| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| CoM on 5c corridor | OHR on Vuksic | Nikolic pleads guilty | RS Police – Karadzic |
| Validity of certificates | Hercegovacka Bank | FMoI arrested 3 | FOSS affairs |
| Property Law | Nikolic pleaded guilty | Intelligence reform | Regional news |
| Croatian assistance to BiH | Terzic-Mikerevic meeting | Coup d’etat in BiH | World news |
| Oslobodjenje | Supreme Court did not approve wire-tapping of Alibabic |
| Dnevni Avaz | Alibabic has his branch in OHR as well |
| Dnevni List | Removal of Kukic and Lojo requested; Hypo Bank wants to finance corridor Vc |
| Vecernji List | Putsch in HDZ being prepared; Espionage scandal shakes whole Bosnia; Nikola Spiric: Mafia in BiH twice as strong as state |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Millers and baker warn: Reserves of wheat getting exhausted |
| Nezavisne Novine | Banjaluka: False alarm on bomb at Hypo-Alpe-Adria Bank; Glinica near Velika Kladusa: The entire village wants to move out; Munir Alibabic: Vuksic prevented the investigation to war crime; The Hague Tribunal: Dragan Nikolic pleaded guilty |
| Blic | 7 million KM for drought’s consequences; Mujahedeens with black flags through Maglaj; Dragan Mikerevic: We have opened market, but it is the problem for our firms |
| Slobodna Bosna | How war criminal Ivan Vuksic saved the country from coup d’etat |
Security affairs | |
| Dnevni Avaz: Alibabic has his branch in OHR as well
| Dnevni Avaz front page, pgs. 2-3 ‘Alibabic has his branch in OHR as well’ – In spite of a strict High Representative’s ban to deal with the intelligence issues, Munir Munja Alibabic, has established a branchy network of his associates in the BiH institutions, media, judicial and police bodies and the international community, learns the newspaper. Alibabic has been maintaining daily contacts with his associates/informers. The most interesting is, however, a fact about the existence of an Alibabic’s intelligence branch in the OHR itself. Alibabic initially employed his daughter Irisa in OHR, and she has been engaged in the office of Moris Power, who has been tasked in recent time to deal with the return to the Sarajevo region. Power, according to Dnevni Avaz, has however started serving Alibabic through advising him who are the people at the particular moment he should contact to in order to resolve some problem. |
| Supreme Court did not approve wire-tapping of Alibabic | Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘Supreme Court did not approve wire-tapping of Alibabic’ – The Federation of BiH Supreme Court did not approve wire-tapping/eavesdropping of Munir Alibabic. The Court’s President, Amir Jaganjac, confirmed this in a statement for the newspaper. Claims of an unnamed international organisations have been thereby supported that Ivica Vuksic, acting FOSS Director, was illegally wire-tapped Alibabic. |
| VL on Alibabic | Apart from giving the whole background into the scandal, Vecernji List (front page “Espionage scandal shakes whole Bosnia” & p 2, “Espionage scandal shakes BiH”, by Dejan Jazvic) reads that, while waiting for the FBiH Prosecutor to study the delivered documentation on a former FOSS Director, Munir Alibabic, in many organizations whose members participated in wire-tapping of Alibabic internal investigations are being carried out: OHR members are being checked, as well as FOSS and FBiH Ministry of Interior members. |
| OHR urges BiH Federation government to reform the intelligence sector
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Vuksic made an appropriate step’, Dnevni List p 2, “Ivan Vuksic’s decision appropriate move”, by Fena, Vjesnik p 12, “OHR: BiH needs urgent reform of intelligence services”, by Hina, ONASA – The BiH Federation Government has to investigate the way in which the report of the BiH Federation Intelligence-Security Service (FOSS) leaked to media, spokesperson of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) Vedran Persic said on Thursday. “Events over the last 48 hours starkly underline the urgent necessity of reforming the Intelligence Sector in this country,” Persic said at a press conference in Sarajevo. According to Dnevni Avaz, the FOSS has collected evidences that President of the BiH Social Democratic Party (SDP) Zlatko Lagumdzija and former FOSS Head Munir Alibabic have worked on the subversion of the constitutional arrangement and introduction of the state of emergency in the country. BiH Presidency’s member Sulejman Tihic told Dnevni Avaz that the investigation is expected to determine the role and responsibility of every person mentioned in the report of the FOSS. The OHR welcomes the measures undertaken by BiH Federation Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic undertaken in that direction. “A decision of FOSS Acting Director Ivan Vuksic to ask to be suspended was also an appropriate step considering his recent indictment,” Persic said. BiH needs a modern and professional state security service that helps law-enforcement agencies in this country fight organized crime, terrorism and other threats. “What BiH does not need – and what it must eliminate completely – are discredited and politicized intelligence operations operating outside proper democratic control. Reform is imperative. It is imperative in order to protect citizens, and it is imperative if BiH is to become a modern, functioning democracy fully integrated in Europe,” Persic said. |
| FBiH Government: Procedure to remove Vuksic and Besic launched | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Procedure to remove Vuksic and Besic launched’, Oslobodjenje mentioned FBiH Government action in its front-page story – At a part of its session held behind close doors in Sarajevo late on Thursday, the BiH Federation Government confirmed an initiative by Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and sent a request to FBiH President and his Deputies for launching a procedure to remove Deputy FOSS Director Ivan Vuksic and FOSS Executive Director Edhem Besic from their offices. The request for removal of Vuksic was explained by a criminal proceedings against him before the Sarajevo Canton Court (with regard to the Hercegovacka Bank developments) as Besic was involved in the Lagumdzija_Alibabic affair. Until the appointment of the new candidates to the offices, the duty of the FOSS Deputy Director will be performed by Zdravko Jukic, while Nezir Fiso will act as the FOSS Execute Director. |
| Tokic on Lagumdzija-Alibabic affair | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Political situation in BiH dramatically worsened’ – Vice-president of the BiH Social Democratic Union (SDU) Sejfudin Tokic told the newspaper that it was of an extremely importance that the investigation into a report related to Zlatko Lagumdzija and Munir Alibabic is conducted swiftly and objectively. He added that this sensitive case should not be politicised. |
| Alibabic on HiRep and Vuksic | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Vuksic prevented the investigation into war crime’ – Munir Alibabic, former Head of FOSS, claims that the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, is also involved in the affair against him, including his wiretapping. For Ivan Vuksic, his successor, Alibabic claims that Vuksic tried to ingratiate himself with HiRep and his colonisation policy by wiretapping Alibabic. Alibabic also finds accusations against him that he was destroying the constitutional order as representing notorious nonsense. |
| FBiH HoP deputies on FOSS work | FTV – At its establishment FOSS was announced as professional and modern service that was going to follow European standards. Parlament is responsible for the control of its work – we asked deputies from the House of Peoples how much control does the Parliament have over its work. Semiha Borovac, President of the F BiH House of Peoples Bosniak deputies club, says: “I believe we have a Board for Intelligence Service’s work, so maybe you could ask its members for more information. As far as I know they have not addressed the Parliament regarding any information from FOSS.” Svetozar Pudaric (SDP), a member of the F BiH Parliament Board for supervision and control of FOSS, says: “As a House of Peoples deputy I know nothing about FOSS work, and as a member of the F BiH Body for supervision and control of the intelligence services’ work I know nothing about the FOSS work. So I cannot comment on their work.” |
| Slobodna Bosna on Vuksic | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 5-9, front page ‘After HDZ rejected him, Vuksic started serving Sulejman Tihic, SDA’ By Suzana Mijatovic, Senad Avdic and Mirsad Fazlic – “A shocking report submitted to the FBiH Prosecution Office and leading politicians in the country by the Federation Intelligence-Security Service (FOSS) early this week, which on the basis of the several-month wire-tapping of the former FOSS head reveals alleged group of plotters in politics, police, media that has been preparing a coup d’etat, is likely to be the most obvious evidence on close links between the BiH political and security mafia,” reads the article. |
| False bomb alarm in Banjaluka | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘False bomb alarm at Hypo-Alpe-Adria Bank’ – Owing to false alarm that an explosive devices was planted at the premises of Hypo-Alpe-Adria Bank in Banjaluka, the work of the Bank was discontinued yesterday, and the entire building was evacuated. An anonymous person yesterday phoned the bank clerk at 13:30 hrs yesterday and informed him of bomb plantation. The clerk immediately infromed police. Zeljko Obradovic, Head of Banjaluka PSC CID Department, said that the thorough inspection of bank promises established there was no bomb. |
Economic/social issues | |
| BOSMAL, Malaysian Bank representatives handed a letter of guarantee to the authorized BiH officials
| Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Is the Banker Tajudin an American man?’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Malaysin Bank Director came to BiH to personally confirm guarantees given to BOSMAL, Dnevni List page 7, unsigned, “Minister Dokic given letter of guarantee”, FENA – Director General and Director Executive of Bosmal d.o.o. Nijaz and Edin Sabanovic and the Director General of Bank Islam Malaysia, Berhad Dato Ahmad Tajudin, handed on Thursday the letter of guaranty of Bank Islam Malaysia for EUR 300 million to the BiH Minister of Communications and Transport, Branko Dokic. They also met with BiH Presidency members Dragan Covic and Sulejman Tihic, as well as with the chief of Borislav Paravac’s cabinet, Simo Bozalo. After the meeting, Berhad Dato Ahmad Tajudin said that his visit to Sarajevo is primarily aimed at visiting the construction site of the Bosmal City Centre and expressing support to Bosmal d.o.o. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 16, by Zlatko Tulic, “Bosmal’s capital has dirty trail?”) – speaking about the money the “Bosmal” has secured, the daily says that according to a senior official of the IC, when the origin of the money is in question, it is only the Americans who know the background. Allegedly, the money comes from the bank accounts that have been frozen following the September 11 events, and now there are indications that there are efforts to launder the money through the corridor Vc. The same source adds that the US administration and intelligence services, for the time being at least, are passive observers of events surrounding the “Bosmal” because the American expect that the money, once it has been laundered, will end up in the hands of the real owners, which will reveal the terrorist networks that are being funded through humanitarian organizations in BiH and elsewhere. |
| Federation Government on BH Poste, Croat Telecommunications | FTV, Dnevni List front and page 3, by Miso Relota, “Removal of Kukic and Lojo requested”, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 – the Government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) at a session held on Thursday, accepted the Analysis, assessment and proposal of measures of the FBiH Ministry of Communications of the work of representatives of the state capital in the Supervisory Board of the HT Mostar d.o.o. (Croat Telecommunications Mostar) and Steering Board of JP BH Poste Sarajevo. The FBiH Government tasked the competent Ministry to prepare decisions on dismissal of current and appointment of temporary members of management of the two companies. The decision was taken after the FBIH Government was presented the results of business operations of the companies by the competent Minister, the results which point out to inefficient work of management in the two companies. |
| SD criticizes FBiH PM Hadzipasic and PDHR Hays for not visiting “wounded” companies in Livno | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 19, by Frano Mioc, “Why is dirty laundry of Livno economy being hidden away?”) – following the visit that the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, and Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, paid to Livno, when they visited three successful companies in Livno, namely “Lura” Dairy, “Jas commerce” and “Bresic”, the author notes that PM Hadzipasic and PDHR Hays failed to visit unsuccessful companies in the area, such as “Livno Trans”, “Cincar”, “Unimax” etc., the companies which have been, according to the author, privatised under rather suspicious circumstances and brought into difficult position. In that context, the author “understands” why representatives of cantonal authorities in Canton 10 avoid visiting these companies but he cannot understand why representatives of FBiH authorities and the IC avoid them. |
| Wheat problems | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Wheat reserves getting exhausted’ – Although the average reserves of wheat were cut to one month reserves, it still remains unknown where millers and bakers would import over 450 thousand tons of bread wheat. |
| RS Govt to allocate 7 million KM for recovery from drought damages | Blic pg. 7 ‘7 million KM for drought’s consequences’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said on Thursday that the RS Government would allocate seven million KM for the recovery from drought damages. “The RS Government has been trying to find sources of financing for subvention of the agricultural production, but it is not capable to allocate the funds like neighboring countries have done,” Mikerevic said opening the 7th International Fair of Agriculture “AGROS 2003” in Banja Luka. He added that the RS Government has been trying to reach an agreement with some banks on subsidizing of part of interest rates, by which they would stimulate the agricultural producers. According to Mikerevic, the RS Government will have to work more in the upcoming period on the systematically resolving of problems in agriculture. |
| Slobodna Bosna on RS Telekom affair | Slobodna Bosna pgs. 17-19 ‘Will Ashdown save Ivanic and Dokic from prison?!’ By Suzana Andjelic – “An audit report that would show Ivanic and his party’s company standing behind the crime in Telecom of Srpska would also be extremely unpleasant for High Representative Paddy Ashdown,” the article read. According to the magazine, Ashdown was unreservedly supporting Ivanic as a British favourite although he had been informed even before the auditors entered Telecom about the crime taking place there as well as about a fact Ivanic and Dokic were standing behind it. |
Political developments | |
| Head of BiH Islamic community talks on xenophobia, discrimination in Bosnia
| Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘The entire world lives in fear’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Which fear is more legitimate – Srebrenica 1995 or New York September 11’, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘War beyond religion’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Xenophobia and Discrimination exist in BiH’ – The Head of the BiH Islamic Community, Mustafa Ceric, said on Thursday in Vienna that BiH did not have a problem with racism, but is faced with xenophobia and discrimination. “Xenophobia is a psychological state of mind where there is a fear of someone or something, which could be real or imaginary. In some areas of BiH we have both of these forms of fear,” Ceric told journalists in Vienna, where he took part in a conference on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination in Europe, central Asia and North America. He added that there were imaginary fears stoked-up by the media on the orders of propagators who wished to maintain the existing heightened state of tension. Ceric said that the other form of fear, psychological, was imaginary and it should be tackled from a young age. “There is still discrimination in BiH. I think that the problem is most pronounced in relation to Bosniaks, as they have to achieve their rights of equality with others,” Ceric stressed. Ceric said that BiH will overcome its current problems when Europe realizes the mistake it made in Srebrenica and when BiH learns to live like all other normal states without being dependent on the charity of others. “I consider that Bosniaks have to obtain the right so that their state can be a member of an organization like the Islamic Conference,” Ceric pointed out. In answer to the question of whether BiH has overcome its religious division which was often cited as a cause of the war, he answered that things had changed in the country. “It can clearly be seen now that religion was not the cause of conflict in BiH. Seeing as so many mosques were destroyed tells us that this was an aggression and an attempt to exterminate a European nation, that is, BiH Muslims,” Ceric said. |
| VL: “Putsch in HDZ being prepared”
| Vecernji List (front as above and page 3 “Putsch in HDZ BiH!”, by D. Ivanovic) – announces that the Main Board of HDZ BiH should be in session on Saturday to discuss topical issues such as the reforms to military and education, pressures coming from Unions, some staffing and other issues. The interesting bit in the article says that a group of “worn down HDZ politicians” is planning to organize a parallel meeting in Neum at which they would come up with a scenario to “attack” the Main Board. VL learns from its sources in the HDZ that Pero Markovic, Ivan Bender, Zeljko Raguz, Dragan Vukic and other are plotting a putsch in the HDZ with a help from associations deriving from the Homeland war, cultural and other institutions. In that context, they are “dissatisfied” with compromises in the education sector and their status and by attacking the party pinnacle, they are attempting to get into position to create the party and staffing policy. Reportedly, when it comes to the staffing policy, the drop that spilt the glass was the nomination of Dragan Doko for the BiH Foreign Trade Minister. VL also reports that Zeljko Raguz, one of the alleged plotters, did not want to comment on the last night’s meeting held at Neum. He stressed he was not authorised to give statements adding that the public would be informed before the session of the Main Board. The daily also carries an HDZ spokesperson, Pero Pavlovic, as saying that the HDZ BiH had heard that something was being prepared, not knowing who and what is being prepared. “We are not bothered with that. HDZ BiH has its bodies and that’s the only place where problems should be discussed at”, says Pavlovic. (similar article in Dnevni List, page 3, by Miso Relota, “Personal positions threaten to cause rift in HDZ BiH”) |
| VL: Interview with Nikola Spiric | In his interview for Vecernji List (front & p 5, “Mafia in BiH twice as strong as state”, by Eldina Medunjanin), Nikola Spiric, the Speaker of BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, comments that repeatedly launched initiatives for the change of the Dayton Peace Accord (DPA) are mainly dominant in the Bosniak people’s representatives, who think that by creation of a new Constitution they can gain something they reportedly lost by signing of the DPA. Spiric claims that, following some good moves by the IC, we got “fair diplomacy” now, we only have encouraging visits. “There is a tendency here to implement laws which do not exist anywhere else in the world and are absolutely contrary to economic logic”, he says. Spiric also criticizes the IC of having spent lot of money meant for BiH on its own apparatus, adding there is a specific sort of protectorate here: the IC shifts responsibility to those who are not in the authority and it has done its best to get incapable authority. He adds that criminal activities in this country could not have been committed without IC representatives. In conclusion, he says early elections are necessary for the sake of citizens of BiH, which is definitely divided. |
| OHR on Balkan report | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘OHR never comments on alleged leaked OHR documents’ – The OHR Spokesperson, Vedran Persic, yesterday told Fonet agency that OHR never comments on alleged leaked documents, following the publication of the ACCU report in Belgrade daily “Balkan”. Persic added that: “This response shows the level of seriousness we deal with published document.” |
| Change of RS symbols initiative | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘SDA does not give up on change of Republika Srpska insignia’ – Elmir Jahic, SDA Vice President, yesterday reiterated that SDA will not give up on its request for the change of Republika Srpska insignia. According to him, SDA will persist in its party targets, which are grounded on BiH Constitution, stressing that “no threats will make SDA to give up on its requests’. |
| Paravac on BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Lawsuit must be withdrawn’, Blic pg. 6 ‘To withdraw BiH lawsuit’ – Borislav Paravac, Serb member to BiH Presidency, yesterday stated that the BiH lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro is illegitimate, because Republika Srpska and Serb people do not support it. |
| Mostar status | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Dnevni List p 3, “Intelligence and Security Services to be organised on state level”, by De. L. – Chairman of BiH Presidency Dragan Covic met on Thursday with the Senior Deputy High Representative Werner Wnendt to discuss implementation of reforms and solution to Mostar status. Covic said that there was a solution for Mostar to be unified city regulated with the statute, which needs to be finalized by the end of the year. Covic also informed Wnendt on two events planned to be held in Mostar next year – conference on the foreign investments in BiH and opening of old city centre with Old Bridge. Dnevni Avaz pg. 10 ‘Wnendt discussing the Mostar restructuring: Solution to be offred by the end of the month’ – The Senior Deputy High Representative, Werner Wnendt, held in secret a series of important meetings with the representatives of the Mostar executive authorities and political leaders in the regions this and last week, the newspaper learns from the sources in the Mostar City Administration. The main subject discussed at the meetings was the new Mostar Statute. Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic confirmed that these meetings had taken place. “As far as I know, the ways of how to continue the realization of a project of Mostar reintegration were discussed at these meetings. We also exchanged views on whether mediator and arbiter of the international community will participate in making important decisions for the future of the town and process of Mostar statute drafting. There is also a solution that a specially formed expert team make its stand on the entire issue. OHR will propose one of the solutions by the end of September,” said Jahic. |
| Mostar City Council fails to reach decision on “Uborak” | Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, by M. Landeka, “Unsuccessful vote”) – reports that the Mostar City Council (MCC), following a four-hour session, yesterday failed to reach an agreement on the agenda of the session. The MCC was to discuss only one item of the agenda that was proposed by the HDZ BiH, the item being “Proposal of decision on establishment of Uborak d.o.o. Company of Mostar”. According to SD, councilors of the CD Coalition had new proposals, which were not in conformity with pre-requisites that have been set forth by the World Bank. Regarding the course of the session itself, SD reports that the CD Coalition councilors persisted that the HDZ’s proposal was illegal which eventually led to the CD councilors not wanting to declare themselves about the HDZ’s proposal. Dnevni List (front and page 15, by V. Soldo, “Andric: World Bank’s letter is blackmail and dictatorship-like”) – reports that a CD Coalition councilor, Radmilo Andric, when speaking about the letter that the World Bank’s Seema Manghee sent to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar on “Uborak” waste dump, stated in front of the MCC that the way Ms. Manghee communicated in the letter was unacceptable saying it was blackmail and dictatorship-like. Andric stressed that the “dictate of the World Bank” should not be accepted, also criticizing the OHR: “The same can be said for the gentlemen from the OHR who deem this is the biggest problem in Mostar”. |
War crimes | |
| EUPM, SFOR welcome police operation to arrest Karadzic
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘First RS police attempt to catch Karadzic’, The New York Times, Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 ‘Tip-off from citizens’; Blic pg. 6 ‘Local residents informed police’, Dnevni List p 10, by Fena , FENA – The EUPM and SFOR welcome the operation of RS police carried out on Wednesday in Bijeljina that was aimed at apprehending Radovan Karadzic, regarding it as the first operational police attempt to arrest one of the most wanted war crime suspects. EUPM spokesperson Ian Oscar Solnes confirmed at a press conference in Sarajevo that the police searched the premises of Bishop Vasilije Kacavenda’s palace in Bijeljina, but the search for Karadzic was not successful. Solnes added that the operation had been initiated after consultation with the BiH State Prosecutor. The EUPM is extremely encouraged by this operational attempt of the RS police, which further confirms the progress of the RS police noted by the EUPM this year towards professional European standards. Also, SFOR welcomed the police operation in Bijeljina, describing it as a very positive step in fulfilling RS obligations to apprehend war crime suspects, and encourages the other relevant bodies and institutions in BiH to follow this example. |
| Nikolic pleaded guilty before ICTY | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘Dragan Nikolic pleaded guilty’, The New York Times, Vecernje Novosti pg. 17, Blic pg. 18 – BiH Serb Dragan Nikolic aka Jenki, former Commander of camp Susica near Vlasenica yesterday pleaded guilty for war crimes committed in 1992. The agreement he had with ICTY Prosecutor’s Office includes his admission of guilt for persecution of non-Serb population at racial, religious and political grounds. He also pleaded guilty for crimes against humanity. Sarajevo media also reported on the issue. |
Education | |
| Novi Seher school update | Vecernji List (front & p 4, “Pupils separated by recklessness of the Ministry and OSCE”, by Branka Janko) carries that the Council of Parents of Novi Seher Primary School working according to Croat curriculum denied allegation that it was them who set the school door on fire adding that such allegation could only be spread by those who are used to spread hatred. The Council condemns any premature public statement on alleged “clear message of obstruction of education”, adding that their activities are not directed at Bosniak neighbors but at ensuring their own constitutional rights. They also request the Cantonal Education Minister, Sreto Tomasevic, to publicly apologize for the statement on his abduction. For the entire case, the Council demands “the Minister’s and OSCE’s responsibility for causing permanent segregation of children and entire Novi Seher population by their reckless acts”. Dnevni List (p 5, “Children belong to schools and not rallies”, by Fena) says that, assessing that the situation does not reflect spontaneous rebellion but political pressure, the joint Steering Board of Novi Seher School decided to appeal to parents of Croat pupils to let children attend classes as it is only about legal and administrative unification. The Board appealed to domestic authorities and the IC asking for help in solving the problems. |
Other issues | |
| Returnee problems near Velika Kladusa
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Entire village wants to move out’ – Several hundreds of inhabitants of Glinica village near Velika Kladusa will leave the territory of BiH on Monday and find shelter abroad. The inhabitants decided to do this after seven-year long obstruction of returns and injustice towards them by Cantonal Government and some officials at the Municipal Hal of Velika Kladusa. They also indicated that the reason for negligence towards returnees may be the fact that they were all supporters of Fikret Abdic Babo. |
| Kuzmanovic criticism against HJPC | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Slow and partial reform of judiciary’ – Rajko Kuzmanovic, Professor at Banjaluka Law Faculty and former President of Republika Srpska Constitutional Court, is of the view that pompous announcements on judiciary reform bore no fruit, noting that HJPC must find new mechanism, which would improve this process. He substantiated his claim by the fact that a large number of file cases, that have been submitted, are still laying at office drawers and gather dust. Sanela Tunovic, Spokesperson of HJPC, expressed optimistic views of this body, convinced that the BiH judiciary would start functioning properly after the judges and prosecutors are appointed. |
| Personnel changes at Banjaluka OMI Office | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Radic instead of Djuranovic’ – Miladin Djuranovic, Head of Banjaluka OMI Office, and his deputy, Djuro Licina, were removed from these positions. Borislav Radic has been appointed as the new Head of OMI Office. Jasmin Samardzic, Republika Srpska Minister of Refugees and DP’s, stated that changes made do not represent removals, but rather personnel changes within this Office. Djuranovic denied any knowledge into real reasons for his removals, noting that they were told that OHR taught it would be appropriate. |
| Bocinja issue | Blic pg. 6 ‘Mujahedeens parade with black flags’ – Mehmed Bradaric, dismissed Maglaj Mayor, claims that Mujahedeens are coming back to Maglaj creating an conflict situation as it was in 1996 and 1997, when Serbs and Croats were told to leave the town. Bradaric says that last weekend Mujahedeens drove through the town carrying black flags. Yesterday, head of Regional Office of OHR in Tuzla, James Bigus, said that OHR will not allow that object which is under construction in Bocinja becomes a threat for return, adding that OHR closely monitors situation in this Maglaj’s local community. |