Over a hundred villagers from Gacice continued the blockade of the road (from Zenica) to Vitez, demanding that the Vitez Agreement be respected in full. No agreement was reached at a meeting in the OHR, which was attended by Federal, cantonal and municipal authorities. Alexandra Stiglmayer explained that this was due to failure of all Croat representatives that were invited, to attend the meeting. The discussions continue tonight and tomorrow. TV BiH carried a vox populi, with Gacice villagers asking for somebody from the Presidency and the Government to address them. Most refugees said that they only wanted to go home and that they favour concrete actions. A broader blockade was announced (of Travnik, Novi Travnik and Busovaca), unless the Vitez Agreement is respected. “Unfortunately, this is only a response to the inefficiency and inconsistency of those who, having signed the Vitez Agreement, have undertaken a responsibility to enable the return of each to their own…”, TV BiH commented.
3:00
Fighting in Kosovo continues. The front-line on the border with Macedonia opened. The number of refugees is on the rise. The Executive Committee for the Action in the Balkans called on the US and the NATO to exercise force against the Serbian forces, which have caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
3:10
The German Minister of Defence Volker Ruehe and the German government’s representative for the return and reconstruction in BiH, Dietmar Schlee, visited BiH today. The two denied media reports on the alleged mass expulsions of BH refugees from Germany, and promised that the return will continue according to plans. At a press conference, following their visits to Breza and SFOR base in Rajlovac, Schlee said that another BH 130,000 refugees still live in Germany, 25,000 having returned up to date. Schlee announced the opening of projects for the return of refugees to the RS.
1:35
USAID will invest US $ 5 million in the reconstruction of the heating system in Banja Luka, and US $ 900,000 in the reconstruction of the bridge in Dubica, at a border with Croatia.
0:50
Funeral service for nine victims from Prijedor region took place in Hambarine today, following the closure of this round of excavations which was carried out by the experts’ team.
1:10
The session of Travnik cantonal government was blocked for more than two hours, due to a peaceful gathering of the representatives of municipal organisations of the war invalids in front of the government’s building. They asked for the Ministry for Soldiers’ Protection to be founded within the cantonal government. Governor of the Central Bosnia Canton, Adnan Terzic, promised that the Ministry would be formed.
2:00
In the last two days, Tuzla hosted the Conference of the Victims of Mines. Mine victims from the Federation and the RS took part in it, together with the representatives of both entities’ ministries. This is how BH joins the campaign against the production of mines.
2:00
Instead of screening reports from the political parties’ press conferences, TV BiH today opened a series of pre-election “dialogue shows” and “election chronicles”. The first “dialogue show”, lasting for 90 minutes, with the parties’ representatives discussing the issue of the return of refugees. The pattern of election of parties was set by the OSCE. The show was also aired by Radio BiH and the TV BiH’s satellite programme. HSS, Republican Party, Bosnian Green and SDA participated in tonight’s show (with HSP and SPO RS failing to show up). Each party was given three minutes to present their views regarding the issue. Later on, the audience was given a chance to ask questions, to which the party representatives gave their answers.