News Headlines
- BiH Women’s Basketball Team defeats Greek team
- Bridge over Una River opens creating another BiH-Croatia link and enabling returns
- WTO conference on meets with public’s disapproval
- OSCE election law proposal worse than temporary election rules – BiH House of Representatives
- ICTY to issue new public indictments – Deputy Chief Prosecutor Graham Blewitt
- No evidence of UN Dutch troops responsibility for crimes in Srebenica – Blewitt
- Mladen ‘Tuta’ Naletelic to undergo another operation in Zagreb
- Radoslav Brdjanin demands release from ICTY due to lack of evidence
- International legal expert Francis Boyle prepares charges against UN officials by Women’s Association of Srebrenica and Podrinje
- World news
- Silajdzic meets with Islamic development bank representatives confirming formation of Bosniak international bank with 100 million USD
- BiH Investment Bank building opened
- RS shows no progress in returns since Property Laws issued – Milbourn
- OHR announcement on what is required of BiH leadership
- Petritsch says dismissals made to remove obstructionists
- IC finds it easier to divide punishment into equal portions – Izetbegovic
- Kemal Brodlija replaces Head of Kakanj Municipality, rejects Barry and Petritsch reasons for his replacement
- Dismissal of 22 BiH officials greatest IC support to implementation of Annex 7 to date – SDP
- SDS protests undemocratic dismissal decision, one in series of imposed decisions intended to bypass entity procedures
- Warning of replacements would have been better if procedure established beforehand – Dragutin Illic, RS Socialist party Vice-president
- Dayton Constitution is obstacle to returns – BPS
- Dismissed officials should accept their responsibility – Head of Mostar OHR Gerhard Sontheim
- Permanent increase in oil prices on world force BiH merchants to also increase prices
- Exchange of ownership law legalizes ethnic picture created during aggression – SDA
- RS authority preventing returns – Banja Luka Bishop
- International human rights group holds forum in Sarajevo
- Hazim Vikalo trail continues in Tuzla
- 12 Sarajevo University medical doctors return from sponsored education in Cairo
- AIDS campaign in BiH marking world AIDS Awareness Day
- BiH caricaturist Hasan Fazlic’s exhibition
- Sports
- Weather
- Bicakcic meets with Chairman of Economic Forum ‘Crans Montagne’ Jean Paul Garderan
- Situation with Bug 2000 is not alarming in BiH – Council of Ministers Commission
- BiH Federation Government sends law on privatization of firms into parliamentary procedure
- HDZ BiH Election Headquarters content with voter registration
- HDZ BiH wants to regulate BiH Croats with its allegations against SDP BiH – SDP BiH Vice-president Gradimir Gojer
- Zubak meets with HSLS President Drazen Budisa in Zagreb
- Roundtable on criminal procedure in BiH takes place in Tuzla
- Many radio and TV stations in BiH might not meet conditions for new broadcast license – Dieter Lorain
- Orucevic meets with Orthodox Church delegation for talks on reconstruction of churches in Mostar
- Office of General Military Inspector in BiH delegation visits BiH Federation Army Headquarters for Training and Doctrine
- Posavski Canton Assembly discusses new cantonal coat of arms and flag
- Tuzla hospital performs four kidney transplants this week
News Summary
OSCE election law proposal worse than temporary election rules – BiH House of Representatives
The BiH House of Representatives discussed the OSCE and SDP draft election law. Delegates found many faults in Drago Ljubic’s draft, which was proposed by the OSCE working group. It is perceived as not affirming multi-ethnicity and in opposition to European human rights conventions and the BiH and entity Constitutions. Some consider it worse than the temporary election rules. Alternative Council of Ministers Chairman Sejfudin Tokic says that “no one has the right, especially IC representatives who are obligated to promote democracy, to introduce into BiH, or Europe, discrimination and segregation which are the very same principles that earned sanctions for the South African Republic. Delegates insist that the Law should not allow subjective explanations and manipulation of the rights of any people.” The explanations in Ambassador Barry’s letter were met with disapproval. This law does not change the Constitution but is not in accord with it since it does not allow for the possibility of everyone to be elected, which opposes human rights conventions, but, as noted in discussion, these points are not seen as important in the letter. The Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH said that the law is in accordance with the BiH Constitution. The Constitution is imperfect, but no amendment opposing it will be accepted. The SDP materials will be submitted to the parliamentary legal committee.
02:17
No proof of UN Dutch troops’ responsibility for crimes committed in Srebrenica – Blewitt
No proof exists of UN Dutch troops’ responsibility for crimes committed in Srebrenica, says ICTY Deputy Chief Prosecutor Graham Blewitt. Meanwhile, the Women’s Association of Srebrenica and Podrinje has announced that they will initiate a suit against UN officials, based on the UN report on the fall of Srebrenica. We have no interest in moral responsibility, but rather criminal responsibility, the Association said after studying the report. “After four years of searching, we demand the truth and not apologies” says Association President Zineta Mujkic.
02:20
RS shows no progress in returns since Property Law issued – OHR
The eviction of occupants of dual flats are a priority in resolving refugee problems in Southeast Bosnia, concluded the Reconstruction and Return working group session. Working group Chairmen and OHR representative Milbourn Lynn says there are 800 registered illegal occupants in Banja Luka and if property laws are implemented as intended, people would not end up on the street. Participants also concluded that, in addition to implementation of Property Laws, they must be harmonized with the Stability Pact, funds for minority returns must be secured and better cooperation with donors established. Milbourn said there is interest in cooperation in local authority, but there are so far no results. Since the Property Laws were issued on 27 October, there has been no progress despite repeated requests for two-way return.
01:28
Petritsch says dismissals made to remove obstructionists
High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch issued an announcement on what is required of BiH’s leaders. A new message of responsibility for building the future has been sent, Petritsch said, adding that there were no alternatives to replacing obstructionists. Officials that place personal, party or national interests before their professional obligation to serve the country and its citizens are a serious obstacle on the road to reconciliation, prosperity and relations with the European family, he said. “This country needs leaders that obey the law and implement Dayton. In cases where Ambassador Barry and myself were able to identify and prove concrete obstacles, we did our part of the job. Now it is up to you” Petritsch concluded.
00:51
IC finds it easier to divide punishment into equal portions – Izetbegovic
In response to Dnevni Avaz readers’ question about the latest IC actions, BiH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic said that “the decision has good and bad aspects. The majority are good. Known hard-liners that obstructed returns to the RS and West Mostar have been removed. I see the replacement of Bosniak personnel as a price to pay. BiH cannot function without this well-known pattern. The IC obviously lacks the courage to act within the truth, but does what comes easier and it is easier to divide punishment into equal portions, though in the long-term is does not resolve the problems. Only truth and justice can move things foreword. But, this decision is one (package) and as a whole we have to accept or decline it. I think we have no choice.”
00:54
Dayton Constitution is obstacle to returns – BPS
BPS has requested a correction to the TV BiH Tuesday news’ interpretation on the party’s unconditional support to the 22 dismissed officials, stating that the officials may be to blame, but the Daytonian Constitution itself is the main obstacle to returns. “The OHR and OSCE have not replaced Dayton’s adversaries but its most diligent implementers, the BPS stated.
00:27
Exchange of ownership law legalizes ethnic picture created during aggression – SDA
The SDA reacted to a statement given by RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik after a meeting with BiH Federation Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic, where Dodik said the proposal for the law on exchange of ownership rights will be sent to the BiH Council of Ministers. The SDA believes this law legalizes the ethic picture of BiH created during the aggression.
00:23
RS authority preventing returns – Banja Luka Bishop
Banja Luka Bishop Monsignor Franjo Komarica accuses the RS authorities of preventing the return of refugees, saying that among local officials there are people who participated in war crimes. Out of 220,000 refugees from the RS, so far only about 1,000 people have returned, says Komarica calling it a disgrace for politicians.
00:21