| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18:00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19:00 hrs) | FED TV (19:30 hrs) | RT RS (19:30) |
| Financial help to HNK | Plain crash in Sudan | Criminal Law | Čavić with war prisoners |
| BMT workers on strike | Samac-Sarajevo railroad | Stock market | Pensioners’ problems |
| Health workers | Bush on African tour | Samac-Sarajevo railroad | Demand for PM dismissal |
| RS retirement issues | Iranian Siam twins died | Plain crash in Sudan | Bridge in Jasenovac |
| Oslobodjenje | Oil traders announcing soon-to-come price increase; Velimir Jukic delegate in two parliaments; HR in Visoko – a painful lesson for Srebernica; Attacks on returnees – Zijad Besic beaten; Macedonian delegation in Sarajevo – better image of the region is a common priority; Again train from Sarajevo to Samac |
| Dnevni Avaz | Great stock market robbery; Train from Zenica to Samac; Ashdown’s respect to genocide victims; Durakovic – Hamovic turning Herzegovina into the desert; Following the OHR decision – Spasojevic moving out of Zvornik |
| Dnevni List | Hadzipasic: HNK getting out of financial problems by the end of the year; President of Rama Movement DAR and Bozo Misura attacked |
| Vecernji List | Medjugorje – 150 Special Forces looking for a priest; Bond takes Bosnian recipe to Iraq |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Mostar: oil floats in Neretva – inspectors powerless!; Medjugorje – ground combed through by hundreds of people, helicopters and dogs |
| Glas Srpski | The White House – fraud admitted; The report of the Supreme Auditor on the work of the RS Tax Administration – tax officers are not saints |
| Nezavisne Novine | EU donation worth 8,245,000 Euros: railway Samac – Sarajevo reconstructed; BiH Federation Police Administration files charges against five its employees – more than 90,000 KM damage to the budget; Auditor’s report on the work of the RS Tax Administration – the money kept on the account for forcible payment for even 120 days; RS President, Dragan Cavic – I am waiting to receive names of candidates for the RS Constitutional Court; After freezing of 14 accounts in BiH banks – the money not yet transferred to the BiH Central Bank |
| Blic | Sharp accusations against Paddy Ashdown; Branko Dokic – PDP does not hide anything from the SDS |
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| Ashdown’s decision |
| Reactions to HR’s decision | CRHB at 15:00 hrs by Stanko Smoljanovic – Day after the announcement by High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on freezing bank accounts of 14 persons in BiH and the removal of two delegations at the RS NA, several listed individuals reacted publicly. Commenting on the decision to dismiss an SDS delegate Djojo Arsenovic, RS President Cavic said it was no contribution to the stabilization processes in BiH. Cavic also said the HR was under the pressure by worlds’ powerful administrations and made decision which violated basic human and citizens’ rights, democracy principles and right on political opinion. RSNA Speaker and SDS President, Dragan Kalinic,said that Arsenovic was democratically elected to the RS Parliament. Dragomir Vasic, whose names was listed on the US blacklist and whom the HR dismissed from the post of Deputy at the RS NA and Zvornik Municipal Assembly, denied that he had any bank accounts in the US and RS or that he was assisting war crimes suspects. “The responsibilities which Paddy Ashdown has or has given himself have not been seen even in states under classic occupation or states which had colonial status. Those removed were democratically elected officials, supported by tens of thousands of people,” said Vasic. General Director of the Nova Banjalucka Bank, Milenko Vracar, claimed that the OHR had put his name on the EU ban list on the insistence of some intelligence services and that the US Administration harmonized its own list with that of the EU by inertia. Well-known lawyer from Banja Luka and delegate at the RS NA, Krstan Simic, sent a letter to the HR asking how anybody could be humiliated with such punishment without disclosure of evidences. Blic pg. 6 ‘Vasic: This is purge, Spasojevic: I am moving out’ – reported Vasic’s statement. Vecernje Novosti pg. 7 ‘Blockade of human rights’ – reported Vasic’s and Vracar’s statements, as well as an open letter that lawyer Simic sent to the HR. In his letter, Simic says that he is familiar with circumstances of Slavko Roguljic, whose bank accounts have been frozen following Ashdown’s decision. “Working in The Hague for years I have read a lot of documents and materials, and with absolute certainty I can confirm that I have never seen an information that Roguljic is connected in any way with war-crimes suspects,” Simic’s letter reads. |
| Spasojevic | Avaz pg. 2 ‘Spasojevic announced moving out of Zvornik and RS’ – Dragan Spasojevic said he was unpleasantly surprised and shocked with the HR’s decision. Announced he would move out of Zvornik and the RS since he did not want to leave where he was unwelcome. Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘Spasojevic claims he ended up on the list with no justification’ – according to Spasojevic, there is no single evidence that he was connected with war crime indictees or that he obstructed the Dayton Peace Agreement. Blic pg. 6 ‘Vasic: This is purge, Spasojevic: I am moving out’ – reported Spasojevic’s statement. |
| Mikes on HR’s decision | Glas Srpske pg. 5 ‘Constitution at a knee-level’- Deputy Chairman of the RS Council of Peoples, Miroslav Mikes,stated that the HR’s decision to freeze bank accounts of 14 individuals destroys companies which have hundreds or thousand employees and all that at the time when BiH is in an extremely difficult economic situation. Mikes wonders whether those employees and their families are guilty for anything. Mikes also said that putting people on black lists and freezing their bank accounts is against democracy and the rule of law and that the High Representative placed himself above the Constitution. Mikes believes that some of those from the lists will seek their rights before the Human Rights Court and BiH Constitutional Court. |
| Freezing of fin. Assets | Nezavisne Novine pg. 3 ‘Money not yet transferred to BiH Central Bank’ – the daily reports that the BiH Central Bank is expected to open special accounts for all BiH banks which are supposed to transfer the money from 14 accounts, assets on which were frozen by the decision of the High Representative. NN also reports that most of the RS banks have not done anything so far regarding the transfer of assets, due to the fact that they received no instructions as to how to proceed. The daily quotes the OHR Spokeswoman, Sonja Pastuovic, as saying that those banks, which disobey the OHR decision, may lose their licenses. |
| PDP | Blic pg. 6 ‘Political misuse of the list’ – the PDPthinks that the BiH public needs to get clear information about activities of persons that are on the US and EU black lists. “Unfortunately, that is not the case, and therefore impression is there is a political misuse of the lists,” PDP press release reads. “With the aim of eliminating feeling of political lynch, the PDP asks international institutions to deliver all information to the public because citizens have the right to be fully informed. All possible political machinations will be avoided if there is trust of the BiH public.” |
| DL editorial | Dnevni List pg. 6 by Marko Tadic ‘Reverend, it is not farce, it is much more serious issue’ – an editorial dealing with the issue of the EU black list and the fact that the name of Friar Petar Krasic is also on the list. The editorial says that Krasic stated that it was a farce that his name was on the list, however, the author said that it was not farce, but much more serious issue. The author says that this is a proof of hastiness of the High Representative, who, through numerous but haste moves, wants to convince the international and BiH public that he is determined to settle accounts with all sorts of deviant behavior in BiH and to implement reforms. According to the author, this is also proof that the HR has inexperienced and bad advisors. Tadic says that all sterile attempts to arrest war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are farce and the author is convinced that the IC does not want to arrest them because they might be very unpleasant witnesses to numerous former IC officials. |
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| Political Affairs |
| Call for Mikerevic’s dismissal | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – representatives of the RS Association of Families of Fallen Soldiers and Missing Civilians called for the dismissal of RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic. They also announced the blockage of roads in the RS on July 18 since the government did nothing to change the status of this category of population. At a session of this Association held on Tuesday, it was explained that Mikerevic’s resignation was requested as he underestimated and offended these families at a recent meeting in a sense of their mental capabilities, while in addition he did nothing to improve their conditions. RTRS at 19:30 hrs by Gordana Sarovic – A petition for his dismissal will be organized and all relevant institutions will be informed. Deadline for their request is July 18 and they announced possible blockades of roads if their demands were not met. Blic pg. 7 ‘Blockade of roads on Friday’ – The Association Presidency announced it would press charges against the RS government due to non-fulfilment of legal obligations related to the payment of compensations for material and non-material damages. Also announced is launching of a request for assessment of the constitutionality and legitimacy of the decision of the RS Assembly on the postponement of payment of compensations for material and non-material damages, as well as of procedure on the origin of property for ‘new businessmen and authority representatives’ in the period between 1991 and 2003. |
| BiH – Macedonia | BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Darko Doslo – BiH and Macedonian PMs met in Sarajevo to discuss economic relations improvement. “Our main objective is to reach the trade exchange level that existed before the war. For that purpose, both governments’ representatives need to make analysis of the trade agreement between the two countries,” said BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic. It was also pointed out that the existence of the efficient regional cooperation makes a better way for the European integrations. “The positive issue at this moment, is that government representatives from both countries are willing to make a progress instead of conflict for the first time in the past 10 years. This is a historical opportunity that needs to be exploited,” stated Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Dzenana Zolota – “By accomplishing the bilateral relationship, an economic situation will be improved in both countries,” said Terzic. Avaz pg. 2 ‘BiH and Macedonia have the same path’ – Crvenkovski said BiH and Macedonia shared common goals and commitments, which was to join NATO and Europe. |
| PDP on black list and Shearer
| RTRS at 19:30 hrs – the PDP reported at a press conference that the EU and US black list were bad news for BiH. The party insists all available evidence about these people should be presented to our public. In their view, the decision by the OHR’s Broadcasting Agent Shearer does not respect position of the BiH institutions, Constitution and Laws of the RS, which were earlier imposed by the HR. The way Shearer acted had nothing to do with democracy since his decision was above any legislative process and local institutions. |
| HNK ministerial candidates | Slobodna Dalmacija back page ‘New candidates for positions in government’ – citing names of three ministerial candidates for the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton government, namely Tomislav Martinovic, Jago Musa and Mumin Isic, the daily says that that Spokeswoman for the OHR Mostar, Avis Benes, did not either confirm or deny that the candidates had been officially nominated by their parties. SD adds that the Spokeswoman told the daily the OHR had left it to the HDZ and SDA to reveal names of its respective ministerial candidates and that the vetting period of ten days started last Friday. |
| Raguz | Vecernji List pg. 6 ‘I was not removed over abuses’ – a reaction by Zeljko Raguz, a former ministerial candidate in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton who did not pass the vetting procedure, to an article published in Vecernji List on June 26, which under title ‘The OHR does not want ministers Bilic, Raguz and Isakovic’ claimed that ‘a source close to the OHR claims the IC refused to confirm Zeljko Raguz for position of Minister of Education because of alleged abuses’.Raguz says that in contacts between the HDZ and representatives of the OHR, the only reason behind the rejection was related to his participation in political life during the wartime period adding that the OHR gave ‘high marks to his professional work in the office of the Minister of Health, Labor and Social Care in the last tenure of the HNK government’. There was no claims of financial abuses, and your journalists could not have obtained such info from the OHR,” reads Raguz’s reaction. Finally, Raguz stated that the real reasons for the OHR not confirming ministerial candidates Bilic, Raguz and Isakovic lie in OHR’s unprincipled implementation of constitutional changes in BiH. |
| DL opinion poll | Dnevni List pg. 16 – people were asked to comment HR’s statement that ‘there would be no national minorities in Mostar’. Answers vary: “National minorities will always exist”, “I think national minorities are not as big a problem but the crooked authority”, “I believe people’s will has to be respected” and “I wish it was like that, but I doubt the statement, although such situation would be of great importance for the city”. |
| DL editorial on Mostar | Dnevni List pg. 2 by Miso Relota ‘Who wants new incidents in Mostar’ – an editorial on situation in Mostar following an interview with the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, in Dnevni List yesterday. In that context, Relota says the OHR and entire IC again clearly stated that the ultimate goal was the unification of Mostar – the only way Mostar could become a normal, European city. The author goes on to say there are still individuals who use fear and not hope as their tool in order to achieve their goals saying the HR labeled the individuals as one of the biggest obstacles in finding a rational solution, individuals whose language is full of unacceptable words, the language whose aim is to launch old hatred from the past. Relota goes on to say that in Mostar, apart from people who want Mostar to become a normal, European city, which functions as one unit of local self-government, there are people who want to keep some sort of exclusivity (i.e. a space where local powers-that-be want to maintain their interests under a disguise of protection of national interests). Finally, the author notes that whenever an important political process is taking place in Mostar, individuals in charge of havoc, under the patronage of certain political lobbies, take the stage. In that context, the author says the cross on the Hum Hill was vandalized just prior to start of the work of the Mostar Commission and stickers with a letter ‘U’ (NB: Ustasha symbol) appeared in Old Town (NB: part of Mostar with Bosniak majority). According to DL’s knowledge, such staged incidents could be expected again. “That would be a cause for certain media under a strong hand of political losers to hit against the entire people. Which people, you ask? Well, it is known that for them the Croats are guilty for everything. They wish we were not around, but do not get nervous. They are not worthy of contempt, but pity,” says Relota. |
| SNSD on the RS govt | Blic pg. 7 ‘Government without program’ – representative of the SNSD in RS National Assembly, Snjezana Rajlic,on Tuesday said that the work of the entity government had been extremely bad since the beginning of its mandate. “This primarily refers to the actual personnel solutions in the government, as well as to the policy being implemented,” said Rajlic at a press conference, stressing that people, who are not competent for functions they are performing, are ‘sitting’ in certain ministries. She said that legal acts that are prepared and issued by the entity government are ‘very poor’ due to which amendments and supplements of certain acts were very frequently passed in the National Assembly. |
| SDS vs. PDP | Blic pg. 7 ‘PDP does not hide anything from SDS’ – on Monday evening, after a session of the SDS Main Board, Republika Srpska President, Dragan Cavic, said that thus far the SDS had not signed any agreement with the PDP and that ‘the PDP overestimated its size and influence on social changes’, as well as that the PDP in its political position was not sincere toward the SDS. Reacting to this, member of the PDP Presidency, Branko Dokic, says that the question whether the PDP overestimates its size and influence on social changes is an open issue and subjective feeling, in this case of Dragan Cavic. Dokic claims the PDP does not have any hidden intentions toward its coalition partner SDS. Dnevni List pg. 11 ‘Is SDS-PDP marriage breaking up?’ – carried Cavic’s statement. |
| Interview with Terzic | Vecernji List pg. 4 ‘Many things in BiH should be corrected’ – a short interview with Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic. He expressed his satisfaction over the atmosphere in the BiH CoM and added that the BiH Constitution is rather limiting factor because apart from the BiH CoM there are two entity governments and two PMs and that some things in the BiH Constitution should be corrected. “Three of us (referring to him and two entity PMs) agreed on some 120 measures that should be realized in the next 180 days. Each of us should implement about 40 measures without the assistance and presence of the IC. This means that we proved that we can reach an agreement without their mediation.” |
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| Judiciary Affairs |
| Criminal legislation | CRHB at 15:00 hrs by Zana Rebo – at an extraordinary session held on Tuesday, the FBiH House of Representatives accepted a report on the joint commission compromised of both houses on harmonizing drafts of the FBiH Criminal Procedure Code and FBiH Criminal Code. Differently from the previous report, this time the Commission gave up on proposing amendments unacceptable for the OHR. These referred to the protection of witnesses and defence status within the FBiH Criminal Procedure Code, and self-willing treatment and unauthorized transplantation of human body parts within the FBiH Crime Code. The SDA caucus decided to support the proposal presented by the Commission. Both codes will be in force as of August 1. The FBiH House of Peoples is supposed to declare their stand on the Commission report at its session on Wednesday. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Marina Boskovic – the FBiH HoR has adopted the proposals for the Law on Criminal Legislation and Law on Criminal Procedures. The new-adopted content of the Law is the closest to the content proposed by the Federation government and OHR. Out of 30 amendments proposed by the Parliament delegates, only three were included in the content, following the OHR instructions. FTV at 19:30 hrs by Rasim Borcak – “We are stressing for the second time that the solutions proposed today are not good. We will support these solutions only to avoid the accusations of disturbing the criminal legislation reforms in BiH,” stated an SDA delegate Semsudin Mehmedovic. SDA delegates are not giving up on finding new solutions for the existing problem. Avaz pg. 8 ‘The criminal laws adopted without disputable amendments’ – yesterday’s FBiH HoR session. The deadline for the implementation of the mentioned laws has been postponed for August 1, as the original deadline was July 1. Dnevni List pg. 1 and 5 – during the continuation of its extraordinary session, the FBiH HoR adopted proposal of the FBiH Criminal Code and Law on Criminal Procedure in the versions closest to the proposal of the FBiH government. DL says the OHRalso supports these versions. |
| Cavic on RS Constitutional Court | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 4 – neither the HJPC nor President of the Republika Srpska, Dragan Cavic, know when the election of judges for the RS Constitutional Court will be on the agenda of the RS National Assembly. According to the information available, that will not happen during this month. It is also uncertain whether it will happen in September, due to the fact that, as the HJPC says, there is no time limit for this issue to be resolved. Two months ago, the RS National Assembly did not appoint nominated candidates. HJPC’s Spokeswoman, Sanela Tunovic, stated for NN that the HJPC has not yet forwarded the new list of candidates for the RS Constitutional Court. This information was also confirmed by the Cabinet of RS President, Dragan Cavic, who would forward the list of candidates to the National Assembly as soon as he got it. According to Cavic, it is up to the HJPC to make a move. |
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| Economic Affairs |
| Hadzipasic on new tax collection policy | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, announced that new tax collection policy in FBiH was to be applied as of August 1, and would probably solve the issue of deficit in the HNK government budget by the end of this year. Hadzipasic stated this following discussions with HNK Prime Minister Miroslav Coric and other cantonal officials. It is estimated that the new division of incomes would bring eight million KM to the HNK budget. Hadzipasic also promised additional financial assistance to the HNK having in mind its special importance for the Federation partners. He added that he also discussed issues of return and the halt of privatisation with HNK government officials. BHTV at 19:00 hrs by Seid Masinca – Federation government delegation led by the Prime Minister Ahmed Hadzipasic on Tuesday discussed difficult financial situation of the HNK with the local authorities. Prime Minister made a commitment to improving the situation in HNK by investing in new projects. Coric has announced permanent collaboration with the Federation government. Avaz pg. 5 ‘Resolve the problem of deficit in the budget’ – on yesterday’s meeting. Coric emphasized it was important to jointly seek solutions for such problems. Vecernji List pg. 2 ‘HNK getting out of financial problems by end of year’ – reported on yesterday’s meting in the HNK. On the same issue Dnevni List pg. 1 and 16 reports that in Hadzipasic’s opinion, the HNK will solve its de-balance and deficit by the end of the year, and even sooner with the help from the FBiH government. |
| Audit of the RS Tax Admin. | Nezavisne Novine pg. 1 and 3, Glas Srpske pg. 1– an auditing report on the work of the RS Tax Administration. The team of the RS Chief Auditor, Bosko Ceko, discovered a series of irregularities in the work of the Tax Administration. As stated in the report, the law was violated with the opening of the account for forcible collection of taxes, a procedure following the confiscation of goods was not in line with the law, the law was further violated in the process of purchase of computes and also, the payments amounting to 2 million KM to a wrong account was registered. |
| WHC tax related scandal | Dnevni List pg. 1 and 3 – following reports that the government of West-Herzegovina Canton has requested dismissals of principals of Tax Administration in Canton 8 because the cantonal budget is allegedly not being filled in accordance to the planned dynamics, DL reports that the officials in question yesterday had a meeting with Director of the FBiH Tax Administration, Mithat Arifovic, and his Deputy, Vinko Krizan. The daily learns from a source close to the FBiH Tax Administration that the officials in question denied all the allegations and that they would request an official apology from Canton 8 Prime Minister, Viktor Lasic. Moreover, DL learns that Arifovic and Krizan will be visiting the West-Herzegovina and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton to ask for additional documentation into the case. |
| | Srebrenica anniversary |
| EUPM press conf | CRHB at 15:00 hrs – the EUPM is closely monitoring security and traffic control preparations carried out by the RS local police forces for the occasion of the 8th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide. At a press conference hold on Tuesday, the EUPM said the entire responsibility for the upcoming event on Friday was with the RS police, while the EUPM was in contact with the RS authorities whose plans for maintaining security had improved. |
| Ashdown pays respect | FTV at 19:30 hrs – High Representative Paddy Ashdown yesterday paid tribute to 282 victims of the Srebrenica massacre. Avaz pg. 1 and 4 – the HR and his wife Jane Ashdown together with President of the Federation Commission for MP, Amor Masovic, paid final respect to 282 victims of the Srebrenica genocide to be buried at the Potocari memorial on July 11. Ashdown stated that ‘we had to made sure the victims were given decent burial and allow families to grieve their losses in peace. Dnevni List pg. 2 ‘Ashdown paid tribute to Srebrenica victims’ – yesterday in Visoko Ashdown paid tribute to 282 victims of Srebrenica, who will be buried on Friday at the Potocari Memorial Center |
| Final farewell to Srebrenica victims | Avaz pg. 4 ‘282 ‘tabuta’ (in Muslim religion means coffins) passing through Sarajevo’ – announcing that convoy with the bodies of 282 Srebrenica victims will pass through Sarajevo today. Another article on the same page entitled ‘The construction of a fountain and ‘mihrab’ (in Muslim religion a prayer stand) almost completed’ – reporting that final preparations are being carried out for the ceremony on July 11 when bodies of 282 Srebrenica victims will be buried at the Potocari Memorial. Head of the Srebrenica municipality, Abdurahman Malkic, thinks the marking of the 8th anniversary will go well. |
| Srebrenica Dossier | FTV at 19:30 hrs Salih Brkic – Srebrenica citizens, supported by the Dutch nongovernmental organization IKV, promoted the ‘Srebrenica Dossier’. The dossier presents the evidence of the IC’s involvement in tragic events in Srebrenica, including 107 statements of victims that survived the Srebrenica massacre. People that survived the tragic events claim that the international community is responsible for not taking any actions to prevent the tragedy. |
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| Srebrenica anniversary |
| Croat component | Dnevni List pg. 7 – carries that according to the source close to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Defense the situation in this component of the Army is very concerning. The same source added that the situation is being made even worse in order to create confusion and prove that the functioning of the entity Armies is not possible and that the joint BiH Army should be formed as soon as possible. |