Friday
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Transparency Int. study | TI report on corruption | Tax frauds in Brcko | New WB aid strategy |
| FBIH Government in Neum | Reforms of Defence | Blockage of ZE mine-over | Terzic won’t dismiss Dokic |
| Sanader met with Puljic | Risks of de-mining job | Problems with textbooks | Bijeljina municipality audit |
| HR on Matijasevic | Mikerevic- reconstruction | TI report on corruption | Transparency Int. study |
Saturday
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| 3 car accidents in HNC | 3 car accidents in HNC | OHR letter to Justice Minis. | RS Pensioners protests |
| WB gave 180 mill $ to BIH | Suspects of HB flag burn | Schauble visits BIH | New Police Director |
| Euro-Atlantic integrations | Possible split of SCG union | Croatian students in Brcko | Bijeljina audit report |
| Visit of Norwegian deleg. | Role of EUFOR in BIH | Possible split of SCG union | Factory 1 Oktobar |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | BiH politicians annually embezzle KM 85 million |
| Dnevni Avaz | New |
| Dnevni List | Sanader-Puljic meeting: Bigger help requested |
| Vecernji List | Unannounced meeting: Puljic asks Sanader for bigger help to BiH Croats |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Miljenko Jelic, Head of Municipality Siroki Brijeg on accusations of extravagance in budget: Municipal administration gets 320.000 KMs, which is not much |
| Glas Srpske | Violation of basic rights of refugees and DP’s in BiH: Playing on a wrong card |
| Nezavisne Novine | Douglas McElhaney: |
| Blic | Following removal at RS Government: Parliament majority handing on a thread; Three bidders for concession of “Buk Bijela” |
| Vecernje Novosti | Feature Serbian related topics |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | BiH integrity is accomplishment of defence war and debt to victims |
| Dnevni Avaz | Safet Halilovic: The Cardinal is wrong |
| Dnevni List | Tragic night in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton: Four dead |
| Vecernji List | American lobbying: M. Albright helped release of six BiH Croats from |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Blic | Feature Serbian related topics |
| Vecernje Novosti | Feature Serbian related topics |
Political developments | |
| BiH remains a
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘Future of BiH is in NATO and EU’, Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 3 ‘We will help BiH in fight against terror’, Vecernji List, Sat, pg 4 ‘Solve issue of ICTY fugitives once and for all’, by Dejan Jazvic, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 2 ‘More intensive help from US in fight against terrorism’, mentioned on front, by Danka Polovina-Mandic,Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘The Hague fugitives will be arrested’ by M. Cubro,SRNA – The newly-appointed US ambassador to BiH, Douglas McElhaney, said on Friday at his first news conference after taking up his post that BiH was one of the priority areas of US foreign policy. “The |
| Transparency International poll: Majority of Bosnians say governing bodies corrupt
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Olsobodjenje cover page, pg 3 ‘BiH politicians annually embezzle KM 85 million,” Vecernji List, Sat, pg 5 ‘180 Euros to bribe judge’, mentioned on front, by Renata Radic, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 6 ‘Corruption still ravages public institutions’, by Erna Mackic,Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 6 ‘Politicians embezzle BAM 85 million’ by N. Krsman, FENA – About 52 per cent of citizens believe the BiH Presidency is corrupt, 54.9 per cent think the same of the BiH Council of Ministers, while 57.9 per cent of citizens regard the entity governments as being corrupt, and that of the four levels of government it is the municipalities that are seen as the most trustworthy in the last two years. These are the figures from the new corruption perception study put together by Transparency International BiH (TI BiH) on the basis of data gathered from a poll of 1,640 citizens covering the whole of the state, and which was funded by the EU through the European Commission in BiH. At Friday’s promotion of the study at the European Commission’s seat in Sarajevo, the chairman of the board of directors of TI BiH, Boris Divjak, pointed out that the citizens’ perception of corruption did not vary much from the survey in 2002. Corruption is still widespread in public institutions, even though this percentage in relation to 2002 has decreased by six per cent, while the high level of this social problem, as Divjak points out, is particularly prominent amongst the customs and traffic organs of the police, and in the health, education and judicial bodies. According to him, 85 million KM of taxpayers money in BiH annually ends up in the pockets of politicians, only because of the absence of legal regulations on public acquisition. The study reveals that the Party of Democratic Action and the Serb Democratic Party are seen as the most corrupt parties by far in BiH, and that citizens saw the main cause of corruption being the general level of poverty and moral crisis in society, the absence of the rule of law and the non-effectiveness of the judicial and legal system, while the media and nongovernmental organizations instilled the most trust in citizens. |
| CoM Chairman Terzic not to remove state-level minister in retaliatory move
| BHT, FTV, RTRS on Friday – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic has announced new changes in his cabinet following Thursday’s removal of Urban Planning Minister Mensur Sehagic. On the other hand, although the SDA has called on BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic to remove BiH Communications Minister Branko Dokic, Terzic does not intend to do so. The removal of Minister Sehagic was not conducted in agreement with BiH Presidency and SDA chairman Sulejman Tihic, the RS premier said, noting that the government restructuring will continue. “If there are other crises in some other situations as well, more removals or resignations are not ruled out,” Mikerevic emphasized. Unlike Mikerevic, the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers does not intend to change the composition of the cabinet. The SDA has asked Terzic to remove Communications and Transport Minister Branko Dokic over Sehagic’s removal. “My unequivocal answer is: if I change my associates I will change them because they do not work well and not because the political atmosphere in BiH is such that people are asking for heads to roll,” said Terzic. “When I dismiss my close associates I have to have more reasons than a demand from one man or one official whoever he is in BIH. I think this is a part of pre election campaign and activity and what Mr. Mikerevic did is actually the same what Mr. Osmanovic is asking me to do”, adds Terzic. The opposition is also convinced that Sehagic has been removed because of the ethnic parties’ election deals and that the other two SDA ministers have stayed in the government for a reason. Igor Radojicic, Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD): “Mikerevic obviously did not want to go all the way in order not to heat up the situation to the maximum.” (Saturday’s EuroBlic also carried Radojicic’s statement). Premier Mikerevic claims that Sehagic has not performed well; analysts disagree. Igor Gajic, Novi Reporter magazine: “He probably did not fit in with their business arrangements and did not allow some embezzlement to be committed through him. He has thus paid the price.” Four ministers from Dragan Mikerevic’s cabinet have been removed so far. The last has been removed by Mikerevic himself, the others by High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Dnevni List, Sun, page 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’, the Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, as saying: “I will not behave like Dragan Mikerevic”. Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 5 ‘Terzic will not remove Dokic’ by M. Cubro & D. Risojevic, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘I am not like Mikerevic to remove my associates because a member of my party wants so’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘I will not behave like Mikerevic’ also carried Terzic’s statement. |
| Sehagic says he was removed because he had stopped the crime
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘I was removed because I had stopped the crime’ – Mensur Sehagic, the removed RS Minister of Urban Planning, on Friday told the daily he was removed because he had closed down/sealed the Orthodox church in Konjevic Polje built on the land owned by Fata Orlovic thereby preventing powerful politicians from illegal construction of facilities. |
| Mikerevic on request for Dokic removal
| Vecernji List, Sat, pg 2 ‘SDA cannot remove Dokic’, by f, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘SDA can do nothing’ – Following the removal of Mensur Sehagic, a former RS Minister of Urban Planning, and request of Vice President of SDA, Adil Osmanovic, who called on BiH CoM Chairman, Adnan Terzic to remove the BiH Minister of Traffic and Communications, Branko Dokic, the RS Prime Minister, Dragan Mikerevic, who removed Sehagic, stated that the SDA could ask for removal of Dokic, “but they can do nothing about it”. EUroBlic RSpg 1 ‘Consequences postponed’ mentioned on cover “RS NA majority handing on a thread’ by Rajna Radosavljevic also quoted Mikerevic as saying that the request for removal of Dokic is a political act without any realistic basis. Goran Milojevic, PDP Vice President, shares Mikerevic’s view. Branko Dokic told EuroBlic that “SDA has a right to demand anybody’s removal, including mine. For this reason, I cannot comment on their demands.” |
| NN interview with SDA Vice-president Jahic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘SDA will not cause state crisis’ by D.R. – In a brief interview to NN, Elmir Jahic, SDA Vice President, says that SDA will not initiate removal of Branko Dokic, as requested by Adil Osmanovic, RS Vice President, noting it is almost certain it would in future act as opposition at RS NA. According to him, final decision regarding further actions SDA would undertake (following removal of Mensur Sehagic) will be made at the session of SDA Presidency, which will be held after Sulejman Tihic returns from the trip at He also expressed expectation OHR would act following Dragan Mikerevic’s act of removing Sehagic. He also denies author’s speculation that the latest developments on relation SDA-PDP represent just a pre-election campaign of parties, aimed at gaining most votes. |
| NN op-ed on removal of RS Minister Sehagic
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Mikerevic is Tihic’s strongest pre-election trump’ by Mirza Cubro – The author claims that Dragan Mikerevic has removed Mensur Sehagic in order to help SDA and Sulejman Tihic to appoint its officials at municipal elections, meaning win elections at municipal level. The author notes that the easiest, cheapest and the most efficient pre-election trick is to stir up ethnic hatred and general idea on danger of vital national interests of all peoples of our state. Another proof for this claim author finds in the fact that Adil Osmanovic demanded removal of Branko Dokic, not Mladen Ivanic. Furthermore, he notes the statement of Adnan Terzic (that he would not remove Dokic) represents a cheap politics. |
| Croatian Prime Minister Sanader receives BiH Cardinal Puljic
| Herceg Bosna Radio on Friday, HINA – Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader received Sarajevo Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic in Zagreb on Friday, the Croatian Government’s public relations office said in a press release. Sanader said that his government supported and advocated equality of the three peoples in BiH and was helping the Bosnian Croats in implementing scientific, educational and other projects. Puljic described relations between the Catholic Church in BiH and the Croatian Bishops’ Conference as exceptionally good, saying that the two bishops’ conferences were working together on the spiritual renewal of the entire Croatian people. Puljic stressed the need to strengthen cultural and scientific ties between state institutions in Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Save Croats in BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Stronger cultural ties needed’, Vecernji List, Sat, front and pg 10 ‘Puljic asks Sanader for bigger to BiH Croats’, by Deana Knezevic, Dnevni List, Sat, front and pg 5 ‘Sanader-Puljic meeting: Bigger help requested’, by Ivica Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 2 ‘Sanader receives Cardinal Puljic’, by O. R. also report on the meeting. Vecernji List, Sat, pg 2 ‘Cardinal and powers that be’, by Igor Zovko – carries an op-ed in which the author agrees with contents of the interview that Cardinal Puljic gave to VL on Friday (see Cropress summary, Sept 17, 2004) in which the Cardinal talked about the difficult position of the BiH Croats. The author notes: “The situation is difficult and needs to be improved. It is no surprise that the Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, took the warning seriously and received him without previous announcement. Acts should follow now. The ‘Infallible’ OHR is keeping quiet as usual”. Vecernji List, Sat, pg 2 ‘Serbs and Bosniaks relativize, OHR keeps quiet’, by Zoran Kresic – carries the BiH Security Minister and President of HDZ BiH, Barisa Colak, as commenting Cardinal Puljic’s aforementioned interview by saying that he had nothing to add to it, since Cardinal Puljic is “speaking the language of truth”. Colak also notes that the imposed constitutional changes, imposed by former HR Petritsch, dis-empowered Croats, which is evident is poor return of Croats and political processes against Ante Jelavic and others. Dnevni List, Sat, pg 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ column, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, as saying: “Anti-Catholics want to move Croats away from BiH”. |
| Party for BiH’s Halilovic: Cardinal is wrong
| Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Cardinal is wrong’, pg 5 ‘Cardinal Puljic is wrong when he claims that the Croat people in BiH is in danger’ – Commenting on a recent Cardinal Vinko Puljic’s statement by which the Croat people in BiH is in danger and faces disappearance or assimilation, Chairman of the Party for BiH’s Presidency Safet Halilovic says its is about “the statement that worries.” Halilovic says that one thing should be made clear: the Croat people in BiH is not jeopardised and it is not unequal. |
| Cavic says HR Ashdown violates human and civic rights in BiH
| Dnevni List, Sat, pg 4 ‘Ashdown violates human and civic rights in BiH’, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 14 ‘Accusations against Ashdown to Council of Europe’ by A. Macanovic, – The RS President, Dragan Cavic, presented representatives of the Council of Europe’s Monitoring Team 74 decisions of the High Representative for BiH (Paddy Ashdown), for which Cavic believes that are in violation of Convention on human rights and freedoms and other protocols that apply to member countries of Council of Europe. Cavic reminded the Monitoring Team that BiH ratified all those conventions back in 2002, wondering how it is possible that a person can violate human and civic rights, regardless of office he or she is performing. |
| BiH Election Commission on political parties’ financial reports | Vecernji List, Sat, pg 4 ‘Severe sanctions for false information’, by eme, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 7 ‘Audit of funding of parties announced’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – The BiH Election Commission is finally in possession of all financial reports on political parties participating in local elections. The Commission on Friday presented the database on the said financial reports, however whether the reports are true, it will be investigated into by auditors. Member of the BiH Election Commission, Lidija Korac, apparently already hinted that auditors’ finding could detect certain illogicalities. The reports can be found on the Commission’s web page. |
| NN commentary on pre-election campaign
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Noisemakers and openers’ by Predrag Klincov – The author notes pre-election campaign in RS has shown there is enough money at municipal budgets to start building some things politicians have been promising to people for four years now. He notes some of politicians are “noisemakers:”, referring to those at pre-election rallies, and “openers” referring to those opening various facilities that have been built for pre-election purposes. |
| German MP Schauble visits BiH, talks to Covic, Terzic and Ivanic
| Dnevni List, Sun, pg 3 ‘Membership in Europe will solve only few problems’, mentioned on front, by Erna Mackic – An MP in the German Parliament and Vice President of CDU, Wolfgang Schauble, visited BiH on Saturday, meeting several prominent BiH officials in the progress, including a member of BiH Presidency, Dragan Covic, Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, and BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic. According to Schauble, he is impressed with what has been achieved in BiH lately, however he is also informed about the problems the country is facing. In talks with BiH officials, Schauble stressed that he was impressed with the consensus in BiH regarding the country’s road towards the EU, in other words the desire to make the trip as faster as possible. However, he argues that the expectations should not be as high, because the integration into the EU will solve some problems, whilst some problems need to be solved internally in BiH. In that context, he says |
| Wartime BiH Presidency members protest against re-launch of talks on change to BiH-SCG border
| Sunday’s Oslobodjenje cover page story ‘BiH integrity accomplishment of the defence war, debt towards victims’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘There must be no discussion on exchange of BiH territories with neighbouring countries’ – “As members of the wartime Republic of BiH Presidency, we strongly oppose any renewal of talks on exchange of territories between BiH and Serbia and Montenegro,” President and Vice-president of SDU BiH, Miro Lazovic and Ivo Komsic said in an open letter publicised on Saturday. |
Defence reform | |
| BiH defence commission adopts guideline for military-intelligence reform
| RS Radio, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 4 ‘Military institutions without premises’, by Erna Mackic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Vacancy competition to choose officers’; Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ’13 conditions met for BiH admission into NATO’ by A. Sisic, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Military intelligence centre to be established next year’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘BiH has already implemented 11 defence reform measures’ – The joint military commission of BiH on Friday adopted a task force report containing recommendations for the reform of the military-intelligence service in BiH. In keeping with NATO standards, it was proposed that in the course of next year, the service at the level of BiH take over all military-intelligence activities. The report on the issue presented at the session is the result of the five-month activity of one of the teams of the joint military commission. The report envisages the establishment of a centre for military-intelligence affairs, which will hire officers from both entities, said James Locher, co-chairman of the commission. “And the recommendations will permit the state defence institutions to assume their responsibility in commanding, controlling and supervising all military-intelligence activities in BiH,“ Locher emphasized. BiH Defence Minister Nikola Radovanovic said that the centre for military-intelligence affairs will hire military intelligence officers who were already performing similar tasks in the armies of the two entities and who had passed all the necessary checks. The participants of the session of the joint military commission said that almost all the terms for accession to the Partnership for Peace have been met, with the exception of filling the vacancies in defence institutions and the system of defence budget development, which should be implemented by the end of the year. One of the NATO terms that has not yet been met is cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. |
| BHT on defence reform in BiH
| BHT on Friday – After NATO set conditions for BiH’ s accession to the Partnership for Peace some ten months ago, the defence reform in our country has gathered pace. The most topical is the important issue of reform of the state-level military and intelligence sector. While these delicate issues are being resolved, the text of the oath defined by law and taken by recruits is different in the RS Army and the two components of the Federation of BiH Army. While young soldiers in the RS take an oath to preserve their entity, recruits of the Bosniak component in the Federation take an oath to defend the entity’s and BiH’s sovereignty, and recruits of the Croat component pledge to defend their people and citizens, without mentioning either the state or the entity – after the state anthem, the Republic of Croatia anthem is played as well. “The BiH Defence Law establishes a single text of the oath. After those ceremonies, I did receive certain information of the kind that you have indicated and the Defence Ministry will take the necessary measures in the period to come to have the BiH Defence Law applied as stipulated,” said Nikola Radovanovic, BiH Defence Minister. James Locher, Defence Reform Commission co-chair: “Every once in a while there can be a lack of full implementation of the law so that we have to monitor certain things and ensure that the law is fully implemented and honoured. As the international co-chair of the commission, I am very happy with the progress in the implementation of the law.” The prevailing opinion among military experts is that the Defence Reform Commission had made key omissions at the very beginning: a permanent solution was not found for BiH. Legislation defines one thing, practice shows something different. “This practically shows that what Locher’s commission did was only window dressing as the first step in an attempt to enter NATO integration, i.e. the Partnership for Peace. Locher himself said this solution was temporary and only served to enter the Partnership,” says Ostoja Barasanin, military analyst. Almost 13 of the NATO conditions have been met so far; the priority is the establishment of a joint military intelligence service. It is necessary to resolve the issue of premises for the defence institutions. NATO expected BiH to meet 65 per cent of personnel capacity by now, but so far only 30 per cent has been met. |
| BHT on EUFOR/Althea
| BHT on Saturday – Starting from next year, EU will use mobile units for rapid action in crisis regions. |
| Dnevni Avaz, Oslobodjenje on preparations for Althea operation
| Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘7,000 EU soldiers are coming’ by S.N. – “Preparations for taking over a peace-keeping mission in BiH from NATO-led forces are going just as planned,” EU High Representatives from Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana has told EU Defence Ministers at their meeting in Holland on Friday. Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Plan for EUFOR operation is being made’ by A. Prlenda – According to Prlenda, since the EUFOR concept was adopted at the beginning of last week, the EU diplomats and military officials are not preparing a concrete plan of EUFOR operations on the ground and its structure by segments/contingents. |
Crime/security/judiciary | |
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| RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Indictment against Maktouf confirmed’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Indictment against Maktouf upheld’ by N.N., SRNA – The BiH Court on Friday confirmed war crimes charges against Abduladhim Maktouf, a BiH citizen of Iraqi descent, for the abduction of five civilians in Travnik in 1993, of whom one – a Serb – was killed at the mujahidin camp near Travnik, judge Vlado Adamovic told SRNA. According to the charges, filed on 13 September by the Special Department of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption, Maktouf had taken part in the abduction of civilians and their transfer to the mujahidin camp Al-Mujahid near Travnik, where they were beaten up, and one of them was killed. A hearing will soon be scheduled at which the defendant will be able to enter his plea. This is the first bill of indictment for war crimes presented by the BiH Prosecution on the basis of its own investigation. Maktouf, who was born in the Iraqi city of |
| NN interview with John McNair
| Nezavisne Novine pgs 4-5 in NN supplement Revija ‘A complicated investigation on “RS Elektroprivreda” slows down the process of bringing charges’ by Almedin Sisic – In an interview to NN, John McNair, Head of BiH Court Special Chamber for fight against organised crime, says that the investigation on the case of “RS Elektroprivreda” is extensive and complicated, owing to which reason n Chamber cannot predict when the indictment would be brought. He reminds that his colleagues, Jonathan Ratel, is in charge of this case, noting no further details can be relased owing to ongoing investigation. |
| RS Vice-president Osmanovic demands Bosniak or Croat to be appointed RS Police Director
| Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘RS Police Director should be a Bosniak since the Interior Minister is a Serb, mentioned on cover ‘RS Police Director should be a Bosniak’, RTRS on Saturday, SRNA – RS Vice-President Adil Osmanovic has requested that the RS Government appoints a Bosniak or Croat to the post of director of police, and warned that if this request was not respected he would be forced to address EUPM (European Union Police Mission) Commissioner Kevin Carty, as well as High Representative Paddy Ashdown. “The current ethnic structure of the RS Ministry of Interior personnel is unacceptable for Bosniaks,” Osmanovic said in an interview for Dnevni Avaz and expressed the hope that the independent committee would propose that the new director comes from the ranks of the Bosniak or Croat people. He said that the results of the MoI’s work were in many aspects far from what was expected, pointing out the inadequate cooperation with The Hague Tribunal and the obstruction in arresting war crimes suspects. The RS Vice-president considers that the ethnic balance should be carried out at the lower levels of the MoI and that of the five PSC (Public Security Centre) heads, two should be from the ranks of the Bosniak people. “If a chief or commander is from the ranks of one of the constituent peoples, then the deputies and assistants must be from the ranks of the other two peoples. In this way the constitutional amendments on the constitutional status of peoples will be implemented,” he added. Osmanovic concluded that the identical method should be applied in other RS ministries. |
| Mikerevic says not Osmanovic’s job to say who will be RS Police Director
| RTRS on Saturday – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stated for RTRS that RS Vice President is not the one to determine who will be the Police Director. “He can not demand something that is not his jurisdiction/authority. That will be in the jurisdiction of supervision board of the RS National Assembly which will decide who will that be, if they decide to appoint the new Police Director. I have not found in any documents that any criteria exists on the (ethnic) structure (in the police)”, says Mikerevic |
| VN on appointment of RS Interior Minister
| Vecernje Novosti pg 2 ‘New Minister as anti-stress pill’ by Slobodan Pesevic – The article brings some background information related to recent warning of HR, Paddy Ashdown, Thursday meeting between Dragan Cavic and CoE Monitoring Team, appointment of Darko Matijasevic as new RS Interior Minister, etc. The author concludes by saying: “It turns out that Ashdown and Matijasevic were given similar tasks and assignments in |
| First Matijasevic’s meeting with RS police chiefs
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Those not willing to arrest should resign’ – “Now our main task is to arrest war criminals, and all those among you, regardless of their private orientations, who are not ready to participate in that should immediately withdraw/resign,” newly-appointed RS Interior Minister Darko Matijasevic said at his first working meeting with the RS police chiefs held on Thursday, according to an unnamed Oslobodjenje source. |
| Narodni Front (National Front) NGO on corruption inside RS MoI, judiciary
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘MoI and judiciary are bastions of crime’ by V. Popovic – Dragomir Babic, President of the NGO “Narodni Front” at Friday’s presser in Banja Luka said that RS MoI and judiciary represent bastions of crime and institutions serving for laundering of criminal activities of officials assuming positions. He noted that Amor Bukic, RS Chief Prosecutor, was appointed to this position in order not to do anything. Among other things, he also said that “a large number of documents was issued to terrorist organisations and members of Al Q’Aeda. Around 40 staff at Banja Luka CIPS was employed without tender, and 13 of them were employed upon recommendation of Mladen Ivanic and Ratko Stamenic…Computers containing some information from CIPS project have gone missing at “Medicinska elektronika”. A skilful operators can falsify documents on such equipment. This equipment has not been found as yet.” |
| OHR letter to BIH Minister of Justice on War Crimes Chamber Registry
| FTV on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Politicians must not influence war crime trials’ – William Potter, Deputy Head of OHR Rule of Law Department,wrote a letter to Slobodan Kovac, BIH Minister of Justice on importance and authorities of BIH Court’s War Crimes Chamber Registry. OHR expects BIH Presidency to ratify agreement between OHR and State of |
| VL: Prlic and others on pre-trial release thanks to Madeleine Albright
| Vecernji List, Sun, front and pgs 2-3 ‘American lobbying: M. Albright helped release of six BiH Croats from The Hague’, by Jasna Babic – The daily learns from unofficial sources that six BiH Croats, who were recently granted a pre-trials release by the ICTY (Jadranko Prlic and others), were in fact granted the pre-trial release after an intervention of former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who was secretly lobbying for them as an unofficial representative of the US Government. VL goes on to say that Albright was in fact lobbying for Prlic only, but since there was no legal ground to release Prlic only, the decision was taken to release all six of them. VL notes that Prlic enjoys a reputation of being the ‘American man’ since he was one of signatories of the Dayton Peace Accord. |
| Update to burning of Croats flags in Stolac
| Vecernji List, Sat, pg 3 ‘People who burnt Croat flags identified’, by fm, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 36 ‘Three Bosniaks suspected of burning flags in Stolac’, mentioned on front, by I. Popovac, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 16 ‘Three Bosniaks removed and set Croat flags on fire’, mentioned on front, by A. Vlaho – The Capljina Police Administration submitted the Mostar Cantonal Prosecution reports against three persons, initials A. Z. (age 32), A. K. (26) and E. K. (29), all from Stolac, because of suspicion that the troika set on fire two Croat flags in centre of Stolac on September 6. Unofficially, all three are Bosniaks. DL and SD note that persons in question are Amer Z., Asim K. and Emir K. Vecernji List, Sun ‘It is known who set Croat flags on fire’, by F. M – notes that persons in question are Amer Zugor, Asim Kohnic and Emir Kekic. |
| Tesanovic on CIPS project
| Vecernji List, Sun, pg 5 ‘They want to present CIPS as inefficient’, mentioned on front, by Renata Radic – carries an interview with BiH Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs, Zoran Tesanovic, in which he notes that there are efforts to present the CIPS project as inefficient, whilst forging of documents are being used as an issue to move the CIPS HQ from Banja Luka to Sarajevo. Tesanovic also says that the project needs upgrading if it proves to be not good, whilst in the same time individual responsibility needs to be established. He also notes it was perhaps a mistake to work with the same company, which produces and sells documents, for the second or third time in succession. Instead, he asked for a tender to be invited, which would result in picking the best company i.e. the best protection against forgeries. |
| Oslobodjenje: ‘Not a single ID has been forged’
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Not a single ID has been forged’ – Media accusations against CIPS project are ungrounded, says a source close to OHR. According to the source, not a single ID issued within the CIPS project has not been forged since it is about a very centralised and protected system. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Civil servants in FBiH to go on general strike as of September 29?
| Dnevni List, Sat ‘Negotiations or strike, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – Independent Union of employees in state bodies, judiciary and public institutions of FBiH took a decision on Friday to go on general strike starting September 29, unless the FBiH Government does not start talks with the Union. According to the President of the said Unions, Nihad Guso, if the Government does not start talks with the |
| DL: New WB’s strategy in next 3 years
| Dnevni List, Sun, pg 2 ‘180 million dollars over three years’, by Dario Pusic, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘180 million dollars for new projects’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 – The World Bank is planning to give BiH between 100 and 180 million US$ worth of loans in the next three years as a part of new strategy, which will help BiH get rid of dependence on humanitarian aid. Apparently, the loans are based on the recently adopted state plan on economic growth and reduction of poverty. According to the World Bank’s spokesman in BiH, Srecko Latal, the amount of loans will depend on BiH authorities and the way they start reforms. Latal explains it is about several projects whose aim is to strengthen financial and state institutions, economic development through private sector and investments in infrastructure between 2005 and 2007. |
| Aluminij: No jobs available at the moment
| Dnevni List, Sun, pg 5 ‘Jobs will come only with new electrolysis’, by Nermin Bise – following media reports that the ‘Aluminij’ Company of Mostar is considering to hire 150 of its former Bosniak employees, DL carries an anonymous source within the ‘Aluminij’ Management, who says the company at the moment does not have vacancies. The same source says the company hires people according to their skills and qualifications, not according to the national key, stressing that new jobs could be created once a new electrolysis plant is open. |
| Update to Buk Bijela power plant
| EuroBlic RSpg 8 ’Three offers for concession’ by Tijana Veselinovic – The article reads that three bidders have applied for concession of Hydro Power Plant “Buk Bijela”. Those are: EFT |
| Implementation of Annex 7 of DA
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Playing on a wrong card’ by J.N. – The article is critical about the implementation of Annex 7 of Dayton Agreement, which says that out of three options stipulated by this article (exchange or compensation for property, only return of refugees is pushed and implemented by the international community and local authorities. However, refugees have no adequate living conditions provided (regarding repaired houses, schools, etc). the author further gives the examples and some statements by psychologists, Presidents of Associations, etc. |
| DA: Issue of Mostar Aluminum to be resolved through agreement between the company and FBiH | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Brajkovic prepared to hire 150 Bosniaks’ – According to sources close to FBiH Government, the issue of Mostar Aluminum (ownership structure) will be resolved not through an international arbitration process but directly through reaching an agreement between the company’s management and the FBiH Government as interested parties. |
Miscellaneous | |
| Commemoration to the tragic death of 12 UN, OHR officials | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Remembrance of the honourable people’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Ashdown: BiH is just in front of EU doors’, FENA – Representatives of the international community and BiH authorities marked the seventh anniversary since the tragic death of 7 UN and 5 OHR officials in a helicopter crash at Prokosko Jezero near Fojnica on Friday. At the ceremony, together with families of those killed, they paid their respects and laid flowers and wreaths at the place of the crash. High Representative Paddy Ashdown said that today, seven years after the crash, BiH is a different country. It leaves the past behind and turns towards a brighter future. The tragically killed OHR and UN officials played a key role in the implementation of peace in areas such as the return of refugees, reform of the police, and development and protection of human rights.Leah Melnick, Charles Morpeth, Thomas Reinhardt, Jurgen Schauf and Gerd Wagner of OHR and Peter Backes, Livio Beccaccio, Andrzej Buler, David Kriskovich, William Nesbitt, Marvin Padgett and Georg Stiebler of UNMIBH died in the helicopter crash seven years ago. |