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HR imposes Law | Andjelic case | Andjelic case | HR imposes citizenship law |
Andjelic case | New BiH Citizenship Law | Travnik – illegal flats trade | Cavic on ‘Orao’ case |
Klein on Karadzic’s arrest | Certification of SBS | HR imposes Law | CoM session |
Milutnovic’s mandate ends |
| Milutinovic’s extradition | SBS certification |
Oslobodjenje | Citizenship of hundreds of thousands of citizens rescued; SBS – the most modern service in Balkan; The continuing of Andjelic investigation – weapons found on arrested S.E. |
Dnevni Avaz | HR wrote to Terzic – OHR requesting names of ministers; Traditional election of Dnevni Avaz – personalities of 2002 Ashdown and Ceric; Malcolm – possible war in Iraq will not have influence on BiH; A decision by departing government – Mikerevic increased his and other ministers’ salaries by 50%; Investigation in crime in Kostajnica – in a house of Enes Sultanovic seven machine guns found |
Dnevni List | High Representative enacts changes and amendments to Law on Citizenship and calls for re-appraisal of dual citizenship: Dual citizenship of BiH citizens extended |
Vecernji List | On trail of Konjic murder: Topalovic wanted to kill the priest! |
Slobodna Dalmacija | New customs, where will Mostarians celebrate 2003: The craziest night closes restaurants and opens streets |
Glas Srpski | Bileca: the dismissal with no justified reason; Irregularities in privatisation of ‘Birac’ company: alumina in quagmire |
Nezavisne Novine | Happy New Year!; Instead of a denial, the reporting of Nezavisne Novine confirmed: Minister Kunic confesses he receives royalties as well as his salary; A scandal in the RS Intelligence service: The head of one department pressed charges against the officials of the RS Intelligence service |
Vecernje Novosti | Milutinovic goes to The Hague |
Blic | Cavic: Mikerevic can secure majority; Momir Zec: joint army in BiH would be an artificial creation |
Political Affairs |
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HR imposes Citizenship Law
| Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 4/5, Avaz pg. 3 ‘Solve dual citizenship in the next ten years’, Vecernji List pg. 1 and 2, Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3, Nezavisne Novine pg. 4 ‘Ashdown proclaims changes to the Law on Citizenship of BiH’ – the biggest story in Oslobodjenje (also prominent in Avaz) is on the imposing of the Law. Yesterday, as previously announced, HR Ashdown imposed the Citizenship Law, which extended the transition period for closing bilateral agreements on dual citizenship for another 10 years. This means that the new deadline for signing such agreements expires in 2013. Ashdown stated that the Law does not automatically ratify any agreements on dual citizenship, as the ratification has to be confirmed by the HoR. Also, HR Ashdown met with representatives from BiH diaspora who collected 35,000 signatures in a petition for the establishment of more liberal regime of dual citizenship in BiH. Ashdown further suggested to BiH bodies adoption of more liberal approach of accepting dual citizenship, which would not request the existence of relevant bilateral agreements with other countries. “I hope that the BiH Parliamentary Assembly will, within the next six months consider, if necessary through a revision of the Constitution, a much more fundamental reform of dual-citizenship provisions, in order to bring BiH into line with increasingly common international practice, to entrench a non-ethnic approach to citizenship, facilitate close relations with BiH’s foreign diaspora and, most important of all, to enable the widest possible international travel for the citizens of this country. The dual-citizenship provision in the BiH Constitution is, I understand, a leftover from the old Constitution of Yugoslavia. Normal European and international practice nowadays is for states not to restrict dual citizenship to those cases where a bilateral agreement exists with another country, but to allow every citizen to enjoy dual citizenship where they qualify, without restriction”, said HR Ashdown. | |
Reactions to the Law | Oslobodjenje also carried reactions to the Law. A representative of the EU, unofficially said the issue of dual citizenship is not primary for property rights (under the Law, those losing BiH citizenship apparently lose the property in the country too), but was strictly ‘a political matter’. The same representative also added that bilateral agreements on citizenship did not have a long-term perspective. Namik Alimajstorovic, President of the World Diaspora Association, stated this was the best New Years greeting for diaspora. On behalf of the Association he thanked HR Ashdown and announced they would also send him a special letter of thanks. Avdo Hebib, President of HQ of BiH Refugees, said that thanks to Ashdown’s decision tens of thousands of Bio citizens who were forced to take refuge abroad would not be stripped off their BiH citizenship. On behalf of the organisation he thanked HR Ashdown. | |
OHR – CoM | Avaz pg. 1 and 2, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Ashdown requesting names of candidates for CoM’, Dnevni List pg. 3 ‘Submit proposals for candidates as soon as possible’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 7 ‘OHR: Terzic should speed up appointments’ – HR Ashdown wrote to CoM Chair Adnan Terzic asking him to send in the shortest possible time names of candidates for ministerial posts, which have to be approved by OHR. Ashdown wrote that names have to be submitted so that a ten-day procedure of approval could start. HR stated that he also spoke with Terzic on the phone, but according to Avaz’s source, Ashdown sent two letters to Terzic at the same time explaining in details what was expected from him. Terzic told the daily that he expected by January 31 to get names from HDZ (for three ministers) and a name of an SDS’s candidate for the Justice Ministry. Dnevni List reported that Ashdown met yesterday with Terzic. “It is about an internal agreement between the parties, but I clearly stressed Chair Terzic that all names that come to the OHR have to come on behalf of the BiH CoM and not on behalf of the parties”, said HR Ashdown. The SDS main board approved the participation of the party in the new BiH Council of Ministers and RS Government. According to the SDS spokesman, Dusan Stojicic, the SDS will have two ministers, one deputy minister and one secretary in the new CoM (Glas Srpski pg. 2 and Nezavisne Novine pg. 7). | |
Zenica-Doboj Canton | Avaz pg. 2 ‘in Ze-Do Canton awaiting for approval’ – that authorities of the Zenica-Doboj Canton promised that three ministers, two from SBiH and one from the HDZ-HKDU Coalition, will not start performing their new duties until green lighted by OHR. Muhidin Alic (SBiH rep) nominated for the cantonal MoI head, Sreto Tomasevic, for the Minister of Education, Science and Sport (also from SBiH) and Zeljka Klobicar (HDZ-HKDU) for the cantonal Justice Minister. OHR Spokesperson Braithwaite stated this was obviously a misunderstanding and not intended mistake. | |
Scandalous decision by departing CoM | Avaz pg. 1 and 3 – the departing CoM could end its mandate with a scandal. At a session held on December 9, the CoM decided to increase salaries of ministers from 1,500 KM to 2,300 KM. At the same time they reduced salaries of assistants and clerks from 940 KM to 760 KM. Dragan Mikerevic, former CoM Chair signed the decision. The salaries in the new amounts should be paid out to departing CoM members for the next six months. A source from the CoM told Avaz that it was expected that the new CoM Chair Terzic would annul the decision. | |
Noel Malcolm | Avaz pg. 1 and 5 – the British Historian, Noel Malcolm, gave a short interview to Avaz. The focus of the interview was the possibility of a war in Iraq. Asked about connection of the possible war in Iraq and BiH, Malcolm stated that he did not think that BiH would be influenced by it. As for his advice for Lord Ashdown, he said that Ashdown should ask himself before making any decision whether it would contribute to functioning of BiH as a single state or not. Asked whether Ashdown could be successful, Malcolm replied that his job and of the IC would be easier the sooner the single state was established. | |
Lozancic candidate for FBiH President | Avaz pg. 2 ‘Niko Lozancic candidate for FBiH president’, Oslobodjenje pg. 72 ‘Colak minister of security’, Dnevni list pg. 3 ‘Niko Lozancic the FBiH President’ – an announcement by HDZ saying that at their last session on Monday they established candidates for both Federation and BiH government. Baris Colak – security ministry and deputy of the CoM chair, Mila Gadzic – ministry of foreign trade and economic relations, Ljerka Maric – BiH ministry of finances and treasury, Niko Grubesic – deputy justice ministry, Ivica Marinovic – deputy minister of human rights and refugees, Lidija Topic – deputy foreign affairs minister. As for the Federation – Niko Lozancic for the Federation president. Once the CoM is established, Martin Raguz will be nominated to replace Barisa Colak at his position of the Deputy Speaker of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly. | |
HoR session | Avaz pg. 2 ‘Chairman announced that he will offer new CoM members’, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘The confirmation of new state government on Friday’, Dnevni List pg. 5 – at a session of the HoR scheduled for January 3, the house should confirm appointments for the deputy CoM chair, as well as for the new Com ministers and deputies. HoR Chair, Sefik Dzaferovic, stated he received information from CoM Chair Terzic that he would be ready by January 3 to offer new candidates for the CoM. | |
Press conference by Cavic, Osmanovic and Tomljenovic | Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘RS has made progress’ – RS President, Dragan Cavic, assessed on Monday that it was very significant that the last local elections in BiH were organised by the local authorities. In a joint press conference, with Adil Osmanovic and Ivan Tomljenovic, Cavic expressed a hope that in the following year it would become apparent that RS institutions can function within the current constitutional frame. Glas Srpski pg.3, Nezavisne Novine pg.6 – also reported on the above press conference. Speaking about the Orao affair and contents of the final report, Cavic said that at the latest session, the RS Supreme Defence Council discussed one of the most difficult things that ever happened to the RS – that was the violation of the UN embargo. “We have answered that question and the answer is in the report that will be forwarded to authorised BiH institutions, SFOR commander, High Representative and OSCE on 2nd or 3rd January,” said Cavic. Vice President Osmanovic stated that he expects good co-operation between the BiH CoM and RS government. “Year 2003 will bring new challenges, unexpected changes and great reforms,” said Tomljenovic. | |
Interview with Cavic | Blic pg. 10 ‘Reforms will produce a short-term consequences in RS’ – an interview with Dragan Cavic, RS President. Cavic said that he did not accept any claims by the international community that there had been no progress in the country, and added he thought that there was no need that for HR intervene so much. “On the contrary, I think he should stimulate talks between elected political representatives. But, the problem is that they (the IC), in continuity, do not like elected politicians and that is the main problem. The proof for this is that in last five years we had six elections,” Cavic said. He also emphasises that he does not know whether the High Representative likes newly elected politicians, but judging by the media reports he (Ashdown) was happy. Speaking about HR’s authorities, Cavic says that ‘we have to aspire to reducing HR’s role, and to have domestic forces that would be able to make decisions and bear responsibility by themselves’. According to him, right now there is no inter-national conflict in BiH, but a conflict among the political options of three constitutive people in BiH. Speaking about Orao affair, Cavic said that the report on the ‘Orao’ affair listed names of all persons responsible for the affair. The report further contains information about activities related to the violation of the UN Security Council Resolution, which have also been led in the Federation, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Bulgaria. He reiterates that the Supreme Defence Council has adopted the entire report on the investigation, which will be forwarded to the BiH Presidency, SFOR, OHR and OSCE by January 3. “We have done our best, disclosing the entire thing from top to bottom. It did not start in 2001 or 2002, but in 1997,” Cavic said. He added that he would like to see whether those who would make decision on the ‘Orao’ affair would have the same criteria for other countries that violated the Resolution. RS President is convinced that PM-designate Dragan Mikerevic can secure the majority. Commenting on VAT, Cavic says that no one rejects the VAT as a technique and standard of the EU, but the key questions is where the cash-box is going to be. “We cannot lose the budget, because we will lose the RS in functional sense”, Cavic says, expressing his doubt that VAT and the joint customs will be efficient if they are imposed. | |
New RS government | Blic pg. 7 ‘New Government in 10 days’ – that proposed names of 16 new ministers in the new RS government and a concept of executive authority’s work would be known by 10 January when the RS Parliament would hold a session. PM-designate Dragan Mikerevic claims that his platform is acceptable for the parliamentary majority and that his goal is to secure support of Serb councillors. At the same time, although he was told during the visit to Washington that it would be the best to form a government of moderate parties, Mikerevic had not decided yet which parties would compose the government. He is closer to the option to have the SDS in the government, but at the same time he has to take care about ethnic key: the government must have 8 Serbs, five Bosniaks and three Croats. According to Mikerevic however, his party, the PDP, will get the most important ministerial posts: finance, defence and interior affairs. Although there are indications that the SDS will keep the ministry of industry and technology and get the ministry of traffic and communications, the party does not want to comment on that. The SDA does not want to give up the ministry of interior affairs and the ministry of finance. According to Adil Osmanovic, it is real to expect that the SDA will get four ministerial posts. “If we cannot get the finance, then we will ask for the interior affairs. If that cannot be realised, then we should see that the PM-designate has to offer to us,” Osmanovic said. SDA members who will participate in the RS government: Omer Brankovic, Mensur Sahagic and Nurdin Muhamedbegovic. According to the SDA Vice-President, Elmir Jahic, it is still unknown which posts these three persons will occupy, but thus far the ministries for refugees, urbanism, economic relations and justice have been mentioned. Leader of the SNSD Milorad Dodik says that Mikerevic’s offer for participation in the future government is another game created by expert club called PDP in order to justify itself in the public. “Our participation is firmly defined frame of conditions, and if Mikerevic accepts it we will be ready to participate in the government. In that case, the SNSD should get at least seven ministerial posts. But, I am not sure that he will agree with our conditions,” Dodik says. Vice-President of the SPRS Miroslav Mikes says that it is still early to say whether this party will support Mikerevic. “We talked with him on Friday and told him that we thought it would be the best if the SNSD participated in the government as well, and that some other parties should not participate,” Mikes said, adding that the final decision would be made by Mikerevic. | |
SDS on new government | FENA – the SDS Main Board confirmed on Monday that representatives of the party would participate in the constituting of the new Council of Ministers and the RS government. The SDS Main Board regards as realistic to expect that the new Council of Ministers is constituted at the BiH House of Representatives session, which is scheduled for January 3. “It is also expected that the RS government mandatory, Dragan Mikerevic, would swiftly complete consultations on all open issues on the forming of new entity government, in order to ensure its verification at the National Assembly,” the announcement read. | |
Police Affairs |
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SBS certified
| Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 6, Avaz pg. 8 ‘UN certificate handed over to SBS’, Dnevni List pg. 3 – the BiH SBS yesterday was accredited by UNMIBH. UN SRSG Jacques Paul Klein handed over certificates to SBS heads in front of the Sarajevo airport building. Nijaz Spahic, SBS Director, stated that thanks to joint activities of the local authorities and international reps, especially UNMIBH, the SBS project has been realised successfully. SRSG Klein said there had only been 28 months since the SBS was inaugurated, and added that significant success had been achieved. | |
Andjelic case | Avaz pg. 1 and 2, Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 3 – the police continues to investigate the triple murder of Andjelic family in Kostajnica. The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK) MoI in co-operation with the Federation MoI raided ten places inhabited by people included in the investigation. In a place of Enes Sultanic police found large quantities of weapons initially believed to be used for terrorist activities. It was however established that the weapons were left over from the war. | |
Request for Maslesa’s resignation | Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Coalition requested Maslesa’s resignation’ – the HDZ-Croat People’s Community (HNZ)-Croat Demo Christians (HD) Coalition sent an open letter on Monday requesting that the Federation Minister of Interior, Ramo Maslesa, submits resignation. The reason being that he mixed ‘profession and politics’ in the case of religious fanaticism motivated murder of three Croat people in Kostajnica. | |
Reactions to Andjelic murders | Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘For some killers, for other heroes’ – a statement by the Chief of BiH Anti-Terrorist Team, Milan Lovric, that the murders did not happen by accident (from an interview he gave to Nezavisne Novine). He further blamed media for having different views on the situation. For some, according to Lovric, certain persons are heroes, and for others they are war criminals. ‘The guilty ones are those who talked them into it and paid them’ – members of the ‘Krug 99’ Association (Independent Intellectuals) strongly condemned the crime. They think that guilty parties are all those from any religious, political or ideological community, who raised, paid and supported the perpetrators to commit the crime. | |
CRO press on Kostajnica murders | Vecernji List pg. 1 and 2 – learns from a man from Konjic that original target of Muamer Topalovic, a man suspected of murdering three members of Andjelic family, was the local Kostajnica priest, Ante Ledic. “He probably intended to do it on Christmas Eve, but perhaps he turned toward the Andjelics’ house because there was a police patrol in front of the church. That is no coincidence because they are the biggest returnee family,” says the VL source following the raids that the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Ministry of Interior carried out in Konjic. The HNK MoI have, according to VL, detained ten or so Islamic extremists and found a lot of weapons. The MoI also found larger quantities of written documentation, videotapes and a computer which have been sent for further investigation. The HNK MoI’s report says that one of the 10 houses searched on Sunday contained 8 boxes of ammunition, a machine gun and 8 automatic rifles. “Anyone who wants to kill me, he/she can do it here in my office, but I will not be scared with threats. That’s why I told HR Ashdown, if there had to be more victims, let it be me, not somebody else, ” said Priest Ledic. With regards to the raids in Konjic, Dnevni List pg. 1 and 21 – informs that one person, not 10 persons, was detained and brought to Konjic Police Station for further questioning. HNK MoI says that the investigation continues and that the public will be informed about it. (similar report in Slobodna Dalmacija on pg. 5) Nacional pg. 16 ‘Murder of Andjelic is the most serious crime in BiH since the DPA’ – Mate Granic, former Croatian Foreign Minister, comments that the HR, as well as the highest officials in BiH and FBiH, who immediately visited Kostajnica and the Andjelic family, realize well that this crime is the most serious one after the DPA was signed. “The visit will not help the Andjelic much, but will help BiH’s future. If the immediate perpetrator and those who incited him into the crime are not drastically punished for it in line with the law, there will be no Croats returning to BiH. That is why it is important for all representatives of authority in BiH, from all constituent peoples, and for the HR, that this be the last warning not to tolerate any religious or national extremism and to remove all the obstacles to the return of refugee”, says Granic. | |
ONASA report on murders | ONASA – The Judge of the cantonal Court in Mostar, Reuf Zaimovic, on Monday said that a person of Bosniak ethnicity, detained after an arsenal of weapons was found in his house in Konjic, was not connected to the Andjelic case. “Several persons have been included in the investigation, but I claim that this person had nothing to do with the murder,” Zaimovic, who is in charge of the case, told ONASA by phone. At the request of the cantonal Prosecution in Mostar, police has so far searched a dozen of facilities in Konjic and seized documents in order to ‘connect the suspect with other persons who work in other organizations in the municipality’. | |
Scandal in RS intelligence | Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 – The head of the department for Prevention of Crime and Corruption in RS Intelligence Service Directorate, Dusan Tegeltija, filed charges with the Bijeljina Basic Court against officials from the RS intelligence for misuse of the position. According to Tegeltija, officials of the service have misused their positions as they illegally allocated 14 apartments to the employees who later registered those apartments as private property. The daily has learnt from its sources in Bijeljina basic court that on 23rd December, the OHR requested the prosecutor’s office to investigate all the circumstances related to the case. | |
New Year columns |
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Avaz’s traditional ‘Personality of the Year’
| On pg. 4 ‘Mustafa ef. Ceric first in local, and Ashdown in international competition’ Avaz announced results of its traditional, end of the year elections for the local and international personality of the year. This year Mustafa ef. Ceric was elected the local personality of the year, while HR Paddy Ashdown won as the international personality of the year. The daily, on the same page, carried separate article on both Ceric and Ashdown. The article on Ashdown entitled ‘Reformer who wants to be Bosnian’, starts with the following opening line. “Paddy Ashdown is a totally different, unusual HR. After Bildt, Westendorp and Petritsch, Ashdown mark the arrival of a liberal political, the man of unconventional behaviour and relationship with other people.” | |
DL’s top events in 2002 | Dnevni List pg. 26 and 27 – features a list of top events that marked year 2002. Without any particular order, here are the top 12 events: BiH joining the Council of Europe; Arrival of Paddy Ashdown; Mostar weapon caches; Social unrest by HVIDRA members in particular; Acquitting of indictees in Leutar case; Return of national parties; Biljana Plavsic pleads guilty; BiH fails to host European Football Championship; Extradition of the ‘Algerian group’; ‘Orao’ affair; Strike of education workers; Trial against Milosevic. | |
International Community |
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Editorial in Nezavisne by Ashdown
| HR Paddy Ashdown writes the editorial in today’s issue of Nezavisne Novine on pg. 2. The High Representative summarises achievements in 2002 and speaks about priorities for the year 2003. “Our top two priorities for the first few months of 2003 must be to reform and unify the customs administration. This is essential if we are to end the fraud and duplication that is the inevitable consequence of BiH’s fragmented customs administrations. Moreover, only an efficient single administration for BiH will encourages business, investment and job creation. Our second priority is to get political agreement for the introduction of VAT at the state level. The sales-tax regime is inefficient and discredited. It has become a playground for criminals and tax evaders. It also helps divide BiH into three separate micro economies – the Federation, the RS and Brcko – none of which are attractive to businesses or foreign investment. A single VAT for BiH will cut back on fraud, boost revenues, and help create a single economic space.” | |
Statement by Klein | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Radovan Karadzic is disgrace for the West’ – an interview that UN SRSG Jacques Paul Klein gave to London Times. ‘Up until Serb leader is not extradited to The Hague there will be no progress in BiH,” said Klein. He further stated that Karadzic represent international disgrace. He added that no one could persuade him that the strongest military alliance in the history of the world was not capable of finding one war criminal. “Western Headquarters – Washington, London, Paris and Berlin – have not taken the issue serious enough.” | |
‘We know who killed Leutar’ Klein | Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 – a farewell interview with UN SRSG Jacques Paul Klein. Klein spoke about the Leutar case and said that it was not closed yet. “I cannot comment on the case as it has not been completed yet. However, we know who the perpetrators are, and at the end they will face justice. I would love to tell you more about the case background, but I cannot due to my professional ethics.” Speaking about failures of his mission to BiH, Klein stated that the biggest failure is that ‘they did not succeed in persuading all three constituent peoples that their political and economic future is here, in BiH’. “There are still some who do not understand that there will be no more divisions, no autonomy, that BiH is a state and that the Europeans and Americans would not tolerate anything else. None of the three peoples have an alternativeto this state, and they have to do everything to make it work.” | |
Del Ponte on ICTY mandate | Both Banja Luka dailies carry the excerpts from the interview given by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte to the Moscow daily Izvestia (Glas Srpski pg.3, Nezavisne Novine pg. 4). Del Ponte stated that the ICTY mandate would be extended and that the Court would work until former Serb leaders, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, were arrested. Del Ponte said she was deeply disappointed that Karadzic was not yet arrested. | |