OHR BiH TV News Summary, 20 January 2000

News Headlines

  • BiH Presidency discusses Stability Pact and Croatian elections
  • Standing Committee on Military Matters (SCMM) holds session on furthering disarmament and participation of BiH military units in UN peacekeeping missions
  • During meeting with Petritsch, Radisic asks for joint work of all institutions to avoid boycott of BiH Council of Ministers
  • BiH Federation House of Representatives discusses draft law on rights of ex-political prisoners and fails to adopt draft law on pension and health
  • BiH Federation Government discusses purchase of toxin control machine and airplane for Air Bosna
  • 19,450 citizens return to Sarajevo Canton, Sarajevo Declaration on Minority Returns practically implemented – UNHCR
  • Hajric welcomes UNHCR report on refugee return
  • Brcko District police commence with official duties on Thursday
  • Petritsch and Adams monitor seminar on artificial environment evaluating national security
  • Petritsch disappointed with non- adoption of draft permanent election law, believing it could create problems for admittance to Council of Europe
  • Without draft BiH permanent election law there is no way for entities and state to continue progress
  • Draft permanent election law needs significant changes and SDA will offer version acceptable to majority – SDA spokesperson Jahic
  • HDZ BiH hopes that draft BiH Permanent Election Law will not be imposed – Nevenko Herceg
  • SPRS expects Petritsch to impose adoption of draft BiH permanent election law if it is not adopted by 15 February – Momir Malic
  • SRS believes that BiH needs permanent election law but does not accept possibility of High Representative imposing it – Tadic
  • BiH Republican Party demands immediate completion of citizenship revision and formation of BiH central data bank under jurisdiction of BiH Council of Ministers – Sarija
  • If Jelavic does not comply, he will be arrested even if he has not received official ICTY subpoena to testify in Kordic-Cerkez trial – Ragus
  • Croat parties argue on parliamentary seating and Government membership
  • World news
  • Preliminary damage reports on Mostar flood estimated at DM 6.5 million
  • Compaq and PC Kids donates DM 122,000 in refugee aid
  • Workers in education, culture, science and public sector await implementation of Law on Home Improvement
  • Sports
  • Weather
  • Adoption of draft permanent election law essential for admission of BiH to Council of Europe – Council of Europe General Secretary Walter Schwimmer
  • Farrand visits Orasje Municipality
  • PEC strikes nine candidates for local elections off lists who illegally occupy flats owned by refugees
  • HN Canton Prosecutor indicts five Croats for war crimes committed in
  • Roundtable on organization of municipal authority in BiH Federation takes place in Tuzla
  • Unknown perpetrator set Bosnian house on fire in village of Aladinici just outside Stolac
  • BiH Federation Army engineers concluded work on bridge over River Bila
  • Caritas donates medical equipment to Pediatric Clinic in Banja Luka

News Summary

BiH Presidency discusses Stability Pact and Croatian elections

The BiH Presidency voted to allow BiH Croats to participate in Croatian Presidential elections. Presidency member Alija Izetbegovic voted against the measure. Izetbegovic Adviser Mirza Hajric said, “Izetbegovic believes that Croat citizens living in BiH with diplomatic status or for some other reasons should be allowed to vote, but BiH Croats are subordinated to the BiH Constitution and must exercise their rights within BiH institutions.” Martin Raguz, spokesperson for BiH Presidency Chairman Ante Jelavic, said that the BiH Presidency has not as yet discussed who has the right to take part in these elections. “It will be discussed when the issue of dual citizenship, as it is prescribed in Dayton, is introduced into the parliamentary procedure.”

02:18

HDZ BiH hopes that draft BiH Permanent Election Law will not be imposed – Nevenko Herceg

HDZ official Nevenko Herceg said that the “HDZ BiH hopes that the BiH permanent election law will not be imposed, because there is enough time to harmonize it until September. “According to him, local elections in April will run in accordance to PEC rules. Herceg believes that general elections also will take place in accordance with the new election law. The HDZ issued a document titled ‘the Response of the Croat Political Leadership to the Process of De-constituting the Croats in BiH.’ This document says that the draft permanent election law is continuing the process of de-constituting the Croat people. If this is not stopped the HDZ and Croat people maintain the right to independence in decisions regarding the protection of their constitutional rights. The HDZ BiH supports the candidacy of Granic for president of Croatian.

02:27