OHR BiH Media Round-up, 9/3/2004

Oslobodjenje

Radovanovic a new candidate for the BiH defence Minister

Dnevni Avaz

Dumic: I am myself withdrawing the nomination

Dnevni List

“Ashdown: Ruling Coalition is not serious with regard to joining Partnership for Peace”; “meeting of Barisa Colak and Sulejman Tihic was held last night: Is HDZ BiH leaving authority?”

Vecernji List

“5 bills of indictment for Croats in BiH”; “HSP BiH President Z. Jurisic: I do not doubt at all in legitimacy of regular Convention”

Slobodna Dalmacija

“In period from 1992 to 2000 Croatia sent 7 billion Kunas to BiH”; “ Even Cardinal Puljic is ’anti-state element’ “

Glas Srpske

Smoking at public places only this year: Law cannot out up with it;

Political transfers: Slobo as a radical!?

Nezavisne Novine

Following HDZ requests: SDA against removal of Hadzipasic; Ashdown spoke with Blair and Straw: BiH must accelerate reforms; Sarajevo: Dumic withdrew candidature for defence minister; Sarajevo: SIPA protests Prosecutor McNair; Trial in Belgrade: Witness of assassination against Djindjic murdered

Blic

Dragomir Dumic declined the post of the Defense Minister: He gave up; Dodik: I was offered the post of Defense Minister; Harsh accusations of USA: BiH is a refuge of drug dealers; Brcko celebrated: The District model shows results

Defence Minister

Dumic withdraws his nomination for Defence Minister

Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Dumic: I am myself withdrawing the nomination’, Vecernji List page 3, “Appointment has been returned at the beginning”, by E. Medunjanin, Dnevni List page 3, “Dumic gave up candidacy for position of BiH Defence Minister”, by Nina, Slobodna Dalmacija page 17, “Dumic gave up”, by D. Pasic,Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘‘Dragomir Dumic withdrew candidature’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Dumic gave up’, Blic front page and p 12 ‘Dumic gave up’, Vecernje Novosti p 5 ‘Withdrawal because of domestic “kitchen”’,FENA – Dragomir Dumic sent a letter to BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic informing him that he was giving up on the nomination for the post of BiH Defence Minister. “With gratitude and respect concerning your proposal for my appointment as the BiH Defence Minister and keeping in mind the “concern” regarding the approval of that proposal and appointment I request that you accept my irrevocable withdrawal from the process”, Dumovic stated.

Terzic confirms withdrawal of defence minister’s candidacy

BHTV – The process of appointing the defence minister of BiH is back to square one, as are BiH chances of becoming a member of the NATO Partnership for Peace. A new candidate is being sought. The chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, has received a letter from Dragomir Dumic informing him of his decision to withdraw his candidacy for minister of defence of BiH. Although 15 February was the final deadline for the appointment of the state defence minister, the appointment has not been made even a month later. Not even Dragomir Dumic will be the minister of defence of BiH, BHTV 1 comments. “I received a letter from Mr Dumic this morning in which he asked me to withdraw his candidacy, which is what I did. The next step is to talk to President Cavic (president of the RS) in order to find, as soon as possible, a name that will be acceptable to the international community,” said Terzic. The chairman of the Council of Ministers is not only concerned about the appointment of the defence minister, but also the statements by the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, during his tour of the United States and Britain. Terzic agrees with Ashdown, if the only concern is that our country will not fulfil the conditions for the Partnership for Peace. “However, what worries me is certain information that I have that some international institutions are trying to pack Serbia-Montenegro and BiH into the same package for membership of the Partnership for Peace. If that is the reason, then I absolutely do not agree with what the High Representative has been saying,” Terzic says. Terzic announced that he would talk with the High Representative after he comes back to BiH in order to determine the real reasons for his statements.

Ashdown: BiH defence minister appointment process is a “farce”

BHTV – The High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, talked on Monday in London with top British officials about the implementation of reforms in BiH. The position of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is that BiH is this year slowly losing the opportunity for a new future which it created last year. In a telephone statement for the BHTV1, the High Representative described the current situation concerning the appointment of the minister of defence of BiH a farce. “The authorities of BiH, including the three-member Presidency and representatives of all three peoples, have decided that the person to be appointed should be a Serb, appointed by the SDS. If they want it that way, fine, but all of them bear the responsibility for what is happening. And, when BiH nominates someone whom I only can regard as a person who is not a serious candidate, then I do not know whether (RSNA Speaker) Mr Kalinic sees this as a funny joke with the international community, but that is not regarded as such here, or in other capitals. If the Serb people cannot find someone who would be an appropriate person in every sense for this position in order to be able to talk to US Defence Secretary Rumsfeld, British (Defence Secretary Geoff) Hoon and others, then someone else should perhaps nominate their candidate. But this farce cannot continue because it will soon turn into a tragedy and it has seriously damaged my claims that BiH has become more serious with regard to reforms. This is urgent, it is becoming harmful and should be resolved without delay,” said Ashdown.

Nikola Radovanovic named new candidate for BiH Defence Minister

TV Hayat, Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Radovanovic named new candidate for the BiH Defence Minister’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Nikola Radovanovic a new SDS candidate?’ – According to the media, the new, third candidate for the post of BiH defence minister is Nikola Radovanovic. He is currently head of the security affairs department in the BiH Foreign Ministry. Some time ago he was offered the job of deputy secretary general of the Standing Military Committee, but Radovanovic turned down the offer as he was undergoing professional training. Nikola Radovanovic currently lives in Banja Luka. Apart from having a degree, he has several other qualifications. He served with the former JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army). He was also the head of the office of the chief of the General Staff of the RS Army.

Locher meets with Kalinic

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Deadline to complete defence reform is 15 May’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘May writes recommendations’ – James Locher, Chairperson of the Defence Reform Commission, stated that 15 May is final deadline by which laws should be enacted and unresolved issues should be resolved at the level of joint and entity authority bodies. According to press release issued after the meeting Locher had with the RS Parliament Speaker, Dragan Kalinic, Kalinic said that the financial assistance to defence reform in Republika Srpska is insufficient. Kalinic also stressed that in comparison with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska has obtained two to three times less financial resources to accommodate demobilised soldiers. Press release was issued by Kalinic’s Cabinet.

Stevic disappointed in RS institutions

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Disappointed in RS institutions’ – Branko Stevic, currently Deputy Mayor of Bijeljina and formerly first candidate for defence minister of BiH, stated he has not still received any explanation as to why the Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, rejected his candidature. He also added he is “surprised and disappointed that Republika Srpska institutions did not take a more decisive stance in defending the truth and the candidate they proposed”.

BiH/International community

Ashdown meets with Blair

Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘PfP should be deserved’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page ‘Dangerous lateness in process of reforms’, Vecernji List page 2, “Ashdown: Ruling Coalition is not serious with regard to Partnership for Peace”, by Fena, Dnevni List front and page 3, “Ashdown: Ruling Coalition is not serious with regard to joining Partnership for Peace”, by M.R., Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘BiH must accelerate reforms’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Gambling at ministers’ level’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, met on Monday with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in Downing Street, said OHR in a press release issued on the occasion. The High Representative briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the current state of the reform process. The High Representative warned that unless the tempo of reform accelerated BiH would fail to meet the requirements for membership of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program by the Istanbul summit in the summer. The High Representative also warned that the BiH authorities were missing their own deadlines for implementing the European Commission Feasibility Study. The High Representative said that the failure of the ruling coalition to nominate a credible professionally qualified candidate for the position of the State Minister of Defence suggested that they were not taking the PfP process seriously. He explained to the Prime Minister that this was their choice, the International Community’s vetting procedure would rule out people with a criminal past or a record of obstructing the Dayton Peace Agreement, but that it is for the BiH’s authorities to decide on the professional calibre of their own candidate. NATO would inevitably draw its own conclusions about what the calibre of the candidate says about BiH’s seriousness to join PfP. “Membership of PfP is not automatic. The BiH authorities have to earn their place. Unless they can show more seriousness they will fail to get BiH in to PfP at the Istanbul summit. This would be a huge missed opportunity for BiH, and a huge missed opportunity for the citizens of BiH,” said the High Representative. “Membership of PfP, and one day of even NATO, offers the best guarantee of long-term security to every citizen of BiH.” In the course of the day, the High Representative also met with the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, and the Defence Secretary, Geoffrey Hoon.

VL says both BiH and international officials ‘getting more nervous’

Vecernji List (page 2 “Prime Minister’s messages”, by Dejan Jazvic) – the author notes that with the deadlines for talks on joining the Partnership for Peace and with the EU approaching, “both the domestic and international prime ministers”, that is Adnan Terzic and Paddy Ashdown “are getting more nervous”, as seen in past few days when the two exchanged “a few poisonous arrows, which shows that there is not much of initial harmony in relations between the BiH Council of Ministers and OHR”. According to the author, the problem lies in the fact that the High Representative was critical of the state government in Washington, New York and London, “the places where every word gets a new weight”. Noting that everything that the HR said was true, Jazvic notes that the HR, perhaps even unconsciously, inflicted a grave damage to BiH chances of “catching the EU train”, which in turn makes Terzic’s harsh tone regarding Ashdown’s messages reasonable.

Political developments

SDA-HDZ relations

BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Major problems to be being resolved by Tihic, Colak and Halilovic’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Tihic: FBiH Government must continue its work normally’ – The Presidents of the SDA and HDZ, Sulejman Tihic and Barisa Colak agreed late on Monday that the FBiH Government continues its work in full composition, but that a document to specify mechanisms for resolving major political problems is signed by the next body’s session scheduled for Thursday. According to the framework agreement between Tihic and Colak, the FBiH Government members will be in the future making decisions following prior inter-parties’ harmonisation while the major political problems will be being resolved by a coordination body comprising leaders of SDA, HDZ and Party for BiH.  

Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘SDA rejected HDZ initiative for removal of Premier’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘SDA against removal of Hadzipasic’ – At a session held before the meeting of SDA and HDZ leaders, the top SDA leadership made a decision to support its ministers in the FBiH Government including Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic thereby officially rejecting the HDZ initiative for his removal.

CRO Press on FBiH Government crisis

Vecernji List (page 2 “Colak and Tihic in private talks on future of authority”, by Zoran Kresic) – carries the President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, as talking about the rapport between the HDZ and SDA relating to the FBiH Government. Expecting a radical turn in the relationship between the two parties in the future after the talks that are to take place between the two parties, Colak says: “At the penultimate session (of the FBiH Government), the Croat ministers were outvoted as many as seven times. A drastic example is the last session, when the budget was adopted without the Finance Minister, although he had asked for a postponement of the session”.

Dnevni List (front and page 3 “Is HDZ BiH leaving authority?”, by Miso Relota) – got a confirmation from Barisa Colak that he was to meet the SD President Sulejman Tihic last night to discuss the pending issues between the HDZ and SDA. DL also reports that the Collegium of SDA met yesterday, when the SDA reiterated that it would not give up the request that a Bosniak be at the head of the FBiH Pension/Disability Fund. Apparently, the HDZ believes it is not the appointments that really matter, but the way its partner, the SDA, behaves. DL goes on to say that if there is not a satisfactory agreement for the HDZ, the HDZ Presidency would be meeting later this week to discuss a possibility of leaving the authority and breaking up the partnership with the SDA.

Slobodna Dalmacija (back page, “Nonsense about third entity”, by Zdenko Rerig) – carries Barisa Colak, as commenting on a statement by the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, that the ultimate goal of destabilization of the FBiH Government is to form the third entity. Colak says the statement by PM Hadzipasic is nonsense, adding that the aim of it was to seize as much media space as possible.

Slobodna Dalmacija (page 17 “Mostar Statute a model for Federation”, by Zoran Zekic) – notes that many media have reported that the Croats want the third entity, but failed to report that the new Statute for Mostar does not allow outvoting of any one constituent people. In that context, the author says the Croats should fully “embrace” the Statute and ask that provisions of it, which regulate the issue of outvoting, be implemented at the FBiH level.

Dnevni List (page 2) carries in its “Statement of Day”, the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, as saying: “HDZ is blocking the authority because of the Hercegovacka bank and activities of The Hague Tribunal”.

NN interview with Party for BiH’s Grahovac

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Sahbaz Dzihanovic will not sign request for removal of Hadzipasic’ – In a brief interview to NN, Gavrilo Grahovac, Vice President of the Federal Government, says that Sahbaz Dzihanovic, Vice President of Federal Government will not sign the request of Niko Lozancic, President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for removal of Ahmet Hadzipasic from the position of Federal Prime Minister. He denies any speculations on outvoting, claimed  by HDZ. He also confirms that a concrete reason for request of Lozancic was the fact that Hadzipasic is refusing to sign decree, which stipulates some benefits for retired officers of Federal Army. However, he also adds that Lozancic forgets that prior to signing of this decree, Defence Minister should provide a list of all those employed at Federal Army, with their names and surnames, ID number.

Ex-member of BiH Presidency urges changes to country’s territorial arrangement

Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Four cantons to each people’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘Boras proposes establishment of the Republic of BiH with cantons and Sarajevo District, HINA – Franjo Boras, a former Croat member of the BiH state Presidency, has joined a series of initiatives calling for changes to the Dayton peace accords. On Monday he proposed that BiH’s two entities be abolished and the country be divided into 12 cantons and the district of Sarajevo. Boras said in a press release that BiH’s three constituent peoples – Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks – would have four cantons each in which they would not have a two-thirds majority but a national majority based on the 1991 census. Such organization of the cantons “precludes the possibility of separatism and makes the three peoples mutually dependent”, Boras said. His proposal comes in the wake of a number of initiatives proposing changes to the structure of BiH which was divided into two entities under the 1995 Dayton agreements that ended the war in the country. 

4^th anniversary of Brcko District

BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 8, ‘Brcko is a desirable local community’ – The 4^th anniversary of Brcko District was yesterday marked in Brcko. The reception was organised upon this occasion. Donald Hays, PDHR, Susan Johnson, Brcko Supervisor, representatives of many international organisations and many Ambassadors of foreign states accredited to BiH attended the reception. No representative from any BiH entity attended the reception.

Donald Hays, PDHR said that: “The only way to go to future is that this people has a right to vote, and politicians should form forces, that would assist the people.”

Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ’21,000 people returned to Brcko’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Brcko is far in front of the entities’, Blic p 16 ‘The District model is being realized’, Vecernje Novosti p 19 ‘The District anniversary’ also covered the issue.

Crime/security/investigations

OHR welcomes the announced adoption of the Money Laundering Law

Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘One of SIPA foundations’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘OHR satisfied with Terzic’s announcement’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘OHR for law on prevention of money laundering’, FENA – The OHR welcomes BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic’s announcement that the BiH Council of Ministers would adopt the law on fighting money laundering on Thursday, OHR spokesperson Mario Brkic told FENA on Monday. CoM Chair Adnan Terzic announced on Sunday that the BiH Council of Ministers would adopt this law on Thursday. This law is a part of a set of laws concerning the functioning of SIPA. The Council of Ministers adopted five laws from this set on February 19 and forwarded them through urgent procedure to the Parliament, while the law on fighting money laundering was returned to the Board on Economy for further harmonisation. The adoption of the set of laws on fighting organised crime is one of 16 conditions from the EU’s Feasibility Report. Dnevni List page 3, “Adoption of Law on Prevention of Money Laundering on Thursday”, by N.B. carried OHR Spokesman Oleg Milisic statement on the issue.

In an interview with Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘I fully support statement made by Chairman Terzic’, BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic said he was fully supporting reaction by CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic to OHR press release related to the money laundering law. Ivanic added there were people in OHR wanting to give lectures every day in order to seek for content of their own work. 

Oslobodjenje: Entities’ ministries brake adoption of the law on money laundering

Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Entities’ ministries brake adoption of the law on money laundering’ – According to the newspaper, next session of the board tasked to harmonise BiH draft law on money laundering, which is chaired by Mladen Ivanic, has still not convened. The body is allegedly still waiting expert opinion from the entities’ finance ministries.

VL on beginning of SIPA’s work

Vecernji List (page 2, “SIPA guards BiH Presidency”, by D. Jazvic) carries that during the next month SIPA employees should take over security of crucial state institutions and persons and this Agency will start to meet one of its basic tasks in this way. VL says that the information appeared which say that the SIPA employees should start providing security to members of the BiH Presidency, BiH Council of Ministers, President of the BiH Court and State Attorney as early as of March 15, however, the BiH Presidency Secretary Ranko Ninkovic said that it has not been précised yet as to when the SIPA employees will start providing security to the BiH Presidency members. He added that this issue has been discussed, however, it is obvious that certain preparations should be made before undertaking of these obligations.

Interview with Ante Jelavic

Slobodna Dalmacija (front and pages 14 and 15, “In period from 1992 to 2000 Croatia sent 7 billion Kunas to BiH”, by Z. Tulic) carries the first part of an interview with former HDZ President Ante Jelavic, which was conducted in prison Kula Srpska in Srpska Ilidza. Jelavic says it is clear to him as to why indicative silence of the official Zagreb and the lack of interest of the Croatian Government followed his case and the process that is under complete political control of the International Community and High Representative Paddy Ashdown. SD says that Jelavic is bothered because of obedient silence of Croat political representatives in BiH and especially of HDZ BiH officials, who, according to Jelavic, are not aware that their turn will come soon and therefore they turn a blind eye before the fact that a process under patronage of the IC representatives is being conducted against him and his associates because of the establishment of the Croat self-rule in spring 2001. Jelavic also says that the IC representatives persist in their demand that the Croatian Government gives then a phantomlike agreement signed between Croatia and a Croat component in BiH about the assistance coming from Croatia. Jelavic says that he qualifies this agreement as a phantomlike one since such agreement had not been signed before 2000, it simply does not exist and therefore Zagreb cannot hand it over.

VL: “Five ICTY indictments against Croats in BiH”

Vecernji List (front page splash  “Indictments: Five indictments for Croats in BiH” and page 3 “Five indictments for Croats?”, by Zdenko Jurilj) – the daily learns from anonymous sources in BiH, who have contacts with officials of the Croatian Government, that the three indictments against senior Croat civil and military officials, which have been mentioned in past few days, do really exist (indictment that mention Jadranko Prlic, and generals Slobodan Praljak and Milivoj Petkovic). Apparently, the indictments will be made public in one month time. VL also speculates that indictments will be raised against former Defence Minister of Herzeg-Bosnia, Bruno Stojic, and Commander of HVO Military Police, Valentin Coric. VL also learns from sources close to the ICTY, that there will be 9 indictments against senior HVO and BiH Army officials this year.

SD: “Even Cardinal Puljic is ‘anti-state element’”

Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 17, by Zdravko Tulic) – claims to be in possession of documents of the former Bosniak secret service AID, which talks about events related to the establishment of the Croat self-rule. Apparently, a hefty documentation, which has almost 200 pages, claims that some prelates were involved in activities relating to establishment of the third entity, including the Archbishop of Vrhbosnia, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Vicar General of Vrhbosnia Diocese, Mate Zovkic, Administrator of Franciscan Province of “Bosna Srebrena”, friar Mijo Dzolan and the Mostar Bishop, Ratko Peric. SD notes it is likely possible that Prosecutor John McNair used this documentation in his case against Ante Jelavic.

Police protection provided for Prosecutor McNair

RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘SIPA protects Prosecutor McNair’ – NN interlocutor from BiH Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Federal Interior Ministry has provided a police protection to John McNair, Prosecutor at Special Department at BiH Prosecutor’s Office for fight against organised crime. The Ministry provided protection after receiving information that McNair’s security is in danger. Dragan Lukac, SIPA Deputy Director, confirmed that SIPA will assist to Federal Ministry in this operation with one officer and one vehicle.

As NN learnt from unofficial sources, the reason for protection of McNair is based on operational information Federal Interior Ministry obtained, according to which the Sarajevo underground has hired an assassin, who should eliminate Zlatko Miletic and John McNair.

John McNair has been in charge of following cases: case against Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Rupcic and Miroslav Prce, case against Bogdan Vasic, and case against Asim Fazlic.

OHR examining documentation about MVS Impex

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘OHR checking on firm of Mandic family’ – Zdravko Milovanovic, employee at the Republika Srpska Ministry of Energy, said that the Ministry has delivered all the documents to OHR, related to bids offered at the last tender for oil supplier for Thermal Power Plants “Ugljevik” and “Gacko”. The firm MVS Impex from Bijeljina, owned by the son of Momcilo Mandic, Vladimir, was chosen at this tender as the best bidder. Milovanovic also said that the Ministry will deliver all information it holds on MVS Impex to OHR.

Ljiljana Radetic, Spokesperson of OHR Regional Office in Banjaluka, did not want to make any comment on these claims.

BiH SBS denies Djeric

RTRS, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘SBS denies statement by Zoran Djeric’, Blic p 13 ‘BiH SBS denies Djeric’s accusations’ – BiH State Border Service (SBS) yesterday denied claims by Republika Srpska Interior Minister, Zoran Djeric, who said that SBS should bear responsibility for any failure to prevent entries of foreign citizens to BiH from the neighbouring states. SBS refers to those claims as ungrounded.

Balijagic on wire-tapping

Dnevni List (page 2 “Is publishing of Government’s decision in Official Gazette being undermined?”, by V. Pusic) – learns from Faruk Balijagic, an attorney-at-law, that his client Edhem Besic, will be in the next day or two reinstated to the office of the executive director of FOSS (FBiH Intelligence Service). FYI, the FBiH Government removed Besic from the office on September 4, 2003, after which Besic sued the Government, which resulted in the FBiH Government’s decision on February 25, 2004, to withdraw its decision. Having reported all this, DL claims that the removed acting director of FOSS, Ivan Vuksic, is doing everything to prevent Besic from retaking the office. Balijagic also argues that Vuksic presented the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, falsified evidences against former director of FOSS, Munir Alibabic, in order to replace Alibabic and hide evidences against Mladen Naletilic Tuta and other Croats, who are accused of crimes against the Bosniaks. Balijagic also notes that he requested that the FBiH President, Niko Lozancic, be put in custody because “at the moment investigation against Vuksic was launched, Niko Lozancic should have suspended him, but it did not happen”.

Economic/social issues

DL on Law on Bankruptcy

Dnevni List (page 7 “Budget ‘richer’ by 20 million dollars worth of loan by adoption of law on bankruptcy”, by Renata Radic) – notes that the FBiH could be getting 20 million US$ worth of loan from the World Bank, not 15 million as previously stated by the Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, if the FBiH Parliament adopts the Law on bankruptcy by end of March. DL learns this information from a spokesman of the WB in Sarajevo, Srecko Latal. DL received similar information from the FBiH Finance Ministry and FBiH House of Representatives. The latter confirmed the chamber would be discussing the said law at a session scheduled for tomorrow.

Other issues

Anti-smoking ban in RS

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Law cannot put up with it’ – GS writes about adoption of draft laws on ban of smoking at public places before Republika Srpska National Assembly. The adoption of final versions is scheduled for middle this year. The Law regulates trade and control in tobacco products and consumption of cigarettes.

Milosevic as a radical

Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Slobo as a radical!?’ – Tomislav Nikolic, Deputy President of Serb Radical Party, yesterday stated he had no information regarding the transfer of Slobodan Milsoevic, President of Socialist Party of Serbia, to his party.

Nikolic told BETA news agency that: “I have not heard anything about it. I nave no contact with Vojislav Seselj nor Slobodan Milsoevic.”

Attorney Svetozar Vujacic previously said that Milosevic is considering the possibility of leaving SPS and becoming a member of Serb Radical Party of Serbia.