17.06.1999

OHR BiH TV News Summary, 17 June 1999

Headlines

  • Torture devices found in police station in Pristina
  • New reports on mass executions in Kosovo
  • NATO troops approaching Podujevo and Kosovska Mitrovica
  • Mass returns of Kosovar refugees
  • Serbian troops withdrawing before the deadline
  • IMC ordered Croatian Television to stop broadcasting three popular American serials, as RTV BiH bought the rights for broadcasting of these serials
  • SRT sanctioned with 2000 KM
  • Licenses for RTV BiH, Erotel and SRT will depend on establishment of Federal RTV
  • BiH Railway Company goes into strike tomorrow

Presidency member Radisic suspended the procedure of BiH’s lawsuit against Yugoslavia. BiH Presidency Member Izetbegovic’s media advisor, Jerkovic held a press conference and said that Mr. Radisic did not have the authority to appoint BiH co-agent at the International Court of Justice in the Hague. Jerkovic said that this person informed the Hague Court of Justice about suspension of lawsuit that BiH has initiated in March 1993. Jerkovic said that Radisic’s decision was illegal, as the BiH Presidency is a collective body, and its members cannot make decisions individually.

2:00

RTV BiH brought “Eurovision”, no-comment pictures of torture devices found in police station in Pristina. A British officer also made a statement in this regard and said that this station was probably the HQ of para-military troops in Pristina.

1:30

More than 20.000 Albanian refugees returned to Kosovo in the past 24 hours. All of them crossed via the “Morina” border-crossing. KFOR Commander, General Michael Jackson announced signing of agreement on disarming with the KLA within a few days.

1:00

RTV BiH also reported on Strasbourg session of local and regional government representatives. The main issue of the session was Kosovo, and BiH delegation appeared with joint statement on the issue, which was praised at the session.

High Representative Westendorp gave a special interview for ONASA agency and said that BiH is a more complicated problem than Kosovo, and if BiH moves toward a wrong direction, the whole region will follow.

BiH Presidency Chairman Jelavic met with SFOR Commander, General Meigs. Main subject of the discussion was the Standing Military Committee in BiH, and also refugee return, Sarajevo Declaration implementation.

1:00