| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Terzic on OHR | Adnan Terziic statement | Nikola Spiric on Dumic | HR in London |
| HR in London | HDZ/SDA relations | Fraud in Zenica | Issues on new Min of D |
| SNSD statement | BH politicians image | Adnan Terzic statement | Arrest of B. Subotic |
| Plane crash investigation | Plane crash investigation | Centrotrans/GRAS | SNSD invites on protests |
| Oslobodjenje | OHR rejected Dumic nomination for Defence Minister |
| Dnevni Avaz | State Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic: I am not aware of threats delivered to McNair |
| Dnevni List | “Investigation: Reasons of plane crash are still unknown”; “BiH CoM in OHR’s jaws” |
| Vecernji List | “Incidents in Citluk”; “Has Mafia ordered assassination of international prosecutor Mc Nair?” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | Boycott sinks Brod; Even half not registered; Top secret atrocity; Police gives trousers |
| Nezavisne Novine | RS Prime-Minister’s sons illegally bought facility in Doboj downtown; FBiH: Escalation of SDA – HDZ Conflict about FBiH Government; Sarajevo: Controversial restaurant owner’s house burnt; John McNerr has police protection; Sports |
| Blic | Filip Zepter: I am not ruling Serbia; Dragan Cavic: Invitation to Croats to return to RS |
BiH/International community | |
| Spiric claims OHR not approving Dumic to be appointed BiH Defence Minister
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje front page ‘OHR rejected Dumic nomination for Defence Minister’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Dumic will not be elected’, Vecernji List page 2, “Spiric claims that Dumic will not be BiH Defence Minister”, by Fena, Dnevni List page 2, “Dumic will not be Defence Minister”, Nezavisne novine, page 4: “Dumic will not be appointed as BiH Defence Minister”, Blic p 13 ‘Spiric: Dumic is unacceptable’, FENA – BiH House of Representatives Chair Nikola Spiric claims that Dragomir Dumic will not be appointed the first BiH defence minister, because he does not enjoy support of the international community. Spiric told a press conference on Sunday that he would request a written proof on conducting the confirmation process on the candidates for this function. Stating that his information “from domestic and international circles state that Dumic will not become the State defence minister, he said that this speaks about the (non)seriousness of the party that proposed him – the Serb Democratic Party (SDS)”. Spiric said that the citizens must finally understand that “SDS is not and cannot be a partner to the international community”. He accused RS President Dragan Cavic of complaining to the press that his function is jeopardised instead of requesting from the Government to take urgent and concrete measures in cooperation of RS with the Hague Tribunal. In addition, Spiric declared that the assembly in RS did not understand seriously the warnings that this BiH entity could soon be facing sanctions unless it starts cooperating with the Hague Tribunal. |
| Dumic on vetting process | Nezavisne novine, page 4: “No official information on rejection of nomination” – “I have not been informed officially that my nomination for BiH Defence Minister has been rejected. However, I can tell that in circumstances like this, work on that position would have lot of obstacles, regardless of person of the minister”, said Dragomir Dumic. “It seems to me that at this moment there is no need for a free mind person who knows how to think and is intellectually superior”, said Dumic. |
| Ashdown visits London | Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Ashdown in London’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Ashdown to meet with Blair, Straw’, Dnevni List page 3, Nezavisne novine, page 2: “Asdown in Great Britain today“, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, will be meeting the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Foreign Minister Jack Straw and Defence Minister Geoffrey Hoon in London on Monday, OHR announced on Sunday. He will discuss the situation in BiH, particularly the progress toward meeting requirements for PfP and conditions of the EC Feasibility Study. Ashdown will warn that unless BiH politicians take their responsibility for implementing these reforms much more seriously, BiH will fail to join PfP at the Istanbul Summit in the summer. He will highlight that the ruling coalition has so far failed to put forward a credible, professionally qualified candidate for Defence Minister. |
| Terzic criticizes OHR’s statement on money laundering law | Herceg Bosna Radio, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘It is not true that the criminals are sitting in CoM’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page ‘Neither criminals nor terrorists and drug dealers are sitting in CoM’, Dnevni list front & p 3, “Council of Ministers in OHR’s jaws”, Nezavisne novine, page 3: “There are no criminals in Council of Ministers”, FENA – The Saturday’s statement by the Office of High Representative (OHR) in BiH relating to the delay in adopting the draft law on prevention of money laundering came as unpleasant surprise to me and made me question the sincerity of the OHR’s intentions to help the Council of Ministers with implementing reforms ahead of us, a statement by Adnan Terzic, the chairman of the Council of Ministers, says on Sunday. He recalled that a commission, which was formally set up by the Council of Ministers, had brought in line a text of six statuary provisions, which included the mentioned draft law, and that the commission was headed by his deputy Barisa Colak, who was responsible for this field as security minister. Terzic went on to say that five laws were adopted and submitted for an urgent parliamentary procedure at the Council of Ministers’ session on February 19 2004, and that the draft law in question was returned to the economy commission for deliberation, something which was an integral part of the procedure in the Council of Ministers, and a practice the OHR was familiar with. “The OHR is aware of the fact that the Council of Ministers will pass the draft law on prevention of money laundering at its next session on Thursday, and yet it is making public warnings, and thus, giving credence to the thesis that we (the Council of Ministers) are mere executors of the OHR’s policy, which is absolutely not true,” he said. Terzic also said it was not true as implicated by the OHR statement that the criminals were sitting in the CoM, who did not care about fight against organised crime. |
| Statement of Day: Chairman of the BiH CoM Adnan Terzic | Dnevni List (page 2) carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic as saying: “The UN Council expects that our politicians overtake more responsibility.” |
War crimes | |
| Dodik says RS authorities will try to arrest Karadzic
| Nezavisne novine, page 6: “RS authorities arranged Karadzic’s arrest”, Serbian TV – The RS authorities have finalized preparations for a major operation to arrest Radovan Karadzic, which is expected to take place. This is what Milorad Dodik, chairman of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and former RS prime minister, said in Bijeljina, according to FoNet news agency. Herceg Bosna Radio, ONASA – Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) President Milorad Dodik told ONASA on Sunday he understood last week’s address by US ambassador at large for war crimes Pierre-Richard Prosper to deputies of the Republika Srpska National Assembly as “a severe warning to the RS.” “I am greatly concerned with the fact that we are a ‘black hole’ in the international diplomatic terminology and that we could face further economic and political sanctions,” said Dodik. “I cannot interpret how that warning has affected the most responsible representatives of the RS authorities, but I am aware that not one of them has reacted so far, as if nothing had happened,” added Dodik, commenting the most recent US warning leveled at the RS. Addressing deputies of the RS National Assembly on Thursday, Prosper said the international community would persevere in its efforts to bring to justice the indicted war criminals, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military commander Ratko Mladic. Prosper warned that the world would perceive the RS as a “black hole both in political and economic aspect”, as long as Karadzic and Mladic were at large. |
| SFOR says arrested Gen Subotic in good health
| RTRS, SRNA – The family of the retired Gen Bodgan Subotic early on Sunday, after three days of trying to find out, received the first information from the SFOR official for liaising with the arrested general, that he was in good health, given regular medical care and in a safe location. Ruzica Beric, the daughter of Gen Subotic, said that the SFOR official reiterated that the general had been arrested under the suspicion of being part of the support network for war crimes indictees, but declined to divulge Subotic’s present whereabouts. She added that the family did not receive any documents about Gen Subotic’s status and the manner in which he was arrested even three days after the event. |
Political developments | |
| Colak to meet with Tihic today
| BHTV – HDZ President Barisa Colak confirmed he would meet with SDA President Sulejman Tihic on Monday. Party leaders will discuss possible removal of Ahmed Hadzipasic, Prime Minister of FBiH and crisis inside the ruling coalition. Colak gave a statement by phone: “I really hope a concrete agreement will be reached tomorrow and put on the paper. Naturally, if we fail to achieve positive results on the disputed issues then nothing else is left to do but to consider some other ways of co-operation inside the Government”, said Colak referring tyo possible reconsidering of the HDZ partnership with SDA. |
| Hadzipasic: HDZ’s aim is the third entity
| Nezavisne novine, cover and page 2: “Hadzipasic: HDZ’s aim is the third entity; Spaic: HDZ wants equality” – SDA Presidency Collegium will discuss situation caused by HDZ’s request for dismissing of FBiH Prime Minister, said SDA Secretary General, Sefik Dzaferovic. “SDA will not support that request because we find it unjustified”, stated Dzaferovic. FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, thinks that HDZ wants to control institutions, which have large amount of Budget finances. “The second step would be making of connections between cantons and establishing of the third entity”, stated Hadizpasic. HDZ Vice-President, Ante Spaic, claims that is old story, which is used every time when Croats ask for equal position with two other Peoples. Dnevni Avaz front page ‘HDZ did not give up on the third entity’, pg. 5 ‘HDZ blocking government due to Hercegovacka Bank, Hague Tribunal’s activities’ – interview with Hadzipasic. Among other things, Hadzipasic said that HDZ BiH sought to dominate financial flows in the Federation. |
| CRO Press on crises of FBiH Government | Dnevni List (page 7, “SDA is against removal of Prime Minister Hadzipasic”, not signed) carries that SDA Vice President Seada Palavric stated that SDA will not agree with the removal of Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic. Commenting on the initiative of President of the FBiH Niko Lozancic for a removal of Hadzipasic ‘due to bad situation in the FBiH Government’, Palavric said that this is about ungrounded claims especially since this initiative was launched at the time when the FBiH Government defined a proposal of the FBiH budget. Dnevni List (page 4, “People demand bread and not involving in politics”, by A. Beus) carries that HVO pensioners hope that their status will be resolved at the next session of the FBiH Government, however, it is questionable whether this session will take place due to the current crises of the FBiH Government. DL also says that although Vice President of Headquarters for Protection of HVO Pensioners’ Rights Ivan Iko Pavlovic announced blockade of all roads and border crossings (see yesterday’s Weekend Cropress summary) President of this Headquarters Pero Blazevic stated that Pavlovic announced the blockades self-willingly. Blazevic added that the Headquarters has not passed any decision yet since the negotiations on resolving of the status of HVO pensioners have been underway. |
| HSP BiH Convention | Vecernji List (page 2, “Djapic: HSP must not be private party”, by N. Koturic) carries that Zvonko Jurisic from Posusje has been elected a new HSP BiH President at the regular, 5th HSP BiH Convention held in Domaljevac. On the same issue VL (page, “Another HSP President in Posusje”, by P.C.) carries that an emergency HSP BiH Convention took place in Posusje and that Zdravko Hrstic was re-elected HSP BiH President. President of the Main HSP BiH Headquarters Miro Budimir stated that the Convention in Posusje is a legal and legitimate one. Dnevni List (page 5, “Hrstic was re-elected HSP BiH President”, by N. Bise) carries that the aforementioned situation shows that there is a rift within HSP BiH. |
Investigations/Macedonian plane crash | |
| Investigation into Macedonian plane crash | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Preliminary results came to Sarajevo’, Dnevni List front and page 2, by N. Dedic,Nezavisne novine, page 2: “Preliminary results of black box analysis in BiH”, Vecernje Novosti p 3 ‘Black box is still a secret’, FENA – The team for analysing the information from the Register of Flight Data and the Register of Conversations, the so-called black box, from the crashed Macedonian plane on Sunday returned from Germany to Sarajevo and brought the preliminary results of analysis, which will be further analysed and compared with other evidence material by the Investigative Commission, in line with the procedure. The team for analysing the data from the “black box” comprised the experts from BiH, Macedonia and the United States. Due to technical problems in functioning of the Register of Flight Data, a part of the material has remained at the laboratory in Germany for the purpose of conducting a special analysis, it was announced by the BiH Directorate for Civil Aviation. Members of the BiH Commission, together with a representative from Macedonia, departed to Skopje for the purpose of making an inquiry into the information about the crew and the plane, which is in line with the investigation procedure. The rest of team of working as planned in line with relevant procedures. Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski together with six associates and two crewmembers died in a plane crash on February 26 in the vicinity of Mostar. |
Security | |
| Assassination of John McNair has been planned?
| Vecernji List (front page, “Has Mafia ordered assassination of international prosecutor John McNair?”, and page 3, “Prosecutor McNair target of contract killer from Croatia”, by D. Jazvic) carries that Independent TV ‘Hayat’ published that competent state and Federation of BiH institutions have come into possession of the information that refer that the assassination of international prosecutor in the BiH Prosecution John McNair is being prepared and for this reason McNair is under strict security measures. VL also says that the investigative bodies allegedly have a name of a contract killer. VL says that he is a Bosniak and a citizen of the Republic of Croatia who is well known to the Police and the Police is intensively looking for him since he was seen in the area of the Sarajevo Canton. VL says that it is not known whether the planning of assassination on McNair is related to the fact that McNair is in charge of the investigation on the Hercegovacka Banka case because of which former HDZ President Ante Jelavic has been arrested. |
| NN: John McNair under police protection | Nezavisne novine, cover and page 3: “John McNair under police protection” – John McNair, prosecutor with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office Special Department for fight against organised crime has police protection for couple of days already, confirmed to Nezavisne novine one of the FBiH Ministry of Interior officials. “I can not confirm or deny it. Prosecutor is the only one who can to it”, stated FBiH Police Director, Zlatko Miletic. Chief State Prosecutor, Marinko Jurkovic, has no information on this. Unofficially, McNerr has asked for police protection because criminals in Sarajevo have hired assassin from Croatia. |
| State Prosecutor not aware of alleged threats to McNair | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘I am not aware of threats to McNair’ – BiH State Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic says he is not aware of any information specifying that Prosecutor John McNair is on a list for execution by a professional killer. He also denied media speculation he had requested a special police protection for McNair. |
Economic/social affairs | |
| VL: Interview with Robert Gavranovic, Hercegovina osiguranje director
| In his interview for Vecernji list (p 7, “We are on top with 92% and with 5.8 million Marks profit”, by Zoran Kresic), Robert Gavranovic, Hercegovina osiguranje director says that the tender for the Hercegovacka bank sale allows for various possibilities such as individual sale of subsidiaries, as well as the sale of all of them as a package. Saying that the events around the Hercegovacka bank have had a negative impact on Hercegovina osiguranje’s business, Gavranovic says they still face some problems but hopes things will change for the better after the sale. As for the 3rd GSM licence issue, Gavranovic says it is now up to RAK (Communication Regulatory Agency) to set criteria that Eronet or HT must meet. Yet, in his opinion, RAK cannot legally issue the licence to HT as HT has neither the infrastructure, nor the service, nor finances, while Eronet should automatically get the licence as a company with mixed (state & private) ownership. |
| DL on Ero Hotel case | Dnevni list (p 7, “Federation Government stalls resolving Ero Hotel case”, by De. L.) comments that the case of Ero Hotel has not been brought to its end thanks to inability and irresponsibility of the FBiH Government and to illegal appointments to the Hotel’s Supervisory Board. Namely, DL claims that, despite the High Representative’s recommendation to suspend all the appointments until the new Statute of Mostar is fully in force, Croat-majority Municipalities in February appointed the following to the Hotel’s Supervisory Board: Marin Raspudic (for Mostar Municipality South-West), Mile Puljic (for Mostar Municipality West) and Mario Leko (for Mostar Municipality South). The daily reminds that, at its session held last June, FBiH Government passed a conclusion that there should be a settlement reached between FBiH Pension & Disability Fund (MIO/PIO) and TUHINVEST Co. in the process of protecting the ownership of Ero Hotel. According to DL, the FBiH MIO/PIO and the FBiH Ministry for Social Affairs, as the bodies tasked by the Government to prepare necessary reports and proposals on how to protect the property of Ero Hotel, have submitted their Reports but the FBiH Government has not considered the details of the proposed settlement yet. |
| Return of Croats to RS
| Blic p 12 ‘Politicians must create conditions for return’ – As according to data of the RS Ministry for Refugees and DPs, approximately 14,000 Croats have returned to RS so far. During the round table discussion “Sustainable return to RS”, RS President Dragan Cavic invited all Croats, especially refugees from the Western part of RS, to return to their homes. At the same time, he invited the Croatian Government to enable return of tenancy rights to Serb people in Croatia, as well as to engage more actively into resolving issues of property exchange. Dnevni List page 4, “To make census in BiH as soon as possible”, by M. Relota also reported on the event. On the same issue Vjesnik (page 4, “Obstruction of return of Croats”, by M. Barisic) carries an editorial on this round table discussion, which says that figures on the return of Croats to the RS are defeating, however, international representatives, who openly admit that they are actually not interested in the return of Croats to the RS, are not concerned about this situation. The author also says that furthermore, the administration of High Representative Paddy Ashdown still considers as legally relevant documents that Croats signed in fear or under force before they were evacuated over Sava River to Croatia at the beginning of the war. |
| DL on old foreign savings issue | Dnevni List (p 4, “Depositors announce protest in Sarajevo on Thursday”, by Ivica Glibusic) carries that the Association of depositors / owners of old foreign currency savings, headed by Ale Lizalovic, is dissatisfied with the attitude of the BiH authorities, the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) towards resolving of depositors’ problems, i.e. the payment of old foreign currency savings. In a meeting last week, depositors agreed holding of protests of 11 March in front of the buildings of the BiH Presidency, the Council of Ministers, Slovenian Embassy and the OHR in Sarajevo. “The OHR and the IMF cause huge problems to and exert pressures against depositors to give up a huge share so that they could get a smaller share. The Law does not allow anyone to deprive us of the right to property”, Lizalovic says. |