| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Snow in BiH | Ashdown angered NATO | Cesic pleaded guilty | RS Assembly in session |
| Federation Parliament | Cesic pleaded guilty | Tihic reacts on Ivanic | Budget losses of 113m KM |
| CRA withdraws licence | New Governor in California | Federation Police report | Srpske Poste affair |
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| Early snow in BiH | Unclear future of ERONET |
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| Oslobodjenje | Muhamed Sacirbegovic wants to testify in Sarajevo? |
| Dnevni Avaz | Minister Zigic: We will unveil all irregularities in the privatisation process |
| Dnevni List | New Croatian parliament anti-constitutional?; High Representative for BiH in front of United Nations Security Council; The Hague prepares 14 new indictments |
| Vecernji List | Unremembered blizzard; SFOR buys computers for school |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
| Glas Srpske | White precipitation in October surprised weather forecasters: Snow does not watch in calendar |
| Nezavisne Novine | Paddy Ashdown before UN SC: Forces of crime are still strong in BiH; Following publication of the Audit into Republika Srpska budget for last year: Government presented profit, auditor found deficits; Audit report on dealings at Health Care Fund in 2002: Gone through tender owing to family ties |
| Blic | Former JNA and VRS officers hid weapon; Ivanic’s government fiddled the budget for 133 million |
Political developments, affairs | |
| HR addresses UN Security Council
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, mentioned on the front page ‘Changes in BiH easily becoming to be visible’, Oslobodjenje pg. 7, mentioned on the front page ‘Ashdown requested assistance for the establishment of a chamber for war crimes processing’ – The High representative, Paddy Ashdown, addressed the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday. He emphasized that the establishment of rule of law and economic reforms remained priorities in BiH, and that the positive influence of the ongoing reforms was starting to be felt/visible in the country. Dnevni List (front “High Representative for BiH in front of United Nations Security Council” and page 3 “Rule of law wins battle against lawlessness”, by De. L.) – reports that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, addressed the United Nations Security Council yesterday, presenting the current situation in BiH. HR Ashdown stressed that real progress has been achieved in BiH and that establishment of rule of law and reform of weak economy were two key priorities in activities of the OHR and BiH institutions. According to DL, HR Ashdown did not fail to mention that forces of crime, obstruction and disintegration in politics in BiH were still strong. He also mentioned the unfinished job of bringing the war criminals to justice and necessity to develop domestic capacities that would be able to take over cases from the ICTY. Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17, “Ashdown requests 28 million Euros for BiH”, by Zoran Zekic) – reports that the spokesperson of OHR South, Avis Benes, speaking at the regular press conference of international organizations in Mostar, informed journalists about the HR’s visit to New York and his address to the UN SC. The daily, among other issues, reports that HR Ashdown will have underlined the IC’s commitment to establish War Crimes Chamber within the BiH, which requires 28 million Euros, the issue that needs the IC’s assistance. Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Forces of crime are still strong in BiH’ – In his yesterday’s address to UN Security Council in New York, the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, said that the tempo of reforms in BiH is still too slow. According to him, the forces of crime, obstruction and disintegration inside BiH political flow are still strong. Ashdown said that he came to New York together with Theodor Meron, President of the ICTY, in order to present joint views and plan regarding the establishment of domestic potentials for criminal prosecution of war crimes in BiH. HiRep said that Jobs and Justice are main and key priorities in IC work. He also said that activities have been launched and aimed against those people supporting war crime suspects. |
| BHTV: Ashdown angered EU/NATO | BHTV – According to Der Spiegel HR Paddy Ashdown considers it is too early for EU forces to take control of peace mission in BiH. He explains such transfer of authority may cause problems since EU forces still don’t have credibility like NATO-led by US forces. EU spokesperson Kris Galag commented:”It is too early to open this issue, but Ashdown needs to advocate EU views, not NATO. However, any transfer of authority has to be agreed anc coordinated with NATO.” US ambassador Bond: “This decision has not been made yet so it is difficult to make any comments. Any future mission must be clearly defined especially concerning arrest of war criminals and logistics.” Ashdown’s views has caused a lot of anger in NATO HQ in Brussels where it was assessed as premature announcement without consultations with NATO. EU will discuss situation in BiH on Wednesday. Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Europeans do not have credibility in BiH’ – According to HR Paddy Ashdown, the complete withdrawal of Washington from BiH might cause problems due to a fact the European do not have credibility in that country. In an interview with the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Ashdown express his conviction that the announcement of the European take-over of the security mission in BiH was welcomed but that EU still needed US in that country. Vecernje Novosti pg. 3 ‘EUFOR from SFOR’ also carried the HR’s statement. Vecernji List (page 3, “BiH is European, not US problem”, by F) – reports that the British “Guardian” from yesterday carried a statement by the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, according to which in order for the EU to replace SFOR, there has to be a blessing from Washington and trust of Sarajevo. According to VL, HR Ashdown warned that BiH was a European problem and that Europe still waited for help of “Uncle Sam”. |
| BiH Presidency defence reform commission’s report, discusses budget rebalance | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Spending lesser for 12 million KM’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Millions exceed the plan’ ; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘State institutions “breached” budget for over 100%’, Dnevni List (page 5, ‘Increase of salaries to BiH officials stopped’, by R. Radic),Slobodna Dalmacija (page 6, ‘Defense reforms supported’, by D. Pasic), Vecernji List (page 2, ‘Against self-willing increase of salaries’, by D. Ja.), FENA – The BiH Presidency adopted a report by the Commission for Defence Reforms and forwarded it into parliamentary procedure at its session in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The Presidency also adopted a report on budget appropriations for the institutions of BiH for the first six months of this year, although many institutions have spent more money than earmarked in the budget. As Presidency member Sulejman Tihic said after the session, the BiH Parliament has spent 127 per cent, the Council of Ministers 116 per cent and the BiH Presidency 110 per cent of the original budget. Nevertheless, the report was adopted since the overall spending of the state institutions was 12 million KM less than planned. Tihic warned the BiH Parliament once again that the budget rebalance does not envisage a pay rise to deputies and added that extra spending will not be allowed in the budget rebalance. The Presidency also corrected a recently-adopted agreement on national distribution of ambassadorial posts. In line with this decision, instead of a Croat, as planned, a Bosniak would be appointed to the post of BiH ambassador to Italy, while the ambassadorial post in Austria will be given to the Croats, and not the Bosniaks, as announced earlier. |
| Tihic on Ivanic’s statement re lawsuit against SCG | BHTV, FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Ivanic’s statement not in line with the official BiH institutions’ position’, Slobodna Dalmacija page 6, by D. Pasic – Commenting on the latest statement by BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic, who said in Belgrade that only Bosniaks were behind the lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic said that the statement does not reflect the official stance of BiH. “The Presidency took an official position on this issue at its session on September 8 1999, when it concluded that BiH will go ahead with the lawsuit against the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, today’s Serbia and Montenegro. I am surprised that the BiH foreign minister has made such a statement, which resembles statements by Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic’s supporters,” Tihic told journalists following Wednesday’s Session of the BiH Presidency. Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Ivanic put himself on the side of SCG’ – In a press release issued on Wednesday, the SDA Presidency also condemned Ivanic’s statement. |
| HNZ on Ivanic’s statement | Dnevni List (page 6, ‘Relation of BiH and FRY reduced to relation of Serbs and Bosniaks’, by De. L.) carries on the same issue that HNZ issued a press release which says that HNZ believes that the goal of the statement, such as the last statement of minister Ivanic, is minimization of importance of the BiH lawsuit and reducing of that case to the conflict of two groups, Serbs and Bosniaks. |
| OHR South not to speak on behalf of the Mostar Commission | Dnevni List (page 18, “Sub-unit for issues of human trafficking established”, by D. Kozina) – DL reports that spokesperson of OHR South, Avis Benes, when asked to give a comment on the work of the Mostar Commission, said she was not going to speak on behalf of the Commission and that it was down to the Chairman of the Commission to determine the way of work he deems to be the most efficient. “If there is a estimation that the Commission will do more in this first phase of work without a constant focus from the media, we respect that”, said Benes. |
| DL on legitimacy of Mayor of Mostar, funding of City Administration | Dnevni List (page 17, “Two accounts still function in City administration”, by I. T.) – the daily learns from a source close to the City Administration of Mostar that the City Administration could be meeting tomorrow after full 8 months. Noting that according to article 48, paragraph 1 of Statute of Mostar, it is Mayor of Mostar who convokes sessions of City Administration, DL questions the legitimacy of Mayor of Mostar (Hamdija Jahic), saying that a rotation in offices of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and President and Deputy President of Mostar City Council, should have been carried out in March 2003. In that context, DL argues that the Interim Statute of Mostar reads that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor can be appointed (to office) for a period of no longer than a year. DL also claims that there are two separate accounts in the City Administration – the Bosniak and Croat one. In that context, DL says the Bosniak account gets 537.000 KMs a month from the Elektroprivreda of BiH, whilst the Croat account gets 122.400 KMs a month from the Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna and goes on to say that despite claims that the money is being withdrawn from one account, in reality the money goes to separate accounts, different banks, and “every of the two sides pays its employees from its accounts”. According DL’s source, the Bosniaks in the City Administration do not want to join the accounts simply because they have more money. |
| UK Ambassador Cliff, DHR Andrieu visit Siroki Brijeg | Slobodna Dalmacija (back page, “Only VAT creates development platform”, by H. Maric) – reports that the UK Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, and Head of OHR South, Ambassador Jacques Andrieu, paid separate visits to Siroki Brijeg yesterday. Ambassador Cliff is quoted as saying that it is important to introduce the new taxation system as soon as possible, and the VAT in due course, because those are the only ways to create platform for business development and development of economy in general. Canton 8 Prime Minister, Viktor Lasic, whom Ambassador Cliff met, reminded that the Canton 8 Government requested the FBiH Prime Minister and FBiH Tax Administration to remove the Head of Cantonal Tax Administration due to bad collection of revenues, which causes difficulties in the canton. Regarding Ambassador Andrieu’s visit, SD reports that the press office of the Canton 8 Government released that Ambassador Andrieu paid an inaugural visit to the West-Herzegovina Canton, talking about political and economic situation in the canton, and about difficulties the PM Lasic and Speaker of Canton 8 Assembly, Zoran Vuksic, meet in line of duty. Ambassador Cliff’s visit is also covered in Vecernji List (page 5, “Siroki Brijeg interesting to businessmen”, by M. Ba. and Dnevni List, page 11, “Taxes paid by foreign investors only!?”, by V. Soldo) |
Economic/social issues | |
| Minister Zigic: We will unveil all regularities in the privatisation process | Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 13 ‘Minister Zigic: We will unveil all regularities in the privatisation process’ – FBiH Minister of Industry Izet Zigic told the newspaper that the FBiH Government would soon consider a draft law on control of privatisation contracts. “We will do our best to annul a series of privatisation failures by this law,” emphasized Zigic. |
| Circle 99 discusses Vc corridor construction | BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Concession for Vc corridor is the only possibility’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12 ‘Sabanovic: We are prepared to start construction immediately’ – The Circle 99 Independent Intellectuals Association discussed construction of Vc highway at its session on Wednesday. An introductory speech was delivered by BiH Minister of Transport and Communications Branko Dokic. It was underlined the highway has got enormous importance for BiH economy, but participants also warned to be very cautious about concession deals. Minister Dokic reported BOSMAL has not still provided valid bank guarantee and they have 2 more months to provide necessary financing. There are also valid offers from Croatia and banks from Russia. The participants in the discussion evaluated these offers were credible and government need to be very serious in determining which offer is the most suitable. |
| Russian bank interested in construction of Corridor Vc | Dnevni List (front and page 3, “Russians interested in construction of Corridor Vc through BiH”, by Hina), Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Russians interested in construction of 5C’ carry that non-government organization “Krug 99” organized presentation of the project Corridor Vc. During the presentation, BiH Minister of Traffic and Communications, Branko Dokic, stated that apart from the Croatian Government and “Bosmal” private company, one Russian bank expressed interest to participate in financing and construction of a part of Corridor Vc that goes though BiH. Dokic added that the BiH Council of Ministers might discuss this offer by the end of the week. Vjesnik (page 2, “Russian bank submitted offer for construction of highway in BiH”, by Hina) also covered this information. |
| VL says management of HT Mostar will be dismissed | Vecernji List (page 5, “Krtalic, Vidovic and Radisic at helm of HT”, by Zoran Kresic) – reports that the Supervisory Board of HT Mostar (Croat telecommunications Mostar) will by October 16 “most probably” take a decision to dismiss the current management of HT Mostar after reviewing the audit report on HT Mostar. According to VL’s source within the Government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), FBiH Minister of Communications, Nedzad Brankovic, is adamant to order removal of complete management in telecommunications companies, including the HT Mostar. According to a senior source in the HT Mostar, there are three candidates to assume the office of Chair of HT Mostar’s Steering Board: Antonia Krtalic, Rudo Vidovic and Ivan Radisic. On the other hand, the current Chair of HT’s Steering Board, Stipe Prlic, sees no reasons why he should be removed. Moreover, VL says Prlic decided to take matters into his hands by sanctioning two officials of the HT Mostar. Unofficially, former manager of telecommunications centre in Mostar, Mario Orec, and Dijana Rozic, from sales department, have been made redundant. |
| Herzegovina Osiguranje on Eronet case | Dnevni List (front and page 4, ‘Brankovic: Nobody discussed Prlic’s removal’, by J.P.) carries that Hercegovina Osiguranje issued a press release with regard to the interview that manager and President of the HT Mostar Steering Board Stipe Prlic gave to DL when Prlic stated that in a less than a month Eronet will be returned to ownership of HT Mostar. Hercegovina Osiguranje says in its press release that Prlic’s claims are not true and that the Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina Government decided at its last session held on Monday to remove Prlic from the current positions in HT Mostar due to serious irregularities in the work of this company. According to the press release, Hercegovina Osiguranje is intending to protect their ownership over the shares in Eronet by using all legal means. DL carries FBiH minister of traffic and communications Nedzad Brankovic as saying that none discussed Prlic’s removal at the last session of the FBiH Government. |
| Contradictions between reports on RS budget | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Government presented profit, auditor found deficits’ – The Republika Srpska Main Audit Office established that last years’ budget of Republika Srpska was exceeded for BAM 119 million (meaning losses were created), instead of BAM 19 million achieved as a profit, according to the Republika Srpska Government report dated June this year. Namely, claims by Audit Office on one and the Republika Srpska Government on the other side completely differ. According to NN inset, Zoran Djeric, Republika Srpska Interior Minister, told Republika Srpska MP’s yesterday that Republika Srpska police filed 17 criminal report within the field of economic crime and on the basis of audit report for the period from 2000 to 2001. Krstan Simic, SNSD MP’s commented on this by saying that 16 out of those 17 persons were within Government led by Milorad Dodik, (ten of whom are former ministers). Blic pg. 13 ‘Suppressed minus of 133 million’ – RS chief auditor Bosko Ceko said on Wednesday that audit of the budget execution for 2002 showed a loss of 113 million KM in the RS budget, and not a surplus of 19 million KM as the government of former Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic showed to the RS Assembly. “Out of 113 million KM of loss in the RS budget for last year, 50 million KM are capital losses realised with the sale of banks in 2002, and around 60 million are the obligations that have not been shown,” Ceko said. RS Finance Minister Branko Krsmanovic did not want to comment on the chief auditor’s report, with an explanation that he received the report only few hours ago and had not had time to read it. |
| RSNA discusses Budget execution
| BHTV, RTRS, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Budget passed the test’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Three draft laws adopted’, Blic pg. 13 ‘Assembly and Government without coordination’ – Republika Srpska National Assembly last night adopted the Report of the Republika Srpska Government regarding the realisation of the budget for first six months of this year. 46 MP’s voted pro, 21 voted contra and 6 MP’s abstained from voting. According to Report, 91% of the planned budget for that period (meaning incomes of BAM 455.3 million) was realised. |
| Republika Srpska Health Care Fund
| Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Gone through tender owing to family ties’ – The Republika Srpska Health Care Fund last year performed a selection of banks (through which it functioned) in an illegal manner. The Fund also expressed interest in short-term duties and supplies in improper manner, paid out higher salaries to the staff and violated tender procedures. |
| Srpske Poste affair | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Auditor missed the safe box’ – Milutin Pejic, removed General Manager of Srpske Poste, yesterday pointed at another mistake made by Dale Ellen Ralph in her audit report on Telekom Srpske. Pejic denied allegations that “Telekom” paid the amount of BAM 45 million to Srpske Poste in 2001, and BAM 63 million in 2002. Zeljko Jungic, General Manager of Telekom Srpske, supported this claim, adding that: “The total amount which Telekom Srpske paid to Srpske Poste are three times lower than presented in report.” Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Commission then police’ – The third attempt of the Republika Srpska Commission for transfer of duties at Srpske Poste failed yesterday. Milutin Pejic yesterday failed to show up at the time scheduled for transfer. Milorad Zrnic, Commission President, stated that final decision would be made today as to whether the transfer will be carried with police assistance. Milutin Pejic yesterday explained that everybody should have realised so far that there is no Srpske Poste affar, but rather an affair around Srpske Poste. A number of Srpske Poste workers, who yesterday gathered in front of Director’s Cabinet, share his view and yesterday came in a sign of support of Pejic. The workers said that they are extremely satisfied with the current status of the firm, and also with Pejic, stressing that they would confront police if necessary. |
| FBiH HoR against location of Indirect Taxation Administration in BL | With regard to the yesterday’s session of the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament, Dnevni List (page 4, ‘Funds from privatization to Pension-Insurance Bureau’, by M. Relota) carries that among the other things, the HoR adopted the conclusion according to which the HoR demands from the BiH Parliamentary Assembly to refuse decisions of the High Representative according to which the seat of the Indirect Taxation Administration should be located in Banja Luka and according to which the Customs Center in Tuzla should be abolished. The explanation of the aforementioned conclusion says that the seat of the Indirect Taxation Administration should be in Sarajevo, since Sarajevo is the capital of BiH, for the purpose of re-integration of the country, that is, the current Customs Center should remain in Tuzla in accordance with needs of the Tuzla Canton. |
Legal, security affairs/investigations | |
| Muhamed Sacirbegovic wants to testify in Sarajevo?
| Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 5 – Muhamed Sacirbegovic, the former BiH Ambassador to the UN, might voluntarily appear before the Sarajevo Cantonal Court in order to give his testimony with regard to the indictment against him related to the alleged misuse/illegal spending of 2.4 million KM from the Mission’s account in New York, learns the newspaper from the circles close to Sacirbegovic’s family. Oslobodjenje pg. 5, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, FENA – Responding to a question on the possible decision by the US authorities to allow former BiH ambassador to the UN, Muhamed Sacirbegovic, to defend himself during the extradition process, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic told journalists in Sarajevo on Wednesday that he would support such a decision as there is no danger of Sacirbegovic fleeing the USA. |
| EUPM on human trafficking | Dnevni List (page 18, “Sub-unit for issues of human trafficking established”, by D. Kozina) – carries a report from yesterday’s regular press conference of international organizations in Mostar, at which an EUPM spokesperson, Kirsten Haupt, presented the programme of fight against human trafficking, which is now in focus of attention of the EUPM. According to Haupt, the EUPM has developed a programme called “FIGHT – Fight and Intervention Against Human Trafficking, the aim of which is to improve the police performance in the prevention and fight against human trafficking. |
| Halilovic versus Miletic | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Initiative for removal of Zlatko Miletic’ – Ahmet Hadzipasic, Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, yesterday announced that on Monday, Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to initiate proceedings for removal of Zlatko Miletic from the position of Police Director of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The initiative followed request for this made by Mevludin Halilovic, Interior Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both Sarajevo dailies (Oslobodjenje pages 4-5 and Dnevni Avaz pg. 9) also carry articles presenting their opposite views on the issue. |
| NN editorial on security affairs | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Almedin Sisic, pg. 7, ‘Neither police or legal state’ – The author refers to numerous affairs and explosions which took place in the bigger BIH entity in the past few months, on which police and judicial officials have nothing to report about. This means that they have not done anything on that. Sisic thinks that there are only few people nowadays who would openly say that our judiciary is dependent – dependent on political pressures, parties or phone threats. He calls for a summary be worked out of all “apolitical and unbiased” activities and case run by judiciary and police so far. He concludes this paragraph by saying that nothing has been done for citizens of this state. At the end, he refers to request filed by Mevludin Halilovic for removal of Zlatko Miletic, because Miletic allegedly exceeded his powers. The author speculates into who would remove Halilovic from position, since it is well known that he has been submitting reports solely to SDA. |
| NN editorial on judiciary | Nezavisne Novine editorial by Miroslav Mikes, pg. 8, ‘Dependence of independence judiciary’ – The author is speculating into the extent of independence of BiH judiciary, indicating that it is more dependent rather than independent of political flows and similar. He commends the OHR decision to establish Independent Judicial Commission and later on High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council. |
War crimes | |
| Interview with US’ Prosper/on Gotovina, Karadzic and Mladic
| Jutarnji List (front and page 3, “USA offers 5 million $ for Gotovina”, conducted by I. Alborghetti) carries an interview with US ambassador in charge of war crimes issues, Pierre Richard Prosper. JL says that after the talks with Croatian state and judicial officials Prosper stated: “We are willing to help the Croatian Government to arrest Croatian general Anto Gotovina with the award amounting up to 5 million $ for the person who gives information about Gotovina’s whereabouts.” Asked whether some sort of deadline, within which Croatia has to arrest Gotovina, was set to the Croatian Government, Prosper says: “No it was not….We are patient and we can wait, however, can Croatian citizens wait?” Asked about the case of war crimes indictees Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, Prosper says: “When we are asked in Belgrade or Bosnia how we shall help them to join Partnership for Peace, we reply to them – and what about Mladic and Karadzic.” |
| ICTY President Theodor Meron on work of ICTY | Dnevni List (front and page 7, “The Hague is preparing another 14 bills of indictment”, not signed) carries that talking before the Helsinki Commission of the US Congress, ICTY President, Theodor Meron, stated: “ICTY will not complete its work before it processes the defendants charged with the most serious crimes, that is, Bosnian Serbs Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic and Croatian general Anto Gotovina” Talking about the cooperation with the ICTY, Meron stated that the Republika Srpska does not cooperate with The Hague at all. With regard to BiH, Meron said that that the ICTY is focusing on creation of a special court for war crimes in Sarajevo and he will inform the United Nations Security Council about it together with High Representative Paddy Ashdown. According to Meron, Chief ICTY Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, announced that by the end of the period envisaged for investigation, another 13 to 14 bills of indictment will be issued. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Court will complete its work after Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina are arrested’ also reported on the issue.Vecernje Novosti pg. 17 ‘New indictments’ also reported on the issue. |
| SFOR says local authorities should arrest war criminals | Blic pg. 13 ‘Former JNA and RS Army officers hid weapon’ – The newly appointed commander of SFOR Multi-National Brigade North-West, General Stuart Beare, said that SFOR will not miss any chance to arrest war criminals, although it would be better if the local authorities accomplished that. He added that SFOR’s priorities are to work with the local authorities in implementing defense reforms, in order to bring BiH closer to NATO, and battling crime and corruption. Beare said that over 120 tons of illegal weapons were collected in Prijedor and Kozarska Dubica in September. “That amount of weapons is sufficient for waging war for months. However, SFOR and Europe will not allow any more armed conflicts in the region,” said Beare. He said that the found weapon was hidden by former JNA and RS Army officers. |
| Editorial on Radovan Karadzic’s arrest | Vecernji List (page 2, ‘Punishment because of Karadzic’, by R. Bubalo) carries an editorial saying that during his visit to BiH US ambassador in charge of war crimes issues Pierre Richard Prosper stated that BiH cannot joint Partnership for Peace and NATO as long as Radovan Karadzic is at large. The editorial says it is incredible that BiH has become a hostage of Karadzic again. According to the author, some conclusions can be made out of the Karadzic’s case. The author adds that first of all, obviously, BiH is still unready for any integration and thus the International Community does not choose means to tell this to BiH indirectly. Also, the author says that the IC does not want to admit that it is also responsible for the fact that Karadzic is at large and that Serbs still have a very good position in the international circles and skillfully avoid punishments because of Karadzic. |