| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18:00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19:00 hrs) | FED TV (19:30 hrs) | RT RS (19:30) |
| Paravac’s statement | Paravac’s statement | Explosion in Ankara | RS agents at the ICTY |
| Explosion in Turkey | Ashdown being criticized | James Lyon | Mikerević on resignation |
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| Explosion in Ankara | Croatia suspends funds | Ivanić on Tihić’s proposal |
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| Attack in Moscow |
| Israel releases prisoners |
| Oslobodjenje | Braithwaite – Ashdown is not a coloniser, but proven reformer; The Hague diary – Mladic ordered to march on Potocari |
| Dnevni Avaz | Tihic on current issues – damaging compromises for BiH; PM Hadzipasic – the government is not blocking the Law on Revision of Privatisation |
| Dnevni List | Instead of 12 million KM, state gets court expenses and compensation of damages; Solution needs to be found, but who is going to pay for it?; It is preposterous to compare the OHR with colonialism |
| Vecernji List | Paravac: Charges have to be withdrawn; Ashdown rules in BiH like a Raj |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpski | London Guardian criticises Paddy Ashdown – power without responsibility; Bratunac – mistake admitted |
| Nezavisne Novine | According to estimates of BiH de-miners – 75,000 mines in BiH rivers; Julian Braithwaite, OHR Spokesman – comparing OHR and colonialists impossible; World Bank deadline for the establishment of one public utilities company – Mostar can lose $ 7 million credit |
| Blic | Government slow and indecisive; Cedo Volas: Wrong position of IMF on money for workers |
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| Political Affairs |
| OHR replies to Guardian | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – “It is shocking to compare the Office of the High Representative with colonialists, as it was done in the report by the European Initiative for Stability published by London based Guardian,” reads a press release issued by the OHR spokesperson Julian Braithwaite on Sunday. “Motives in regard to the report have more to do with attracting media attention rather than facts,” said Braithwaite and added that ‘differently from colonialism of 19th century, the international community did not take away but brought to Bosnia and Herzegovina billions of US dollars.’ Spokesperson reminded that the OHR was established with an approval of the BiH authorities and that Paddy Ashdown was the first High Representative who prepared a mission implementation plan. BHTV at 19:00 hrs – “Major part of the study is imprecise and obsolete. Unfortunately, it can only be described as non-constructive and irresponsible, especially for not making any contribution to the BiH development,” said Braithwait. Avaz pg. 3 ‘It is shocking to compare the OHR to colonialism’ – Braithwaite’s statement where he said that the ESI, for their own needs, wrongly interpreted the energy invested by Ashdown in realizing tasks of the IC in BiH. Oslobodjenje pg. 1 and 3 – reported on Braithwaite’s reaction. Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 3, Glas Srpske pg. 1 – “The international community brought billions of dollars to BiH, did not take the money out of the country, as was the situation with the colonial practices in 19th century,’ said Braithwaite. Vecernji List pg. 1 and 3 – excerpts of the article published in the British Guardian, originally prepared by the European Stability Initiative, which criticized the role of the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, comparing his authority to the British rule in India in 19th century. The daily also carries a reaction by OHR Director of Communications, Julian Braithwaite, who says it is preposterous to compare the OHR with the colonialism. |
| Paravac on BiH lawsuit against FRY | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – “The BiH lawsuit against former Yugoslavia before the ICTY is not legitimate, and it burdens the relationship between two states as well as the relations inside BiH,” said BiH Presidency member, Borislav Paravac, on Sunday in an interview to Belgrade based newspapers Blic. “The lawsuit has to be withdrawn, as the European Union will not accept both BiH and Serbia and Monte Negro if they have some unsettled issues.” BHTV at 19:00 hrs – Paravac also said that the relationship between BiH and Serbia and Montenegro as well as Croatia has been improved, but still needs to be encouraged because some of the issues are being ineffectively solved. FTV at 19:30 hrs – carried Paravac’s statement. Also, reported that Paravac was not present at the round table meeting called ‘The truth about Srebrenica Massacre’ held in Sarajevo or explain why he was not present. Avaz pg. 3 ‘No one has the moral right to withdraw the lawsuit against former FRY’ – carries reactions to Paravac’s statement. Safet Halilovic, BiH Minister for Civil Affairs, said if Paravac’s logic was used then no guilty parties would ever be punished. Added that a lawsuit against those who carried out aggression was legitimate and recognized by the international law. BiH Minister for Refugees and Human Rights, Mirsad Kebo, said the lawsuit could not be withdrawn and that it was legitimate. Miro Lazovic, Deputy Chairman at the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, said he was against such interpretations (proposed by Paravac) because the lawsuit made sense. Dnevni List pg. 4 ‘BiH should withdraw charges against FR of Yugoslavia’, Vecernji List pg. 1 and 3 |
| BiH Civil Administration | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – the Working Group for the reform of the BiH Civil Administration will hold its 4th meeting in Banja Luka on Monday. As it was announced by the RS Administration Ministry, meeting will be attended by Chairman of the Working Group, BiH Justice Minister, Slobodan Kovac, representatives of the governments from both entities and Brcko District, Agency for the Civil Service, OHR and other international organizations. |
| Prozor – Rama affair | FTV at 19:30 hrs – Prozor-Rama Municipality Head, Jozo Vukoja, has responded to the FTV report on criminal and corruption related activities in this municipality, which was broadcasted on Saturday. Vukoja attacked the Federation TV and the reporter with very strong words, but still not denying the criminal actions in Prozor-Rama. “The public has the right to know that the Federation TV has presented the most perspective municipality in BiH in the shadow of crime,” says Vukovic in his statement. He also challenged the authorities to conduct an investigation on the ostensible criminal, and asked Prozor-Rama inhabitants not to react to the report. On the other hand, Prozor-Rama inhabitants gave full support to the FTV, offering new evidence on criminal actions. |
| Request for Jovicic’s removal | RTRS at 19:30 hrs – the RS Association of War Prisoners asked Presidency member Paravac to withdraw RS officer for the ICTY Trivun Jovičić. The association is not satisfied with their performance and President of the Association complaints RS has only 3 while Bosniak and Croat office have 11 and 4 officers respectively. Each of the Offices for ICTY costs half a million KM a year. |
| Mikerevic’s resignation issue | RTRS at 19:30 hrs – RS Prime Minister Mikerević will resign only if there is no other way out for his government. In his reply to demands from the trade unions, Mikerević said he was responsible to those who voted for him and his intention were to stay in the Office for four years. In reference to problems in health sector, Mikerevic said they needed new people with new solutions to overcome existing problems. He said the RS government has got the support of the international community, but support of the local public is also necessary for success. He announced the PDP would discuss on Sunday their position within the parliamentary majority in the RS Assembly as well as at the joint BiH inistitutions. |
| Reactions to stories about Mikerevic’s resignation | Nezavisne Novine pg. 5 ‘Dismissal of Mikerevic is a PDP matter’- Vice President of the PDP, Branko Dokic, claims that his party did not request the dismissal of Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic. The daily has learnt from its sources that Dragan Kalinic, Speaker of the National Assembly, has most objections to the work of the government and its Prime Minister. Dokic claims that conflicts between the PDP and SDS are caused with some imposed personnel appointments, but that is nothing unusual and new. SDS Main Board member, Desanka Radjevic,believes that Mikerevic’s resignation is a PDP matter. The SDA believes that it is not the right time to dismiss the Prime Minister, even though the party is not fully satisfied with the work of the government. |
| Ivanic on Tihic’s initiative | RTRS at 19:30 hrs – BiH Foreign Minister Ivanić opposes discussions on constitutional changes as proposed by the BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihić. “It is harmful to divert the focus from necessary economic reforms, and such requests are outdated – 10 years old”. He suggests neglecting would be the best option to deal with these ideas, since for any solution consensus of all three people would be necessary. |
| Interview with Tihic | Avaz pg. 1 and 5 – an interview with Sulejman Tihic. On the reform of defence, intelligence and customs, Tihic said solutions represented realization of bad parts of the DPA. As for claims by IC officials that the solutions are good for BiH and its citizens, Tihic replied that IC officials just want to satisfy the form and never deal with the core of the problem. Added the changes were a small step forward, but not enough for BiH to enter real reforms. On his initiative to change the BiH Constitution, Tihic stated that without such changes those opposing reforms and obstructing democratic processes would always be able to say that constitutionally there were no better solutions. Asked whether he discussed the issue with the HR, Tihic said he did not. |
| Vetting of HNK ministers | Avaz pg. 4 ‘The OHR will declare its standpoint in 10 days’ – OHR Spokesperson, Mario Brkic, said the OHR would, in the next 10 days, conduct the vetting procedure of newly proposed candidates for the HNK government. Dnevni List pg. 4 ‘The OHR received names of candidates for ministers’ – Brkic says the OHR will in the next ten days do the necessary checks not wanting to reveal names of the candidates. Unofficially, the candidates are: Tomislav Martinovic (candidate for Minister of Interior), Jago Musa (Education) and Mumin Isic (Justice). |
| Criticism of the RS govt. | Blic pg. 7 ‘The government slow and indecisive’ – as of recently there are more and more objections to the Republika Srpska government’s work – the government is slow, inefficient, and indecisive… Such statements are coming from organizations and associations of social category of citizens, budget’s users, opposition parties… “I don’t know what to say about this government, when it does not exists. The SNSD thinks that the government had done nothing in the past five months,” President of the SNSD’s Executive Board, Nebojsa Radmanovic, says. Vice-president of the SDP, Slobodan Popovic, says that neither the Republika Srpska government nor the Federation government do anything. “Our governments in BiH feel comfortable because their job is done by the OHR, and they just do what they are told,” Popovic thinks, adding that the governments are irresponsible and incompetent. He says the government needs to start working actively. Even the SDS, which supports the government, is not satisfied with achieved results. SDS’s Spokesperson, Dusan Stojicic, says that the SDS expects the government to finally launch essential reforms, expressing hope that the Republika Srpska and its citizens are entering a period in which the government is to make serious moves that will improve the living standards. According to Nevenka Trifkovic of the PDP, this party supports the government’s work, saying that claims that the government is slow and inefficient are without valid arguments. She says that the government is implementing the reforms, but results of that process could not been realized overnight. PDP leader, Mladen Ivanic,says that the government is in a specific situation. “This is the first multiethnic government with many new ministers that do not have experience in that job. Therefore, they need time to get familiar with their jobs, after which they will have a vision what to do next. What I know is that the government will have a clear conception of key reforms in October or November.” Spokesman of the Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Goran Radivojac, says that it could not be said that the government is slow and indecisive because the reforms it implements are complex. According to him, the government is doing its job professionally and results of that will be visible next year. |
| Interview with Prozor-Rama municip. Head | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 7 – an interview with Head of Prozor-Rama Municipality, Jozo Vukoja. Talking about the report that appeared on the Federation TV on Saturday, Vukoja says the report was not fair. In that context, Vukoja says the interview was going well in the first five to six minutes after which the reporter started asking provocative questions after which he asked the reporter to stop the interview which he declined. Furthermore, Vukoja notes that the municipality Prozor-Rama was the first municipality in the Canton 7 that introduced a multi-ethnic, elementary school three years ago, the school attended by 250 Bosniak pupils. |
| VL on EU black list | In his editorial in Vecernji List on pg. 6 by Friar Iko Skoko ‘Challenge to peace and well-being’on Friar Petar Krasic being put on the EU ban list, Skoko comments that Krasic is, without any evidence, reproached for and accused of assisting ‘suspected war criminals’. Skoko says that one has neglected that it is Krasic who can take the credit for the fact that the lives of 300,000 Muslims were saved during the war by being enabled to take the ‘Road of Salvation’. Skoko says it is no coincidence that Krasic was put on the list for, obviously, a number of reasons and goes on to say that, in the days to come, it can probably be expected that names of Orthodox priests or an Islamic religious official appear on the extended list, yet it does not solve the problem. Skoko concludes by saying that now the BiH Franciscans should organize an international conference on building just peace and well-being in BiH as, thanks to such a conference, it would surface who builds and who destroys just peace in the region – and not only over the last 10 years. |
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| Education Affairs |
| Oslobodjenje commentary | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘The first step’ by Ibrahim Prohic – on the revision of textbooks. The author concludes that there would no longer be the usage of words chetnik, ustasha and balija, but wonders what names would be used now for war criminals, killers and destroyers. “The textbooks are necessary, but yet a small step in a painful process of changing the conscious and behaviour. It’s easy with textbooks. But what will we do with professors, politicians, church, with those who planted evil seeds in immature heads of young people?” |
| Canton 7 teachers unhappy with the cantonal govt . | Dnevni List pg. 16 ‘Education workers intend to go into new school year with clean situation’ – President of the Union of Elementary School employees in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (Croat part), Slavko Laus, says the education workers in Canton 7 are unhappy with the work of the HNK government, which allegedly tricked them on more than one occasion. Laus says the HNK government failed to sign a collective agreement with the education workers although it was agreed long ago adding that the education workers would not start the new school year unless the education workers’ demands were met. |
| | Media Affairs |
| RS journalists | RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Zana Vukosavljevic – the Association of RS journalist requested cancellation of the recent decision of OHR Broadcasting Agent. They consider it as another attack on free media and broadcasting. In their view, unreliable experts from the OHR made the decision and it is contrary to all principles of free journalism. The international community should help financing, instead of undertaking useless activities. Glas Srpske pg. 2 ‘A huge bill for the RTRS’ – The Association warns that, thanks to the most recent decision, all basic principles as well as European broadcasting practice were violated. The daily quotes the Association’s release. “There is an attempt to create the Radio and Television broadcasting system, acceptable only for the OHR and its quasi experts, as well as some political forces who want to ruin the constitutional structure of the country and centralise BiH.” |
| | Property Affairs |
| OHR admits mistake | Glas Srpske pg. 1 – the OHR admitted that the exchange of land between the Serb Orthodox Church parish of Kravica and Bratunac company ‘Jasenik’ was carried out in a legal manner. The Church gave the land for the construction of houses to refugees and DPs. In November last year, 32 land plots were prepared for construction but OHR put a ban on it. Now, the ban is lifted and the land is being prepared for construction, said Dusan Spasojevic, the local priest. |
| | Human Affairs |
| Security policy in BiH | Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘BiH before meeting first requirement for NATO’ – announces that the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament should discuss a proposal of a document called “Security Policy of BiH”, which has been adopted by the BiH Presidency, at a session that is to be held in mid-July. VL says if the Parliament were to adopt the document, the State would meet the first requirement for accession to Partnership for Peace program adding that the document could be heavily revised in the Parliament because reportedly MPs in the Republika Srpska National Assembly made many objections to provisions in the document that allegedly try to transfer some of entity’s authorities to the state level. |
| | Human Affairs |
| Potocari memorial | FTV at 19:30 hrs by Salih Brkic – the construction of the Memorial Centre in Srebrenica is finally coming to end. The DNA analyses have confirmed the identification of 992 individuals executed in the massacre. 600 victims were already buried in this location. The second group of the identified victims will be buried on the July 11th, at the eighth anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre. International community members and many ambassadors announced their presence at the ceremony. |