The newscast yet again opened with the latest news on the Brcko arbitration Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, arrived to Vienna he is expected to testify before the Tribunal tomorrow. Serb member of the Presidency, Zivko Radisic, announced his arrival for tomorrow, too. President of Brcko Municipal Assembly, Mirsad Djapo, Izetbegovic’s Advisor Hajric and Munib Jusufovic, Head of the Federal part of the Brcko municipality, concluded their testimonies before the Tribunal today.
The report concluded with news on Federal opponents in the hearing, RS Premier Dodik’s and Parliament Speaker Djokic’s return from Vienna. At a press conference in Banja Luka, Dodik said that the district would only be a “quasi-solution” for Brcko. According to the RS Premier, RS is not ready to accept this idea -Djokic agreed with Dodik, and argued that the town should stay in RS. Djokic believes that if Brcko is awarded to RS, a durable peace in BH could be achieved.
4:00
Attempts at the resolution of the crisis in Kosovo – i.e. latest developments in the Rambouillet discussions featured second in the newscast.
2:00
Followed a report on the Co-Chairman of the CoM, Haris Silajdzic’s protocol activities of the day -Silajdzic discussed the post-Madrid situation in BiH with the Head of the European Commission’s Department for the Former Yugoslav Republics, Gerhard Sabathila, and the Head of the EC Mission to BiH, Hans Kretschmer. In a separate visit, Silajdzic discussed similar issues with Umberto Ranieri, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister.
1:20
BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs today hosted a meeting of the joint EU-BiH consultation group. The EU and BiH joint institutions’ experts inter alia discussed the Labour Law and the reform of the judiciary in the country. The TV BiH report also highlighted that the goal of the formation of the task force group is the generation of closer cooperation between BiH and EU.
1:10
The OHR is active again, due to the fact that the implementation of election results in Tomislavgrad is not completed yet. The TV BiH report chronologically summarized events that followed the OHR’s conditioning of the implementation of election results on the election of a KCD BiH candidate to the one of six available posts in the municipal authority.
1:00
Representatives of the International Community, highest officials of the Central Bosnia canton and the Herzegovina-Neretva canton attended a round table in Travnik today. The participants of the round table that lasted for several hours were informed on the progress of the investigation of the latest terrorist act in Travnik (attempt murder at Croat policeman, Vlado Stojak). The participants agreed on a joint statement, establishing a cantonal commission for security of returnees, as well as a coordination body for refugees (the latter should become operational by the end of February). TV BiH gave actuality sound to Ambassador Schumacher (‘nobody should have any doubts concerning the IC/HR’s determination that actions for the implementation of Madrid Conference will be taken if necessary’), as well as the CB Governor, Branko Golub (‘all who obstruct returns should be removed’) and Vice Governor Adnan Terzic (‘two-way return will be the cantonal government’s priority in 1999’).
2:30
A relatively short economic news bloc started off with a story on the continuation of strike in the ‘Krivaja’ factory in Zavidovici. Followed a brief report on similar problems in chemical industry in Tuzla, and a more enthusiastic report on the signing of the 11 million US $ worth agreement with Japanese donors – Japan will deliver the equipment for the construction of roads in BiH.
1:10
A report on political parties’ activities came next – both the BOSS and the Bosnian Party of Rights focused on the work of the Federal Parliament. BOSS labelled Article 143 of the Labour Law as “unjust” and asked the House of Peoples to reconsider the draft Law. The BPS asked the Federal partners to overcome all misunderstandings as soon as possible and to de-block the work of the Federal Parliament.
0:45
A two-day seminar on the democratic work of the police, as a key factor in facilitating the building of a democratic society, opened in Sarajevo today. The seminar is attended by police leaderships from both BiH entities. All attendees will learn democratic principles of the police work, as well as the police acting in conflict situations.
0:50