Sarajevo – Groups of Croats made death threats and in other ways menaced the Serbs who live in the villages around Drvar, Liam McDowell, UN Spokesman told the press today. Croatian policemen are joining the bands who terrorise peasants, AFP carries witnesses’ statements to UN monitors. The UN policemen began to return to Drvar, the town from which they were expelled on Friday, McDowell added. The Croatian officials from BiH are responsible for the return of the Serb refugees to their homes, and they have to exercise all their influence on the local Croat authorities so that such incidents are not repeated, Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister stated and AFP informed.
1:30
Stolac and Capljina – Besides some incidents, there is still good news coming from the Stolac and Caljina municipalities. After five years of exile the Bosniaks expelled from these territories are returning to their homes. Ejup Ganic, Federation President escorted by two Federal Ministers and Canton Deputy Governor, visited several villages as well as the town Stolac. (Footage of the residents who returned among the first to their homes). Ganic was also in Kakanj today where the Croats were returning to their homes. He then paid a visit to Pocitelj, where the first Bosniak families were returning to this town. Ganic called on the Croats there to return to their homes in central Bosnia.
2:00
Sarajevo – US Senator Bob Dole, Chairman of the Commission for Missing Persons held a meeting with the BiH Government respective Commission today. At a Press Conference he held afterwards, he said that the sides agreed to submit the information needed to ascertain the destiny of missing people by the end of June. Dole expressed his satisfaction with the co-operation of all three sides in the process of seeking the missing persons.
2:00
Brussels – EU Foreign Ministers should tomorrow accept the judical regulations for exercising pressured measures against the Belgrade authorities in order to peacefully solve the Kosovo crises. The EU announced sanctions against Belgrade such as has never been applied against any other country.
The EU Ministers will also accept a long term prepared new strategy for the countries of the South-East Europe: Albania, BiH, Croatia, FRY, and Macedonia.
2:30
Prijedor – The Bosniaks from Prijedor are returning home after having spent six years in exile. Reconstruction of their homes should start next week. (Footage of the residents of Alisici, one of the first villages where returns began).
1:30
Bosanska Gradiska – Due to the fact that the Bosanska Gradiska Assembly did not discuss the question of refugee returns, the Deputies from the Coalition for the BiH party halted their participation in the Municipality Assembly work. More than eight thousand former residents expressed their wish to return to their town, but the municipality officials prevented them from coming back, said a deputy. They even call them foreigners and demand an interpreter when they come to talk with them. Money which was meant for the refugees health care, the Serb Assembly Deputies redirected for building a memorial for the Serb fallen soldiers.
2:30
There follows a piece on The High Saudi Committee project for reconstruction of 80 housing units in Brcko.
0:30
Bugojno – Building democracy in BiH means a multi-ethnic, civic community in which all citizens will have an equal rights and responsibilities, reads the conclusion from the Round Table entitlerd: Is there a Chance for Democracy in BiH organised by the Association of Independent Intellectuals Circle 99 and OSCE. The participants were from Banja Luka, Doboj, Zenica and Konjic.
1:30
Sarajevo – Federal Ministry of Education announced that a common education plan has been agreed for the whole Federation territory. It is expected that a Joint Lecturing Program will also be accepted by the beginning of the next school year.
1:30
Sarajevo – On the occasion of the New Year which begins on Monday, 27 April, Rijaset of Islamic Community, along with the Sarajevo Canton will organise a fireworks. There follow expressions of congratulation on the occasion of the New Year.
Sarajevo – There will be no border shifs in BiH, Jacques Klein, Principal Deputy HR told the press today, commenting on the hostile attitude of refugee return to some parts of the country. The Dayton Agreement is not open for any revision, he concluded expressing the IC stance.
0:30