OHR BiH TV News Summary, 24 November 1998

BiH Presidency held a session today, discussing preparations for the Madrid conference. The Presidency decided to establish the working group that will maintain co-ordination with the OHR in making the working material for presentation at the Madrid conference.
2:30

BiH Presidency Member Izetbegovic addressed a protest letter to US President Special Envoy Sclar. Izetbegovic reacted to Sclar’s statement that all Bosnian politicians are corrupted, saying this was a svere offence and a lie and called Sclar to present the list of names of corrupted politicians in BiH. Izetbegovic also said that Sclar is using the policy of political blackmail in order to complete his tasks sooner. Either present the list of names, Izetbegovic said, or get off our back.
1:30

On the occasion of the Day of Statehood, BiH Federation President Ganic made a decision to pardon prisoners serving their sentences in the Federation. Prisoners who were soldiers of the BiH Army and who have less than eight months of their sentences left to serve were pardoned. Sentences of former BiH Army soldiers who have not been pardoned before were reduced by eight months, while sentences of all other prisoners were reduced by four months. The decision reduced the sentences of 320 former Bosnian army soldiers and 220 other prisoners. However, the decision did not refer to those who were convicted of criminal acts against humanity and international law.
1:00

There followed the news on celebration of the BiH Day of Statehood. The Kosovo Liberation Army released Serbian Police Inspector, Zbilic arrested a week ago. Zbilic said upon his release that he was not beaten or harassed and that the war is not good.
1:30

The first public campaign for improvement the process of reintegration of refugees in European Union countries was promoted today in Brussels.
1:00

Bosnian Croats appealed with 2600 requests for return to their pre-war homes in Brcko municipality. Supervisor Farrand’s office approved 1300 requests so far. About 60 families returned to the RS so far, but a scandalous act of a Bosnian Serb, who turned remains of a Catholic church into a barn worries returnees to Brcko and makes them think of their status, national and religious rights and equality in general. Supervisor Farrand said that the International Community is interested to assist Croat returnees to return to their pre-war homes.
2:00

About 30 Serb families returned to Lusci-Palanka near Sanski Most. The interview with returnees revealed that there were no problems during and after the return. There are also 4.500 Bosniak refugees from 14 municipalities living presently in Lusci-Palanka.
1:30

RTV BiH carried out promotion of the new audio-visual design of this house, and introduced to the public new editors of several programmes in RTV BiH. Provisional Steering Board Chairman, Domazet said that this presentation proved activities on RTV BiH restructuring. The new programme scheme begins as of November 25 1998.
1:30