| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA(18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| FBiH Govt reshuffle | Reactions on Mostar | ICTY News | Armed robbery in Trebinje |
| FBiH Session in Mostar | SDA on FBiH Govt | FBiH Govt reshuffle | Karadzic posters in Brcko |
| Impl. of Mostar Statute | SFOR on arrest | Minister of Defence???? | RS Government Session |
| Protocol against ill.migr. | Intellectual ownership | Wnendt’s letter | Mostar Statute |
| Oslobodjenje | HR: Mostar citizens believe I made a good decision |
| Dnevni Avaz | Sulejman Tihic: I expect Hadzipasic to return the mandate (resign) |
| Dnevni List | FBiH Government in Mostar: Changes to Federation Constitution proposed; High Representative for BiH Paddy Ashdown for Dnevni List: My job is not to employ unemployed politicians |
| Vecernji List | Jelavic case and Hercegovacka bank: Government requests additional explanation about arrest |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Day after imposition of Mostar Statute: Lord “plants” new frictions |
| Glas Srpski | Three persons robbed Trebinje citizens Luka and Milena Kosanovic: Half a million robbed |
| Nezavisne Novine | Co-owner of RBS Company from Bijeljina arrested and handed to BiH Prosecutor’s Office: Rajo Krsmanovic suspected of having produced heroin; Tihomir Gligoric: SDA wants control over intelligence agencies; Sarajevo: HDZ gives up on defence minister run; Sarajevo: Sulejman Tihic officially requests Government re-shuffle |
| Blic | 500,000 KM had been taken from director’s house; Dispute over Church and Mosque in Divic |
| Ljiljan | ‘Paddy Ashdown decided – Mostar, one city’; Exclusive: Why was Jelavic arrested |
| Dani | This is Zijad T., suspect for a murder of Taib Torlakovic; Seada Palavric – The most honest interview of SDA ‘steal lady’, Mostar – Religious war against High Representative |
| Slobodna Bosna | Arrest of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic – Sicilians opening and Herzegovinian closure |
Mostar | |
| SDHR’s letter with regard to the implementation of Mostar decision/Statute
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Everything should be in function of the citizens’ interests’, FENA – The Senior Deputy High Representative and the Special Envoy to Mostar, Ambassador Werner Wnendt, sent On Thursday a letter to municipal employees in Mostar, informing them that nothing will change in the day-to-day arrangements providing public services, as the city-municipalities remain in place until 15 March, and their heads will continue until then to be responsible for the efficient functioning of the local administration, OHR announced. Ambassador Wnendt will supervise the implementation of the Mostar Decision and a locally based Implementation Unit, headed by Richard Williams, former head of the Reconstruction and Return Task Force, will assist the local authorities in this. Ambassador Wnendt stressed that he will make every effort to ensure that the new administration offers equal terms and conditions for all civil servants and public employees, as well as real opportunities for promotion for those who demonstrate their professionalism in the course of this year’s implementation process. Wnendt views were also carried in a form of a statement by Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Velez will play on Bijeli Brijeg stadium’. |
| Wnendt in Mostar | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Mostar municipalities out of existence by 15 March’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Mostar under check’ – Werner Wnendt, Senior Deputy High Representative, whom Paddy Ashdown has appointed as his special envoy for Mostar, yesterday met with the Mayors of six Mostar municipalities, and also with the Mayor Hamdija Jahic and his deputy Ljubo Beslic. The meeting discussed the new administrative structure of Mostar, according to the Statute imposed by HIRep on Wednesday. Wnendt said that: “The establishment of unified and responsible public administration for the entire city of Mostar is one of main foundations of reforms.” Dnevni List (page 16 “Citizens of municipality North think they are taken back 40 years”, by S. Bjelica) – representatives of various (local) NGOs from the Mostar’s Municipality North, who claim to gather some 5.000 people, yesterday met with the Senior Deputy High Representative and special envoy for Mostar, Werner Wnendt, and the representatives expressed discontent with the HR’s decision on Mostar. The NGOs claim that the municipality benefited from its status of a municipality, believing that the HR’s decision will take it backwards 40 years. SDHR Wnendt carefully listened to what everyone had to say, saying he is ready to co-operate and talk to the NGOs, in the same time explaining that the HR’s decision is the best thing for all the citizens of Mostar. SDHR also noted the decision must be implemented. |
| Ashdown: Mostarians believe I made a good decision | Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Mostar citizens believe I made a good decision’ – Interview with High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Ashdown said that the decision on Mostar was not perfect but that it was the closest to the best solution for the town. He emphasized that his office had been following public opinion on the issue and that more that 72 percent of Mostar citizens were supporting an unified town. Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Mostar is one house and it would be absurd to divide it’ – The majority of Mostarian interviewed by Dnevni Avaz on Thursday believe that the new Statute enacted a day earlier by HR Paddy Ashdown was a good decision. Dnevni List (front and page 7 “My job is not to employ unemployed politicians”, by Renatat Radic) – in an interview to Dnevni List, one day after the imposition of the new Statute for Mostar, the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, questioned to explain the OHR’s media campaign about Mostar, says: “We did it because it is our obligation to explain to the citizenry how much the municipalities cost. If we had not done it, most of the people would not have known what it’s all about. We have evidence that majority of employees in the municipalities were getting information from their politicians that scared them that they’d lose their jobs after the enactment of the solution. It was important to send memos to all of them to dissuade them. For example, the Bosniaks were told it was about a temporary solution, and that the previous situation in Mostar would be restored once the IC has left BiH, whilst the Croats were told that they’d be outvoted in the City Council. Even the religious leaders thought that the situation from before would be restored once the IC has gone. That’s not true. I must say that 90% of this campaign was conducted to explain the situation, not to persuade them”. Question whether that means that there would not be redundancies, HR says: “There will not be immediate redundancies, but there will be redundancies later on. My job is not to employ unemployed politicians (…) At the moment, there are 700 people working in the municipal administrations in Mostar, the optimum number should be between 350 and 400 people”. Dnevni List (front and page 8 “Mostar becomes capitol city of Federation of BiH”, by Zvonimir Jukic) – the papers learns from “its sources” that the High Representative for BiH has promised the top officials of the SDA and HDZ that Mostar will become the “centre of the bigger entity in BiH” if the OHR’s solution to Mostar is successfully implemented. According to the daily, the OHR decided to promise the parties that it would insist on Mostar becoming the FBiH capitol because both the parties are not agreeing to the OHR’s solution to Mostar. |
| Ljiljan int with Ashdown; editorial on Mostar | Ljiljan cover page splash ‘Paddy decided: Mostar, one city’m pgs 26&27 ‘Mostar is my hardest decision’ by Mirsad Sinanovic – In an interview with Ljiljan, High Rep Paddy Ashdown gives technical explanations of the new Mostar Statute, stressing that it implementation will be a task of the local politicians. Ljiljan pg 7 ‘Mostar’ op-ed by Mensur Brdar – Author asks a number of questions regarding the decision on Mostar and the ways in which national interests of all groups would be ensured, however concluded that “Paddy Ashdown made brave move and imposed the solution.” |
| HDZ, SDA unhappy about imposed solution for Mostar | BHTV – The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) is completely dissatisfied with the solution for the reorganization of Mostar imposed by the High Representative. Even though it believes that the national representation is just, according to the new statute, the problem is that things will be different in practice. The SDA says that everything has been done to the benefit of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) because it will have around 20 councillors and will always have its own mayor. The SDA believes this is not good. “HR has refused everything we asked for. I can’t see why, because we asked for a minimum, for a bit of local self-rule to decide on the most important national issues. This was not accepted although we had been offered this at one point,” said an (unnamed) SDA official. BHTV has not managed to get a statement to the camera from the HDZ. The chairman of the HDZ county council, Josip Merdzo, has flu, and the HDZ town council has issued a statement. The HDZ is not happy about the imposed solution either, especially when it comes to the electoral units and the electoral procedure. The party believes that the decision must be changed, because the imposed solution presented to the public cannot have a long-term positive effect. (Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘It is inappropriate not to send Statute to the parties’, Dnevni List page 15 “Mostar remains ‘case city’”, by Miso Relota also carried HDZ statement) The SDP is only concerned about the possible obstruction because it says that there is no political will in Mostar to implement joint decisions. “We are not happy about the mechanism of the imposition of the statute, but it has come into force as law and we should treat it as such. The SDP will certainly not obstruct the implementation of the statute in any way,” SDP’s Huso Kapic said. Serb representatives and the Party for BiH believe that the High Representative’s decision guarantees the future and the multiethnic character of Mostar. |
| SDP pledges to help implement new Mostar City Statute | Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Obstruction would be irrational, insane’, Dnevni List page 15 “Statute of Mostar can only be obstructed by HDZ and SDA”, by V. Soldo, ONASA – BiH Social-Democratic Party said on Thursday that it would be a constructive element in the implementation of the Mostar City Statute. SDP representative in the Mostar Statute Commission Huso Kapic said it would be “irrational and insane” to obstruct a document such as the new Statute. He added that the SDP is discontent with the fact that the document was imposed by the High Representative. “Irrespective of the High Representative’s statement that this solution is exclusive to Mostar, we are concerned with the electoral units that are not municipalities, as Mostar is once against specific, as complex as it always was,” Kapic said. “We did not obstruct the interim statute either, despite not partaking in its drafting. We attempted to be as constructive as the situation allowed. However, we reserve the right to be critical of the problems that arise with the new statute,” Kapic said, adding that the SDP is somewhat sceptical about the ruling authorities willingness to implement the statute. “Obstructions would only make the situation worse,” he said. |
| SDA Presidency to consider the decision on Mostar today
| Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Position on the (Mostar) decision today’, FENA – The SDA Presidency will consider at an extraordinary session on Friday the High Representative’s Decision on Mostar, SDA Vice-president Seada Palavric told FENA on Thursday. According to her, SDA Presidency will also consider the opinion of the Party’s Legal Council on whether the termination of municipalities is in line with the European Convention on Local Self-government. “The most important thing is to anticipate the steps necessary for implementation of the Decision, and on the other side, eventually, the request for protection of constitutionality at the Constitutional Court if the Legal Council states that certain international documents were not obeyed”, said Palavric. She added that officials of Canton Herzegovina-Neretva and the City of Mostar have also been invited to attend the session of SDA Presidency. |
| SDA’s Palavric on Mostar | Dani cover ‘Seada Palavric – The most honest interview of SDA ‘steal lady’, pgs 12-15, 61 ‘Cengic and Bicakcic are biggest democrats’ by Senad Pecanin – Magazine carries the interview with the SDA Vice President Seada Palavric, who commented on Mostar decision: “The fact is that the leadership in Mostar has some wrong moves, before everything else there was thre boycott of the talk s with people coming… But what concerns me the most: both cantonal and municipal authorities announced that if the solution without municipalities was imposed, they will not needed to be removed, we they will withdrawn on their own. I believe they will do this. And if someone believes this is a solution, that they will get it easily.” |
| RTRS on Mostar | RTRS – Apparently nobody is satisfied with decision on Mostar. Nevertheless, Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats know that HR”s decision will be implemented. The biggest reaction was caused by the fact that Mostar would have 6 Election Units. Ljubo Golemac, Head of Municipality West stated that nobody have asked him or called him during the creation of the Statute. “We requested one Municipality, one Election Unit, one Administration and one Council. The most concern fact for Croat people in Mostar is Election procedure, because it violates Election in BiH. Probably his power is such that he can establish that with his decision. “- said by Golemac. Head of Municipalities with majority of Bosniaks did not answer phones today. Predrag Supljeglav, who had participated in creation of Mostar Statute, stated that more Serbs would be employed in new administration than it has been employed in all 7 Municipalities. SNSD announced that representative of Political Parties participate in implementation of the Decision on Mostar Statute. SNSD stated that they support unified Administration and adequate representation of all constitutive people in it. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Talks failed’ also carried SNSD statement. |
| Oslobodjenje, Avaz op-eds on Mostar | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Mostar’ In Focus column by Zija Dizdarevic – Dizdarevic says that SDA and HDZ seem to be ridiculous when complaining that the decision on Mostar was made in an undemocratic way since it is about the political forces, which did not want to reach the agreement on the issue for years. Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘End of the agony in Mostar’ Commentary of the Day by Edina Sarac – “One should not be an absolute optimist that everything that has been dividing even schools, children and water in Mostar will disappear overnight,” wrote Sarac. |
| Dani: religious communities on Mostar decision | Dani cover, pgs 18&19 ‘All versus one’ by Vildana Selimbegovic – The article is strongly critical of SDA and HDZ policies in Mostar, arguing that these parties would do anything to ‘keep ethnically clean two Mostars.’ It also concludes that restructure of Mostar is the biggest exam to the future structure of BiH, adding that there should be no doubt that SDA, HDZ and SDS would do everything to ‘prevent the first true move towards equalizing rights of Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks in entire territory of this sad country.’ Separate inset titled ‘Religious war’ brings comments by the leaders of religious communities in Mostar. Mufti Seid effendi Smajkic: “For Islamic Community and Muslims in Mostar and Herzegovina, the solution abolishing city municipalities… which ensure religious, cultural and national identity of all peoples and citizens in Mostar is unacceptable.” Mostar Bishop Ratko Peric: “Denying that permanent and stabile Croat majority in the city, and disrespect democracy as the rule of majority, that is, Mr. High Representative, a creation of new ‘sick tissue’, an opening of new ‘black holes’ and declaration of Mostar ‘as special case’ – incurable patient on Neretva.” Magazine states that Orthodox Bishop Grigorije did not given any comment on Mostar decision, however added that his presence in the delegates of senior RS officials who visited Mostar recently meant that Serb Orthodox Church was also entirely against the new Mostar structure. |
| SB on Serb position on Mostar | Slobodna Bosna pgs 5 – 7 ‘Is the biggest quality of future Mostar the fact that no party will be satisfied with it?’ by Danka Savic – Article carries the reactions of ruling parties following the Mostar decision, noting that these indicate that there are only few of those satisfied with the decision of the High Representative. Referring to ‘almost secret’ recent visit of SDS President Dragan Kalinic, former BH Presidency member Mirko Sarovic and PDP President Mladen Ivanic to Mostar recently, disturbed Serb returnees in that region. Representative of Returnees in Mostar Reform Commission, Mirko Ivanisevic, stated that Serb returnees to Mostar do not share Ivanic’s opinion that Mostar should be one election unit: “Which ever solution for Mostar is brought, Serbs will be losers, as entire work of the Commission was under big pressure from two biggest parties, SDA and HDZ.” Magazine concludes that RS officials were lobbying for Mostar organized as a single city, municipality and election unit, which corresponded to HDZ demands. |
| DL, SD compare Mostar with other cities in Federation, BiH | Dnevni List (page 6 “Mostar’s ulcers”, by Pejo Gasparevic) – understanding the position of the High Representative for BiH, who frequently notes that Mostar is his responsibility as described in the Dayton Peace Accord, the author reckons that the DPA has already been built on in the areas of military and intelligence issues, therefore the same could be done when it comes to reorganization of cities. Noting that it is obvious that Sarajevo is becoming or has already become the majority Bosniak city, whilst Banja Luka is a majority Serb city, Gasparevic says most of pre-war mixed cities have turned into ulcers on the tissue of the BiH society. “Ulcers, as known in medicine, are not incurable. Ulcers are dangerous if you observe them with your eyes shut”, says Gasparevic. Slobodna Dalmacija (front “Lord ‘plants’ new frictions only” and page 17 “Ashdown ‘plants’ new frictions only”, by Darko Juka) – arguing that only Mostar is a multi-ethnic city, whilst Banja Luka and Sarajevo are ethnically cleansed cities, the author says the imposed Statute will bring new tremors to the city, which will be even more enhanced when municipal employees and politicians start losing jobs. |
Political developments | |
| SDA leader explains demand for government reshuffle
| BHTV, Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Replacement of FBiH Government requested from FBiH leaders’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Sulejman Tihic officially requests Government re-shuffle’ – The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) today sent an official request for a government reshuffle to the president and vice-presidents of the Federation of BiH. The SDA notes several reasons for its request to dismiss the government, from the fact that the government failed to propose the budget before the deadline, that it failed to do more to resolve pensioners’ problems, to the fact that it failed to respond adequately to a large number of strikes. “One of the reasons why we believe the government has failed to achieve satisfactory results is, among other things, poor communication between the government and parliament. There is no harmony that is necessary for the successful functioning within the government either,” said SDA leader Sulejman Tihic. If a new government is formed, the SDA says that there is a possibility for the parties, which are partners in government to exchange top posts in certain ministries. The SDA leader says that this will be necessary, especially if there is a change in national power sharing at state level. “Of course we are discussing all possibilities if the defence minister is not a Bosniak. Then we would demand that the Federation’s defence minister be a Bosniak. There are various options as to what post the Croat representative would have in this case,” said Tihic. The SDA presidency still expects Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic to resign, even if the president and vice-presidents of the Federation decide that the party’s demand for a reshuffle is groundless, and that the Federation government is working well. According to Tihic, the SDA has not yet seriously discussed the candidates, which could possibly take the post of the prime minister. Tihic presented similar views in an interview for Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 5 ‘I expect Hadzipasic to resign’. Slobodna Bosna pg 15 ‘Can SDA on its own dismiss Federation Government’ by A.M. – With regard to the SDA initiative to dismiss the FBiH Government, magazine writes that there are a number of problems as “delegates of Party for BiH will not vote for the dismissal of Federal Government; HDZ did not decide, and SDA is deeply divided. Most probably, ruling coalition will not obtain needed majority.” Dani pg 7 ‘Party for BiH keeps Hadzipasic’ – Magazine brings same claims. Dnevni List (page 2, “Dzihanovic hinders Hadzipasic’s removal?”, not signed), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 21, “FBiH Vice Presidents against SDA proposal”, by Z. Tulic) says that FBiH Vice-presidents SBiH’s Sahbaz Dzihanovic and SDA’s Desnica Radivojevic are against the SDA demand for the removal of the FBiH Government. Moreover, according to SD, FBiH Deputy Prime Minister, Dragan Vrankic, stated for this daily that he supported Hadzipasic and that SDA assumes the responsibility in case that the Government falls. |
| BiH ruling political parties’ leaders met in Lukavica/discusses defence reform | FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘State Defense Ministry will be of the Croat nationality?, FENA – Senior officials of parties making the majority in the BiH Parliament, including Sulejman Tihic, Adnan Terzic, Dragan Covic, Barisa Colak, Niko Lozancic, Dragan Kalinic, Borislav Paravac and Mladen Ivanic, met in Lukavica on Wednesday evening. BiH Presidency member and SDA President Sulejman Tihic told FENA on Thursday that they discussed personnel issues, primarily the national distribution of positions in the future BiH defence structure, including the position of defence minister, joint staff commander, operational staff commander and their deputies. “We have moved closer to a solution, but have still not reached a final agreement. We’ve presented certain offers, I made certain proposals for a compromise”, Tihic said, but refused to be more specific. Tihic said that the Serb and Croat sides also presented their proposals and added that they discussed different ways for resolving this issue. “I think that the most important thing is to start reforms as soon as possible. I think that based on all justified reasons the position of the BiH Defence Minister should go to a Bosniak representative because we pushed the strongest for these reforms and are insisting on a single army. At the same time, I am doubtful, but if this position is given to a Serb representative there could be difficulties, there could be obstructions because in a way they are the least interested in this defence system. However, I am prepared for a compromise, as it is with politics, it is always a skill of what is possible and includes compromises. The most important thing for me is that the defence system starts to function, that it is established”, Tihic said. We expect answers by the end of next week to certain proposal that were presented, he added. |
| BiH Parties fail to agree on nationality of defence minister | FTV – Representatives of leading political parties at the level of BiH were due to discuss the procedure for the nomination and appointment of the BiH defence minister and his deputies on Mt Majevica on Thursday. In line with its powers related to the appointment of generals, the BiH Presidency has an obligation to appoint the chief of the General Staff and the commander of the operational command of the armed forces of BiH. However, during Wednesday night’s meeting in Lukavica near Sarajevo, the leading political parties failed to reach an agreement on the key issue: which nation should nominate the candidate for defence minister. The deputy chairman of the SDS, Mirko Sarovic, said that the Serb and Bosniak side last night reiterated their demand that the post of defence minister should go to the Serbs and Bosniaks respectively. After the nomination, the proposal should be forwarded to the Council of Ministers. The OHR will give a final assessment of the candidate. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘HDZ gives up on defence minister run; Sarajevo’ – Mirsad Kebo, SDA Vice President, last night confirmed that the meeting between the officials of the SDA, HDZ, SDS and PDP have not agreed regarding distribution of functions at BiH Ministry of Defence and state intelligence agency. NN interlocutor from HDZ confirmed that the HDZ would give up on defence minister run, expressing hope that this issue would be resolved in two days time. No SDP official attended the meeting, although they were called by the phone, confirmed Safet Halilovic, President of the Presidency of Party for BiH. The newspaper also carried Sarovic statement. Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Hot ministers’ seat’, Vecernji List page 2, “SDA, HDZ and SDS want position of Defense Minister”, by dja also covered the issue. Dnevni List (page 5, “Meeting at Mrakovica crucial”, by M.R.) carries that this issue will be discussed at the meeting that is to take place at Mrakovica. |
| SPRS demand replacement of Serb member of BiH | SPRS, SRNA – Chairman of the Socialist Party of the RS (SPRS) Petar Djokic on Thursday said that the party would launch an initiative urging the replacement of the Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Borislav Paravac. “As far as the SPRS is concerned, his appointment has been questionable from the very beginning,” Djokic said in Derventa, where he attended a ceremony on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the local party branch. According to him, after the previous (Serb) member of the Presidency, Mirko Sarovic, resigned, a candidate who had won the second largest number of votes in the elections should have taken his place. “The post should have been taken by Nebojsa Radmanovic of the SNSD,” Djokic said. He added that Paravac “is not someone who can meet all the demands of the post of the Presidency member, as it carries great responsibility”. |
| FBiH Government on judicial reforms | Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Changes to the Constitution proposed’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, FENA – In its Feasibility Study on the possibility of starting talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with BiH the European Commission described as the main characteristic of the current judiciary reform process in BiH the establishment of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council for the entire BiH. This body would replace the existing three High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils at the state and entity level. Acting on the basis of an already reached agreement on transferring FBiH authorities in this field to BiH institutions the FBiH Government proposed at its session in Mostar on Thursday changes to the FBiH Constitution and forwarded them to the Parliament. The objective of the changes is to harmonise the FBiH Constitution with solutions that will be covered by the law on establishing a single High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council at the state level, which is currently being prepared. Dnevni List front and page 3, “Changes of FBiH Constitution proposed”, by M. Relota, Vecernji List front and page 3, “Government demands explanation on Jelavic’s arrest”, by Z. Kresic and Slobodna Dalmacija last page, “To increase tax on tobacco and fuel”, by Fena also covered this session. |
| ‘Ashdown: Young people must more engage politically’ | Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Ashdown: Young people must more engage politically’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, together with Osman Topcagic, of the Council of Ministers’ Directorate for European Integration, and three recent university postgraduates on Thursday participated at the panel of a civil society forum organized by the Alumni Association of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies (ACIPS). The forum held at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies, University of Sarajevo, focused on the development of civil society in BiH as a core function of EU integration and explored ways in which recent graduates can contribute to the strengthening of civil society. “The process of the European integration is an extremely serious project and we all particularly young people must take part in it,” said Topcagic. “Young people should know they can fix up certain things if they are successful in business or arts, but if they want to make real change they have to engage politically,” said Ashdown. |
| Croat officials in Travnik want reorganization of municipality | Vecernji List (front and page 3 “Croats ready to establish Croat municipality of Travnik”, by Zdenko Jurilj) – unhappy with the alleged domination of the Bosniak people over the Croat minority in Travnik, the Municipal Board of HDZ of Travnik has sent the OHR and domestic institutions a request and a proposal the aim of which is to carry out a reorganization of the municipality by following the model for Mostar. According to the report, in case there is not solution to the issue, all the Croat officials are ready to leave the municipal authorities, and in that case, a new, separate (Croat) Municipality of Travnik would be established. |
War crimes | |
| Former BiH Croat commander pleads not guilty to war crimes charges
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Ivica Rajic pleaded not guilty’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 10 – Former Croat Defence Council (HVO) commander Ivica Rajic, who is charged by the UN criminal tribunal in The Hague with war crimes against Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) in the early 1990s, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to all ten charges of the amended indictment. Rajic, 46, who also went by the name of Viktor Andric, commanded the HVO Second Operations Group. He is accused of ordering an attack on the Muslim population of the village of Stupni Do near Vares in central Bosnia on 23 October 1993 when at least 37 people were killed, women were sexually abused and the village destroyed. The indictment charges him with the arrest, maltreatment and inhumane confinement of 250 Muslims in Vares in October 1993. On the basis of individual and command responsibility, Rajic was accused of serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions for the wilful killing, inhumane treatment, including sexual abuse, unlawful confinement of civilians, appropriation and wanton destruction of property not justified by military necessity. |
| SFOR hails RS assistance in search for war crimes suspects’ supporters | BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Breaking the support to war criminals’, Radio of RS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘SFOR asked assistance from Republika Srpska authorities on Zeljko Jankovic investigation’ – SFOR spokesman Dave Sullivan stated on Thursday, with regard to the arrest of Zeljko Jankovic Luna in Bijeljina and Dusan Tesic in Pale, that SFOR was authorized, by the Dayton accords, to detain the persons it suspected were supporting war crimes suspects. Today SFOR asked the local RS authorities to provide assistance in the investigation into the activities of Zeljko Jankovic Luna. The statement says that the support that the civilian authorities and police of the RS have provided in this action is a sign of progress in the cooperation between the RS and the international forces. |
| Karadzic posters appear in Brcko
| RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, SRNA – Posters depicting the wartime president of the RS, Radovan Karadzic, appeared this morning in Brcko with the message “Brcko is with you, Raso”, although the police immediately removed them, it was confirmed to SRNA by Brcko District chief of police Milenko Milicevic. According to him, members of the police spotted two unknown persons putting up A4 posters of Karadzic at 0450 on Thursday morning in Sveti Sava street, who after being noticed drove away in their car in an unknown direction. Fourteen posters were found in total, stuck on posts, public notice boards and fences in the suburbs of Srpska Varos, Brcko Novo and Bijeljinska Cesta. “These are posters that appeared in other towns. We have run a check on the owner of the vehicle and one person has been identified,” Milicevic said. He said that this was a person who was known for committing offences of this sort, and for his nationalistic remarks. “The District public prosecutor’s office is involved in the investigation which has said that, for now, there is no case for a criminal prosecution for someone putting up posters of Radovan Karadzic, although there is a case for a misdemeanour prosecution,” Milicevic added. |
Organised crime/security affairs | |
| RBS co-owner arrested
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Rajo Krsmanovic suspected of having produced heroin’ – Rajo Krsmanovic, co-owner of the RBS firm from Bijeljina, was arrested around 07:00 hrs yesterday morning and handed for BiH Prosecutor’s Office for examination. Jasmina Gafic, BiH Prosecutor, on Wednesday filed a request for his arrest to Republika Srpska Ministry of Internal Affairs. The arrest was carried out by Bijeljina PSC members. He is suspected of having committed a criminal act of import of toxic substances and storage of chemical substances used for production of synthetic drugs. Sarajevo media also reported on the arrest. According to NN inset, the Republika Srpska Government yesterday asked from Republika Srpska Ministries of Health and Internal Affairs to suspend further issuance of certificates for import of acetic acid antihydrate. |
| Gligoric on state coup affair | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘SDA wants control over intelligence agencies’ – in a brief interview to NN Tihomir Gligoric, Chairperson of the BiH Parliamentary Commission in charge of investigating coup d’etat affair, stated that FOSS violated human rights during the tapping of Munir Alibabic. He assesses that SDA is trying to discredit the work of the parliamentary commission, because it wants to establish the control over the intelligence agencies. |
| Robbery in Trebinje | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Half a million robbed’; Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Money and jewellery of KM half a million robbed; Blic front page and p 13 ‘Plunder of half a million KM’ – Trebinje police eysterday confirmed that The unidentified persons barged into the private house of Luka and Milena Kosanovic in Trebinje and under the gun threat, they stole the amount of 500 thousand KM. Police in Trebinje investigated the spot and undertook measures aimed at identifying the perpetrators of this robbery. Luka Kosanovic is the Director of the Health Care Fund Office in Trebinje. |
| Call on HR to remove Djeric
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Call on Ashdown to remove Djeric’ – The National Institute for the fight against drugs seated in Bijeljina has yesterday called on the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, to remove Zoran Djeric, form the position of the Republika Srpska Interior Minister, owing to his misconduct related to the affair of “Terpentin”. Nezavisne Novine editorial by Dragan Savic, pg. 7, ‘Djeric, move off the way!’ – The author is critical of Republika Srpska Interior Minister, Zoran Djeric, claiming that he has joined the criminal group in war times, when he came to firm “Melase”. He accuses him of many affairs, which cost only the citizens of Serb Sarajevo around BAM 105 million. He says Djeric should resign if he had any moral left inside. |
| Arrest of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic
| Dani pgs 20&21 ‘Croatian Deceit Council’ by Emir Suljagic – Following recent arrests of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic, suspects for the crimes related to Hercegovacka Bank [HB], article speculates on the reasons why such action was carried out in high-level of secrecy. It further reads that one of the reasons was to prevent events similar to those that took place in 2001, when SFOR troops took over the HB. Secondly, “Dani’s high level source from FBiH Interior Ministry, says that FMoI had accurate information that those three suspects were getting ready to leave BiH, which would make 18 months of investigations wasted.” Author further claims that, according to the same source, that these arrests were just one part of the investigation into Hercegovacka Bank: “The second part of the investigation is related to the attack on SFOR and FBiH police during introduction of temporary administration of the Herzegovacka Bank.” Slobodna Bosna pgs 36&37, 40&41 ‘‘Jelavic’s’ group suspected of illegally spending 216 million KM that Croatian paid for Croats in BiH?!’ by Suzana Mijatovic and Mirsad Fazlic – Magazine claims that High Representative Paddy Ashdown, during his recent to Croatia, asked Croatian leadership to assist in the investigation over Hercegovacka Bank and that he was assured that they would not “make noise over Jelavic’s arrest and that he can count on their full cooperation when it comes to further investigations” Ljiljan pgs 23-25 ‘How were given loans in Hercegovacka Bank’ by Ivica Pasic – Author claims that the reason for arrests of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic were also related to the analysis of Elektroprivreda Herceg-Bosna workings, also dismissing the claims of State Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic that he was not informed on the action were “hard to believe”, and adding that he was just trying to make himself “clean before Bosnian Croats.” |