12.03.2000

OHR BiH TV News Summary, 12 March 2000

image_pdfimage_print

News Headlines

  • After 5 months living in tents, 50 Bosniaks return to Kopaci, RS
  • No significant progress in return process – Schwartz-Schilling
  • Explosive device planted under business premises of Prnjavor returnee
  • Madeleine Albright on return process, foreign volunteers in BiH
  • Roundup of Kosovo news
  • Rubin and Hill arrive in Pristina
  • In the Vatican, the Pope prays for salvation for sins committed in the name of Catholicism
  • World news
  • BiH Independent Trade Union requests BiH Federation Government not to consider proposals to increase price of electricity and fuel
  • Circle 99 Independent Intellectuals hold session on gender equality and the relationship between war and love
  • Federation BiH House of Representatives session scheduled for Monday
  • Protest of Association of Sarajevo Canton Students scheduled for Monday in Sarajevo
  • Recently signed Dodik-Picula agreement on two-way return gives new hope to refugees in Bosanski Novi
  • Photo exhibition by Milutin Stojcevic
  • Sports
  • Weather
  • 140,000 BiH refugees in Tuzla entitled to free healthcare insurance coverage
  • Canton Hospital in Travnik starts with artificial hip-joint implants

News Summary

No significant progress in return process – Schwartz-Schilling

At the press conference held in Sarajevo, International BiH Mediator Christian Schwartz-Schilling openly expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. Schwartz-Schilling said that since Djordje Umicevic’s replacement in Banja Luka, the situation has significantly improvement even if the return process was still very unsubstantial. If property laws in RS are carried out in this tempo, it will take 126 years to fully implement the return process. Speaking of the Modrica Municipality, Schwartz-Schilling said that even if the security situation has improved, only 100 families have returned there so far. Nevertheless, Modrica is an example of progress, especially in comparison to Capljina where an office for return does not even exist. Speaking of the Mostar West Municipality, he said there was not a single case of eviction. Schwartz-Schilling added that a great encouragement are the positive changes in Croatia and their government’s decision to stop supporting parallel institutions in the BiH Federation and make the support they do give more transparent. All of this will bring change for BiH Croats because only if legal institutions function can their rights can be protected and safe future ensured, said Schwartz-Schilling.

02:50

Madeleine Albright on return process, foreign volunteers in BiH

The speedy return of displaced persons and refugees, and their security, was one of Madeleine Albright’s main requests in discussions with representatives of both BiH entities. According to Sense, Albright requested BiH Federation officials to remove all foreigners who were volunteers during the war in BiH. The authorities in Sarajevo partial fulfilled this obligation earlier, but afterward turned the village of Bocinja Donja, near Maglaj, into an enclave inhabited by approximately 100 Mujahedins. “Bosnia is not a crossroad for international terrorism, but we see that group as a threat” an unnamed official of the Clinton administration told the Washington Post in an interview.

00:44