19 January 98, 19:30
Sarajevo HR Carlos Westendorp will make a decision tomorrow on the design of the provisional BiH monetary unit, since the members of the BiH Presidency could not bring their stances any closer on this issue today even though they convened for more than 5 hours without break. The key obstacle to making a decision is still the insistence of national symbols on the bonds, Mirza Hajric, Presidency Chairman Advisor told the media. The Presidency decided on a Working Group which should work out a draft Presidency Budget. The name of the new BiH Ambassador to Washington is still not ready to be announced.
2:30
Pale, Banja Luka and Bijeljina – In order to enable a smooth and peaceful take over of power by the new RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and his crew, SFOR deployed extra troops around official buildings on the streets of the larger RS towns from last night. The RS Ministry for Internal Affairs was surrounded by five personnel carriers. It is presumed that the action was meant to allow documentation from the Ministry which is not loyal to RS President Plavsic to be taken out, Beta informed. The Italian soldiers did not try to enter the building in which only the Ministry’s team was on duty.
2:00
Talking to Spanish State TV on the new situation in RS, HR Carlos Westendorp opened a new possibility for Radovan Karadzic to be handed over by the RS authorities to appear before the Hague Tribunal. Karadzic will have it much more difficult now, since his effect on the authorities has been annulled with the new Government, Westendorp said. Simon Haselock, HR’s Spokesman, sees in the new Government a final solution to the Constitutional and economic crisis in RS. US State Secretary Albright, German Foreign Minister Kinkel and EC Officials have already shown their good will to assist RS.
3:00
If this Government really takes over and stays in power in the whole RS territory, I think it is a step in a good direction, Mirza Hajric said commenting on the changes in the RS. Still I think that the IC should clearly say what is the aim of these changes. It is a multi-ethnic Government which will represent all peoples who live and have the right to live on the territory of RS, he concluded. Edhem Bicakcic, in his name and the name of the Federal Government sent congratulations to Milorad Dodik wishing him success in his very responsible work in realising the implementation of the DPA. Momcilo Krajisnik said that last night’s session reminded him very much of 1992 when we in the BiH Parliament at that time gave our efforts to finding a joint language and to achieve a consensus, but it came down to electoral engineering and in the end – chaos. Zlatko Lagumdzija believes that the election of Dodik means an end to the SDS party.
3:00
BiH Press Agency informed that the SDS Main Council was called for a session in the late afternoon, but gave no other news about the meeting.
0:30
Mostar – The Mostar Parliament has unanimously elected the leaders of the City’s Government.
0:30
Sarajevo – The BiH Association of Refugees and Displaced persons held its General Assembly in Sarajevo today with only one point at the Agenda – A global return home.
2:00
Follows a lengthy report on future SFOR plans in BiH. It was asserted that next week many unknown details will be made public.
2:00
A Delegation of the Mostar Aluminium Combine whose leadership sacked workers from the eastern part of Mostar, visited Sulejman Hrle, the BiH Trade Union President and Haris Silajdzic, Co-Chair of the CoM seeking their rights
1:30
Gradimir Gojer, BiH SDP deputy in the FHoR sent a letter to Edhem Bicakcic asking him to do everything in his power to return the 600 sacked workers back to work in Aluminium Combine in Mostar, as well as to undertake measures against looting and robbery of the Combine by its power leading men.
1:00