Scheduled BiH Presidency session was not held in Lukavica due to absence of BiH President Izetbegovic and Presidency member Krajisnik. Zubak’s representative Raguz said this was a coincidence, and that it should not be anything serious. Another reason for canceling the session was that BiH flag was not displayed on the building where the meetings of the BiH institutions are being held. The relevant authorities of the Serb protocol said they did not have one, although OHR representative assured that two BiH flags were delivered to Lukavica few days ago.
2:00
Municipality Council was established in Usora. It finally happened. Usora Municipality finally exists. Both houses of the Federation Parliament recently adopted the Law on New Municipalities, after HR deputy Schumacher’s arbitration. The Law became legislative after yesterday’s publishing in BiH Official Gazette. Anto Bonic was elected for the President of the Municipality Council.
2:00
Serbian police in Kosovo forced the burial of Albanians killed in recent clashes in this province, although the autopsy was asked to be conducted by an independent commission. Relatives of killed Albanians exhumed 53 bodies among which there was 12 children and 14 women, in order to re-bury them upon religious customs. Kosovo Albanians leader, Rugova expressed his readiness for dialogue with Belgrade, but refused any solution that does not guarantee Kosovo independence. Answering journalists’ question what are the considerations about the new proposal for dialogue from Belgrade, Rugova said such proposal did not arrive to the address of the Kosovo state factors. Serbian Minister for information, Milentijevic stated that Serbian – Kosovo dialogues must be in accordance with the Serbian Constitution. International Red Cross staff withdrawn from Kosovo to Belgrade after five anonymous threats of death.
5:00
Zenica Doboj Canton Government officially declared “Open Canton” for the refugee return project, with the presence of international organizations representatives. Canton Government also unanimously supported the Refugee Return Project to this canton in 1998. This document covers the return of about 50.000 persons to the canton, as well as reconstruction of 13.000 housing facilities and infrastructure.
2:00
Tuzla/Podrinje Canton defined priorities for the next year, among which are assuring of even better conditions of work in health security and education, equipment of Canton Police, and better veterans/disables protection. Canton representatives also supported program for refugee return in this year, which covers return of about 30.000 refugees from abroad. The representatives also emphasized that the return must be in both ways, in regard with the return to the RS. The Canton Parliament also appealed on Brcko Arbiters to bring a rightful decision on Brcko, not letting the town go to the RS, because it is known who committed the genocide.
2:00
Federation President Ganic met with the German FA Minister Kinkel in his visit to Germany. The main subject of the discussion was the Brcko arbitration. NATO Secretary General Solana and General Clark will visit Brcko tomorrow in order to take insight in the DPA implementation.
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Sipovo relevant authorities representatives visited Bugojno today. The discussion considered exchange of information about the current situation in two municipalities and matters of two ways return to these municipalities. The necessity was stressed to make joint programs for return.
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Malaysian Ambassador visited Una/Sana Canton today. His Excellence discussed the effects of cooperation between the two countries with the local authorities. Satisfaction was expressed about obvious global progress in this canton, as well as with normalization of life and work.
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HR deputy Klein and European Commission Head, Chiarini visited Sokolac and Rogatica today. Klein and Chiarini initially visited Sokolac Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, and held conversations with hospital representatives and local authorities. As said by Ambassador Klein, the aim of the IC was that, in addition to establishment of the new RS Government, the RS should finally receive one third of the financial aid for BiH reconstruction. Klein said that with the new Government, these revenues have finally been released hence the RS citizens finally received their salaries and pensions. The key subjects of today’s talks in Sokolac was economic revitalization of the RS and refugee return. Klein and Chiarini also visited Secondary school in Rogatica, and discussed the matters of unemployment, lack of infrastructures and war destruction in the municipality.
3:00
Federal Prime Minister Bicakcic addressed a letter to the Commission for Investigating the Usage of Donations, appealing on the Commission to make a public statement with no delay, and to tell the people what is the truth about the international donations and what the Commission was stating about this in Great Britain. Bicakcic letter reads that British press re-started the campaign against the relevant BiH authorities because of alleged improper usage of donations. “The London Times” states the Commission as the source of information. The letter also reads that ambiguous and unclear statements drives the people crazy, and BiH is affected with irreparable moral and material damage.
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