| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| BiH Presidency’s session | BiH Presidency in session | BiH Presidency in session | RSNA in session |
| Meeting of SEE Ministers | HR’s letter to Patriarch | Del Ponte- French engage. | Bosniak Club’s statement |
| Croat intellectuals session | Reform of Defence | Reform of Defence | Defence reforms in BiH |
| SDS Main Board statement | Law on RTV System | Law on RTV system | Issues-Law on RTV System |
| Oslobodjenje | Extraordinary session of the Srebrenica Commission |
| Dnevni Avaz | FBiH Pension-Invalid Fund announcing increase of pensions in three months? |
| Dnevni List | Robbery: Threatening with weapon robbers stole about 140 000 KM; FBiH Minister Nedzad Brankovic: HT Mostar should get third GSM license |
| Vecernji List | Young man from Travnik guilty for the Madrid’s massacre; BiH Presidency recommends guarantees |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | BiH citizen Sanel Sjekirica also among terrorists?; Carla del Ponte read SFOR a stern lecture |
| Glas Srpske | Who is Sanel Sjekirica, suspect of terrorism in Spain – Black signature of white Al-qaeda; Savo Strbac, “Veritas” – Alija just like Franjo; Problems of the second echelon; Empires vanish, Church stays; Chasing robbers; Health condition still uncertain |
| Nezavisne Novine | Carla Del Ponte signed indictments against former RBiH officials – Ganic, Delic, Mahmuljin and Alispahic indicted; Paddy Ashdown sent letter to Patriarch Pavle – If indictees went to The Hague labels would be removed from the Serb people |
| Blic | Balkan connection of Al-Q’aida: Extremists at military training in Sandzak; 200,000 KM for the Hague detainees; Resolution of the crisis: Leadership of Prijedor Assembly submitted collective resignation |
War crimes/ICTY | |
| Srebrenica Commission
| Oslobodjenje front page ‘Extraordinary session of the Commission for Srebrenica’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic convened for today in Banja Luka a special session of the Srebrenica Commission, which is expected to be attended by HR Paddy Ashdown as well, due to a lateness in investigation into developments in Srebrenica from July 1995, learns the newspaper. Senior Deputy High Representative Bernard Fassier, RS Ministers of Defence, Justice and Interior, RS Army Chief of Staff, Director of the Intelligence-Security Service and the security-defence advisor for the PM have also been invited to take part at the meeting. |
| BiH Presidency advises Federation to offer guarantees for Croat indictees | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5 ‘FBiH Government to decide on guarantees’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Resolve requests of the indicted BiH Croats in compliance with the law’, Dnevni List front and page 5 ‘FBiH Government’s guarantees to The Hague indictees questionable’ by R. Radic, Vecernji List front page ‘BiH Presidency recommends guarantees’ and page 5 ‘Fast reaction regarding guarantees for Croats has been demanded from FBiH Government’ by D. Jazvic, Slobodna Dalmacija last page ‘BiH Presidency supports demand of Croat indictees’ by H, SRNA – The chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, said on Wednesday that the Presidency welcomes the decision of the six Croats from BiH, accused of war crimes, to surrender to the Hague tribunal, although it was not directly authorized to give guarantees so that they could conduct their defence at liberty. “We have given a recommendation to the Federation of BiH Government to offer guarantees for them, bearing in mind that they voluntarily surrendered, so that they have the possibility to conduct their defence at liberty,” Tihic told journalists after the session of the Presidency. Commenting on BiH’s relations with the Hague tribunal, Tihic said high-level representatives of the entities and BiH institutions will, most probably next Wednesday (April 14), sign a statement confirming the commitment on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, arresting and handing over persons suspected of war crimes to The Hague. Tihic confirmed to journalists that the Presidency had not been officially informed about Tuesday’s visit by Hague tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to BiH. |
| Mostar Bishop on Herceg Bosna, ICTY indictments against Croats | Slobodna Dalmacija page 7 ‘Croats opted Herceg Bosna in the same way as they opted Independent State of Croatia (NDH)’ by h and Vecernji List page 2 ‘Bishop Peric: Herceg Bosna as NDH’ by h carry that in an interview given to HTV Oscar C Mostar Bishop Ratko Peric stated that too many Croat political and military officials have been singled out and charged with crimes because of Herceg Bosnia. Peric opposed the fact that Herceg Bosnia is being called so-called and he compared it with NDH, that existed in the period from 1941 and 1945, that, according to Peric, Croat(ian) people opted at the time. Peric added that NDH got a prefix ‘so-called’ after its fall and similar happened to Herzeg Bosnia. Talking about the ICTY, Peric said that its is a tool for achieving political goals and not the court of truth and justice. |
| Ashdown asks Serbian patriarch to help capture Karadzic | BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 10 ‘Call Karadzic publicly to surrender’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Ashdown: Use your influence in order for Karadzic to face justice’, Nezavisne novine cover and page 4 ‘If indictees went to The Hague labels would be removed from the Serb people’, Vecernje Novosti p 17 ‘Call on Karadzic to surrender immediately’, Slobodna Dalmacija page 10 ‘Support arrest of war criminals’ by Hina, Dnevni List ‘Unwanted consequences during search after Karadzic’ – High Representative Paddy Ashdown has sent a letter to Serbian Patriarch Pavle conveying the sympathy of the international community for the serious incident in which the priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar were injured (during NATO forces’ attempt to find Radovan Karadzic in Pale), it was announced from the Office of the High Representative. Ashdown asked Serbian Patriarch Pavle to use his influence, as well as the influence of the Orthodox Church, and do everything in his power to ensure that the former leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic, and other Bosnian Serb indictees, who are still free, are brought to justice. |
| Dodik on SFOR operation in Pale
| Dnevni List, page 18 ‘There is no dialogue with authority that hates its own people’, not signed – the President of SNSD, Milorad Dodik, stated that the force that the SFOR used during the operation at Pale on April 1, when the Serb Orthodox priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar got wounded, must not be tolerated in the Republika Srpska any more. ‘The brutal force that was used was absolutely not right, and those who believed various informers, who gave false information, must be sanctioned’, said Dodik. |
| Del Ponte discusses finding Karadzic, Mladic with French minister | BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, AFP – Tracking down the former (wartime) Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, was the central topic of a meeting held on Wednesday between French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and the prosecutor for the ICT for former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte. The meeting dealt exclusively with the Balkans, and especially Bosnia and Kosovo. The question of arresting criminals, Karadzic and Mladic in particular, was discussed, the journalists were told after the meeting. Nezavisne novine page 3 ‘New approach to arrests’; ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, arrived in Sarajevo on Tuesday to discuss new approach to arrests of persons indicted for war crimes with COMSFOR General Virgil Packett. “Special forces in multinational divisions are involved in actions now. It means that lot of people knows about operations. Therefore, there is possibility for leaking of information and indictee can escape”, said source of Nezavisne novine in SFOR. Slobodna Dalmacija, front page ‘Carla del Ponte ‘tells off’ SFOR’ and page 7 ‘Del Ponte ‘tells off’ over unsuccessful hunt for Radovan Karadzic’, by A. Macanovic – reports that the Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, during her most recent visit to BiH, conveyed to COMSFOR Maj-Gen Virgil Packett her dissatisfaction with the recent failure of SFOR to arrest Radovan Karadzic. SD says that a source close to the ICTY told SRNA agency that del Ponte informed Packett about the new indictments for former Bosniak political and military officials, which should be kept a secret for the time being and make SFOR’s job easier when the time comes to arrest them. The same source notes the indictments are likely to include former member of BiH Presidency, Ejup Ganic, BiH Army’s wartime commander, Rasim Delic, and commander of 3rd Corps of BiH Army, Sakib Mahmuljin. (Vecernje Novosti p 17 ‘Three indictments’) |
| Oslobodjenje: Indictments against Ganic, Delic, Mahmuljin and Alispahic signed | Oslobodjenje pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Indictments against Ganic, Delic, Mahmuljin and Alispahic signed?!’ – According to a Oslobodjenje source, the ICTY indictments have already been signed against Ejup Ganic, the wartime member of the Republic of BiH Presidency, Rasim Delic, the wartime commander of the BiH Army, and Sakib Mahmuljin, former commander of the BiH Army’s third corps. The fourth indictment has been prepared against Bakir Alispahic, the wartime Republic of BiH Interior Minister. Nezavisne novine cover and page 3 ‘Ganic, Delic, Mahmuljin and Alishpahic indicted’ also reported on the indictments. The four are indicted for war crimes and violation of rules of war, said Nezavisne Novine source. Indictments have been delivered to one of the ICTY judges who will confirm them. After that indictments will be sent to authorities in Sarajevo. According to source from Tribunal, Delic, Mahumljin, Alispahic and Ganic are indicted for atrocities committed against Croats in Grabovica and central Bosnia and against Serbs on Ozren and Kazani, near Sarajevo. Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Delic: Those are just speculations’ – Rasim Delic, retired BiH Army general and the current military advisor for the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, had nothing new to say on Wednesday about, as he said, pure media speculations related to the alleged ICTY indictment against him Ganic, and Mahmuljin. |
| Mikerevic requests police, intelligence to fulfil obligations towards ICTY | Nezavisne novine page 4 ‘Mikerevic requests from RS Ministry of Interior to arrest PIFWCs’; RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, requests from RS Ministry of Interior and Intelligence and Security Agency to fulfil obligations towards ICTY, meaning to arrest persons indicted for war crimes. “RS Government or any other institution in RS can not escape the fact that there is no results in co-operation with ICTY. My duty is to ensure that obligations towards ICTY are fulfilled”, said Mikerevic. |
| Verdict for war crimes near Tomislavgrad passed | Vecernji List, page 4 ‘Bakovic gets 15 years’, by Drazen Mamic, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 10, ’15 years of prison for murder of nine Bosniaks’, by Frano Mioc – report that a trial chamber of the Cantonal Court in Livno, with Judge Nijaz Kamber presiding, found Ivan Bakovic guilty of war crimes against civilian population, and sentenced him to 15 year imprisonment. Bakovic was found guilty of murdering 9 Bosniak civilians in a village of Mokronoge near Tomislavgrad on August 11, 1993. |
| SD: Crimes against Bugojno Croats to be tried in BiH, not in The Hague | Slobodna Dalmacija, page 7 ‘Selmo Cikotic will be tried for disappearance of Bugojno Croats in BiH, not in The Hague’, by Zvonimir Cilic – reports that the ICTY has completed its investigation on crimes committed against the Bugojno Croats, noting that the signs are that domestic, BiH courts will be dealing with the corresponding indictments. Among possible indictees, which also include the wartime Mayor of Bugojno, Dzevad Mlaco, and commander of the BiH Army’s Military Police in Bugojno, Enes Handzic, SD singles out the then commander of the Operative group ‘West’ of the 7th Corps of the BiH Army, Selmo Cikotic, who is one of candidates for senior duties in the future BiH armed forces. |
Economic/financial issues | |
| Ashdown chairs round-table on tourism
| Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Chance in hunting and rafting’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Advantages of BiH topurism include untouched nature, mountaineering and rafting’, ONASA – High Representative Paddy Ashdown chaired on Wednesday a roundtable on tourism.The roundtable was attended by representatives of tourist associations, all embassies to BiH and of the USAID. According to Ashdown, representatives of the embassies pointed out certain problems in BiH tourist industry and offered a concrete assistance for the development of this sector. He said that Turkey proposed the creation of a global plan of development of tourism, that Norway offered to the BiH Foreign Ministry the assistance in the improvement of the web-site of BiH tourism and that France offered the assistance in education and training of personnel. Also was stressed the need for urgent adoption of a law on tourism at the state level and carrying out of a strategy for associations from this field. “Beside bad legal infrastructure in the field of BiH tourism, there is a problem of the protection of environment, and beside carrying out of a law that is expected to provide funds for the efficient promotion of BiH as a tourism destination, it is necessary to establish a single system of classification of hotels,” Ashdown said. He added that the classification is expected to be completed by the autumn this year. According to Ashdown, the priority in the development of tourism in BiH will not be a wish for mass tourism, but the improvement of image of BiH in the world. Together with a delegation of the BiH Foreign Ministry and representatives of the BiH tourist industry, Ashdown will soon depart to five European cities, probably to Paris, London, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Berlin, in order to present BiH tourist potentials. The roundtable aimed at the joint initiative/campaign for the change of BiH image that would increase the number of tourists who will visit BiH from 2005. Vecernji List, page 7 ‘Without law BiH to lose in tourism in 2005 too’, by Eldina Medunjanin, Dnevni List, page 4 ‘Law on tourism for better tourism season’, by E. Mackic, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 8 ‘Round table on tourism’, by E. Karamatic also reports that High Representative Ashdown and BiH Deputy Foreign Minister, Lidija Topic, were hosts of a round table organized in Sarajevo yesterday. |
| PDHR Hays addresses USAID roundtable
| Dnevni Avaz pg. 11 ‘BiH banks should provide more loans to businessmen’, FENA – BiH is not going to secure economic take-off unless its politicians and businesspersons start to understand that the global economy is a fiercely competitive place to be, indicated on Wednesday the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, in addressing the participants of the USAID roundtable dedicated to development of the small and medium sized companies. The businesspersons, he said, are mainly concerned by the inability to capture investment, and in this year it will be necessary to particularly focus on creating a business environment with existing conditions for launching small and medium sized businesses. “Those who understand global economy are running small and medium sized companies,” said Hays, adding that they must be supported in the efforts to develop businesses and create new jobs. Oslobodjenje pg. 8, mentioned on the front page ‘Dayton should be removed to history’ – “If I am Bosnian I would hardly wait for change of the Dayton Agreement,” said PDHR Hays at the roundtable. He added that the Agreement had been the best means to stop the war but that it was overcome now and represents an obstacle to development of business. Dnevni List page 6 ‘Adoption of laws from area of economy prerequisite for development of business’ by R. Radic carries that Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays attended a USAID conference about obstacles in the development of the BiH entrepreneurship where he stated: ‘The laws, which have been envisaged by economic reforms, which have been drafted and most of which should be passed by the end of the year, are a prerequisite for development of business. When the laws are passed most of the companies will be able to develop its business and employ new people.’ PDHR Hays also said that during the last 2 or 3 years the International Community participated in the economic development with many coordinated efforts. |
| FBiH Minister Brankovic on issuance of 3rd GSM licence | Dnevni List, front and page 7 ‘HT Mostar should get third GSM licence’, by Jurislav Petrovic – questioned to comment on the issuance of the 3rd GSM licence, the FBIH Minister of Traffic and Communications, Nedzad Brankovic, says: ‘If the HT Mostar (Croat Telecommunications Mostar) gets the licence, that would increase the value of the state capital in the HT Mostar, and preparations for the privatization could be organized in a better manner, and the FBiH would feel greater effects relating to the sale of the capital. Accordingly, my position remains the same i.e. as a representative of the state capital, in the procedure to come regarding the issuance of the 3rd GSM licence, I will absolutely support that it gets awarded to the HT Mostar’. |
| SDS companies are not banned by OHR | Nezavisne Novine page 4 ‘SDS companies are not banned by OHR’; OHR confirmed that decision on freezing SDS financing does not apply on revenues from companies founded by SDS. “Decision is strictly related to BiH, RS and municipality budgets funds”, said OHR Spokesperson, Vedran Persic. SDS Doboj is founder and owner of Duga Company ltd. although law that prohibits political parties from owning companies has been passed four years ago. Political parties can own companies related to culture and publishing only. Duga Company is registered for 57 businesses. Milan Ninkovic, President of SDS Doboj and RS MP is registered as Acting Director. When asked about this yesterday, SDS Spokesperson Dusan Stojicic stated, “I’ve told you already to ask municipal boards and not to quote me in any context”. |
| SNSD’s Dodik on SDS funding | Dnevni List, page 18 ‘There is no dialogue with authority that hates its own people’, not signed – the President of SNSD, Milorad Dodik, speaking about the High Representative’s decision pertaining to financing of the SDS, called the decision a farce because ‘it means nothing for the SDS, considering that they keep all the money, which was collected from the people, away from the accounts’. Dodik reiterated that he did not support political positions of Mladen Ivanic and Dragan Kalinic. ‘There is no dialogue with the authority that hates its own people’, says Dodik. |
| Audit into Ivanic’s Government performance
| Nezavisne Novine page 5 ‘Police and prosecutors kept audit reports in drawers’; For 18 months RS Ministry or Interior and Prosecutor’s Office have not done anything on investigating irregularities listed in audit reports on work of Mladen Ivanic’s Government in 2001, confirmed Banjaluka District Prosecutor’s Office. Letter sent to Nezavisne novine from newly formed Banjaluka District Prosecutor’s Office said that Banjaluka Basic Prosecutor’s Office on November 26, 2002 requested from RS Ministry of Interior to start investigation based on auditing for the year 2001. On July 14 2003 Banjaluka Police informed Basic Prosecutor’s Office that they didn’t do anything on audit reports. Police asked Prosecutor’s Office to reconsider request. After that audit reports were in Prosecutor’s Office. Nothing was done meanwhile. This denies statements of RS Minister of Interior, Zoran Djeric, who said on more occasions that Police is investigating intensively. Banjaluka District Prosecutor’s Office will start work on these reports as soon as possible. This was announced from Prosecutor’s Office. |
Political developments | |
| Lazovic meets Ashdown
| Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Lazovic and Ashdown on reforms – a moderate path for BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Ashdown must engage more in strategic projects in BiH’, FENA – President of the BiH Social Democratic Union (SDU) Miro Lazovic on Wednesday met with the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. They talked about the current political and economic situation and the reformatory processes in BiH. SDU’s press release states that Lazovic expressed dissatisfaction with the slowness of the current authorities in implementing the obligations set out for action by the European Commission in BiH. He underlined the need for the High Representative’s engagement in overcoming the blockades of the strategic economic projects in BiH, such as the building of corridor Vc. Lazovic and Ashdown ascertained that all political forces in BiH must focus on issuing the legal regulative that will provide for BiH’s accession to European and Euro-Atlantic integration. |
| SDHR Wnendt sets up Confidence Building Measures Committee in Mostar to promote understanding | Dnevni List, page 11 ‘Confidence Building Measures Committee Promotes Understanding’, by NINA, Slobodna Dalmacija, page 18 ‘How to measure trust?’, by Z. Zekic – report that Senior Deputy High Representative and the High Representative’s Special Envoy for Mostar, Werner Wnendt, set up on April 2, 2004, under the High Representative’s Decision on restructuring of the City of Mostar, the Confidence Building Measures Committee (CBMC), which is an advisory body. Dailies report that besides the guarantees built into the new Statute, an additional reassurance to all was needed that new Mostar will be – MOSTAR FOR ALL – Mostar without domination and Mostar without parallel structures. The CBMC’s role is to identify and recommend measures or projects which might contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of confidence and trust among the people of Mostar, in the context of consolidating the administrative, functional and legal unity of the City. The recommendations adopted by the Committee will be forwarded to the relevant authorities as well as to the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and the City Council for consideration. The current number of members within the Committee is nine; however, it is planned that finally the Committee could be composed of up to 14 people, from different professional backgrounds and areas of expertise, representing all walks of life and civil society in Mostar. Dr Zoran Pajić, Special Advisor to the High Representative on Domestic Institutions, chairs the Committee. The members of the Committee are Bubić Suzana, Dean Law Faculty, University Dzemal Bijedic; Cipra Erna, retired, a distinguished member of the Jewish Community; Đurasović Dalibor, medical doctor; Juka Slavica, Professor, Faculty of Pedagogy, University of Mostar; Klarić Smail, Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University Dzemal Bijedic; Marić Vlado, Project Manager, Nansen Dialogue Center; Milušić Jelena, Information technology graduate; Oručević Husein, OKC Abrašević, coordinator of NGO network; Škobić Helena, Head of the Neuropsychiatry Department of the Clinical Hospital Center. |
Defence/security | |
| Defence reforms and chances for BiH’s admission into PfP
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Reduction of entities’ armies by the end of May’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘BiH fulfils military conditions for membership in PfP’, Dnevni List page 5 ‘SFOR’s results on 13 possible Generals next week’ by R. Radic, Blic, p 13 ‘Progress in defense reform’, FENA – BiH Defence Reform Commission Chair James Locher on Wednesday stated that he believes that BiH will be able to fulfill all NATO conditions in view of defence reform. At a press conference Locher welcomed the efforts taken by the BiH authorities and institutions in the field of defence reform, expressing hope that the aspired dynamic would be maintained in the future for the purpose of meeting the necessary conditions for BiH’s admission into the Partnership for Peace. I think that the pace of defence reform will not be an obstacle to BiH’s admission into the PfP, said Locher, and reminded that apart from the requests in this field, NATO also insists on certain political issues, which envisage unconditional cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. BiH Minister of Defence Nikola Radovanovic said that he shares Locher’s enthusiasm in view of BiH’s capacities for fulfilling the conditions necessary for accessing the Partnership for Peace. He reminded about the steps that followed his and the appointment of his deputies, underlining the significance of BiH Presidency’s decision on the structure of the armed forces and the plan for appointing the generals’ corps dating from March 24, “which has created the preconditions for implementing NATO standards in view of designing the state-level defence structures”. Radovanovic expressed hope that the entity armies will complete the reduction of the professional composition by May 31, and that 65 percent of the total personnel would be appointed in the state defence structures by mid May. The press conference, at which it was confirmed that BiH has realistic chances for fulfilling the conditions for membership of the Partnership for Peace, was held after the meeting of Defence Minister Radovanovic with the members of the Defence Reform Commission. |
| VL: Interview with SIPA’s Dragan Lukac | Vecernji List, page 7 ‘SIPA will not start operating by the deadline set by EC’, by Dejan Jazvic – speaking about problems the SIPA is facing, Deputy Director of SIPA, Dragan Lukac, notes that the proper functioning of SIPA depends of two issues, the accommodation and funding. With regard to the former, Lukac says the temporary accommodation is available, which the SIPA will occupy within 10 days time. As to the issue of funding, Lukac notes the SIPA requested 28 million KMs for the year 2004, but was granted only 6,6 million KMs, which is only the basis to hire 220 people with secondary education. Lukac further explains that at the moment, talks are being held with the BiH Council of Ministers and some international organizations in order to secure the funds and meet the pre-requisites from the Feasibility Study, according to which the SIPA should start functioning by June 30 this year. Questioned whether the deadline would be observed, Lukac says it is unlikely, noting it is the finances which are the main problem. |
| Spanish authorities want identification check related to Madrid terrorist attacks | Vecernji List, front page splash ‘Young man from Travnik guilty for the Madrid massacre’ and pages 2 and 3 ‘Madrid attacker is from BiH’, by Zdenko Jurilj – reports that the BiH Ministry of Security received a note from the Spanish Police and intelligence services to check into the identity of one Sanel Sikirica, age 23, a BiH citizen, who is together with Amer el-Aziz and Rabei Osman Ahmeli, suspected of organizing the terrorist attacks that took place in Madrid on March 11. According to VL, the Spanish Interior Minister, Angel Acebes, stated that the troika had most probably fled from the apartment in which other suspects for the terrorist attacks committed suicide the other day. VL goes on to say that the BiH Ministry of Security is promising it will check all the details related to Sikirica, but it also does not rule out a possibility that some of members of terrorist organizations from Arabic countries bought a BiH passport with Sikirica’s name in the black market. (similar article in Slobodna Dalmacija, front page splash ‘BiH citizen Sanel Sikirica among terrorists?’ and page 3 ‘BiH citizen Sanel Sikirica suspected of bomb attack in Madrid’, by Zoran Sagolj) Glas Srpske cover page ‘Black signature of white Al-qaeda’; Is Sanel Sjekirica Bosnian citizen? Glas Srpske couldn’t get answer on this question from institutions in BiH. Interpol BiH Director, Brane Pecanac, said that Spanish police didn’t ask for investigation or any kind of data. Glas Srpske finds out that Sjekirica was born in zapadna Herzegovina. During the war he fought in the 7th Muslim Brigade, under command of Amir Kubura. Unofficial well-informed sources told Glas Srpske that Sjekirica had close contacts with mujahedeens in El-Mujahed Brigade. After the war Sjekirica has lived in Bocinja, Glas Srpske source said. He added that Sanel Sjekirica was trained at mujahedeen camp in Nemila, near Zenica. Blic p 2 ‘Sarajevan placed bomb in Madrid’, Vecernje Novosti p 15 ‘Terrorist from Bosnia’, Nacional Belgrade daily p 3 ‘Al-Q’aida’s terrorist from BiH’ also covered the issue. |
Media | |
| BiH Law on PBS said prepared for parliament | BHTV – It seems that the conditions for the draft law on the public broadcasting system of BiH to be included in the parliamentary procedure have been created. This opinion is shared by the Speaker of the Bosnian parliament’s House of Representatives, the responsible minister and the chairmen of the broadcasters’ steering boards. The draft foresees the existence of three legal entities and a broadcasting corporation consisting of three broadcasters and a separate steering board. Certain requests of the OHR that refer to the CRA’s (Communications Regulatory Agency) authorizations will probably be discussed at tomorrow’s (April 8) session of the BiH Council of Ministers. The draft law on the radio-television system and the state radio and television of BiH is currently being read by the European Commission. The Ministry of Transport and Communications is prepared to incorporate into the text of the law all suggestions of the Council of Europe and the European Union, Minister Branko Dokic said. Dokic, however, stressed that some requests of the international community were not justified, especially the request for the Communications Regulatory Agency to select members of the steering board of the public broadcasting system. “It is requested that the Communications Regulatory Agency have the authorizations that it does not have under the Law on Communications,” Dokic said. “It seems that Minister Dokic is creating confusion on purpose. We suggest that he focuses on his draft of the law on the public broadcasting system, harmonize it with the agreement of the three prime ministers, instead of creating further confusion and looking for excuses,” OHR Spokesman Vedran Persic emphasized. Dokic and the Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives, Nikola Spiric, reject accusations that the RS politicians are obstructing the adoption of the law. According to them, the only obstructions are caused by the collection of radio and television subscription fees in the Federation of BiH. The delays in adoption of this law lead to problems in functioning of the public broadcasters. Plamenko Custovic, chairman of the public broadcasting system steering board: “The steering board of the public broadcasting system and the steering boards of both public broadcasters (RS and FBiH) would like the legislative framework to be created as soon as possible in order for an undisturbed working environment to be established for design of the programme and the launch of the BHTV1 channel.” According to the existing decision, the BHTV1 programme will start in August. The decision was, however, based on the supposition that assistance of the European Commission would be ensured by June for the infrastructure building, which again depends on adoption of this law. Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5 ‘Laws before parliament soon’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘CoM to consider draft PBS laws next week’, Blic p 13 ‘Federation of BiH is slowing down PBS’ also reported on yesterday’s meeting on PBS law organized by BiH HoR Speaker Nikola Spiric. Dnevni List, page 2 ‘Law on PBS soon’, by Indira Tabucic - carries the BiH Minister of Traffic and Communications, Branko Dokic, as saying that the BiH Law on Public Broadcasters should be discussed at the next session of the BiH Council of Ministers. As Dokic stresses, the BiH CoM could be discussing the law even at today session in case the Board for economy holds its session prior to session of the BiH CoM. DL also carries the Speaker of the BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Nikola Spiric, who stated after a meeting with Minister Dokic yesterday, that he would try to deal with the law in an urgent procedure, in case the BiH CoM agrees to the law. Spiric is also quoted as saying: ‘Messages and speculations that international representatives sometime send to the public are not good. I think their activity must be completely different, in other words, they have to help us, not complicate the situation’. Vecernji List, page 6 ‘Law on PBS soon in Parliament’, by Eldina Medunjanin – carries Spiric as saying: ‘All the standards of public broadcasting, which are pursuant to European standards, have been built in the Draft law on PBS. However, there is not a universal European model of broadcasting, therefore the OHR’s objections were somewhat ungrounded’. |