CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
SFOR raided Radio Sveti Jovan owned by Radovan Karadzic’s daughter | SFOR raided Radio Sveti Jovan
| RS authorities delivered report on investigation in Orao to SFOR Commander | OHR supported concept of new RS Government
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PDHR Hays warned OHR will impose single customs system in BiH even if Serb side disagree | No negotiations on single customs, says Donald Hays
| SFOR checked are radio frequencies used in right purposes | Security depends on local police forces, said in Prijedor High Representative |
Nearly 50 died out of coldness | SFOR received report on investigation in Orao Factory | If OHR approves new ministers for Council of Ministers, BiH Parliament will confirm tomorrow their appointment | SFOR conducted inspection of Radio Sveti Jovan
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American President George Bush said dispute with North Korea could be solved politically but expects war with Iraq | Despite cost raise, fuel is still cheapest in Brcko District |
| Collision of tanker and sink ship in the North Sea |
Oslobodjenje | SFOR checks on Sonja Karadzic |
Dnevni Avaz | SFOR raided Radio Station owned by Sonja Karadzic; Ashdown and Frederiksen in Prijedor – The task of police is to arrest the attackers |
Dnevni List | Today closed session of the Croatian Government: Will 7000 HVO invalids lose compensation from Croatia? |
Vecernji List | New action in Pale: SFOR searched radio of Karardzic’s daughter |
Slobodna Dalmacija | Victims of Communist dictatorship employed in state institutions were punished again: Former political prisoners received dismissals because they were imprisoned |
Glas Srpski | A sudden inspection of the Orthodox radio station in Pale: SFOR in “Saint Jovan”; At the US airports: stronger control |
Nezavisne Novine | Action of Multi-national forces in Pale: SFOR searches Radio station owned by Radovan Karadzic’s daughter; Ashdown and Frederiksen in Prijedor: Security of citizens in hands of local authorities; New Year’s celebration: 100 000 people celebrated at public squares; SDS proposes Lemez, Mijatovic and Mehtic to BiH Council of Ministers |
FRY Nacional | Velimir Ilic: I leave politics; Foreign soldiers raided Sonja Karadzic’s radio station |
Blic | From now on EU Police in BiH; Final report on Orao today; Ranka Misic: The Government faces hot spring; Frederiksen: We will make the BiH authority to be responsible |
Vecernje Novosti | Milutinovic after the Orthodox Christmas? |
International community/OHR | |
SFOR searches radio station run by Karadzic’s daughter | Shortly after 1430 on Thursday SFOR completed an unannounced inspection of documentation and premises of the [Serb] Orthodox radio station Sveti Jovan in Pale, a SRNA correspondent has reported. The soldiers inspected all documents, the radio station premises and copied information from computers. Not only were the working premises and employees filmed and photographed, but so were onlookers in front of the building and journalists present at the scene. At the radio station a US Army colonel had a conversation with radio director Sonja Karadzic-Jovicevic – reportedly about program schedules and the functioning of the radio. SFOR Spokesman Yves Vanier said that members of the multinational forces did not have any particular reasons for inspecting the radio premises. He added that the action was conducted in line with the mandate of the multinational forces in BiH. “Within the scope of its mandate SFOR has been carrying out unannounced operations, i.e. inspections of commercial and communication facilities. This is part of our mandate in line with the general framework peace agreement,” Vanier said. According to him, by carrying out such actions in the broadcast media, SFOR is keen to obtain “all details” on the radio broadcast network in BiH, to verify whether facilities such as radio stations are used for that particular purpose and finally to identify any anti-Dayton activities. After the SFOR action none of Orthodox radio station Sveti Jovan employees was keen to make any statements. The inspection of the documentation and premises was carried out by around 30 SFOR soldiers. (Oslobodjenje, front page, pages 4-5, Dnevni Avaz, front page, p 2, FRY Nacional p 2 headline ‘Foreign soldiers raided Sonja Karadzic’s radio’, Vecernje Novosti p 4 headline ‘SFOR in Sveti Jovan radio station’, Blic p 7 headline ‘Even journalists were taped’, Vecernji List, front and page 3, by D. Jazvic). Both Banja Luka dailies report on yesterday’s SFOR inspection of Radio station St. Jovan in Pale (Glas Srpski, cover page, Nezavisne Novine, cover page and p 3). According to Glas Srpski’s report, SFOR soldiers have searches all the facilities of the radio station, journalist’s and editing room, even the attic of the house in which the radio station is located, copied all the files from computers, scanned documents they found at the station. SFOR announced that this inspection was one of their regular inspections, which they usually do all over BiH. According to the SFOR Spokesman, Ives Vanier, the inspection carried out at the radio station St. Jovan has nothing to do with Radovan Karadzic. The owner of the station, Sonja Karadzic Jovicevic entered the premises of the station escorted by the RS police. She said that SFOR soldiers behaved correctly and that if they announced their visit, they would have been offered coffee or a drink. The OHR Chief Spokesman, Julian Braithwaite, stated at a press conference yesterday in Sarajevo that SFOR inspection was not carried out upon the request of the High Representative. |
Ashdown meets with Mikerevic
| The mandator for the Republika Srpska government, Dragan Mikerevic, said on Thursday he had gained support from High Representative Paddy Ashdown for a new government concept. The new government should be formed by 16 January. Mikerevic told reporters after meeting with Ashdown in Banja Luka he presented the concept to the High Representative that includes key economic and legal reforms. He said the new RS government would also set up the necessary cooperation with representatives of the international community and BiH institutions. Mikerevic said he is ready to give two ministerial seats to the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) but added that talks with other political parties are not completed and that many options are open. The High Representative said he agreed with Mikerevic on numerous issues regarding the concept of the new government, assessing the first task will be forming of a custom administration and setting up the Value Added Tax (VAT) at the state level. “The new RS government must be a government of reforms and include experts assigned for reforms. The government must have new, young people, experts and more women,” Ashdown warns. “BiH and RS are departing from a post-conflict and are entering a transition road towards Europe. I believe it is possible to introduce BiH in Europe because the country does not fail of talent, entrepreneurship and skilfulness,” Ashdown said. (Oslobodjenje, p 4: “More women and young people in the Government”, Dnevni Avaz, p 3: “Young experts prepared for reforms should be in the RS Government” Glas Srpski, p 2, extensive report, headline: Points of integration and cooperation, Nezavisne Novine, p 6, short inset within interview with Mikerevic, headline: Ashdown and Mikerevic on VAT, FRY Nacional p 11 headline ‘New Government must continue on the road of reforms’, Vecernje Novosti p 3 headline ‘Finished on 16 January’) In the interview for Nezavisne Novine, Mikerevic stated that he would try to find solutions for the new Government between thee parties: SDS, PDP and SNSD. He also said he would not accept SDA’s conditioning its support with a request to get either Ministry of Finance or Interior Ministry. Mikerevic said briefly: “None of those two ministries will be allocated to them. That is clear.” Commenting on speculations that Milica Bisic, RS Tax Administration Director, will become RS finance minister, Mikerevic said: ”Milica Bisic and those like her can count on it. I would love to have more ‘Milicas’ in the Government.”. Slobodna Dalmacija (last page, “Banja Luka: Talk of Paddy Ashdown and Dragan Mikerevic: People are tired of old faces”) and Dnevni List (page 10, “Meeting of Dragan Mikerevic, RS Prime Minister designate and Paddy Ashdown, High Representative: Mikerevic received Ashdown’s support”) also report that Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative, met with Dragan Mikerevic, the RS Prime Minister designate, in Banja Luka. According to the reports the HR stated: “People are tired of old faces and called on the parties to propose new persons, experts for a new Government and not old, tired faces who were making obstructions and who were not implementing reforms.” |
Ashdown on Orao report | “RS authorities today sent to SFOR Commander William Ward a report on an investigation into the Orao Aviation Institute,” High Representative Paddy Ashdown said on Thursday in Prijedor. “This is a voluminous report and the first conclusions can be expected in a few weeks’ time,” Ashdown said, declining to specify what the Office of the High Representative would do should it be unhappy about the report. He went on to say that there was much information to be considered. (Oslobodjenje, p 6: “Report on Orao delivered to SFOR”, Nezavisne Novine, p 3) In addition in an exclusive statement for FTV last night, Ashdown said that, from this report, he expected the truth. He added that all the possible consequences would be considered and that another hiding of facts would not be allowed. This scandal, according to the High Representative made more damage to BiH’s international reputation than any other. |
Ashdown, Frederiksen visit Prijedor | The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown and the EUPM Commissioner Sven Frederiksen visited on Thursday Kozarac and Prijedor. Ashdown and Frederiksen visited the returnee settlement of Kozarusa, Public Security Center in Prijedor and Restaurant Le Pont in Prijedor, which was a target of violent attacks twice during last year. During their visit to Kozarusa, Ashdown and Frederiksen visited the hamlet of Mujkanovici, where an explosive device was thrown at the mosque, and met with the Imam Sakib efendi Dzaferovic. Efendi Dzaferovic informed Ashdown and Frederiksen about problems that returnees are facing. (Oslobodjenje, p 4: “Aims (of the EUPM) are security of the returnees and the fight against the crime”, Dnevni Avaz, p 3” “The task of the police is to arrest the attackers”, Blic p 2 headline ‘Safety for all’) Both Banja Luka dailies also report on yesterday’s visit of Ashdown and Frederiksen to Kozarac and Prijedor (Glas Srpski, p 3, headline: International representatives in Prijedor: investigations without political influence, Nezavisne Novine, cover page and p 2, headline: Paddy Ashdown and Sven Frederiksen in visit to Prijedor: Security of citizens is in the hands of BiH authorities). Nezavisne Novine quotes Ashdown as saying: “For the first time since the end of war, the security of the BiH citizens will depend more on the local and less on international police forces.” Ashdown explained that the EUPM will closely monitor the work of local police and emphasized that it is an obligation of local authorities to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The Dnevni Avaz Commentary of the Day written by Almasa Hadzic (“A clear message to those spreading fear”) was dedicated to Ashdown and Frederiksen’s visit to Prijedor and Kozarac. Hadzic emphasizes that this visit means a lot in terms of the delivery of a clear message that the violent actions against returnees will not be tolerated. |
Hays’ letter to Ivanic | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 16, “Julian Braithwaite, OHR Spokesperson, on Hays letter to RS Prime Minister: Unique customs does not have alternative”) and Vecernji List (page 5, “There are no negotiations on principle of unique customs”) carry that Julian Braithwaite, an OHR Spokesperson, stated at the press conference in Sarajevo that Donald Hays, the Principle Deputy High Representative, sent a letter to Mladen Ivanic, the RS Prime Minister, in which Hays said that the reform of customs is one of the priorities of the High Representative at the beginning of this year and that there cannot be negotiations on the principle of the unique, unified customs’ administration. SD says that Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative, supported the Hay’s stands stated in this letter during the HR’s meeting with Dragan Mikerevic, the RS Prime Minister designate. Dnevni List (page 10, “Hays disappointed with Ivanic’s stand”), Jutarnji List (page 4, “Unique customs’ system is being introduced in BiH”), Oslobodjenje, p 4: “There will be no negotiations on the principle of single customs”, Dnevni Avaz, p 8: “There will be no discussion about the principle of a single cusatoms administration at the level of BiH”, and FRY Nacional p 11 headline ‘Hays disappointed with Ivanic’s stand on customs’ also covered this letter. Nezavisne Novine (p 4) carries the facsimile in English language of the letter addressed by the PDHR, Donald Hays, to the RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, warning him that the principle of single customs administration in BiH is not a matter for discussion, and that only technical aspects and division of public revenues can be discussed. In his letter to the RS Prime Minister, Hays said he is disappointed with Ivanic’s proposals assessing them as unacceptable as they would “only improve the current situation but would not change it”. The letter also says: “In 2002 alone, 600 million KM ended up in hands of criminals precisely because BiH has three customs administrations, not one as in other countries. |
PLIP | The PLIP agencies (OHR, UNHCR, OSCE, CRPC and UNMIBH) on Thursday announced the Property Law Implementation statistics for November 2002. They noted an overall increase of three percent in property-law implementation rate, which as of the end of November stands at 67 percent throughout the country. (Oslobodjenje, p 8, Dnevni Avaz, p 2: “82,000 property claims still not solved in BiH’) |
High Representative extends decision on collective and transit centres | The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Wednesday issued a Decision extending by six months the requirement that domestic authorities take steps to ensure that all collective centres and transit centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina are used as both alternative and emergency accommodation, said OHR Chief Spokesperson, Julian Braithwaite, at a press conference on Thursday in Sarajevo (Glas Srpski, p 2, headline: Back to collective centres again, Nezavisne Novine, p 3, headline Deadline for use of collective centres extended), Dnevni List (page 7, “Adequate protection for those using alternative accommodation secured”). Braithwaite explained that the High Representative made this decision in order to provide adequate accommodation for those individuals whose property claims are not resolved yet. |
BiH Council of Ministers Establishment |
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BiH House of Representatives to discuss candidates for CoM members today? | Dnevni List (front and page 5, “Adnan Trezic, Chairman of Council of Ministers, will offer today composition of BiH Council of Ministers: OHR’s verification for 5 Ministers has been expected”) carries that the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament Assembly should verify the appointment of the Deputy Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, the Ministers and Deputy Ministers in the BiH Council of Ministers at the session that is to take place in Sarajevo on Friday (Oslobodjenje, p 3: “Approval by OHR necessary”, Dnevni Avaz p 4, Vecernji List, page 2, “Council of Ministers awaits confirmation in parliament”) | |
OHR is checking on candidates for 5 CoM members | J ulian Braithwaite, the Chief OHR Spokesperson, stated that the BiH Council of Ministers Chairman designate Adnan Terzic had delivered names of the five candidates for the CoM members to OHR for check. Braithwaite emphasized that OHR had nothing against the parliamentary discussion about the candidates prior to the OHR approval but that, without this approval, not a single candidate would be able to officially assume the duties (Dnevni List, Dnevni Avaz, p 4) | |
Sefik Dzaferovic: HoR will today not discuss candidates for CoM members | In a statement for Dnevni Avaz, p 4, the Chairman of the BiH HoR, Sefik Dzaferovic, said that it had been decided following consultations with OHR, political parties and Terzic not to discuss the candidates for the CoM members in the HoR until the finalisation of the checking procedure in OHR. | |
RS candidates fore BiH CoM | Nezavisne Novine (p 7) has learnt from its sources that SDS proposed the following three candidates for the BiH CoM: Mirko Mijatovic for Justice Minister, Bosko Lemez, for Communications minister and Dragan Mehtic, for Deputy Minister for Security. The SDS Spokesman, Dusan Stojicic, did not want to confirm nor deny the information. The daily also reports that SDS and PDP had a conflict about the appointment of the Communications Minister: even though it was almost certain that PDP’s Branko Dokic, would be proposed for the post, the SDS changed its mind and wants to put forward its own candidate. There are some speculations that the President of the RS Socialist Party, Petar Dokic, is the candidate that SDS would propose and support. | |
Affairs |
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SD: “Former political prisoners get fired because they were-imprisoned”
| Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Antonio Karamatic) reads that the Croat Association of Political Prisoners will address the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, because of a practice that former political prisoners cannot work in the police force in the new regime. Apparently, Vjekoslav Simovic and Miroslav Crnjac, both Croats, have been fired from service by Sredoje Novic, who was according to the daily, chosen to become the head of SIPA by Ashdown. Both Simovic and Crnjac have been allegedly fired because of their previous criminal record. The association believes that this and similar moves by Ashdown and his subordinates degrades BiH into the communist dictatorship because Novic was allegedly a tormentor of the Croat people before as well as nowadays. | |
JL: Munir Alibabic: “I detected 741 mujahiddin in BiH“ | Jutarnji List (page 6, by Snjezana Pavic) carries a former head of FOSS removed by HR Ashdown, Munir Alibabic, as commenting on the murder of the Andjelic family in Kostajnica near Konjic. “Minister Maslesa gave a statement immediately after the murder that it was not a nationally motivated act and that it was committed by a multi-national group thus trying to obstruct the investigation and hide the real organizers of the crime. The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Ministry of Interior insisted that the Federation Police be excluded from the investigation but the Commissioner of the Federation Police, Zlatko Miletic, did not allow it. Miletic ordered full investigation against Muamer Topalovic, despite the resistance and intention that everything ends up with Topalovic admitting the crime. In that way, a case of Muris Ljubuncic would be repeated, a man who is also a member of the Active Islamic Youth in Bugojno, who admitted planting of explosive into houses of the Croat returnees but who was acquitted in the court of law because the police did not carry out a proper investigation. That’s why, according to my information, Miletic is now being removed”, says Alibabic. Alibabic goes on to say the arrival of the national parties will encourage the extremists to be more active and that the extremists’ groups will help HR Ashdown to finish the job started by Lord Owen, that is the division of BiH. | |
Crimes |
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Svilanovic about Milutinovic / new American pressures
| Goran Svilanovic, FRY Foreign Minister and president of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, said that the procedure regarding former Serbian president Milan Milutinovic, whose extradition is requested by t the Hague Tribunal, would not be finished before the Orthodox Christmas. At the same time, The US ambassador for war crimes, Pierre Richard Prosper, has said that the USA will once again exert pressure on Yugoslavia, BiH and Croatia to arrest and hand over to the Hague tribunal as soon as possible 25 indictees to be found in their territory. The American state official announced that he would visit Belgrade, Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Zagreb during the third week of January. “If Yugoslavia fails to extradite indictees, including Ratko Mladic, it will risk to lose bilateral help of US (40 million $) and Washington’s support in international financial institutions after 31 March 2003, which is the deadline for extraditing,” Prosper said. Prosper will ask the RS authorities to arrest former RS President Radovan Karadzic, while he will request Croatian authorities to arrest Generals Janko Bobetko and Anto Gotovina. (Blic p 2, Vecernje Novosti p 3&9, Oslobodjenje, p 6) | |
Editorial: “Ashdown’s Karadzic” | Vjesnik (page 4, by Marko Barisic) carries a negative editorial regarding the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown’s, statement for BBC that “Karadzic will probably not be arrested with help from Apache helicopter. He is likely to be caught because we, bit by bit, piece by piece, remove from him the support of the population who still regard him as a hero”. Barisic says if the statement is conveyed genuinely, than Ashdown sends a clear message to Karadzic that he should not be afraid of sudden SFOR operations and that he could peacefully live in east Bosnia where he enjoys support of the local population. The author goes on to say that the HR has just warmed up some old suspicions that he represents some European circles which not only do not want Karadzic arrest to take place but prevent it too. | |
SD: “Money being collected to help murderer Muamer Topalovic” | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15, by Ivo Curkovic) reads that after don Ante Ledic, a local priest in Kostajnica, started to raise money for Marinko Andjelic, a survivor of the Kostajnica incident, the same, but on the other side, happened in Bugojno. Apparently, an older woman wearing traditional Moslem clothing was collecting money for Muamer Topalovic in a broad daylight in centre of Bugojno. Vecernji List (front and page 5, by Z. Ma) reads that Marinko Andjelic is recovering at the Zagreb Clinic. According to a senior official of the clinic, Andjelic will most probably have to admitted for another month. Andjelic himself says that he feels better and that he could eat and walk a bit. He also says that his vision is getting clearer (NB: he lost his right and the left eye has been damaged) | |