OHR BiH TV News Summary, 20 December 1999

News Headlines

  • RS Army General Stanislav Galic arrested for four-year Sarajevo siege
  • Galic arrest without incident – SFOR
  • Galic arrest will slow efforts to harmonize of IC requirements with RS and BiH interests – RS Government discusses arrest
  • Del Ponte says that Galic arrest continuation of her strategy of removing individuals in chain of command
  • Sarajevo Canton Government proclaims state of emergency due to bad weather conditions
  • Roundup of reports on consequences of heavy snowfall throughout BiH
  • Bijeljina and Serb Sarajevo proclaim state of emergency due to bad weather
  • Meteorologists forecast continuation of snowfall
  • Elektroprivreda Power Company reports on problems in power supply in BiH
  • At least 10,000 people dead in Venezuela floods
  • BiH Council of Ministers holds last official session in 1999
  • World Bank concerned over privatization process in BiH
  • BiH Federation Privatization Agency warns that implementation of Article 143 of Labor Law would cause total collapse of BiH Federation companies
  • HDZ conclusions do not cause concern at OHR – Ferguson
  • HDZ confrontation to Petritsch decisions on Mostar shows that obstructions are long-term premeditated policy of HDZ leadership – SDP
  • Petritsch should introduce sanctions against HDZ BiH – Liberals BiH
  • Latest HDZ announcement unfounded – LBO
  • Jelavic receives credentials of newly nominated Dutch Ambassador to BiH
  • International League of Humanists presents special awards for peace, understanding and tolerance among people, as well as awards for contributions to refugee return process
  • OSCE Mission extends deadline for submission of candidate lists due to bad weather conditions
  • International news
  • Croatian HDZ Presidency unanimously decides to send recommendations to Croatian Government to schedule presidential elections on 24 January 2000
  • UN and KFOR arrest Albanian suspected of killing five Serbs
  • Tuzla coal mine Kreka-Dzudjevik denotes Day of Coal-miners
  • Bicakcic, Arapcic, Hrle and BOSS party send greetings to coalminers on their Day
  • Ante Jelavic organizes Xmas reception in Sarajevo
  • Sports
  • Weather
  • EU introduces new export privileges for BiH and Croatia
  • Croatian citizens can only vote in Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo and Croatian consulates throughout BiH – Izetbegovic
  • Una-Sana Canton Government discusses construction of new road Kljuc-Velika Kladusa
  • Teachers in Bosnian-Podrinje Canton end strike
  • Jelavic gives Christmas reception for foreign diplomats and other officials
  • Service held for late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in Sarajevo Cathedral
  • Bicakcic opens new trade center of Sarajevo-based company Robot-Commerce

News Summary

RS Army General Stanislav Galic arrested for four-year Sarajevo siege

Early on Monday in Banja Luka, SFOR arrested RS Army General in pension Stanislav Galic for the 1992-1995 Sarajevo siege. ICTY spokesperson Jim Landale stated that Galic has been indicted of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war. Another ICTY spokesperson explained that Galic’s arrest would enable The Hague Tribunal to hold a trial of senior RS Army officers. The spokesperson stated that the two most responsible persons are still at large, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic (footage of Karadzic and Mladic shown). At the beginning of the war, Galic commanded the 30th RS Army Light Infantry Brigade in the Jajce area. From the end of 1992, he was the Commander of Sarajevo-Romanija Corps, a post he remained in until May 1994, when he was retired. At the moment of his arrest, Galic was the Head of RS President Nikola Poplasen’s Military Cabinet and Poplasen’s Advisor for Military Issues. The RS Army General Staff, RS Vice-president Mirko Sarovic, the SRS and the Democratic Party for Banja Luka and Krajina condemned the Galic arrest in the strongest possible terms. The RS Army General Staff warned that it would not bear responsibility for any consequences of the justified revolt against unjustified acts that are being used against the Serb people and RS Army.

02:09

HDZ conclusions do not cause concern at OHR – Ferguson

OHR spokesperson James Ferguson, commenting on HDZ BiH conclusions brought at Saturday’s session, stated that the OHR would insist on the implementation of its decisions and that they were not subject to the approval of the HDZ or any other party. He stated, “the contrast between public reaction and the HDZ reaction is quite interesting. There is a large approval rating by the public while parties do not like this, which raises one question: whose interests do parties represent?” The people’s or their own, he asked. Ferguson stated that the High Representative’s door is always open for discussion and dialogue. The OHR believes that the best way forward is dialogue.

01:02

Petritsch should introduce sanctions against HDZ BiH – Liberals BiH

President of the Liberals BiH Rasim Kadic stated that High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch should introduce sanctions against the HDZ BiH. The HDZ has, through conclusions brought at its meeting, started its pre-election campaign in BiH very early. If the IC does not find a response to the very radical viewpoints of the HDZ, the future of BiH could be brought into question.

00:22

Latest HDZ announcement unfounded – LBO

The LBO assessed that the latest HDZ BiH announcement was unfounded. LBO Vice-president Salih Foco stated that this is well-known HDZ tactic, especially before elections, is used to increase political tensions. He stated that the HDZ BiH announcement is improper because the greatest opponents in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement are the ruling parties themselves.

00:29