Serbian police, military and para-military forces surrounded region around Drenica in Serbian province of Kosovo. Correspondent from Pristina reported that 12 more villages were attacked and that Serbian army used heavy artillery and helicopters. It was also reported that a massacre was done in Drenica and several villages were burned to the ground. Stores and market places do not work in Kosovo, and women and children went for refuge to Vucitrn and Kosovska Mitrovica. Ten fatalities were reported so far in Srbac village. British FA Minister, Cook warned Serbian Government to cease violence or they will face the consequences. US correspondent reported that US Special Envoy Gelbard said that US policy towards Yugoslavia in regard with Kosovo did not change since former president Bush, who threatened with the military intervention.
10:00
BiH Parliament HoR continued a session in Lukavica. HoR discussed two laws proposed by representative Lagumdzija – the Law on the Rights of Representatives and the law on State Legal Authorities in Sanctioning War Criminals, but the laws were not adopted. The main discussion on the beginning of the HoR seventh session was about including the Law on Foreign Investments in the agenda. Representatives Bosic, Albijanic and Bogic objected to OHR for taking only one of the sides and asked why the HR did not adopt this law. HR deputy Schumacher also stood for including this law in the agenda, but the law was not included. HoR did not adopt the proposal on the flag, but adopted the Convention on Prohibition of the Land-mines, and made a decision about establishment of the Parliament Commission for Investigating the Inter-entity Criminal.
3:00
CoM held a session in Lukavica, chaired by CoM Co-chairman Bosic. OHR presented its proposal on the Law on CoM, which says the CoM will work in four locations. OHR also specified the locations of CoM, saying that offices of the CoM Co-chairmen will be in the BiH Parliament building, while the ministries for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade will be in the present buildings, and the seat of the Ministry for Civilian Affairs will be in Lukavica.
2:00
HoP of the Federation Parliament held a session in Sarajevo, but as well as the HoR, did not adopt the proposal of the Law on Abolishing the Law on Abandoned Apartments. Representative Bender assessed Article 15 of this law, that prohibits the selling of an apartment for 5 years, as unconstitutional and illegitimate, saying that this article divides people into categories. Representative Hadzic asked who can guarantee the people that they will not be thrown to the street. If that is the IC, they will surely end on the street. And who owns this law, Government or OHR, who imposes us something that we cannot accept for moral reasons.
2:00
The first class of the BiH Air Forces was promoted today with the presence of the BiH President Izetbegovic. 31 cadets were promoted.
2:00
US President Clinton asked the US Congress for more than $2 billion for US troops in Bosnia. Clinton explained this demand with a letter to the Congress, which reads that BiH and the peace in BiH are a national interest of the USA. Clinton also confirmed that permanent presence of the US troops in BH after 30 June 1998 is necessary in order to satisfy US interests regarding the national security, and that the US policy is that the US troops will not serve as civilian police in BiH.
2:30
Pero Raguz was replaced from the post of the Stolac Mayor, as decided by the HR Westendorp in accordance with his authority. Westendorp informed Raguz and the HDZ Leadership. The main reason for the decision was Raguz’s denial of all IC demands regarding the refugee return.
1:00
UN spokesman Ivanko said that Dragan Kunarac is the first indictee for war crimes of sexual harassment and rape to be in the Hague prison cells. The charge connect 8 Bosnian Serbs, members of police, military and para-military formations, with these crimes, committed in Foca.
1:00