| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Mostar schools’ unification | Mostar schools’ unification | Schools in Central Bosnia | Fire in RS |
| Covic, Tihic in Mostar | Zitoprerada | Gov’t on strike in Bihac | Protests in RS |
| OHR’s econ. Bulletin | OHR econ. Bulletin | Trial for Celo | Carla Del Ponte |
| World news |
| BiH lawsuit against SCG | North Korea |
| Oslobodjenje | Payment of pensions through banks starts today |
| Dnevni Avaz | Frederiksen gave ultimatum to Halilovic: FBiH Interior Minister threatened to be removed |
| Dnevni List | FBiH Government: Removals of steering boards if irregularities in work get detected; Paddy Ashdown: Transfer of land must not be discriminatory; Covic and Tihic visit Old Bridge construction site in Mostar: Single Mostar by end of year; BH Dani about scandalous order of special OHR auditor David Taylor: Kukic’s column on agenda of HT’s Supervisory Board? |
| Vecernji List | Tycoon Stipe Gabric Jambo obliged himself to give donation for families of prisoners of The Hague back in 1999: Promised 400.000, but did not pay single mark; Covic and Tihic speeding up abolishment of division in city on Neretva: Mostar must unite by end of year; Jago Musa: We still do not know when classes start; Economy: State facing bankruptcy |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related articles |
| Glas Srpske | BiH Presidency: Softic on Tihic’s payroll; Investigation against Bijeljina company ‘Aleks Petrol’ opened: White spirit is not environment friendly fuel |
| Nezavisne Novine | Two Grammar schools in Mostar unified; Explosion if front of the ‘Karavan’ hotel in Sokolac: A girl left a bag full of explosive in the hotel; RS Finance Minister, Branko Krsmanovic: Ruling parties in BiH Federation undermine Taxation Administration; RS Telekom: The contract on conversion of credit into shares of the company illegal |
| Blic | Marijuana sized in Prijedor and Brcko; Owners of nationalised property still cannot achieve their rights |
| Ljiljan | FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic: I am a de-authorized minister |
| Slobodna Bosna | Heroes and graves |
| BH Dani | Sarajevo is a Muslim city |
Education | |
| Mostar’s Southwest municipality backs unification of Croat, Bosniak schools
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 – The municipal assembly of Mostar’s South-West municipality adopted on Thursday a decision on the administrative unification of the Fra Dominik Mandic secondary school and the First Secondary School in Mostar into a new educational institution named the Mostar Secondary School (Gymnasium). With this decision, the South-West municipality gave its consent to the administrative unification of the Fra Dominik Mandic secondary school with the First Secondary School, which had been founded by the Old Town municipality, on condition that the Fra Dominik Mandic secondary school “preserves its own curricula in the Croatian language”. Fourteen MPs from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of BiH voted for this decision, while seven MPs from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of BiH and the Coalition for a Single and Democratic BiH (KCD BiH) voted against the decision, because they believed that the decision should not contain the provision: “if it preserves its own curricula in the Croatian language”. Claiming that they are not opposed to the unification of secondary schools, the MPs from the SDP and the KCD BH asserted that a decision adopted by municipal authorities cannot contain such a provision, because municipalities should not interfere in the curricula. The South-West municipal assembly also adopted at the Thursday’s extraordinary session a decision on determining of number of members of the Mostar Secondary School interim school council. According to this decision, the school council will have six members, three from the Old Town and South-West municipalities respectively. The Old Town municipality adopted last week the decision on unification of high-schools. Vecernji list (page 3, by F., “Unification of grammar schools”), Slobodna Dalmacija (p.6, by Darko Juka, “Councilors unified grammar schools after all’) and Dnevni list (p.15, by V. Soldo, “Decision on administrative unification of two grammar schools has been adopted”) also reported on the session. |
| Education reform in Zepce | FTV – Education Minister in Zenica-Doboj Canton asked for responsibility for non-compliance with decision on merging of schools. Minister Sreto Tomasevic pointed out decision of municipal council in Zepce caused problems and he wanted to know who was responsible. Two schools in Novi Seher were supposed to merge, but 277 pupils attending school in Croat language were registered in the school in Osenica, which was 10 km away. A letter was sent to OSCE and OHR with request for elimination of segregation in primary schools. Council member Asim Sinanovic said the Council discussed this issue, but they did not make a decision, but only conclusion and Secretary of Council made a mistake. |
| Central Bosnian Education Minister meets with school directors over reforms | FTV – Minister of Education in the Central Bosnia Canton held a meeting with directors of schools. Minister Nikola Lovrinovic concluded that all pupils should start school year on Monday and later instruction for reforms would be discussed in Government session. It was also concluded that thorough analysis of current situation should be prepared. A school Director Miro Jovic said: “All this is a farce and reforms will lead to termination of the Croat language and curricula”. Minister announced problems will be solved continuously, and the final decision may be known in 15 days. |
| OSCE re-launches education reform campaign | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12, FENA – The OSCE Mission to BiH will re-launch on Friday its education reform campaign, OSCE spokesperson Emir Salihovic told a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday. Salihovic announced that OSCE Mission to BiH Head Robert Beecroft would hold a press conference in the Mission headquarters on this occasion and that together with education ministers he would talk about successes achieved during the first year of education reform, which will be visible at the start of the school year. The continuation of the education reform campaign will be a multimedia event, with billboards, newspaper and website ads, radio jingles and TV broadcasts all aimed at raising the level of consciousness on the need for education reform. “All efforts will be aimed at focusing the attention of the public on certain problems in the education sector, such as the equal approach to education, inclusive education etc”, Salihovic said. |
| Dani praises OHR decision to fine HDZ | BH Dani pg. 7 ‘Bosnian Barometer’ – The magazine awarded High Representative Paddy Ashdown with one star (good move) because of his decision to fine HDZ over obstructions to the education reform. |
| Interview with HNC Education Minister Musa | Vecernji List (front “We still do not know when classes start” and page 5 “We will not accept Union’s blackmails”, by Misijana Brkic-Milinkovic) – the Minister of Education in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Jago Musa, explains what the instruction on administrative unification is all about saying that the title says it all, that it is about administrative and legal unification and nothing more. “That means, there is no unification (of classes), curriculums are completely autonomous and separate, as well as textbooks, languages and pedagogical structure”, says Musa. Commenting on announcements of strikes of education workers in the HNC, Musa says that the Unions come up with maximal requests just prior to start of school year and that, at the moment, the HNC Government cannot fulfill all the requests of the Unions. In that context, Musa says the HNC Government can only pay out the June salary and offer signing of the collective agreement, which the Unions do not accept. Finally, when questioned whether the school year will start on schedule, that is September 1, Musa says it is unknown. |
Economic/social issues | |
| BiH facing bankruptcy if current trend continues – OHR
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, RTRS, Vecernji List front “State facing bankruptcy” and page 3 “OHR: BiH facing bankruptcy”, by Dja, Dnevni List, page 5, “BiH goes into bankruptcy”, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Continuation of import leads BiH to bankruptcy’, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘BiH is facing bankruptcy’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2- BiH will be facing bankruptcy if the foreign trade imbalance trend continues, OHR spokesman Kevin Sullivan warned on Thursday, pointing out that in the first four months of this year imports amounted to 2.5bn KM, while the value of exports was just 730m KM. “BiH is spending four times more than it is earning, and this is unsustainable,” Sullivan said at a news conference in Sarajevo, and called on the authorities to speed up economic reforms and privatization, reduce bureaucracy and root out corruption. “BiH politicians are obstructing reforms and simultaneously preventing the creation of new jobs,” Sullivan said while promoting a new OHR economic bulletin. |
| Hays, Mikerevic in Podrinje region | RTRS, Dnevni list p.9, unsigned, “Privatization has to continue”, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Economy must be independent from politics’ – PDHR Donald Hays and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic held a meeting in Foca/Srbinje on Thursday with the businessmen from the Podrinje region. According to Hays, the economy needs to function regardless of the political situation in the country. Hays also underlined the problems of the ‘grey’ economy in BiH, corruption, inefficient administration and the interior debt that exceeds 9 billion KM. “We have to move this country forward rapidly. Politicians like your Prime Minister are ready to do that. But there are still too many who want to stay in the way. So it is time to tell them, either to lead, or get out of the way,” said Hays. “We have some real chances to improve the situation in this region, instead of it being the black hole in the RS and BiH map,” stated Dragan Mikerevic. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘To prevent theft of taxes’, Glas Srpske, pg. 3 – ‘Politics preventing progress’- the RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic and PDHR Donald Hays visited Srbinje/Foca and Gorazde yesterday. It was concluded at the meeting with businessmen from the region that it was very important to carry on with the privatisation process and establishment of the new taxation system. The daily quotes Hays as saying: ‘BiH is a single economic space and economic flows must not be endangered with political decisions and compromises.’ According to Hays, a huge internal debt is one of mayor problems of BiH and the international community will not be able to solve such problems. |
| OHR: Public campaign on construction land law
| FTV, FENA, Dnevni List front “Paddy Ashdown: Transfer of land must not be discriminatory” and page 5,“Future transfers of land must not be discriminatory”, unsigned, Dnevni Avaz pg. 13 – OHR presented on Thursday a TV spot on the Construction Land Law which will be broadcast in languages of all three constituent peoples across the country during the next two weeks. Leaflets and posters will also be distributed through government offices during the campaign. OHR spokesperson Kevin Sullivan reminded at a press conference in Sarajevo on Thursday that High Representative Paddy Ashdown had imposed this law on May 15 ensuring that all future transfers of land under the domestic legal process are non-discriminatory and providing a framework for resolving disputes on awarding land. However, Sullivan stressed that this law is not linked to the restitution issue. Sullivan said that this decision would resolve the issue of ownership over land and remove the main obstacle for economic development and growth. “This will make easier the sale and purchase of real estate meaning that it will be easier to attract foreign investments in BiH”, Sullivan said. |
| Covic and Tihic have no comment re Banja Luka – Okucani highway | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – ‘Covic and Tihic have no comments’ – the daily reports that the Chairman of the BiH Presidency and Bosniak member, Dragan Covic and Sulejman Tihic, did not want to comment on the negotiations of the RS and Croatian Government regarding construction of the Banja Luka – Okucani highway. It is estimated that the construction would require 400 million US Dollars, and according to the RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, Italian investors and EBRD have already expressed their interest to participate in the project. |
| Update to RS Telekom Affair | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 – ‘Contract on conversion of credit into Telekom shares illegal’- the daily continues with the series of reports regarding illegalities in RS Telekom. In today’s issue, NN carry facsimiles of the report prepared by the Legal Department of RS Telekom, which says that the contract signed with EBRD is illegal, due to the fact that it contains provision which is not in line with the RS laws and refers to the conversion of credit into shares of the company. This report of the Legal department was not taken into account and on December 19, 2002, the Director General of RS Telekom, Zeljko Jungic, signed the contract with EBRD. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 8 – ‘Telekom suffered serious damage’- the daily carries the letter of the RS Telekom Director General, Zeljko Jungic, addressed to Nezavisne Novine, in which he complains about the damage caused to the company by the NN series of reports regarding all sorts of developments in Telekom. Jungic repeats headlines of all articles Nezavisne Novine published so far about Telekom affairs. He says that NN writing jeopardizes all business projects of the Company and that it already caused enormous damage that will also influence the future of the company. Jungic says Telekom has no intention of arguing with Nezavisne Novine and adds that if the daily provides Telekom with the names of people who delivered twisted reports and highly confidential documents on the Telekom affairs, and if Nezavisne print a denial on any of its previous reports, Telekom will be at Nezavisne Novine disposal to answer all questions. Otherwise, Jungic warns, Telekom will press charges against Nezavisne Novine, asking for huge compensation for the damage caused by its writing. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 8- ‘RS Telekom was destroyed by PDP experts’- on the same page with the letter of the RS Telekom Director General, Zeljko Jungic, Nezavisne Novine respond to Jungic, asking him whether he is aware that he failed to deny any of NN reports in his letter. Responding to Jungic’s claim that NN published some highly confidential documents, the daily reminds Jungic that the RS is the majority owner of RS Telekom and that the public has a right to be informed about the actions of the company. Nezavisne Novine were not trying to discredit the company and Jungic and his associates have done that by signing contracts without tenders, by giving apartments to secretaries and not engineers, by illegal financial transactions, etc. According to Nezavisne Novine, Jungic, together with his party boss, Mladen Ivanic and Minister Branko Dokic, diminished the value of Telekom when taking the credit from EBRD which allows this bank to convert the credit into shares of the company. ‘By doing so, you have illegally, without the consent from the National Assembly, opened the space for privatization of Telekom, and closed the door for all those buyers with serious intentions. Thus, dear Mr. Jungic, do not blackmail us and try to scare us with lawsuits. Some free advice for you: try to save your money for the lawyers you will need to represent you if the law and state ever begin functioning here.’ In its answer to Jungic, Nezavisne Novine, also pose several questions to Telekom, adding that, according to the Law on free access to the information, Telekom is obliged to answer. |
| RS Finance Minister on Indirect Taxation Administration | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 – ‘Ruling parties in BiH Federation undermine Indirect Taxation Administration’ – the daily carries the interview with the RS Finance Minister, Branko Krsmanovic, who said that the request from BiH Federation political parties – SDA, S BiH and HDZ, for changing the Draft Law on Indirect Taxation is a request to destroy the entire project. The Draft Law, said Krsmanovic, is a result of several months of work of the Commission appointed by the High Representative. According to Krsmanovic, there is no reason why Banja Luka should be disputed as a place for the seat of the Indirect Taxation Administration as it fulfils all necessary conditions. |
| SB, Dani on appointment of Indirect Taxation Administration Director | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 18-19 ‘HDZ and SDA agreed that their strategic goal is to prevent selection of Zelimir Rebac’ By Mirsad Fazlic – “As was expected, the Commission for Indirect Taxation, among some 30 candidates, last week selected and nominated two reliable representatives of the national political parties Fuad Kasumovic and Miodrag Kudic to head the future state customs service (translated exactly as is written in the magazine),” wrote Fazlic. “I was not member of the Commission and I do not know if professionalism prevailed at the selection of candidates or the selection was made under the political dictate,” PDHR Donald Hays was quoted as saying. BH Dani pgs. 22-23 ‘Who sails on the yacht?’ By Ermin Cengic – “The international community might annul the process of selection of candidates for the Director of the BiH Indirect Taxation Administration. If Ashdown and his team, however, approve appointment of Fuad Kasumovic, who is currently seen as the most serious candidate, to head future, most powerful state agency, it will be definitely clear that the fight against smugglers and ‘paper’ crime remains only dead letter on the paper”, wrote Cengic. |
| RS military pensioners announce legal proceedings before Human Rights Court in Strasbourg | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 10 – ‘RS Army pensioners announce lawsuit before European Court’, Glas Srpske, pg.3 – ‘Getting the justice in Strasbourg’, Blic pg. 7 ‘What if they throw us on street?’, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5 ‘RS military officers claimed for 900 apartments in FBiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12,FENA – Military personnel from the RS request the Federation to return hundreds of apartments they used before the war in BiH and will seek legal protection before the International Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if the apartments are not returned to them. RS Association of Military Pensioners Housing Commission Chair Jovan Vukobrat said in Banja Luka on Thursday that military personnel would launch a lawsuit before the International Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if the BiH Constitutional Court does not annul certain regulations from the FBiH Law amending the Law on Abandoned Apartments and if they do not repossess their pre-war apartments. Representatives of this association hope that the BiH Constitutional Court would pass a fair decision regarding the initiative for assessing whether this provisions are in compliance with the Constitution or not recently filed by BiH House of Representatives Speaker Nikola Spiric. Vukobrat repeated that RS military pensioners have been seeking the return of some 900 apartments in the FBiH for several years and added that certain articles from the law (especially Article 3.A) are in violation of the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Military pensioners have not excluded the possibility of blockades of roads and protests if this issue is not resolved adequately. |
| Restitution | Blic pg. 7 ‘Outcome in Strasburg’ – A discussion on a restitution law that Nikola Spiric proposed to the BiH Parliament on behalf of five associations should be held in September. If everything goes well, BiH should get its law on restitution by November, which would enable return of property taken away since 1 January 1945. Authors of this law are the Association of Nationalised and Confiscated Property from Sarajevo, League for Protection of Private Property and Human Rights from Trebinje, Association of Semebrija’s Farmers from Bijeljina, Association Herzegovina from Mostar and Association of Land Owners Ravne Brcko. Nikola Sekulovic, executive director of the League for Protection of Private Property and Human Rights from Trebinje, reminds that former High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch prevented adoption of this law, adding that he was supported by so-called left forces, successors of those who took away the property. Sekulovic doubts in good intention of the IC when it comes to this law, saying that prevention of passing the law caused great material damage to citizens and BiH, because BiH will be showered with lawsuits in Strasburg before the International Court of Human Rights due to violation of basic human rights. Asked to comment on OHR spokesman Vedran Perisic’s statement that the restitution cannot be done because BiH does not have economic possibilities for that, Sekulovic says that they have been promised by High Representative Paddy Ashdown that OHR will not get involved in that, and that is the issue for domestic authorities. |
| Payment of pensions through banks to start today in FBiH | Oslobodjenje front page ‘Payment of pensions through banks to start today’ – Payment of the August pension through banks will start today in the BiH Federation as those receiving pensions at their homes can expect pensions on Saturday, the Federation Pension-Invalid Insurance Fund announced. |
| Bjelasnica, Igman hotels on sale in September | Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 – A tender for the privatisation of hotels on the mountains of Igman and Bjelasnica will be opened in mid September. This was concluded during a Thursday’s visit to the mountains by the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic and other BiH officials. |
| Dani on alleged international efforts to discredit Kukic | BH Dani pgs. 24-25 ‘OHR and Special International Auditor’s Office are preparing elimination of Slavo Kukic due to his fight against legalisation of Eronet, Dragan Covic’s crime’ – The magazine claims that only after Slavo Kukic based his column in Dnevni List of August 26 on non-denied information published in Slobodna Bosna according to which the International Auditor David Taylor accompanied by Dragan Covic was a guest on the yacht owned by Dinko Slezak (controversial businessmen from Herzegovina), both Taylor and the Special International Auditor Dale Ellen Ralph reacted (Dani published a letter sent by Ellen Ralph to Kukic). According to the magazine, the international community headed by OHR is trying to discredit Kukic because of his fight against Eronet and Dragan Covic’s criminal activities. |
| DL comments on speeches at the opening of Gradacac Plum Fair | Dnevni List (page 2, by Jurislav Petrovic, “BiH cannot go to Europe like this”) – the author warns that unlike Dragan Covic and Ahmet Hadzipasic, who were sticking to their usual speeches during the “Plum Fair” in Gradacac, the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, was much more concrete and sharp in his statements when he stated that he was worried for the economic future of BiH and that BiH could not go to Europe like that. The author agrees with the HR’s statements and goes on to question how can three peoples in BiH reach an agreement when even the three members of BiH Presidency cannot agree on different issues. “Finally, let us return to Paddy Ashdown’s statement, who seems to be more reasonable than all the BiH politicians, in which he summarized the overall situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina – BiH cannot go to Europe this way”, concludes Petrovic. |
Political developments | |
| Covic, Tihic visited Mostar
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – ‘Support to unification of Mostar’, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Mostar restructuring by the end of the year’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 – BiH Presidency Chairman Dragan Covic and member Sulejman Tihic visited Mostar on Thursday. Officials talked with Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar Hamdija Jahic and Ljubo Beslic and visited Old Bridge construction site. Presidency members stressed determination to the single city of Mostar where all the citizens can live freely but accent of the visit was economy development in the region and creation of positive business environment. Covic said: “We are ready, together with executive authorities, to support economical development of Mostar. Present situation in Mostar is warning, we still don’t have new employments and true wave and that’s what we need. In that regard, we have agreed to organise an international conference for initiation of foreign investments which is going to take place in February next year in Mostar.” Vecernji List (front “Mostar must unite by end of year” and page 2 “Covic and Tihic: Mostar must be single”, by Z. K.) and Dnevni List (front “Single Mostar by end of year” and page 16 “Covic: Restructuring of city must be carried out by end of year”, by Vesna Leto) also reported on the visit. Chair of BiH Presidency Covic sent “a clear message” that the process of city restructuring will be completed by end of year “and that restructuring will have to satisfy all who participate in the process, which means there is not a possibility that one party is dissatisfied with the final solution”. Tiihic is quoted as saying that the process of abolishment of divisions in Mostar, “which has been speeded up by the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown”, must be completed, adding that the Presidency is ready to help in economic development of the whole region. “Personally, I am in favour of domestic political forces finding a solution and I am against an imposition of a solution by the High Representative”, says Tihic. (also featured in Slobodna Dalmacija, page 6, by M. Landeka, “Joining of bridge-unification of Mostar”) |
| FBiH Government on appointments to steering boards | Dnevni List (front and page 3, by M. Relota, “Removals of steering boards if irregularities in work get detected”), Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Government, at its session held yesterday, adopted the opinion of a specially appointed FBIH Government’s group that is analyzing conclusions and recommendations of FBiH Ombudsman regarding the appointments to steering boards. The opinion says that all members of the steering boards in companies with State-majority capital are subject to audits and possible removals if they have been appointed against the criteria or do not execute their offices appropriately. According to the opinion, this is stipulated in article 19 of the Law on ministerial, government and other appointments in FBiH. Moreover, the FBiH Government has tasked its Ministries to analyze the work of each steering and supervisory board and on basis of the analysis, the Ministries are suppose to provide argumentation for possible solutions. |
| Softic on Tihic’s payroll | Glas Srpske, cover page – ‘Softic on Tihic’s payroll’ – the daily reports that the Bosniak member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, is using the money allocated for his Cabinet to pay expenses of the BiH agent in the lawsuit against FRY before the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Sakib Softic. According to the Beta news agency, Serb representatives in joint institutions will request BiH Parliamentary Assembly to discuss Tihic’s violation of the BiH Presidency decisions. |
| Blic on Wnendt’s visit to Janja and Bijeljina | Blic pg. 8 ‘Municipal authority encourages return’ – Senior Deputy High Representative Werner Wnendt visited Janja and Bijeljina on Wednesday where he discussed the return of the pre-war population with representatives of Bosniak returnee associations, the Islamic Community and local authorities. They agreed that returnees to Janja will need greater assistance from relevant authorities in the upcoming period and stressed that the creation of conditions for sustainable return is vital for a mass return of pre-war population. Wnendt said that the return of property alone is not resolving the problems of returnees and added that conditions for employing returnees need to be created. Bijeljina Mayor Dragomir Ljubojevic said that the municipal authority would encourage all those who want to return to their pre-war homes. Dnevni list (3, not signed) carry SDHR Werner Wnendt as saying that he was shocked with sights he saw during his visit to Crni Vrh mass grave near Zvornik. On Wednesday, SDHR Wnendt visited Janja near Bijeljina and discussed return process with the representatives of Bosniak returnees associations, the Islamic Community and local authorities. It was concluded that Janja needed more assistance by institutions concerned. |
| Slobodna Bosna interview with Dodik | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 22-25 ‘All criminals gathered around Mladen Ivanic’ – Interview with SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. “Now everything is clear. If the concrete action of bringing criminals to justice does not take place soon, then the OHR will as well complete its mandate unsuccessfully…That is why not only the way in which local authorities but also the international community functions here must be changed,” said Dodik. |
| Tihic on military reform | Dnevni List (p 2, “Tihic: I am not satisfied with military reform”, by V.L.) reports that, answering a journalist question during his visit to Mostar yesterday, Sulejman Tihic, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, replied that he was not satisfied with the solutions reached so far as they partly legalized the current situation: 3 armies, 3 ministries, 2 HQs, i.e. a very complex command structure. “I advocate a single army as the solution that is now being offered will be too costly and not functional”, Tihic stated. |
| VL: “HDZ sees no reason for early elections” | Following opposition’s initiative for early elections, Vecernji List (p 2, by R. Bubalo) carries Barisa Colak, the President of HDZBiH, as saying: “If we would arrive to a conclusion that the parliamentary majority is not implementing reforms, we would then accept calling the early elections. Yet, in the current situation, I do not see many reasons for that”. He is also reported as saying that, unlike Lagumdzija, the HDZ BiH cannot absolutely reject entering a coalition with some of the parties. |
Security issues | |
| Sfor ends operation in Pale
| Blic pg. 6 ‘Intelligence data not revealed’, Vecernji List p 4, “Useful information on inaccessible war criminals collected”, by Dejan Jazvic – “The SFOR operations, which began on Tuesday morning and ended on Wednesday evening, consisted of regular presence patrols, which fall within the spectrum of SFOR operations. The aim was to monitor the local situation and the potential efforts of persons conducting activities that impede the progress and development of BiH,” SFOR spokesperson Dale MacEachern said on Thursday. MacEachern said he cannot divulge details of the results of these operations, adding they were successful in their aim. He did not confirm or deny that members of the family of top fugitive war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic were supervised during the operations. (Sarajevo dailies) |
| EUPM’s ultimatum to FBiH Interior Minister | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Police Minister threatened to be removed’ – Silent war between the FBiH Interior Minister and EUPMhas culminated these days and even an option that Minister Mevludin Halilovic is removes has not been excluded. Among other things, the dispute is caused by the FBiH regulation on internal organisation. Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Premier Hadzipasic will inform OHR on conclusions today’ – The FBiH Government held late on Thursday a session behind close door to discuss announcements from the international community that the Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic might be removed. The Government conclusions on the FBiH police-EUPM disputes will be presented today to the OHR and EUPM officials. Ljiljan pgs. 18-22 ‘It is true that I am de-authorized and that Miletic is more responsible for security’ – Interview with the FBiH Interior Minister Mevludin Halilovic. “If we are talking about the FBiH Interior Ministry’s Police Administration, then we can say that the Administration is headed by the Director who reports on his work to the Minister. This means that, according to the current organisation/structure, the real chief of the police is the Police Administration Director whose authorities are defined in 11 articles of the law on interior affairs,” emphasized Halilovic adding that the authorities of the Minister were described in only one article of the law. |
| VL: “EUPM expects results of investigation into bomb attacks” | Vecernji List (page 4, by D. Ja.) – a spokesperson of EUPM, Jon Oscar Solnes, stated yesterday that the EUPM expected the Police to quickly identifies perpetrators of series of explosions in Sarajevo and other areas in BiH. He also confirmed that the EUPM received a copy of the threatening letter that was sent to member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic. According to Solnes, the letter stresses the need to have the SIPA (BiH Agency for Information and Protection) operational. “That goal could be achieved in the next few months”, says Solnes. |
Affairs/incidents | |
| Explosion in Sokolac
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – ‘Unidentified girl left the bag with explosive in the hotel’- an explosion occurred yesterday in front of the ‘Karavan’ Hotel in Sokolac. No injuries were reported. The owner of the hotel, Brane Colovic, stated that the explosive device, actually a bag full of explosive, was left in the hotel by a girl unknown to him and his staff. The investigation is ongoing. |
| ‘White Spirit’ affair | Glas Srpske, cover page- ‘White spirit is not environment friendly fuel’- the daily reports that since the investigation begun against Bijeljina based company ‘Aleks Petrol’, the import of white spirit to the RS was significantly reduced. Public Prosecutor in Bijeljina told GS that the Office received police report concerning the company at the end of July. According to the report, the company ‘Aleks Petrol’ imported 460 shipments of white spirit, which exceeds the needs of the RS. |