| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV(19,30 hrs) | RT RS(19,30) |
| Mass grave in Miljevina | Protection of witnesses | Mass grave in Miljevina | Census in BiH |
| Stojicic on Terzic | Recognition for Ljubojevic | Narcotics in BiH | Stojicic on Terzic |
| Statement of Ranko Bakic | Highway Bihac-B.Krupa | Agricultural production | Reaction of war prisoners |
| New conflicts in | Future of Pocitelj | Statement of Ranko Bakic | Return to Gostovici |
Oslobodjenje | Ed Vulliamy (Guardian and Observer journalist): Omarska site should be protected just as Ausvic |
| Dnevni Avaz | Karadzic suffered stroke?! |
| Dnevni List | Svetozar Pudaric calls on Lazovic: Sell your apartments and help pensioners |
| Vecernji List | Football league: Championship starts with violence |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Glas Srpske | RS Association for search after missing persons: Removal over Sijekovac |
| Nezavisne Novine | Audit at BiH Ministry of human rights and refugees: They spent money on vagues and allowances, while refugees got what was left |
| Blic | Althea for healthier |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
War crimes |
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| New mass grave found in the Foca area | Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Several hundreds of victims on the mine waste’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Masovic: We have discovered the largest mass grave in thye Foca area’ – A new mass grave has been discovered on a mine’s coal waste site in Miljevina, which is thought to contain the largest number of bodies in the area of Foca and the neighbouring municipalities, the chairman of the State Commission for Missing Persons, Amor Masovic, told FENA on Sunday. According to him, this is the largest mass grave by the number of victims as it is believed to contain several hundred victims who had been hidden on his coal waste site. This mass grave is believed to contain the remains of victims of the prison in Foca, the gunpowder warehouse in Kalinovik and citizens of Foca, Miljevina and Jeleca who were killed in 1992. According to Masovic, the exhumation of the remains will take up to two weeks. | |
| Stojicic on regional cooperation in arresting war crime indictees | Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Terzic initiative contra-productive’ – Dusan Stojicic, the Speaker of RS National Assembly, said for SCG news agency TANJUG that statement of Adnan Terzic, Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers on establishment of a joint BiH/SCG (Serbia and Montenegro) police team which would work on arrest of war criminals, was contra productive. Stojicic agrees that it is about a regional issue, but it should therefore be discussed and defined on the basis of clear inter-state and regional agreements. | |
| Becirbasic on Terzic’s initiative | Nezavisne Novine pg 3 It is too early to establish military units of BiH and SiCG’ by M. Cubro – Enes Becirbasic, BiH Deputy Defence Minister, yesterday stated that it is not realistic to expect that BiH and SiCG would form joint military units for peace operations and arrest of war crime suspects. He noted: “It is true that during informal talks with the defence ministers from regional states in He noted: “I think it is more realistic to expect that police and civilian intelligence agencies have tighter cooperation in the field of arrest of war crime suspects.” | |
| Dnevni Avaz: Karadzic suffered stroke | Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 2 ‘Karadzic suffered stroke’ – The most wanted war criminal in the world, Radovan Karadzic, has recently suffered a (brain) stroke, learns Dnevni Avaz from the reliable sources. Karadzic has been recovering and he is being treated by a medical team and some members of his family. Due to heavy health problems, Karadzic’s moving has become more difficult and that is why the security around his shelter has been tightened. | |
| VL feature story on arrest of war criminals | Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Six services searching after The Hague fugitives’, by Dejan Jazvic – carries a feature story of arrest of war criminals in BiH claiming that the search will be intensified in the next one year because both the domestic and international authorities want to arrest the war criminals by end first half of 2005 so the ICTY will be allowed to start applying its “exit strategy”. Saying that at the moment only SFOR and entity MoIs have the mandate to arrest the war criminals, VL notes that by end of year three more domestic agencies will be joining the hunt, namely the SIPA, the OSA and BiH armed forces. According to VL, the biggest problem that could hinder efforts of the aforementioned agencies is the coordination amongst them, therefore one cannot rule out a possibility an establishment of a special body that would plan operations. | |
| Mikerevic on arrests of war crime suspects | Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘No deadline for arrest of Karadzic and Mladic’ by V.P. – Dragan Mikerevic, RS Prime Minister, yesterday stated that no deadline was given to the authorities of RS and BiH, by which they should arrest war crime suspects Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. According to unofficial information, deadline by 10 September was given to authorities of RS and BiH to complete this task. Mikerevic further noted that by the end of this month, he will have appointed the new RS Interior Minister, noting that party membership will be of no relevance for this appointment. | |
| Update to Sijekovac exhumation | Glas Srpske, cover page story ‘Removal over Sijekovac’ by B. T. – Sl. S., EuroBlic, pg. RS2 ‘They resent Aleksandar Radeta for slow process of exhuming of graves’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – The RS Association for Missing Persons will ask RS Government to remove the Head of the RS Office for Missing Persons, Aleksandar Radeta, as Coordinator of the Association for Missing Persons Marko Grahovac has stated. He says that, several years ago, the Serb Brod Association for Missing Persons has reported on the existence of six mass graves in the area of Brod but the RS Office for Missing Persons has not exhumed these as yet. The RS Association resents the fact that a firm from the Federation of BiH was performing the exhumation works at Sijekovac location near Serb Brod. The Association is also dissatisfied with the tempo of the work of a team for identification of victims and is also dissatisfied because of a slow process of exhuming of mass graves. The Association has informed Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic on this issue. EuroBlic also carries Marko Grahovac’s claims and quotes the Director of RS Office for Missing Persons, Aleksandar Radeta, as saying that he is not surprised with these claims because ‘Grabovac is always trying to draw all attention to himself’. He also emphasizes that he will resign should it be determined he did something in a wrong way, but he also said that he thinks most of these claims were incorrect. | |
| Retired RS Army General Milovanovic on his war cooperation with Mladic
| Vecernje Novosti pg 6 ‘I was taking measure, Ratko was doing cuts’ by Vladimir Mitrovic – This is a brief testimony of Manojlo Milovanovic, RS Army Lieutenant General in retirement, regarding his pre-war and war-time cooperation with Ratko Mladic. According to him, both of them – Mladic and himself – have always insisted that war should be run in accordance with the international war right and regulations of the UN, as well as that Army should be depoliticised and “crisis centres” should be excluded from the system of command. | |
Economic/social issues |
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| PDHR Hays to visit Petrovo and Pelagicevo, discuss investment opportunities with local officials | Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Hays to visit Petrovo and Pelagicevo today’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 – Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays will visit the RS municipalities of Petrovo and Pelagicevo on Monday. These are two of the least developed municipalities in the country. The local authorities face an enormous challenge in attracting investment, creating jobs and starting a long-term process of improving municipal services and raising living standards. In Petrovo, Ambassador Hays will meet the mayor, Dusan Milotic, the Speaker of the Municipal Assembly and other local authority representatives, as well as representatives from the RS Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Governance and Geodetic Department. Ambassador Hays will then visit TGP Company in Petrovo, the only company in BiH producing CO2 and a good example of the benefits that can derive to the local community from well-planned foreign investment. Ambassador Hays and representatives from the RS Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Administration and LSG and Geodetic Department will then proceed to Pelagicevo, where they will meet with Mayor Mirko Dragic, the Speaker of the Municipal Assembly, and other municipal personnel. | |
| Seminar on Bulldozer phase three takes place in Neum | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Abolishment of Foreign Trade Chamber membership fee supported’ – At a seminar being held in Neum with regard to the start of the Bulldozer process phase three, the representatives of the regional Bulldozer Committees, employers and OHR supported a proposal to abolish BiH Foreign Trade Chamber membership fee. Director of Foreign Investments Promotion Agency (FIPA) Mirza Hajric said that some quality proposals had been presented at the seminar that would give fresh strength to the entire process. | |
| Amila Omersoftic on Hadzipasic’s internal debt settlement initiatives | Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ’30 percent of depositors beyond 5,000 KM would remain unresolved’ – FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic has announced a possibility that each pre-war foreign currency saver receives 5,000 KM in cash. Amila Omersoftic, the chairperson of the BiH Association for Protection of Old Foreign Currency Depositors, said it was just about a temporary measure. She believes it is very good from the social aspect that those who had up to 5,000 KM in their saving books, and who make 67 percent of the total number of pre-war foreign currency depositors, receive 1,000 KM annually in the next five years. However, according to Omersoftic, more than 30 percent of those with larger amounts will still remain unresolved. | |
| VL on Rama power-plant releasing water to maintain water level of Jablanica lake | Vecernji List, pg 7 ‘Is Rama lake being emptied because of need or someone’s interests?!’, by Simun Novakovic – carries a story about the decision of the FBiH Ministry of Forestry, Waterworks and Agriculture, which ordered the Rama Hydro Power-plant to release 25 cubic metres of water per second in order to maintain the current level of water in the Jablanica lake. Apparently, the Rama power-plant observes the decision, however it announces it will be contesting the decision because the power-plant is not making any electricity at the moment due to the works of the plant, meaning the water is being wasted, which will result in loses up to 3 million KMs. VL notes that one cannot escape an impression the whole story is about political games and satisfying personal interests since a large portion of Bosniak political elite has weekend houses on the Jablanica lake. VL also notes that many people noticed that the OHR got involved since the High Representative has a weekend house on the Jablanica lake. | |
| SD on selling of BH Steel | Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 13, ‘Contract on August 17’, by I. Milesic – according to FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, now that all uncertainties have been removed, the contract on sale of BH Steel will be signed on August 17 between FBiH Government and British-Indian corporation LNM. LNM will thus get 51% of shares in BH Steel, Kuwaiti Investment Agency (KIA) will have 41% while FBiH Government will have 8% of shares. | |
| RS Govt, Health Care Fund to settle mutual debts by September 30 | Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Verification of debts until 30 September’ by Bi. G. – Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of the RS Premier, stated that RS Government and RS Health Care Fund are still engaged in process of harmonising mutual debts, and results of these talks would be made known until 30 September. | |
| Protection of workers in FBiH | Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Around 400 thousand workers in F BiH without syndicate protection’ by M. Rener – The Association of Independent Syndicates of BiH is representing around 270 thousand workers in F BiH and around 20 thousand unemployed workers who pay the membership fee, while around 409 thousand workers (out of whom 289 thousand are unemployed), “who do not pay fee” are left behind. Edhem Biber, President of the Association of Independent Syndicates of BiH says that persons, who did not pay fees and not members of Syndicate, accomplish their rights via Employment Bureau. He notes Association has no duties towards them. | |
| Farmers on import of meat to BiH, organization of protests | Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Almost 60.000 livestock imported in 20 days’, not signed – The President of Association of BiH Farmers, Ranko Bakic, notes that in the period between April 30 and May 20, 2004, 59.160 livestock had been imported to BiH, arguing that in that way, the farming of other countries is being developed, not the BiH’s own production. Bakic continues: “The Office of Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers told us they expected them to return from leave on Wednesday. We expect that someone should see us then, otherwise we will block the Mostar junction, at the exit from | |
| German Ambassador to BiH on investments in BiH
| Dnevni List, pgs 6-7 ‘Authorities and business people should know how to use the opportunity’, not signed – carries an interview with the German Ambassador to BiH, Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz und Ottendorf, in which he notes that German companies have invested more than 200 million KMs since the war. The Ambassador adds that the figure is not final since investors from
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Political developments |
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| VL interview: Deputy Mayor of Mostar Beslic | Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘Federation is suffocating Mostar and whole Herzegovina’, mentioned on front, by Zoran Kresic – carries an interview with the Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, in which he voices his dissatisfaction with the amount of money that has been made available by the FBiH and State authorities for the Old Bridge opening ceremony. In that context, Beslic says there are efforts to put Mostar on margins and that the same applies of both the eastern and western Responding to the journalist’s question whether it is true that the HDZ will be requesting that heads of urban planning and construction departments in the City administration of Mostar come from the HDZ, Beslic confirms it is indeed true, saying the party is every bit entitled to claim the offices. Beslic explains that in the State, FBiH and Questioned whether the Mostar Statute is tenable in the long run, Beslic believes it is not, noting that BiH is striving towards the EU, and when BiH does join the EU, the Statute will have to be changed because it is not in harmony with European standards. | |
| VL: Cantons 6, 8 and 10 to contest Framework elementary and secondary education law | Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Croat children could be taught in Bosnian language’, mentioned on front, by Ivan Kaleb – carries the West-Herzegovina Canton’s Assistant Education Minister, Viktor Maric, as commenting on the elementary and secondary education law that was imposed in the canton by the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown. “The decisions create a situation in which we cannot guarantee our parents that the children will have lectures in their language, because the teacher will be the one who determines what language the lectures are going to be in, not the pupil or parent. The imposed law legalizes that the Croat language cannot be guaranteed in this canton and to us it is not in harmony with the Constitution and human rights declarations”, says Maric. VL learns that the three cantons in which the education laws have been imposed (cantons 6, 8 and 10) will hire legal experts and start a lawsuit before the FBiH Constitutional Law through the FBiH President, Niko Lozancic, in order to contest the Framework law on elementary and secondary education. | |
| SD: Head of Stolac Municipality Obradovic resigns | Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 13 ‘Head Obradovic resigns for second time’, by I. Raguz – President of Municipal Council of Stolac, Zoran Turkovic, confirmed to SD that the Head of Municipality, Zeljko Obradovic, filed a resignation. According to Turkovic, he does not understand why Obradovic resigned two months before the municipal elections and Turkovic noted that preparations for a session of Municipal Council are under way during which the resignation will most probably be accepted. According to Turkovic, Obradovic’s written resignation says he resigns, amongst other reasons, because of “dirty pre-election games”. | |
| SDU petition against sending BiH soldiers to | FTV, Vecernji list, pg 4, ‘Petition against sending BiH soldiers to Iraq’, by dj, Dnevni Avaz pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Tokic: We will prevent sending of our troops to Iraq battlefield’ – the Youth of Social-Democratic Union (SDU) organized signing of the petition against sending BiH soldiers to Iraq in Sarajevo downtown yesterday. According to the SDU President, Miro Lazovic, after this activity is completed, the SDU will inform the public on the number of signatures and will send them to the BiH Presidency and State institutions so that they can see how citizens react to decisions that the Presidency makes without consulting them. | |
| VL and SD on census in BiH | Vecernji List, pg 17, ‘With census against disintegration of RS’, by Dejan Jazvic – in light of more and more frequent demands by the RS parties to have census in BiH organized, VL comments that these party leaders are mostly interested in data about numbers of non-Serb citizens in the RS as these politicians have a reason to believe that the new census would show that the national structure in the RS considerably differs from the one in 1991. Once these demographic changes are verified, the Serbs would get a significant argument in struggle against disintegration of the RS and an argument in talks about national representation in the bodies of authority and about abolishment of the prefix “Serb”. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 13, ‘Bosniaks and Croats against, Serbs in favour of census’, by Zoran Zekic, adds that, apart from the fact that world data show that following armed conflicts some 40% of the population never return to their homes, BiH is technically and organization-wise not ready for the implementation of a census. | |
| Sehic on candidates for upcoming elections | Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘2000 candidates to be possibly removed from election list’ by V. Popovic – In a brief interview to NN, Vehid Sehic, President of BiH Election Commission, announces that around 2000 candidates could possibly be removed from the list for the upcoming local elections, over their failures to meet necessary pre-requisites and requirements. He adds that verification of election lists should complete today. Following additional verification process, the total of 27,742 candidates (809 for mayors and 26,933 for municipal councils) have applied. Sehic also stresses that Lection Commission would undertake all measures possible in accordance with the BiH Election Law, if any party of official violated stipulated regulations. This is in regard to his call on parties to use language of tolerance and hatred-free during pre-election campaigns. | |
| NN op-ed on pre-election campaigns | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Election lies and truths’ by Mirza Cubro – The author is writing about pre-election campaigns of political parties in BiH. He says that the one and only goal of the initiative of Sulejman Tihic, SDA President, regarding change of RS symbols, is to ensure SDA victory at the upcoming local election. According to the author, this initiative was a sort of overture for political splits, namely followed with similar initiative of Mladen Ivanic. The author stresses: “This false concern for peoples interests has only one goal: to attract as much votes as possible. Tihic, Ivanic and Co. will not race in reducing the number of those unemployed, pension increase, etc… It does not matter to them, since they have enough.” | |
| SNSD’s Radojicic on initiative of Tihic re RS symbols | Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Who is paying ad’ by R.S. – Igor Radojicic, SNSD Secretary General, yesterday stated that the SNSD delegates at the RS Council of Peoples did not support the initiative of Sulejman Tihic regarding change of RS symbols. Radojicic said: “SNSD has three delegates sitting at the Club of Croat delegates at the Council of Peoples and they surely did not vote for this Tihic’s initiative.” | |
| Stojicic on Tihic’s initiative | Dnevni List, pg 15 ‘Tihic’s initiatives are not for European future of BiH’, by M. Relota – Speaker of the RS NA, Dusan Stojicic, warned of the threat from political radicalisation of the relations within Bosnia and Herzegovina because of BiH Presidency chairman Sulejman Tihic’s initiative to change the RS insignia. “Sulejman Tihic’s initiative to change the RS insignia is highly dangerous, it is an initiative which will not help build a joint European future for Bosnia-Hercegovina and which threatens with serious political radicalisation of the relations within the state,” Stojcic said in Zubacki Ubli, near Trebinje, where a traditional people’s gathering was held on Saturday. | |
Audits/legal proceedings/investigations |
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| Audit at BiH Ministry for Refugees and Human Rights | Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘They spent money on vagues and allowances, while refugees got what was left’ by N. Krsman – The Audit Report at the BiH Ministry for Refugees and Human Rights for 2003 reads that the Ministry last year spent the amount of BAM 250 thousand as allowance for separate life, car repairs, accommodation fees, travel expenses. The amount of BAM 1.5 million was spent for salaries of those employed, while the amount of BAM 2.5 million was spent in implementation of projects. The refugee associations (for example Association “Return to | |
| Update to Srpske Sume | Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Srpske Sume on the table of Prosecutor’ by P. Klincov – The Banja Luka District Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that this Office has received the report of the RS Chief Audit Office regarding business dealings at Public Company “Srpske sume” for 2002. Officials note this Report would be analysed, on basis of which it would be decided whether criminal act was committed or not. According to Inset “Soon about denunciations against Ivanic and Dokic’, Banja Luka District Prosecutor’s Office noted that this Office would take a stance regarding denunciations filed against Mladen Ivanic and Branko Dokic by the NGO “People’s Front”. | |
| Update to money laundering case before | Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Two eyars imprisonment for money laundering of BAM 13.5 million’ by A.D. – Tihomir Lukic, the owner of the Firm “Uzdah”, who has been charged with money laundering and tax embezzlement along with Ranko Pilic, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment before BiH Court. Lukic on Fridayreached a plea bargain with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, according to which the imprisonment sentence of 2 years was proposed. Lukic also accepted taking a stand in the trials against Pilic and others in this case. | |
Defence/security issues |
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| Radovanovic on Althea/EUFOR
| EuroBlic cover and RSpg 3 ‘Althea for healthier BiH’ by Marija Jandric – The author starts the article by saying that SFOR troops in BiH will stay in BiH by the end of this year, when they would be replaced by EU peace forces called Althea after the Greek goddess of health. Althea would have 7 thousand soldiers and officers. A special NATO HQ would be operating in BiH as of Nikola Radovanovic, BiH Defence Minister, told EuroBlic that David Leaky, British Brigadier General, would be the commanding over EU forces in BiH. Radovanovic said: “Approval for European mission is a great step forward for us, since the international community acknowledged no further special control over BiH citizens is necessary… Nobody said for certain how long this mission would last. If all pre-requisites for the signing of Stabilisation and Association Agreement are met during the course of this and next year, there would be no reason for Althea to stay after 2007.”
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Media |
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| SRS on RTRS | Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘RTRS property is Serb’ – Milanko Mihajlica, President of the Serb Radical Party, said that this party finds it completely unacceptable that “central news at RTRS at 19:30hrs should be abolished”, as proposed by Drago Maric, PBS Director. Mihajlica said: “It should be clear to Drago Maric, General Manager of PBS,that nobody is watching the programme at Stressing that RTRS is of strategic interest for Serb people and RS, Mihajlica reminded RTRS property is the property of RS citizens. | |
| RTRS’ Davidovic and FTV’s Durakovic comment on BHTV Maric’s statement | Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Central news remain’ by TANJUG –Dragan Davidovic, RTRSDirectorsaid that the RTRS would not change the time of its central news report ( Davidovic said that: “RTRS is a public broadcasting service, whose task is to provie a full information on all events to its viewers.” Jasmin Durakovic, the FTVDirector, also shares the view that the cancellation of the entity TV stations’ news reports is not a good idea. | |