| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Toby Robinson’s interview | Law on intelligence | Tobacco producers protest | RS Budget |
| Blockade at Doljani | Blockade at Doljani | Ex-soldiers of HVO protest | RS/IMF talks |
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| Eronet | Eronet | Law on intelligence |
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| New attack in Iraq |
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| Oslobodjenje | The biggest BiH’s failure is a lack of cooperation with The Hague |
| Dnevni Avaz | Saddam to be tried in Baghdad? |
| Dnevni List | If necessary, we will be on streets on Christmas; FBiH Government’s 44th session: Issue of Aluminij to be solved in Mostar; SDA, SDS and HDZ against Law on confiscation of illegally acquired property |
| Vecernji List | Assassination on Dragan Covic being prepared; HVO pensioners blocked border with Croatia; Saddam Hussein to be executed in July? |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Everyone is chasing us away, and we hardly live; Whole Mostar one constituency |
| Glas Srpske | Serb returns to Sarajevo: Key of a burnt house |
| Nezavisne Novine | Blockade of border crossing Doljani near Metkovic: Former members of HVO demand disability pension; Republika Srpska Government: Budget for 2004 amounts to BAM 1.8 billion; Investigation into issuance of falsified visas through BiH Foreign Ministry: Falsified visas investigated by Austrian Embassy; BiH export: Goods from BiH does not meet European standards |
| Blic | Power of petroleum lobby in BiH; RS: Children of fallen soldiers are loosing the right to disability allowance; They had sued RSTS to get reinstated to their jobs |
Economic/social issues, protests | |
| Blockade of Doljani border crossing by former HVO members
| Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Blockade of all border crossings as of Thursday’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Border blocked for two hours’, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg. 2 ‘Former members of HVO demand disability pension’ – Former members of HVO on Monday blocked the border in Doljani, near Metkovic (BiH/Croatia) for two hours, protesting the unresolved status of 721 defenders. Ivan Jurcevic, vice-president of Headquarters for the protection of the rights of the retired HVO members stated that the blockades would be raised again tomorrow for two hours. If the problems are not solved by Thursday other border crossings will be blocked as well. Protestors met with the Federation President Niko Lozancic and with the Croatian Ambassador in Bosnia and Herzegovina Josip Vrbosic and they have promised to help resolution of the issue. Dnevni List (front page & p 4, “If necessary, we will be on streets on Christmas”, by V. Kljajic) carries Pero Blazevic, the President of the HQ of Retired HVO members, that their yesterday’s blockade of Doljani border crossing was a warning as the promise by FBiH Government to pay the pensioners 80% of average salary in FBiH until final solution is reached has not been respected for 8 months now. Each next day, the protest will last for 2 more hours and other border crossings will be blocked in case FBiH Government does not pass conclusions pertaining to resolving HVO pensioners’ issue. Vecernji List (front page “HVO pensioners blocked border with Croatia” & p 14, “HVO pensioners will block roads until Christmas”, by Z. Jurilj & Z. Grizelj), Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 15 “Everyone is chasing us away, and we hardly live”, by Darko Juka), Blic p 12 ‘Doljani and Orasje border crossings blocked’ also cover the issue. |
| Blockade of Orasje border crossing by tobacco producers | Croat Radio Herceg Bosna, FTV, Dnevni List p 11, “Producers demand payment of premium amounting to 450.000 KMs”, Dnevni Avaz pg. 12 , Blic p 12 ‘Doljani and Orasje border crossings blocked’ – Tobacco producers on Monday blocked the border crossing in Orasje for two hours. The reason is 450.000 KM of unpaid premium for 2002 while the complete amount of premium for 2003 was not in this year’s budget at all. Djuro Kopic, President of the Tobacco producers association claims that protests will be held again on Tuesday at the same time and will continue on Wednesday if their requests for payment of the premiums is not fulfilled. |
| Eronet issue | BHTV, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Usage of starting number 8 disputable’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 11 ‘Even a price of 21 million KM would be too high’ – The third GSM license has not been issued yet and Eronet users face problems with getting permit to use their phone numbers starting with “8”. Management of Eronet announced they would press charges against both BH Telecom and CRA. CRA did not issue permission for Eronet to use those numbers and BH telecom denied access to its network for those numbers. CRA spokesperson Amela Odobasic: “We do not want to comment on such allegations and announcements of possible charges against CRA. We are just performing our job in accordance to the laws and regulations.” CoM is supposed to discuss a price for the third GSM license on Friday and some people say it may reach 500 million KM. Director of Eronet Bozo Knezevic commented: “Even 21 million KM is too much according to the real market value”. If license is not issued till December 31 then CRA will start to close down Eronet. |
| RS Government adopts draft 2004 Budget | RTRS, Nezavisne Novine cover and pg. 2, ‘Budget for 2004 amounts to KM 1.8 billion’ – RS Government determined the draft budget for next year in the amount of 1.088.300.000 KM, which is 9% higher then this year. The increase of domestic income for 11% is planned and decrease of foreign aid for 35% and international loans for 32% is planned in order for RS to finance itself from its own means next year. The severance pays are planned for the members of the RS Army and Ministry of Interior in the next year. Budget item for agriculture is almost 88% higher then this year. |
| BiH economists on BiH products at EU market | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Goods from BiH does not meet European standards’ – Economic analysts from BiH claim that the percentage of export from BiH to European states has been stagnant for years now. They are also of the view that BiH products do not satisfy standards of the European market. They also stress that there are no institutions, that would be in charge of issuing certificates on appropriate standards. Damir Miljevic, economist from Republika Srpska and President of the Republika Srpska Association of Employers, agrees with above stances. |
| SNSD on ITA
| Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Economy devastated’ – Nikola Spiric, the Chairperson of the BIH House of Representatives, stated that the adoption of the Law on indirect taxation marks the fall of Republika Srpska in economic sense. He also objected against the amendment of this Law, according to which the BiH citizen cannot be the head of ITA Office. |
| RS/IMF talks
| RTRS, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Raise is appropriate’ – Cedo Volas, President of the Republika Srpska Syndicate Union, on Monday stated that by having raised the pays for 20% and pensions for 6%, the Republika Srpska Government has not violated stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund. After the meeting with Peter Doyle, Head of IMF in BiH, Volas stressed that Government actually wanted to stabilise the budget. Doyle told the press that the talks on increase of minimum labour wage from KM 68 to 82 are still ongoing. |
| BiH and RS before the start of FTAs implementation | Blic p 13 ‘Unprepared for market race’ – The Executive Director of the RS Chamber of Commerce, Dragica Ristic, yesterday assessed that BiH and RS economies were not prepared yet for the market competition that will start on January 1, 2004, when duty-free regime with the neighbouring countries (implementation of the free trade agreements) will start. She warned that BiH economy was not capable of carrying market fight with EU stated and neighbouring stated that have higher level of technology than BiH. RS intends to promote economic capabilities of RS more intensively at the beginning of the next year. The first step, as Dragica Ristic said yesterday, will be the presentation of CD named ‘RS-your business partner’, which will be presented at the Chamber of Commerce today. |
| DL: SDP on domestic agriculture protection | Dnevni List (p 5, “Extraordinary session over border crossings blockades”, not signed) carries SDPBiH press release signed by Zlatko Lagumdzija saying that Lagumdzija has sent a request to Nikola Spiric, Speaker of the BiH Parliament’s House of Representative, to convoke a special session of the House that would be dedicated to protection of domestic agriculture and production. Lagumdzija finds farmers protests are justified due to lack of domestic production protection and believes that the Council of Ministers and the Coordination Board for Economic Development and European Integration should urgently come out with Action Plan for domestic production protection. |
| RS Law on Rights of Soldiers, Invalids of War and Families of Killed Soldiers | Blic p 12 ‘Necessity changes the Law’ – Judging in accordance with the announced changes to the Law on Rights of Soldiers, Invalids of War and Families of Killed Soldiers, children from soldiers’ families in RS could find themselves in even more difficult situation. A work group of the Government suggested that children up to 15 years of age, i.e. up to 25 years of age if they are attending regular studies, should have the right to disability allowance. As in accordance with the existing law, children up to 18, i.e. 27 years of age, have the right to the disability allowance. The Draft Law on Changes on the Law on Rights of Soldiers, Invalids of War and Families of Killed Soldiers should enter the Assembly procedure at the beginning of the next year. The member of the work group and Secretary of the RS Veterans’ Association, Milorad Kalamanda, has explained that the changes have been conditioned by pressure of international factors. “The changes we had foreseen are not the result of caprice, but are the result of necessity. We had had to make certain concessions to the World Bank and IMF”, Kalamanda has stated. He pointed out that should the changes be adopted, the disability allowance would increase for 30%. |
| FBiH Government on electricity for “Aluminij” | Dnevni List (front and page 3 “Issue of Aluminij to be solved in Mostar”, by Miso Relota) – the Government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at a session held yesterday, failed to reach a decision on price of electricity for the “Aluminij” Company of Mostar. The FBiH Government has tasked the Elektroprivreda of BiH (EP BiH) to present the contract it (EP BiH) struck with the Energy Financing Team (EFT), and the EP BiH’s plans about export of surplus electricity. DL notes that the FBiH Government will tackle the issue of electricity for “Aluminij” at its tomorrow’s session in Mostar. |
| Law on Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property | Dnevni List (front & p 7, “SDA, SDA and HDZ against Law on Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property”, by Ivica Glibusic) reports that yesterday’s session of BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives’ Constitutional-Legal Commission, dedicated to the proposed Law on setting-up the Agency for ensuring forcible confiscation of illegally acquired property and managing that property, failed. Six out of normally 9 Commission members attended: 4 out of those 6 voted against the proposed Law (SDA, SDS, HDZ), while the proposal was supported by the SBiH and SPRS. The Commission rejected the proposed Law as it found it to be unnecessary as the existing constitutional and legal mechanisms already have capacities the Agency is supposed to have. The Commission is to deliver its opinion to the House of Representative which is to decide on whether to send the Law for adoption procedure. |
| DL on Business and Investment Summit | Dnevni List (front & p 3, “Terzic: Authority to blame for investment obstacles”, Renata Radic) reports that, at the Business and Investment Summit held in Sarajevo yesterday in the organization of Foreign Investments Promotion Agency (FIPA), Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, stated it was domestic authorities at all levels that were to blame for impediments between BiH and foreign investors. Yet, he pointed that the Bulldozer Commission was working in its full capacity, that BiH made good use of international assistance, that BiH Feasibility Study got positive assessment, that BiH became economically stable and was to join World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2004. He underlined the need for strengthening of private sector and increase of competitiveness. Mirza Hajric, the FIPA Director, said he expected the real inflow of foreign capital to BiH in 2 years’ time as privatization of telecommunications and power supply sectors was to be resolved by then. Sarajevo media also covered the issue. |
Intelligence/security affairs | |
| CoM could not agree on intelligence law
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Draft law on intelligence not adopted’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 – The BiH Council of Ministers has not submitted the draft BiH Law on Intelligence to the BiH parliament despite a deadline which expired on Monday. Committee on internal affairs of the Council could not agree on this draft. The discussion on the issue was postponed for Friday despite the deadline. OHR spokesman Oleg Milisic commented: “We are still gathering information and considering the issuer and we will probably have a comment on Tuesday”. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Law blocked by opposed views of entities’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Makeup session on Friday’ – BiH Council of Ministers yesterday failed to adopt the draft law on intelligence and security agency, which broke deadline set by OHR and PIC. The Chairperson of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, said that Ministers did not discuss nor they passed the Law, because the stances taken by officials of Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are completely opposed. He expressed disbelief that they would harmonise their views and called on the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, to impose the Law. According to GS, Jusuf Kumalic, BiH Deputy Minister of Finance, yesterday told the press that the Draft Law on Intelligence Agency would be included into agenda of Friday’s session of the BiH CoM. |
| Ivanic on intelligence services reform, other issues | RTRS, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Law without agreement’, Blic p 13 ‘Ivanic: There are no conditions for the adoption of the Law’ – Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Minister, expressed his view that the Law on intelligence and security agency cannot be adopted as yet, because no agreement was reached on this, nor have Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina transferred authorities over this issue onto BiH level. He marked the year of 2003 as the year of extreme importance in the field of BiH diplomacy. He also stressed that the application for the BiH membership into Partnership for Peace would formally be filed by the end of February. |
| VL on threats to Dragan Covic | Vecernji List (front page “Assassination on Dragan Covic being prepared” & p 3, “Secret Services discovered attempt on Covic’s life”, by Zoran Kresic) reports that, although the BiH Presidency Chairman, Dragan Covic, has confirmed that he was recently informed on some threats but refused to give details, VL finds out that foreign secret services informed Covic of threats of attempt on his life coming from Islamic radical circles in BiH. The assassination is allegedly planned for Christmas and New Year’s time. Covic has forwarded information to BiH institutions and VL finds out security measures in BiH Presidency have been reinforced. Covic has stated for VL the threats cannot possibly discourage him but says there are indications that point out that we all must take care of safety of the region we live in. |
| Update to illegal issuance of visas | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Austrian Embassy also investigates falsified visas’ – Austrian Embassy to BiH yesterday confirmed that it has not still received an information back from the BiH Foreign Ministry, regarding the status of one of its employees, Goran Tomic, suspected of having issued false shengen visas to some officials of Republika Srpska Government and Parliament. However, Mladen Ivanic, BiH Foreign Ministry, yesterday denied these claims by saying that he informed the Austrian Embassy that Tomic will be performing his duties as long as investigation is ongoing and proved guilty. According to NN inset, Ivanic yesterday welcomed the arrest of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. |
| Return-related security | Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Key of a burnt house’ – The Serb family of Novakovic from Nedzarici in Sarajevo was about to return to their house in this Sarajevo settlement. However, somebody set their house fire a day before they were about to get the keys of their house back. A few more Serb families in the Sarajevo area have faced with same destiny. |
| Siemens denies delivery of wire-tapping equipment | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 7, ‘Siemens did not deliver wire-tapping equipment to Telekom’ – The Austrian firm “Siemens” yesterday sent a letter of denial to Nezavisne Novine, reacting on its article published on 1 December. The NN article, re-reported from Sarajevo papers Slobodna Bosna said that SFOR identified main tapping check-point in Republika Srpska, which refers to Siemens as supplier of this equipment. Siemens denied claims from report. |
Political developments | |
| US Ambassador says cooperation with the ICTY most important for accession to Euro-Atlantic institutions
| FTV, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 5 ‘The biggest BiH’s failure is a lack of cooperation with The Hague’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, mentioned on the front page ‘US decisive to ensure BiH’s accession to PfP’, ONASA – US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond said on Monday that the US was determined to ensure a successful implementation of defense reform in BiH and its joining the Partnership for Peace program, which will significantly contribute to the stability of BiH and the entire region. During a public debate on the “US Policy, Global Security and Bosnia’s Future”, held in Sarajevo, Bond said BiH has achieved a significant progress following the Dayton agreement, but was still facing a lot of difficulties ahead. Those include the adoption of laws on the Public Broadcasting Service, the Intelligence Agency and the Indirect Taxation Administration. According to the US Ambassador, the Defense Law must be implemented in time, which must begin by the appointment of a state-level defense minister, while the state intelligence agency cannot be a body which will be created by a mere merger of intelligence services of the Entities. Bond also noted a “complete failure of Republika Srpska” to arrest war crimes suspects Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, with cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia remaining a prerequisite for the accession to the Partnership for Peace. “The fact that ICTY indictees are still at large represents an obstacle to Bosnia’s joining European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, and the US remains committed to assist in their arrest,” Bond said. The debate was organized by the Strategic Studies Center of the Bosnia International Forum, as a contribution to a better understanding of Bosnia’s state and society’s geopolitical and geo-strategic position. |
| WB’s Reinerman says Dayton structure must be changed | Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Dayton structure must be changed’ – “The Dayton Agreement created a structure of government, that secured building and preservation of the peace. Now when BiH is moving towards the European Union, the time has come for that structure to be changed and there is a certain agreement amongst politicians on this,” Head of the World Bank Office in BiH Dirk Reinerman told the newspaper. |
| Mostar restructuring | Slobodna Dalmacija (front and page 16, “Whole Mostar one constituency”, by Zoran Zekic) – carries a member of the Mostar Commission, Josip Merdzo (HDZ), as commenting on the work of the Mostar Commission and results it achieved. Reiterating that a consensus has been reached on a series of issues such as that there will be no more office of Deputy Mayor of Mostar and that there will be one city budget into which all the revenues go, Merdzo says there should be more discussions about the issue of elections and composition of the Mostar City Council. In that context, Merdzo says it is the HDZ BiH’s position that any solution (pertaining to elections) must be a constitutional norm which would be applied on all units of local self-government that are in the same position like Mostar. He further stresses that if Mostar were to be organized as one unit of local self-government, in that case it has to be one constituency, thus rejecting speculations on organization of Mostar as one unit of local self-government with six constituencies in it. Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Ashdown to announce his decision on Mostar tomorrow?’ By F. Vele – The Chairman of the Mostar Commission, Norbert Winterstein, on Monday submitted a report on the body’s two-month work to High Representative Paddy Ashdown, according to OHR Spokesman Mario Brkic. Brkic added that Ashdown would comment on the report following a proper analysis of the document and probably on Wednesday. Dnevni List (p 6, “To call referendum in Herzegovinian municipalities”, not signed) and Slobodna Dalmacija (p 19, “Mostar should be cantonal capital”, by Fena) carry the press release by United Croat Party of Rights (UHSP) that reads that, “in light of the fact that the Mostar Commission failed to find a formula for Mostar unification that would suit all Mostar citizens”, the party suggests organizing of referendum in Croat-majority Municipalities in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton so that the voice of Croats on the issue be heard. The suggested referendum question is: “Would you like to be included in the West Herzegovina Canton system with Mostar as its seat?” |
| DL: HSP’s open letter to Ashdown on difficult position of Croats
| Dnevni List (p 6, “Political genocide is being carried out over Croats”, by De. L.) carries that, in its open letter to the High Representative Paddy Ashdown, Croat Party of Rights (HSP) warns the HR of the difficult position of BiH Croats and unjust attitude of the IC towards them: “Never before the 21st century have Croats been deprived of their name and right to survival – through political genocide, which is nowadays being systematically done by the IC which allegedly promotes alleged supreme law on human rights and democracy. Erasing the sign of Croat survival on their native land has no precedent in history”. HSP also alleges that in many international institutions Muslims-Bosniaks are employed who influence IC factors’ decisions and there are no Croats in the IC organizations. (N.B. Although it is not explicitly mentioned, the letter obviously refers to CRA decision on erasing ethnic prefix in public media.) |
| SDS on defense reform in RS | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘Defence and Army according to reforms’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Army preserved’ – AT yesterday’s press conference in Banjaluka, Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, said that the SDS MP’s at Republika Srpska Parliament supported the Laws on Defence and Republika Srpska Army, because it represents a framework for the implementation of reforms within the field of defence in Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is of the view that the SNSD complained against laws in order to “create a political capital with the claim that only the poor, not the rich, would have to comply with these reforms and adoption of the amendments to the Republika Srpska Constitution”. He also announced that at the meeting on 18 December in Bijeljina, SDS would make a proposal to leadership of the Democratic Party of Serbia that Serbs from Republika Srpska and BiH should take part in parliamentary elections in Serbia. |
| Minister Ivanic on visit to Israel, Palestine | Vecernji List (page 2 “Meeting with Arafat unnecessary”, by Dejan Jazvic) – reports that the BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, yesterday accused “some” BiH politicians of creating affair out of his planned visit to Israel and Palestine. In this context, VL says that although Ivanic did not mention names, he obviously referred to the Bosniak member of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, who stated that the visit to Israel and Palestine should not be realized if Israel were to stick to their decision to ban Ivanic from meeting the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Ivanic notes that the invitation to visit Israel came from Israel, and that he insisted that meetings with Palestinian officials be included too. “That was our condition. Israeli side accepted that I meet the Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Since a meeting with the Head of State was not planned in Israel, I thought there was no need to meet Arafat as the Palestinian President”, says Ivanic. Dnevni Avaz also reported on the different opinions of Ivanic and Tihic regarding the possible meeting Arafat. |
Judiciary, police related issues | |
| OHR, HJPCs, EUPM respond to SDA accusations
| Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front page ‘It is irresponsible to talks about the discrimination of Bosniaks in judiciary, police’ By Antonio Prlenda – The international organisations observing/supervising the process of the appointments in judiciary and police have denied SDA allegations on the alleged unequal position of Bosniaks in judicial and police institutions describing them as premature and non-serious. On Sunday the SDA requested OHR, HJPCs and EUPM to present concrete data on the representation of Bosniaks in these institutions at the state and entity’s levels. “The process of annulment of the war effects and establishment of an independent and professional police and judiciary is a complex process and it has still not completed. Once when it has been completed, these services will fully reflect legal regulations on the equal constituent status of the peoples,” said OHR. HJPCs Spokesperson Sanela Tunovic said it was premature to talk about any alleged discrimination of Bosniaks since the process of the appointments in judiciary was still underway. EUPM Spokesman Jon Oscar Solnes said the EUP just observes/monitors the process of the appointments in police being conducted by independent boards but that the Mission was fully aware of a limited participation of non-Serb nationalities in the RS police. Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘It is necessary to ensure that police and judiciary are finally liberated from political control’ carries Chief OHR Spokesman Julian Braithwaite and EUPM Solnes’ respective statements on the issue. Dnevni List p 7, “State services need to be freed from political control” also carried the OHR statement on the issue. |
| Oslobodjenje’s Dizdarevic says claims on Bosniak discrimination ill-intentioned | Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Weeping over Bosniaks’ Op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – “Complaints by SDA, Head of the BiH Islamic Community and Dnevni Avaz” on alleged discrimination of Bosniaks in judiciary and police represents an ill-intentioned manipulation stimulating the inter-ethnic confrontation and a all against all war,” said Dizdarevic. |
| Kukic on Dnevni Avaz’s campaign against Lagumdzija, HJPCs
| Dnevni List (page 6 “Fascism under disguise of media freedom”, by Dr. Slavo Kukic) – noting that there is, to a great extent, law and order in the electronic media, Kukic regrets to say that nationalists were forced to use whatever means possible to spread hatred and national intolerance – in this case the print media. Having said all that, Kukic says nobody matches “Dnevni Avaz” when it comes to media lynch and national-chauvinism, citing examples of attacks on Zlatko Lagumdzija and SDP, and recently the problems that “Dnevni Avaz” has with High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils because the Bosniaks are not allegedly represented enough in the judiciary. Kukic goes on to say that the very problem is not in Avaz but in political circles behind it. “Will Lord Ashdown finally see it? Are citizens of this country finally ready to recognize it – the Bosniaks in particular? Because this is about the stench coming from their backyard”, says Kukic. |
| Dzaferovic explains SDA’s claims on discrimination of Bosniaks | Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘We have noticed serious violations of the Constitution and the laws’ – Interview with Sefik Dzaferovic, the General Secretary of SDA, who among other things claims that standing for obey to the Constitution and the laws does not represent political pressure on judiciary, police. |
| SDU says discrimination of Bosniaks alarming, unacceptable | Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Inequality of Bosniaks alarming unacceptable’ – SDU BiH Vice-president Sejfudin Tokic said that the discrimination/inequality of Bosniaks in police, judiciary was alarming and unacceptable. |
| BiH Ombudsman says not respected by international, local institutions | Blic p 12 ‘Orton: Neither foreigners nor BiH authority respect me’ – BiH Ombudsman for Human Rights Frank Orton has stated that the local authority and International Community do not respect independence, objectivity and integrity of the Ombudsman. “I was very surprised with the fact that, although International Community representatives are constantly telling me that I should have integrity, independence and objectivity they, on the other hand, are applying pressure on me to direct me in which direction I should carry an investigation,” Orton has stated for the Jutarnje Novine Sarajevo daily. |
Media | |
| EC on PBS restructuring
| Nezavisne Novine pg. 4 ‘Broadcasters would get EURO 1.5 million’; Glas Srpske, pg. 5, ‘Laws look after the money’ – Frane Maroevic, Spokesperson of the European Commission to BiH, yesterday stated that the Task Force at the BiH Council of Ministers is working on the law on broadcasters. He said: “I see no reason why the donation of EURO 1.5 million is blocked.” The donation is to cover expenses for the purchase of equipment that would provide the coverage of the entire territory of BiH with the signal of PBS. According to Branko Dokic, BiH Minister of Traffic and Communication, the talks on PBS are still ongoing. |
| Sacked employees sue RTRS | Blic p 15 ‘By lawsuit to the right to work’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 13 – A preparatory hearing in the case of the lawsuit brought by five sacked employees of RTRS, Bijeljina office, was held yesterday at the Basic Court in Bijeljina. They, together with 15 other employees who had been proclaimed technical surplus, had received their dismissal notices on March 10 this year. They have brought the charges against RTRS because of non-existence of criteria for the proclamation of the technical surplus and the manner in which they had been dismissed from their jobs. The RS Assembly Decision, dated from March 4 this year, was also presented. By the Decision, the RS Assembly demanded from the RTRS Steering Board to ‘freeze’ the status of all employees until the adoption of the new law on public system of RTRS. The main hearing was scheduled for January 20, 2004. |