| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| ICTY trial of two Bosniaks | Sentence to Nikolic | 27 years to Nikolic | Terrorist threat in BL |
| FBiH HoR session | War crimes trial of Hota | Sentence to Hota | Tihic in trial of Milosevic |
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| Law on public enterprises | Privatization revision |
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| HR, EUPM on intelligence |
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| Oslobodjenje | HR Paddy Ashdown warns BiH CoM: Intelligence service must not spy on citizens |
| Dnevni Avaz | NATO to invite BiH to join Partnership for Peace |
| Dnevni List | “New scandal regarding reconstruction of Old Bridge?”; “Ruling Coalition is resolving political problems through Aluminij” |
| Vecernji List | “ ‘Podravka’ took over Lijanovic’s products”; “ ‘Aluminij’ prepares shutting down of production” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Mostar will be swamped with garbage soon”; “12 Heads of World Bank at Old Bridge: New funds for reconstruction” |
| Glas Srpske | Ethnic tensions in Bosansko Grahovo: Police versus tricolour flag |
| Nezavisne Novine | ICTY: Momir Nikolic sentenced to 27 years imprisonment; Ruling parties plan to negotiate on Government re-shuffle: Minister Bogicevic first on the list to leave; Draft Law on Corporate Governance: Criminal responsibility for bad managers |
| Blic | British ‘Petrokamak’ tricked the RS Government: Petroleum fraud; Paddy Ashdown: To speed up the Law on Intelligence Services; Confession of informer: I had been providing with false data on Radovan Karadzic’s whereabouts |
Security | |
| Ashdown wants intelligence bill to be sent to parliament
| Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Intelligence service must not spy on citizens’ – Interview with High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Ashdown on Tuesday requested the BiH Council of Ministers to forward the bill on the intelligence and security agency into parliamentary procedure. In the letter sent to Adnan Terzic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Ashdown said that the Council of Ministers’ failure to forward the bill to parliament by 15 December would send a disturbing message about the operation of the Council of Ministers and its readiness to seriously deal with the security of the state. BHTV 1, FTV, Dnevni List (page 2, “Law on Intelligence- Security Agency by December 15”, not signed), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Draft to be forwarded in parliament procedure’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Urgently send draft law on intelligence agency into the parliamentary procedure’, Blic, p 13 carried OHR Spokesman Vedran Persic’s statement on the issue at a press conference in Sarajevo on Tuesday. |
| OHR, EUPM urge BiH CoM to provide premises for SIPA
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, Dnevni List page 3, “To find an adequate seat for SIPA urgently”, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Find location for SIPA in the course of this week’, FENA – OHR and EUPM requested the BiH Council of Ministers on Tuesday to as soon as possible find an adequate headquarters for the State Information and Protection Agency (SIPA) so that it can become operational. OHR spokesperson Vedran Persic told a press conference in Sarajevo that the state needs to immediately find a location for SIPA so that it can start its activities. The start of its activities is important for moving BiH closer to the EU, as well as for protecting its borders, because the task of SIPA is to battle international crime, terrorism and human trafficking. |
| Update to coup d’etat affair | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not authorise tapping of Alibabic’ – NN got hold of a document issued by Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and signed by Raif Karic, Supreme Court Secretary, which stresses that the Supreme Court of F BIH did not issue a tapping order of Munir Alibabic. |
| Police action in Banjaluka | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Police was looking for terrorists’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Police in state of alert’, Vecernji List page 2, “MoI of RS intensified control”, by Fena – Republika Srpska Interior Ministry last night confirmed that Banjaluka police increased security measures in the region of Banjaluka, aimed at detecting persons engaged in terrorist and other criminal activities. The police check-points have been established at several locations in town. Police asked local population to co-operate with police and show understanding. |
War crimes | |
| Momir Nikolic sentenced to 27 years in prison for war crimes in Srebrenica
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg. 3, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, Vecernje Novosti, p 17 ’27 years in prison for Momir Nikolic’, FENA/AFP – The ICTY sentenced on Tuesday Bosnian Serb officer Momir Nikolic to 27 years in prison for crimes against humanity committed during the massacre in Srebrenica. The Court handed a tougher sentence than requested by the Prosecution – 15 to 20 years. The Defence requested a sentence of less than ten years. Nikolic was arrested in 2002 and initially pleaded not guilty on crimes against humanity and genocide, crimes which he was initially indicted for. He then changed his plea and in May pleaded guilty on crimes against humanity and in turn the Prosecution dropped war crimes and genocide charges. |
| Tihic appears as witness in trial of Milosevic before ICTY | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7, mentioned on the front page ‘Arkan’s men were warlords in Samac’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘JNA members we beating us up after every meal’ – The prosecution in the trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic on Tuesday introduced as a witness Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic, who said that in 1992 in Bosanski Samac he was arrested and tortured by paramilitaries from Serbia. Tihic, who was at the time the chairman of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) in Bosanski Samac, said that the main role in taking the town by force on 17 April 1992 was performed by the Red Berets (Serbian Interior Ministry Special Operations Unit), “Arkan’s men” (murdered indicted war criminal Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan’s paramilitary), and “Grey Wolves” (paramilitary group from Serbia led by Slobodan Miljkovic Lugar, murdered in 1998). He said that he was arrested, beaten up and interrogated, and then transferred to a detention cell in the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) barracks in Brcko, where the said paramilitary formations were stationed. |
| Trial of Hadziahasanovic, Kubura started before ICTY | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 4, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, Blic, p 12 ‘Time for different image of the war has come’, FENA – The trial of RBiH Army retired general Enver Hadzihasanovic and Colonel Amir Kubura started before the ICTY on Tuesday. Hadzihasanovic and Kubura are indicted for violations of customs of war, i.e. was crimes against Bosnian Croats in Central Bosnia in 1993. |
| US, NATO to help apprehension of war criminals | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘US forces to help SFOR’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Rumsfeld and Robertson demand arrest of Karadzic and Mladic’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page, FENA – US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in Brussels that US forces in BiH would help SFOR operation of arresting and transferring to the Hague indicted war criminals. Rumsfeld reminded that Karadzic and Mladic are still at large and said that SFOR already started an operation of “breaking the criminal network” which allows remaining indicted war criminals to continue escaping justice. “US forces will help SFOR arrest Karadzic and other indicted war criminals that are still beyond the reach of justice”, Rumsfeld said Monday evening at a press conference. NATO Secretary General George Robertson said that it is the obligation of all in BiH to arrest indicted war criminals and transfer them to The Hague. |
| Confession of a spy: I had been giving false information on Karadzic | Blic, p 11 ‘I had been providing with false information on Karadzic’ – D.P., a refugee from Sarajevo, claims that he had been recruited to monitor movements of Radovan Karadzic for a Muslim secret police by the order of Munir Alibabic, the former Head of the State Security in BiH and first man of the Federation of BiH Intelligence-security Service. He explains the manner in which he had been forcibly recruited and he points out that he had been providing with false information during various tasks he had been assigned with. He claims that the most important reason that had driven him to make public all he had done is the fact that certain Muriz T., the Chief of intelligence agents, had secretly established a para-police group for apprehending Karadzic. He claims that the group is under patronage of a foreign secret service. ‘Apart from this, I am a severely ill person and a bullet would only end my misery’, D.P. said. |
| Mustafa Hota sentenced to 9 years in prison for war crimes in Grabovica | BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 9, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8, FENA – Mustafa Hota, who is indicted for murdering civilians Pero Maric and his wife Dragica Maric in the night between September 8 and 9 1993 in Grabovica as a member of unit of the 9th Brigade On the BiH Army, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. The ruling was made on Tuesday by the Council of the Sarajevo Cantonal Court. Vecernji List page 3, “9 years of prison to Mustafa Hota”, Slobodna Dalmacija page 7, “9 years of prison because of murder of Croats in Grabovica”, by Hina and Dnevni List front and page 4, “Mustafa Hota sentenced to 9 years of prison”, by Fena, Blic, p 12 ‘Time for different image of the war has come’ also covered this information. |
| Dr. Milan Bulajic on Srebrenica | Vecernje Novosti p 8 ‘There was crime but no genocide’ – The President of the Fund for investigation of genocide, Dr. Milan Bulajic, claims that there was crime in Srebrenica, but there was no genocide. He says that the plan of the RS Army had not been to take over Srebrenica, but only to reduce the protected area into urban frames, i.e. for it to stop being a terrorist center of Muslim forces for attacks against Serb army. He also says that it was a suicidal act to send 15,000 fighters to try to pass through Serb territory, instead to accept the offer on surrender under UN control. He claims that Naser Oric had written to Alija Izetbegovic: “I had not agreed with your decision on surrender of Srebrenica that you have agreed on with Frenchmen, and I especially had not agreed with the later event in it, with so many sacrificed civilians, regardless to the effect that has been accomplished”. Bulajic says that the crimes have been committed, yet it is not known who had committed those and for whom. |
Defence | |
| NATO to invite BiH to join PfP
| Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘NATO to invite BiH to join PfP’ – The NATO ministers will send an invitation to BiH to join Partnership for Peace Program in June next year, learns the newspaper from the diplomatic sources close to the Alliance. The decision will be made at a session of the NATO Council scheduled to take plave from December 4-5 in Brussels. Together with BiH, the neighbouring Serbia and Montenegro will also get an invitation. |
| Robertson welcomes adoption of BiH defence law | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Big step forward’, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘The most significant step after Dayton’, Dnevni List page 6, “NATO welcomed passing of joint Headquarters in BiH” – NATO Secretary General Robertson expressed opinion that recent passing of the Law on defence in BiH parliament was one of the most important changes in political ambient in BiH since Dayton agreement signing. |
Economic/social issues | |
| OHR handed texts of draft laws on public companies to Entity Prime Ministers
| BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Against corruption and mismanagement’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Criminal responsibility for bad managers’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Lawlessness ended up with’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘More efficient investigations against directors, steering boards’, Dnevni List page 5, by R. Radic,FENA – Special Advisor to the High Representative Zoran Pajic on Tuesday delivered to FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic texts of draft laws on public companies in the FBiH and RS aimed at resolving the problem of corruption and inadequate management in BiH companies. The laws on public companies in the Federation and the RS define specific responsibilities and legal commitments of senior management staff in public companies and has given the chief auditor and prosecutions in both entities the possibility to conduct more direct and detailed analysis of activities of companies. It also mentions sanctions and legal tools, specifies measures that need to be taken in order to establish better management and provides a model for an ethical code. The law mentions as one of the main objectives the establishment of individual responsibility for key business areas and the improvement of transparency and efficiency of companies. Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays said on the occasion that laws presented are only a part of the solution and that together with two other laws currently being developed, the Law on Procurement and the Law on Using and Distributing Public Funds, it would provide for good management. “I see the law as a key instrument for battling corruption and bad management”, Hadzipasic said and added that the Law has the force of sanctions and would ensure efficiency. Mikerevic said that public companies are the moving force that can influence that development of the private sector. |
| FBiH HoR failed to discuss draft law on revision of privatisation | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Adoption of the privatisation revision law delayed’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9, FENA – On Tuesday the FBiH House of Representatives did not consider the Draft Law on Revision of Privatisation of Companies. The draft was prepared by the BiH Association of Independent Trade Unions, and his authorised proposer was deputy Mirnes Ajanovic. Federation Industry Minister Izet Zigic suggested the House not to consider the Draft of this Law at this session because the FBiH Government had already forwarded to the Parliament its version of the draft law on checking on the privatisation contracts. The both versions are likely to be discussed at the next session of the house. |
| Final version of BiH development strategy adopted
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, FENA – The BiH Co-ordination Board for Economic Development and European Integration adopted on Tuesday the final version of the BiH Development Strategy-PRSP, and issued a recommendation to the entity governments and BiH Council of Ministers to adopt this document in this month. Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers and Chairman of the Board Adnan Terzic told a press conference that adopting of the Development Strategy is a victory of the authorities at all levels, BiH experts and the civil society. “PRSP Strategy is a pillar of our hope that we will manage, together with the World Bank and the European Commission, to organise a donor conference in April in Sarajevo with the aim of insuring funds for supporting our structural reforms”, Terzic said. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said that today’s meeting was an opportunity for the WB Executive Directors to be informed about the path of BiH’s transfer from the post-conflict state to the state of transition. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic said that progress would not be made without the funds provided by the international financial institutions, primarily the World Bank. |
| Aluminij issue | Dnevni list (front & p 7, “Ruling coalition solves political problems over Aluminij”, by M.S.) carries the PR of support to Aluminij’s Management and workers issued by Working for Prosperity party (NSRZ). The PR reads that Aluminij’s example points to futility of talks on strengthening domestic production in BiH during the rule of the current coalition which verbally advocates strengthening of domestic production while at the same time it does nothing to further it. Mostar-based HVIDRA has released that it supports the positions of the Union and measures announced in case electricity is not delivered to Aluminij. HVIDRA adds that what is most worrying is the silence of Croat representatives in the FBiH authorities. The PRs also covered by Slobodna Dalmacija (p 17, “NSRB: Sad situation”, by M. Landeka and “HVIDRA ready for protests”, by D. Juka). SD carries a separate report (p 17, “Thursday is D-day”, by Darko Juka) saying that experts groups started preparations for phase-out of Aluminij production yesterday. Aluminij CEO, Mijo Brajkovic, is quoted as saying he they will wait until Thursday, i.e. until the FBiH Government session, to see what further steps regarding the issue will be taken. Similar article is also carried by Vecernji list (front page “Aluminij prepares for closing down” & p 3, “Aluminij ready for closing cells down”, by Zoran Kresic) adding that Aluminij’s attempts to ensure normal continuation of work is supported by the IC and by Donald Hays in particular. SD (p 17, “British want BiH electric power supply system”, by Zoran Zekic) reports that the current situation suits the British as they want to rule the BiH power system adding it is no coincidence the British interest was shown following the change at the OHR. DL editorial on the issue (p 2, “4th phase of pulling Aluminij down”, by Ivica Glibusic) reads that, judging by everything that has been happening around Aluminij, it is about a phased and systematic attempt to pull the company down: there was first lobbying with international organisations and individuals to prove discrimination was applied in the company; the 2nd phase of the attempt was use of the Union of former employees of Aluminij and filing charges against Aluminij; the 3rd stage meant frequent audits of privatisation and business operations of the company; the current one is depriving the company of electricity. The author finds it incomprehensible that politicians who care about BiH joining Europe keep silent about project of pulling Aluminij down which will, in case it gets materialised, harm BiH international reputation. |
| New strike in a Banjaluka factory | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 11, ‘BLIK personnel prevented Director from entering factory‘ – Discontent personnel of the Banjaluka Textile Factory “Blik” yesterday prevented the Director of this firm from entering the facility, demanding from him to pay out outstanding salaries and dismissal of firm management. Spasoja Damjanovic, President of Blik Syndicate, stated that Blik personnel would go on strike until their demands were met. He also claims that Blik personnel has filed criminal report with police against former leadership of this firm, including Boro Pilic, former Director. However, nobody has turned out in the facility to investigate into claims, although bodies in charge are obliged to do that within 30 days. |
| ITA director appointment
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Terzic: HDZ is blocking appointment with blackmails’ – the Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, yesterday stated that the appointment of ITA Director is blocked by request of HDZ officials, who demanded that its officials assume some positions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
| Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda update | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Debt on high voltage’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Electricity surplus from Republika Srpska to be placed on tender’ – Pantelija Dakic, General Manager of Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda, yesterday confirmed that the Republika Srpska Elektroprivreda (EPD) would issue a tender for sale of electricity surplus for 2004 during the course of next week. According to GS, he also said that EPS is burdened with debt from industrial users and households, amounting to BAM 260 million. At the press conference in Banjaluka, Dakic, denied possibility that EPS could sign a contract with power utilities from the region. On EFT, Dakic said that this firm has a full right to take part in tender and that it would win if it were the best bidder. Dakic also said that OHR announced another audit at EPS, which is to cover the period by end of October. |
| Kutlija on Civil Service-related irregularities | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 11, ‘Possible dismissal of 32 employees’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Seat beyond politics’ – Dragomir Kutlija, Director of the Republika Srpska Public Service Agency, stated after yesterday’s meeting with civil servants that initial results of first audits into legality of activities, including employment procedure, established that those, who were employed in illegal manner, are to be dismissed. Namely, 32 employees are to be dismissed. He also stressed that the ongoing reform of public service is to last until 2007. Agency officials yesterday handed 90 certificates to Republika Srpska state officials, who successfully completed the first training phase on institutional support, organised by the British Ministry for International Development. The representative of the British College for Civil Service and Director of the Civil Service Reform Project in Republika Srpska, Graham Malabaint, also attended yesterday’s meeting. He said that the civil service reform in Republika Srpska is one of the most successful projects he has ever worked on. |
| Oil problems | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Signing of agreement on purchase of oil this week’ – Aleksandra Gajic, Spokesperson of Republika Srpska Ministry of Energy and Development, yesterday stated that during the course of this week, the Republika Srpska Government will sign agreement on purchase of crude oil for the needs of Oil Refinery in Serb Brod. She could not clarify with which company Government would sign the contract. Blic, p 13, ‘Not even p of petroleum’ – Representatives of the RS Trade Union of Energy and Oil Industry claim that both RS and BiH have been cheated by signing the contract between the RS Government and ‘Petrokamak’ firm from London on supplying BiH market with crude oil from Nigeria. The shipment of 80,000 tons of crude oil has not been delivered from Nigeria to the Oil Refinery in Srpski Brod, although the shipment was expected two months ago as in accordance with the contract. Spokesperson of the RS Prime Minister, Goran Radivojac, stated yesterday for the press that this contract is the best signed contract so far. Asked to explain why then the shipment of crude oil has not been delivered to the Oil Refinery, he just said that the Government will sue ‘Petrokamak’. |
| ‘Lijanovici’ will produce their products in Croatia as of December 1, 2003 | Vecernji List (front page “ ‘Podravka’ took over Lijanovici’s products” and page 3, “Lijanovici’s products will be coming from Croatia as of January”, by M. Sutalo) carries that according to an anonymous source the representatives of ‘Lijanovici’ company and Croatian company ‘Podravka’ signed a contract according to which products of ‘Lijanovici’ company will be produced in Croatia. VL reminds that the Federation of BiH Customs Administration blocked the account of ‘Lijanovici’ at the end of January this year and one of the ‘Lijanovici’s’ co-owners stated that they will move their production to Croatia or Serbia if the account is not de-blocked soon and if the announced reforms in favor of meat producers are not implemented. |
Other political developments | |
| High Representative to outline work program for 2004
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Use the opportunity for a more decisive entering a Brussels era’, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, will on Wednesday give a keynote address at a conference organised by the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation entitled the “Road to Europe – the next steps”. OHR spokesperson Vedran Persic told a press conference in Sarajevo on Tuesday that the High Representative will say that Bosnia and Herzegovina now has the opportunity to move decisively from the post conflict era to the pre-accession era – from the era of Dayton to the era of Brussels. |
| Mostar re-structuring | Vecernji List (page 3, “Equal election system for Mostar”, by zk) carries that Chairman of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic talked with High Representative Paddy Ashdwon about the Mostar organization issue yesterday. Covic stated for VL that the HR reiterated that Mostar should be organized as one unit of the local self-government. Covic told the HR that the election system and the way of election of councilors in the Mostar City Council that would vary from the BiH Election Law is not acceptable for the Croat side. According to VL, Covic also talked yesterday about the Mostar re-organization issue with many Ambassadors and representatives of France and Germany are among them. VL says that most probably the last session of the Mostar Commission will take place today and during the session Chairman of the Mostar Commission Norbert Winterstein will propose his latest pondering about a possible compromise that would be acceptable for both, the Croat and Bosniak sides. VL says that according to their information the HR will impose a new Mostar Statute in mid January and this should be a middle solution. The article also says that the International Community is close to thinking that Mostar must not be an exception and thus it believes that Mostar should not be organized as Brcko. VL concludes that in any case protection mechanisms will exist, first of all, for the Bosniak people. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 19, “SDA takes Bosniaks from Mostar to disaster”, by M. Landeka) carries on the same issue former Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic who says that in his opinion the stands of the SDA Mostar bring the Bosniak policy in BiH in danger, ‘through protection of the Dayton Peace Agreement Principles’ and calling on mono-ethnic referendums or ethnic Municipalities. Orucevic also says: “HDZ wanted a unified city, but the city which will be under their control and together with the Canton they got such city as a gift from SDA. Some others interfered in their ‘joint job’ and they did not and they will not allow the division of Mostar, towards which such the SDA policy leads. HDZ cannot go back and it has to accept those principles by which they will give equal rights to Bosniaks and Serbs because they demand the same at the other levels at which they feel endangered, sometimes with justification.” |
| ‘Statement of Day’: HDZ member of Mostar Commission Josip Merdzo | Dnevni List (page 2) carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ HDZ member of the Mostar Commission Josip Merdzo as saying: “We are expecting that Mostar is organized in the same way as Travnik.” |
| SDA HNC Board on HNC Prime Minister’s work | Slobodna Dalmacija (p 7, “Coric ignores OHR decisions”, by Emil Karamatic) reports that, in light of yet another Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) Government session held in incomplete composition, i.e. without the participation of Bosniak Ministers, the HNC SDA Board’s president, Salko Sokolovic, reacted claiming that the HNC Prime Minister Coric persistently keeps on ignoring Bosniaks in this Canton in a very blunt way bringing into question Constitutional guarantees of constitutional peoples and legal provisions. Sokolovic finds it even stranger that the PM ignores even more the Head of the OHR (South) Andrieu and his suggestions as if Coric were the Head of that Office and Andrieu his Assistant. Sokolovic claims that the PM has simply put most of the OHR letters in a drawer without informing the Government members on the letters, not to mention the implementation of the content of those letters as was the case with the OHR’s remarks on the proposed text of the HNC Constitution. The PM is said not to have briefed either the Government or the Assembly on the remarks. |
| Mostar waste dump | Vecernji List (page 8, “Problems with transport of waste to Uborak emerged again”, by Fena) carries that Mostar Municipality Southwest issued a press release yesterday saying that the problem with disposing of waste from Mostar Municipalities with the Croat majority to the waste dump ‘Uborak’ emerged again. The press release that the reason for such situation is the fact that on November 28, 2003 Public Company ‘Komos’ banned Public Company ‘Parkovi’ disposing of waste at waste dump ‘Uborak’ since the Annex of the contract for the next year was not signed and since the aforementioned Municipalities did not meet their obligations. The press release also says that the Municipalities with the Bosniak majority, which have not met their obligations and which have not passed decision on transfer of authorities on this issue to the Ciity of Mostar are responsible for the current situation. Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 19, “Mostar will be swamped with garbage soon”, by Z. Zekic) also covered this issue. SD says that, so far, the Mostar Municipality Southwest has sent two official letters to the OHR Mostar initiating the meeting with all parties interested in resolving of this issue, however, they have not received a reply. For this reason they addressed higher authority levels, Ombudsman’s Office and international institutions led by the High Representative to help them in resolving of this issue. Dnevni List (page 15, “Tracks of Public Company ‘Parkovi’ were waiting for 7 hours approval to unload garbage”, by V. Leto) carries that tracks of Public Company ‘Parkovi’ were waiting for 7 hours for an approval to unload garbage at ‘Uborak’ waste dump yesterday in the period when negotiations between Head of ‘Komos’ Mufid Kajtaz and Heads of Municipalities with the Croat majority were taking place and when the World Bank delegation was paying visit to the waste dump. Kajtaz stated: “I do not know as to why tracks came this morning since we do not have a contract with ‘Parkovi’. The decision on forming of two new companies have not come into force yet.” |
| Possible reshuffle of RS Government | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Minister Bogicevic first on the list to leave’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Changes in Government’ – Dusan Stojic, SDS Spokesperson, yesterday announced that during the course of this month, the representatives of the SDS will meet representatives of ruling parties in Republika Srpska and discuss possibilities to improve the work of the Republika Srpska Government, which does not exclude the possibility of seeing Cabinet of Dragan Mikerevic re-shuffled. On the other hand, Government officials claim that political negotiations (regarding possible re-shuffle) is a matter to be dealt by political parties who make parliament majority, not Government. According to NN sources close to the Republika Srpska Government , Minister Milan Bogicevic may be the first one to leave Government composition. He is begrudged for having failed to revive the Serb Brod oil refinery. According to NN inset, at last nights’ session in Banjaluka, the SDS Presidency agreed that all SDS officials participating executive authority, should compile reports on the work of their respective offices, on basis of which SDS Presidency and Chair Board would take final stances regarding work of the Republika Srpska Government. |
| Tensions on ethnic basis in Bosansko Grahovo | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Police versus tricolour flag’, Vecernje Novosti p 5 ‘They are removing Serbian flag’ – The Livno Canton police yesterday barged into the Office of Bosansko Grahovo Mayor, Nebojsa Prpa, and ordered him to immediately remove Serbian tricolour flag which was placed on mast in front of Gavrilo Princip commemoration plaque a day before. Prpa confirmed to Glas Srpske that they would remove the Serbian tricolour flag after leading officials of HDZ remove sahovnica, which is the national flag of Croatia from all places in the town. |