Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 9 August
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Lukic arrested in Buenos Aires | Lukic case |
| Glavas case update | Fire in |
| ‘Discovery’ landing postponed | |
TV news broadcast on 8 August
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Fuel prices might go up in FBIH | | BiH charges against SCG |
| Blaz Kraljevic’s death anniversary | BiH Interpol on war crime suspects | Where is Radovan Karadzic? |
| Farmers ask Doko’s dismissal | A | Ljajic on Karadzic’s case |
| | De-mining of 7 BiH locations | SBS arrested five persons |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| De-mining of 7 BiH locations | Weather in BiH | HR on Tihic’s statement |
| Feature story on car accidents in BiH | Problems of Elektrobosna-N Jajce | 3 tones of fish murdered |
| Interview with Enes Cerimagic | Demining operations started again | Problems with drinking water |
| HR’s letter to Sulejman Tihic | The Court of BiH on Kravica case | Boycotting of old savings verification |
| Oslobodjenje | Carla Del Ponte said that Karadzic is in Ostrog |
| Dnevni Avaz | Heated correspondence between Ashdown and Tihic |
| Dnevni List | Blockade of HDZ headquarters announced |
| Vecernji List | Candidate for position of Head of State Border Service has The Hague file |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | While praying before dawn American found baby |
| Glas Srpske | Horror near Kozara [report similar to Nezavisne Novine cover splash story] |
| Nezavisne Novine | Charred female body was found on garbage dump |
| Blic | Karadzic without money |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features |
| Srpski Nacional | Features |
|
| Political Developments/Reforms |
| HR Ashdown criticizes BiH Presidency member Tihic for interference in civil service
| BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Heated correspondence between Ashdown and Tihic’, pg 2 ‘Stop with inappropriate interfering into appointment of civil servants’, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘The time of communism has passed’, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Nationality is not relevant for selection of civil servants’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija last pg ‘Without political influence when appointment of civil servants is in question’ by B. Kristo, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Appointments to state services without political pressures’, announced on cover ‘Do not interfere with appointments of state servants’ by M. C., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Tihic aside of Europe’ by N. Z. – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Monday wrote to member of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic, making clear his concern about his recent media statements that appear to be an attempt to exert political influence over appointments of key civil servants in the security structures of BiH. Tihic’s most recent comments concern appointments to SIPA (State Investigation and Protection Agency) and the State Border Service (SBS). Last year he sought to exert inappropriate political influence over appointments of judges and prosecutors, according to OHR. In his letter, the High Representative reminds Tihic that “appointments to the civil service, and – in these days when the world is concerned about the war on terrorism especially – appointments to security structures have to be conducted free of political interference”. He added that interference by politicians in police and security appointments is completely inconsistent with European practice. “Politicians interfering in appointments in the police and security structures belong to communism and the past; it is completely inconsistent with |
| Tihic says Ashdown’s associates are those inappropriately interfering in process of SIPA Director appointment
| BHT, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘I have never intended to influence appointments’ – In his immediate response to HR letter and criticism, Bosniak member of the BiH Presiderncy Sulejman Tihic denied that he wanted to exert any kind of political influence/pressures over appointments on key positions within civil service. In fact, BiH Presidency member claims that Ashdown’s associates are the ones who were interfering in the process of appointing the new SIPA director. “I have always supported the idea of having laws, professional criteria and standards respected,” said Tihic. Tihic added that he was tasked by and has an obligation to the citizens who elected him to give opinions on appointment processes, even in cases when the HR makes the decisions on the particular appointments. Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Heated correspondence between Ashdown and Tihic’, pg 2 ‘My constitutional obligation is to voice my opinion on appointments, even in the occasions you do it too’ not signed – Member of the BIH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, sent a letter to the High Representative Paddy Ashdown denying accusations of politically influencing appointments in the state services. “It was never my intention to politically influence the process of appointments of either justices, prosecutors or other state servants, including security structures… However, the truth until now, and in a future, as a president of the strongest party and directly elected Presidency member, I have an obligation to voice my opinions, stances and comments to the process of appointments, including occasions in which you do the same… I have believed that some procedural discrepancies occurred in the process of appointing judges and prosecutor… I also believe, and I have warn you beforehand, that appointment of SIPA director was a mistake… [However] you can be certain I have not, nor I ever will, make political pressure in SIPA director’s appointment process or in other security structures. However, political interference in process of appointing [current] SIPA director was done exactly by IC representatives, i.e. your colleagues.” |
| VL: Bosniak candidate for DGS Head V. Alagic has discrediting wartime engagement
| Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘Candidate for position of State Border Service Head has The Hague file’ and pgs 2 and 3 ‘The Hague suspect candidate for position of State Border Service Head’ by Z. Kresic – VL says that Vahid Alagic who is the most serious Bosniak candidate for the position of the State Border Service (DGS) Head has been mentioned at the trial against a group of people from Konjic who have been charged with severe maltreatment of Serbs in the prison camp Celebici near Konjic and with maltreatment of Croats in the police station Konjic at the time when Alagic was the Police Commander. Alagic has been also suspected of being involved in smuggling during the war. According to the article, Alagic was also mentioned during the ICTY trial against a few BiH Army soldiers charged with war crimes committed over Serbs. VL says that in case that the BiH Council Ministers do not agree soon with regard to the election of the DGS Head, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown might pass the decision on this issue. |
| NATO’s Scheffer sent letter to BiH Presidency on defence reform
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 9 ‘Good basis for creation of defence system created’, by A. M. – The NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, sent the BiH Presidency a letter in which he expresses satisfaction with the progress achieved in making of a legal framework that is necessary to establish a single army (in BiH). “Initialing of draft laws, as well as ratification and implementation of the laws, represent considerable steps forward for BiH, consistent with BiH’s ambitions to join the Partnership for Peace”, says the letter. Scheffer calls on the BiH Presidency to use its authority and have the laws ratified and implemented as soon as possible. |
| IFIMES poll: BiH citizens want Kiro Gligorov as new HR
| Oslobodjenje pg 6, announced on cover ‘BiH citizens want Kiro Gligorov for new High Representative!’ by V.Zivak – The research carried out by the Slovenian Institute IFIMES (International Institute for Middle East and Balkans Studies) on the sample of 2000 citizens of BiH shows that BiH citizens want to see Kiro Gligorov, former Macedonian President, succeed Paddy Ashdown on the position of the HR. Bahtijar Aljaf, Institute Director, told daily that poll conducted in May amongst BiH citizens shows Gligorov won majority vote (23.6%), while Milan Kucan, former Slovenian President, won 22.10%, Hans Koschnik, former European Administrator in Mostar, won 16.4% and Bernard Bajole, former French Ambassador to BiH won 11.9%. |
| EC’s Daviddi: ‘It is impossible to set the date of BiH’s entrance to EU’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘It is impossible to set the date of BiH’s entrance to EU’ by S.N. – The Deputy Head of the EC delegation in BiH, Renzo Daviddi, underlines it is very difficult, even impossible, to set the date of BiH’s entrance to EU. Commenting to Bruce Hitchner’s [author of |
| HPB and HSP Djapic-Jurisic unify
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘HPB and HSP Djapic-Jurisic unified’, by T. K. – HSP Djapic Jurisic and HPB (Hrvatski pravaski blok) sign the unification agreement at Ljubuski last night forming a new party that will be called HSP BiH Djapic-Jurisic. |
| VL on Dean Lukic case: RS Government ignoring OHR’s request
| Vecernji List, pg 4 ‘Bukejlovic challenges Paddy Ashdown’, by Eldina Medunjanin – VL notes that the RS authorities have been avoiding for one year already to implement the High Representative’s decision according to which the Dean of the Law School in East Sarajevo, Milorad Lukic, is to be removed from the office. VL reminds that the first OHR’s ultimatum to the RS Government expired on August 1, whilst the second one is to expire on October 10 i.e. before the start of the new school year. VL concludes that there are no signs that the RS Government will remove Lukic, stressing that this is the first case of clear attempt of obstruction of the HR’s decision on removal of a public or political official. |
|
| War Crimes |
| Montenegro’s Krivokapic: Del Ponte was the first one to say Karadzic is at Ostrog
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash, pg 7 ‘That Karadzic is in Ostrog was published by Carla del Ponte’ by Azhar Kalamujic – Ranko Krivokapic, Montenegrin Parliament Speaker, reminds in a statement to daily that Carla del Ponte was the one who brought information in Montenegro that Radovan Karadzic was at Ostrog, denying claims of SPC (Serb Orthodox Church) in Montenegro that he is the founder of “untruths” regarding hiding of Karadzic at Ostrog. |
| Sources close to Karadzic’s aides: Karadzic is not going to turn himself in
| Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Appeal and call on surrender because of people’ by V. Rupcic – The sources close to aides of war crime indictee Radovan Karadzic claim that in spite of numerous appeals for his surrender coming from members of his family, politicians, religious leaders etc. Karadzic is not going to turn himself in. The sources also claim that the pressure for Karadzic’s arrest is increasing, while the number of those who support him is reducing. On the other hand, intelligence sources claim that Karadzic is going to turn himself in only with big guarantees for himself and his family and under the conditions that he sets. |
| Petrovic: Karadzic was left without money
| EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Karadzic without money’ by T. Nikolic – Djakovic – Goran Petrovic, former Head of State Security Service (SiCG), has stated he does not know when Radovan Karadzic might be arrested but he said it was obvious preparations for his arrest were completed. ‘The financial lobby that was supporting Karadzic’s hiding is under a surveillance of the international institutions. Karadzic is without money and without a possibility to contact his family in any way. Everyone who was providing either with financial or logistical support: his brother, family, Mandic, army, church, are under a strong pressure and surveillance’, Petrovic stated. |
| SN: a group of US marines arrived to Niksic to help in search for Karadzic
| Srpski Nacional pg 3, announced on cover ‘Marines in Niksic, Karadzic in Ostrog’ by P. T. N. – SN claims a group of US marines arrived to Niksic to be at disposal of Hague investigators who are searching for Radovan Karadzic in the area. A local policeman (name not mentioned) claims the local police had been alerted as well. ‘Everything is prepared for some kind of an action, although we do not know what kind of an action this would be’, the policeman said. A source close to Montenegrin Ministry of foreign affairs claims America is willing to pay 5 million US dollars to Karadzic’s family should he decide to voluntarily surrender. |
| VN: many foreign journalists arrived to Jovan Do in search for Karadzic Radislav Karadzic: Radovan will not surrender
| Vecernje novosti pg 4, announced on cover ‘They encountered only spies’ by C. Prelevic and Lj. Bozanovic – reports a number of foreign journalists had visited Jovan Do upon the information media had published that Radovan Karadzic was hiding in the vicinity. However, the article reads all they could see were Montenegrin secret police agents under cover that were following them 24 hours a day. The article also carries a statement of Radovan’s brother Radislav Karadzic (note: it is not clear whether this person is Radovan’s brother or a cousin) who said there are no negotiations or contacts with Radovan. He also said he believes Radovan would not surrender and there is no chance he might be arrested. |
| Mile Blagojevic: Karadzic’s associates were dealing with crime
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘Karadzic’s associates were dealing with crime’ by Z. Kusmuk – in a page long interview to NN, one of former commanders of Serb Voluntary Guard (SDG) Mile Blagojevic from Bijeljina talked about events that have occurred during the war and denied claims SDG had participated in robbery of civilians. He says some criminal circles, member of which was former Deputy RS Police Minister Tomislav Kovac, are trying to “clean” their biography by blaming Ratko Mladic and SDG. He mentions Momcilo Mandic as another member of such criminal circles and says they had been close associates of then RS President Radovan Karadzic. He lists a number of lootings Kovac and Mandic had committed during the war and claims former F BiH Police Minister Alija Delimustafic was buying cigarettes from Mandic during the war to sell it in F BiH in higher price. |
| SCG’s Ljajic says IC to continue pressing on Croatia, BiH, SCG to fulfill the remaining obligations towards ICTY
| RHB, BHT, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Strong pressure on Croatia, SCG, BiH over cooperation with The Hague’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3, Dnevni List pg 22 ‘Extremely strong pressure against Croatia, BiH and Serbia and Montenegro’ not signed – Serbia-Montenegro Minister for Human and Minority Rights Rasim Ljajic said that Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro and BiH will be under strong pressure until the end of the year to fulfill remaining obligations towards the Hague Tribunal. Ljajic added that the pressure would probably be focused on Radovan Karadzic’s apprehension, because International Community wants to solve one of the major Hague cases before the 10th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement in November. SCG Minister also believes that Karadzic’s wife Ljiljana Zelen-Karadzic’s recent appeal will have no effect on her husband’s behavior/decisions. |
| Kravice case: Appeals by five indictees rejected
| RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘The five indictees remain in custody’, Dnevni Avaz pg 12, Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Complaint of 5 suspects for massacre in warehouse Kravice rejected’ by NINA – The Court of BiH’s Appeal Council rejected the appeals by five persons suspected of participating in the massacre of Bosniaks in the warehouse of the farming cooperative in Kravica in July 1995. For the other four suspects, Appeal Council annulled the initial decision, and sent back their case to the first instance court for a new decision to be made, said the Court of BiH press release. All the appeals were submitted against the decision made by the first instance Council of the War Crimes Chamber, which extended the detention of those nine persons for two months. |
| BiH Interpol Director Pecanac says they did not receive any list of war crime suspects
| Pink, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘BiH Interpol did not get list of war crime suspects from Croatia’, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘A list of war crimes suspects was not received from Croatia’ by Srna – Director of BiH Interpol Brane Pecanac stated that BiH Interpol hasn’t received any list from Croatian authorities, with names of Serbs who are wanted by Croatian authorities for war crimes. |
| Indicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Lukic arrested in Argentina
| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Milan Lukic arrested’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, Vecernje Novosti cover pg ‘Milan Lukic was arrested’ by Beta, AFP – Indicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Milan Lukic was arrested in Buenos Aires Monday at the request of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, an Interpol source told AFP. The information was confirmed by RS Ministry of Interior. Lukic was being held in a |
|
| Economic/Social Issues |
| In case that Covic does not remove Doko BiH farmers will block HDZ headquarters
| Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Blockade of HDZ headquarters announced’ and pgs 4 and 5 ‘Framers announce blockade of HDZ headquarters’ by N. Bise – The BiH Association of Farmers has demanded from the HDZ President, Dragan Covic, a removal of the BiH Minister of Trade and Economic Relations, Dragan Doko, blaming Doko for taking a side of import lobbies. Also, in case that Covic does not remove Doko, the farmers announce a protest rally that would take place in front of the HDZ headquarters in Mostar on August 15. |
| Reactions following selection of “Grafotisak” as company for printing tax stamps
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 6 ‘Appraisal outside profession’ by D.Vrhovac-Mihajlovic – Dane Brankovic, RS permanent court expert for protected documents, Monday evaluated the work of the technical commission, which visited and appraised three printing companies in BiH (actually bidders for printing of tax stamps for cigarettes and control stamps for alcohol and wine) saying that assessment “Grafotisak” from Grude is the only printing company that fully meets conditions was arbitrary, accusing the Technical Commission of being inexpert and of incomplete composition. As far as professional and organisational omissions of the ITA are concerned on this issue, he referred to the fact that no adequate graphics-related profession was involved neither consulted on preparation of tender documentation. |
|
| Miscellaneous |
| UNDP integrated de-mining program implementation started
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 8, mentioned on cover ‘BiH should be cleared of mines by 2010’, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘BiH is dangerous country because of big areas covered with mines’ by NINA – In the area of BiH, there are 1.300.000 mines, while over 4.5 % BIH territory is said to be dangerous, said on Monday in Vogosca BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Safet Halilovic. Holland Government has allocated 300.000 $ to the de-mining program in BiH. On the occasion of the beginning of 2005 de-mining operation within UNDP integrated program for anti-mine actions, Halilovic said that BiH was half way to getting its territory de-mined by 2010. “It is very important for BiH authorities to become aware that solving the issue of mines is of crucial importance for BiH’s development”, said Halilovic. Halilovic also thanked all those who supported and contributed the project. De-mining project has started in the village the |
|
| Dnevni Avaz, pg 12 ‘Dragan Covic trials getting postponed’, by A. M. – The President of BiH Court, Meddzida Kreso, confirmed for Avaz that judge Paul Garlic has resigned from the BiH Court. Kreso notes that Garlic resigned due to reasons of personal nature. She also notes that the ‘Covic and others’ case, which presided by Garlic and was scheduled to start on September 1, will have to be postponed because a new judge will have to familiarize with the case. Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Judge Paul Garlic resigned’, Dnevni List pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Beginning of trial against Covic to be postponed’ by E. Mackic, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Trial in “Lijanovici” case will be postponed’ by Srna also covered the issue. DL says that according to unofficial information the main reason for departure of some international prosecutors, including Garlic is the fact that some serious war crimes cases have not been transferred from the ICTY to the |
| NN: More powers to be vested in police, SIPA and SBS
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Police, SIPA and SBS to get more powers’, announced on cover ‘More powers to police, SIPA and SBS’ by M.Cubro – NN collocutor from BiH Security Ministry confirms that more powers (in relation with more repressive fight against terrorism and organised crime) will be vested in the BiH security agencies, namely police, SIPA and SBS. The preparation of these laws and bylaws represents a part of process related to creation of the national strategy for the fight against terrorism. Dragan Mektic, BiH Deputy Security Minister, stressed: “Driven by global and permanent terrorist threats, we have commenced with preparation of the strategy for the fight against terrorism. This strategy will – in detail – work out what needs to be done by certain security agency and at certain threat level.” |