Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 3 February
RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
HR with FBiH officials today | Abazovic released from hospital |
Entering of pleas for Kravice case | Mladic’s hiding in |
RS Gov. on Borovcanin’s pre-trial rel. | Agricultural issues |
TV news broadcast on 2 February
RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
Cro coalition on Cro representatives | | Bombs under two police cars |
Jovic at | EUFOR Comm. on Abazovic case | Detention to Abazovic abolished |
CoM adopts CIPS on voters registr. | Indictment for Kravica massacre | Chiarini on Abazovic’s case |
Schilling meets NGO representatives | EUFOR’s operation in | World News |
NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
Explosions in Bijeljina and Prijedor | FBIH TA closes bet shops in SA | Explosion in Prijedor |
New proposals for Energopetrol | Vitex factory in strike | Explosion in Bijeljina |
Issue of Peljesac bridge | GRAS announces new strike | Tokaca receives death threats |
GRAS workers to strike again? | ZHC Gov’t orders start of school | RS Police management meeting |
Oslobodjenje | Hadzipasic forms commission for salvation of Energopetrol |
Dnevni Avaz | [Terzic] Some from SDA would get rid of me |
Dnevni List | Lozancic announces possible dissolving of Parliament |
Vecernji List | Croats are paying electricity for Republika Srpska (alleged abuse of money paid by customers in BiH) |
Slobodna Dalmacija | Lasic: Working obligation! School starts on Monday ( |
Nezavisne Novine | Mafia threatens to police inspectors [in Prijedor and Bijeljina] |
Glas Srpske | The Court tricked laws [Abazovic case] |
EuroBlic | Bombs against inspectors [in Prijedor and Bijeljina] |
Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
HR Schwarz-Schilling neets FBiH President Lozancic, PM Hadzipasic
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| RTRS – The |
RS Govt. in technical mandate to guarantee ICTY suspect release | |
War crimes, investigations, crime | |
EUFOR Commander Chiarini on Abazovic case: “I regret loss of lives, but no one can fire at my soldiers”
| PINK– At his first press conference in capacity of the EUFOR Commander, Gian Marco Chiarini stated that EUFOR troops have completed the investigation on events in Rogatica on January 5, when they tried to arrest war crimes suspects Dragomir Abazovic. On the occasion, Abazovic’s wife Rada died of sustained injuries and his son suffered injuries, however EUFOR has not discovered anything controversial. “I regret the loss of life and injuries, but the main message is that nobody can shoot at my soldiers”, stressed Chiarini. He informed EUFOR has twice assisted the operations carried out by local authorities, on the basis of information that ICTY indictees could be hiding in BiH. Nevertheless, Chiarini on Thursday confirmed that neither Ratko Mladic nor Radovan Karadzic are currently hiding in BiH. EUFOR also actively participate in operations gathering and destroying illegal weapons in BiH; in a very short period of time, almost three tons of different weapons have been discovered in Bosanska Dubica. EUFOR Commander concluded that not only the existence of illegal weapons represent the problem, but also certain sites with extremely low standard and inadequate security, such as the military factory Vitezit in Vitez. “We have worked together with the BiH Ministry of Defence and UNDP on cleaning up this location. There were thousands on unstable mortar and artillery shells, which was very dangerous for local residents, and there was also the possibility of a robbery”, explained Chiarini. He stressed that the possible admission to the Partnership for Peace by the end of the year is ‘a big challenge’ for BiH, adding that it would be a great achievement if BiH joins the NATO in 2008. |
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Bombs planted under cars of high-ranking police officials in Prijedor and Bijeljina, media speculate this is a revenge of Mafia
| BHT 1 by Zoran Sarenac – Unidentified persons on Wednesday night planted bombs under vehicles owned by members of the RS Police’s crime investigation departments in Bijeljina and in Prijedor. Dragomir Andan, RS Police Director confirmed that the investigations are ongoing and there are speculations that these attacks were connected to the recent arrests of illegal drug smugglers in Bijeljina and Prijedor. “The explosions were most likely synchronised since both occurred at 23 hours” added Andan. Hayat, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 20, mentioned on cover ‘Policemen’s cars blown up’ by N. Dedic, Vecernji List pg 27 ‘Policemen’s cars blown up’ by B. Stevandic, Dnevni Avaz pg 31 ‘Head of Drugs Department car bombed’ by M.Z., Oslobodjenje pg 36 ‘Vehicle of Inspector for drugs destroyed’ – by B. Kahrimanovic– explosion in Prijedor Dnevni Avaz pg 32, mentioned on cover ‘Police inspector car blown up’ by E.Musli, Oslobodjenje pg 35 ‘Crime- inspector’s ‘passat’ blown up’ by V. Du.– explosion in Bijeljina.Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘Mafia threatens to police inspectors’ and pg 3 ‘Mafia threatens to police inspectors’ by D. Kovacevic, Z. Kusmuk and S. Karic, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS8 ‘Bombs against inspectors’ not signed, Glas Srpske pg 10 ‘A bomb as a message’ by V. Janjic – papers speculate this is a sort of a revenge of organized crime groups that deal with drug smuggling. |
EUFOR blocks access to village near Gacko/Bileca; operation to assists ITA
| PINK, RTRS, Hayat, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘EUFOR searched vehicles’ by V.D., Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘They searched vehicles’ by S.A. – EUFOR members have blocked on Thursday the access roads to Bogdasici village, located on the road between Bileca and Gacko. They were searching vehicles, and identifying passengers and passers-by. Officials in Mostar EUFOR base confirmed that this operation was not the part of the search for war crimes indictees, i.e. Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic; EUFOR claims that the operation, organized in cooperation with the Indirect Taxation Administration, is aimed at preventing criminals from smuggling different kinds of goods. |
Former Yugoslav Army official: Mladic’s last appearance in a facility of former Yugoslav Army was in summer 2002
| Vecernje Novosti pg 3 ‘He promoted military-school students in Dedinje’, announced on cover ‘Mladic is somewhere far away’ by Milos Antic – A former high-ranking official of then Yugoslav Army claims Ratko Mladic’s last appearance in a facility of then Yugoslav Army was at the beginning of summer of 2002, on the occasion of graduation of military school students in Dedinje. Inset ‘Far away from |
DA: Bill of indictment to be issued against D. Covic, M. Coric next week?
| Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Will new bill of indictment against Covic be issued’ by F. Vele learns that next week (most probably next Friday, February 10) Prosecutor of the Special Department for Organized Crime and Corruption with the BiH Prosecution Erik Larson will issue a bill of indictment against HDZ President Dragan Covic, HNC Prime Minister Miroslav Coric and Director of company ‘Soko’ Josip Gojak on the ground of suspicions that they committed illegal acts in this company. According to unofficial information, Larson and investigators will visit Mostar next week where they will carry out final activities before issuing the bill of indictment. |
Economic issues | |
FBiH PM Hadzipasic proposes establishment of commission for recovery of Energopetrol, announces annulment of tender
| FTV – FBIH Prime Minister Ahmed Hadzipasic sent a letter to Chairs of both FBIH Parliament Houses asking them to solve the issue of ‘Energopetrol’ by establishing a commission that would find the solution for recovery of the company. Hadzipasic wrote in the letter that there was no political will to end the co-capitalisation of the company suggesting that FBIH should define the concrete actions to be taken for company’s recovery pointing to legal regulations that must be followed. Hayat – Hadzipasic asked FBiH Parliament to solve this problem, and proposed that the final solution are to be made by, among others, Gavrilo Grahovac, Mirnes Ajanovic, Semsudin Mehmedovic and Ismet Briga – thus, as FTV points out, those who were against previous solutions proposed by Hadzipasic’s FBiH Government at the first place. Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘’Energopetrol’ left at mercy of ‘hawks’’, by D. J. – VL comments it is ironic that Hadzipasic gave in to likes of Ajanovic, Mehmedovic and Briga, who were the biggest of opponents of the FBIH Government’s plan to co-capitalize the ‘Energopetrol’, by proposing them to become members of the Commission for recovery of the company.Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Tender for “Energopetrol” to be annulled’ by M. Rener – On Thursday, Hadzipasic said that the tender for co-capitalisation of ‘Energopetrol’ would be annulled |
Reactions to Energopetrol case: Ajanovic, Heco, Briga, Mehmedovic oppose Hadzipasic; INA-MOL do not withdraw their offer
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Hadzipasic demands commission for Energopetrol to be formed’ by M.K. – DA carries series of reactions (in separate articles, page 4) by officials proposed by FBiH PM for the Commission all strongly opposing Ahmet Hadzipasic’s proposal on establishing the Commission for Energopetrol recovery, concluding it is belated. BOSS leader Mirnes Ajanovic invited Hadzipasic to resign, FBiH House of Peoples Co-Chair Vahid Heco said that it was an arrogant move, SBiH Caucus Chief Ismet Briga claims it is transfer of responsibility, SDA Caucus Chief Semsudin Mehmedovic said Hadzipasic’s move is provocative and not serious, adding that there are no HDZ members are proposed for the Commission. Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Energopetrol has all the conditions to survive’, mentioned on cover ‘Energopetrol could be saved by Energoinvest and Terminals’ by Mirela Kukan – In an interview for DA, Sarajevo University Rector and former BiH Prime Minister Hasan Muratovic claims that ‘Energopetrol’ case lasts way too long, adding that the company has all the preconditions to survive and develop. Muratovic is of opinion that ‘Energopetrol’ should not be sold, providing economical advices on things that should be done. Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Ina-MOL consortium does not quit’ by A.Avdic – ‘INA BiH’ Director Franjo Bozic said that Consortium INA-MOL did not withdraw its offer for co-capitalisation of ‘Energopetrol’. |
Comm. for co-capitalization of Energopetrol proposes annulment of debts between FBiH and the company
| Hayat – Commission for Energopetrol’s co-capitalisation proposed that the debts between Energopetrol and FBiH should be annulled; Energopetrol currently owes 33 million KM to FBiH institutions, while Federation of BiH owes 44 million to Energopetrol. President of Commission for co-capitalisation Resad Zutic explained that the problem are the obligations that resulted from interest rates; Croatian-Hungarian consortium INA-MOL does not want to take on those obligations, because they were not included in Energopetrol’s co-capitalisation tender. If FBiH Government does not accept this proposal on the mutual annulment of obligations, the best solution would be to cancel the co-capitalisation tender, added Zutic. |
RS Government today discusses privatisation of RS Telecom, audit of RS Railways; SNSD says Govt was dismissed, its decisions should not be supported
| BHT1 By Tanja Alavuk – RS Government should discuss the audit report on RS Railways and privatization process of RS Telecom at the session scheduled for Friday. RS Minister for Transport and Communications Dragoje Lajic stated that Main Boards are already instructed in correcting the irregularities. The RS Government will also discuss the surplus of workers and privatisation process of Oil Refinery from Bosanski Brod. On the other hand, SNSD’s Nebojsa Radmanovic warned that former government has been dismissed and that all their decisions should be audited. “I’m not suggesting audit of good decisions but those that we suspect of having irregularities” explained Radmanovic. Reporter stressed that RS President Dragan Cavic has accused opposition of negotiating with SDA over privatisation of RS Telecom in exchange for support to their candidate for RS Prime Minister designate. The RS Government has appointed the revision commission of Oil Refinery Bosanski Brod due to started privatisation process, which was not approved by PDP. Nevenka Trifunovic, from PDP, stated that RS Government has been dismissed which indicates that their decisions should not be supported. |
RS Transport Minister Gligoric: privatisation of Telecom is in RS jurisdiction
| PINK, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Telekom Srpske” a private firm as of August’ by R.Segrt, EuroBlic RSpg 4 ‘Surplus manpower to face dismissals’ by Tijana Vesleinovic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Srpska’s jurisdiction’ by G.Dakic – The privatisation of RS ‘Telekom’ and ‘Elektroprivreda’ is exclusively in this entity’s jurisdiction, RS Minister of Economy, Energy and Development Miladin Gligoric and Minister of Transport and Communications Dragoje Lajic stated on Thursday. Gligoric reminded that the RS Government has already selected the consultant (Raiffeisen Investment) for the privatisation of “TeleKom Srpske”, noting it can be expected the privatisation of this company will be completed until July or August 2006. According to Lajic, it will not be possible to complete the privatisation of power utility sector in 2006. |
RS Economy, Energy and Development Minister appointed new Director to Oil Refinery BB
| RTRS, EuroBlic RSpg 4 ‘Gligoric: Solution in sight’ by T.V. – Savo Danilovic, who was acting director of Bosanski Brod refinery has been appointed as director despite disagreements of refinery employees. RS Minister of Economy, Energy and Development Miladin Gligoric feels that such relation of employees towards Danilovic is not correct. Gligoric also expressed expectation that the representatives of the Israeli-American Company “Alon” will come to Banja Luka in the near future, in order to resume talks regarding establishing of a joint company with Oil Refinery Bosanski Brod. |
CoM Chair Terzic: BiH supports EU’s proposal of establishing single customs zone in Western Balkans
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘Terzic: BiH supports customs union of Balkans’ by M.Cubro – Acting in line with directives of the new EU policy adopted in Brussels Monday (one of which is establishment of a single customs union of Western Balkans states), Adnan Terzic, BiH COM Chair, expressed support to this directive, since its forming would ensure a bigger market without customs obstacles for tradesmen from BiH, adding: “This would also be a sort of test for BiH economy prior to its entry into EU market.” Azra Hadziahmetovic, professor at Sarajevo Faculty of Economy, also supports this EU proposal. Ivo Sanader, Croatian Premier, Thursday in |
Reactions on proposal to establish single customs zone:
| BHT 1 ‘Javna tajna’ by Suzana Stambol – BHT 1 notes that |
SB says that establishment of single customs zone would equalize economic trade in region
| Slobodna Bosna cover splash, pgs 6-7 ‘Whole Yugoslavia one market’ by Danka Savic and Asim Metiljevic – Article notes that the EC initiative for establishment of a single customs union of Western Balkans states is already a part of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement [ |
VL: Price of transmission of electricity to go up, money to be used to fund surplus employees in RS
| Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Croats are paying electricity for Republika Srpska’, and pg 5 ‘Electricity and plunder’, by Zoran Kresic – According to VL, the decision by the DERK (State Regulatory Commission for Electricity) according to which the price of transmission of electricity goes from 0,56 fenings to 1,087 fenings per kw/h will ammas around 40 million KMs, the sum which will, according to VL, end up in the RS, namely in the ‘yet-to-be established’ ‘Elektroprijenos BiH’ (state company for transmission of electricity). VL argues that the money will in fact be used to fund 300 surplus workers of the ‘Elektroprivreda of RS’. |
Political issues | |
New HR Schwarz- Schilling met NGOs: Restrictions in the Constitution have to be resolved if they are preventing authorities to act efficiently
| BHT1 – New High Representative to BIH Christian Schwarz-Schilling has met with representatives of NGO sector and civic society in BIH on Thursday. He stressed that elections are the only peaceful way for changing the political situation. “In that process the NGO sector and the civic society are an important factor which is responsible for focussing attention during the election year on the real issues and real problems, and not on propaganda and propaganda messages” added Schwarz-Schilling. Fadil Sero, Head of Civic society stressed that the NGOs intend to analyse plans, objectives and methods of implementing the needs of BIH citizens and to inform citizens before the elections on their results. Reporter stated that NGO sector called citizens to use their civic rights and vote at the coming elections. RTRS– Schilling also stated that the most important thing for BIH at the moment is negotiations on Stabilisation and Association Agreement. “If authorities cannot do something because of restrictions in the Constitution then they have to resolve it”, stated Schilling. He also advised NGO representatives to ask politicians what have they done so far and what can they do in the future. Svjetlana Broz from NGO “Garivo” stated that it is important to have support of international community since support of local authorities is missing. Branko Todorovic from RS Helsinki Committee stressed that it is important for BIH citizens to take things into their own hands. Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Schilling convinced that there are also capable politicians’ by M. Zorlak carries the HR Schwarz-Schilling as saying that it is not correct that all BiH politicians are incapable and that there are politicians who are really trying hard to improve the situation. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Elections are the only way to change things’ by A. Omeragic– |
CoM adopts CIPS project on passive registration of voters
| Hayat– BiH Council of Ministers adopted the CIPS project of passive voters’ registration; according to BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic, it means that every BiH citizen with valid identification document will be on a central registration list, and will be able to vote without any kind of previous registration. This project will cost approximately 2.15 million KM, and BiH CoM is obliged to provide funds necessary for its implementation. CIPS representatives, i.e. CIPS project acting director Amina Tahirbegovic, believe that this project would assure bigger turnout of voters at future elections in BiH. |
| RTRS by Sinisa Mihailovic – |
BiH CoM Chair Terzic: SDA will not endanger
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 3 ‘Some from SDA would get rid of me’ by S.Numanovic – Commenting speculations that SDA made a deal with SNSD on a support to Milorad Dodik for the position of the RS Prime Minister-designate and his parallel replacement from the BiH Council of Ministers, CoM Chair Adnan Terzic said for DA that “knowing some partisan colleagues, it would not surprise him”. However, he also underlines: “I don’t believe that SDA, through any of its actions, would endanger realistic chances for us to end talks on Stabilization and Association Agreement [ |
Oslob op-ed on RS Govt: New alliance of | Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘New alliance’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – Commenting recent occurrences regarding turbulences regarding forming new RS Government, editorial reads that likely coalition composed by parties from Banja Luka and Sarajevo is good news, because it is multinational and pluralistic. Author said that this new alliance should make difference, if SNSD leader Milorad Dodik fulfil his promises and fight the organized criminal. |
CoM passed amendments to the Law on Police Officials which define police ranking procedure
| PINK by Aida Hasanbegovic – BiH Council of Ministers defined on Thursday in |
FBiH President Lozancic: I will have no other choice but to dissolve FBiH Parliament if budget is not adopted by end March
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Lozancic announces possible dissolving of Parliament’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – The FBiH President, Niko Lozancic, told DL that unless the FBiH Parliament adopts the budget for 2006 by end of March, he will have no other choice but to dissolve the (FBIH) Parliament as foreseen in the FBIH Constitution. Lozancic says he is disappointed with the MPs for not takng care of people in the need, such as invalids and people affected by the VAT, arguiong that the crisis the FBiH Government is in (failure to appoint tw o new ministers), has nothing to do with the budget. |
US Ambassador McElhaney: Constitutional talks should continue, Secretary of State Rice expects from politicians to observe
| Dnevni List, pg 9, mentioned on front ‘Constitutional changes should continue’, by Zvonimir Jukic – carries an interview with the |
VL: Diplomats in BiH working on creation of new ‘
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘New Alliance for BiH is being made’, mentioned on front ‘Germany and USA for new Alliance in BiH’, by Zoran Kresic – According to VL’s information, most influential diplomats in BiH are working on a project the aim of which is to create a new, ‘multi-ethnic’ Alliance in BiH, which would win the 2006 elections. Allegedly, the German and US diplomats agree that the new ‘ |
Presidency Chairman Jovic in
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Talks about injustice towards Croats in BiH’, by Z. K. – Reports from traditional prayer’s breakfast which was organized on Thursday by the US President Bush. Chairman of BiH Presidency, Ivo Miro Jovic, who also attended the breakfast, met with Cardinal (from |
| Vecernji List, pg 14 ‘Djapic requested abolishment of entities’, by Zoran Kresic, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 20 ‘Djapic looking for support for BiH’, by M. Karacic – The President of |
SD: Rumour has it Ashdown will lobby for BiH for 10.000 Euros a month | Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 21, mentioned on front ’10.000 Euros to Ashdown for lobbying’, by Zlatko Tulic – According to SD, the rumours in Sarajevo are that former HR, Paddy Ashdown, has made a deal with certain individuals from political structures in BiH to lobby for BiH in the world, the services he would be charging 10.000 Euros a month. SD also writes that Ashdown is being linked to building of apartments on Mt. Bjelasnica, whilst some even claim that he completed some businesses related to the privatisation of ‘Elektroprivredas’ in BiH. |