European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Van den Broek visited Sarajevo today, and met with BiH Presidency President Izetbegovic and Presidency members. Main subject of the discussion was the future development of BiH and overview of the previous achievements. Van den Broek also stressed that the key problem, refugee return remained, especially in regard with minority returns. Van den Broek also met with BiH CoM while meeting with BiH opposition and RS President Plavsic and Prime Minister Dodik is scheduled for tomorrow.
2:00
Dead body of returnee Almir Karic (1975) was found this morning in Brcko. Political parties from Brcko said that this murder followed after series of incidents involving Bosniak and Croat returnees.
1:00
An UN military officer said in Zagreb that neither NATO or USA have dropped idea on arresting war criminals Karadzic and Mladic, hence news published by “the New York Times” are incorrect.
0:30
Serbian forces in Kosovo seized the town of Lapusnik today. As reported by Albanian sources, there was many killed and wounded in various regions of Kosovo, including the area in vicinity of borderline with Albania. Albanian sources also said that a number of civilians are hiding in forests with no food or medicines.
1:30
BiH and representatives of Turkish company “Borova TNL” signed the contract on reconstruction of 850 apartments of Sarajevo settlement “Dobrinja 5” and therapeutic centre in Fojnica.
2:00
OHR made a public announcement in regard with the Sarajevo declaration. (BiH TV news carried full text of the announcement, which is available at the Public Affairs dept.)
3:00
Association of refugees and DP’s held a presser, with the main subject presenting the plans for return to BiH municipalities, which are currently in progress. Association President, Komarica, and representatives of the association from Tuzla/Podrinje Canton, Kotor Varos and Posavina exposed specific plans for return on the BiH territory that are in progress.
2:00
Croat officials in Mostar and Herzegovina/Neretva Canton held a discussion about Mostar plans for return. One of conclusions is that Mostar plan for return should be adopted with no pre-conditions, which covers eviction of Bosniaks from 200 Croat houses in settlements Polje and Bijelo Polje. Croat official did not adopt OHR regional head Sir Martin Garrod’s proposal to build houses for Bosniaks in Stolac and Capljina, so that Croat houses in Polje and Bijelo Polje could be freed, and said that those Bosniaks should be adequately accommodated.
2:30
Opposition parties’ flash news – Candidate for the Presidency of the Coalition Centre, Nozica said that current authorities are obstructing Sarajevo declaration, not to protect the veterans but to protect their positions. Liberal Bosniak Organisation President, Filipovic said that BiH Presidency President Izetbegovic should not have accepted Sarajevo declaration on return, but should have insisted on two-way return. Republican Party President Kljujic thinks that BiH has to adopt laws on the level of European standards and that these laws must be implemented. Citizens’ Democratic Party said that the executive authorities should be changed by the elections. This means that Parliaments should restore their function and should be places for executive authorities, and not leading parties. BiH Liberal Party supports passing of the Law on Privatisation.
1:30