News Headlines
- Prayer for the 43 victims of Kakanj bus accident held in front of Ensar Mosque in Zenica
- Health condition of persons injured in bus accident steadily improving
- BiH Federation Refugee Ministry to ensure financial aid to families of bus accident victims
- Petritsch, Barry, ICRC, Miller, Iranian Ambassador to BiH Kalili, Jelavic, Vujanovic, Puljic, and other institutions, individuals and political parties address condolences to families of passengers killed in Kakanj bus accident
- US Government confirms suspension of aid to Croat component of BiH Federation Army
- Education workers in 70 education facilities in Una-Sana Canton start announced general strike
- Kreka-Djurdjevik Coal Mine Director addresses letter to BiH Federation Prime Minister to find resolution to poor financial statue in the mine and relations with the BiH Elektroprivreda power utility
- Public registration of shares starts on 3 July instead of 15 May – BiH Federation Privatization Agency Administrative Board holds press conference
- European Commission determines “two financial envelopes” for assistance to BiH in 2000
- BiH Deputy Foreign Minister Zivalj attends International Conference on Southeastern Europe in Tokyo, Japan
- Serbian opposition holds rally at Belgrade’s Republic Square
- World news
- Srebrenica Municipal Assembly session adjourned after delegates fail to agree on allocation of land parcels and upgrading housing units for refugees
- Barry explains goals of ‘I Respect’ campaign on property law implementation
- TV BiH announces interview with Ambassador Robert Barry that will be aired tonight
- Activities of Saudi Arabian High Committee humanitarian organization ensure quicker return of Bosniaks to Brcko District
- Ganic meets with Deputy Assistant to US Secretary of State for Military Issues Beecroft
- I do not expect election of chairman of BiH Council of Ministers at next session of BiH Parliament House of Representatives – Nikola Spiric
- PDP expects establishment of BiH Council of Ministers at next session of BiH Parliament House of Representatives
- Liberal-Bosniak Organization (LBO) believes that presidential elections should be held along with BiH General Elections this Autumn
- The meeting between Robert Barry, 19 ambassadors of Contact Group countries and the representatives of RS parties in Banja Luka, represents the legalization of BiH’s ethnic division – BiH Liberal party
- SDP opposes privatization of hotel Marshal on Mount Bjelasnica in the strongest possible terms
- We see Mostar as a unified town – Croat National Union (HNZ) press conference in Mostar
- BiH Federation Army military exercise ‘Rotation 2000’ takes place in Glamoc
- Oaza Director Bedak comments on Sunday’s TV BiH report on this Tesanj-based mineral water producer
- SAP Company Forum taking place in Sarajevo
- Sports
- Weather
News Summary
US Government confirms suspension of aid to Croat component of BiH Federation Army
The US confirmed that it has suspended assistance for the training of Croat component of the BiH Federation Army. In the statement issued by the US State Department, it said that the leadership of BiH Croats has refused to implement certain actions necessary for the integration of BiH Federation Army in accordance with the Dayton Agreement and BiH Federation Law on Defense. In additional, training and international military education has also been suspended. The suspension is for an undetermined period of time and will continue until the US receives confirmation that the Croat component is undertaking the necessary steps towards integration. According to BiH Federation Defense Minister Miroslav Prce, the main complaint of US Ambassador James Pardew relates to one single chain of command, which still does not exist in the Joint Command of the BiH Federation Army. Prce told a press conference that he would allow one chain of command in the case if he were defense minister without a deputy that had the same authorizations and competencies as he did. According to Prce, at the present moment, it is unacceptable for the IC to have one defense minister only, but insists on there being only one military commander at the head the army (referring to Rasim Delic). Prce stated that he did not see the reasons for insisting on such a process at this stage, adding that it would be better to open the process of army integration at BiH level because, without it, it would be impossible to join NATO‘s Partnership for Peace.
01:51
Barry explains goals of ‘I Respect’ campaign on property law implementation
Last week in Sarajevo, the ‘I Respect’ campaign promoting the implementation of property laws and return of refugee property was presented. The OSCE and OHR initiated this campaign with the goal of increasing public awareness of refugee and displaced person’s property. OSCE Head of Mission to BiH, Ambassador Robert Barry, in a special statement to TV BiH, explained the message of campaign billboards: you cannot continue to live in someone else’s house or apartment because this is against the law. “It is time for people to voluntarily respect the law, move out and allow the person that has the right to use the apartment to move back. Do not wait for the police to evict you, do not wait for such an embarrassment, respect the law, respect your neighbor, and respect the people that own the property you use” Ambassador Robert Barry said.
01:05
Oaza Director Bedak comments on Sunday’s TV BiH report on this Tesanj-based mineral water producer
Director of Tesanj-based ‘Oaza’ mineral water producer Salko Bedak and the former Director of Geotehnika Company, Dzevad Hrustic, reacted to a TV BiH report on the Tesanj Company that was aired on 14 May. They claim that the TV BiH report contained numerous crude and unfounded allegations. Besides this, Bedak said the author of the report used footage from a press conference that he had never attended. Bedak and Hrustic said it is incomprehensible that the author of the report mentions “false analysis” and “the deceived BiH Federation Agriculture Ministry.” TV BiH responded to these allegations on Monday (15 May), saying, “on 14 May we aired the facts only. The only thing presented was recorded and archive material related to events in and around the Oaza Company. While preparing the report, we attempted to contact Oaza Company representatives, but they were not available and that is why we used archive material from the aforesaid press conference, at which some journalists asked competent company officials the same thing our journalists would have. Why would an Austrian investor raise four charges against Salko Bedak for, first of all, one-and-a-half million DM that was invested and then went missing? It is true that our reporter said, “three charges” and not “four charges” were raised, and because of this we will apologize to Mr. Bedak. Agriculture Minister Ahmed Smajic also confirmed the statement “deceived ministry.” Smajic had by chance, in a document, found out he had signed an analysis that had not been run through the normal protocol procedure. This TV BiH report did not judge or support the claims it aired, which is confirmed by the conclusion at the end of 14 May report. “Soon, we will find out whether the activities of Salko Bedak were really the American dream or just a business misadventure, which will bring him lots of trouble after head-spinning business success” the TV BiH reporter said at end of the disputed report aired on 14 May.
02:27