RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
Protests in Sarajevo | Protests in Sarajevo | Protests in Sarajevo | BiH Law on RTV System |
CoM in session | RS Union to protest | Appointments of generals | Cavic/ Srebrenica Comm |
OHR warning to HDZ | CoM in session | CoM in session | RS Govt in session |
OSCE welcomes RSNA act | OHR warning to HDZ | Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic | RSNA in session |
Oslobodjenje | Cavic is better to cooperate with Srebrenica Commission; Edhem Besic applied for the Chief [of OSA]; Protests: ‘We don’t want golden spoons, but bread’; Police arrested drugs dealer and an addict |
Dnevni Avaz | Property of former SK should be given to pensioners; BiH citizen arrested: In truck’s tires 16 kg of marijuana hidden; Solana for Avaz: Key reforms to be sped up; Grahovac: Biber must resign |
Dnevni List | Over 10 000 workers demand their rights; Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic: Mostarians do not want to live in conflicting society |
Vecernji List | 70% citizens do not trust Ashdown; Trade Union members against Government |
Slobodna Dalmacija | Campaign against Bishop Sudar; General strike in June |
Glas Srpske | Doboj Basic Court ends Kotorsko case: Serbs won the suit; Prijedor: He invented the attack |
Nezavisne Novine | Western intelligence agencies hand report on SDS dealings to Brussels: SDS is financing extreme para-military formations; Chris Patten: BiH authorities cannot meet conditions of EU; Srebrenica Commission: Information on six new mass graves handed |
Blic | Serbia is the black hole: Good-bye Europe!; Politicians in RS: They are arrogant and vulgar; 19 Serbs killed during ‘Oluja’ action were identified |
Ljiljan | One country’s intelligence service assisted by domestic traitors robbed Ljiljan; Only Packett can save a Serb |
Slobodna Bosna | Covic and Tihic assisted by criminals tried to destroy honorable generals Dudakovic and Zovko |
Dani | Why Hamdija Tigar (tiger) Abdic, a western Bosnian tyc7oon, has been arrested? – The last Tiger’s attack |
Economic and social issues | |
Protests in Sarajevo over FBiH Bankruptcy Law
| BHTV 1 – On Thursday, workers staged a central protest rally in front of the FBiH government building in Sarajevo, calling on the government to step down. The rally, organized by the BiH Syndicate was attended by several thousand workers supporting demand in the Bankruptcy Law and social welfare programme for workers who will be redundant following the implementation of the law. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic did not address them. Chairman of the BiH Syndicate Edhem Biber said that the most brutal form of the wild capitalism was ruling in BiH and that the Unions were fighting for the right to have eight-hour working days, the right to receive earned wages, the right to contributions and minimum health protection. The Syndicate said that the Government doesn’t not have enough money to take care of all workers who will lose the job after the enforcement of the Bankruptcy Law. However, PM Hadzipasic claimed earlier that this was not the true. The Syndicate say that they were betrayed, and that the Law is in collision with the International standards. Edhem Biber said that the Government should meet the demands of the workers or resign and that the authorities should not be simply the vassals of the International Community, as they were not elected by the IC. Oslobodjenje cover, pgs 4&5 ‘’We don’t want golden spoons, but pieces of bread’’ – The BiH Union decided to hold a Main Board session in the coming days during which an earlier decision on starting a general strike on June 17 will probably be confirmed. FTV – According to FTV, Syndicate says that about 50.000 people will loose their jobs following the implementation of the Law, while Government claims that up to 5000 would be redundant. RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Workers demand job and justice’, Dnevni list, front page & p 4-5, “Over 10 000 workers claim their rights”, Vecernji list, front page splash “Union members against Government” & p 2, “Union members against Government and Bankruptcy Law”, Slobodna Dalmacija, front page “General strike in June?” & p “General strike begins in June?” – also covered the protests. |
Grahovac says Biber enjoys no support | Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Biber must resign’, pg 3 ‘Biber must resign as he enjoys no support’ – FBIH Deputy Prime Minister Gavrilo Grahovac calls upon Chairman of the BiH Syndicate Edhem Biber to file his resignation. “This protest was the biggest support for the Government’s work, as the works – unlike MR Biber – recognized the aims and efforts of the executive authorities, including the Bankruptcy and Liquidation Law, and the social program. That is why there were no hundreds of thousands of workers that showed up, as Biber announced, but only about 2.500 people,” says Grahovac accusing Biber of loosing support of workers and politically motivated. |
Hadzipasic on Syndicate’s demand | Dnevni List page 2 carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic as saying: ‘Government will not submit resignation because of unrealistic demands of the Trade Union.’ |
OHR support Hadzipasic, stresses Bankruptcy Law assists economy | RHB, BHTV 1, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Bankruptcy Law enables companies to stay in business’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Bankruptcy a way of creating new jobs’ – OHR spokesperson Oleg Milisic stated on Thursday that the OHR agrees with Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic that the Entity Bankruptcy laws offer the best means of protecting jobs in BiH and creating new jobs, and calls on the trades union to work with the Entity governments to use the Law as an effective way of protecting jobs and creating new jobs, by encouraging restructuring and investment. He explained that the Laws allow companies to restructure and stay in business rather than go into liquidation. Restructuring can involve job losses, but in the long run it is more likely to lead to job creation, Milisic said. |
NN op-ed on Hadzipasic, Vrankic in a light of protests | Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘Rebellious workers’ op-ed by Nihada Jablic – The author is critical of Prime Minister and Finance Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively, Ahmet Hadzipasic and Dragan Vrankic, because of their sceptical approach towards the workers’ protests. On Vrankic, she criticises his statement describing the workers as rebels. On Hadzipasic, she says that Hadzipasic feels nothing about workers and their problems, which is proved by his statement that workers could sleep for days in front of his office, but he would not even bat an eye. |
RS Syndicate to protest on 1 May
| BHTV 1, RTRS – The Syndicate of Republika Srpska announced the protest to be held on Saturday, 1 May, the Labour Day. Thousands of workers are expected to come. The Syndicate seeks to warned about the difficult economic situation in RS and call for the implementation of the development strategy by the authorities at the entity and state level. President of RS, Dragan Cavic saiod during the talks with Syndicate that the crisis is supposed to be solved during this and in the course of the next year. He named the issue of privatisation being a top priority. RS Syndicate Association demands allocating greater funds for the social programme aimed at accommodating about – as they claim – 10.000 workers who will lose their jobs in the process of privatization, bankruptcy and liquidation, and signing of the new general collective contract. The Association’s requests, which were presented on Thursday at a reception organization on the occasion of the Labour Day – May 1, state that 9 million KM, which has been allocated for the social programme, is inadequate. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic and RS President Dragan Cavic, who also attended the reception at the RS Syndicate Association, indicated the need for having social dialogue. |
Croatian Consortium the new Hercegovacka Bank owner | RHB, Vecernji List, p 2, “Croatian Consortium is the Bank owner”, by Zoran Kresic, claims that a source close to Hercegovacka Bank Provisional Administration has indirectly confirmed that the Croatian Consortium, led by Agrokor, is most likely to become the new Hercegovacka Bank owner. It is estimated that, following completion of administrative work and changing the name, the Bank will start operating by the middle of this summer. |
Dani: Ashdown agreed on sale of Hercegovacka Bank with the Croatian HDZ leader | Dani pg. 6 ‘Ashdown agreed on sale of Hercegovacka Bank with the Croatian HDZ leader’ E.I. – “Although the OHR officials were giving a political character to the recent Paddy Ashdown’s visit to Zagreb, the High Representative was probably traveling to the Croatian capital for ‘business’ reasons,” wrote the author. “According to the sources close to the Government of the Croatian Prime Minister and Croatian HDZ President Ivo Sanader, Ashdown requested Sanader to stimulate businesspeople from Croatia to buy Hercegovacka Bank, which had been closed down by the foreign administration in 2001 over illegal operations,” the article read, adding that after the Ashdown-Sanader meeting the consortium of eight Croatian companies sent an offering for purchasing the Bank. |
Farmers Associations to block 5 border crossings on 7 may | Dnevni List page 5 ‘Protest of Framers and Poultry farmers of BiH on May 7 – On May 7 RS Farmers Association, FBiH Confederation of Farmers Associations, and BiH Poultry Farmer Association will block the border crossings at Gradiska, Raca, Izacic, Doljani and Orasje. As the main Organizing Committee of the said Associations informs, the protest at border crossings will be staged because of the ruin of primary agricultural and cattle-raising production brought about by the non-adoption of quotas and the low rate of the Free Trade Contract. |
Srebrenica Commission | |
Cavic on Srebrenica Commission: ‘We shall face with bad sides of our past’
| RTRS, BHTV 1 – RS President Dragan Cavic said on Thursday that the final report of the Srebrenica Commission would represent a new challenge for the RS: “As people, we shall face the consequences of the dire, dramatic war events with the character of the committed war crimes, many of which were prosecuted in Hague. It is the sign that it is very evident that the final report of the Commission for Srebrenica will be a new political challenge for RS, where we shall finally after the years of delay face with ourselves and the bad sides of our past.” He said that this year would be difficult, also because the international community is looking for a way out of BiH. This exit strategy requires making this society politically sustainable and “that we make important decisions alone, instead of representatives of the international community doing it for us”. Cavic stressed that all conditions from the Feasibility Study need to be fulfilled in order to ensure BiH accession to European structures and the Partnership for Peace. Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘’Facing bad sides of our past’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘RS will face the events with characteristics of war crimes’ – also covered the statement. |
OHR warns Cavic over Srebrenica Commission | Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 7 ‘Caivc is better to cooperate with Srebrenica Commission’ – OHR Spokesperson Oleg Milisic stated for Oslobodjenje that RS President Dragan Cavic was better to fully cooperate with the Srebrenica Commission than to try to undermine its reports. Milisic stated this commenting Cavic’s statement given to Belgrade’s Vecernje Novosti, which says that Srebrenica Commission report included unacceptable remarks by the Bosniak members. In addition, Cavic said that report was devastating for RS also accusing its institutions for obstruction. “RS President is better to try to cooperate with the Commission that to give comments like this,” said Milisic. He also confirmed that OHR expects to receive today the preliminary report of Srebrenica Commission for the period since the new chairman Milan Bogdanovic took over the position. |
Bogdanovic on preliminary report; RS source: information on six new mass graves | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Commission receives documents, also on the mass graves’- The Chairman of the Srebrenica Commission, Milan Bogdanovic confirmed for DA that RS Government is to consider the second preliminary report which is to refer to the Commission work in the past 15 days. He said that Commission was given some useful documents and certain information about the mass graves. He added that RS Army also started to submit the documents. Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 2 ‘Information on six new mass graves handed’ – The source close to the Republika Srpska Government confirmed that the new information indicated there were six more mass graves. |
RS Govt calls upon citizens to help with information on events in Srebrenica | RHB, BHTV 1 – RS Government called upon all those possessing information on the mass graves and events that occurred in and around Srebrenica in period form 10 to 19 July 1995 to call, as only comprehensive and honest Commission report – that would include also information on undisclosed mass graves – is one of the criteria for accession to PfP. Statement by RS Government, titled ‘Your Government Needs Your Help’, adds that all those with some information could call 051 314 332 or send it in written. Information can be sent anonymously. |
Political issues | |
CoM on visa regime
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Terzic will ask from Humphreys abolishment of visas for BiH citizens’ – The BiH Council of Ministers adopted the report on the visa regime between BiH and Schengen states, the BiH CoM stated. The CoM concluded that Chair Adnan Terzic would deliver a letter to Chief of European Commission Delegation in BiH Michael Humphreys suggesting Schengen states to review all arguments in favour of abolishing visas for BiH citizens. Copies of this letter, with additional instruction, will be sent to BiH diplomatic missions for them to start activities on abolishing visas for BiH citizens. RHB, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Demand to abolish visas’, Dnevni List, p 3, “Fines up to 300 KMs for failure to register possession of TV set”, Slobodna Dalmacija, p 6, “4 famous persons given BiH citizenship”, Vecernji list, p 3, “Opening of “Schengen” requested” – also covered the session. |
Patten says reforms too slow and delayed, but stresses EU will not allow BiH to fail | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Patten: BiH is too late with reforms’, Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Disappointment with the results of reforms process in BiH’ – EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner, Chris Patten, on Wednesday stated that results that BiH achieved in implementing 16 conditions set by the Feasibility Study were disappointing. Addressing the members of European Parliament’s Commission for European Affairs in Berlin, Patten said that BiH will get the green light “for the beginning of the negotiations on Stabilisation and Accession Agreement” in the second part of the year, but under condition that “its authorities work hard to fulfil these conditions.” Patten added: “I know that this is almost impossible. BiH will progress in certain stages, but due to the lack of success of the political leadership it will take much more time to fulfil these conditions.” However, stressing that BiH faced the hardest consequences following the break up of former Yugoslavia, Patten underlined: “We cannot allow BiH to fail, as that would open up wrong political lines and entire region would be destabilised.” Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘BiH authorities cannot meet conditions of EU’ – “The politicians with the lack of leadership have undermined the planned tempo of state progress,” said Patten. |
Kalinic on early elections
| RTRS – RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic stated that the session of RS national Assembly held on Thursday has showed that its majority functions. He said that the moments of crises exist in every Coalition, as well as the ways to overcome it. “I don’t believe that we will come to the situation to have premature or general elections held before municipal elections… I even think that at this moment the main preoccupation of the majority of the parties is how the best to prepare for local elections,” said Dragan Kalinic. |
DA int with Javier Solana | Dnevni Avaz cover ‘Key reforms to be speed up’, pg 5 ‘Months before us are of key importance for BiH’ by Sead Numanovic – In an interview to DA, EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Javier Solana stated that BiH made significant progress in implementing reforms, however that there was a need to accelerate the entire process even more especially in the fields of customs and VAT, public administration and public broadcasting. Solana also stressed that state institutions must be solid and fully functioning. “EU is certain that BiH will fulfil conditions from Feasibility Study in near future, which will enable beginning of the negotiations of Stabilisation and Accession Agreement. It would be ideal if that could happen already this year. It is up to BiH to determine the speed at which it would implement reforms and move towards EU.” Talking about the future EUFOR troops to take over SFOR’s mandate, Solana stresses that EU talks and consults BiH authorities on its operations, and with the HR Paddy Ashdown, and that EU believes that cooperation with ICTY was one of the most important conditions accessing the Euro-Atlantic integrations. |
OHR on HDZ’s delays in schools unification in Central Bosnia
| RHB, BHTV 1, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘HDZ SBK delays unification of schools’, Dnevni List, p 2 ‘To unify “2 schools under 1 roof” or to get fined’, Slobodna Dalmacija p 19 ‘HDZ faces sanctions’ – Central Bosnia Canton HDZ has once again failed to take seriously the task of issuing an administrative decision on unifying ‘two schools under one roof’ in the Canton since, instead of that, the HDZ in Canton 6 proposed that the Canton Assembly should initiate a procedure for administrative unification of the ‘two schools under one roof’. The HDZ’s proposal does not unify those schools but suggests delaying any real action, and it does not say how these schools will be unified. Unless this Canton takes necessary administrative measures for the unification, the decision on fining the party, that the High Representative took on 26 April, will come into force today. Dnevni list pg 2 “HDZ of Central Bosnia Canton asks for emergency Assembly session – Apart from the mentioned request for the session carries Velimir Valjan, the Speaker of the Cantonal Assembly, as saying that everything will depend on the talks of the Bosniak side and the OHR on reaching agreement. |
Dani praises Ashdown for sanctioning HDZ, warning RS officials
| Dani pg. 17 Bosnian Barometer – The weekly awarded the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, with two stars (a very good move) because of fining HDZ in Central Bosnian Canton over education reform failures, and because of warning the top RS officials Kalinic, Cavic, Mikerevic about their responsibilities for apprehending war crime indictees and with regard to the Visegrad operation (in which Novica Lukic, the brother of one of the indictees was killed). |
NN: ‘intelligence’ documents on SDS prov party still finances extremists | Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘SDS is financing extreme para-military formations’ by A. Sisic – The document compiled by the western intelligence agencies, which has been handed to Brussels, says that the SDS has been and still is financing the extreme para-military formations. As NN learnt, these documents show that SDS is providing financial assistance to an extreme Serb organisation in Chicago, which has been under investigation of the international security agencies over its possible link with the murder of Zoran Djindjic. Documents prove that SDS was providing an immediate financial support to Ravnogorski chetniks’ movement. The documents further stress that SDS has been using its “field offices” and Nova Banjalucka Bank [while it was run by Milenko Vracar] in order to complete all these and other illegal financial transactions. A European diplomat, who has seen the SDS report on its dealings, told NN that: “All these documents prove that the financial report the SDS delivered to the OHR is rigged and shameful. |
SD: Ashdown admits the unification of Mostar has still not started | Slobodna Bosna pg. 10 ‘Ashdown at last admitted the unification of Mostar had not even started’ – “At last the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, admitted during his visit to Mostar early this week that the decision on the town’s unification was just dead letter on the paper three months following its imposition at the beginning of this year. Ashdown explained the stoppage in the implementation of the decision with the fact the unification of Mostar was very difficult process, which was yet to face some difficult problems such as, for example, the issue of a single city budget,” read the magazine. |
Dani on BiH chances to join Europe | Dani pgs. 20-21 ‘State on the edge of isolation!?’ By Emir Suljagic – “By the end of June BiH must take 46 measures, adopt 44 laws and establish 25 new institutions at the state level in order to apply for the beginning of the association and stabilization process. Our state will otherwise stay in company of Serbia and Montenegro,” says the author. “There is a political consensus – everyone nowadays wants to be part of Europe, but the question remains if the commitment to Europe is strong enough,” the magazine quotes Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite as saying. |
On integration to EU | Blic front page, pgs 4&5 ‘Serbia is not at the map of Europe’ – “The current situation regarding the integration of Serbia to European Union does not seem good. Serbia has been included into a group of countries together with BiH and Albania, and those are countries nobody can see at the map of EU in close future”, Gerald Knaus from the European Stability Institute from Berlin has stated. He added that Croatia, Macedonia and even Turkey have made greater progress than Serbia in the process of European integrations. |
Brcko Supervisor authorizes spending on infrastructure, utilities, schools, and housing units in the District | Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘District Government distributes reconstruction means independently’, Dnevni List page 9 ‘Current interaction of Government and Assembly is not clear and transparent enough’ – OHR press release which says: ‘Brcko Supervisor Susan R. Johnson today issued a Supervisory Order authorizing the District Government to spend 2004 budgetary funds for the maintenance, construction and reconstruction of infrastructure, utilities, schools and housing units, without formal approval by the District Assembly.’ |
VL on poll of International Institute for the Balkans Studies on Ashdown | Vecernji list, front page splash “70% of citizens do not trust Ashdown” & p 3, “Over 70% of citizens do not trust Paddy Ashdown”, by Branka Stevandic, carries that the latest comprehensive analysis of the Ljubljana-based International Institute for Middle East and Balkans Studies (IFIMES) carries that the pre-election campaign for local elections in BiH has already started. The analysis also shows that “national politicians develop new political conflicts because they do not want to publicly admit their failure, inability and incapability to solve accumulated economic and social problems”. BiH is said to be stagnating or marking minimum of improvements. The opinion poll, conducted among 2101 BiH citizens who are of age, shows that over 70% do not trust the High Representative Paddy Ashdown and the policy he leads in BiH. Wrong behaviour and moves of the IC, such as aborted attempt to hunt war crimes suspects Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, are said to cause additional tensions in BiH. |
DA conducts poll on popularities of parties in BiH | Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Regrouping in opposition, a number of voters indecisive’ – According to the poll conducted by the daily in 14 municipalities of both entities, a number of voters in BiH are still indecisive when it comes to the upcoming municipal elections. Avaz comments that when it comes to the parties in power, except PDP, they sustain stability of voters support. However, the major change refers to the support to opposition parties. Results indicate that SNSD popularity marks growth, mostly taking votes from PDP, while SDP losses the support and its previous voters turning to SDU. |
Public broadcasting | |
CoM adopts PBS Law
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Draft PBS Law established’ – BiH Council of Ministers at the session held on Thursday established the draft PBS Law and sent it to the Parliament for the discussion in short procedure. According to the Law adopted, public broadcasting system would consist of four legally equal subjects, that is three broadcasters and their Corporation. Also, BiH public broadcaster – which will be issued the licence for nation wide broadcasting coverage – will change the name from PBS to BHRT. The licences of the entities public broadcasters will limit their signal to be reached only at the territory of the entity. BiH Transport and Communications Minister Branko Dokic also explained that out of collected subscriptions in entire BiH, 46% will be forwarded to BHRT and entities broadcasters would receive 27% each. RHB, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Terzic will ask from Humphreys abolishment of visas for BiH citizens’, Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Proposed Law on PBS set’, Dnevni List, front page & p 3 ‘Fines up to 300 KMs for failure to register possession of TV set’ – also reported. |
Dokic explains that PBS Law | RTRS by Dragana Knezevic – Public RTV broadcaster of BiH, to be called BHRT, will be issued a licence for broadcasting programme nationwide, while RTRS and FTV will get licences for entity limited areas. Public broadcasters are independent in their work, and must enjoy independence in editorial and institutional policy. Branko Dokic explaines: “Especially in areas like are: establishment of programming scheme, conception and production of program; editing and broadcasting of news and information program; managing of property; employing; and rights and obligations of employees; managing enterprise and internal organization; preparation and implementation of budget; negotiations; preparations and signing of legal acts related to functioning of a broadcaster; representation of a broadcaster in legal affairs, [such as] buying, leasing, selling and using goods and services.” Draft of Law has regulated the relations between Public Services, which will be based on cooperation and agreement. On the future broadcasting corporation, Dokic says: “That Corporation is responsible for work of transition network, its management and maintenance, international representation of Public Services, rights related to foreign programming, coordination of system, policy and procedure between three Public RTV Services.” This Law also establishes the Board of Public RTV System in BiH, which will be composed of four members from Managing Boards of each Public Service. |
BHTV 1 Director appointed | FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Trivic director of BHTV 1’ – The Board of Governors of the BiH Public Service Broadcaster has approved the appointment of the Milan Trivic for the position of BHTV 1 Director. |
Legal issues | |
Courts rejects Prce, Jelavic, Rupcic appeals and extends detention
| BHTV 1, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Jelavic, Rupcic and Prce stay in detention’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic stay in detention’, Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Rupcic and Miroslav Prce remain in custody’ – The Council of the Special Department for Corruption, Organized Crime and Economic Crime to the BiH Court has rejected the appeal of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic to the Court’s adjudication on prolonging custody for another two months. The issue issued at the 20 April said that the detention has been brought due to the danger of escape and reasonable suspicion that the release of the suspects could result in disabling collection of evidence, and thus interference with the criminal procedure. |
Doboj Basic Court rejects Bosniak appeal re their land in Kotorsko | RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Appeal of Kotorsko dwellers rejected’, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Bosniak appeal rejected’, Glas Srpske cover page story ‘ Serbs won the suit’, Blic pg 15 ‘Lawsuit is groundless’– Doboj Basic Court on Thursday rejected the appeal demand filed by 38 Bosniaks, dwellers of Kotorsko, requesting the return of their land that was allocated to citizens of Serb nationality in 2000. Court said that the appeal was not grounded. At the same time, the Court also rejected the change to the appeal, which – according to the prosecutor substitute Zijad Mehmedagic – was a grave breach of the Law on Litigation Process. Mehmedagic said he doubts that the decision of the Court was politically motivated. Mehmedagic, who expects it to be terminated at the County Court Doboj. By the decision of OHR, all further construction activities on this land are banned until the end of court proceedings. |
Tokic proposes Law on property owned by former Socialist Party | Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 9 ‘Property of former SK should be given to pensioners’ – The Presdient of SDU, Sejfudin Tokic, stated for DA that the “majority of the states of former Yugoslavia and other post-communist states systematically solved the statuts of property owned by the former Socialists Parties from those times, however in BIH the situation is still anarchistic.” Tokic stresses that since different parties in BiH – such as SDS and SDP – occupied many of these facilities, there was a need to solve this issue and regulate it with the law. He also says SDU has launched an initiative to award these premises, including some art, to pensions funds. |
Defence and security issues | |
Besic applies for Chief OSA
| Oslobodjenje cover, pg 3 ‘Edhem Besic candidates for Chief of OSA BiH’ – Edhem Besic, Executive Director of the FBiH Intelligence and Security Service [FOSS] has applied to the position of the Chief BiH Intelligence Agency [OSA] last Friday, however his candidacy did not reach OHR. Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, confirmed Beslic applied and added: “We will analyse the law and if it contains the ground for self-initiated candidature, than we will send Beslic’s application to OHR.” However, Terzic adds that three candidates – Almir Dzuvo, Risto Zaric and Mladen Alapeza, have already been proposed and that today he expects OHR’s answer whether they are suitable candidates for the positions. |
Update to appointments of generals | FTV by Sanjin Beciragic – According to the FTV, the situation in Federal Ministry of Defence and in FBiH Army has become further complicated with the issue of vetting procedure carried out by SFOR for the appointments of generals to BiH Army. Dragan Covic, member of BiH presidency, announced that the names of new generals would be given on Friday, while two potential candidates gave up. Rasim Delic, military advisor to Presidency Chairman Sulejman Tihic said that the issue would be solved until May 5, while there are speculations that the former generals will take on the positions. Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Four new Croat officers to go through SFOR vetting process’ – Dragan Covic, Croat member to BiH Presidency, on Thursday confirmed that until Friday evening at latest, the list with four names of Croat officers as candidates for positions at future BiH armed forces would be handed to SFOR for vetting process. Covic denied any possibility of seeing new complications take place in the defence reform implementation, stressing that vetting process of new officers cannot be questioned. |
Radovanovic on appointments of generals | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Minister Nikolic complains that Croat officers reject candidacy for generals’ – BiH Defence Minister Nikola Radovanovic said that he still did not have any precise information on when exactly he could expect the list with the proposals for generals in BiH Armed Forces. “Activities on appointments at the generals ranks are underway, as well as the procedure of new candidates,” says Radovanovic also urging FBiH Parliament to adopt the Law on FBiH Army, which stipulates it to be a part of BiH Army. In addition, Radovanoic announces he would meet Chairman of the BiH President Sulejman Tihic probably on Tuesday, when Tihic returns to BiH, trying to overcome the problems with generals appointments, and get clear guidelines as to whether he has right to nominate people as well. Finally, Radovanovic says that the situation with Croat officers has been difficult, as people are unwilling to be nominated following the failure of all Croat candidates at the SFOR’s vetting procedure. |
Sarajevo weeklies on appointment to top BiH military posts/SFOR’s vetting | Dani pg. 3 ‘Sarajevo storm’ op-ed by Vildana Selimbegovic – Selimbegovic claims that Selmo Cikotic and three other Bosniak officers were by COMSFOR Virgil Packett not accepted as candidates for the top BiH military posts over heavy accusation of involvement in war crimes. “While carrying out the Sarajevo Storm operation in a persistent and military way, the US General was not even thinking about a need to explain” further his argumentation, according to Selimbegovic. Dani pg. 16 ‘Bosnian Barometer’ – The magazine gave three black dots (a disastrous move) to COMSFOR Packett over transforming the process of checking on the candidates for the top military posts into a political performance. Ljiljan front page, pgs. 28-29 ‘Only Packett can (knows how to) save Serbs’ By Mustafa Borovic – “The logical question is what now (after SFOR rejected Bosniak and Croat candidates for the top military posts)? The Croat component of the Federation Army is in a more difficult situation since it has lesser number of appropriate candidates, particularly because they have been during the past years without proper selection and arguments (education background) promoting their officers. This resulted in half illiterate people such as Rojs, Sopta etc. becoming the generals and the similar situation is with brigadiers. On the other side, the Bosniak component of the FBiH Army has a sufficient number of brigadiers, but who will among them now accept that COMSFOR and various power centers around him play with his destiny and name putting at risk his professional career and future existence of his family,” wrote Borovic. Slobodna Bosna pgs. 5-7 ‘The most important thing for Tihic and Covisc was to get rid off generals Dudakovic and Zeko’ By SB investigating team – The authors wonder if the ten Bosniak and Croat brigadiers, who will with public humiliation soon lose their jobs for good, were just a collateral damage in an attempt by Sulejman Tihic and Dragan Covic to permanently get rid off the generals Atif Dudakovic and Ivica Zeko (who have been resisting from inappropriate political influence). |
RS Govt adopts Veterans Law | RTRS – RS Government established the daft Law Defenders’ rights, disabled veterans and families of killed soldiers. The Law will be discussed on a special session of RSNA scheduled for May 4. In its statement, the Government pointed that this draft was accepted after public debate and that main remarks of Veterans’ Associations have been included in it. Government also said that the draft Law will be also submitted to the Assembly of RS Veterans’ Association. |