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| Vecernji List: Cardinal Vinko Puljic elected for person of the year | Federal Ministry of Interior press charges against Dragan Covic | Election Commission on implementation of Law on Conflict of Interests | RS Ministry of Interior has got no information on Karadzic |
| Bosanski – Slavonski Samac Border Crossing is finally open for transport of goods | Bosanski Samac – Samac Border crossing between BiH and Croatia has been opened today | Bridge over Sava River between Slavonski Samac and Bosanski Samac is 1st Category State Border Crossing | Federation Ministry of Interior raised criminal charges against BiH presidency member Covic |
| Representatives of so-called Student Movement talked with FTV leadership | Bush announced use of every military potential to disarm Saddam Hussein | Succession to former Yugoslavia property | Paddy Ashdown briefs the Peace Implementation Council |
| At Israeli elections, Sharon’s Likud wins again |
| President George Bush said Saddam Husein not disarming but fools the UN | “Bulldozer” commission discussed improvements of business climate |
| Oslobodjenje | Investigation into illegal sale of Eronet shares still underway – Charges against Covic filled against Financial Police as well?; New ID cards – Cheaper for a mark |
| Dnevni Avaz | CIPS affair – Lagumdzija’s director robbed citizens; PIC – New Ashdown’s plan |
| Dnevni List | All accounts of Meat Industry Stanic blocked |
| Vecernji List | Double citizenship questionable |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Bahtijar: We already have 750 signatures in Mostar! Mostar students: There is no any petition! |
| Glas Srpski | Djeric: Not a trace of Karadzic; Debts trouble psychiatric hospital in Sokolac: Federation returns bills |
| Nezavisne Novine | Police Prevent Veterans from Entering Co-Op; RS MUP Stole Heat for Two Years; Federation MUP Says Criminal Charges Filed Against Dragan Covic; Samka Besic and Her Three Children on the Threshold of Hunger; Hagada in Sarajevo Available Only to Groups for Tours; Strike at the Celik Football Club – Trainer Dino Durbuzovic Resigns |
| FRY Nacional | Djeric: Radovan Karadzic is not in the RS |
| Blic | MUP without heating due to debt of 36,000 KM; Djeric: Karadzic is not in the RS; Charges for crimes committed in Viktor Bubanj; Dragoljub Micunovic: We will not chase after Mladic on Romanija |
| Vecernje Novosti | Schwimmer: Mladic is the condition |
International community/OHR |
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| PIC: Ashdown presents OHR Mission Implementation Plan
| Strengthening of the rule of law in BiH, ensuring that the extreme nationalists and war crime indictees cannot jeopardize the peace implementation process, reform of the BiH economy, building the capacities of the governmental institutions, creation of the civil state command over the military forces, reform of the security sector, paving the path towards the Euro-Atlantic integration and the promotion of the sustainable return of the refugees and displaced persons are the essential measures of the OHR’s Mission Implementation Plan. These measures were presented to the Political Directors of the PIC Steering Board by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown in Brussels on Wednesday. (Oslobodjenje, p 4: “18 months for reforms in sector of defence”, Dnevni Avaz, p 3, Mentioned on the front page: Ashdown announced plan on BiH in six points”) | |
| Bosnia’s defence strategy to be presented in Brussels on 30 January | The general secretary of the Standing Committee for Military Affairs of BiH, Stjepan Pocrnja, told SRNA on Wednesday that he would present a document entitled Defence Aims of BiH at a session of the Council for Peace Implementation’s executive committee in Brussels today. “The contents of that document tackle the future concept of defence at the level of BiH,” Pocrnja said. According to him, the elements which define the defence strategy of BiH concern the necessity to speed up the already started defence reforms in BiH and its integration in the European family of nations, with the aim of permanent stability in the region. (Dnevni Avaz, p 3: “Stjepan Pocrnja – I will speak about the re-arrangement of the armed forces”, Glas Srpski pg. 3) | |
| Cardinal Puljic meets OSCE’s Tkachenko | Dnevni List (front and page 4, kta, “International Community did not support program of return of Catholics”) and Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, kta, “Different merits create discontent”) report that Cardinal Vinko Puljic yesterday had a meeting with the Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Viktor Tkachenko, during which the Cardinal expressed discontent over the IC’s attitude towards the return of Catholics. “I am not important here but the Catholics of this country. The IC did not support a single of our programs of return of the Catholics. I have not met a single UNHCR representative in seven years. For years we are trying to get a construction plot for construction of a church in Sarajevo and we cannot get it. What kind of equality is that? Fighting for this country and its citizens I do not work for money. This is my house”, says Cardinal Puljic. | |
| Bulldozer Committee formulates 15 proposals for laws change
| “The Bulldozer Committee has received some 100 proposals from businessmen. We have also directly talked with 500 businessmen from the entire BiH and, finally, we have made a list of the first 15 proposals for changes of the laws. WE will forwards these proposals to the governments next month,” said PDHR Donald Hays at a press conference in Sarajevo on Wednesday. (Dnevni Avaz, p 4: “Businessmen request 15 changes in the laws” | |
BiH state-related issues | |
| New border crossing opens between Bosnia and Croatia
| A new border crossing between BiH and Croatia opened on Wednesday in Samac on the river Sava. The agreement on opening the border crossing, between the BiH state border service and customs administration of the RS and the Federation of BiH, will apply to goods that enter and leave the customs zone through this border crossing. RS Finance Minister Simeun Vilendecic said that the opening of the border crossing in Samac will facilitate a better service, especially for businesses in the RS, Federation of BiH and the region as a whole. He confirmed that the RS Government and the financial public sector will retain strong financial control, working to reduce expenditure and improve efficiency of payments. The opening ceremony of the border crossing was attended by Alija Behmen, prime minister of BiH Federation; Zeljko Rebac, head of the Federation of BiH customs administration; and Mirko Lukic, mayor of the Samac municipality. The bridge over the river Sava, which links BiH and Croatia, had up until the opening of the crossing been used only for road traffic. The construction of the bridge had cost 14.5m euros and was funded by the EU. (Dnevni Avaz, p 8: “First step towards the common customs administration”, Oslobodjenje, p 4: “Border crossing opened”) |
| Election body says some officials violate law on conflict of interests | The Election Commission of BiH has information indicating that a certain number of elected officials are also holding executive posts or act as advisors, which is contrary to the Law on Conflict of Interests in Government Institutions of BiH. According to Article 5 of the aforementioned law, elected officials, holders of executive posts and advisers cannot at the same time act as members of managerial, administrative, supervisory or executive committees or act as authorized persons in public companies, nor be members of directives, managing boards or directors of agencies for privatization. These persons must resign from each of the incompatible posts prior to assuming new posts, the Election Commission warns. Within the framework of its powers and on the basis of the existing information, the Election Commission has initiated a procedure to establish the facts after which it will determine whether the elected deputies and holders of executive functions and advisers who are in violation of the provisions of the Law on Conflict of Interests, should be sanctioned according to law. A fine to the tune of 10,000 KM is envisaged for such offence, as well as an imposition of ban on putting forward candidacies for any directly or indirectly elected post in the period of four years, and a ban on work in the state administration or as an adviser in the period of up to four years after committing the offence, the State Election Commission has said. (Oslobodjenje, p 8: “Politicians on several posts”, Dnevni Avaz, p 8: “Some elected officials violate Law on Conflict of Interests”, Glas Srpski pg. 3 headline ‘Either resignation or punishment’) |
| VL: “Double citizenship questionable” | Vecernji List (front and page 3, by D. Jazvic) carries that signing of the Agreement on Double Citizenship between BiH and Croatia has been brought in question again after the BiH negotiating team demanded that the provision according to which acquiring of a citizenship of one country will not mean giving up of the citizenship of the other country. The BiH side believes that the Agreement itself does not have any sense without this provision, however, the Croatian Government does not share this opinion and it was not ready to accept this demand coming from Sarajevo. VL also says that exactly due to the legal provisions on the obligation of bilateral regulating of the double citizenship issues, at the end of the last year thousands of BiH citizens were faced with a threat that they might lose the BiH citizenship. VL says that only thanks to the intervention of Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative, this did not happen. |
| The Pope is Welcome, the RS Awaits Difficult Test | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5 – BiH Ambassador to the Vatican, Ivica Misic, confirmed that intensive preparations are underway at the Holy See for the arrival of Pope John Paul II to Banja Luka. “Preparations are being made by the Holy See for the visit of Pope John Paul II. The visit is certain and the schedule is being prepared” said Misic. Vice President of the RS, Ivan Tomljenovic thinks that the arrival of the Pope to Banja Luka represents an important seal of approval to the political scene as well as “a great honour for the RS and BiH”. He says that the arrival of the Pope is an encouragement for returns of Croats to this region and it is expected that the city will support the organization of this visit and secure funds from the budget for this event. Dragan Mikerevic also thinks that this visit is not too early and that anyone who would hamper this process would be supporting intolerance. |
Affairs | |
| Police file charges against Croat officials
| The BiH Federation’s Interior Ministry has filed charges with the entity’s prosecution against six Croat officials for the abuse of office and divulging secrets, the ministry’s press release office reported on Wednesday. The office released only the initials of the six officials. The first, D.C., are certain to be those of Dragan Covic, the incumbent member of the Bosnian Presidency. Covic and the other five persons are suspected of abuse of office in public institutions or state bodies three years ago, when Covic was the entity’s finance minister, to secure funds for the Hercegovina Osiguranje, Alpina Comerc and Croherc companies, said judges who wished to remain anonymous. The three above companies had business connections with Hercegovacka Bank whose accounts were frozen by the international community a year and a half ago, and from where, it was recently established, some 110 million euros vanished. This money was donated by the Croatian government as assistance to Bosnian Croats, especially for associations [stemming from] the recent war in Bosnia. (Dnevni Avaz, p 4: “Federation Interior Ministry confirmed the criminal charges filleed against Dragan Covic”, Nezavisne Novine, p 3) Following the Federation Interior Ministry, the criminal charges against the former Eronet Steering Board Chairman, Dragan Covic, have been filled by the Federation Financial Police as well, learns Oslobodjenje (front page). Dnevni List (front and page 7, by S. Kuzman) also learns that a department of the Financial Police in Mostar submitted criminal charges against the Croat member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, on December 11, 2002, over the abuse of authority during the time Covic was the Chair of HPT Mostar’s Steering Board in 1999 and 2000 when Covic reportedly secured material gain to companies Alpina Comerc, Croherc AG and Hercegovina Osiguranje. The charges also include the then CEO of HPT Mostar, Marinko Gilja, and members of the HPT Mostar’s Steering Board, Vladimir Soljic, Matan Zaric, Neven Djukic, Ivan Bacak and Slavica Josipovic. This Steering Board under Covic’s leadership, allegedly transferred HPT Mostar’s stocks in ERONET to companies led by people loyal to Covic. |
| Social Democrats condemn pressure on media, judiciary | Deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Party of BiH (SDP BH) Zeljko Komsic spoke to journalists in Sarajevo today about, as he said, “the very brutal pressure exerted on the media”. He said that what was happening to one journalist or one media institution today, could happen to anyone “if you do not toe the line drawn by certain groups”. According to Komsic, the SDP BH does not see expressing, presenting or defending one’s opinion as a problem. “The problem emerges when you start not only to dispute this opinion, but when you seek to punish, ban and prevent the expression of a different opinion in the name of your own opinion and when you even want to leave people jobless just because they have a different opinion. This is a particularly difficult situation, because journalists and media are involved,” said Komsic. He added that it did not matter what journalists were writing about us, whether we agreed with this, or not, and what was going to be written or printed about us in the future. We may like this or not, but “no-one must be sanctioned on account of their opinion or because of what they have written or published”. This particular case, according to Komsic, “is a mix of all sorts of issues – the Federation Television, i.e. the 60 Minutes programme, the Pogorelica case, the High Representative’s lawyers, and so forth”. “If the opinion is that all problems would be solved by axing 60 Minutes, that by sacking individual journalists or editors all problems this country has would be solved and that this would make everything wonderful, I am not sure where such thinking will lead us,” said Komsic. |
| War veterans demand end of Federation TV’s current affairs programme | The Green Berets association of war veterans of BiH has called on the Federation TV and other media which insist on politicizing the demands of the students to start doing their job professionally and demanded that the 60 Minutes programme cease to be broadcast. The association, a statement says, demands that the police outside the TV building be removed and warns that, if this is not done, it would call the war veterans on disobedience and ask them to stop paying their TV licence. “The 60 Minutes programme does not help the process of reconciliation and instead it works on vilifying different parties. It describes individuals as criminals without a court decision and is muddying up everything which has been achieved since Dayton,” the Bosnian Green Berets have said. (Oslobodjenje, p 7: “Brutal pressures on media”, Dnevni Avaz, p 8: “Meeting of students with FTV leadership – Aim is not to attack independent journalism but to liberate media from Lagumdzija’s influence”) |
| VL: Interview with Bakir Hadziomerovic: “Julian Braithwaite requested my suspension” | Vecernji List (page 54, conducted by Zeljka Mihaljevic) carries an interview with the editor-in-chief of “60 minutes” show of the Federation TV, Bakir Hadziomerovic, in which he talks about events surrounding attacks on FTV and him personally. “What has come from The Faculty of Arts, the students are an irrelevant side, much more important are order-makers from SDA circles and within circles of professors of that Faculty close to SDA.I have no reason to doubt that the OHR too, namely the High Representative and his right hand, the spokesperson on all spokespersons, Julian Braithwaite, are watching what is going on these days with pleasure. Why? “The day before the petition was signed Mr. Braithwaite, I learned from reliable sources, had discretely, and after that openly, requested my suspension. In a statement for our house (FTV) the High Representative said the students had a legitimate right to protest. By doing so he gives a right to some retrograde forces to solve the situation with fire and blade. It would be right if this were not 21st century and if we were not a member of Council of Europe. I do not know a country whose special police forces guard Television”, says Hadziomerovic. |
| FTV and Association of Sarajevo student meet yesterday | Dnevni List (page 3, FENA, “We give up request for removals”) reads that representatives of “The Students’ movement for normal BiH” stated at a meeting with FTV leadership yesterday that there would not be any extra-institutional activities or students’ attacks of the FTV building. According to DL, the meeting was initiated by the Association of Students of Sarajevo University with an aim to overcome the situation and avoid unnecessary conflicts between the movement and FTV. According to the Association of Students, FTV representatives stressed FTV would not lead a campaign against the students’ population. It was also stressed that the common goal is a positive influence of the citizenry on the editorial policy through media. The meeting also resulted in a recommendation that all the problems be solved through the institutions abiding by appropriate procedure. The participants of the meeting were the President of the association, Jasmin Kurjakovic, Director of FTV, Jasmin Durakovic, editor-inchief of FTV Information Program, Marija Topic-Crnoja and representative of “students’ movement”, as DL, puts it, Amer Bahtijar. Slobodna Dalmacija (front and pages 14 and 15, “Bahtijar: We have 750 signatures in Mostar!, Mostar students: There is no petition!, by Darko Juka) says the students’ discontent with “60 minutes” and editorial policy of FTV in general is justified because FTV, in the author’s opinion, have been sending messages of hatred and belittled national values and feelings. The author however says the “Movement for normal BiH” used this excuse only to cause conflicts and goes on to say that the leader of the Movement, Amer Bahtijar’s, real problem is that Bahtijar minds the truth about the “Pogorelica” case “where Alija Izetbegovic lined up mujaheddin who are responsible for bloody crimes against non-Muslim population in BiH”. Apparently, Bahtijar told SD that the petition is being signed at all BiH Universities and that the petition was signed by 750 students of the Mostar University “Dzemal Bijedic” (NB: in east Mostar, predominantly Bosniak). SD contacted Secretary General of “Dzemal Bijedic” University, Zijada Becic, President of Association of Student of the University, Kemal Maksumic, and editor-in-chief of the University’s papers, Elada Hasagic, who apparently have no knowledge that the petition is being signed at the University. |
| Reactions to opening of the BiH Court
| Dnevni List (front and page 5, by B. Kristo, “Existence and work of this court does not suit RS”) and Vjesnik (page 10, by Alenko Zornija, “Bosnian Serbs against War Crimes Court”) carry that only a day after the BiH Court was established (it is located in barracks “Ramiz Salcin”, that is, former “Viktor Bubanj” barracks) two information came from the RS that show that this entity is not ready to have a state court and it still does not want it. Namely, Branislav Dukic, President of RS Association of Prisoners of War, called on Paddy Ashdown, High Representative, and BiH authorities to launch the investigation against judge Salem Mise because of Mise’s involvement in the processes conducted against Serbs in former barracks “Viktor Bubanj” during the war. Also, on the same day the RS Government’s Office for Relations with The Hague published the information that they handed over a bill of indictment against 7 persons suspected of committing war crimes over Serbs, also in barracks “Viktor Bubanj”. President of BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council Jan Erik Oja wonders as to why these information were published a day after judges took oath and became judges of the BiH Court and President of the BiH Court Martin Raguz shares the same opinion. The dailies also carry that Paddy Ashdown, High Representative, decided to place the BiH Court in the former “Viktor Bubanj” barracks after he BiH Council of Ministers could not agree upon this issue. DL carries that as all his decisions, this HR’s decision is also final and irrevocable. Regional Association of Refugees and DPs of Bijeljina, Ugljevik, Lopare and Janja and the Association of Camp Prisoners called on Serb judges of the BiH Court that in the name of national dignity’s defence and truth about all victims of the last war in BiH do not participate in the work of that institution until its location is changed. The joint press release of these associations condemns the opening of the Court in former camp. “Can the house of justice be at the place where the most horrible crimes were committed during the war and whether that means that by locating the Court there those who committed the crimes have been pardoned instead of launching processes against them?”, the press release asks. The Associations propose to the IC representatives to open an International War Crimes Court in Jasenovac in the interest of truth. (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Open a court in Jasenovac’) Blic pg. 7 (headline ‘Judge Miso is a nationalist’) quotes Marko Mikerevic of Doboj, who was an assistant judge with the war-time military court at the Viktor Bubanj barracks, as saying that judge Salem Miso of the newly-created BiH Court is a nationalist responsible for crimes committed at the Bubanj prisoner camp from 1992 to 1996, in which period 5,000 Sarajevo Serbs were held there. “During preparations for the trial of Serb soldier Goran Mrkalj from Blazuj I personally heard Miso say that Goran will be sentenced to death,” Mikerevic said. |
| CIPS | Thanks to the intervention by OHR, another attempt was stopped of a several-million robbery of the BiH citizens directed by the CIPS Director Mirko Skrbic and his sponsors from the former BiH authorities primarily including Zlatko Lagumdzija. Only after a meeting of the CIPS Directorate members with the PDHR Donald Hays the price of the ID cards was returned from 15.5 KM to 14.5 KM. (Dnevni Avaz, front page, Oslobodjenje, p 3, mentioned on the front page) |
| “Soko” Co-op Members ask where 9.2 Million KM Have Vanished | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3 – “Soko” Co-op members did not manage to enter the premises of this housing co-op yesterday as they were stopped by police who told them it was private property. Yesterday’s gathering of co-op members was an attempt to find out where the money that was paid for the building of apartments in Dobrinja 1 was spent, and also to find out why construction work is one year late. At the entrance gate to the “Unigrad” company, owned by Dragan Kulina, first the employees then the police prevented the co-op members from entering the rented “Soko” office space at Unigrad. One of the reasons for the gathering was the notice to move out that Kulina gave “Soko”. President of the temporary board of the co-op, Dragan Savic, claims that with the delay of the construction of 460 apartments, 9.2 million KM has disappeared, of which the co-op owes the construction company 3.5 million KM. It is interesting that in the beginning the plan was to build 381 apartments, and later the construction company decided to build more apartments. All at the expense of the co-op members. Most of those gathered listened with dissatisfaction to the explanation provided by Dragan Ignjatovic, the Director of the Co-Op. In their contracts the price per metre of the apartments is listed as 460 KM, while they actually paid up to 511 KM per metre. “We started at 31,000 KM and in the end we paid 39,000 KM. That unfinished apartment has cost me 8,000 KM more. Why?” asked one of the co-op members in the group. Ignjatovic said that the planned materials were returned. The group left after two hours and Ignjatovic promised to give them daily updates on the situation. If no explanations are provided, the co-op members will gather at the same place at 14:30 on Wednesday. |
| RS MUP Stole Heating for Two Years | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2 – Director of the Banja Luka heating plant, Drago Popovic claims that the RS MUP has been stealing heating for the last two years. He claims that upon taking over the premises, the MUP should have sent a letter to the heating plant requesting their services, which the Ministry did not do. Popovic said that an agreement was reached yesterday which resolved the situation. He says that collecting their money was the main goal which is the reason they did not go to court. Going to court would mean more costs and a loss of time, so from their side, the matter is finished. |
| Attacks on Religious Buildings Condemned | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6 – The Prijedor Municipal authorities yesterday met with representatvies of the Serb Orthodox Church and the Islamic community where they discussed the frequent attacks on sacral buildings. Last year Islamic buildings were attacked five times, while recently the Orthodox church was stoned in Kozarac. Prijedor mayor Nada Sevo and Muharem Murselovic, secretary of the municipality, together with the religious representatives concluded that this meeting should have taken place earlier and unanimously agreed that these incidents are not good for any people and are the work of non-believers. Prijedor Orthodx priest Ranko Maletic and the imam of the Islamic community of Prijedor Merzuk efendija Hadzirasidovic condemned attacks on all religious buildings and said they would make their views known to their faithful. There was also discussion of the reconstruction of the central mosque as the faithful must attend religious services in a house in Puharska – a neighbourhood of Prijedor. Before 1992, four mosques existed in the urban part of Prijedor. The municipality has accepted the plans for the reconstruction of the mosque at an almost identitical location and construction should start in the spring. (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Attacks condemned’; FRY Nacional pg. 11) |
| DL: “All accounts of Stanic Meat Industry blocked”
| Dnevni List (front and page 22, by FENA) carries the managing director of “Stanic” Meat Industry from Kresevo, Djoko Okuka, as saying that the company is facing liquidation. Okuka says the company has been brought into this position after the company’s accounts have been blocked on November 15, 2002 because the Federation Customs Administration wants the company to pay back debts amassed by the company in the last four years. He goes on to say that the company’s appeals have not been successful so the company decided to initiate a procedure with the Constitutional Court, whose decision will decide destiny of some 200 workers. Okuka reiterates the company is seriously thinking of moving to Croatia. |
War crimes | |
| RS police minister says Hague indictee Karadzic not in entity
| RS Interior Minister Zoran Djeric said in Banja Luka on Wednesday that the RS Interior Ministry did not have any information indicating that Radovan Karadzic was in the RS. “I claim responsibly that the RS Interior Ministry does not have any information on Radovan Karadzic’s whereabouts on the territory of the RS,” Djeric said at a news conference. He added that the recent meeting with US Ambassador for War Crimes Issues Pierre-Richard Prosper, during his visit to Banja Luka, passed in normal atmosphere, without any ultimatums. Minister Djeric said that police members will fully respect the Law on Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, which was adopted by the People’s Assembly at the end of 2001. (Dnevni Avaz, p 4: “Minister Zoran Djeric says Radovan Karadzic not hiding in RS”, Oslobodjenje, p 3: “Karadzic is not in RS”, Nezavisne Novine, p 3, Glas Srpski front page headline ‘Not a trace of Karadzic’; Blic pg. 7 headline ‘Karadzic is not in RS’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 4 headline ‘We do not know where Karadzic is’; FRY Nacional pg. 6 headline ‘Karadzic is not in RS’) |
| Schwimmer: Apprehension of Mladic proof of cooperation | “Apprehension of Ratko Mladic would a “convincing proof” of co-operation of the Yugoslav authorities with the Hague Tribunal, and probably the last precondition for admission of FRY into the Council of Europe”, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer said on Wednesday. “Apprehension of Mladic would be a convincing signal because it is unacceptable for Europe that a butcher such as Mladic can stroll freely throughout the region”, Schwimmer said. (Vecernje Novosti pg. 3 headline ‘Mladic is an obligation, not condition’; Nacional pg. 6 headline ‘Mladic’s apprehension is the last condition’; Blic pg. 3 headline ‘Mladic’s extradition is the last condition’) Blic pg. 3 quotes Dragoljub Micunovic, president of the Citizens’ Council of the Yugoslav Parliament, as saying that Ratko Mladic’a apprehension cannot be additional condition for FRY’s admission to the Council of Europe. “Mladic’s apprehension is not that simple. He is a foreign citizen and it is not easy to locate him”, Micunovic said. Micunovic asked what would happen if Mladic was, for example, in BiH. “We are not going to chase after him on Romanija. It is not our duty,” Micunovic said. |
Political affairs | |
| SD: “Slavko Marin HDZ candidate for Federation Minister of Defense”
| Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Slavko Marin HDZ candidate for Federation Minister of Defense”) carries that according to the information coming from the HDZ top, Brigadier Slavko Marin from Novi Travik is a new HDZ candidate for the position of the Federation Minister of Defense since General Dragan Curcic did not get the OHR consent to be appointed to this position. SD also says that such decision was passed not only because of the fact that Curcic did not get the OHR consent but also because of the dissatisfaction of the HDZ from the Central Bosnia Canton over the HDZ apportionment of posts. The article concludes that most probably such decision will at least a bit calm down dissatisfaction of HDZ members from the Central Bosnia Canton. |
| Interview with Niko Lozancic | The BiH Federation President and the Vice-presidents on Wednesday sent a letter to OHR requesting an acceleration of the procedure of checking on the candidates for the Federation ministers, said FBiH President Niko Lozancic in an interview with Dnevni Avaz (p 5: “I would not be good if we threaten to students with police forces”). He expresses his conviction the Federation Government would be appointed next week. |
| Opposition Claims Kalinic Wants to Discipline RSNA Members | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 7 – President of the RSNA, Dragan Kalinic says that the changes to the Book of Procedures will put the members and the RSNA authorities in an equal position but it will also make them equally responsible for the efficient and fruitful work of the parliament. Kalinic yesterday met with an NDI representative to discuss the planned changes to the Book of Procedures for the RSNA. NDI told Kalinic what their plans were for training newly elected members as well as delegates to the House of Peoples. NDI will also work with the RSNA committees and will work with elected representatives in their ridings. President of the SNSD, Milorad Dodik, says that the changes to the Book of Procedures will be to the detriment of the Opposition and will confirm Dragan Kalinic and his behaviour. “Kalinic wants to get himself out of the situation which I caused. His intention is to moralize and to get the media’s attention. Insisting that the RSNA majority adopt Changes to the Book of Procedures is an attempt to discipline the members. It is their way of stopping the opposition. By limiting discussion for the members, we lose parliament”. |
| Djokic on the RS Government | The chairman of SPRS, Petar Ðokic, said on Wednesday that the RS Government would not endure till the end of its term. “If it happened, it would be a miracle but fatal for RS”, Ðokic explained. “I do not want to predict a near debacle of the government, but according to its structure and personnel composition, halt of its work will occur soon”, Ðokic said at the anniversary of the establishment of the SPRS Municipal Board marked in Derventa. According to Djokic, the Government will either be reconstructed or a new government will have to be elected. (Glas Srpski pg. 2 headline ‘Bleak prognoses’) |
| The District Assembly councilors interviewed Milenko Milicevic | The Brcko District Interim Assembly councilors yesterday interviewed Milenko Milicevic, the candidate for the position of the police chief in the Brcko District. The meeting was held behind closed door, and according to the Assembly President, Mirsad Djapo, “the councilors had a chance to ask all questions in relation with his biography and alleged suspicious war past”. Milicevic denied all claims brought by media and answered all questions the councilors asked. The councilors will decide on whether to appoint Milicevic to the position of the police chief at the next Assembly session, scheduled for February 7. Mayor Sinisa Kisic and Supervisor of Brcko Henry Clarke were also present at the meeting. (Nezavisne Novine, p 5, Glas Srpski, p 3, Dnevni List, p 8) |
| The District Mayor Sinisa Kisic on petroleum imports through Brcko border crossing point | Yesterday, the Brcko District Mayor, Sinisa Kisic, stated that the Brcko District budget would not pay the second annuity, in the amount of 1 million KM, for the State Border Service until the CoM enables imports of petroleum and petroleum products through Brcko-Gunja border crossing point. “The total obligation was 2,5 million KM. We have paid out the first part of our obligation and it is normal that we expect from the CoM to meet its obligation and enable petroleum imports over Gunja-Brcko bridge”, Kisic stated. (Dnevni Avaz, p 11, “Kisic stopped payment of one million KM for the State Border Service”, Blic, p 8, “No money until the bridge is in function”, Oslobodjenje, p 7, “No money for the State Border Service”) |
| VL: “Council of Ministers request 100 days” | Vecernji List (front and page 2, by G. Knezovic) reads that if the BiH Council of Ministers does not start an urgent economic reforms in BiH, the country will suffer serious economic consequences in the next 12-18 months when BiH is suppose to pay back loans to different financial institutions. According to VL, returning of debts will reach its peak next year. Moreover, the author is of an opinion that the main reason behind the economic failure in BiH, even after 5 billion US$ of foreign aid, is lack of internal political consensus. |