg splash ‘Mladic overthrows the Government’ and pg 3 ‘Kostunica falls only if he arrests Mladic’ by P. T. N. – Serbian BIA (Security-intelligence agency) Director Rade Bulatovic has informed Serbian Government of an official assessment that the current cabinet of Vojslav Kostunica was politically stabile. ‘This position, according to assessment of BIA experts, might be jeopardized only by the arrest of Ratko Mladic or Radovan Karadzic’, a source from BIA has stated.

Telegraf: It is known where Mladic is hiding

 

Nedeljni Telegraf pg 2, announced on cover ‘General Mladic under control’ by A. M. – a high-ranking official from Serbian Government claims it is known, for more than a month, where Ratko Mladic is hiding. The source claims members of a secret service have located him and put him under surveillance from a safe distance. The source also claims Serbian Government will not negotiate with Mladic since it has nothing to offer him except safe transport to the Hague and quoted a federal Minister as saying: ‘Either he will surrender or he will be killed!’.

Darinic: If Mladic is in Serbia , he will be extradited

RTRS – SCG Defence Minister Prvoslav Darinic is convinced that war crime indictees at large will be extradited to ICTY by September. Darinic stated that Ratko Mladic will be extradited if he is in Serbia.

GS: Association of families of missing persons in Doboj seeks truths on war crimes in BIH

Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Publish all tapes!’ by S. Puhalo – the article reads the Association of Families of Missing Persons from Doboj Region searches for the truth on war crimes in BiH, demands for all tapes on crimes to be made public and says footages of crimes of mujahedeens against Serbs, ritual decapitations and tortures over Serb prisoners of war are being distributed in Islamic countries.

Matic released

Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Matic released’ by K. C. – reports that Milovan Matic, a person that was arrested last week under suspicion that he had committed war crimes, was released Tuesday and he will defend himself from freedom. The article also carries a statement of Matic as saying that it was found out he had nothing to do with crimes committed against Srebrenica Bosniaks.

 

Political issues

Ivo Miro Jovic assumes post of BiH Presidency Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RHB,BHT1, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Strong support to reforms’, mentioned on cover, by M.K.S., Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Paravac bragged about the number of sessions, while Tihic is concerned with Draskovic and Manjaca’ by E. Sarac, Dnevni List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Jovic wants lesser influence of International Community’, by Hina, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 14 ‘Tihic sticks to Manjaca and Bileca’, by B. Kristo– The member of the BiH Presidency, Ivo Miro Jovic, has taken over chairing duty from Borislav Paravac on Tuesday and will continue to perform it for the next eight months.At the official hand over ceremony held in Sarajevo, Jovic stressed that the focus of the Presidency in next few months will be fulfillment of the international obligations, completion of defence reform, police reorganization, media and economy. PINK – Jovic also pointed out to the necessity to strengthen the economic development and decrease deficit in foreign trade: “We have significant natural resources and they have to be used, especially since we have large number of young and competent professionals who can speed up process of exiting the crisis.”

Hayat Denis Zaimovic – Jovic said BiH citizens could be satisfied with defence reform but that police reform was facing serious difficulties. “Our duties towards the ICTY have been politically generally accepted but there are no results regarding arrests of Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, which presents a condition for joining Partnership for Peace”, said Ivo Miro Jovic.

Paravac/Tihic deliver contradictory speeches on work of BiH Presidency in past 8 months

 

RHB, BHT1, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Strong support to reforms’, mentioned on cover, by M.K.S.Borislav Paravac expressed satisfaction with the work of the BiH Presidency in past eight months, while Sulejman Tihic had different opinion noting that removal of Dragan Covic and crisis in the Council of Ministers delayed resolving some of the important issues in relations between BiH with SCG and Croatia. FTV – “We did not prepare the agreement on the Ploce port; we did not sign the agreement on the borderline with the Serbia-Montenegro; there are problems regarding the implementation of the free-trade agreement with both neighbour countries, and so on”, Tihic stated. RTRS – Tihic added that a reason for all problem was in the current BiH constitutional organization. PINK – “The statement of Serbian Foreign Minister, Vuk Draskovic, in which he connected solving of Kosovo’s status with BiH, is very disturbing. That is harmful for our relations and for the whole stability”, said Tihic.

Hayat – In the past period, BiH Presidency held 18 sessions with 182 items on the agendas”, said Paravac. He pointed out the appointment of 27 ambassadors and permissions to perform the duty to 15 ambassadors.

Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Paravac bragged about the number of sessions, while Tihic is concerned with Draskovic and Manjaca’ by E. Sarac, inset ‘Vukovic: Tihic abused the ceremony’ – Paravac’s advisor, Drago Vukovic, stated that Paravac commented Tihic’s speech saying he abused the ceremony.

BiH HoP Comm. For Foreign and Trade Policy adopts draft PBS law: amendments on Croat channel rejected

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Croats will defend organization of three national channels’ by H. Orahovac, – The BiH House of Peoples’ Commission for Foreign and Trade Policy adopted on Tuesday the proposal of the BiH Public Broadcast System law together with amendments adopted by the House of Representatives. These amendments define that the Corporation of Public Broadcast Systems in BiH will units in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar. The production of program for the BiH Public Broadcast System will be equally distributed between the three units. HoP Commission did not adopt amendments of Croat caucus demanding for establishment of three national TV channels. At the same time, amendments of Commission Chairman Hasan Cengic were not adopted as well. PDHR Martin Nay and Head of EC Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys attended the Commission session Tuesday. PDHR Nay said it is up to Commission members to reach a decision and said OHR believes the adopted legislative draft on public RTV system was the best solution. Humphreys stressed that the adoption of the law on public RTV system was a pre-requisite for launching SAA negotiations. Velimir Jukic announced that if amendments on establishment on Croat channel are not adopted, the Croat Caucus would launch the issue of vital national interests asking from BiH Constitutional Court to take a stance. FTV – The BiH House of Peoples will discuss the text of the proposal of the Public RTV System law on its session scheduled for Wednesday. RHB, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Bosniaks and Serbs against channel in Croatian language’, mentioned on cover ‘Croats outvoted again’ by I. Glibusic – also reported.

OHR urges BiH HoP to adopt key laws

 

RHB, BHT1, FTV, Hayat, RTRS – OHR urged the BiH House of Peoples to adopt the Framework Law on Debt, the Railways Law and the Public Broadcast System Law. OHR stressed that each of these laws – when enacted – will bring tangible benefits to the people of BiH. OHR spokesperson, Kevin Sullivan, stressed that the PBS Law will establish a modern, affordable and unified broadcasting system for the whole country – one that reflects the cultural, linguistic and religious diversity of all of BiH’s constituent peoples. In addition, this legislation is one of the two principal remaining requirements of the EC Feasibility Study. “Pass this law and the House of Peoples will remove one of the last obstacles on the road to Europe,” Sullivan told a press conference in Sarajevo today.

Terzic: It is necessary to establish new Ministries in CoM

 

Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Forming of two new ministries is necessary’, by Nermin Bise – Prior to yesterday’s (Tuesday) session of SDA Presidency, the Chairman of BiH CoM and Deputy President of SDA, Adnan Terzic, stated that it was necessary that the BiH CoM got two new ministries – Ministry of Agriculture and Energy and Ministry of Healthcare, Social Policy and Employment. He also noted that the reconstruction of the BiH CoM would be based on forming of the two ministries. “I am ready to make a total reconstruction of CoM, which includes dissolving of cabinet and giving of mandate to the state Presidency so it could fill the CoM”, said Terzic. Terzic added he had informed the BiH Presidency about this proposal. DL unofficially learns that leaders of SDS and PDP, Dragan Cavic and Mladen Ivanic respectively, would oppose the reconstruction through establishing of two new ministries.

Tihic doesn’t know how the crisis can be solved; Terzic criticized by some SDA members?

 

Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘SDS will not be in parliamentary majority without PDP’ – Leader of SDA, Sulejman Tihic, stated for daily that he is not sure how the crisis will be solved as “SDS doesn’t not to support parliamentary majority without PDP in it, and PDP doesn’t want to be in parliamentary majority if Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic is not in it.” Daily also learns that Chair of BiH CoM, Adnan Terzic, was criticized by several members of the SDA at the session of SDA Presidency.

DA: ‘Crisis of the state authorities could continue by September?’

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Crisis of the state authorities could continue by September?’ by E. Sarac – Aj. Delic – DA article says that nobody – including members of the ruling parties and BiH Presidency – knows until when the crisis in the functioning of the state government could last. In addition, DA says that everybody interprets the words “restructuring of the government” differently and it could mean replacement of only PDP ministers, establishment of new Ministries or completely new composition. In addition to carrying statement by Terzic [abovementioned by Dnevni list], DA also brings SDS official, Dusan Stojicic, reiterating that “Terzic obviously made a move before which he did not communicate with his party, international community or any other party making up the parliamentary majority.” SBiH supports establishment of new Ministries of Agriculture and Health, and in addition both SDS and HDZ are expected to support this initiative. Article concludes that one has to wait for the results of next round of talks on the crisis to be hold on 4 July, however as the summer holidays are approaching it is possible that CoM will continue to work with Ivanic in technical mandate and with crisis not being resolved before September.

FTV comments on CoM crisis and current talks btw parties

 

FTV by Sinan Saric – FTV brings comments to the Monday meeting between BiH Presidency members and the leaders of ruling political parties. Some believe that the progress was made, while others claim that the agreement reached [see BiH Media Round-up for Juen 28] is nothing more than the continuation of the BiH Council of Ministers agony. Some analysts believe that the High Representative in BiH is responsible for this status quo, as his mandate will end soon and he does not want to be remembered as the man who failed in BiH. “High Representative can communicate more easily with persons who have impure past – not dirty, just impure – because they could be manipulated”, said Bakhtyar Aljaf, the chair of the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES). “Of course,HR Paddy Ashdown is trying to implement the British policy in BiH. And British policy was always effective in short-term. But in long-term it almost always creates major problems”, added Aljaf. Asked why HR did not react regarding the current CoM crisis, OHR Spokesperson Oleg Milisic rejected to speculate on possible decisions that HR could make. Nevertheless, OHR believes that CoM did make some progress at the BiH’s reform path. “Many reforms have been implemented – Value Added Tax, Defence reform, unification of Mostar,” said Milisic. FTV reporter ironically commented that none of those “implemented” reforms are fully implemented – at least not the way they should be. Hayat, Dnevni List, front pg splash ‘Reconstruction of Council of Ministers’, and pg 6 ‘Possible reconstruction of Council of Ministers’ by Nermin Bise – Carries an outdated report on the meeting of ruling parties dedicated to the solving of crisis within the BiH CoM. (for details see OHR Media Round-up, June 28, 2005)

PDP: Ivanic is Minister, not in technical mandate

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Terzic’s decision to accept Mladen Ivanic’s resignation is illegal’ by L.S. – Member of PDP Presidency, Vinko Radovanovic, reiterates the stance of his party in the statement to DA that the decision by Adnan Terzic to accept the resignation tendered by Mladen Ivanic several months before was illegal. Therefore, the party continues to deem Ivanic was the Foreign Minister and not as the Minister in technical mandate.

RTRS, FTV, Glas srpske pg 5 ‘Terzic should resign’ by N. Z. – PDP’s Zoran Tesanovic thinks decisions CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic had reached lately ‘were illegal and without legal grounds’. He appealed to Terzic to resign over violation of laws and failure to get the support of parliamentary majority for his decisions.

VL: Beside Doko and Dokic, two or three other [deputy] ministers could leave CoM

 

Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Three new ministers’, by dja – VL notes that according to unofficial information coming from the ruling parties, beside Branko Dokic and Dragan Doko, additional two to three ministers or deputy ministers could be leaving the BiH CoM. VL however notes that all this depends on the outcome of negotiations between the parties and possible concessions among them. VL goes on to say that the Terzic-Ivanic dispute will most likely be solved in a way that both of them would remain in the current offices, for the time being at least. VL concludes that Dokic would be replaced by Dragan Mikerevic.

SD: Ashdown saves Ivanic one more time

 

Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 15 ‘Ashdown saves Ivanic’, by Zlatko Tulic –The author argues that the most interesting story regarding the crisis in the BiH CoM is that Mladen Ivanic will remain working as the Foreign Minister albeit in the technical mandate. Tulic says this was not decided by BiH authorities, but by the OHR. This leads the author to conclude that the SDS, through the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, imposed its solution one more time.

VL interview: Ivo Miro Jovic on BiH CoM, Lijanovici raid, OHR, third entity

 

Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘They persistently want to show Croats as criminals’, mentioned on front ‘Criminalization of Croats is on’, by Miroslav Vasilj – carries an interview with the new Chairman of BiH Presidency, Ivo Miro Jovic, in which he talks about several issues. On crisis within the BiH CoM, Jovic says the crisis was caused because of personal conflicts between the Chairman Adnan Terzic and Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic. In that context, Jovic does not know whether there will be changes in the office of Chairman of BiH CoM and BiH Foreign Ministers, however he says there is a decision to undertake some staff changes in the BiH CoM. Jovic says names have not been mentioned yet. On raid into the Lijanovici company, Jovic fears it is a case of trying to present Croats as criminal elements. Asked whether BiH needed the OHR, Jovic says the Croats suit the existence of the OHR, otherwise the Croats would not even make it to the negotiating table with the Serbs and Bosniaks. Finally, Jovic insists that the Croats should get the third entity if the current two entities are to remain.

Ashdown lobbies for BiH in London/Brussels

 

RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Getting closer to EU abolishes OHR’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Negotiations with EU to start by Dayton’s anniversary’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, will be in Brussels and London today to attend a meeting in his role as the EU’s Special Representative chaired by the EU’s High Representative of a Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. The meeting will also be attended by all the acting EUSRs. Discussion will focus on the future of the EU’s foreign policy. HR will than travel to London, where he will meet British Foreign Minister Jack Straw to discuss the current status of BiH’s progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration as the UK is about to take over the six-month Presidency of the EU.

Ashdown says Draskovic’s statement ‘dangerous and unacceptable’

 

PINK, Hayat – The High Representative to BiH Paddy Ashdown stated that the suggestion of the of SCG Foreign Minister, Vuk Draskovic, that the status of Kosovo needed to be solved parallel with the issues of BiH, was very dangerous and unacceptable. Ashdown reminds that BiH is sovereign country and that its borders are not the matter of negotiations with SiCG. BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs request the official reaction from SiCG regarding this issue.

Ivanic on Draskovic: ‘Relations are our matter’

 

Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Relations are our matter’ by dja – Commenting on Draskovic statement, BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Mladen Ivanic said: “Our internal organization based on the Dayton Peace Accord is what suits BiH and it is the only matter for BiH peoples how they will arrange the relations.”

BiH Foreign Ministry on Draskovic statement

 

BHT1, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Foreign Affairs Ministry demands stand of Draskovic’s statement’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Hadzikapetanovic and Leko expressed concern’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Official statement of Belgrade because of Draskovic’s statement’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs protests because of Vuk Draskovic’s statements’ by H – Acting Secretary of the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP) Adnan Hadzikapetanovic met with Serbia-Montenegro (SCiG) Ambassador to BiH Stanimir Vukicevic in Sarajevo on Tuesday with regard to SCiG Foreign Affairs Minister Vuk Draskovic’s statements connecting the future of BiH to the future status of Kosovo. Hadzikapetanovic expressed concern and dissatisfaction over Draskovic’s statement and stressed that it does not contribute to good neighborly relations. The MVP instructed BiH Ambassador in Belgrade Tomislav Leko to request from the SCG MVP to officially comment on this issue.

SDHR Ney meets BiH Civil Affairs Minister Halilovic

RHB, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Urgent adoption of law on cultural institutions’, by NINA – Senior Deputy High Representative Martin Ney met on Tuesday with the BiH Minister for Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic. During the meeting Ambassador Ney and Minister Halilovic discussed Higher Education reform, the status and financing of state cultural institutions and the development of youth affairs. Ambassador Ney emphasized that Higher Education reform is a process, which requires and introduction of a single standard in higher education in the whole of BiH.

 

Lijanovici case

Prosecutors interrogates Zdenka and Ljubo Simunovic, sets one-month detention

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Prosecutor requests custody for Lijanovics’ employees’, mentioned on front ‘Possible new arrests’, by E. Mackic, N. Dedic – DL reports that Prosecutor Jonathan Ratel questioned the two arrested employees of the ‘Lijanovici’ company, namely Zdenka Simunovic (head of legal department) and her husband Ljubo (chief auditor), after which he asked for a one-month detention for the two. The BiH Court will take a decision about Ratel’s request today. According to Zdenka Simunovic’s lawyer, Nada Dalipagic, her client was questioned in the capacity of a suspect and she is charged with organized crime. DL also learns from the BiH Prosecution that arrests of more persons connected to business operations of the ‘Lijanovici’ are being prepared. Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Detention for Simunovics demanded’ – also reports.

Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Ratel interrogated Zdenka and Ljuba Simovic’ for six hours’ –DA learns that Zdenka and Ljubo Simunovic were questioned by the BiH Prosecutor, Jonathan Ratel on Tuesday for six hours.  FTV Ivan Pavkovic – “It seems to us that the Prosecutor’s Office does not have enough evidences to support the indictment against us, so they are now trying to obtain more documentation in order to back it up”, said Lijanovici company Main Board President Jerko Ivankovic-Lijanovic.

SD: Import lobbies did not set up raid into Lijanovici

 

Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pg 16 ‘Court twisting hands of meat tycoon’, by Marin Erceg – The author comments on the raid into the ‘Lijanovici’ company and statements by the Lijanovici family that everything was set-up by import lobbies. Erceg rules out a possibility that import lobbies could involve the Financial Inspection, Police, EUFOR and BiH Court against darlings of international circles”, saying it is actually a case of the Prosecution starting an investigation with an aim to find evidence on the alleged 40 million KMs that were allegedly embezzled. Ercegalso notes that there is a thin line between business, politics, authorities and crime in BiH and it is down to powers-that-be to decide who and when is expendable.

DL: Croat politicians and business people have habit to prove conspiracy theories against Croats

 

Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Justification’, by Marko Karacic – Commenting on the raid of FBiH MoI and EUFOR into the ‘Lijanovici’ company and comments (by Jerko Ivankovic Lijanovic) that the whole issue has been set-up by import lobbies, the author says that both the Croat business people and politicians have a habit of trying to prove conspiracy theories without focusing on and eventually solving problems, whilst in the same time the BiH Croats are becoming a minority in BiH without the right to language, TV and recently representation in state institutions.

VL on raid into Lijanovici

 

Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Lijanovici taped the raid’, and pgs 2-3 ‘About reasons behind the raid today’ by Robert Soldo – The article is explaining details of the raid into the ‘Lijanovici’ company (when the raid started, how it went on, when it finished etc) and the report also brings pictures of the raid, shot by (probably) ‘Lijanovics’ surveillance cameras. Inset entitled ‘Prosecution and defence to confront each other before trials’ by zk – notes that today’s trials to Dragan Covic and others will be marked by lively discussion between the defence teams and the Prosecution because the raid into the ‘Lijanovici’ company was never mentioned during the status conference held on June 23. Hayat – Covic and the other accused in the Lijanovic case will go at Court of BiH on Wednesday again to attend official read out of the indictment, said the presenter. Main hearing in Lijanovic case will start on September 1, as concluded at the status conference held in the BiH Court last week.

 

Economic issues

Farmers continue protesting

 

 

FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Farmers protesting in Sarajevo, Bakic sending messages from Bosanska Gradiska’ – Farmers’ protest in front of the BiH Institutions Building in Sarajevo will continue until all their demands are met, stated BiH Farmers’ Association President Ranko Bakic at the press conference held in Bosanska Gradiska. Farmers demand the establishment of a Ministry of Agriculture at the state level and the protection of domestic agricultural production.

Oslobodjenje: Lijanovici divide farmers

 

Oslobodjenje pgs 4 and 5, mentioned on cover ‘ ‘Lijanovici’ divided farmers’ by M. Kavaz-Sirucic – President of the Association of Federation of BiH Farmers Smajo Hadazlic stated that the farmers from this Association are not going to join the BiH Association of Farmers in their protest. Hadazlic added that due to the BiH CoM crisis the session at which measures for improvement of agricultural production should have been adopted did not take place and they believe that they should not additionally complicate the situation for Terzic since he gave them maximal support. The article also says that a part of farmers from northeast Bosnia distance themselves from the BiH Association of Framers led by Ranko Bakic with an argument that his goal is diverting of the attention from Lijanovici embezzlements amounting to millions KM that are being processed before the BiH Court.  RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 4 inset ‘ Support to Lijanovic’ – The Association of Independent Trade Unions Mostar supports employees of the ‘Lijanovici’ company and condemns the way in which this company was raided yesterday.

OHR: Essence of problems are not FTAs, but lack of agriculture polices

 

Hayat, Oslobodjneje pg 4 ‘Authorities have no policies on agriculture’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘FTAs are not reason for bad situation in agriculture’, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Appeal of OHR’ not signed – Commenting the protests of the farmers, OHR stated that the essence of the problem of agricultural imports isn’t the Free Trade Agreements, but the failure by the BiH authorities to organize, administer and support the agriculture sector, OHR spokesperson Kevin Sullivan stated in Sarajevo. Sullivan added OHR supports the farmers’ call for a properly coordinated BiH agricultural policy.

PDHR Butler meets Trade Unions

 

PINK, BHT1, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 14 ‘OHR is in favour of establishing state economic-social council’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Bulldozer for reforms’ – PDHR Larry Butler visited the Trade Union Tuesday and discussed economic situation in BiH with Deputy Chairman of BiH Trade Union Confederation Edhem Biber, Chairman of BiH Association of Employers Tomislav Grizelj and Chairman of Bulldozer Commission Remzo Baksic. It was warned during the meeting there were delays in implementation of reforms and was emphasized politicians, Trade Unions and employers should work jointly in order to encourage continuation of reforms and create an ambient for a better work.

Zigic: ‘Terzic is unacquainted with problem of Energopterol’

 

Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Terzic is unacquainted with problem of Energopterol’ by A. Avdic – Commenting on the statement that Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic gave recently when he said that ‘the election of company Ina for a partner might prevent Hungarian company MOL to take over Energopetrol’, Federation of BiH Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry Izet Zigic stated that Terzic is not very acquainted with this issue. The article says that it seems that Terzic did not know that Zigic has received recently an official letter in which MOL confirms that it comes on the BiH market with Croatian company Ina.

DA: ‘Energopetrol incurred debt amounting to about 100 million KM’

 

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Energopetrol incurred debt amounting to about 100 million KM’ by M. K. – The talks between the FBiH Government and representatives of INA company on co-capitalization of Energopetrol (EP) should continue on Wednesday (today), however, by Tuesday afternoon there was no the official confirmation whether the meeting would take place or not. DA says that according to their sources close to the FBiH Government, the FBiH Ministry of Finances has not submitted yet the exact information about EP’s debts and according to the DA unofficial information this debt amounts even to 100 millions KM.

 

Defence and security issues

Stankovic, Stojicic hope for successful completion of defence reform

 

 

 

RTRS by Sinisa Mihailovic – At the ceremony marking the RS Army’s Saint Day on Tuesday, RS Defence Minster Milovan Stankovic stated that first phase of the defence reform has been successfully completed. On the same occasion, RSNA Speaker Dusan Stojicic stated the RS Army is of great importance due role it played in establishment of RS, adding he hopes for the successful completion of defence reform. BHT 1 – Stankovic further stated that the RS Army should be the part of the BiH Army with preserved identity. “At the end of the reform process I see RS Army as a part of BiH armed forces which will retain its identity, its tradition… and I hope that RS Army will successfully complete the second part of the reform process”, said Stankovic.

VL: CIA Director visited BiH because of drugs smuggling via BiH

 

Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Stop to channels of drugs smuggling’, by Miso Relota – VL got a confirmation from a source close to the BiH intelligence-security apparatus that the reason behind the last week’s visit of the Director of CIA, Porter Goss, to BiH was to solve problems pertaining to drugs smuggling that goes via BiH. Apparently, Goss warned the Head of OSA, Almir Dzuvo, to make maximum effort and sever the drug route that goes from Afghanistan to western Europe via territory of BiH . Goss also visited Kosovo and Albania to talk about the same issues.