OHR BiH Media Round-up, 30/11/2004

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs)

BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs)

RTRS (12,00 hrs)

Hearing of Covic today

Serbia ’s Markovic addresses RSNA

RSNA in session

RSNA in session

Update to Milosevic trial

Matijasevic on Njegus’s removal

BOSS leader sent letter to HR

300 killed in Philippines storm

Matijasevic order to PSCs

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs)

FED TV (19,30 hrs)

RT RS  (19,30)

FBIH Government session

Judges’ wages reduced

Judicial reform

SFOR search in Canici

Judicial reform conference

Request of Matijasevic

Statement of Kovac

Car accident on highway

Terrorism in BIH

Momcilo Krajisnik trial

Support to UNDP project

Njegus’s dismissal

HDK on Aluminij Mostar

SFOR action in Canici

Trial of Momcilo Krajisnik

Police reform round table

Oslobodjenje

Privatisation of nationalized apartments again approved

Dnevni Avaz

Mladic was officially in RS Army until 2002

Dnevni List

Dragan Covic at hearing

Vecernji List

FOSS removes Croats from espionage services

Slobodna Dalmacija

West Herzegovina in Balkans Association

Glas Srpske

Testimony of former officer of Al Q’Aeda: Oath taken before Osama

Nezavisne Novine

Authority forgot of refugees at Novo Naselje near Bijeljina: 800 families without power and water; Ashdown cut salaries of judges and prosecutors; Slavisa Sucur: The constitutionality of all Parliament decisions in question; Banja Luka : Discussion on confidence in Njegus today; Delegate pardoned, pensioner was not

Blic

Recruits of Al Q’Aeda from BiH and Kosovo; Njegus on leave before removal

Vecernje novosti

Banja Luka City Hall : First decision passed “smoothly”

Belgrade’s Nacional

Features Serbian related topic

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

RSNA in session

BH Radio 1, RS Radio, Herceg Bosna Radio – Serbian Assembly President Predrag Markovic today has addressed the representatives of the RS National Assembly for the first time. He stressed that both Serbia and RS must cooperate with the ICTY, and that there is no alternative to that. Addressing RSNA for the first time officially, Markovic added that both must fulfil their international obligations adding it requires a courage. Markovic concluded announcing that Serbia will first tackle this issue through legal procedures  which will be completed before the Assembly within 7 days. Markovic also said that that BiH and SCG will be admitted to Partnership for Peace together.

Matijasevic officially launched procedure for Njegus’s removal

RS Radio – Darko Matijasevic, RS Interior Minister, has today stated that in accordance with legal provisions, he has launched the initiative for removal of Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director. Speaking with the members of the press in Pale, Matijasevic said that the request for removal is aimed at improving the efficiency and operational functioning of the RS Interior Ministry. He said that as a person running MoI and making assessments into optimal achievements of this Ministry, he is of the view certain “refreshments” were had to be made, in order to improve the work of the Interior Ministry. He did not want to confirm speculation that PSC East Sarajevo Chief, Dragomir Andan, would replace Njegus – if he were removed.

Matijasevic orders PSCs to arrest war crime suspects

RS Radio – Darko Matijasevic, RS Interior Minister, has today stated that he has given clear orders to the PSC Chief’s in Banja Luka , Trebinje, Bijeljina, Doboj and East Sarajevo, regarding their duty to intensify activities aimed at detecting, identifying and arresting war crime suspects.

BOSS leader proposes Ashdown to abolish FBiH HoP

Herceg Bosna Radio – The President of the Bosnian Party (BOSS), Mirnes Ajanovic, has sent the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, a proposal to abolish the House of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, because of its obstruction to the passage of laws – it is said in today’s public statement of this party. Instead of the House of Peoples, Ajanović proposes the establishment of the Council of Peoples like in the Republika Srpska. This Council would act exclusively in cases when a law violates national interests.

Judiciary

Ashdown says salaries for judges, prosecutors must be reduced

BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Ashdown reduces salaries for judges’ by M. Kavaz-Sirucic, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Ashdown announced reduction of salaries for judges, prosecutors’ by M. Kukan, Dnevni List, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘Reduction of salaries to judges and prosecutors by 16%’, by E. Mackic, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Judges without astronomic salaries’, mentioned on front ‘Ashdown reduces salaries to judges’, by Eldina Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 8 ‘Ashdown: Salaries to judiciary ought to be reduced’, by D. Pasic, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘Ashdown cut salaries of judges and prosecutors’ by R. Cengic; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Salaries’, ONASA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, participated on Monday at the Conference on Judicial Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Current Status and Future Challenges, organized by High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH (HJPC). At the Conference, he outlined a number of the achievements of the OHR in the area of judicial reform, such as, the establishment of the State Court and its special panel for Organized Crime and Corruption, the upcoming establishment of the War Crimes Chamber in the State Court and the restructuring of the prosecutors’ offices.  He also outlined the challenges for the future in the area of judicial reform, drawing attention to the issue of financing the judiciary and judicial salaries. He pointed out that while his predecessor increased salaries for judges and prosecutors in order to shield them from possible bribery, these increases have since continued at an unaffordable rate. “Salaries for judges and prosecutors have continued to increase by 10% a year – a total of 40% in four years! This at a time when there is a lack of adequate funding available for courts and prosecutors’ offices,” said the High Representative. He pointed out that 84% of total budget now represents personal costs – salaries and benefits. Only 16% of the budget is left for other running expenses – such as electricity, heating, telephones. “Many courts in both entities cannot proceed with trials because the required experts cannot be paid due to a lack of adequate funding. More than 70 % of the courts in the RS are faced with disconnection of phone or mail services,” said the High Representative. “This continuous growth of salaries is clearly not sustainable and must be stopped immediately”, he added. In order to create a healthy budgetary situation in the judiciary, the High Representative said that salaries must be reduced at certain court levels by up to 16% in the Federation, and up to 4 % in the RS. Such a measure would reduce the personnel costs to around 70%  in line with European standards, said the High Representative. “This will enable the judiciary to operate more effectively and concentrate on dispensing justice,” he noted. Judicial salaries vary. Currently average net salaries pending court level and individual years of experience are in range of 2500 up to 4000 KM per month. Proposed reductions will depend on the current salaries received. 

Reactions to announcement of judges, prosecutors’ salaries reduction

Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Peric claims incomes in both entities are being harmonized’ by M.K. – Commenting to the announcement by HR Paddy Ashdown that salaries of justices will decrease up to 16%, the Head of the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council Branko Peric stated this was a way to harmonize salaries of justices and prosecutors in both entities. He added that in current situation, FBIH judiciary is much better paid those their counterparts in RS, and that salaries are so big any way that one day they could take up the entire budget of judiciary. Peric concludes HJPC supports HR’s initiative. BiH Justice Minister, Slobodan Kovac, says he was included in this issue but says that the reason must be missing funds. BiH Chief Prosecutor, Marinko Jurcevic, commented that “there should be a law adopted on salaries of justices and prosecutors”. Dnevni List carried reactions by Judge Peric and Prosecutor Jurcevic. 

DL on reduction of judicial salaries: Why difference in reduction in FBiH and RS?

Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Paddy’s dilemma’, by Erna Mackic – Commenting on the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown’s, announcement regarding the reduction of salaries to the judiciary in BiH, the author stresses that according to a press release from the OHR, the salaries in the FBiH are to be reduced by 16%, whilst the figure for the RS is 4%. This triggers the author to wonder why there is the difference in salaries reduction in the entities, especially because HR Ashdown stated that as much as 70% of courts in the RS cannot function because of overdue debts for telephone or mail services.

Conference on judicial reform in BiH held in Sarajevo

BHT, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Surlien: Judges, prosecutors appointed on the basis of their skills, not connections’, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Only court in Brcko has working conditions’, Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Judges and Prosecutors appointed without influence of politicians’, by E. Mackic, ONASA – The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH (HJPC) organized a conference which took place on Monday entitled “Judicial Reform:  Current Status, Future Challenges”. The aim of the conference was to give an overview of the judicial reforms achieved in BiH to date and to open up a discussion on future challenges in the area of judicial reform. The list of speakers included the President of the HJPC, Judge Branko Peric, the former director of the Independent Judicial Commission (IJC), Judge Rakel Surlien, the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, the Minister of Justice of BiH, Slobodan Kovac, the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to BiH, Michael Humphreys, the US Ambassador, Douglas McElhaney and the Director of the HJPC secretariat, Elmira Pasagic. The former Director of the IJC, in the course of her speech, highlighted a number of the successes of the IJC during its three year mandate such as, the reappointment process whereby practically all judges and prosecutors were required to apply for their posts in an open competition, the establishment of the single High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, the restructuring of the courts which led to a reduction in first instance courts by 41%, the establishment of the judicial training centers and the reform of the civil procedure and enforcement codes. The former Director of the IJC also took this opportunity to present the Final Report of the IJC to the High Representative, the Ambassador of the EC Delegation to BiH, the US Ambassador and the Minister of Justice of BiH.  The IJC Final Report is a record of the projects undertaken and the goals achieved by the IJC in the course of its three-year mandate.  Addressing the Conference, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, outlined a number of the achievements in the area of judicial reform, including the establishment of the State Court and its special panel for Organized Crime and Corruption, the upcoming establishment of the War Crimes Chamber in the State Court and the restructuring of the prosecutors’ offices. The EC Ambassador commended the work which had been done in establishing the HJPC which was the first priority of the EU Feasibility Study to have been accomplished.  He also spoke of future challenges in the area of judicial reform, such as, the development by the HJPC of partnerships with local institutions (such as the Ministries of Justice), the funding of the judiciary and the restructuring of the Minor Offense Courts which is a project which is currently being funded by the EU. 

Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Under the burden of debts’ by SRNA; EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘The lack of prisons’ by D.S. also covered the issue.

Crime/police affairs/security/legal proceedings

Dnevni Avaz: Mladic was officially in RS Army until 2002

Dnevni Avaz cover splash story, pg 3 ‘Officially, Mladic was in RS Army till 2002’ by S. Numanovic – Article carries that despite the claims that they claim to have no knowledge of the war crimes suspects’ whereabouts, the authorities in Banja Luka and Belgrade have only recently ceased relations with war crimes indictee Ratko Mladic. DA says it obtained Mladic’s personal list according to which he was in active service in Yugoslav Army until 2001 and in RS Army until 2002. He was taken off the RS Army list following the order of Mirko Sarovic, former RS President. Article concludes wondering how it is possible for RS authorities to take so long to dismiss Mladic if they have no connection with him.

Decision on possible removal of RS police chief Njegus to be made today

Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 5 ‘Discussion on confidence in Njegus today’ by D. Risojevic – Nusreta Sivac, Vice President of the Board for selection and control over RS Police Director, confirmed that the Board would hold the session in Banja Luka Tuesday and discuss request filed on Friday by Darko Matijasevic, RS MoI, for removal of Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director. According to NN, Matijasevic presented arguments for his request in seven points, including the point that Njegus is obstructing the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Matijasevic “crossed out” Njegus’ by V.J. – Velimir Sakan, RS MP and President of the RS NA Board for surveillance over defence and police bodies, said that this Board is not in charge of this issue, noting: “I am of the view there are too many difficulties at the Ministry without raising this issue at this moment, disagreements should be settled later on.”

Zoran Glusac, Head of RS MoI Cabinet, said that this issue is regulated by the Law.

EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘Njegus on leave before removal’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Apart from carrying statement of Nusreta Sivac, EuroBlic carries the statement of Zoran Glusac, Head of RS MoI Cabinet. Paper also refers to its source at RS Government, saying that Dragan Mikerevic had talks with both, Matijasevic and Njegus, and unofficially expressed the view that “there will possibly be no room for both at MoI” and also that “Police Director was recommended to take leave”.

BHT, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Decision on Radomir Njegus to be made today’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Minister Matijasevis saving himself by removing Njegus?’, mentioned on cover ‘Matijasevic removing Njegus’, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Removal of Njegus’ by F also covered the issue.

Mikerevic: Case of Njegus matter for Independent Board

Oslobodjenje inset pg 2 ‘Mikerevic is not influencing a choice’ by Fena – The RS Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Goran Radivojactold FENA that the relevant board appointed by the RS National Assembly is responsible for selecting and dismissing the Police Director and that this is not an issue that the RS Government deals with. Commenting on reports that RS MoI Darko Matijasevic requested RS PM Dragan Mikerevic to dismiss Police Director Radomir Njegus, Radivojac said that the RS Prime Minister has not direct possibility to influence either the appointment of dismissal of the Police Director.

Decertified policemen support Terzic’s initiative

Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Certain in rehabilitation, demand the protection from revenges’ by Az. Kalamujic – The Chair of the Association of Decertified Police Officers in FBiH, Ramo Sulic, welcomed decision of the BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic to ask member of the Venice Commission to take a stance in the case of decertified police officers. Sulic reminded that decertified police officers expected that leading institutions of BiH would ask from UN Security Council to launch revision of the process in BiH, however added that Terzic’s solution could also be good. Daily also carries that the office of UN High Commission for Human Rights will organize round table on this issue in Sarajevo on 1 December.

Round Table on police Reform in Banja Luka

RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Each to get its police’ by V. Janjic; EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Painstaking path towards compromise’ by Rajna Radosavljevic;Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘RS MoI must exist’ by SRNA – The main recommendation addressed from the Round Table “Current police reform in RS” held in Banja Luka Monday is that the police reform should comply with the Constitutions of RS and BiH, and that the RS Interior Ministry should be maintained. The Round Table was organised by the Interior Ministry Syndicate. One of statements from the session is that the police reform is justified in regard to transfer of some authorities at the BiH level when speaking of fight against terrorism, organised crime – however it should also be taken into consideration that those authorities have already been taken over by SIPA, BiH State Border Service and InterPol.

According to GS, Velimir Sakan, RS MP and President of the RS NA Board for surveillance over defence and police bodies, expressed his view it is good to hear experts’ opinion, stressing that there must not be political disagreement about this issue. Ranko Karapetrovic, member of Police Reform Commission, stressed that possible model may not be regulated through parliament procedure, noting that High Representative promised no solution would be imposed.

General Leakey for London Times: Crime is the biggest obstacle to establishment of democracy

Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘BiH and SCG represent a transit for 100,000 women and children’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Crime is the biggest obstacle to establishment of democracy’, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 20 ‘Human trafficking is paradise for criminals in BiH’ by F, The Times ‘EU force to take on pimps, drug barons and smugglers’ by Michael Evans, Defense Editor – Gangs dealing in prostitution and people-smuggling will find themselves in the sights of a new European Union military force when it takes over from Nato in Bosnia this week. Major-General David Leakey, the British commander who will be in charge of the 7,000-strong European Force (Eufor), told The Times that organised crime was now the main stumbling block towards creating a proper democracy in the former Yugoslav republic. Organised criminals who traffic in drugs, people and arms and are linked to political parties are also seen as the biggest obstacle to Bosnia’s chances of becoming a member of the EU. There is concern that Islamic militants are using Bosnia as an arms market and a recruiting ground for terrorist campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Chechnya. With the takeover by the EU of all peacekeeping functions in Bosnia this Thursday, General Leakey said that there would be a more co-ordinated attempt to rid the country of endemic corruption and tribal divisions, as well as to maintain the peace that has been guaranteed by Nato since 1995. The EU is already the biggest investor in Bosnia. “The networks of criminals pervade Bosnian society and my aim will be to provide the security environment in which the police can act against these people,” General Leakey said.

Covic to be interview by Prosecutor Mattson today

Dnevni List, front pg splash and pgs 4-5 ‘Dragan Covic at hearing’, by Nevres Dedic – Reports that Prosecutor Matts Mattson of the Special Department of the BiH Prosecution for Organized Crime and Corruption will be interviewing the Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, today (Tuesday). According to Covic’s lawyer, Josip Muselimovic, his client will be interviewed in connection to the ‘Lijanovici’ case. DL explains Covic will be interviewed in relation to violation of customs related laws for crimes committed whilst he was the FBiH Finance Minister. He allegedly freed ‘Lijanovici’ Company of tax duties. The last paragraph in the article, under headline ‘Ashdown marks Covic’, reads that ever since the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, labelled Covic as personally responsible for blocking of enactment of laws related to processing of war crimes in BiH, diplomatic and political circles in Sarajevo are writing Covic off and beginning to speculate about his possible successor. (the hearing was also announced by Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 17, mentioned on front ‘Court of BiH interviews Covic today’, by Zlatko Tulic)

VL says Croats sidelined in intelligence service, Cengic’s people pulling strings

Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘FOSS removes Croats from espionage services’, and pg 3 ‘FOSS removes Croats from intelligence service’, by Zoran Kresic – VL carries an anonymous Croat intelligence officer as saying that “SDA and (Hasan) Cengic, in other words the wartime structure, is completely controlling the Federation intelligence-security service (FOSS), from which Croats have been removed from leading posts, and the OSA only exists of paper because the whole system is deeply divided”. This leads the daily to say that despite the OBS (former RS intelligence service) and FOSS are formally unified, they still work independently. The same VL’s source goes on to say that Croats almost do not know a thing about what’s happening (in OSA) and that the Croat political officials are doing nothing to change the situation. As a result of it, says VL, all investigations are aimed against the Croats. The source explains: “The agency currently conducts five investigations, all of them are against the Croats and Serbs, none against the Bosniaks”. The source also notes it is symptomatic that case of Hasan Cengic has been put aside. In that context, the source claims that Cengic was to be arrested back in July, adding that the Director of OSA, Almir Dzuvo, and wider collegium of FOSS, led by Adi Sijercic, take “credits” for Cengic remaining at large.

Under headline ‘Kocisz and Frz not happy with Dzuvo’, VL reads that the supervisor of reform to intelligence sector in BiH, Kalman Kocisz, was against the appointment of Dzuvo for the director of OSA because he did not get the approval from the OHR. On the other hand, Slovenian national Drago Frz, who overlooks the unification of FOSS and OBS, believes that politics is still present is the services.

Testimony of former Al Q’Aeda’s officer in BiH

Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Oath taken before Osama’ by N.Z. – Ali Ahmad Ali Hamad, the former officer of Al Q’Aeda and former member of EL Mujahid unit, that fought in BiH, claims in a statement to Glas Srpske that Al Q’Aeda is still operating in BiH, although many people persistently deny it, adding: “I know for certain it is so, since I was its officer. I know how leaders of AL Q’Aeda think and I know when they enter one state once, they never leave it.”

Al Q’Aeda’s recruits from BiH and Balkans’ regions

EuroBlic cover ‘Recruits of Al Q’Aeda from BiH and Kosovo’ and pg 10 ‘Al Q’Aeda’s camps in the Balkan’ by Z.D.-Z.J. – It carries statement of Aleksandar Radic, military analyst, saying that the terrorist organisation of Al Q’Aeda is mainly using Balkan as recruit centre. He says this organisation has no interest in carrying out terrorist attacks here, in this region.

AFP: Foreign Islamists a concern for EU peacekeepers in Bosnia

Herceg Bosna Radio, AFP by Calin Neacsu – European peacekeepers set to replace NATO troops in Bosnia next week could come face-to-face with Al-Qaeda militants amid reports that cells linked to Osama bin Laden are operating in the Balkan country. The commander of the outgoing NATO-led peacekeeping force (SFOR), Brigadier General Steven Schook, recently told journalists his troops had monitored Islamist militants who fought alongside local Muslims in Bosnia‘s 1992-1995 civil war. “NATO undertakes operational supporting tasks such as counter-terrorism … the primary mission is to continue to monitor that situation and to prevent the ability of a terrorist organisation to continue to either raise funds or exist in Bosnia,” he said. The 7,000-strong NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia is due to hand over peacekeeping duties to a relatively untested EU force of the same strength on December 2. Hundreds of fighters from Islamic countries, known as mujahedeen or “holy warriors”, arrived illegally in Bosnia in the 1990s to boost the ranks of Muslim forces in their battles against ethnic Croats and ethnic Serbs. Under Bosnia‘s 1995 peace agreement they were all supposed to leave the country but some of them stayed, obtaining Bosnian citizenship either on the basis of their army service or by marrying local women. “The danger of Al-Qaeda in Bosnia comes from the fact that according to estimates some 700 to 800 fighters from Islamic countries came to Bosnia during the war,” said Senad Slatina of the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank. “In 2003 there was more action against radical Islamists than against those indicted by The Hague tribunal (for war crimes),” he added.   Yossef Bodansky, the director of the Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare of the US Congress, said in October that Al-Qaeda leader bin Laden was actively directing terrorist cells in Bosnia. “There is a terrorist network in Bosnia, composed of several ell-trained and connected groups, which are directly or indirectly responsible to …Osama Bin Laden,” he was quoted as saying in a local daily. A NATO spokesman said there was “no firm evidence of any terrorist organisation either operating or training in this country”. But a source close to Bosnian intelligence told AFP on condition of anonymity that Bodansky was correct. “All this information is real,” he said. He said remote mountain training camps operated secretly in the Zenica region, while “radical Islamist networks, followers of Wahhabism”, an ultra-orthodox branch of Sunni Islam, were reported around Bihac and Maglaj.

Dnevni List pg 8 ‘How did Arab soldiers get BiH citizenship?’ by NINA, De.L, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘New type of terrorists with blue eyes come from Zenica’, mentioned on front ‘Terrorists with blue eyes are threatening’, by bljesak.info also covered the issue.

SFOR raided the house of Pantelija Damjanovic

BHT, RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘”Harvest” without swath’ by O. M.; Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘SFOR searched the house of Pantelija Damjanovic’ by N. Moraca – On Monday in Banja Luka, SFOR searched the family house of Pantelija Damjanovic, former Secretary General of the Serb Radical Party, who was removed from this decision upon HR’s decision.

Ben Justy, SFOR Lieutenant, said “the house was raided within the action aimed at collecting weapons and ammunition in the area of Banja Luka”. He added that no weapons was found in the house.

Political developments/reforms

FBiH Government discussed privatization of nationalized apartments

Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje cover page, pg 6 ‘Privatisation of nationalized apartments again approved’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Changes to the privatisation laws by December 9’, mentioned on cover ‘Hadzipasic: It will be possible to purchase nationalized apartments’, Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Group for disputable privatization issues’, by Dejan Jazvic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 17 ‘Faster to law on privatization’, by D. Pasic, FENA – FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic on Monday stated that all ministers had attended the FBiH Government session, except Defence Minister Miroslav Nikolic, who was absent due to family reasons. The ministers of the Party for BiH did not attend several previous sessions of the Government. They had requested that the Government considers the reformatory measures they were proposing, particularly in the field of privatization. “On Monday, the Government considered the Programme of urgent measures for realization of the FBiH Parliament’s conclusions within the first item on the daily agenda”, Hadzipasic told journalists after the session. We have analyzed each conclusion of the Parliament and defined the deadlines for realizing them, said FBiH Prime Minister, adding that this also refers to the set of laws on privatization. According to the Prime Minister, on Thursday the Government should consider the Draft FBiH Budget for 2005, the Proposal Budget Rebalance for this year, and the Law on Distribution of Public Revenue.  In addition, the FBiH Government on Monday adopted the draft amendments to the Law on Privatization of Apartments. The Prime Minister regarded the proposed amendments as a “small restitution”, and the Government’s Public Relations Office has announced that in accordance with the proposed amendments, the holders of the occupancy rights on nationalized and confiscated apartments will also have the right to buy apartments, as the former owners will receive compensation in cash.

Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Nationalized apartments can be bought’, mentioned on front ‘Hadzipasic: We are not out of crisis yet’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – Carries FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, as saying that his Government will be in crisis as long as BiH is not a member of the EU, perhaps even after that. “Take democratic Italy for example. They can change between ten to fifteen governments in four years, so this thing that’s happening to us is nothing unusual. I do not think we are out of crisis. We have worked in a confronted atmosphere with many different positions and from outside it may look as a big government crisis. However, the third walking out and getting back of a part of ministers indicates that there is a will to make quality results and moves, especially in the area of economy”. Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Ministers from Party for BiH returned to Federation Government’ also carried Hadipasic’s statement.

Kovac on abolishment of Law on Pardons

Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Ashdown is an indisputable authority’, FENA – BiH Minister of Justice Slobodan Kovac thinks that the situation created after High Representative Paddy Ashdown repealed the Law on Pardons will be overcome soon. “This project was implemented in a rush. The number of cases mounted at the time and they needed to be resolved. The failure was in the fact the entire issue was not adequately discussed/harmonized with OHR”, Kovac told FENA on Monday. Kovac said the High Representative was an indisputable authority with evry right to abolish laws. On November 26 Ashdown repealed the Law on Pardons. He described it as a large hole in the BiH legal system which allowed criminals to avoid justice.

OHR on pardoning Jusufovic

Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Jusufovic has been pardoned and that story is finished’ by M.K. – OHR Spokesperson Mario Brkic explained that the decision of the BiH Presidency to pardon Munib Jusufovic, suspended delegate of BiH House of Reps, will not be annulled following the decision of the HR Paddy Ashdown to repeal Law on Pardons. “That decision has already been taken and that story if finished, and there cannot be retroactive application of the Law. What is going to be a further procedure with the regard to this law, it is up to domestic authorities,” added Brkic. BiH Justice Minister Slobodan Kovac stated for DA that it is still not certain whether the current law will be amended or entirely new law will be drafted. He adds that the second option is more possible, and announced the new law will be drafted together with OHR.

RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘BiH Presidency temporarily suspends decisions on amnesty’ by N.K. also carried OHR statement on the issue.

Oslobodjenje on BiH diplomatic passports

Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Diplomatic passports taken away from chiefs of SIPA, delegates of FBiH and RS, military commanders’, mentioned on cover ‘Diplomatic passports taken from politicians’ by Azhar Kalamujic – Daily carries that following the new regulations in BiH Foreign Ministry, the right to possess diplomatic passport was eradicated from SIPA Director, his deputies, delegates of both houses of FBiH Parliament and RS national Assembly, justices of BiH Court and Constitutional Court, and ombudsmen in FBiH and RS. The list also includes commanders and deputy commanders of joint command of FBIH Army and of RS Army. Ministry’s spokeswoman Lepa Babic explains that new regulation also divides holders of diplomatic passports to those with full immunity and those who can use it only when traveling outside of BiH.

West Herzegovina Canton joins Balkan Association

Slobodna Dalmacija, front pg splash and pg 17 ‘West Herzegovina in Balkans Association’ by T. Zoric – Carries that during a session of the European Regions’ Assembly, which was held in Vienna from November 24 until November 26, the West Herzegovina Canton has become a full member of the Assembly of Western Balkans. SD says that the decision to join this association was passed by the Cantonal Government without the discussion in the Cantonal Assembly and without knowledge of the opposition and public.

FBiH HoP delegate Sucur questions constitutionality of Parliament decisions

Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 4 ‘The constitutionality of all Parliament decisions in question’ by R. Cengic – In a brief interview to NN, Slavisa Sucur, President of the Constitutional and Legal Commission of the F BiH House of Representatives, speaks about the violations of Constitution, noting that owing to failure to fill in all the vacant positions at the Serb Caucus at the F BiH HoP (by which the Constitution has been violated), it is possible to bring into question legality and constitutionality of all decisions F BiH Parliament in current composition has passed. He notes that a second grave breach of the F BiH Constitution is reflected through non-constitutional distribution of positions at legal and judicial systems of authority in F BiH.

Radovanovic on reforms

Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘The Hague suspects would be arrested’ by BETA – Nikola Radovanovic, BiH Defence Minister, on Monday in Brussels said that making difference whether local or international troops would carry out the arrest, the Hague indictees would be arrested, because “there obviously is no progress in BiH integration towards EuroAtlantic structures” without these arrests.

Radovanovic underlined the tempo of reforms must be maintained, adding that the next year would see BiH getting closer to EU and NATO, since it is of strategic importance for Bosnia and the entire region.

Miscellaneous

Refugees at Novo Naselje near Bijeljina in troubles

Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 11 ’ 800 families without power and water’ by Zorica Kusmuk – Every day life of over 820 refugee families settled at the settlement of Novo Naselje near Bijeljina have no power, water supply, phone lines, sewerage system and asphalt. Around 30% of the inhabitants of this settlement have no permanent employment and are classified as the most vulnerable category of population.