Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 8 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| HKDU agst PDP initiative in Drvar | EC on police reform | Payment of August pension tmrw |
| CoM session today | Brod Refinery workers still on strike | EUFOR on Harvest |
| HR to meet with Rehn in | World news | EC on police talks |
TV news broadcast on 7 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Police reform talks resumed | Police reform talks continued | BiH vs. |
| Humphreys on police reform | Tihic on ethnical divisions in schools | No results of police reform negot. |
| Ivanic denied | Dzihanovic on Lozancic’s decision | New BiH Ambassador in |
| Tihic on Ivanic’s visa problem | Protest in Bosanski Brod oil refinery | Compromise in school in Janja |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Police reform talks continued | No results of police reform negot. | Police Reform talks continues |
| ICC on SDS political activities | FBiH HoP on defence reform | Dodig on police reform |
| FBiH HoP in session | Review on defence reform | HR Ashdown on police reform |
| BiH Ambassador to CRO appointed | BiH Presidency in session | RS CoP on defence |
| Oslobodjenje | McElhaney: I wish we start looking into future |
| Dnevni Avaz | Monday – the last chance for European path |
| Dnevni List | Trial to Lijanovici and others on September 13 |
| Vecernji List | Croats go for justice to |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | SDS is criminal block and it should be banned (ICG report on SDS covered yesterday) |
| Nezavisne Novine | Tito’s shelter as a tourist attraction |
| Glas Srpske | They do not want to draw, they want to erase |
| EuroBlic | A bomb was thrown on a journalist |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
| Srpski Nacional | Features Serbian related titles |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| EC says there will be no any further talks on three basic EU principles for police reform
| RTRS, BH Radio 1 – Following last night’s interruption of talks on police reform in BiH and the RS negotiating tem members’ announcement that they would ask for certain additional explanations from EC, the EC delegation to BiH said today there would be no bargaining on the three main EU principles regarding the reform. According to Zora Stanic, Delegation’s Public Relations Officer, EC is disappointed with the postponement of the police reform talks for Monday and the RS representatives intention to re-launched discussion on the three main EU principles, which a comprehensive political agreement on the issue be based on. EC believes that there is no room for any further political bargaining regarding the three main principles: transfer of police authorities from the entity’s to the state level, de-politicisation of police and establishment of police areas on the basis of technical/professional criteria. |
| RHB comment on HR’s ‘benevolent attitude’ towards RS side
| RHB – HR Paddy Ashdown stated that he goes to |
| RS PoWs challenge RSNA defence decision | RTRS – The RS Association of former detention camp inmates has launched an initiative with the |
Police and defence reforms / SBS Director appointment | |
| New round of police reform talks held in
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Monday – the last chance for European path’, mentioned on cover ‘Prime Minister Terzic: Our deadline for Europe is running out’, by E. Sarac – The talks on police reform held on Wednesday in Sarajevo have not resulted with the agreement on the reform as the RS negotiation team rejected to approve the transfer of police authorities to the state level. “Only chance to so something will occur on 12 September, Monday, when the talks with be held in |
| Unit for implementation of police reform agreed
| RTRS, BHT 1, Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘Unit for implementation of police reform’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 inset ‘Implementation before agreement on reform?’, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Persistent, yet powerless’ by Dusanka Stanisic, Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘A unit for the implementation of reform will be established’ by N. Krsman – The Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic,has said that the first part of talks in Sarajevo resulted in an agreement to set up a unit for the implementation of police reform. “Somebody calls this body a directorate, somebody else a working group, but its basic task is to prepare a plan for the implementation of the reform and relevant laws and regulations,” Terzic told journalists during a break in the talks. He said that the B-H Council of Ministers should adopt a decision to set up the unit and that its members would be proposed by the entity governments, Brcko District and a number of cantons. |
| Ashdown met Bukejlovic before police talks
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Monday – the last chance for European path’, mentioned on cover ‘Prime Minister Terzic: Our deadline for Europe is running out’, by E. Sarac– DA article says that even an hour long meeting between Paddy Ashdown and Pero Bukejlovic, held prior to the police talks, did not help the negotiations on Wednesday. DA learns that the meeting was scheduled by Dragan Cavic in order to have Ashdown make RS PM to accept the COM’s proposal. RTRS, Hayat, FTV – Bukejlovic confirmed that he met with Ashdown before the meeting. “We exchanged opinions about achieved levels of negotiations and achieved solutions so far.” Bukejlovic stated. RHB Zana Rebo – According to unofficial information, the RS negotiators team was under strong pressure of the OHR before the meeting. PINK, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Decision on police reform on Monday’ by N. Bise, Slobodna Dalmacijalast pg ‘Bukejlovic: We have changed our initial stads on police’ by Z. Rerig Mandic – “We have already changed our firm stances, we had at the beginning, in terms of strengthening of BiH police structures, reforms, organization, etc. there are several more issues to be solved in terms of public security,” said Bukejlovic after the meeting with Ashdown. |
| Matijasevic: We will not give in to IC pressure
| Oslobodjneje pg 5 inset ‘RS negotiating team will not give in to the pressure’ – RS Interior Minister Darko Matijasevic told before the beginning of the talks on police reform in Sarajevo that the RS MoI “does not intend to give in to the ferocious pressure of the international community and agree to the transfer of the RS powers in the sphere of internal affairs to BiH.” He added that RS Government as to respect the authorities of the RS in line with the RS National Assembly conclusions. |
| Lagumdzija and Dodik on police reform
| RTRS by Momcilo Ostojic – SNSD Leader Milorad Dodik told press conference on Wednesday that negotiations on police reform in |
| RS Veterans’ Association supports RS MoI’ existence
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘We will not give Srpska’ by S.R.T., EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Reform abolishes RS’ by S.R.M. – The RS Veterans’ Association supports the negotiating team of the RS in police reform talks and a stance that MoI must be preserved as the last major pillar of RS, whose destruction would mean beginning of RS’ end. Savo Cvjetinovic, Association’s President, said that the Association would confront to any sort of imposed solution of police reform, which might involve abolishment of RS MoI. |
| RTRS int with Ashdown: if RS Govt decides not to allow BiH to join EU, it will be held responsible as well as leading party
| RTRS – The High Representative Paddy Ashdown will ask EU Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn, to publicly state that police reform in BiH is last demand of the European Commission. In an interview with RTRS, Ashdown stated that there will be no programs for reform of other ministries or initiatives for abolishment of the RS. “IC is ready to do anything to help you to cross over this border, to help you to accept the basic two principles, police authority at the state level and crossing entities’ border,” said the HR and emphasized that the main party in RS Government, SDS, is responsible for this. “Government is responsible for decisions. If Government decides not to allow BiH to enter EU, Government is responsible and leading party in the Government is responsible. That is democracy… International Community said for several times that RS existence is absolutely guaranteed. I think that it is very important to convince RS citizens that the fear is understandable but wrong,” said Ashdown and repeated there will no be any other reforms that would stipulate dissolving of the RS Justice Ministry, Finance Ministry or RS itself. |
| ICG on police reform
| BHT 1 Zoran Sarenac – James Lyon form International Crisis Group stated that without the police reform, the start of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement would be postponed for at least two years. According to him, this would leave BiH in a very bad position compared to the other countries in the region. In October, BiH authorities and European Commission are going to analyse the implementation of 16 requirements from the Feasibility Study. Start of negotiations on SAA will depend on this analysis. |
| NN op-ed on SDS: SDS should dissolve itself or accept police reform
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘What is SDS to us’ by Mirjana Kusmuk – Following HR’s, Paddy Ashdown, and ICG statements regarding police reform, the author notes all segments point to the fact the talks are in impasse, because SDS has always been engaged in frauds, freed of any vision or God forbid initiative. She notes that if SDS had really wanted to bring good to themselves and RS, they would have started police talks negotiations with police which recorded good results in fight against crime. Instead, they are using the credibility of police to hush up their own affairs. She concludes there are two ways-out for SDS: to dissolve itself or to accept reform and stay on political scene some more time – until next reform. |
| FBiH HoP adopted transfer of authorities over defence to state level with text different from FBiH HoR/ Lazovic hopes HR will not react because of diff. text
| RHB, RTRS, Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Delegates against signing of the agreement between entities’, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Decision on transfer of powers to the state level made’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Transfer of authorities over defence area to state level adopted’ by M. Zorlak – The Federation of BiH House of Peoples adopted on Wednesday transfer of the authorities over the defence area from the FBiH to the state level. Adoption of the final text on this issue lasted long and representatives found the way out in a compromise proposal, which was adopted in a different text from the text of the FBiH HoR. Miro Lazovic from the SDP Caucus stated that he hopes that the High Representative will not react since everything was adopted but with a different text. Lazovic added that the only problem is as to how the decision will be harmonized between the FBiH HoR and RS. FTV – Deputy Chair of FBiH HoP Slavko Matic confirmed that the final agreement on transfer of authorities hasn’t been adopted. According to him, FBiH HoP has authorized FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic to sign further agreements of transfer of authorities. |
| OHR welcomes FBiH HoR endorsing defence reform
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Memberships in NATO, EU are two ways towards peace and stability’ – OHR welcomes the fact that the FBiH has unanimously endorsed one of the outstanding reforms needed to make BiH ready for participation in PfP and membership of NATO, declared today at the press conference of international agencies in Mostar, the spokeswoman of OHR Mostar, |
| CoP Serb Caucus: no raising of vital national interest re defense issues
| RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Serb caucus will not invoke VNI clause’, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘No raising of vital national interest’ by Srna, Glas srpske pg 5 ‘There will be no veto’ by G. D. – The Head of the Serb Caucus at RS Council of Peoples, Desanka Radjevic, has stated that the Caucus adopted a conclusion not to launch an initiative for the protection of vital national interests regarding the decision of RS NA to transfer authority in the defense domain from the level of RS to the state level. Radjevic added that in the eight-member Caucus, five deputies supported this conclusion, two were against and one deputy abstained from voting. |
| HR Ashdown: CoM must appoint SBS Director today
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘CoM must appoint SBS Director today’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘SBS Director must be appointed today’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘SBS Director must be appointed today’ by R. S., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘No more waiting’ by N. Z. – OHR urged the BiH Council of Ministers to finally appoint the Director and senior management of the State Border Service at its session today. Statement reads that SBS has been without leadership since 17 July due to undue political interference in the CoM work. HR Paddy Ashdown made it clear earlier this week that if the CoM does not succeed in resolving this issue, he will be forced to intervene. |
| Daily: Peric, Alagic candidates for SBS | Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Peric and Alagic candidates for SBS leadership’ not signed – Daily learns that Vahid Alagic and Robert Peric will be proposed at the session of the BiH Council of Ministers as candidates for leading positions in the State Border Service. |
Political issues | |
| Aleksandar Dragicevic new BiH Ambassador to
| RTRS, BHT 1, Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Aleksandar Dragicevic appointed new BiH Ambassador to Croatia’, Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Dragicevic goes to Zagreb’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Dragicevic appointed Ambassador to Croatia’ by R. C., Dnevni List pg 7 ‘It is still unknown whether Ivanic will go to USA’ by E. Mackic Vecernji List pg 12 ‘Aleksandar Dragicevic goes to Zagreb?’ by E. Medunjanin, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 7 ‘Aleksandar Dragicevic new BiH Ambassador in Croatia’ by D. Pasic – According to the unofficial information, the new BiH Ambassador to Croatia would be Aleksandar Dragicevic, the current BiH consul in Milan. BiH Presidency member Sulejman Tihic confirmed on Tuesday after the session of the BiH Presidency that they put a candidacy for the Ambassador, but in accordance with diplomatic procedure, refused to announce the name before the appointment is approved by the host country. After Croatia refused to approve the appointment of Branko Kesic as the BiH Ambassador the Croatia the media speculated on a number of possible candidates for that post, including Dragan Bozanic, Ana Trisic-Babic, Dorde Latinovic and Zdravko Todorovic. |
| Will BiH Foreign Minister Ivanic go to
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘BiH Foreign Ministry has no information on non-issuance of visa to Ivanic’, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Foreign Ministry has no information on Ivanic’ – The BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not been officially informed that Minister Mladen Ivanic will not travel to the US where he was planned to take part in the session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Since the UN General Assembly session is scheduled to start on September 14 and that the BiH delegation has another 5-6 days before leaving the BiH Ministry did not wish to speculate whether Minister Ivanic would travel to |
| Presidency ‘surprised’ by news Ivanic denied visa; DA op-ed says Presidency embarrasses BiH
| FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Aleksandar Dragicevic appointed new BiH Ambassador to Croatia’, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Prica to attend UN General Assembly session (in place of Ivanic)’ – BiH Member of the Presidency Sulejman Tihic stated that the Presidency was surprised by the news that BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Mladen Ivanic will not be able to attend the UN General Assembly session in New York as he was denied a US visa. He added that the BiH Presidency was not officially informed about this, but added that if it was true than Ivanic will be replaced by the BiH Ambassador to the UN, Milos Prica. Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Embarrassment with Ivanic’ op-ed by Mirela Kukan – Referring to the news that Mladen Ivanic’s visa to US was rejected, author says that this was another in a series of unnecessary embarrassments for BiH caused by the Presidency which already knew Ivanic was not wanted in the States but decided to send him anyways. |
| US Embassy without comment on (non)issuance of visa to Ivanic | Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Policy is not to comment on visa-related issues’ – The US Embassy in Sarajevo did not wish to comment on speculations that the visa to BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic was rejected. “The policy of the |
| FBiH Vice-president Dzihanovic on appointment of new FBiH Ministers
| PINK, Hayat, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Dzihanovic returned to Niko Lozancic the decision on appointment of Crnkic and Mandic as Ministers’, Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Niko Lozancic is violating the Constitution’ by D. Risojevic, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Lozancic violated Constitution and Law on FBiH Government’ by NINA, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Lozancic is being accused of violation of Constitution’ by E.M., Slobodna Dalmacija pg 21 ‘Ministers appointed without consent’ by D. Pasic – FBiH Vice-President Sahbaz Dzihanovic has sent back to FBiH President Niko Lozancic a decision on ministerial appointments according to which Zahid Crnkic replaced Ibrahim Nadarevic as FBiH minister for issues of war veterans and invalids, and Vjekoslav Mandic replaced Tomo Lucic as FBiH Health Minister, with the explanation that their appointment was not implemented in line with the FBiH Constitution and the Law on the FBiH government. Dzihanovic is surprised at “Lozancic’s unilateral decision on the appointment of new ministers in the FBiH government” and says that proper procedure is for FBiH president to carry out such appointment, with the consent of vice-presidents of the FBiH and after consultations with the prime minister or candidates. |
| Lozancic replies to Dzihanovic
| Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Loss of party’s support is not reason for obstruction of authority’ by D. Pasic – In a reply to FBiH Vice President Sahbaz Dzihanovic’s rejection for appointment of two Ministers, FBiH President Niko Lozancic said in his letter: ‘Your disrespecting of constitutional and legal solutions and definitions according to which there is only one FBiH President who has two Vice Presidents and whose powers and responsibilities are not the same is surprising having in mind your years long legal experience…The fact that You have lost the support of SBiH which put forward your candidacy must not be the reason for your obstructions in functioning of the authority in the FBiH.’ |
| DA int with US Ambassador: I wish we start looking into future
| Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash ‘I wish we start looking into future’ and pg 5 ‘Cavic, Bukejlovic and others must decide what they will do for their people’ by Indira Catic – In a page-long interview to DA, US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney said ten years since the Dayton Agreement was signed, priorities of the American administration in BiH were completion of the work of the Hague Tribunal, defense reform and police reform. He said BiH must have police structure at the state level. Regarding the ICG report and upon the question whether punishing of SDS would be an efficient way to remove obstructions, the Ambassador said he did not read the entire report but he would agree with it in many aspects. ‘I will not point on culprits today, but I will say that President Cavic, PM Bukejlovic and others really must reach a decision on what they will do for their people. They must reach a decision on whether they will overcome obstacles on the path to SAA negotiations. You cannot simply say “We are for EU”, the Ambassador stated. He reiterated the stance of the |
| RS Association of former detention camp inmates addresses a letter to HR
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘A major story, minor deeds’ by Z.Markovic, EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Former detention camp inmates angry with Ashdown’ by N.B., Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘They addressed a letter to Paddy Ashdown’ by SRNA – In an open letter it has addressed to HR, Paddy Ashdown, the RS Association of former detention camp inmates stresses that Serb people will never allow HR to implement his infernal plan to abolish the RS institutions and RS itself, noting: “RS has been founded upon will of the Serb people…” The letter further reads that police reform is only HR’s alibi to finally destroy RS, adding that Ashdown is trying to self-willingly apply anti-constitutional re-definition of territorial and political system in BiH. The letter, undersigned by Slavko Jovicic, Vice President of the Association, stresses: “Your imprudent experiments on establishment of the unitary BiH are unacceptable…Who do you think you are? It can’t be you are looking for a medicine for your personal frustration of a failed politician through destruction of Serb people.” The Association claims there has never been less jobs and justice since Ashdown assumed the position of HR. |
| Initiative for establishment of new Bosniak Municipality Stolac
| Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Initiative for establishment of |
| VL: Croat representatives to look for justice with regard to Law on RTV system before court in
| Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘Croats go for justice to Strasbourg’ and pgs 4 and 5 ‘Assimilation of Croats’ by Z. Kresic says that lawyers claim that the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision to reject a demand of Croats representatives to proclaim the Law on RTV system damaging for Croat national interests is one of the most disgraceful decisions of the BiH CC. VL also says that both Croat members of the BiH CC Mato Tadic and Valerija Galic voted against the aforementioned decision of the BiH CC, but they were outvoted. According to the article, it has been expected that Bosniaks and Serbs would support this law in mid September and VL learns that the Croats representatives will demand judging of the law’s constitutionality and then they would go before the court in |
| Administrative boundary between RS and F BiH still undefined
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘They do not want to write, but instead to erase’ by G.D. – Writing about the administrative boundary between RS and F BiH, which has not been clearly defined as yet, the author notes that a decade after the war, the international community and F BiH politicians, especially Bosniaks, are doing all they can to permanently erase this boundary. In spite of these difficulties, the RS Government expects that the issue of 1150 administrative boundary will be resolved soon. President of the RS Commission for Boundaries and Acting Director of RS Administration for Geodetic and property-legal affairs, Vladimir Bajat, claims that instead of 49% of territory, the RS has obtained 48.54% of BiH territory following territorial bordering. |
| DL op-ed on Jovic’s statements on third entity | Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Apologies and excuses’ by I. Rozic comments on the statements on the third entity given by Croat member of the BiH Presidency Ivo Miro Jovic and the author says: ‘The latest Jovic’s statements in which he first demands the third entity for Croats and then apologizes and find excuses for such statements clearly show the current situation on the political scene at least when Croats are in question…All of us and especially HDZ voters should ask themselves in what kind of country we live when we have to apologize and make excuses for the statements in which we demand only what belongs to one people according to all human laws.’ |
Economic and judicial issues | |
| Refinery workers protest, RS Govt to discuss Refinery issue today
| PINKDragica Tojagic – Employees of oil refinery in Bosanski Brod have continued their protests in front of the company, asking for the unpaid salaries to be paid. Meanwhile, employees, led by the Chair of oil refinery’s Trade Union, and RS Minister Economy, Energy and Development Miladin Gligoric held talks in |
| Biber meets Tihic to discuss VAT introduction
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Social protection after VAT introduction promised’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘The poor will not survive the VAT’ by M.Rener,Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Analyses of Law on VAT promised to Trade Unions’ by I. R. – Member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic with his associated visited on Wednesday the BiH Trade Union where he talked with its President Edhem Biber. They mostly discussed the consequences of the VAT introduction. According to Biber, Tihic just said that the Law on VAT will be analyzed again since the initiatives for changes and amendments to this law can be launched just like for any other law. |
| SDP against single VAT rate
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ’10 key products should be excluded’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ’10 key products should be excluded’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘There will be more poor’ by R.C., Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Government’s welfare program takes state to collapse’ by M. Zorlak, – Jozo Krizanovic, SDP of BiH Vice President, and the member of the SDP Chair Board, Damir Masic, Wednesday warned that around 400 thousand people in BiH are living below the stage of poverty, while 100 thousand people are to go across that level following the introduction of the VAT, if some goods were not freed of taxes. |
| Owners/directors of print media believe VAT will be fatal for industry
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘VAT will be a fatal for many’ by A.M. – DA carries that the owners of print media in BiH all agree that the introduction of the VAT will have grave consequences for their businesses, but also for the citizens. Director of |
| Status conference on case Lijanovici and others on Sept. 13
| Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Trial to Lijanovici and others on September 13’ and pg 2 ‘Full cooperation at very beginning of trial’ by N. Dedic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Beginning of trial will be determined on September 13’ by Z. Kresic,Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Status conference in case Covic and the others to take place on September 13’, – Judge Richard Gebelein scheduled for September 13, 2005 a status conference for the case Lijanovici and others. Most probably, the beginning of the trial for this case will be determined at this status conference. |
| Audit report: RS Government spent 59,8 million KM for purposes other than designated
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘RS Government spent 59,8 million KM for purposes other than designated’ by P. Klincov – RS Audit Office confirmed that RS Government budget financial report do not show truthful financial condition of RS budget, results of budget’s execution and 2004 budget report. Activities of a number of budget consumers are not harmonized with legal regulations. The Audit report reads RS Government has spent 59,8 million KM for purposes other than designated. |
Security issues | |
| A bomb was thrown to front-yard of owner of NTV 101 in Prijedor
| FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 38 ‘Bomb thrown on Hukanovic’s house’, Dnevni Avaz pg 31, mentioned on cover, ‘Bomb thrown at house owned by Rezak Hukanovic’, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS8 ‘A bomb was thrown on a journalist’ by G. Savic – Unidentified explosive device was thrown in front of the house of Rezak Hukanovic at 24:00 hrs on Tuesday night. Hukanovic, an owner of NTV 101 in Sanski Most, has been a target of such an attack for the second time. Five years ago, explosive device was planted under his car and perpetrators have not been identified. In April 2005, Hukanovic’ house was a target of robbery. With regard to the latest explosion, Hukanovic denied he had any knowledge on who might have done this or why. |
| Pejic: RS MoI found group suspected of planting Potocari explosive in July | BHT 1 – In his statement for BHT1 news at 22.00, the spokesperson for the RS Ministry Radovan Pejic confirmed that RS police in cooperation with SIPA and local police has found the group suspected of planting explosive in Potocari in July, several days before the commemoration ceremony for Srebrenica victims. BiH Prosecution has launched the investigation. Pejic stated that the names of suspects can’t be published yet, but added they were of different ethnicities. |
Education issues | |
| SDS in Brcko protests against free textbooks in Latin alphabet/Bosnian language
| EuroBlic pg RS7 ‘Mixed textbooks’ by L. S. –President of the SDS Board in Brcko, Ratko Stjepanovic told press conference on Wednesday said he got information from parents of primary and secondary school pupils that free-of-charge textbooks written in Latin alphabet and in Bosnian language are being distributed to pupils again, like it was the case last year. Stjepanovic says it is unacceptable that the Assembly had not discussed this issue before the start of the school year and added: ‘The fact Serb children are given textbooks in Bosniak language is an example of a flagrant violation of laws and human rights that guarantee education in one’s mother tongue’. He also commented on the current Assembly crisis, saying Mayor Mirsad Djapo is refusing to withdraw the draft proposal of “S” settlement Regulation Plan from the agenda despite to a unified stance of Serb delegates and despite to stances of OHR: “Mayor Djapo is deliberately generating the crisis at the Assembly because he does not want the problems, behind which are SDP and SPRS, to be discussed at the parliament. These problems include the recently revealed illegal disposal of public property’, Stjepanovic says. Nezavisne Novine pg 12 ‘Serb children got textbooks in Latin alphabet’ by N. Ta., Vecernje Novosti pg 18 ‘Mosque “resolves” everything’ by M. Draganic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘This is how Kalaj has done it’ by M. Dj. – also reported on the press conference. |
| Update to Janja school
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Everybody to get their bench’ by M.Stojanovic – Drago Jugovic, Director of Elementary School “Mesa Selimovic”, and Collegium of Experts Wednesday proposed that Bosnaiks are employed at the vacant positions of teachers of history and homeroom classes. The Collegium of Experts also decided to form eight ethnically clean classes, while Jugovic warns that this separation of children might open door to new political manipulation. He also said that as positions at school get vacated, school will employ Bosniaks, stressing that the interesting thing is that nobody has applied to the vacancy announcement for two teachers, although the issue of discrimination of Bosniaks is raised. |
| S. Halilovic: newly established school in Rama is illegal/ SD negatively comments on IC reps dealing with education
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘Bosniak school in Rama – illegal’ by B. Magas – BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic believes that the decision of the Rama Municipal Council to establish primary school ‘Alija Isakovic’ is completely illegal and it would not be able to survive as such. SD also carries that in the whole story about organization of schools in BiH it is a tragic fact that domestic politicians do not have will, knowledge and courage to accept and respect demands of ‘the others’ and that they let the whole issue to the so-called international experts who do not understand, respect and who are not familiar with national identities of BH peoples. |
| OSCE concerned with decisions to divide schools
| Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Council of Europe will decide on Bosniak school in Scipe’ by S. Skuletic – OSCE spokesperson, Elmira Bayrasli, stated for DA that the decision to establish Alija Isakovic primary school has caused a great concern in the international community. Asked what sanctions could be imposed against the councillors who brought such decisions, Bayrasli said that Council of Europe or EU. Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Worried because of events in Stolac’ by Fena – Head of OSCE mission to BiH, Douglas Davidson, expressed concern with the events in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton regarding the education. OSCE spokesperson in Mostar, Samir Alic, said that the organization currently assesses the situation. |
| BiH Presidency on divisions in schools | PINKJovanka Nina Stevanovic – Bosniak member of BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said that the Presidency doesn’t not accept ethnical divisions in schools, and that in order for the recent problem to be solved the International Community had to react as well. Tihic also said that it was inappropriate for local representatives to sign agreements on their own. All decisions, which have not been brought in line with the law, have to be suspended, says Tihic. “We are against schools which are being established and organized on ethnical principle. We support the idea of having children attending the same classes, regardless of their religion”, said Tihic. |