Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 5 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| FBiH: Prices of fuel increased | New school year commences |
| Stankovic case update | Ashdown’s int. to Dnevni Avaz |
| Classes begin everywhere but in C 7 | Plain crash in |
TV news broadcast on 4 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| SDU on Bukejlovic’s stance | Lukic to be tried in BiH? | Bread prices increased |
| Development loan for BIH | State prison to be constructed | Trade Union on VAT |
| Regional news | Oil prices to go up | Drug addicts damaged market place |
| Trial to Milosevic | Regional News | Kovac on new State prison |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| State prison to be constructed | WN: Hurricane Katrina | Incident in Glamoc |
| BiH Trade Union on VAT | Merhamet will help victims of Katrina | Andan visits Argentine |
| Feature story on Janjina citizens | WN: Another fire in | Lukic’s trial might be held in BIH |
| World News | Floods damaged old books, paintings | Donator’s conference for prison unit |
| Oslobodjenje | General Svetozar Andric ordered establishing of concentration camps |
| Dnevni Avaz | [Ashdown] I will punish SDS |
| Dnevni List | Domestic girls are targets of human trafficking |
| Vecernji List | |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Nezavisne Novine | School starts today |
| Glas Srpske | Resign, and then give money back |
| EuroBlic | Will Srpska lose police too |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Srpski Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Stankovic to be transferred to
| RHB – Following the decision of the ICTY from September 1 to transfer the case against Radovan Stankovic to the BiH judiciary, arrival of Stankovic to |
| RS NA and RS CoP on RS conclusions
| RTRS – At today’s session in |
| BiH, WB to sign development loan | RHB, RTRS – Today in |
War crimes | |
| Lukic may be tried in BiH War Crimes Chamber
| BHT1, PINK, RTRS – The head of the |
| Andan visited | RTRS – RS Police Director Dragomir Andan visited Argentina, however so far the information on his talks with the Argentinean judiciary on the case of ICTY indictee Milan Lukic have not been disclosed. Andan is expected to hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce the results of the talks. |
| Kovac on construction of state prison
| PINK, BHT1, Hayat, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Benefactors building prison’- BiH Justice Minister Slobodan Kovac told SRNA news agency that talks on raising funds for construction of the state prison facilities should be held on Monday in Sarajevo. “The talks are a continuation of our efforts to organize donation conference together with ambassadors of certain states in order to try to collect means necessary for construction of the state prison,” said Kovac and added that the project would cost about 15 million Euros. RTRS – RTRS unofficially learned that possible locations of the prison are Butmir, Visoko or Vogosca. |
| Media features on BiH Institute for Missing Persons
| Oslobodjenje, pgs 4-5 ‘Associations of families as advisors’, by S. Bozajac – Carries an update to the establishment of the BiH Institute for Missing Persons, which should officially start working on January 1, 2006. According to a member of Collegium of Directors, Milan Bogdanic, members of families of missing persons have so far influenced the works of the (missing persons) commissions through the non-governmental sector, however the families will now directly influence the work of the Institute’s steering and supervisory board and Collegium of directors through their elected representatives. He also explains that the Institute should soon form a central database, which should unify data of all three commissions, which should be subjected to verification later on in the process. Hayat by Alem Karamesic – Hayat also carries the feature on the state Institute, adding that chances for finding the missing persons have been increased. “The Institute will improve exchange of information, exhumation processes, establish single data base which will exclude any attempt of politicisation”, said the Chair of FBiH Commission on Missing Persons Amor Masovic. “I believe that obstacles we have been facing with will be overcome, due to the fact that the work of the Institute is based on the Law on missing persons”, said Bogdanic. |
| Oslobodjenje publishes confidential documents of RS Army
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash, pg 2 ‘General Svetozar Andric ordered establishment of a camp’ by A.Avdic -Daily publishes extract from a confidential document of the RS Army it got hold of, according to which Svetozar Andric, currently General at the SiCG General Staff and the-then Commander of the Brigade of the Independent Region of Birac, in May 1992 ordered the establishment of the camp for Muslims from the areas of Vlasenica, Zvornik, Srebrenica and Bratunac. |
| VL: Trials to Prlic and others before ICTY in 2006
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Trials to the six getting postponed for 2006’, by Zoran Kresic – VL notes that the trials before the ICTY to former senior officials of Herceg-Bosna, namely Jadranko Prlic, Milivoj Petkovic, Slobodan Praljak, Bruno Stojic, Valentin Coric and Berko Pusic will most likely start in 2006 and not in December 2005 as planned earlier. According to a defence lawyer, Nika Pinter, the reason behind the likely postponement is the fact that the ICTY has accepted objections of the defence team, ordering the Prosecution to make a new bill of indictment. |
Defence and police reform | |
| RS PoWs demand protection of VNI due to defence reform
| FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Request for protection for national interests’ by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Vital national interest endangered?’, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 12 ‘Non-government organizations in RS threaten with referendum’, by A. M.,– RS Association of Inmates appealed on Serb delegates in the RS Council of Peoples to launch a procedure for protection of vital national interest following the RS National Assembly’s decision to transfer defence authorities to the state level. The Association’s statements reads that the RSNA representatives have succumbed to the “ultimatums and orders of the leader of political parties,” which lead to diminishing BiH and RS Constitutions. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘To Constitutional Court’ by S.Mi., EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Appeal, ultimatum, referendum’ by N.B. – Coordination Centre of 11 NGO’s from RS also opposed the transfer of defence jurisdiction [see BiH Media Round up Sept 4] |
| HR Ashdown says RS must change position on police reform
| Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘I will punish SDS’, pg 5 ‘I will sanction SDS over obstructions’ – In an interview with the daily, High Representative Paddy Ashdown said he was concerned because BiH might miss another date/deadline for the start of talks on Stabilization and Association Agreement with EU, which is the tenth Dayton Agreement signing anniversary. Ashdown once again warned RS and particularly SDS that the time was running out and that it was necessary for the party and a number of RS politicians to finally change their position on police reform. The HR emphasized that if the RS representatives in talks on police reform do not change their position i.e. come with a proposal that is in accordance with EU principles the talks will fail and the RS will remain a small and the only enclave in the entire Balkans opposing the European path. “And SDS will once again show that it is a party of the past and obstructions, “ said Ashdown not speculating on what his moves might be in that case. |
| EuroBlic on police reform: Everything has been agreed at Vlasic
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Farce after Vlasic’ by Dusanka Stanisic – Daily reports referring to its source close to the political top of RS that after it lost army, RS will most certainly lose police as well. The source adds that as foo police reform “everything has been completed at Vlasic, while further sessions at Mrakovica, Hutovo Blato, Bjelasnica and |
| VL on police reform: Time running out for negotiators
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Time is running out for negotiators’, by M. R. – The article is carrying a brief overview of recent events regarding the police reform and a statement by the BiH Security Minister, Barisa Colak, who warns that negotiators have to abide by the three EC principles, otherwise everything would be waste of time. The author also reminds that the deadline by which the entity and state parliaments have to come up with solutions is September 15. |
| Ivanic on police and defence reforms: BiH will start negotiations on SAA by end of year
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Nothing was signed at Vlasic!’, mentioned on cover, by Fena – BiH will open the negotiations on Stabilization and Association with the EU until the end of the year, deems the BiH Foreign Minister and PDP leader, Mladen Ivanic. Concerning police reform, which is a condition for starting the SAA negotiations, Ivanic declared that the BiH authorities should talk with the European institutions about the possible issues, directly, without any mediators. “I think that disputable issues would be overcome much faster in this way”, Ivanic told the press. He stressed that no documents were signed during the previous talks on police reform on Vlasic, regarding as incorrect the statement given by BiH CoM Chair Adnan Terzic that some leaders had signed an agreement on police reform, and called on Terzic to present this paper. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘It could have been better’ by B. V. – Visiting Gradiska over the weekend, Ivanic stated defense reform was not opposite to RS interests. The crucial fact is that the army would be professional, although PDP believes that one brigade should be seated in RS. On police reform, Ivanic said: “We will define our stance with regard to police reform only after we see the proposal. However, we will need lots of arguments to change our opinion, since we have withdrawn from RS Government because we were dissatisfied with the proposal of Wilfred Martens and, for the moment, we have received no argument on base of which we might change our stance.” |
| SDU criticizes Bukejlovic’s statement on police reform
| RHB, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Bukejlovic’s statement was not in interest of RS and Serb people’ by S.T., Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘There is no need for unfruitful statements’ – The BiH Social Democratic Union (SDU) deems that the statement given by RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic that his Government would not accept police reform in line with the model proposed by the European Commission is not in the interest of the RS or the Serb people. SDU Vice-president Miro Lazovic reminded that BiH cannot start the negotiations on Stabilization and Association without police reform. Thus, this party is calling on RS Prime Minister to, instead of obstructions and stalling, take concrete activities to ensure that RS authorities, by accepting European standards, create conditions for BiH to become a modern and functional state, which is certainly in the interest of the Serb people in BiH. |
| SDP Tuzla critical of SDA Tuzla over police reform | Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Centre of police region in Tuzla’ by Agencies – The SDP of Tuzla CantonSUnday complained over the SDA Tuzla politics, since at last week’s session of the Tuzla Canton Parliament, the SDA did not accept the initiative of the SDP that Adnan Terzic and BiH CoM should guarantee that Tuzla would remain the centre of police region following police reform in BiH. |
Political and economic issues | |
| HR’s letter to RS Government over dismissal of Radomir Lukic
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Resign and then give money back’ by N. G. – HR Paddy Ashdown recently sent a letter to RS PM Pero Bukajlovic asking for a dismissal of professor Radomir Lukic from the position of the Dean of East Sarajevo Faculty of Laws. GS comments it is good the HR did not ask exams Lukic’s students had passed since June 30 last year till today be annulled. It is not known how the RS Government would resolve this issue. According to some information, the Government is trying to persuade Lukic to obey the decision of the HR and withdraw from the position. EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Ashdown angry because of professor Lukic’ by D. S., Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Remove professor Lukic from his position’ by Fena – also reported on the letter. |
| EU Foreign Ministers want Ashdown to be HR until BiH starts SAA talks
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Mandate to Ashdown until start of talks between BiH and EU’, not signed – Notes that EU Foreign Ministers stated at an informal meeting held at Newport on Friday that they wanted that the mandate of the current High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, lasts until BiH starts with the SAA talks. Moreover, DL reports that |
| Reactions following Rehn’s statement on EU’s SAA talks with SiCG
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Belkic: They reward states responsible that criminals are not in The Hague’, announced on cover ‘Reward for protectors of criminals’ by S.Turcalo – Reaction upon announcement of EU Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn (that EU will open SAA talks with SiCG on 5th October), Beriz Belkic, member of the Presidency of Party for BiH, noted that “briefly put, it is a reward of the state, that is objectively the main culprit for the fact that the most wanted war criminals Karadzic and Mladic are not in The Hague”. Sejfudin Tokic, President of the SDU of BiH, shares his view, adding that the EU politics towards Balkans’ states is non-principled and sometimes contradictory. Mirsad Ceman, SDA delegate at the BiH Parliament’s HoR is of the view Rehn’s statement is not wise, since it can debilitate determination of the legitimate bodies of SiCG “to deal with the issue of apprehension of Karadzic and Mladic”. According to inset ‘EU can terminate negotiations at any moment’, Osman Topcagic, Director of the Directorate for European Integration, is convinced talks on SAA of SiCG with EU will commence on 5th October, adding that talks may be terminated at any moment, if EU assesses talks are in delay. |
| Op-ed criticizing Rehn’ announcement
| Dnevni Avaz op-ed pg 3 ‘Brussels and its double-standards’ by Husein Orahovac – In an ironical comment upon Olli Rehn’ statement (on SAA talks with SiCG), the author stresses that if proved that Rehn gave the view of the official Brussels (not his personal), it would be more than clear that Europe ran a politics of double standards towards the Balkans, stressing EU is not having principles in its policy towards Balkans’ states. He notes that BiH is on the half way of seeing PBS Law (one of pre-requisites for SAA talks) adopted , while SiCG is begged to extradite war crime suspects. |
| Cavic: BiH could become EU member state by 2015
| PINK by Mirjana Pavlovic – Four days long seminar entitled ‘ |
| DA: Paddy Ashdown may revoke Law on Pardons
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Paddy Ashdown revokes Law on Pardons’ by S.T. – DA learns that the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, may soon bring decision to revoke the Law on Pardons. Unnamed official told daily that the cases of pardons for Miroslav Prce and Munib Jusufovic attracted international community’s attention, as well as the rage as pardons were given “too easily and on base of political trade.” A diplomat comments that it is easier to be pardoned “in this country than to pass driving tests” and warns that this undermines the credibility of legal system in BiH [as 94 out of 289 requests for pardons were approved in FBiH in this year, and RS approved 48 out of 255 requests.] The same diplomat underlined that Prce’s pardon was given contrary to the will of both the court and the justice minister, deeming this is “abuse of law.” A sources adds this is not the only example, adding that Prce’s pardon is just one of the cases in which decision was made by the FBiH President but also approved by his deputies: “It is clear why this is happening. Obviously this is an exchange of favours between them.” For this reason, IC allegedly asked Ashdown to bring decision which could also prevent the Chair of BiH Presidency, entity Presidents and their Deputies to award pardons. |
| DA: Paravac will propose Bozanic as Ambassador to
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Will Paravac propose Bozanic for Ambassador in Zagreb?!’ by H.O. – DA learns from a source “close to Serb political parties participating in state rulling” that Borislav Paravac, Serb member of the BiH Presidency, will propose Dragan Bozanic for BiH Ambassador to Croatia at the session on Wednesday. Bozanic was already rejected for the position of BiH representative in |
| DL on possible Covic-Martens meeting: Media loyal to Covic to abuse the meeting
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Will Martens meet Covic?’, by Zvonimir Jukic – Following a few reports that suggested that the President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Covic, will be meeting with the President of the European People’s Party, Wilfred Martens, in early September, Jukic argues that people gathered around Covic will use the meeting, if it takes place at all, to present it in the media loyal to them as Martens’ support to Covic, who was recently elected the HDZ President. DL stresses that Martens was in fact one of the biggest opponents to Covic getting elected to the said office. |
| Patriot on rift within SDS
| Patriot pgs 4-5 ‘Cavic versus SDS’ by Slobodan Vaskovic – With special focus on Dragan Cavic and his (political) relations with some political officials (including Milorad Dodik, Paddy Ashdown, Adnan Terzic), the author notes that Cavic was the most powerful Serb politician in BiH just few months ago, on whose decisions not only entity but also state (non)functioning depended. Author further stresses that one of the biggest mistakes Cavic has done was to confront his own party over police reform. On this, Vaskovic adds that Pero Bukejlovic has obviously joined the majority of SDS, which opposes to abolishment of entities’ authorities over internal affairs and hence got in clash with Cavic. The author emphasises Bukejlovic does not want to be a scapegoat and main culprit for adoption of police reform, owing to which reason Cavic is faced with narrowed space for manoeuvres. In the conclusion of article that it is no longer a question whether there is a rift within SDS, author speculates what Cavic would do next in regard to his party relations: whether he will break up with the party or manage to rift the party as much as possible. |
| Justice Minister Kovac: Works on translation of BiH Constitution being finalized
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘BiH Constitution is finally getting translated’, by Erna Mackic – According to the BiH Justice Minister, Slobodan Kovac, the work on translation of the Constitution of BiH, whose official version is in English, is being finalized these days. “Three experts, court translators, will translate the Constitution in three official languages, the Bosniak, Croatian and Serb. Experts will harmonize the texts and forward the proposal to the BiH Council of Ministers and (BiH) Presidency”, said Kovac. |
| DL interview with Jurisic (HSP): BiH is too expensive to run
| Dnevni List, pgs 8-9, mentioned on front ‘Organize BiH in eight provinces’, by Ivica Glibusic – Carries a lengthy interview with the President of HSP Djapic-Jurisic, Zvonko Jurisic, in which he mostly complained of unequal status of Croats in BiH and accused the HDZ of not taking care of interests of the BiH Croats. Jurisic also notes that BiH, organized as it is, is untenable because it is too expensive to run, with too many ministries, constitutions etc. In light of that, the party advocates the organization of BiH in 8 provinces, and according to Jurisic, “in that way the RS would be torn apart”. |
| HDZ calls OHR, OSCE and representatives of other peoples to talks on education reform
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Right of Croats in BiH to schooling in own language’, by Marijan Ivesa – Reports that the Presidency, National Council and Main Board of HDZ BiH will soon, most likely on September 23, discuss the party’s document entitled ‘Statement on acting of HDZ BiH officials in bodies of legislative and executive authority at all levels in process of implementation of education reform’. Among other issues, the Statement says that the BiH Croats have “historic, natural and constitutional right” to their own schooling, from kindergarten to university, with classes and curriculum in Croatian language. VL also reports that the HDZ will request changes to the Framework law on elementary and secondary education in order to make it just and invite representatives of the OHR, OSCE and other peoples in bodies of authority to talks about all issues pertaining to education reform. BHT1 by Marina Martinovic – BHT 1 brings comment by the Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, Douglas Davidson, who underlined that the education reform in BiH should be completed by this school year. Special problems are divided schools, and OSCE estimates there are still 50 schools in FBiH administratively and technically separated which presents one of the biggest problems in the education reform. |
| VL: Separate Croat and Bosniak schools to be established in Stolac
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Decision on moving of Croat pupils’, by Frano Matic – The article notes that the Canton 7 Education Minister, Jago Musa, and his associates visited Stolac the other day when it was decided that the Croat students move out from the Stolac High School and swap places with the Bosniak elementary school pupils. As a result, the Croat high school and elementary school students would go to one school, and the same would apply on the Bosniak high school and elementary school students. The decision took the (Croat) teachers by surprise, who say they will have to move to old and unsuitable premises. According to Miro Sutalo, a sociology teacher at the Stolac High School, the moving is the only reason why the school year in Stolac has been postponed, adding that the same will happen in Capljina and Prozor/Rama. Allegedly, many parents are embittered with the developments, and some say they will continue schooling in Capljina and Mostar. |
| Trade Union says it would undertake all measures to prevent VAT introduction on bread, medicines, etc
| BHT1, Hayat -President of the BiH Trade Union Edhem Biber told Dnevni Avaz on Sunday that the BiH Trade Union would take all measures in order to prevent introduction of a value added tax (VAT) on bread, medicines, newspapers etc. He added: ‘If the BiH Council of Ministers does not show understanding for this issue, we are willing to organize protests and demonstrations.’ Biber also announced that the BiH Trade Union would demand an urgent meeting with Chairman of the BiH CoM Adnan Terzic in order to present him their proposals and demand urgent solutions. |
| BiH Minister Halilovic advocates for zero VAT rate on food, press and publishing
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘ Zere VAT rate on food, press and publishing’ – Party for BiH leader and BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic said that the adopted Law on VAT was full of failures and that it had been passed under strong pressures coming from the international community including OHR. Halilovic reiterated his party’s position that zero VAT rate should be imposed on food, press and publishing sector. Halilovic believes that the current Law could be changed/improved if there is political will for that. |
| NN op-ed on VAT introduction
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Forward march!’ by Sead Fetahagic – The author expresses no surprise over the fact that BiH CoM and Adnan Terzic have no concrete proposal regarding alleviation of possible consequence of VAT introduction, criticising the fact that Terzic and his team turn a deaf ear to demands for 0% VAT rate on goods, books and textbooks. |
| DL: Price of fuel going up – strike on citizens
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Strike against citizens’, by Arijana Beus – Following announcements that prices of fuel will be going up, the author warns that if that’s the case, everything will be become more expensive, which is something that does not bother the ruling authorities. The author also reminds that the Association of oil producers and dealers stressed that the state has the necessary means to prevent the prices from going up, however it does want to do so. |
Crime and judicial issues | |
| DL on human trafficking in BiH: Focus shifts on girls from BiH
| Dnevni List, front pg splash and pg 37 ‘Domestic girls are targets of human trafficking’, by T. Dragic – Carries an article dedicated to the issue of human trafficking in BiH. According to information of BiH NGOs, some 1200 females, victims of human trafficking, have been registered in BiH, which a lot less than the real figures are. The FBIH Interior Ministry spokesman, Robert Cvrtak, warns of a trend that BiH girls and more and more used for prostitution in BiH. |
| Witness in Jelavic trials Cosic:
| Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Croatia is being tried in Sarajevo’ and pgs 6-7 ‘Croatia is being tried in Sarajevo in Hercegovacka bank process’, by Zoran Kresic – Carries a lengthy interview with former senior official of the Croatian MoD and current MP in the Croatian Parliament, Kresimir Cosic, who was a defence witness in the trials to Ante Jelavic in the ‘Hercegovacka bank’ case. The interview is dominated by Cosic arguing that the money |