News Headlines
- Turkish President visits BiH
- EU approves extending BiH trade privileges
- International press fails to give full account of Miller statement
- Frowick emphasizes importance of fight against corruption and establishment of BiH Border Service
- Celebration in Bugojno Municipality following completion of joint UNHCR/EU minority return project for 635 persons to Central Bosnia Canton
- BiH and Slovenian Agriculture Ministries to construct joint education center in Butmir
- World news
- Turkish President Demirel and business delegation sign cultural co-operation agreement after meeting with BiH Presidency, Demirel says EU has discriminatory stance towards Turkey’s membership
- Demirel participates in Economic Forum and says countries have to use their geographical positions to best advantage
- Petritsch expects returns to increase next year either voluntarily or through OHR measures
- Military aid for Croat component in BiH Federation Army not transparent – Mahmuljin
- 100th anniversary of Sarajevo water pipeline
- Pop group Indexi hold press conference prior to concluding their concert tour
- Exclusive interview with Demirel to air at 22:00
- Sports
- Jelavic addresses greeting to Ahtisaari regarding Finnish National Day
- Asanin confirms he sent letter to Petritsch to propose OHR proclaim Sarajevo as district
- BiH Inter-Religious Council held in Sarajevo
- World Bank ensures $ 4 million for reconstruction of Mostar’s Old Bridge
- Tuzla Citizens’ Forum and Cazin Association for Equality discuss frequent violation of human rights in Una Sana Canton
- Roundtable on parole as means reintegrating prisoners into society held in Tuzla
- Bosanski Petrovac police officer Milan Knezevic, who received IPTF certificate, arrested under suspicion for war crimes
- The Hague Tribunal investigators confiscate RS Army weapons for examination during investigation of crimes committed in Srebrenica
- Hrle proposes at European Syndicate conference that new donors’ conference for BiH be held
- Breza Miners Syndicate organizes strike
- Banja Luka Pensioners representative Radisic accused RS Government of doing nothing to ensure better conditions for pensioners
- Begic and French Ambassador sign agreement on aid to BiH Constitutional Court
- Lagumdzija to participate in conference on global development network in Bonn
- NHI accuses SDA of not giving up on aspirations to dominate BiH
- SNSD and RS Social Liberal Party sign coalition agreement
- BOSS requests Kreso to schedule special session of BiH Federation Parliament to discuss work of Parliament
- LBO and GDS to determine list of candidates in next 15 days
- Permanent Election Law unsustainable, undemocratic and supports national division in BiH – LBO
- Youth Parliament holds session in Brcko on their position regarding Brcko Statute
- Guest of second TV BiH news – Director of Sarajevo public water utility ‘Vodovod’
- Italian Government donates new navigation light system for Sarajevo Airport
- Tuzla Napredak denotes 90th anniversary
- Weather
News Summary
EU approves extending BiH trade privileges
The EU Ministerial Council has granted BiH an extension of its most-favored trade privilege status with the EU. The Council welcomed the New York Declaration but did not mention recent conclusions of the RS National Assembly that dispute the Declaration’s main conclusions, which is not in the interest of the RS. The EU is disregarding field reports that say the Declaration is not legally binding while giving keen support to strengthening the BiH Presidency and common state institutions, the establishment of the border service and Permanent Election Law, as well as reform of property legislation. In the meanwhile, It seems that BiH is waiting for membership before it receives stronger support from this body, while Croatian membership will depend on upcoming elections. In conclusion, the Council supports and encourages the fight against corruption and creation of a common BiH passport.
02:59
International press fails to give full account of Miller statement
On 2 December, international press reported a statement by US Ambassador to BiH Thomas Miller that the BiH Presidency had not signed the New York Declaration. However, the international media failed to mention the second part of Miller’s statement, which says that the BiH Presidency presented the Declaration as a UN document, making it binding for all three sides and thus not requiring signatures. The validity and importance of the Declaration have not been brought into question, reads an announcement from the US Embassy.
00:30
Frowick emphasizes importance of fight against corruption and establishment of BiH Border Service
Special US Envoy Robert Frowick met with RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and Head of Serb Forum of Intellectuals Mladen Ivanic and discussed the importance of fighting corruption and establishing the BiH common border service. After separate meetings with Biljana Plavsic and RS Refugee Minister Miladin Dragicevic, Frowick said his two-day visit to Banja Luka was dedicated to the political and economic situation, returns and elections scheduled for next year. Commenting on corruption, Frowick emphasized the readiness of the BiH Federation and RS Prime Ministers Edhem Bicakcic and Dodik to join forces to combat the problem. Frowick believes that greater cooperation between customs and financial police is necessary, the BiH common border service being essential in this process. He described the New York Declaration as an attempt to re-examine certain aspects that were already signed in Dayton and ways of getting them moving. He added that the US role in the fight against corruption would be to give the OHR its full support, which means contacts with BiH officials at all levels on how this can be achieved.
02:00
Petritsch expects returns to increase next year either voluntarily or through OHR measures
High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch visited the Municipal Office of the Canton in Ilidza that has so far received 3,200 return claims. Petritsch described his visit to this highly efficient office as symbolic support to people who do not even have adequate working conditions. He also visited the Stup transit center, where he told refugees that he was expecting significant increase in returns next year, either voluntarily or through OHR measures.
02:11
Military aid for Croat component in BiH Federation Army not transparent – Mahmuljin
BiH Federation Deputy Defense Minister Sakib Mahmuljin and Commander of BiH Federation Army Rasim Delic initiated an informal news briefing to discuss integrative processes in the Army, its budget and decreasing its military potential. Mahmuljin said that the “key problem in full integration is the approach being taken in the issue. We Bosniaks desire full integration, a complete change in the defense doctrine. Our partner side, the Croats, do not think this way, of course. They believe that integration has already been completed since the BiH Federation Defense Ministry, Joint Command and certain units have been integrated. That is unacceptable for us since integration will have been completed when the entire chain of command, starting from civilians and BiH Presidency to the last soldier, regardless of affiliation, have been integrated.” He added that one of the keys for the integration process is full transparency of aid received by both components of the BiH Federation Army. Mahmuljin said that aid the Bosniak side receives is transparent while the same thing cannot be said for aid the Croat component is receiving from Croatia. “We will follow the guidelines given by the US State Department” he said.
03:00