| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (15,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Picula in BiH | BiH HoR session | HB EP losses in 2001 | RS Parliament session |
| PDHR on HB EP today | RS Parliament session | HNK MoI on Mostar blast | BiH HoR session |
| New Mostar Deputy Mayor | Picula in Sarajevo | BoH HoR session | SFOR on their actions |
| HT Mostar | US war against Iraq |
| RS Tax Admin. |
| Oslobodjenje | OHR fabricating information on SDA candidates; Schroembgens – vetting of SDP directors; Two dead in a car accident; BH Telecom on Eurosong – TV vote failed because of viewers |
| Dnevni Avaz | EU troops will have the same mandate as SFOR; Bond against the appointment of Sead Kikic; HZ EP – a special team discovered a robbery worth 50 million KM; Sefer Halilovic lawyer was a military prosecutor in former JNA |
| Dnevni List | BiH Minister of Communications and Traffic with CRA leaders – nevertheless, new authority will give third GSM operator license to Eronet?; DL writings about Elektroprivreda CC HB was confirmed – money from Eletroprivreda in pockets of privileged ones; SFOR’s Spokesperson Yves Vanier – members of the BiH Presidency use private and partisan individuals for protection |
| Vecernji List | Kiseljak’s brigade soldiers got killed; Catholic Church is still illegal!? |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Report of the International Audit Team – 50 million KM embezzled in Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna; Information from the HDZ were leaking on all sides |
| Glas Srpski | Court proceedings against former ministers of the RS – reports collect dust; Upon an assault against a primary school pupil in Drvar – police looking for a delegate |
| Nezavisne Novine | Serious car accident on the Kaknja-Zenica road – a soldier and driver of ‘Stojadin’ died; The RTRS ITC Serb Sarajevo – dismissed porters threatened with murder to Director; Mirsad Kebo BiH Minister of Refugees – no money for returns |
| Blic | Dispute because of politicians’ private security; No military threats, peaceful Bosnia and neighbourhood; Milan Bogicevic – PM Mikerevic did not consult me when appointing EP’s Director; Radomir Njegus – returnees are not safe enough; Miroljub Labus – the BiH lawsuit will deteriorate relations between two countries |
Political Affairs | |
| Bond opposes Kikic’s appointment
| Avaz pg. 1 and 2 – Niko Lozancic, Federation President, still has not signed a proposal to appoint Sead Kikic to the post of the FOSS Director. Lozancic said that during a meeting with US Ambassador Clifford Bond he received clear signals that Ambassador was opposing Kikic’s appointment. Lozancic therefore came up with an idea of establishing a mixed group (which would include Lozancic, FBiH PM Ahmer Hadzipasic and OHR reps) that would try to find a solution. |
| Picula’s visit
| Avaz pg. 2 ‘The path of BiH and Croatia to Europe is common’ – on yesterday’s meeting of Croatian Foreign minister, Tonino Picula, and HR Paddy Ashdown. Ashdown stated after the meeting that they discussed issues concerning the future, especially in the context of the regional cooperation. Picula emphasized that he informed HR that the main interest of Croatia was to inform BiH of their application for the EU membership. Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘New kind of partnership’ – “I am here to convey the message of the Croatian government that now is the time for the new kind of partnership and that we need to support such spirit of cooperation in times that are rapidly changing because Europe is getting closer to Croatia and BiH,” said Picula. Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Agreements are guarantees of cooperation between BiH and Croatia’ – on late last night’s meeting between HR Paddy Ashdown and Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula. They modalities of mutual cooperation between BiH and Croatia. Slobodna Dalmacija pg. 7 ‘Time has come for new form of partnership with BiH’ – the HR stated that they discussed many issues and he thanked the Croatian government for its constructive moves when certain areas concerning BiH are in question. |
| Beslic nominated for Mostar Deputy Mayor | Avaz pg. 2 ‘Ljubo Beslic, a close associate of Ante Jelavic, nominated for Mostar Deputy Mayor’ – the HDZ Mostar Main Board yesterday nominated Ljubo Beslic for the new Mostar Deputy Mayor after Neven Tomic resigned from the post. The article carries a broef background of Beslic. One of the last information is that Beslic was nominated for the post of HNK MoI Head when former HR Petritsch removed Dragan Mandic from the post. The OHR at the time however rejected Beslic’s appointment, and judging by that Beslic would have difficulties passing in the OHR for the Deputy Mayor post. Oslobodjenje pg. 2 – President of the HDZ Mostar Main Board, Miroslav Coric, the nomination will be forwarded to the City Council for further procedure. Herzeg Bosna Radio bulletin at 15: 00 on Tuesday (item no. 3) – reported shortly the HDZ Mostar nominated Beslic for Mostar Deputy Mayor. Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘HDZ proposed Ljubo Beslic’, Vecernji List pg. 1 and 2 and Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 – during a session of the HDZ Mostar City Board Ljubo Beslic, a mechanical engineer, was proposed for the position of the Mostar Deputy Mayor. |
| HoR session | Avaz pg. 4 ‘The security situation in the state unsatisfactory’ – at yesterday’s special session of the BiH HoR reps assessed the security situation in BiH was unsatisfactory. They requested from the CoM to suggest necessary measures for the improvement of necessary measures in the next 30 days. Furthermore, reps assessed that information forwarded to them by the entity and Brcko District MoIs were insufficient. Adnan Terzic, CoM Chair, said that the fact the RS government forwarded them information on whereabouts and residing of foreigners instead of the security information showed clearly their relationship to the BiH HoR and CoM. Seada Palavric (SDA) requested specific information on criminal activities against returnees. Vinko Zoric (HDZ) requested urgent reforms of the security system. Momcilo Novakovic (Serb Democtari Union) complained that institutions that dealt with security such as SIPA, SBS and BiH Interpol did not submit security information. Finally, Zlako Lagumdzija (SDP) advocated for the functioning of SIPA, removing obstacles for the realisation of the CIPS project and ending of the ‘Pogorelica’ case. Oslobodjenje pg. 8 – HoR reps marked the issue as a priority. Blic pg. 7 ‘Superficial report, missed subject’ – the report by the Council of Ministers on the security situation provoked a marathon debate in the House, which had more to do with the attitude of the state and entity governments towards the Parliament than the security situation itself. Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘Wrong report by the RS Ministry of Interior’ and Dnevni List pg. 9 ‘Information on security in BiH criticized’ – the information in the submitted documents (on the security situation) were general and they were not sufficient for a valid discussion on this extremely important issue. |
| RS NA | Avaz pg. 4 ‘Condemnation of the attacks on returnees’ – yesterday’s session of the RS NA where information on the security of returnees and individuals of non-Serb nationality, as well as on the activities of the RS MoI, was adopted. It was concluded that there were certain problems concerning the return of refugees, but also security problems to the detriment of citizens of Serb nationality in both eh RS and Federation. Nezavisne Novine pg. 6 ‘The Law on RTRS adopted’, Glas Srpski pg. 2 ‘Television got the Law’ – yesterday’s resumption of the 3rd session of the RS National Assembly, during which the Law on RTRS was passed with 68 votes pro, four against and four abstained. Along with the Law, the RS NA also adopted conclusions by which the NA sought from the RTRS Steering Board to suspend all activities (in regard to the appointment of Director General and solutions related to the work status of those employed at this TV house) until the decrees regarding these issues were put in effect. RS NA also adopted conclusion to conduct an audit at RTRS within three months time. RS NA also condemned all assaults and provocations against returnees and their properties in the RS and BiH. An inset – Julian Braithwaite, OHR Chief Spokesperson, stated that it was too early to comment on the decision passed by the RS NA, stressing that the OHR would not allow any pressure to be exerted on the state media. “No one can think that the OHR would allow any pressure to be exerted against the state media,” said Braithwaite. Blic pg. 7 ‘Security is not on a high level’; Nacional pg. 11 ‘Security of returnees to Srpska is satisfactory’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 ‘Security is improving’ – director of the RS police, Radomir Njegus, addressed the Assembly by concluding the security status of returnees, in context of the overall security situation in the RS, was far from excellent, but still satisfactory. After an initiative of the SRS, the Assembly passed a resolution condemning the violence of SFOR displayed during the ‘Harvest’ action, including the treatment of Milorad Bilbija in Ljeskari near Prijedor. “SFOR violates human rights and freedoms, and scares people of the RS. We demand from SFOR command to punish the responsible parties,” the resolution read. The Party for BiH voted against, explaining that there was no official statement from the SFOR or the RS Ministry of Interior confirming that Bilbija was a victim of violence. |
| SDA vs. OHR | Avaz pg. 9 ‘Safet Halilovic supporting SDA’s request’ – an extraordinary session of the SDA Presidency where it was concluded that the SDA, as the winning party form the last elections, has not been enabled to fully implement the election results. According to SDA Vice-President, Elmir Jahic, said they were the ones supposed to take the blame if anything went downhill, yet they were not allowed to get in a position where they could start solving the problems. President of the SBiH Presidency, Safet Halilovic, agreed the process of the election results implementation had been stalled. Finally, a statement by Vice-President of the HDZ Niko Lozancic. “Even during their technical mandate the Alliance conducted several appointments to very important positions. Their criteria were not professionalism. Afterwards, the IC, through the OHR, made several decisions, or rather rules, that prevented the current authorities from verifying the mentioned appointments. You should judge for yourself how fair such relationship is,” said Lozancic. Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 3 – Jahic told Oslobodjenje that information about certain candidates from the SDA for posts in the current government was fabricated within the IC circles. He announced his party would request the vetting process to be done in a transparent manner and in accordance with the democratic standards. |
| Review Mijatovic’s appointment | Avaz pg. 9 ‘To review a decision regarding the appointment of RS Elektropriverda Director’ – RS Minister of Economy, Industry Energy and Development, Milan Bogicevic, requested yesterday from RS PM Dragan Mikerevic to review the decision on the appointment of Dusan Mijatovic as Acting Director of the RS Elektroprivreda. Bogicevic requested that an adequate and quality solution be reached at the next session of the RS government. The daily notes in the last paragraph that Bogicevic entered the RS government as a member of the SDS. That party claims the Acting Director should be someone from Herezegovina since the company HQ is situated in Trebinje. Glas Srpski pg. 4 ‘Appointments beyond the Law’ – “The Ministry of Energy is of the view that people, who have been appointed by the RS government, are also responsible for the mismanagement of the RS EP,” said Bogicevic. BN TV News bulletin on Tuesday at 14: 00 (item no. 4)- as BN TV learns, Bogicevic is dissatisfied because Mikerevic appointed Mijatovic without consulting the Ministry of Energy. Blic pg. 7 ‘Mijatovic cannot be acting director of EPRS’, Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 – Bogicevic’s statement. |
| Spaic on RS EP
| Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘The first phase of investigation in five days’ – Jovan Spaic, RS Public Prosecutor, yesterday told NN that the first phase of the investigation into allegations presented in the special audit report on the RS EP should be completed in five days. He further expressed expectation that District Prosecutor, in concert with the RS MoI, the RS Tax Administration and Anti-money laundering department at the RS Ministry of Finance would complete the task set by the RS government by Monday. |
| RS EP Pale Centre Director | Glas Srpski pg. 4 ‘Review upon order’ – Dobro Kovacevic, Director of Pale based RS EP Centre, put together a letter with remarks on the special audit report on the RS EP, which includes the following. “A part of the RS EP Report, which concerns the EP Centre in Pale, is full of false information and blanket statements.” According to Kovacevic, the RS EP report was set in a tendentious and superficial manner. He further stressed that statements on the payment problems and power stealing were mixed up and also misinterpreted. He also denied information that the Olympic Centre ‘Jahorina’ and ‘Famos Koran’ did not pay their electricity bills. |
| SDS – PDP clash | Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘Fight for the take over of the RS EP’ – opposition parties in the RS are of the view that the affair at the RS EP has turned into an open political conflict of the ruling parties, the SDS and PDP. The opposition doubts in eventual survival of the ruling coalition because it may fail the test called the RS EP. According to Milorad Dodik, SNSD President, the newly established coalition has shown only two months after its establishment that the fight for party and group interests is their main task. Safet Halilovic, Party for BiH, is of the view that the ‘confrontation between the SDS and PDP, which resulted from the conflict of interests in relation to the RS EP, may lead to dramatic consequences in future relations between these two parties’. Elmir Jahic, SDA Spokesperson, is of the opinion that the criteria for the selection of leadership cannot be of regional interest, but should be based on quality. Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 ‘SDS against Mijatovic’ – the SDS is against Mijatovic’s appointment because he was a member of the RS Elektroprivreda Steering Board until February 6, still is BiH Electric Power Coordination Sector Steering Board’s Chair and was RS Electric Power Distribution Manager before being appointed to this position. |
| FBiH HoP Serb cacus | Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Initiative to OHR’ – reports that the imitative by certain reps of the FBiH HoP (that the filling of the Serb caucus was only possible by making changes to the Constitution) would be forwarded to the OHR today. |
| SDHR Schroembgens | Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 6 – SDHR Gerhard Enver Schroembgens stated that directors of companies, institutes and members of main boards that were appointed BY THE alliance would be undergoing a vetting/revision procedure in the next 12 months. Laws pronounced last week by HR Paddy Ashdown approved the revision. He explained that the laws imposed by the HR regulate appointment procedures for company directors, institutes or members of the main boards, which did not exist before. |
| New SBiH president | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 7 – according to a high-ranked official of Party for BiH, former President of the party Haris Silajdzic is intending to support Beriz Belkic as the new President of the party. “Since Silajdzic definitely will not be the party’s leader, fractions within the Party for BiH have started campaigns within the party. People who support Belkic believe that if he comes to the leading position of the party the original principles of the Party for BiH would be reaffirmed additionally, thus the dissatisfaction of the public over the fact that this party formed a coalition with Karadzic’s SDS at the sate level would be avoided.” |
| Court proceedings against RS officials | Glas Srpski pg. 1 – the daily questions what happened with criminal reports filed against former ministers of the RS suspected of having damaged the RS budget for total of 12 million KM. This issue surfaced again after a recent verbal confrontation between Zoran Djeric, RS Minister of Internal affairs, and Jovan Spaic, RS Public Prosecutor. Djeric complained against judicial institutions, claiming that these reports only ‘collected dust in drawers’. Spaic denied any judicial responsibility in these cases. According to information obtained at the Banja Luka Basic Court, the current state on this matter is as follows. The courts proceeding against Mirko Nozica (former director of the RS Directorate for Reserves). Trials are ongoing against Cedo Vrzina and Milan Trbojevic (former ministers of justice). Trial has commenced against Milorad Karalic (former RS Ministers of Sports) and his assistant, Milan Novitovic. Charges have been brought against Savo Loncar, former RS Vice Premier. Charges have also been pressed against Dragan Veselinovic (former Finance Police Director). The investigations are ongoing against Milorad Dodik, Novak Kondic, Djordje Latinovic, Ostoja Kremenovic and Jagoda Nedic. |
| ‘Orao’ affair | BN TV News bulletin at 14:00 on Tuesday (item no. 3) – Deputy Secretary General of the BiH Standing Military Committee, Savo Sokanovic, told SRNA that the Standing Military Committee’s Secretariat has received the report of RS President Dragan Cavic on the ‘Orao’ case. “The BiH Presidency concluded that the discussion on violating the UN Resolution on weapon trade with Iraq would be held after the Secretariat studies the report. We have started the study of this voluminous material after which we will make proposals and deliver them to the Presidency,” Sokanovic said. Vecernji List pg. 12 by D. Jazvic – although there is no official confirmation, it is very possible that the American dissatisfaction over the results of the ‘Orao’ affair investigation is the reason why Assistant of the US Secretary General for Military Control, Steven Rademarker, will pay a visit to Sarajevo tomorrow. It has been expected that Rademarker will demand from the BiH state authorities guarantees that illegal military co-operation especially with Iraq and other countries with which the US is not in friendly relations will be stopped. |
| Dangers of BiH lawsuit | Blic pg. 2 – leader of G17 Plus, Miroljub Labus, warned that the BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro before the International Court of Justice in The Hague would deteriorate significantly the relations between the two countries. “The BiH lawsuit burdens relations between the two countries,” Labus said, noting that the development of diplomatic relations could contribute to the solving of the dispute. |
| Karadzic | Nedeljni Telegraf pg. 18 ‘I have contacts with Radovan Karadzic, future president of Serbia’ – quotes Hadzi-Radimir Milic, businessman from Cacak and Vice-President of the United National Serbs’ Movement with HQ in Krusevac, as saying that Radovan Karadzic is neither in RS nor Serbia. “I have regular contacts with Radovan Karadzic. We do not see each other nor we talk by phone, because that might endanger his security. There is one man who meets Karadzic and who helps us exchange messages. Radovan is aware of his situation. He does not have illusions that he may be politically engaged as long as The Hague Tribunal is looking for him. However, his time is coming. He is the only man who can save Serbs. In Krusevac we will declare his candidacy for president of united Serbia. According to our information, force deployment in the world will be changed after the war with Iraq and the Hague Tribunal will cease to exist. Then Radovan as a free man would declare his candidacy for Serbian presiden.” |
Economic Affairs | |
| HB EP
| Avaz pg. 1 and 4 – carries parts of a report conducted by Special Auditor’s Team in the Herzeg-Bosna Elektroprivreda, which is to be presented in full today by PDHR Donald Hays. It was assessed that the HZ EP lost through poor management, favouring of clients and the conflict of interests around 50 million-KM during 2001. Apparently, the losses and thefts were not reduced in the course of 2002, and there are grounded suspicions that users of the HB EP were being systematically robbed. The Team also noted that tenders were manipulated. Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Hays will announce today revision results’ – PDHR Hays will announced today results of the HB EP revision. “Hays will present the key conclusions from the report, which makes it clear that the HZ EP does not work in the interest of citizens, but a small group of people inside the company or connected to it,” said OHR Spokesperson Mario Brkic. With regard to the Elektroprivreda of Croat Community of Herceg Bosna (EP CC HB) issue, Vecernji List pg. 5 ‘We were doing everything according to the law’ – a statement by Deputy General Manager of EP CC HB Marko Loncar. “As early as September 2002 people from the OHR started conducting a special audit in our company and we could say that we had had good co-operation. I declare under full responsibility that in the EP CC HB everything was done according to the law and that we expect a positive solution. All speculations that have been launched these days are not grounded VL and Slobodna Dalmacija pg. 1 and 15 – 50 million KM were embezzled in the EP CC HB. The dailies say that unpaid electricity bills amount to 170 million KM and among those who were not paying the bills were HVIDRA, ‘Soko’ company, Croat component of the Federation Army and ‘Elektro Bosna’ Jajce. On the same issue, Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 – Brkic stated at a press conference yesterday that Hays would present today the main results of the EP CC HB audit that revealed many irregularities in the running of this company. DL says that this announcement confirmed the DL writings about misdeeds in this company at the cost of citizens and to the benefit of politically powerful and eligible individuals. Vjesnik pg. 10 – according to sources from the EP CC HB, after the results of the audit are published the removals of the EP CC HB will most probably take place. The sources say that if there were some disputable decisions, they were passed under political pressure. Vjesnik also says that the international community decided to conduct the audit of these companies in order to secure that the future process of privatization of this sector is led by ‘cooperative’ cadres, but also by persons who were not discredited due to their illegal work in the past. Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 3 – PDHR Hays will today present the report of the OGR Auditor on business dealings at the Herceg Bosna Power Utility (HB EP). |
| Commentary in Oslobodjenje | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘partnership in economy’ by Amra Kebo – commenting on the Bulldozer action, a joint venture by international and local officials. She basically repeats the well-known facts – that the first part of the program has been completed and the Commission recognized 50 measures that should be taken. That the local politicians now have to act or the bad situation will become catastrophic. “If the Bulldozer action succeeds – and all preconditions have been created for it – then local and international officials can be forgiven the amateur political – entertainment show presented two days ago in front of the OHR.” |
| Eronet | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 4 – the BiH Minister of Communications and Traffic Branko Dokic met with the CRA delegation led by its Head David Betts. During the meeting it was concluded that talks of all parties interested in the case of the third GSM operator should continue. Dokic said that that he would talk with competent minister in the Federation, representatives of Eronet, HPT and other operators. Dokic also said that this job might be finished by the end of March. “This is a political and expert issue and for this reason a solution that will satisfy all sides should be found.” DL says that Betts was rather reserved in his comments on this issue. Asked whether the CRA changed its opinion with regard to issuing of the license for the third GSM operator to Eronet, Betts stated that he did not believe that they changed their opinion following the policy of the BiH Council of Ministers in the area of telecommunications. “It is clearly said that we give advice to the BiH Council of Ministers in this area,” said Betts. “This statement exactly is an obvious proof that the new Minister is determined to put the things in order. First of all, competence and tasks of the CRA,” concluded the daily. Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Legislation at no one’s detriment’ – on the meeting. Dokic said that whatever they decided the final decision on the third GSM operator was with the CoM. |
| Brkic on telecom liberalisation | Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘Citizens need better services’ – OHR Spokesperson, Mario Brkic, denied information that the proposed restructuring of Power Utilities of BiH and Herceg Bosna would see the dismissal of around 50,000 staff. He also denied claims that the phone-call bills from Croatia to Germany were 12 times higher than bills for calls from Germany to Croatia, although the operator is the same, the Deutsche Telekom. Commenting on a report on the liberalisation of the telecommunication sector, Brkic stated that foreign firms and local firms in BiH manipulate with the prices in equally unscrupulous manner. |
| Privredna Banka Doboj | Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Temporary administration at Doboj Privredna Banka accelerates merging with Pavlovic Bank’ – Dusanka Novakovic, Director of the RS Banking Agency, stated that the introduction of the Temporary administration at Privredna Banka Doboj could only accelerate activities on the merging of this bank with the Pavlovic International Bank. |
| DL editorial | Dnevni List pg. 6 by Dr. Kadrija Hodzic – an editorial dealing with the issue of BiH Elektroprivreda companies. “The privatisation of this sector makes sense if it leads towards the abolishment of monopoly and Mafia chain, and if it leads towards the reduction of price of electric power. For this reason, in order to protect BiH, a producer and consumer of electric power ‘the state significance of Power 3’, initiated by BiH International Council for Big Electro-energetic systems, should be supported.” |
International Community Affairs | |
| Solana
| Avaz pg. 1 and 5 – an exclusive interview with Havijer Solana. Mainly talked about the possible take over of the EU troops from SFOR in BiH. Emphasized that the main role in the entire process of BiH joining Europe was with the BiH Presidency. He said that no EU troops could be planned without including the Presidency. Last week he spoke to the Presidency members and they gave their full support to the take over plans. Asked about the role of HR Ashdown in the activities, Solana said that his role was of the biggest importance. “Ashdown has our full support and we speak to him every day. Therefore, Ashdown will have a crucial role in the process of planning possible take over of mandate from SFOR.” |
| OHR and EUPM on Mostar explosion | Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘On explosion in Mostar’ and Dnevni List pg. 1 and 7 ‘Solnes: there is no proof, but a possibility that it was crime of hatred is not excluded’ – a statement by EUPM Spokesperson, Jan Oscar Solnes, stated at a press conference in Sarajevo. “Currently, there is no proof that would unmistakably show that the explosion in Mostar, when Smail Hrnjcic got killed and his son Arman was seriously injured, was the result of ethnically motivated crime.’” Solnes however did not exclude the possibility that this was the crime of hatred, but currently there are no special indications that this was the case. DL carries a statement by OHR Spokesperson, Mario Brkic. “This incident, just like all other recent explosions, affected all people in BiH, regardless of the fact where they live. High Representative Paddy Ashdown fully supports an appeal by the BiH Presidency for the carrying out of a complete and thorough investigation of each individual case, that will result in bringing of responsible ones to justice.” |