26 January 98, 19:30
Sarajevo – HR Carlos Westendorp along with the three members of a Commission for creating a design for the new BiH flag is holding a Press Conference in the OHR at this moment at which are being presented three solutions for the flag. The final look of the flag will be decided in the next few weeks, Duncan Bullivant, spokesman for the OHR told the media today.
0:30
The Hague – A commander at the concentration camp Luka, near Brcko, Goran Jelisic, who was arrested last week in an SFOR action, appeared for the first time before the Hague Tribunal today. He said he was not guilty of genocide. If the opposite is proven, Jelicic will be sentenced on the life imprisonment.
0:30
Sarajevo – The European Council Representative Office for BiH issued a Press Release today saying that the starting procedure on acceptance of BiH into the EC Assembly will be on the Assembly’s Agenda on 30 January.
0:30
Sarajevo – A visit of the official delegation of the Malaysian Defence Ministry headed by its Minister Sied Hamid Albar dominated the protocol news of the BiH officials. The guests from Malaysia were received separately by Alija Izetbegovic, Presidency Chairman, Haris Silajdzic, CoM Co-Chair, Ejup Ganic, Federation President and Ante Jelavic, BiH Defence Minister . BiH Federation President, Edhem Bicakcic, received Franc Meclozsky, Chief of the Federation Lawyers Team in the Arbitration for Brcko, along with his assistants. The key objectives were activities ahead of the Brcko Arbitration decision.
2:30
Banja Luka -Talking with Supervisor for Brcko Robert Farrand today, Milorad Dodik, RS Prime Minister, announced that the new RS Government would not obstruct the work of the Arbitration Team for Brcko, AIM Agency informs. Dodik said that he asked from the Supervisor to give him the list of people who are going to work in the Administration Of Justice so that the Government could ask the RS Assembly to nominate them for their tasks. RS Government judges that Radomir Lukic, member of the Arbitration Team for Brcko, filing a resignation, obstructs the work of the team and causes damage to the RS, informs ONASA quoting a statement from Dodik’s Cabinet in Banja Luka.
2:00
Sarajevo – Avdo Campara, President of the BiH Assembly’s HoP, called for the session of this House in Lukavica. Work of the fifth session will be finished on 3 February, and then the work of the sixth meeting will be continued. The first point of discussion will be the BiH flag and then a Law on the customs fees.
0:30
Sarajevo – OSCE Representative in BiH, Johan Verheyden, told media today that a new procecusion will be held for the so-called Zvornik Seven – Bosniaks who SFOR handed over to the Serb Police in Bijeljina after the occupation of Srebrenica. The decision of Bijelina Regional Court to accept the attorneys defence, to annul the initial decision of the First Court and to organise a new prosecution in Bijeljina, was hailed by representatives of the OHR and UN in BiH. Follows comments of the Federation attorneys concerning the decision to reopen the prosecution.
2:30
OHR expects from the outgoing RS Government to hand over all power to the newly elected Government, at the latest by Wednesday, so that the members of the Government take oath and power by the end of this week at the latest, Duncan Bullivant, OHR Spokesman told the news. He pointed out that this week represents a key importance for the smooth and effective handing over of power in RS.
1:30
Milorad Dodik refuted the speculations that he came to his new post after accepting IC conditions to hand over the war crimes indicted. In his interview for Belgrade’s Vecernje Novine he asserted that the new RS Government will not possess the instruments for handing over anybody to the Hague until September of this year, when the new elections are scheduled.
1:30
Aleksa Buha, President of SDS announced that the deputies of his party will participate in the third session of the RS Assembly which Dragan Kalinic, RS Assembly President, called for to be held on Saturday, 31 January in Teslic.
1:00
ONASA agency informs that the extended Collegia of the RS Ministry for Internal Affairs which was held in Bijeljina, agreed on uniting both Ministries into one. Milislav Stankovic, new RS Minister for Internal Affairs, said on that occasion that MUP must be professional and represent support for the legal state, work on the recognition of the RS Constitution, as well as respect and implement the DPA. He also said that the police powers in RS must be reconstructed with the help of the IC.