| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA(18,00 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Education issues in HNC | Cavic’s consultations |
| State Assembly’s session | Ivanic on OHR’s powers |
| ICTY interrogated Norac | Kosovo |
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| Croatia |
| Oslobodjenje | BH Steel strike: Kuwait investors threaten to stop paying salaries |
| Dnevni Avaz | Alibabic-Lagumdzija case: Prosecutor Knezevic looking into the matter |
| Dnevni List | Bosmal Company employs only nine people; Ante Jelavic’s destiny awaits Jahic; Interview with Goran Granic: No one can deprive Croats in BiH of the Croatian language |
| Vecernji List | Herzegovinians offered to become Bosnians; Dragan Covic most popular in Federation; Education; Union people request resignations from politicians |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Serious traffic accident in Miskovci near Derventa: Two dead and 17 injured; Maglaj: Flags in Bocinja |
| Nezavisne Novine | Representatives of Serb parties from parliament majority held a meeting with the Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic: Passing grade to Mikerevic; Talks between SNSD and Party for BiH: Authorities cannot implement reforms in BiH; Zoran Glusac: Police investigating business dealings at Telekom Srpske; Srebrenica: Zekic: We will not vacate the battery factory |
| Blic | Milovan Stankovic: Noone will leave RS Army without social programme; Changes in the Government: Who is leaving?; SFOR found three guns in forest |
Economic/social issues | |
| BH Steel workers went on strike
| Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Kuwait investors threaten with non-payment of salaries’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 13, FENA – The general strike of employees of company “BiH Steel Zeljezara” started early on Tuesday in Zenica with the protest gathering of about 2000 workers in front of the company’s management building. Representatives of workers and the Union requested meeting of demands that refer to regulating the wages that can not be lower than 55 percent of the average salary in Federation BiH and insuring the monthly compensation of 80 KM for workers that are on the so-called waiting lists, until the final resolving of their status. One of the requests also refers to removing the director general of BH Steel and his associates. During the strike the plants will be maintained in the so-called warm regime, as production, placement of final products and transporting of raw materials will be fully stopped. “The general strike in this company will proceed until the demands are met, and in this time the workers will be at home and will be timely informed on the course of negotiations with the management of the FBiH Government”, said President of the Independent Union and the Striking Board, Islam Imamovic. President of the BiH Metal Workers Union Ismet Bajramovic supported the requests of Zenica metal workers and stressed that they should not give up on their requests. Kuwait investors/co-owners of the company accused the trade unions of spreading misinformation about the BH Steel threatening they would stop paying salaries. |
| OHR on attempts to undermine special auditor’s credibility | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Money of pensioners in hands of criminals’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Kukic attacks independent auditor because he knows he will be removed from HPT’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Audit into funds is a key for crime prevention’, Dnevni List page 2, by F, “State money ends up in hands of criminals”, FENA -The Special Auditor is carrying out audits into mismanagement and abuse of public funds in BiH’s public utilities in this country. This is an essential part of tackling crime and corruption in BiH, said OHR considering that there have been a number of attempts to undermine the credibility of the Special Auditor’s Office in recent weeks. The Special Auditor’s Office has already revealed how public money that should have gone to pensioners, teachers and doctors has been wasted, or worse, apparently fallen into criminal hands. Inevitably, those who have most to fear from the Special Auditor’s Office will try to discredit its work. They will not succeed: anyone who attempts to do so is likely only further to raise suspicions that they have something to hide, OHR emphasized. According to Dnevni Avaz, this OHR reaction followed recent public statements made by Slavo Kukic, the President of the Mostar HPT Steering Board. |
| Round-table on railways in BiH | Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Law as a domestic product’ By Hajdar Arifagic – The framework law on BiH railways was presented at a round-table held in Sarajevo on Tuesday with the expectations he will be sent into the parliamentary procedure by the end of this year. “We want this law to be a domestic product and not to be imposed by the international community,” Deputy High Representative Patrice Dreiski said. The solutions from the proposed law lead towards a modern restructuring of the sector and full implementation of the Dayton Agreement’s Annex 9. |
| Vc corridor | Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘CoM to discuss Croatian offer in mid September’ – Dato Ahmad Tajudin Abdul Rahman, the Director of the Bank Islam Malaysia Behad, which on Friday provided 300 million euro worth guarantees to BOSMAL for the construction of the Vc corridor through BiH, is expected to meet with BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic and CoM members in Sarajevo on Wednesday. Terzic will at the same time host a meeting with the BOSMAL representatives and he will ask for a detailed information on the sort of the banking guarantee. At the same time, the BiH Ministry of Transport and Communications is preparing a BiH response to the Croatian Government’s offer for the highway construction. The BiH CoM will make its stand on the issue next week. Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘BOSMAL fulfilled all the conditions’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Those believing it is easy to bring money in BiH should try to do that’ – BOSMAL Executive Director Edin Sabanovic said that the company had secured 300 million euro thereby fulfilling all the conditions from its letter of intent presented to the BiH Council of Ministers. |
| DL: “Bosmal Company employs only nine people” | Dnevni List (front and page 3, by De. L.) – in November of 2002, DL got into possession of documents which allegedly show that the “Bosmal” Company had only two registered workers i.e. that it had paid social and other contributions for only two workers. DL also says that the Chair of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and BiH Communications Minister, Branko Dokic, must have been provided with documents that show that the “Bosmal” had only nine employees in the period between January and August 2003. In light of these claims, DL suggests Terzic to control his excitement regarding the “Bosmal” and Sabanovic brothers and goes on to question how it can be possible that a company with nine employees secures 300 million Euros from the Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, believing there is something suspicious about the whole deal. |
| Goran Granic, Croatian Deputy PM, on Vc corridor | Speaking about current relations between Croatia and BiH, in his interview for Dnevni List (front & p 7, “No one can deprive Croats in BiH of the Croatian language”, by Ivica Glibusic), Goran Granic, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, says that too much energy is being spent on making problems up instead of solving them. As for 5c corridor, he says it is Croatia’s interest the corridor is constructed adding Croatia is willing to give help and convey its experience in this development project but the final say is ultimately with BiH authorities. Commenting on the Ploce port issue, Granic hopes the Protocol will be signed as soon as possible, as both BiH and Croatian authorities are ready to take responsibility for the project and they do not need mediation any longer. Asked to comment unofficial announcements of some BiH politicians that new concessions would be demanded from Croatia in Ploce Port case, Granic says that he heard “it is about some small details many of which are products of the 2 countries’ relations in the past rather than the ones of the present day”. |
| Police investigating Telekom affairs
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Police investigating business dealings at Telekom Srpske’ – Zoran Glusac, Spokesperson of the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, stated that police received material sent by Banjaluka Basic Prosecutor’s Office, in regard to demanded investigation into media claims on business dealings at Telekom Srpske. He said that as soon as police completes investigation into all allegations against Telekom Srpske published in Nezavisne Novine, it would forward the material to Prosecutor’s Office for further assessment. |
| Update to Potocari battery factory | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘We will not vacate the battery factory’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Compensation for management’ – In accordance with decision passed by the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, the battery factory in Potocari should be vacated until 25 September, when it is to become a part of the memorial complex Potocari. Radomir Zekic, Director of AD Battery Factory Srebrenica, claims that factory premises will not be vacated until compensations are paid out to the employees, share holders and users of business premises. |
| Selection of new Director of Republika Srpska HIF | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Soon appointment of Director of Republika Srpska Health Care Fund’ – Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of Republika Srpska Premier, confirmed yesterday that the Director of the Republika Srpska Health Care Fund and members of the Chair and Supervisory Boards will be appointed at one of the coming sessions of the Republika Srpska Government. According to him, 11 candidates responded to vacancy for the Director, while 100 candidates applied for the positions of Board members. |
| Kasumovic under investigation | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Prosecutor’s Office engaged in investigation against Kasumovic’ – Relja Peles, Deputy Prosecutor of Sarajevo Canton, yesterday confirmed that he instructed the investigation be conducted against Fuad Kasumovic, one of two candidates for the Director of the BiH Indirect Tax Administration. The investigation was launched owing to suspicion that Kasumovic misused office at the time when he was Deputy Director of the Customs Administration of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “As usual” (as NN say), OHR did not want to make any comment on “ongoing processes”,. The OHR Spokesperson, Vedran Persic, said that: “OHR will not comment on the process of candidates’ selection. The final decision rests with BiH CoM.” |
Political developments | |
| Ashdown meets Izetbegovic
| Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Reforms strengthen the state’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Comprehensive reforms are of the Bosniak interest,’ Dnevni List back page, “Izetbegovic concerned with future of Bosniak people”, by Fena, FENA – On Tuesday the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, visited the honorary president of SDA, Alija Izetbegovic, at his home in Sarajevo, SDA said in a press release. In talks on the political situation in BiH, Ashdown presented his views on results of the current reform, stressing that they lead to gradual strengthening of the Bosnian state. Starting from the fact that the overall reform are in the interest of the Bosniak people, Izetbegovic expressed his dissatisfaction with how the reforms were currently being implemented and concern about the position and the future of the Bosniak people particularly bearing in mind compromises, which were bringing into question the essence of these reforms. As an example Izetbegovic stated the long-term experiments with unprofessional foreigners in the domain of information, which have led the electronic media to collapse, mistakes in the intelligence sector and judiciary, as well as in economy, and it was expected that the reforms contribute to the single economic space in BiH, as a condition of attracting foreign investors and overcoming the crisis. Izetbegovic expressed his conviction that Ashdown on his side is working with the best intentions attempting to, in co-operation with the citizens, build BiH as a stabile and prosperous country. |
| SDHR Wnendt visits Zepa | Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Construction of a road to Zepa’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 11 ‘New road for a better future of Zepa’, Dnevni List p 2, “Building infrastructure is prerequisite for investments and economy development” – The Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, and the OHR RRTF Head, Richard Williams, on Tuesday visited Zepa where they met local representatives to discuss a need for urgent construction of road to link the town with rest of the region. |
| Mikerevic gains support of the Serb majority in RSNA | RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Cavic secured parliamentary majority without SDA deputies’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Passing grade to Mikerevic’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Step on gad towards reforms’, Blic pg. 7 ‘Early elections unrealistic’; Vecernje Novosti pg. 4 ‘The Government survives’,FENA – The assembly majority, which comprises 43 Serb representatives in the RS National Assembly (RSNS), supported on Tuesday the RS Government headed by Dragan Mikerevic, and rejected the possibility of holding extraordinary elections. After the consultative meeting in Banja Luka attended by RS President Dragan Cavic and representatives of Serb political parties that make the assembly majority, and Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, it was announced that the RS Government is expected to provide better results in economic and social segments, and legal reform. At a press conference following the meeting, the RS President said that representatives of the Serb political parties declared that the initiative of the opposition parties for calling early elections is not a good solution for the RS. He confirmed that he did not invite the representatives of SDA at this meeting, because, as he said, he wanted to primarily gain an answer weather the Serb parties that make the majority are together or not. “SDA in some of its public positions has a full public confrontation with positions of this assembly majority. We cannot allow that this assembly majority be in the scissors of SDA political positions”, said Cavic and added that dialogue would be continued with SDA on matters that can be agreed, but not on “ideas that oppose the positions of this assembly majority and most of the Serb people”. “This assembly majority will not pull a rug underneath the Government’s feet, but the rug will be cleaned and nothing will be pushed under it. I primarily refer to a number of affairs of which some have been imagined and some are real”, said the SDS President, Dragan Kalinic, after the meeting. President of the PDP Mladen Ivanic said this meeting was useful, because it has shown that 43 Serb representatives in the Assembly are still standing behind the current entity Government. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said he was pleased with the gained support and added that he would consider and evaluate all remarks and critics on Government’s work. He also announced concrete measures in economy. RTRS – SNSD’s Milorad Dodik: “People who attended today’s meeting take care about them selves and not about social situation and what it could be expected from the people who are in love with what they are doing to make some initiative and move things forward.” |
| Meeting btw. SNSD & Party for BiH | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 4, ‘Authorities cannot implement reforms in BiH’ – In Aleksandrovac near Banjaluka, the delegation of Party for BiH met with representatives of the SNSD. On behalf of SNSD, the meeting was attended by Milorad Dodik, Nebojsa Radmanovic, Nikola Spiric and Nikola Kragulj. On behalf of Party for BiH, the meeting was attended by Beriz Belkic and Azra Hadziahmetovic. The meeting discussed extremely serious situation in BIH and also analysed the existing structures of BiH authorities, as well as possible co-operation between these two parties in the coming period. The joint assessment was that the current authorities cannot implement anticipated reforms and offer a way-out from the current crisis to BiH citizens. |
| Opinion poll: Citizens do not trust BiH politicians | Vecernji List (front “Dragan Covic most popular in Federation” and page 3 “Covic most popular is Federation, Ashdown in BiH”, by Mila Stankovic) – carries results of an opinion poll conducted by the Banja Luka-based “Partner” agency among 1190 citizens of BiH, 700 from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 490 from the Republika Srpska. Asked which official they trust the most, 29% of interviewees stated they did not trust a single BiH politician. When it comes to the trust, the interviewees trust the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, the most, who got the support from 16,9% of the interviewees. Second on the list is SNSD’s Milorad Dodik (8,4%) and third is the Chairman of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic (7,6%). The opinion poll also show that the Bosniaks care about the State of BiH the most and about the existence of the RS the least, whilst the situation among the Serbs is opposite to the Bosniaks. The poll also show that the biggest problems to all the three constituent peoples, with little differences, are unemployment, family, crime and corruption. (Dnevni List, page 3, by H, “One third of people in BiH do not trust politicians”) |
| DL says Mayor of Mostar loses support, faces removal | Dnevni List (front and page 8, by S. Kuzman, “Ante Jelavic’s destiny awaits Jahic”) – DL opens the article by saying that even foreign (news) agencies started publishing articles that the Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic, is one of the obstacles to the process of unification of Mostar and BiH as a State. According to DL, Jahic, together with the Head of Mostar’s Municipality Old Town, Zijad Hadziomerovic, creates the main axis of SDA that wants to show that co-existence is impossible in a single municipality of Mostar. DL goes on to say that Mayor Jahic lost the support of the OHR, which is evident from the correspondence between Jahic’s office and the OHR, which DL learned about from its source in the SDA. Namely, DL believes that after the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, did not attend the traditional dives from the Old Bridge because of his disagreement with Jahic’s policy, which DL reported on earlier, and Jahic’s office’s efforts to get a denial of that information from the OHR South, which was turned down by the OHR, according to DL, it becomes clear that the OHR will not support Jahic’s retrograde policy. In light of this, DL says that many analysts believe that Mayor Jahic is in for removal because he is trying to establish some sort of a self-rule in three Bosniak predominant municipalities, just like Ante Jelavic did with the Croat self-rule. Finally, DL says the Mostar Bosniaks are more and more favouring the policy of people who have been consistent in efforts to have single municipality in Mostar ever since 1995. |
| Representative of former inmates in RS on Bosniak request for change of RS name | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘New name or split up’ – Branislav Dukic, President of the Republika Srpska Association of former inmates, stated that if Bosniak side persists on its request for abolishment of Republika Srpska, former inmates of Republika Srpska will demand the change of name of BiH state. He proposed the name of Federation of Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. |
| NN editorial on Tihic, Paravac’s behaviour | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Almedin Sisic, pg. 7, ‘Tihic and Paravac – brothers by money’ – The author is critical of behaviour of the members of BiH Presidency, namely Borislav Paravac and Sulejman Tihic, who constantly accuse each other for many issues, including exceeding budget limitations, etc. he concludes the article by saying that: “Has it ever occurred to them to set aside only a fifth of the money they spent, and which they did not earn with hard work? And this amount of money could have saved poor and tortured workers of Bihac “Zitoprerada” from hunger.” |
| BiH HoP session | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, RTRS, Sarajevo dailies – BiH House of Peoples failed to discuss the Security Policy document at its session in Sarajevo on Tuesday.. Since document was proposed by both presidency and council of ministers, it has been decided that it should be returned to the expert commissions and discussed at the next session. Unusually, as a last point of the agenda, SDA Osman Brka’s question related to Dragan Covic’s claim that Al-Qaeda branch exists in BiH and that many humanitarian organisations are covering terrorist activities. Bosniak deputies demand from Covic to answer personally whether he stated this for New York Times. Deputies adopted law on communications which was previously imposed by the High Representative and accepted recommendation of the Council of Ministers for consideration of amendments to the law on refugees and displaced persons and law on aviation. |
| Ivanic on OHR | BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic stated for German media that OHR’s jurisdiction/mandate should last until 2005. After that, it should be taken over by the BiH institutions. Blic pg. 7 ‘To restrict OHR by 2005’ – Ivanic is of the view that the OHR power should be restricted and should not last after 2005. He also said that local institutions should take over full responsibility for all processes. “If this does not happen in two years, it will be a strange and tough message that BiH ten years after the war is not a normal country.” In a statement given to the German daily Die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Ivanic said that it is much easier for BiH politicians to waste their time in trying to convince the High Representative, that they are right, instead of trying to find a compromise with their fellow colleagues. Ivanic is of the view that BiH should deal with corrupted politicians. He thinks that at the moment there are no many people who may obstruct the implementation of Dayton Accord. Ivanic criticises the way in which the High Representative replaces local politicians, saying that corruption cases must be dealt before the courts. |
Affairs | |
| SDP: Brutal attacks against Lagumdzija based on lies
| Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Someone will have to be put behind bars – they or myself’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘SDP Presidency defends Lagumdzija’, FENA – The Social-Democratic Party (SDP) Presidency discussed at a special session Tuesday the situation in the country and adopted a plan for a series of events titled “BiH One Year Later”, SDP stated in a press release. The SDP Presidency said that brutal attacks based on lies against SDP, which culminated during the last several days with statements by leaders of ruling parties, are aimed at diverting the attention of citizens from economic problems, criminal activities and terrorist attacks for which the current authorities are responsible. It is now clear that statements by SDA and HDZ leaders are co-ordinated with the abuse of the intelligence service for political purposes, SDP stated. Public accusations and lies that the SDP President organised bomb attacks and a coup d-etate show not only the moral downfall of those making them but also represent a call for lynching those fighting against their criminal activities, SDP stated. SDP expects relevant judicial and investigative structures, as well as OHR, to immediately start an investigation against Seada Palavric, Niko Lozancic, Ivica Vuksic and Fahrudin Radoncic for false accusations against the SDP President and to sanction all those who took part in the spread of false allegations, which are damaging the dignity of BiH institutions as a whole. Vecernji List page 2, by mbo, “Abuse of intelligence services”, Dnevni List, page 5, by De. L., “Leaders of SDA and HDZ abused intelligence service”also covered the issue. Vecernji List (front “Lagumdzija planned coup” and page 16 “Lagumdzija suspected of organizing coup”, by I. Pjanic), Slobodna Dalmacija (page 15, by Zlatko Tulic, “Did Zlatko Lagumdzija topple authority with bombs?”), Vjesnik (page 10, by Alenko Zornija, “Lagumdzija and associates accused of preparing coup in BiH”) – retell yesterday’s article from Dnevni Avaz about Lagumdzija organizing bomb explosions and putsch. |
| FBiH Prosecutor receives report on the alleged illegal actions of Lagumdzija, Alibabic | Dnevni Avaz front page pg. 4 ‘Prosecutor Knezevic looking into the matter’ – Federation of BiH Prosecutor Zdravko Knezevic confirmed he had received a report accusing SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija and former FOSS Head Munir Alibabic of destructing the constitutional order and creating a crisis that would led to the imposition of the state of emergency in the country. |
| Alleged interference of politicians into Catholic Church affairs | Vecernji List (page 5, by Zdenko Jurilj, “Secret plan for toppling of Catholic priests was being prepared”) – following yesterday’s article in Vecernji List about an alleged plan of the IC to have Vatican remove the Archbishop of Vrhbosnia, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, today’s VL says there have been similar attempts of interference into the work of the Catholic Church in the past. In that context, VL says that a former Head of OHR South, “an American diplomat Colin Munro”, (NB: an obvious mistake, Mr. Munro is British) within his operations to politically and economically destroy the Croat self-rule, in an operation called “Antenna”, suggested the foreign diplomats to exert pressure through senior Catholic authorities in Vatican in order to put an end to politically colored speeches of the Mostar Bishop, Ratko Peric. According to VL, similar pressures had been exerted by a former High Representative for BiH, Wolfgang Petritsch. |
| DL says “Komos” is not owner of land at “Uborak” waste dump | Dnevni List (page 13, by Vesna Leto, “Uborak waste dump is not Komos’”) – DL says there are new details prior to tomorrow’s session of Mostar City Council which is to discuss the issue of “Uborak” waste dump, namely the establishment of “Uborak d.o.o” Company. DL notes that back in 1997, when the EU funded the construction of “Uborak” waste dump, the EU did not allow that the land plots be transferred to the “Komos” Public Utility Company and goes on to say that the land the “Uborak” waste dump is located on, is in fact public property, i.e. the property of Municipality North, which in turn means that the land was not privatized. DL even says there are excerpts from the land registry that show that. This triggers the author to say that the tomorrow’s session will mark a turning point to the whole issue because “Komos’” claims that the land belongs to the company (Komos) will be refuted. |
Education | |
| OHR, OSCE condemn efforts to prevent children from attending schools
| Dnevni List page 5, by S. K., “Politics in first row of school benches”, FENA – The OHR and the OSCE Mission deplore the fact that politics have interfered with the right of all children to a depoliticised, high-quality and modern education system in every part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said a joint OHR, OSCE press release issued on Tuesday. Efforts by local political reactionaries on Monday to prevent almost 300 Croat children from attending school in Novi Seher in Maglaj are a direct challenge to existing education laws and the agreed Education Reform Strategy, one of whose principal goals is to “put an end to segregation and discrimination through education.” It is shocking, that political disagreements have been intentionally allowed to escalate in front of children waiting for their first day of school. It should be obvious that classrooms are not the appropriate forum for the resolution of political issues, because the ultimate victims of such manipulations will be the children of this country. It is welcome news that the parents of ten children decided to send them to the Novi Seher school this morning. In doing so, they are putting the interests of their children first. BiH officials must now follow that good example, by rejecting efforts by reactionaries to derail attempts to raise the quality and standard of the BiH education system. The agreed Education Reform Strategy ensures that the cultural rights of all children will be respected in the classroom. Moreover, administrative unification has no effect on the existing curriculum or language of instruction. The appointment of a common school director and school board, and the registration of schools as a single legal body, is a technical procedure. Those who depict it as a political or an ideological one are acting on the basis of agendas that have nothing to do with education, and everything to do with their own control and influence. The municipal authorities must ensure that pupils of all ethnic backgrounds are welcomed at the Novi Seher school. The time has come to stop politicizing this matter, the two organisations concluded. Dnevni List (page 2, by Ivica Glibusic, “Start of classes under direction of Minister Tomasevic”) – the author argues that attempts of the “suitable education minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Sreto Tomasevic, to start a media fire seems to be a success (…) I wonder, and many should wonder too, what kind of education minister, instead of understanding problems and revolt of parents and children, pours oil on fire, accusing them and not asking them why they protest”. According to Glibusic, minister Tomasevic does not want to listen to the parents and pupils since his only aim is to hold on to his ministerial office, whilst the message that the parents and pupils are trying to send to cantonal authorities and the IC is that they want to be educated in the language and curriculum of their choice. “No matter how they tried to deprive the Croat children, where they are a minority, of the right to mother tongue, the assimilation project is destined to failure (…) Minister Tomasevic and Robert Beecroft probably did not hear that a school in Zagreb was opened this year, a school for 13 Jewish children in which classes will be conducted in the Hebrew”, concludes Glibusic. |
| HNC teachers’ strike | Croat radio Herceg Bosna, Dnevni List (front and p 15, “Unions request removal of Minister and Deputy Minister of Education”, by Fena) and Vecernji list (front page “Union members demand politicians’ resignations” and p 5, “Croat Ministers’ resignations demanded”, by Milan Sutalo) report that various Teachers’ Unions from Cantons 6, 7, 8 and 10 have issued a joint press release by which they demand resignations of Education Ministers and Deputy Ministers and a general protest of all the Unions from Croat-majority Cantons. The PR also reads that the blow to Croat education, language and identity aims at Croats’ disappearance from these areas and creation of 2 peoples in 2 BiH entities – Bosniaks and Serbs. A separate DL article (p 15, “In HNC 17 schools working according to Bosniak curriculum on strike”, by Fena) reads that, out of 19 schools working according to Bosniak curriculum in BiH, 17 are on strike. DL (p 13, “Postponement of classes given political connotation”, by Fena) carries that the BiH Union of Primary Education and all its Cantonal Boards give support to strikes in HNC, but are concerned about attempts to give the strike political connotation. |
| DL’s editorial on education | Dnevni List (page 6, by Professor Marko Tadic, “Who is going to be ‘scapegoat’?”) – the author believes that the High Representative for BiH has continued to keep BiH citizens laugh and undermine his already undermined authority with the decision to fine the HDZ because of failure to implement his decision. Tadic goes on to say that whilst the High Representative is probably happy with his decision, the HDZ leaders are having a laugh because they survived without suffering significant damages. In that context, the author says the HDZ were obstructing, having meetings, refused to the implement the HR’s decision in order to earn the punishment and now when they earned it, they again become heroes in the fight for Croat interests. “And the fine? Who cares about the measly few thousand convertible marks. They have enough ‘golden geese’ (banks, post offices, elektroprivredas, insurance companies) to make up for the ‘lost profit’”, says Tadic. |
Other issues | |
| Serious traffic accident near Derventa
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Two dead and 14 injured’; Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Two dead and 15 injured’ – The toll of the latest serious traffic accident, which took place around 15:15 hrs yesterday in Miskovci near Derventa, is two dead and 14 injured. Helena Suman (52) from Hrvacani near Prnjavor and Ljubo Ilic (30) from Jasenica near Srebrenika were killed in accident. |
| Black flags in Bocinja | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Flags in Bocinja’ – Black flags with death’s head and Arabic signs displayed at the building in the centre of the Serb village of Bocinja are being placed by mujahedeens. Black flags arose fear amongst Serb returnees to Bocinja. Bosko Jovanovic, Vice President of Municipal Council, told GS that the flags were placed following the visit of OHR representatives from Tuzla to this settlement. According to him, Serb returnees often have verbal conflicts with mujahedeens |
| Dynamic Response | RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Ward: I am convinced BiH will be a part of this team as well’ – SFOR Commander General William Ward attended SFOR’s military exercise “Dynamic Response” at the Dubrave Airport, near Tuzla. Ward said that BiH remains with two armies who can provide peace and stability in the region through cooperation with stabilisation forces. Ward: “Though, we are working to have armies united under the same command one day”. High Representative Paddy Ashdown and BiH Presidency members Dragan Covic and Borislav Paravac also attended the event. |