Print Media Headlines |
Oslobodjenje: SFOR raids Karadzic’s house in Pale; Police clash with demobilized soldiers
Jutarnje Novine: Clash between demobilized soldiers and police in Zenica; Karadzic’s house in Pale raided
Dnevni List: Secret witness in Leutar case, Merim Galijatovic, detained
Vecernji List: Dragan Covic – HDZ candidate for the Presidency
Glas Srpski: Two nights ago, in Pale settlement of Krivace: Strike into Karadzic’s house; SFOR Spokesperson, Scott Lundy: right on compensation
Nezavisne Novine: SFOR action in Pale: SFOR searched Karadzic’s house; Nedeljko Djekanovic, high SDS official claims: RS Customs, Telekom and Srpske Sume [Serb Forests] are the most corrupted institutions/companies.
SFOR raids Karadzic’s house in Pale |
Dnevni List (p. 2) carries an editorial on failed attempts to arrest Karadzic written by Miso Relota. Relota recalls that Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative, stated recently that Karadzic is “spending time with goats and sheep.” “There is a possibility that that all these games about Karadzic’s arrest are actually a part of some global plan, that is, some great world conspiracy.”
US-UN dispute over the ICC/Future of police mission in BiH |
In a Op-Ed piece for The Times and Dnevni Avaz (front page), the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, urges Western diplomats to produce a sensible solution to the ICC dispute. “Bosnia still needs peacekeepers, not because it is a hopeless case, but for the very opposite reason. Six years on from the worst bloodletting in Europe since the Second World War, the country is showing unmistakable signs of sustainable recovery. It would be unconscionable if international support were withdrawn simply because Bosnia had been made a pawn in a diplomatic case.” Ashdown said that the failure of the UN SC to extend the UN mission’s mandate in BiH would be a “blow to the process of normalization, but not a catastrophic one.” “The point is that the aims of the international community’s policy – a stable Bosnia that offers security to its citizens – will take longer to achieve.” (the above mentioned quotes were also the highlights of the Avaz article)
Fifteen member-states in the UN Security Council met on Tuesday in the UN Security Council for the first day of consultations aimed at ending the peacekeeping missions’ crisis caused by the US insistence to be excluded from jurisdiction of the new International Criminal Court. Commenting on the potentially negative outcome of the talks, EU High Representative for Commons Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, said that the EU will in no scenario abandon the Balkans, which is the “international top priority.” “EU must be ready to take over earlier than it planned the police mission in BiH in the case US decides to withdraw from peacekeeping operations.” (Dnevni Avaz, p. 4, Oslobodjenje, p. 3, The Times, Liberation)
The BiH Council of Ministers on Tuesday was weighing bilateral agreements with countries to remain represented in BiH after a US veto against extending the UN mission threw the entire program into doubt. “All the member countries of the (UN) mission have expressed readiness to seek bilateral solutions to the situation we now have if a multilateral solution cannot be found,” Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija said. He did not give further details on a potential arrangement, calling the matter “highly sensitive,” in particular regarding legal and financial issues. However he said his ministry was in contact with member countries of the United Nations, the EU and NATO to find the “modalities for a new form of international engagement in Bosnia to fill the gap until the EU takes over. It is necessary to find a solution as radical forces who wish to turn the wheel of progress back to talking about dividing Bosnia might take advantage of the current situation.” Lagumdzija also said that the new situation is a test of maturity of sorts for domestic politicians. (BHTV, FTV, AFP report)
After a meeting with Hansjoerg Kretschmer, the head of the EC delegation to BiH, a member of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic, said that BiH is stable enough to adjust to a new situation. “The most important fact now is that the mandates of SFOR, the OHR and other international organizations remain unchanged and in full capacity. The EU presence in BiH will play a significant role in the relatively short period of time, as well as the presence of the European countries most interested in the overall stabilization o the situation in BiH.”
In a statement for the press, the BiH Presidency said the best solution for the change of the status of the UN mission in BiH would be the one that would secure continuity and fast transfer of authority to the EU. With this aim, the Presidency agreed yesterday to form a special task force which will be in constant contact with the EU on this matter. (one of the top stories in the BHTV 1, FTV news, Dnevni Avaz p. 4; Oslobodjenje p. 3, Vecernji List, p. 2, all agencies report on this)
RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, expressed his concern about the possibility that the US may withdraw from the UN police mission in BiH. “RS authorities are facing a number of big and risky developments in the future, such as the commemoration in Srebrenica and the elections, both of which require a high degree of security.” (RTRS) However in a statement for Nacional (Belgrade), Ivanic was less concerned. “If the decision on retreat of the UN Mission from BiH is reached, the safety situation will not be endangered, because the domestic political power is sufficient for preserving the safety”, the RS Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, stated in Trebinje.
Glas Srpski (p. 3)and Nezavisne Novine (p. 5)report on yesterday’s visit of the UN SRSG, Jacques Klein, to Banja Luka. Once again, Klein expressed hope that a solution will be found for extension of the UN mandate to BiH.
State-level developments |
Social affairs/Refugee issues |
In an interview with Dnevni Avaz (p. 5), the RS Minister of Refugees, Mico Micic, said that the issue of allocation of land for construction of homes for those who wish to remain in areas where they settled during the war is specific not only to the RS, but also to the Federation. “The Ministry for Refugees has nothing to do with this allocation of land…You have to take into consideration that a great number of people in the RS wants to stay in larger towns and cities instead of returning to their villages. However, I am personally against distributing someone’s privately owned land.”
Pre-Election Activities |
Oslobodjenje (p. 6) also reports that the NHI nominated the Federation Defense Minster, Mijo Anic, as a candidate for the same post, while the party Working for Prosperity put forth Mladen Ivankovic as their candidate for the Croat member of the Presidency. Slobodna Dalmacija (p.16)
In an interview with Vecernji List (p. 5), Mijo Anic, the Federation Minister of Defense and member of NHI, said that the coalition between the NHI and the HDZ is possible.
Economy |
Sarajevo Police arrests protected witness in Leutar case |
Coup in Croat component of Federation Army |
Electronic Media Headlines |
- SFOR raids Karadzic’s house in Pale, seizes some weapons
- Presidency chairman Beriz Belkic, SDHR Matthias Sonn present report on formation of BIH Court for war crimes
- Wolfgang Petritsch testifies before the ICTY
- Paddy Ashdown warn that peace process would be slowed down because of the failure to renew UN police mission in BiH (The NY Times article)
FTV
- SFOR raids Karadzic’s house in Pale, seizes weapons
- Wolfgang Petritsch testifies before the ICTY
- International experts present their report on the formation of BiH court for war crimes
RTRS
- SFOR raids Karadzic’s house in Pale, detains caretaker for two hours
- Jacques Paul Klein in Banja Luka: I expect that the UN Security Council finds alternative solution
- BIH Presidency suggests faster and effective transfer of authority – police mission – from UN to EU