OHR BiH Media Round-up, 3/7/2002

Print Media Headlines

Dnevni Avaz: Ashdown – Reasonable solution must be found; Police clash with veterans in Zenica; Karadzic’s house raided by SFOR

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

All BiH media report on their front pages that masked SFOR troops backed by a helicopter stormed yesterday the house of the most wanted indicted war-criminal, Radovan Karadzic, in Pale. According to reports, SFOR sized documents and a small number of firearms during the raid. SFOR spokesman, Scott Lundy, said that the raid was not aimed at detaining Karadzic, but at smashing the an arms smuggling ring. “Our focus was illegal smuggling network. However…information may also help us in our efforts to successfully detain Karadzic,” Lundy said. Karadzic’s wife, Ljiljana Zelen-Karadzic, told Glas Srpski that SFOR searched every room in the house, broke some furniture and ripped up paintings. According to her, Radovan Glavonjic (a refugee who was guarding the house) offered the key of the house to SFOR soldiers but they refused to take it and entered her home forcefully. (Oslobodjenje, f.p., Dnevni Avaz f.p., Jutarnje Novine f.p., Nezavisne Novine, f.p., Glas Srpski, f.p., Vecernji List, f.p., Jutarnji List p. 13, Slobodna Dalmacija, p. 7, Vjesnik, p. 2, BHTV, RTRS and FTV first item in their prime time news. Also reported by Daily Telegraph, Guardian, AFP, Reuters)

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

** The United States has proposed a last minute compromise in the dispute with the United Nations over the mandate of the new International Criminal Tribunal. Under the plan, BBC reports, America and other four permanent members of the UN Security Council would have the right to veto any prosecution of their soldiers and policemen under the ICC [which was not ratified by Washington]. If accepted, the proposal would avoid a threatened halt o the UN peacekeeping in BiH. BBC reports, however, that the diplomats at the UN show little enthusiasm for the deal as it apparatus to undermine the authority of the new court.

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

The chairman of the BiH Presidency, Beriz Belkic, and the Senior Deputy High Representative, Matthias Sonn, presented on Wednesday the report drafted by OHR’s expert consultants about the possibility of trying war crimes cases in BiH and the formation of the special BiH court for processing war crimes. “I think it is very important that these cases are processed by BiH Court, because this would contribute to the reform of the BIH judiciary and secure the presence of international and improvement of quality of domestic judges and prosecutors,” Belkic said. Sonn said that “During past year it has become clear that members of the International Community and BiH authorities must work together to build citizens’ confidence in trials before domestic courts. The courts should be professional and free of political influence and national biases.” (BHTV 1, FTV – third item in prime time news, Dnevni Avaz, p. 4, Oslobodjenje p. 8, Nezavisne Novine, p. 7, Vecernji List, p.2 , Slobodna Dalamacija p. 17)

Social affairs/Refugee issues

Over 200 demobilized soldiers in Zenica-Doboj Canton protesting against the failure of the Federation authorities to pay redundancy pays clashed with police on Tuesday. The demonstrators gathered early in the morning and blocked the highway M-17 and refused to leave unless they received strong assurances that the pays will be available during the day. During the clash, several demonstrators were detained by a special police unit. The Deputy Federation Minister of Defense, Ferid Buljubasic, said that the gathering was politicized and added that the funds should have been available for disbursement. Federation’s Deputy Finance Minister, Sefika Hafizovic, also said that the Ministry transferred all the necessary funds to commercial banks and stressed that the pays should have been available. (Oslobodjenje, Dnevni Avaz, Jutarnje Novine carry front page photos of police beating the demonstrators. FTV shows similar footage)

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

Vecernji List (front, p.2, by Zoran Kresic), Dnevni List (front, p.2)and Slobodna Dalmacija (last page)all report that Dragan Covic will be the HDZ BiH candidate for the Croat member of BiH Presidency despite previous reports that placed Barisa Colak, the acting president of the party, in the “pole position” for the office. VL got a confirmation of the news from Covic himself who said that the talks in the matter were long and exhausting. Kresic argues that some circles within the HDZ BiH assess that the nomination of Covic is a step towards Covic taking over the leading spot in the party because the HDZ BiH Convention is due to take place after the October 5 elections. (Dnevni Avaz and Oslobodjenje also report on the item on pages 5 and 6)

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

German car manufacturer Volkswagen resumed assembling Golfs in BiH on Tuesday ending a break in production caused by the 1992-95 war. “This is yet another signal of our engagement in BiH as we wish to continue contributing positively to development of this country,” Lothar Sander, the chairman of the VW Sarajevo management board told the press. He said that the initiation of production is hoped to create jobs for up to 40 new workers. (Dnevni Avaz, p. 12, Oslobodjenje, p. 9, Jutarnje Novine p. 9, BHTV and FTV report on the issue)

Sarajevo Police arrests protected witness in Leutar case

Dnevni List (front and page 3, by Marko Markovic) and Slobodna Dalmacija (back page) report that Sarajevo Cantonal Police arrested Merim Galijatovic, ‘protected witness number 30‘ in Leutar case, where six Croats are tried for alleged murder of Deputy Minister of Interior Jozo Leutar. According to Slobodna Dalmacija, Federation Ministry of Interior was not involved in this arrest. Immediately after he was arrested, Galijatovic was transferred to Zenica where he should stay in prison for three years, because of previous sentence in a case of rape. The daily says that this arrest might lead to a soon end of the Leutar case.

Coup in Croat component of Federation Army

Vecernji List (front and p.3,by Zvonimir Jurcevic) reports that the SFOR Commander Lt-Gen John Sylvester refused to take a recommendation of the Federation Defense Minister, Mijo Anic, and dismiss Ivica Zeko, the Deputy Commander of the Federation Army Joint HQ. The information has been allegedly confirmed by a senior official of the Federation MoD. The same source added that Zeko requested on last Monday that three senior Croat officers in the Federation Army be removed. VL notes that Minister Anic signed a decision on the new appointments of Croat cadres to top positions in the joint Federation Army HQ one month ago, the decision that Zeko failed to implement until today.  According to the daily, gen. Zeko has ceased co-operation with Minister Anicand now consults the Croat member of BiH Presidency Jozo Krizanovic only whilst Anic is no longer responsible to Krizanovic, which lead the daily to conclude that the hierarchy in the MoD has been heavily compromised “like during the time of the Croat self-rule.”

Electronic Media Headlines

BHTV 1

• 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