OHR BiH Media Round-up, 8/2/2005

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs)

RTRS (12,00 hrs)

Israeli-Palestine Summit

Terzic to meet Barosso in Brussels

FBiH in HoR session

Drvar municipality aids snow victims

HR visits Doboj, Usora and Tesanj

Bijeljina: Snow interrupts classes

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

 Mediterranean security&coop. conf.

Solana, Scheffer on ICTY

Kidnapper from Novi Grad released

Ivanic met Italian Foreign Dep. Min.

Terzic in visit to Brussels

Visa regime liberalisation

Wnendt visiting Zagreb

Roberto Antonione in visit to BiH

ICTY: Lazarevic pleaded not guilty

Fight vs. terrorism conference

PDP will not participate in RS Govt.

Perisic indicted for bombing Mostar

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Edin Kantarevic released

ZDC MoI solved bank robberies

NATO on cooperation with ICTY

Adnan Terzic in visit to Brussels

Kidnapper from Novi Grad released

Man dies of cold weather

States BiH citizens cannot enter

ICTY: Lazarevic pleaded not guilty

Minus 30 Celsius in Sokolac

BiH journalists on PIC session

BG policeman testified against Oric

Kantarevic released from custody

Oslobodjenje

Bosnian chetniks request for status of anti-fascists

Dnevni Avaz

Premier Terzic: NATO will not diminish its demands towards BiH

Dnevni List

Kidnapper of his own daughter released

Vecernji List

Cold weather took lives

Slobodna Dalmacija

EUFOR Commander stopped TV show

Glas Srpske

People are cleaning, wind is sweeping over; Hague and only Hague

Nezavisne Novine

Minus 28 degrees in Sokolac; Edin Kantarevic was released; Rajko Vulic: I have never said we took silver electrodes

Blic

Ratko Mladic in Topcider; Cuk: I will proclaim state of emergency

Vecernje Novosti

Features Serbia related titles

Belgrade’s Nacional

Features Serbia related titles

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

Senior US official: NATO will not ease pressure against Belgrade and Banja Luka

Radio Herceg Bosna – High-rankedUS official in NATO stated that NATO is determined not to give in when the pressure against the authorities in Belgrade and Banja Luka with regard to arrest of crucial war criminals pressure war criminals is in question. He also said that the same thing was told to BiH CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic.

HR Ashdown in Doboj, Usora and Tesanj

Radio Herceg Bosna – The High Representative Paddy Ashdown is visiting Doboj, Usora and Tesanj on February 8 and 9, 2005.  The HR will meet Police officers and their families. He will hear their views on police reform, in light of the publication of the recommendations of Chairman of the Police Reform Commission’s report last week.

FBiH HoR to discuss changes to Law on social welfare

Radio Herceg Bosna – FBiH HoR will be in session over next two days in Sarajevo . Among other things, the chamber will discuss a Proposal of changes to the Law on basis of social welfare, protection of civilian war victims etc. This proposal has disturbed the Associations of disabled persons a lot and they announced a protest in front of the FBiH Parliament’s building.

BiH-EU relations/cooperation with ICTY

BiH CoM Chairman Terzic briefs NATO officials about military reform

TV Pink, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Incomplete RS cooperation with the Hague Tribunal’, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Terzic with Scheffer’ not signed, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘First arrests then the Partnership’, FENA – During the first day of his visit to Brussels, the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, on Monday briefed the NATO Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, about the progress achieved in the field of defence reforms in BiH, says a statement issued by the information service of the BiH Council of Ministers. It added that both sides voiced satisfaction with the handover of the peacekeeping mandate from SFOR (NATO-led Stabilization Force) to EUFOR (EU Force). Chairman Terzic expressed thanks for EUFOR’s readiness to help combat crime, especially smuggling of expensive goods, in cooperation with state institutions. He underlined the Council of Ministers’ readiness to develop further and consolidate democratic institutions and to implement the remaining reforms, especially those regarding the adoption of European standards in the military and security spheres. During talks with Chairman Terzic, the ambassadors of the NATO Council noted and praised the progress achieved in the field of reforms and in meeting the conditions under the Feasibility Study. Their stance is that the key obstacle to BiH’s European road is incomplete cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, especially the obligation of the RS authorities and relevant state bodies regarding this. The ambassadors of 15 countries stressed that it was necessary to find mechanisms for improving cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. They assessed that the recent extradition of war criminal Savo Todovic was the first step in that direction and that more of these should happen in the future. Premier Terzic will meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Tuesday during his three-day visit to Brussels .

TV Hayat, Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 3 ‘NATO will not diminish its demands towards BiH (re PfP) carried Terzic’s statement on his Brussels meetings.  

EU, NATO press Bosnia over war crime suspects

TV Pink, Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘PfP only a wish for time being’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘EU and NATO condemn RS’, AFP, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Brussels persistent with regard to The Hague’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Cooperation with the Hague is an obligation accepted ten years ago’ by Beta, Glas Srpske cover ‘Hague and only Hague’ by Tanjug – NATO and the EU vowed Monday to keep up pressure on BiH to help UN prosecutors hunting war crimes suspects, some of whom are still at large 10 years after the conflict in the former Yugoslav republic. Speaking ahead of talks with BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic in Brussels, NATO Secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Sarajevo must show “full cooperation” with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). “The message must be clear: full cooperation with the ICTY,” he said, adding that “pressure must be maintained on BiH on the question of war criminals.” EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said his message was the same to the BiH Prime Minister. “Cooperation with the international tribunal is very important,” he said. “They know what they have to do. The responsibility lies on their shoulders,” he said at a joint press conference with the NATO Secretary General.

Paravac, Ivanic meet with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Antonione

RHB, TV Pink, BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Visa regime change unavoidable’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘BiH will request for Italian support to visa regime liberalization’, FENA – BiH Presidency Chair Borislav Paravac met Italian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Roberto Antonione in Sarajevo on Monday. They agreed that relations between the two countries are very good and praised the implementation of numerous projects, as well as positive growth of trade cooperation based on mutual interests. They also agreed that there is consensus in BiH on implementing reforms needed for BiH to join the EU. The possible reconstruction of the BiH Council of Ministers and reform of the UN were also discussed. BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic also met Italian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Antonione in Sarajevo on Monday. Ivanic informed his guest about the situation in BiH and implementation of political, defence and economic reforms, which are a part of requirements from the Feasibility Study. They discussed bilateral cooperation and further development of relations between the two countries. Antonione said that Italy is prepared to support BiH on the road towards European structures. The two officials also discussed efforts and activities of BiH aimed at liberalization of EU visa regime towards BiH citizens.

Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Italian support for less strict visa regime demanded’ not signed also reports on Ivanic meeting with Antonione and on pg 4 ‘Complete consensus on reforms’ processes’ not signed on Paravac meeting with the Italian official. Glas Srpske, pg 4 ‘Softer visa regime’ by Srna reports just on Ivanic’s meeting with Antonione.

Sadovic to Mikerevic: ICTY indictees are not heroes, but war criminals

Dnevni Avaz, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘ICTY indictees are not people’s heroes but worst war criminals’, by E. Sarac – The President of SDA Caucus in the RSNA, Tarik Sadovic, has sent the RS Prime Minister (in resignation) Dragan Mikerevic a letter in which he calls on the PM to “abolish the scandalous decision of the Government on material compensations to The Hague indictees and their families”. “Majority of citizens are shocked with the decision of your Government. A reward amounting to 50.000 KMs gets paid out for voluntary surrender, which is much more than your salary of the Prime Minister or price of a two-bed apartment. I remind you there are not people’s heroes, but persons charged with genocide, the worst criminal act”, argues Sadovic.

Mladic is in Topcider?

EuroBlic cover ‘Ratko Mladic in Topcider’ and pg 3 ‘Mladic in Topcider?’ by D. V. – Vladimir – Beba Popovic, former Head of Public Relations Office at the Government of late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, has stated for B92 that the Chief of security of Guard brigade in Topcider is Branislav Puhac, who has been a personal bodyguard of Ratko Mladic for the past ten years. ‘Now, you conclude where Mladic might be’, Popovic has said. He added: ‘It is no secret that the Army is guarding Mladic. They have been guarding him even while we were at the Government. We have had information that the Army was guarding and controlling Mladic’.

War crimes processing in Mostar

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ’16 war crimes cases at the Court’ by Fena – The Chairman of Mostar Cantonal Court has confirmed there are 16 war crimes cases at the Court that will be processed both at the state and Cantonal level.

SD: Angry because of posed question EUFOR Commander stopped recording of TV show

Slobodna Dalmacija cover pg splash and pg 13 ‘EUFOR Commander stopped TV show’ by Z. Tulic – SD says that during recording of a political TV Show at BHT1 (‘Posteno govoreci’) hosted by journalist Duska Jurisic, inspired by numerous attempts to twist the truth about the massacre in Markale, Jurisic asked her guest EUFOR Commander Steven Schook what would happen if someone said in public that New York citizens and not Bin Laden caused the tragedy on September 11. After this question was posed to him Schook furiously left the studio and recording was stopped for over a half an hour. SD says that when he calmed down Schook said that he would appear in the TV show only if the journalist does not pose him that question.

Political developments

PDP will not participate in the new RS Government?

TV Pink – PDP once more informed that it was not going to participate in the new RS Government, meaning that PDP is leaving RS executive authority. PDP informed that it was going to ask RS President Dragan Cavic to gather political parties, which signed the agreement on coordinated political action, in order for them to take a stance on the issue. PDP is still asking SDS to take a stance on crisis in BiH Council of Ministers. Member of PDP Main Board Igor Crnadak said: “It is of extreme importance for PDP to support the opinion called equality. The other thing is that there should be no discussion on the Dayton Peace Agreement. Discussions and solutions should be brought in institutions.”  Tanja Topic believes that PDP is going to support the new Government. She claims that the accusations addressed to RS Prime Minister designate are not justified. Bukejlovic claims to have secured majority in RS National Assembly, no matter the PDP’s decision. He said that by postponing the decision, the crisis was going to be continued.

BHT, TV Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘On the Agreement again’ by V. Popovic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘They do not want to enter the Government’ by D. Po. also covered the issue.

Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Majority is still uncertain’ by N. D. – RS President Dragan Cavic met with PDP representatives Monday. The meeting was closed for public and, according to unofficial information, they have discussed CoM crisis and terms under which PM designate could expect to have the support of PDP.

SBiH Presidency to discuss establishing of RS Government, Police reform

Dnevni Avaz, pg 8, mentioned on front ‘It is impermissible that Bjelasnica and Igman do not belong to Sarajevo’, by E. Sarac – Announces that the Presidency of SBiH will tonight be discussing issues pertaining to the appointment of the new RS Government and Police reform in BiH. When it comes to the former, the leader of SBIH, Safet Halilovic, says in an interview to Avaz that the SBiH will not support Pero Bukejlovic’s Government because “Bukejlovic’s Government is based on the principle of mono-ethnic ruling, which means that a multi-ethnic party, such as ours, cannot support him”. When it comes to the Police reform, Halilovic says that the “hybrid model” with 9+1 regions has several contradictory details. “For example, instead of Sarajevo, as the center of state, becoming the most comprehensive region, which would include Gorazde and Foca, it happened that some parts of Sarajevo are extracted. For example, Trnovo or areas of Bjelasnica and Igman are to be given to Foca, which is insane”, says Halilovic.

SDHR Wnendt met with Croatian Minister of foreign Affairs in Zagreb

RHB, Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Minister Zuzul promised help to BiH on way to EU’ by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Zuzul with Werner Wnendt on getting closer to EU’ by Hina – During his visit to Zagreb Senior Deputy High Representative Werner Wnendt met with Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Miomir Zuzul, Croatian State Secretary for Political Issues Hido Biscevic and BiH Ambassador in Croatia Zlatko Dizdarevic. On this occasion, they talked about Croatian integration to EU and relations between BiH and Croatia , as well as about education, return of refugees, strengthening of BiH institutions and defence reform. Minister Zuzul expressed strong support of Croatia in the BiH’s efforts exerted in order to implement reforms.

Economic/social issues

Avaz: Interview with Director of USAID Sumka

Dnevni Avaz, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘We helped that thousands of workers get jobs’, by Eldar Dizdarevic – Carries an interview with the Director of USAID (US Agency for International Development), Howard Sumka. It is worth noting that Sumka explains that the USAID’s focus is now turning from the reconstruction-related projects onto the market economy in BiH. He explains that the focus in the period to come will be on the development of the private sector, by supporting the small and medium-sized companies. “This foremost means creation of the legislative and regulatory ambiance, which will favour the creation and development of small and medium sized companies”. According to the daily, the USAID will remain in BiH in the next ten years.

Vrankic dissatisfied with influx of funds to FBiH budget

Dnevni List pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘Half budget for Army and victims’ by D. Polovina-Mandic – Federation of BiH Minister of Finances Dragan Vrankic expressed dissatisfaction over the amount of funds that are being paid on the single FBiH account. Vrankic also referred to the problems in functioning of the single budget and he said: ‘There are certain problems such as payment on the account from the last year. I am afraid that there are certain disagreements with the other entity and the Brcko District and for this reason the Indirect Taxation Administration Steering Board has formed a working group which will determine the way of payment of all incomes from the last year.’

Security/legal proceedings

HB Trial: Former Director of ‘Mondo’ questioned

BHT, FTV, Dnevni List pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Covic took advantage of Raic at position of Director of Mondo!?’ by E. Mackic, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘ “Mondo” was financing HDZ’s election campaign’ by Srna – The trial against former HDZ President Ante Jelavic continued on Monday with questioning of the prosecution witness Branko Raic, who used to be a Director of company ‘Mondo’ as of August 1998. Raic said that he used to work in the Mostar City Administration where he met current Croat member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic who offered Raic to be the Director of ‘Mondo’. Raic stressed that he had no experience when the work of Mondo company is in question since he is a policeman by profession. Raic also said that after some time in the company he noticed certain irregularities and informed the ‘Mondo’ Steering Board (SB) about it, however, he was told that everything is fine. He also asked them to relieve him of duty but they told him that the company will be shut down anyway after the election campaign. Asked as to why HDZ and not the Mondo SB appointed him to this position, Raic said that this was the case since HDZ was the only owner of the company. On the same issue Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12, mentioned on cover ’23 incorrect statements of witness’ by Z. Tulic also carries that in the second part of the hearing the defence questioned prosecution witness Rusmir Roksa (a former financial inspector from Mostar) and the defence stated a series of evidence which deny 23 incorrect claims that Roksa gave when he was questioned by the Prosecutor.

New trial started in so called Hotel Ero case

Dnevni List pg 47, mentioned on cover ‘Ivan Bender stands trial again’ by N. Dedic – A new trial against Ivan Bender charged with illegal sale of Hotel ‘Ero’ started before the Panel of Judges of the Federation of BiH Supreme Court on Monday. DL reminds that after the abolishment of the earlier verdict the FBiH Supreme Court has scheduled the main hearing during which this court will pass the decision on this case by itself. DL also says that it is not known as to why the FBiH Supreme Court would do so (usually the annulled verdict goes back for the trial before the first-instance court), however, the author believes that their reasons for such decision are justified.

BiH Security Minister Colak on US warning not to visit BiH and liberalization of visa regime

Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Citizenships make visa regime more strict’ by Z. Kresic – Commenting on the US State Department warning about BiH as an insecure state, BiH Security Minister Barisa Colak stated that BiH is not more insecure than any other country in the region, however, he also stressed that illegal granting of BiH citizenships to Arab soldiers, who fought for the BiH Army during the war, contributes the most to a bad image of BiH. He added that liberalization of the visa regime also depends the most on correction of these mistakes.  According to Colak, the demand of Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic for release of the so-called Algerian group will be discrediting for BiH if it turns out that members of this group received the BiH citizenship in an illegal manner.

Nacional: Muslim terrorists in Banja Luka

Nacional pg 14 ‘Terrorists in Banjaluka’ – The RS MoI holds confidential information that at least five foreigners of Muslim religion have illegally entered BiH at the Banja Luka airport of Mahovljani, with the assistance of BiH SBS officers. Referring to well informed sources, Banjaluka media assume that this number is significantly bigger, raising the issue on presence of Islamic terrorists in BiH.

Gligoric cleared of charges

Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Gligoric was acquitted of charges’ by A. D. –Tihomir Gligoric, a delegate at BiH HoR, was acquitted of charges at BiH Court on Monday. He was charged with failure to comply with a decision of BiH Constitutional Court, BiH Court or Human Rights Chamber while he was the Director of Republic Administration for Geodetic and Property Issues. Sarajevo media also covered the issue.

Update to Alijagic case

Nezavisne Novine pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘I have never said we took silver electrodes’ by V. D. – Rajko Vulic, former Head of the Commission for Inventory of Trebinje Municipality, has stated that the property of Alijagic firm contained a certain number of electrodes in 1993, but he never claimed the electrodes were made of silver.

Nezavisne Novine pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘I have never said we took silver electrodes’ by V. D., inset ‘They ask from the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate on Sarenac’s claims’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Everything from the beginning’ by M. Dj. – Trebinje Mayor and Chairman of Trebinje Assembly, Dobroslav Cuk and Nikola Sekulovic respectively, on Monday asked from Trebinje Regional Prosecutor’s Office to investigate claims of professor Momir Sarenac who has claimed that the verdict in Alijagic case was reached on the base of forged documents.

EuroBlic pg RS3, announced on cover ‘Cuk: I will proclaim state of emergency’ by Tijana Veselinovic and Vedran Mihojevic – Trebinje Mayor Dobroslav Cuk has announced he would proclaim state of emergency in Trebinje due to consequences of “Alijagic” case in order to force RS Government to engage more actively in resolving of this issue.

Law on Serb Sarajevo was returned to RS Government

Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Government to do re-writing’ by D. Zec, Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘The Law on Serb Sarajevo was returned to RS Government’ by S. G. – A Joint Commission of the Council of Peoples and the RS NA in charge of harmonising the Laws, Decrees and Acts unanimously decided at Monday’s session in Banja Luka that Law on changes and addenda to the Law on the City of Serb Sarajevo should be returned to RS Government. The new version of the Law should respect the view of the East Sarajevo City Parliament, which should be constituted by then.

Miscellaneous

Bosnian chetniks request for status of anti-fascists

Oslobodjenje, front pg splash and pgs 4-5 ‘Bosnian chetniks request status of anti-fascists’, by Asaf Becirovic – Triggered by events in Serbia, the leadership of ‘Ravnogorski pokret otadzbine Srpske’ has decided to launch an initiative in order to secure the status of anti-fascists to chetniks from Ravna Gora, namely they want the same right the partisans in former Yugoslavia had, including financial compensations. The leadership claims the chetniks had been anti-fascists and the only regular army in the then Yugoslavia (during WWII).

Box entitled ‘Unserious initiative’ carries the deputy Speaker of RSNA, Sefket Hafizovic, as saying the initiative is unserious, which will never end up on the RSNA agenda. Another box entitled ‘Schroeder and Paravac’ carries the advisor to the RS President, Ognjen Tadic, as saying that chetniks were indeed anti-fascists, however he explains it is impossible to equal the status of two warring fractions from the WWII or from the (recent) war in BiH. “Those are crazy things”, says Tadic. Finally, box entitled ‘Criminals became heroes’ carries a proposal of nine organizations, namely the BiH Association of Veterans of the National Liberation Antifascist War (SUBNOAR), the Association Josip Broz Tito, the Independent Intellectuals’ Association “Krug 99”, the BiH Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Council of the Bosniak Intellectuals’ Congress, the Serb Citizens’ Council – Movement for Equality, the Croat National Council, the PEN Centre and the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH, which call on BiH Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly to immediately launch the procedure of passing the law on banning all neo-fascist organizations and utilization of their symbols, including the banning of “ustasha” and “cetnik” organizations.

Stolac: Still no agreement about removal of crosses

Dnevni Avaz, pg 12 ‘Mehmedagic accuses Boskovic of trying to relativize the ‘Stolac’ case’, by F. Vele – According to the FBiH Urban Planning Minister, Ramiz Mehmedagic, talks on removal of crosses from the Old town in Stolac, two days before the deadline set for February 10, have not yet ended up in an agreement. Mehmedagic notes that efforts are being exerted in order to achieve a peaceful solution, however he notes that in case there is not one, the crosses will have to be removed forcibly. Avaz also carries the spokesperson of OHR South, Sanela Tunovic , who says the decision to remove the crosses must be carried out in a peaceful and dignified way, stressing that this is not about restricting anyone’s rights, but about the respect for the rule of law.

SD: Stolac cross to be removed on Feb. 10

Slobodna Dalmacija pg 12, mentioned on cover ‘Stolac: Pulling down of cross announced for Thursday’ by I. Raguz – SD says that the cross in Stolac should be removed on February 10 and according to Head of the Stolac Municipality Stjepan Boskovic this will not be a D Day for Stolac in spite of the efforts exerted by the Commission in charge of national monuments which is in Boskovic’s opinion under strong political influence of the Bosniak lobby from Stolac.  

VL op-ed on Stolac crosses

Vecernji List pg 2 ‘They mind cross but they do not mind mosque’ by mr carries an editorial in which the author comments on the PIC recommendation regarding the Stolac cross and according to the author such decision is at least strange and by this recommendation double standards have come on scene again. The author also says: ‘The International Community sees the cross in Stolac as a threat but not a mosque in Ustikolina, which has to be removed as well.’