The District Court in Bijeljina convicted Nedzad Hasic and Ahmo Hrbas to 20 years imprisonment, Behidin Husic to 11, and formerly released, presently in absence, Samir Abdic to 10 years. Lawyers of convicted Srebrenica citizens said that the trial was fixed and that there was no evidence for conviction. The convicted Srebrenica citizens announced hunger strike starting tomorrow. The OHR condemned the sentences for Srebrenica citizens and announced urgent action against the sentences. Presidency member Izetbegovic’s advisor Jerkovic held a press conference and condemned the RS Court for making such decision, saying that the court has succumbed to the political pressure and that the sentence was political. Jerkovic also said that the International Community is expected to condemn this farce and to enable release of innocent imprisoned Bosniaks.
3:00
At the Madrid conference, the priorities will be returns and minority returns, Izetbegovic’s advisor Hajric said. Hajric added that financial aid of the International Community will be in direct relation with returns. According to Hajric, the three key cities for return are Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar. BiH Presidency President Radisic said that the RS delegation will insist on individuality of the entity and affirmation of local authorities, as well as issues of donors for the RS, and returns.
2:00
The International Crisis Group said that the Madrid conference will not make key decisions. ICG Head, Bennett said foreigners will keep making decisions, since political system in BiH is not functioning. Bennett also said that privatisation might bring more problems than benefits, for the financial system is not established.
1:30
RTV BiH made a story of Doboj, regarding the situation in this town. RTV BiH reporter from Doboj met with police officers from this town, and a police patrol, which is controlling the bridge over the Usora River. The reporter and the policemen said that the traffic over the bridge is five times better since the duty was taken from the SFOR. Conclusion – nothing is as it was before (meaning that things changed to better).
2:30
RTV BiH made interviews with citizens of Gornji Vakuf, and carried out a survey, asking citizens whether they think Gornji Vakuf is a divided town, since there are two education systems, and the telephone area code for Croat part of GV has Mostar prefix. Many of them answered positively, but said that the problem is not in the people but in the politicians. All interviewees agreed that there are no differences between Bosniaks and Croats from Gornji Vakuf, but that they are not visiting the “other” part of the town. (One of interviewees said he did not want to speak, for some people were protesting when he spoke for TV before and said BiH has to be divided for “it’s not working this way.”) RTV BiH also interviewed Croat municipal officials who said that they would not want to build the Berlin Wall in Gornji Vakuf.
2:00