OHR BiH Media Round-up, 9/10/2005

NTV Hayat (18,55 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

World News

Earthquake in South Asia

World news

Cekic on Srebrenica report

Feature on orphans in Bihac

Regional news

HR on reform of SDS

Anniversary of air bombing in Tesanj

Prosper on ICTY indictees

Cavic on RS position in future

Cekic talks to Srebrenica mothers

Lawyers conference in Banja Luka

Oslobodjenje

[Cekic] List of criminals is not yet final

Dnevni Avaz

Terzic: We’ll offer for chief negotiator with EU to be with RS

Dnevni List

Two arrested because of robbery [of a bank in Citluk]

Vecernji List

Jelavic: I will turn myself in Croatia

Nezavisne Novine

Several thousands peopled killed [in Asian earthquake]

War crimes

Smail Cekic presents Srebrenica Taskforce report to Women of Srebrenica and Zepa

Hayat – Srebrenica Taskforce member, Smail Cekic met with Srebrenica women informing that this body completed and signed the report on events in Srebrenica in July 1995, establishing 19 473 persons who participated in the massacre.BHT 1 by Sanita Lisica-Biberovic – Cekic added 892 persons involved in Srebrenica events in July 1995 are currently employed in institutions on state, entity and municipal levels. “For all these persons special files have been opened, with all the data, [including information] where those persons were in 1995, what they were doing, where they are today and what do they do,” Cekic told to the Association “Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves”. He also revealed names of RS police and army units who took part in Srebrenica events, among them special police units from Serbia, “Scorpions” and “Red Berets”. He underlined names will not be publicized in order to prevent undermining investigations. Members of the Association claim they don’t care for names any more, but for justice to be served. The Chair of Association Munira Subasic commented: “It is not a secret that [ex RS army commander Milorad] Pelenis has been in charge of unit that has been shooting people, leading them to death, but for us the most important thing is that Pelenis is brought before justice and tried for crimes he committed as well as everybody else.” List of about 25000 RS police and army members involved in Srebrenica events is not completed, said Cenic. FTV– He also repeated “Scorpions” were not a paramilitary formation, but regular unit of the Serbian Interior Ministry and added report includes names of volunteers from JNA [Yugoslav People’s Army] now active members of SiCG Army as well as the foreign citizens. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘They demand names of criminals’ by S. Skuletic  – Subasic added that the only hope now for Srebrenica survivors is the BiH Prosecution and the War Crimes Chamber. PINK, Oslobodjenje cover splash, pgs 4-5 ‘List of criminals is not yet final’, ‘“Scorpios” were regular unit of Serbian MoI’ by N. Karanjac, Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘It’s Prosecutor’s turn now’ – also carried.

Catic, Hafizovic, Ahmetovic object the report doesn’t mention involvement of JNA

Oslobodjenje pg 4 inset ‘Report is in favour of SCG and Milosevic’ – “Women of Srebrenica” are disappointed with the report on events in Srebrenica. “It is incredible that the report doesn’t state that Yugoslav Army took part in the operations around Srebrenica. This report can only be in favour of SCG and Slobodan Milosevic,” stated Hajra Catic, chair of the Association. RSNA Deputy Speaker, Sefket Hafizovic, agrees with Catic, adding another objection is the fact that the names listed in report are not being published. Sadik Ahmetovic, the Vice Chair of Srebrenica Municipal Assembly, issued press release also expressing concern with the fact that Commission has not registered involvement of the units from Yugoslavia .

Prosper: ICTY will be waiting for Karadzic, Mladic, Gotovina by 2016

RHB, RTRS, BHT 1, Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Mladic is an obstacle on Serbia’s path to Europe’ by Fena, Vecernji list pg 5 ‘Karadzic will be waited for until 2016’ – US Special Envoy for War Crimes Issues, Pierre Richard Prosper said that ICTY will be waiting for Ratko Mladic, Radovan Karadzic and Ante Gotovina by year of 2016. Outgoing Ambassador Prosper in his statement for Belgrade Vecernje Novosti also said that he wanted to finish his work and see Serbia on way to EU with Mladic under arrest. Noting Belgrade is responsible for Mladic’s extradition, Prosper noted that if information on Karadzic prove he was in Serbia, US will hold SCG responsible for his extradition too. Prosper doesn’t know what happened in EU regarding Gotovina case, underlining that has to be solved before Croatia joins EU. PINK – He added it was very important to determine the exact number of victims of Srebrenica massacre in 1995.

Burns visits Croatia , SCG , BiH: US to block Croatia / SCG membership to NATO before arrest of ICTY suspects at large

PINK, RTRS, Nezavisne novine  ‘SCG cannot go to NATO without arresting Karadzic and Mladic’ by Srna – US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, said that the United States would block any NATO move to normalize relations with Croatia or to admit it as the member state as long as Ante Gotovina is at large. US will so do the same in case of SCG until Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic are arrested and extradited to the ICTY. Burns is to travel to Europe, and his tour will also include visits to Croatia , SCG and BiH.

Political issues

Ashdown: SDS , alike other nationalistic parties, has choice to either reform or die

BHT1, Hayat – The High Representative Paddy Ashdown stated that SDS, like all the other “nationalistic parties”, has a clear choice to make “either to be reformed or to die.” Ashdown added the SDS must show its commitment to cooperation with the ICTY, police reform, etc. Only then the reform process of the party will start, as it has to show it is new a party and not the party following Radovan Karadzic‘s ideas, added Ashdown in an interview to Sarajevo daily Dnevni avaz. PINK – HR added that SDS, HDZ and SDA should be asked if they are ready for the reform, and complimented Croatian PM Ivo Sanader and his reform of Croatian HDZ.

Cavic: Positive effects of EU association process visible only in few years

RTRS, BHT1, Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘RS is changing and adjusting’, Nezavisne novine pg 3 ‘Solutions on police reform will bring good results’ by Srna– RS President and head of the SDS Dragan Cavic said that positive effects in EU association process would be visible only for several years, when it would be obvious that the police reform solution was good. Cavic denied that there is no RS any more but added “RS is not what it was in 1996“. RS has been changing in order to adjust to new circumstances, which is quite normal, Cavic said in Bijeljina, during his visit to SDS municipal board. Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Mortgage of being a hindering factor removed from RS’ by Fena – Cavic added that RSNA adoption of the police reform agreement was necessary in order to avoid RS being held responsible for delays in opening SAA talks. He also expects that the position of the chief negotiator on SAA will be held by someone from RS.     

DA int w/ Terzic: Key negotiator with EU to be from RS; Police regions have to be confirmed by EC; BiH Parliament has to vote on police agreement

Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 5 ‘Terzic: We’ll offer for chief negotiator with EU to be with RS’ by Admir Malagic – The BiH CoM Chair, Adnan Terzic, says in an interview to DA that there is no much space for satisfaction after the RSNA adoption of the police agreement as new obligations for BiH are on the way. “We are now to start with the serious work to create the team which will determine [SAA] negotiating positions,” says Terzic adding he is certain that BiH is to receive EC’s “green light” for opening SAA talks by the end of year. He also commented it is necessary for the state parliament to also adopt the police agreement: “The key thing is that at the beginning of this year, the EU Enlargement Commission, Olli Rehn, sent a letter in which he clearly said that the agreement must be adopted by all three parliaments. Not because that would give certain legal validity to the agreement, but to have both position and opposition to take a stance… so in case of change in parliamentary majority there still would be an obligation to implement it… Regardless to Nikola Spiric’s statements, I expect for BiH HooR to discuss this agreement this week and that they will adopt it.” Spiric stated on Saturday that BiH Parliament is not to discuss the entities’ documents [see Round-up for October 8.]  Terzic also said that the EC will monitor the process of mapping out police regions and will give its approval of what is being done. “Whatever we decide on police regions, they’ll be valid only if approved by the EC,” said Terzic. He concluded stating he is not sure why the RS authorities at angry with him, adding “we’ll offer the key negotiator with EU to be from the RS and everything he negotiates will be acceptable for me.” 

Bishop Conference warns framework laws on education against Constitution

RHB, Dnevni list pg 3 ‘Framework laws on education are against the Constitution’, mentioned on cover, by Ivica Glibusic, – BIH Bishop’s Conference held a session chaired by Bishop Ratko Peric on Saturday, and concluded that the agreement on education in BIH needs to be adopted in order to solve the existing problems in this field. The Conference also discussed “consistent efforts of different international community’s institutions and BiH to obstruct and abolish Croat people’s national and constitutional entitlement to education with curricula and textbooks in Croat language.” It also condemned the “misuse of term ‘segregation’” and stressed that the BiH Constitution has been breached in the process of “imposing framework education laws at the state level.” Vecernji list pg 5 ‘Every child should be education in their mother tongue’, mentioned on cover – VL announces that Chair of the BiH Presidency, Ivo Miro Jovic, will participate the UNESCO’s conference in Paris, where he will stress that the right of every people, including Croats, is entitlement to education and media in mother tongue.

VL: it is symptomatic EPP’s letter to HDZ arrived 10 minutes after Jelavic’s verdict

Vecernji list pg 4 ‘Marten’s letter to Covic is an embarrassment for EPP’ – VL [which was not published on Saturday due to holiday] carries that HDZ Presidency sent an answer to the European People’ Party assuring it that the HDZ Convention and election of the President were held in accordance to the highest European standards. VL says that everyone except members of party’s presidency Vinko Zoric and Martin Raguz signed the letter. Inset ‘Prompt send out of letter’ carries that “it is symptomatic that the letter came to the HDZ seat through fax machine, only 10 minutes after announcing the verdict in the case of Ante Jelavic. In the same moment, the letter was also distributed to Sarajevo based media by the OHR.”

BiH authorities to make first change to the BiH Constitution by end of month

Vecernji list pg 5 ‘200 KM less for delegates’, mentioned on cover, by Eldina Medunjanin – VL carries that at the end of this month, both Houses of the BiH Parliament will discuss the draft law on salaries of state employees, whose implementation will result with the decrease of salaries in administration. VL carries that IMF has been insisting for decrease of salaries in the state authorities, and in order to do so, the BiH authorities must make changes to the BiH Constitution, a procedure which is to be completed after BiH HoP’s vote on the law in second reading. This would be the first change of the BiH Constitution.

Judicial issues

VL: Jelavic announces he will turn himself to Croatian authorities for renewed trial; he run not from justice but from OHR

Vecernji list cover splash, pgs 2-3 ‘Jelavic: I will turn myself in Croatia’ by Zoran Kresic, Ivana Jakelic – Ante Jelavic’s media liaison met with VL journalists telling them that “Jelavic did not run away from law and justice but from orchestrated proceeding and political lynch fixed up by the OHR and his envoys.” VL’s source also said that Jelavic has been hiding in Croatia. Apparently, Jelavic will also himself to the Croatian authorities and would seek renewed trial in the case of Hercegovacka Bank before Croatian Court. Asked why Jelavic did not escape earlier if he did not trust judiciary in BiH, liaison explained Jelavic trusted in the rule of law in BiH until last minute, but not in the courts appointed by the ‘international administration’ in the country. “He is ready to stand trial in just and legal way in any country, including UK, an origin country of both the HR Paddy Ashdown and Malcolm Simmons, the Chair of Court’s Council whose verdict was 10 years of prison despite the fact that during the proceeding no account of indictment was proven,” said Jelavic’s liaison. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘Jelavic: I will turn myself to authorities in Croatia’ – carries parts of VL article. BHT 1 – BHT 1’s anonymous source says Jelavic is currently in Split, Croatia. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Police in Croatia should make next move’ by F. Vele – Sources close to Jelavic’s family confirmed to DA that Jelavic is hiding outside of BiH, most probably in Croatia.  Hayat, Dnevni list pg 2 ‘Unsuccessful search after Ante Jelavic’, mentioned on cover, by N. Bise – Both media noted that there are still no information on Jelavic’s whereabouts.

NN int with Mato Tadic: ‘I did not resign because I did not want to oppose Court’s decision’

Nezavisne novine pgs 8-9, mentioned on cover, ‘I did not resign because I did not want to oppose Court’s decision’ by Rubina Cengic – In two-pages long interview to NN, the Chair of the BiH Constitutional Court, Mato Tadic, comments why he remained at the current position following BiH Court’s confirmation of the indictment against him in Lijanovici case: “I put my mandate at disposal of the court. The Court brought decision on the issue and I accepted that decision. I talked to all judges, both domestic and international, and they were not in favour of [me resigning] so I did not want to act against their decision.” He also talks about the Court’s work, noting the problems with FBiH Parliament’s delays in appointment of a Bosniak judge from FBiH which resulted with delay in certain number of very sensitive cases. Tadic explained that the Court has alerted the FBiH authorities of the issue long ago, but adds that the Court’s decisions are still valid as there is still a quorum of 8 working judges. He also objects the inclusion of the Court in the Law on salaries of state employees, stressing this institution doesn’t want to be entirely excluded from the system but better solutions must be found. On PBS law, Tadic completely endorsed the decision of the Court that the law doesn’t violate Croats’ constitutional rights, but added that it doesn’t offer instruction which would guarantee the implementation of equality principles.