06.10.1999

OHR BiH TV News Summary, 6 October 1999

image_pdfimage_print

News Headlines

  • BiH Parliament holds session in Sarajevo
  • BiH Presidency session
  • Standing Military Committee in session
  • House of Representatives hold session
  • Ninth session of House of Representatives interrupted without adoption of agenda
  • OHR and US Embassy representatives to meet with Croatian Government delegation to discuss
  • HRT broadcasts in BiH
  • Returns to Bijeljina
  • CD Coalition wants replacements in office for resolving issues of refugees and DPs Klein meets with Dodik and RS Interior Affairs Minister Sredoje Novic
  • HDZ orchestrated boycott of USAID-financed water supply opening in Paklarevo and Poklar
  • an insult to donors and condemned by NHI leader Kresimir Zubak
  • World news
  • Ministries of RS and BiH Federation Social Policy support system reform
  • Sloga statements aimed at preventing non-Serb participation in RS Government – SDAresponding to Dodik statement
  • HDZ holds press conference in Sarajevo
  • SDP walks out of House of Peoples session due to disrespect of delegates’ right to question voting results
  • Party for BiH discusses Labor Law
  • BiH Women’s Party deems Labor Law damaging, shortening of maternity leave continues genocide against BiH Federation citizens
  • TV BiH recommends ‘The Nine Towns Show’ produced by their crew in Kuwait
  • Sports
  • Weather

News Summary

BiH Presidency holds session

The BiH Presidency held a session on Wednesday where Member Zivko Radisic demanded it be noted on the record of the last session, when they discussed continuation of the BiH suit against Yugoslavia, that he was not in favor of it. The session dealt with BiH Ambassador appointments and election of the representatives for Stability Pact working groups. BiH representative at the ICTY Ivan Tomic was relieved of duty. The BiH Presidency discussed minority return initiatives and the need to speed up the adoption of the law on DP’s and refugees.

02:12

Standing Military Committee in session

The Standing Military Committee held a session for the first time since the break caused by the RS delegation leaving the session after the arrest of Momir Talic. They discussed decreasing the military capacity of the Army, shortening military service to six months and the replacement of some military attachés. The Presidency decided on the formation of two working groups to prepare materials for the next session. The first will deal with BiH security policy and RS Defense Minster General Milovanovic was appointed Chairman. The second group is to prepare a concrete plan for the decrease of military capacity in both entities and is lead by General Delic, BiH Federation Army Chief of Staff. They also discussed BiH military representation abroad agreeing that Bosniaks should represent the state in Washington,DC, a Serb in Brussels and a Croat in Vienna.

02:04

House of Representatives hold session

BiH House of Representatives held its eighth and ninth sessions, failing to conclude either. The eighth session was interrupted due to lack of attendance. The BiH Federation President was scheduled to present some proposals, but also failed to show. Delegates only determined the Law on Craftsmen. During the ninth session delegates were, before reaching an agenda, presented an urgent government request to deliberate on the Law on Public Corporations in BiH. Adoption of this Law is a prerequisite to a certain large foreign donation. The SDP proposed discussion on unemployment, corruption and the reasons behind cessation of live Parliament broadcasts. The original agenda already included the internal affairs report on passports to naturalized BiH citizens, budget revision, annexes to the Law on Financial Transactions and BiH Ombudsmen. The order in which these subjects were to be discussed caused much turmoil amongst the delegates.

02:02

OHR and US Embassy representatives meet with Croatian Government delegation to discuss HRT broadcasts in BiH

OHR and US Embassy representatives met with a Croatian Government delegation lead by Foreign Affairs Minster Mate Granic on Monday to discuss HRT broadcasts in BiH. OHR Media Development Head Dan De Luce explained the negotiations. “An agreement has been reached on the principles, but we still have no details, therefore I cannot discuss the details for continued negotiations. There will be more discussion between technical experts on creation of the final memo. I hope that the agreement between the OHR and HRT will be created soon. An important thing we have to emphasize is that the IC has been insisting for a while that HRT organize their work legally. This means that the use of frequencies has to be accorded with Laws and regulations valid in BiH. At no time did we speak of banning something, but have simply requested HRT’s legalization. We had a positive discussion on Monday, and hope that this constructive approach will be maintained in further negotiations. Nevertheless, we cannot discuss the details. The status quo is unacceptable for several reasons, not only for the media but for economic reasons as well. HRT occupies a broad range of frequencies making it in that sense the largest TV in BiH. We must provide a sufficient number of free frequencies for the new Federal TV and new public radio and television system that is to be formed in BiH following the High Representative’s decision from 30 July. It is important for Croat citizens in the BiH Federation, because Federal TV ensures that the Croat nation receives its identity in the public media. To establish public TV, frequencies need to be extracted from somewhere. We wish to do this so that HRT can be seen in this country, not wanting to deprive anyone of choices, but they all must be legally based.”

02:08

Returns to Bijeljina

Over 4,000 private asset claims and over 400 applications for the return of flats have been made in Bijeljina. Through the Ministry for Refugees and DP’s, and with the mutual approval of owners and temporary lodgers, 56 families have so far been reintroduced into the town. In case of disagreement, police assisted evictions will be executed. The first of the evictions happened in Bijeljina on Wednesday, when a Bosniak family returned to their home after five years. The evicted family does own a house in Tuzla, but refuse to return there. By the end of September the Bijeljina Ministry has issued 102 return notes for Bosniaks which they intend to implement.

02:11

CD Coalition wants replacements in office for resolving issues of refugees and DP’s

An initiative has been launched recently to replace some of the members in the office for resolving the status issues of refugees and DP’s originally from the RS, the people that have performed their duties for years as volunteers. “Unfortunately, they have performed their duties for three years without resolving the legal status for themselves or the office ” said SDA Vice-president Sulejman Tihic. Today as the return process commences, CD Coalition delegates in RS have unexpectedly sent an initiative for the replacement of leading people in these offices. The most drastic is the example of Osman Dilovic, who worked on returns in Janja after leaving work in Rijeka where he lived for 16 years and returned when the war broke out in BiH. He commanded a battalion in the war and was injured twice. After the war he refused a flat in Sarajevo taking residence in one Tuzla hotel alongside refugees. Return to Janja is functioning now due to Dilovic, but attempts are being made to replace him with Salkan Gradascevic, who stayed in Germany until ’94 as an employee of Merhamet. After his return, Gradascevic built a house, followed by his candidacy for leader of the Janja office for returns. “I have not checked any of this information, but have spoken with both sides in an attempt to find a mutually beneficial solution” says Tihic. Osman Dilovic says no one can stop him from performing his duty in the name of the people. It is interesting how all the people are backing Dilovic and some municipal CD Coalition delegates elected to represent the interest refugees are favoring Gradascevic.

01:51

HDZ holds press conference in Sarajevo

The HDZ considers that the public discussion on the draft permanent election law has been limited to individuals and groups, lacking participation by relevant political parties and supervising government bodies. At their Sarajevo press conference, the HDZ says they will demand the constitution of new self-ruling local units, changes to the Zepce Municipality borders and insist on the reorganization of Travnik in accordance to the Cantonal and BiH Constitution. Travnik needs to be organized following principles applied in Mostar, the party stated.

00:34