Friday
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Appoint. of BiH generals | Deputy EU HR in Sarajevo | BiH HoR in session | BiH HoR in session |
| Education reforms | BiH HoR in session | Deputy EU HR in Sarajevo | Defence reform |
| BiH HoR in session | BiH CC in session | Radovanovic on generals | Law on veteransâ rights |
| Oppositionsâ round table | Conference in Mostar | BiH CC in session | Reactions: Visegrad action |
Saturday
| NTV Hayat (18,55 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Explosion in Pale | Law on Higher Education | BiH CC decisions | Explosion in Pale |
| Interview on Cyprus | Seminar in Neum | Explosion in Pale | Kalinic will sue Blagojevic |
| Interview Iraq | Explosion in Pale | OSCE on education | SP on police action |
| Face to Face | BiH CC decisions | Una-Sana Cantonâs issues | BiH CC- decisions |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | Americans ready to extradite Sacirbegovic?; CRA: Licence will be awarded on 30 July; Oil and petrol 3-5% more expensive |
| Dnevni Avaz | Law hidden from veterans; Sanel Sjekiricaâs father to file charges; 150 decertified officers wait to be returned to work? |
| Dnevni List | Sarajevo: âWho does not let us in Europe?â public forum held; Bishop Pericâs book âWe have to go through many straitsâ presented: Current politicians responsible for possible demise of Croatian language |
| Vecernji List | Border crossing regime at Ivanica: No entering Croatia without 175 Euros in wallet; Mostar: Bridge is waiting for tourists |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Croat generals rejected because of self-rule, Serbs and Bosniaks because of crimes |
| Glas Srpske | Brod Refinery did not sell a single litre of fuel to buyers in F BiH: Account blocks the oil; Sarajevo: Commission for truth |
| Nezavisne Novine | Opposition organized Round Table: Europe does not trust BiH authorities; Paddy Ashdown warns functionaries of RS: Policemen should not be scapegoats of politics; Kemal Causevic, ITA Director: 700 customs officers will lose jobs |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | Ante Jelavic remains in prison; Initiative of state Parliamentâs representatives: There will be no removal of Government?; Walter Schwimer: Citizens will decide whether they want BiH without entities; Education Ministersâ Summit: Knowledge will link Europe; Ivan Saracâs âgolfâ destroyed in explosion in Pale |
| Dnevni Avaz | Tihic: 10 million KM will stay to Mostar and its people; Bomb destroyed âgolfâ of former police commander |
| Dnevni List | Special Olympics: Message of reconciliation and acceptance of differences; Jelavic must wait for outcome, then appeal to fairness of trials |
| Vecernji List | Bomb under car of Karadzicâs aide; Zenica: Protests like in Arab world |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
Political developments/statements | |
| BiH HoR in session adopts changes to BiH Election Law
| FTV Fri, BHTV 1 Fri, RHB, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âDiscussion on Customs Tariffs Law postponedââ, Dnevni List, Sat, front page âProposal of changes and amendments to Election law adoptedâ and page 3 âRaguz: Political parties pay advertisement to electronic mediaâ, Vecernji List, Sat, page 2 âRoma enter parliament tooâ – At the session held on Friday, the BiH House of Representatives adopted changes to the BiH Election Law Friday. Changes refer to the participation of national minorities in the municipal elections and a possibility of commercial advertising in electronic media. If the BiH House of Peoples also adopts these changes on Monday they will be used at the municipal election scheduled for October 2. The HoR also adopted the proposed BiH law on statistics that creates a legal framework for the organization, development and distribution of statistical date in BiH, and the establishment of the authorized agency. HoR postponed the discussion on the Law on Customs Tariffs. RTRS Fri – âI think that today we made a really significant step and I am fully confident that on Monday the House of Peoples will accept [changes to the Election Law] in second reading and that BiH Election Commission âŚwill be able to implement this Law as of next week,â stated Martin Raguz, BiH HoR Speaker. |
| Opposition parties hold roundtable on accession to Euro-Atlantic integrations | RHB, Oslobodjenje pg 7 âOpposition is not guilty that authorities donât implement reformsâ â In organization of opposition parties SDP, SNSD, NHI and RS Socialist Party a round table titled âWho wont let us to Europe?â was held in Sarajevo. Although invited, numerous representatives of the current authorities did not attend, except Chair CoM Adnan Terzic, FBiH Vice-presidents Desnica Radivojevic and Sahbaz Dzihanovic, and RS Vice-president Ivan Tomljenovic. Slobodna Dalmacija Sat pg 19 âBiH will not go to EU with these authoritiesâ, Dnevni List Sat cover splash âSarajevo: âWho does not let us in Europe?â public forum heldâ, pg 7 âIC transfers responsibility for harder cases onto domestic authoritiesâ â Asking authorities and IC to find answers to issues relating to BiH entering Euro-Atlantic structures, SDP President, Zlatko Lagumdzija says those responsible are those not implementing their obligations and representatives of IC who, according to Lagumdzija, mostly take easy decisions, and transfer responsibility onto domestic authorities in harder cases. âWe will not stand in the way of reforms, but we want to make those who have the power and authority to do what citizens needâ, said Lagumdzija. RTRS Fri – NHI President, Kresimir Zubak said that root of the problem lied on the Government, as the most important is not the number of passed Laws, but their implementation. SP RS President, Petar Djokic said that BiH is falling behind in its effort to join Europe, as it has no clear vision of its development. Chairman of CoM, Adnan Terzic said he expected BiH to fulfil the conditions and to commence with the negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement before October. Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 5 âEurope does not trust BiH authoritiesâ â âCurrently, we have a big problem, because the officials of the international community keep saying that all politicians in BiH are criminals and corrupt. [Paddy] Ashdown thinks he is the only one having solutions and therefore the laws are enacted and conditions met only in order to save the project of international from failing,â stated Dodik. |
| OHR still analyses SDS financial report | RHB, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âOHR still checks SDS financial reportâ, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 âOHR analyses SDSâs reportâ, Dnevni List, Sun, page 16 âFinancial report of SDS still being analyzedâ, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 âOHR has not still analysed the SDS reportâ, FENA â OHR is still analyzing the financial report of the SDS, which covers the past 15 months, told Fena the OHR spokesperson Oleg Milisic. He was unable to specify when the analysis would be completed, but stressed that OHR will not be making further comments on this matters until this process is finalized. SDS Presidency on April 19 forwarded the requested report, which refers to the last year and the first three months of 2004, to OHR. Due to suspicions that the Party is financing the indicted war criminals from its budget, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on April 2 banned further payments of budgetary funds to SDS and requested its financial report. |
| Covic on HDZ internal crisis, relations with SDA | Nezavine Novine cover and pgs 5-7 âThere is no such document, which demands removals at HDZâ by Almedin Sisic â Dragan Covic, HDZ Vice President and member of BiH Presidency, says in an interview to NN that there is no such document, which demands his removal, as well as removals of Barisa Colak and Niko Lozancic from the positions of HDZ President and Vice President respectively. He also stresses his dissatisfaction with the current relations with the SDA. He denies claims that all affairs related to SDA-HDZ relations resulted from their mutual fight for some key positions at financial institutions. |
| HDZ says it expects Ashdown to lift sanctions | Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 âHDZ expects Ashdown to lift the financing sanctionâ â HDZ BiH expects the High Representative Paddy Ashdown to lift the sanctions regarding the financing of the party in next several days. In a statement to DA, HDZ spokesperson Pero Pavlovic says that HDZ has such expectations after Herzegovina Neretva Cantonal Assembly adopted the changes to the Law on primary and secondary education, and with other municipal councils also discussing the law. |
| Ashdown on SDS, HDZ | Oslobodjenje Sat, supplement âPogledâ pg 4 âWill Dayton protect RS if RS objects to Dayton?â by Senka Kurtovic â In a page long interview to Oslobodjenje, HR Paddy Ashdown said that he did not want to comment the SDS financial report before the OHR completes the analyses, and announced he expected this to be done next week. âHowever, the report alone will not change my decision, but it has to show me that SDS is not financing network of the war criminals,â says Ashdown. As for sanctions posed against HDZ, Ashdown says that HDZ also has to fulfil its obligations: âHDZ in Croatia carried out fundamental, mental change. At least when it comes to their leadership⌠Why HDZ in Herzegovina cannot understand that? Why many of them got stuck in some old times? Look at the situation in education.â Asked whether he believes that politicians have been quite in the key moments, Ashdown wondered whether some of the moves by the parties [HDZ objections to education reforms, Dodikâs criticism against Djeric, SDS statements] did have to do with elections campaigns. |
| Bishop Sudar: Croats in BiH never had more freedom | Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 âCroats in BiH never had more freedomâ, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 4 âCroats unprepared for the returnâ, Onasa – Sarajevo Catholic Bishop Pero Sudar said Friday in Livno that Croats had never had so much freedom in Sarajevo and BiH as they had nowadays, but still they were not satisfied, and young people from Livno and Tomislavgrad, for instance, were leaving that for which Croats had fought bloody battles. Speaking for a Radio Livno broadcast on position of the Croats in BiH, Sudar said that the fate of the Croats was not in the hands of the High Representative and the international community, nor in the hands of Bosniaks and Serbs, but that it was in the hands of Croats themselves. As for BiH, he said it was ruled by the people who did not understand the essence of BiH, by the people who want peace to rule in BiH, regardless of what kind of peace it was. |
| BiH HoR to discuss initiative to dismiss CoM | Oslobodjenje cover, pg 6 âThere will be no BiH Govt dismissal?â by V.Z. â Daily learns that on 4 May BiH House of Representatives will discuss the initiative of the 14 representatives to voice non-confidence to the BiH government. This was confirmed by Tihomir Gligoric, rep of RS Socialist Party and one of the initiators. Jozo Krizanovic, also one of the initiators and rep of the SPD, says that he did not expect initiative to be passed as it doesnât enjoy support of the majority. |
| Tihic dismisses accusations re Old Bridge opening ceremony funding | Dnevni Avaz Sat cover splash â10 million KM will stay to Mostar and Mostar peopleâ, pg 3 âEverything we invest will stay to Mostar and Mostar peopleâ â Chairman of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic dismisses accusations that the 10 million KM planned for the opening ceremony of the Old Bridge in Mostar will not be spent transparently. Tihic explains that the money will not be spend only for the ceremony itself, but also for airport, roads, electricity, telecommunications network, bank of river Neretva, etc. |
| CoE SG: BiH citizens should decide on country with or without entities | Oslobodjenje Sun cover, pg 6 âCitizens will decide whether they want BiH without entitiesâ by V. Zivak â In an interview to daily, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer, says: âIf authorities in BiH do nto speed up reforms, BiH will need a lot of time to become full member of the EU.â Asked to comment how CoE sees BiH future â with or without entities â Schwimmer said that such decision was up to the citizens, and that CoE was only concerned to see each level of authorities to be financed properly. Asked why Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic were not yet arrested, CoE SG said that he posed the same question to SFOR and BiH authorities. As for SFOR, he said that there answer was not satisfactory and that he will continue to pose the same question all over again. |
| DL, VL on situation in Mostar | Dnevni List, Sun, page 5 âWinterstein backing Mostarâ, by N. B. â Article says that Norbert Winterstein, former Chairman of Commission for making of the Mostar Statute, could be returning to Mostar, this time to help the practical implementation of the High Representativeâs decision on Mostar. Dnevni List Sat pg 9 âSuccess or disguise for difficulties in process of unification of cityâ by Zvonimir Jukic â Announcing the visit of the HR Paddy Ashdown to Mostar for Monday, the author notes that whilst some people see it as another success in abolishment of parallelisms in Mostar, other people see it as face-lifting of real problems. DLâs sources say the situation in Mostar City Administration is very confusing, hindering the work of companies. DL says that there are also considerable problems between the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mostar relating to distribution of departments within the Administration and criteria for systematization of jobs. This leads the author to say that the public deserves answers from the HR whether the changes in Mostar are either proper or cosmetic ones. Vecernji List, Sun, page 2 âIntroduction of democracy Mostar-styleâ, by Tomislav Kvesic â Claiming that âthe direct election of heads of municipalities, scheduled for October this year, will confirm the unique status that Mostar hasâ, Kvesic says the âprogressiveâ and âdemocraticâ Statute deprives Mostarians of right to exercise democracy the way it will be done in other places foremost because the majority of voters are the Croats, âwho could, God forbid, elect one of their Croats. And that would be fatal. As is fatal that the Croats have their language, culture, education, media, or God forbid, an entity. But, thatâs why we have his excellency Paddy Ashdown, who made sure, by enacting the Statute, that there is not chaosâ. |
Defence and security issues | |
| Bomb planted under vehicle of ex-police chief in Pale
| NTV Hayat, BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun cover, pg 22 âBomb destroyed âgolfâ owned by ex-chief of policeâ, Oslobodjenje Sun cover, pg 23 âBomb destroys Ivan Saracâs âgolfââ, Vecernji List, Sun, front page splash âBomb under car of Karadzicâs aideâ and page 2 âKaradzicâs aideâs car blown upâ – A “Golf A4” car, owned by recently dismissed head of Pale police station Ivan Sarac, was destroyed on Saturday in Pale by, as yet, an unknown explosive device. The Serb Sarajevo Public Security Centre spokesman, Radovan Pejic, said that that vehicle was situated in the car park next to the bakery, opposite the police station. The detonation cracked the glass on the doors and windows of the police station, but there were no injuries. An investigation is under way. Sarac was dismissed by OHR for suspicion of being a part of the network assisting war crimes suspects. RTRS Sat – Prosecutor of Srpsko Sarajevo District Court, Munib Halilovic said that the office conducts investigation, and that explosive device has still not been identified. |
| BiH HoR adopts set of security laws
| BHTV 1 Fri – At the session held on Friday, the BiH House of Representatives discussed a set of laws concerning security. FTV Fri, RHB, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âDiscussion on Customs Tariffs Law postponedâ – Representatives adopted proposals of laws on police officials in BiH, the BiH witness protection program, as well as changes to the law on state service in BiH institutions and the law on criminal procedure. Draft Law on Police Officials in BiH stipulates that the police structure must be based on the population census carried out in 1991. The HoR also adopted the proposed law on SIPA in the first reading, as well as the proposed law on prevention of the money laundering, which defines measures for discovering, preventing and investigating money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities and related international cooperation. RTRS Fri – The Deputies did not adopt the Law on SIPA in second reading, because of unsolved issues of Agencyâs headquarter, which was said to be solved with amendments. |
| Radovanovic on appointments of generals to BiH Army | FTV Fri, RHB, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 3 âRadovanovic gave names of generals to the BiH presidencyâ – BiH Defence Minister Nikola Radovanovic stated that the number of candidates for the general rank who had received SFOR’s clearance was sufficient for the joint headquarters and operational command to begin work, which is a condition for joining PfP [out of 19 proposed candidates only 8 of them passed SFORâs vetting procedure, while earlier OHR dismissed one candidate]. Minister Radovanovic stated that the public will be informed on the names of candidates on Monday after all those who competed were informed on the results. Radovanovic also said that the vacant positions should be filled in the upcoming period, and that the entity defence ministries will be asked to make fresh proposals for positions whose candidates failed to receive SFOR clearance. RTRS Fri – Radovanovic said that he expected the BiH Standing Committee on Military Matters to meet next week, as this body makes proposals for promotions to the rank of general, after which the BiH Presidency would review the proposal, and forward it to the parliamentary procedure for ratification by the end of the week. |
| NN, SD on rejected generals | Nezavisne Novine pg 3 âRole of Serbs and Bosniaks in question, Croats were âself-rulersââ â A source close to BiH Presidency on Friday confirmed to NN that the candidatures of ten senior officers of three BiH constitutive peoples (for the positions of the BiH military commanders) were rejected, because SFOR established during a vetting procedure that war-time role of Serb and Bosniak commanders may be compromising, while Croat officers took part in âCroat self-ruleâ from 2001 (under the leadership of the former HDZ president, Ante Jelavic). Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, front page splash and page 9 âCroat generals rejected because of self-rule, Serbs and Bosniaks because of crimesâ by Miroslav Landeka â carries the same allegations. |
| Deputy EU HR meets BH Presidency, Radovanovic | RTRS Fri, BHTV 1 Fri â On Friday, members of the BiH presidency met with the Deputy EU High Representative in charge of political and military matters, Peter Feith to discuss the transfer of mandate from SFOR to future EU troops probably as of 1 January 2005. Feith also held talks with BIH Defence Minister, Nikola Radovanovic, and they voiced the expectation that BiH would meet in a timely manner all the terms for membership in the Partnership for Peace. Feith also invited Radovanovic to come to Brussels in May to meet EU High Representative Javier Solana and political directors of EU and NATO who would meet to discuss prospects of BiH adission to PfP. FTV Fri â During the meeting with BiH presidency, Feith stressed that BiH must fulfill obligations on cooperation with the ICTY and establishment of SIPA in order to be admitted to Euro-Atlantic integrations. Oslobodjenje Sat pg 4 âOn change between SFOR and EU troopsâ, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 3 âCooperation with the Hague and SIPA two important conditions for Europeâ, Dnevni List, Sat, page 6 âVisible progress in reform of defence system in BiHâ â also covered the meetings. |
| Covic: It is realistic to expect invitation for BiH admission to PfP in June | Nezavine Novine cover and pgs 5-7 âThere is no such document, which demands removals at HDZâ by Almedin Sisic – Member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic said it “is realistic to expect” BiH would be invited at a NATO summit in June in Istanbul to join the Partnership for Peace [PfP]. “We have done all we could to meet all the requirements set before us,” Covic stated in an interview to NN. According to Covic’s assessment, cooperation with ICTY is the most important condition that has been attempted to be solved in several ways. “The last move was the departure of six Croat officials to The Hague, and those who refused to go of their free will, will be brought to The Hague by force,” said Covic. NTV Hayat, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âThose who do not want to the Hague voluntarily will be brought thereâ â also carried bits of NN interview. |
| Ashdown praises Radovanovic for defence reforms | Oslobodjenje Sat, supplement âPogledâ pg 4 âWill Dayton protect RS if RS objects to Dayton?â by Senka Kurtovic â In a page long interview to Oslobodjenje, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown commented that the defence sector was in much better position now than a month ago. He stressed that general attitude was that the new BiH Defence Minister Nikola Radovanovic was heading the right direction, and brought some real changes. This, says Ashdown, brings him and Chairman of the Defence Reform Commission James Locher to believe that BiH will fulfill all aims of defence reforms. |
| Dispute over FBiH Veterans Law | Dnevni Avaz Sat cover splash âLaw hidden from soldiersâ, pg 8 âVeterans associations not familiar with the content of FBiH Govt proposalâ – After FBiH Government on Thursday adopted the Draft Veterans Law and sent it to the parliamentary procedure, Zdravko Beslic, minister for veterans issues in Western Herzegovina Canton, stated that there were a number of issues yet to be agreed on: âI am not familiar with the Draft Law agreed on in the Government. I am surprised with the fact that the law was included in the session agenda at all.â As one of the issues not agreed was inclusion of term âshehidâ in the Law which is unacceptable for Croats. President of the FBiH Demobilised Soldiers Mehmed Focic also said he was not given insight into the draft law. |
Legal issues | |
| Constitutional Court rejects Jelavicâs appeal
| NTV Hayat, BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun cover splash âAnte Jelavic stays in detentionâ, pg 3 âEuropean convention is not saving Jelavicâ, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 âConstitutional Court did not order lift of Jelavicâs detentionâ – The BiH Constitutional Court on Saturday rejected an appeal for a release from custody by a former member of the BiH Presidency, Ante Jelavic. The court president, Mato Tadic, told a news conference in today that the appeal was rejected on the grounds of being submitted too early and that the decision was final. Vecernji List, Sun, page 2 âJelavic stays in custodyâ, Dnevni List, front page and page 3 âJelavic must wait for outcome, then appeal to fairness of trialsâ â âHis appeal was rejected at all levels, and since we already had received a request to look into the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Law on immunity, we decided to stop proceedings against Jelavic, until we have taken a decision on constitutionality of the lawâ, says Tadic. Soon after that, Jelavic appealed against the extension to detention which was rejected because, as Tadic explains, if an appealer is complaining against the fairness of the trials, he/she should await for outcome of the trials. |
| On session of the Constitutional Court | RTRS Sat – The BiH Constitutional Court has not reached a decision concerning the request by BiH House of Peoples Speaker Mustafa Pamuk for reviewing the procedural correctness of the process of passing changes to the BiH law on refugees.Courtâs president, Mato Tadic said that the article of the Law referring to the status of people who exchanged their property is not an issue, while the main problem when such property is in other states. In upcoming period, BiH Constitutional Court will also discuss the demands of Chairman of BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic on constitutionality of Laws on Flag and Court of Arms in RS and FBiH, as well as request for assessment of the constitutionality of street names Sarajevo. The Court discussed the request by previous BiH House of Representatives Speaker Nikola Spiric for assessing the constitutionality of Article 3 a from the law on abolishing the law on abandoned apartments and decided to hold a public discussion on this issue. It was decided to further discuss demand in May. Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 âConstitutional Court did not order lift of Jelavicâs detentionâ â also reported â Tadic also said that Court is soon to consider the demand filed by Mirko Sarovic on temporary lift of the decision by the High Rep Paddy Ashdown on his removal. BHTV 1 Fri, FTV Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 6 âPublic consultations about abandoned propertyâ, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âNo decision on Mustafa Pamukâs demandâ â also covered the session. |
| Oslobodjenje: âAmericans ready to extradite Sacirbegovic to BiH?â | Oslobodjenje Sat cover splash, pg 5 âAmerican ready to extradite Sacirbegovic?â by Az. Kalamujic – According to unconfirmed information from the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office Sarajevo, the American judicial authorities could positively respond to a request of the BiH side for the extradition of former BiH Foreign Minister and BiH Ambassador to the UN Muhamed Sacirbegovic, reads Oslobodjenje. Spokesman for the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office Oleg Cavka said on Friday that the Office has not been informed about intentions of the American local court and American Ministry of Justice in this case, but that they unofficially learned that the American authorities intend to extradite Sacirbegovic, charged with embezzlement and misuse of authorities as he could not justify expenditures of 2.4 million US dollars from the BiH mission to UN account. |
War crimes issues | |
| Jeremija, Aleksandar Starovlah transferred to Belgrade
| NTV Hayat, BHTV 1, FTV Sat, RTRS Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 âTreatment to be continued in VMAâ, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 4 âJeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah transferred to VMA in Belgradeâ, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 âTreatment of Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah continues in Belgradeâ â Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah, who were seriously injured in SFOR action of 1st April, were transferred to the Military and Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade on Saturday. RTRS Fri, BHTV 1 Fri â On Friday, RS National Assembly Speaker Dragan Kalinic visited Jeremija and Aleksandar, whose health condition has been improving, and thanked Tuzla clinicâs staff. Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 âJeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah to be treated in Belgrade?â â brings announcement of patients departure for Belgrade. |
| BiH HoR establishes commission to investigate SFOR action in Pale | BHTV 1 Fri, Glas Srpske cover page story âCommission for truthâ – At the demand by the SDS, the BiH House of Representatives approved the establishment of the commission to investigate the recent SFOR operation in Pale aimed at locating war crimes suspects and appointed Ivo Miro Jovic, Ljiljana Milicevic and Ibrahim Dedovic to the commission. RTRS Fri – âColleagues from Party for BiH and some colleagues from SDA havenât supported this suggestion, and I really donât understand who still really cares about the truth,â commented Momcilo Novakovic, SDS representatives in BiH HoR. Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âDiscussion on Customs Tariffs Law postponedâ, inset âAvoiding membership to the âcommission on Jeremijaââ â Avaz claims that Novakovic hardly found a Bosniak to be a member of the commission. He asked Beriz Belkic, and Izet Hadzic, but both refused to perform this duty. |
| Blagojevic says Cavic, Kalinic ordered Visegrad police action; Kalinic says he will sue Blagojevic | RTRS Fri, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 6 âMurder in Visegrad, lack of power of authoritiesâ, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 âOrder was that Milan Lukic must not be arrested aliveâ â Mirko Blagojevic, delegate of Serb Radical Party â Dr Vojislav Seselj, on Friday in Bijeljina stated that the RS police action in Visegrad of Sunday was initiated by Dragan Cavic, RS President, and Dragan Kalinic, RS Parliament Speaker. He said that: âKalinic and Cavic decided that Lukic should be a scapegoat, in order to prove their readiness to cooperate with the Hague Tribunal and stand behind the SDS financial report, currently analysed at OHR. Kalinic and Cavic ordered through their men that Milan Lukic must not be arrested alive, because he might be a heavy witness. The death of his brother resulted from tragic circumstances, since Novica was much alike his brother Milan by appearance.â RTRS Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 4 âKalinic announced he would sue Blagojevicâ, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 5 âDragan Kalinic will sue Mirko Blagojevicâ, Dnevni List, Sun, page 15 âAverting of public focus from real perpetratorsâ – RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic announced that he will sue Mirko Blagojevic for defamation. Dragan Kalinic denied all allegations that he and RS President Dragan Cavic have initiated the Policeâs action in Visegrad. |
| Ashdown: Policemen must not be political scapegoats | Nezavisne Novine cover, pg 4 âPolicemen must not be scapegoats of politicsâ â On Friday, Paddy Ashdown, High Representative to BiH, warned the authorities of RS that they must not allow policemen, who took part in arrest of war crime suspects on Sunday in Visegrad, to be scapegoats of the politics, that has been obstructing the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal for a long time. Attending the session of the PIC in Sarajevo, HiRep said that: âYou should not use this tragedy as an excuse to make this action the last one. RS police must continue to carry out arrests of war crime suspects.â |
| NN editorial on Visegrad police action | Nezavisne Novine pg 7 âManipulatorsâ op-ed by Branko Todorovic â The author says somebody else always gets hurt in âbad movesâ by RS authorities regarding cooperation with ICTY. He also says that HR Paddy Ashdown did not let them manipulate with the IC, which caused a major panic amongst his recent political partners, resulting in hastiness, which disclosed inadmissible weaknesses in the functioning of RS institutions. First is that there is no clear and long-term strategy with clearly stipulated obligations of institutions and their officials. Secondly, it is observable that not a single police official, starting with Interior Minister, is ready to take over the minimum responsibility for the shameful omissions. Thirdly, unscrupulous political manipulators have tried to eliminate their political opponents by taking advantage of tragic events and innocent victims. He raises the question as to whether and who would like to see Milan Lukic murdered instead of arrested alive. He says that RS public expects to see the highest police officials resign, which is the least they can do. |
| Ashdown on Srebrenica Commission | Oslobodjenje Sat, supplement âPogledâ pg 4 âWill Dayton protect RS if RS objects to Dayton?â by Senka Kurtovic â In a page long interview to Oslobodjenje, the HR Paddy Ashdown said he was quite optimistic regarding the invitation to BiH to join PfP in June, under condition that RS carries out charges regarding the support to Srebrenica Commission and arrest of ICTY indictees. Asked to comment statements that suggested that his actions following the preliminary Srebrenica Comm report were too mild, Ashdown answered: âWhen I brought decision âŚI have to take into account what I considered to be the first sing of the changes in the attitude and I have to say that I am sorry and I criticize the fact that it took nine months for that to happen. In the last days of the commission work, it seems that the RS institutions finally realized that they should change their attitude and for the first time we received different information to those included in the report⌠There will be new decision on 30 April when higher ranked people will be held responsible ⌠[which] will depend on the information we receive.â Linking the RS authorities responsibilities towards Srebrenica Commission to fulfilling international obligations, Ashdown says: âIf RS is to be the only reason preventing BiH to join NATO that would be really serious thing for both BiH and RS. That would bring very significant consequences.â |
| Terzic says arrest of war criminals possible only with SIPA, OSCA functioning | FTV Fri – Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, said it is unrealistic to expect from BiH authorities to carry out actions of arresting the war crimes suspects at this time. Terzic explained the State could take over that responsibility only when SIPA is founded and becomes fully operational service, and the Intelligence and Security Service is united at the state level. |
| Bishop Grigorije: Serbs wont chase ICTY indictees even for $50 million | RHB – Orthodox Bishop of Zahumlje and Herzegovina, Grigorije said that Orthodox Church is providing heaven to Radovan Karadzic and other persons indicted for war crimes in BiH. Bishop Grigorije said that International Community expects Serb people to chase ICTY indicted persons for 5 million US dollars, pointing that Serbs donât want to so that for even $50 millions. |
Education issues | |
| Ashdown, Beecroft assure education reforms will not hinder Mostar University
| FTV Sat, Dnevni List, Sun front, pg 4 âUniversity of Mostar will not be threatenedâ, Vecernji List Sun pg 2 âUniversity of Mostar will not be threatenedâ â The joint statement of High Representative Paddy Ashdown and Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Robert Beecroft says that Mostar University will not be threatened by the education reforms now underway, but will strengthen it enabling it to become a genuine European university with recognized qualifications. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 âEducation reform is not threatening to Mostar Universityâ, Oslobodjenje pg 5 âStrong, not endangeredâ â Ashdown and Beecroft stated that they would take action if anyone tries to misuse education reforms and undermine the university. Ashdown and Beecroft said they ask only that students of the Mostarsko Sveuciliste respect the Bologna and Lisbon Convention standards necessary for the university to be recognized throughout Europe. According to the statement, these standards do not mean that students will have to suppress their national identity: “These standards support the right of your university to use the Croatian language and teach Croatian culture and identity, but within a framework that is open to and respects the other national identities in BiH.” |
| OSCE welcomes adoption of education law in 4 cantons | FTV Sat – The OSCE Mission to BiH commended the representatives of the Cantonal Assemblies from Una Sana, Podrinje and Sarajevo Cantons for for unanimously passing the Laws on Primary and Secondary Education on Friday. Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 âRobert Beecroft satisfied that law was adopted by four cantonsâ, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 4 âRespect of cultural differencesâ â “By passing these laws, these four Cantons have reaffirmed a child’s fundamental right to education. Equally important, they have taken a commendable step to reform education,” said Robert Beecroft, Chief of OSCE Mission. According to Beecroft, children from all cultural backgrounds will now have equal access and enjoy an equal standard of respect for their cultural diversity. |
| Dispute over education law in Central Bosnia Canton | FTV Sat â Proposal on the changes to the Primary and Secondary Education in Central Bosnian Canton, which was to be harmonized with the framework BiH Law by 24 April, was rejected. Oslobodjenje Sun pg 4 âCroats âpulled outâ national interestâ â Daily carries that during the discussion on the proposal, Assembly representatives of the Croat people raised the issue of the protection of their national interests, however doesnât specify why exactly the Law was not adopted. Vecernji List, Sun, page 3 âBosniaks are against reformâ by Zoran Kresic â VL notes that Bosniak reps in the Central Bosnia Canton rejected to adopt changes to the Law on elementary and secondary education, which deal with unification of âtwo schools under one roofâ. According to VL, this shows genuine intentions of the Bosniak side, which wanted to achieve the domination in the educational system under disguise of administrative unification. Dnevni List, Sun, page 7 âSDA and Bosniak representatives obstruct adoption of lawâ by Miso Relota â claims it is absurd to go on with sanctioning of HDZ and its officials because the Croat, unlike the Bosniak side, has done everything to adopt education related laws in CBC. Author doubts the OHR will sanction the SDA and its officials. |
| VL on education reforms | Vecernji List Sat pg 5 âThere will be no joint classes in different âlanguagesââ by Zoran Kresic â Referring to the unification of âtwo schools under one roofâ and the sanctions HR, Paddy Ashdown, imposed to the HDZ, VL notes that the HR has already prepared sanctions in case the âreformsâ are not adopted, sanctions which are allegedly to be applied from the lowest levels, all the way up to the HDZ top. In that context, VL notes that municipalities of Stolac, Capljina and Rama on Friday carried out the unification. VL also notes that the HNK Cantonal Assembly adopted the education law, which, according to officials involved, meets the Council of Europe criteria, and satisfies interests of Croat and Bosniak partners. |
Economic and social issues | |
| Biber accuses Hadzipasic of deceiving workers
| Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 âHadzipasic did not understand essence of Syndicateâs demandâ, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 7 âAhmet Hadzipasic deceits workersâ, Dnevni List, Sat, page 2 âRemove consequences of Law on bankruptcy through exchange of opinionsâ – President of the BiH Trade Union Association Edhem Biber sees the statement given by FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic that each worker who loses his job in course of the bankruptcy procedure will have the minimal compensation of 250 KM a month, as the classic mean of deceiving the public and a fraud. âLet Hadzipasic say from which exact fund these funds will be insured and for which period, if we consider that the Government does not even have a fund for these purposes and that the budgetary funds for this purpose have not been planned. The only thing that can be done is to insure via the Employment Fund paying of contributions for the workers and creating of conditions for the regular financial compensations to the unemployedâ, said Biber. |
| CRA to issue 3rd GSM licence by 30 June | Oslobodjenje cover, pgs 4&5 âHT Mostar or Eronet will be awarded with licence on 30 Juneâ by Aldijana Omeragic â In an interview to Oslobodjenje, Director of the Communications Regulatory Agency [CRA] Kemal Huseinovic stated that both HT Mostar and Eronet expressed will to compete for the 3rd GSM licence to be awarded latest by 30 June. CRA established criteria based on which it would chose GSM operator, which will be sent to both companies so they can submit their applications in accordance with it by May 27. âLicence must be given to credible operator. That is why we want to see financial and technical capabilities of both HT Mostar and Eronet,â stated Huseinovic. Dnevni List, Sat, page 3 âFinancial stability a basic pre-requisite for getting GSM licenceâ, by J. Petrovic â carries the similar statements by Huseinovic. |