06.09.2004

OHR BiH Weekend Round-up, 4-5/9/2004

image_pdfimage_print

 

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA

(18,00 hrs)

BH TV 1

(19,00 hrs)

FED TV

(19,30 hrs)

RT RS

(19,30)

Russian hostage crisis

Hostage crisis over

Russian hostage crisis

Russian hostage crisis

Colak’s denial re terrorism

Charges against Gligoric

Colak’s denial re terrorism

Audit report on Ministries

MO Croat del. inZagreb

Celo Delalic interrogated

False BIH documents

Report on Njegus

Hays in Mostar

Milosevic’s witnesses

Forced payment of taxes

Tax evasion

Saturday

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA

(18,00 hrs)

BH TV 1

(19,00 hrs)

FED TV

(19,30 hrs)

RT RS

(19,30)

Russian hostage crisis

Hostage crisis in Russia

Hostage crisis in Russia

Hostage crisis in Russia

ICTY wants RS Army doc.

ICTY wants RS Army doc.

Eco pollution in Jajce

ICTY wants RS Army doc.

Port of Ploceissue

US on Mladic whereabouts

Zitoprerada case

Krsmanovic on VAT rate

Film Festival in Orasje

BIH Statistics Agency

HB Sume case

Forest attacked by moths

 

Saturday

Oslobodjenje

Hostage crisis in Russia ended: Special forces seized the school, hundreds of dead and wounded

Dnevni Avaz

Bogic Bogicevic (senior SDP official and pre-war socialist Yugoslavia Presidency member): Libyan President Gadafi remembered me even after 15 years

Dnevni List

Beslic and Brajkovic visit Croatian PM Ivo Sanader: Encouragement to investments in Mostar

Vecernji List

Bloody end!

Slobodna Dalmacija

Mostar: Federation Government buying illegal building

Glas Srpske

Clash of Russian special units and terrorists: Slaughter in the school; Barisa Colak claims: There is no Osama’s message

Nezavisne Novine

Russian hostage crisis update: 150 dead in the school; Yassin A.A.Kadi, founder of the firm and Primary School “Risala”: Bin Laden’s associate is the owner of firm in Sarajevo ; Mikerevic’s Government paid out EURO 500 thousand to Mandic’s bank

Blic

Russian bloody story; Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo : They are hiding the truth about the missing Serbs; Njegus under vetting procedure at Parliament

Sunday

Oslobodjenje

Bloody consequence of hostage crisis in Northern Ossetia: 322 dead, 700 wounded in the city of Beslan

Dnevni Avaz

Ivo Banac, the member of the Croatian Parliament: Croat right-wing parties in BiH will (politically) attack on Sanader

Dnevni List

Elementary and secondary school pupils behind desks tomorrow

Vecernji List

Russians are counting innocent victims

Slobodna Dalmacija

322 killed, among them 155 children, 540 wounded

 

 

Political developments/education

PDHR Hays in Mostar: Talks on local self-government

 

Herceg Bosna Radio on Friday, Dnevni List, pg 10 Sat, ‘We will make Mostar a cosmopolitan city’, by Sanja Bjelica, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 6 ‘Give citizens money from bureaucracy’, by M. Landeka, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘To distribute money wasted by bureaucracy to citizens’, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Take money from bureaucracy and give it to citizens’ – Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, who visited Mostar on Friday, met with MPs in the FBiH Parliament from Mostar and representatives of the City administration of Mostar to discuss issues pertaining to the Draft law on local self-government and the need to adopt certain amendments at the FBiH level. PDHR Hays noted that the Government needed to be more effective, responsible and transparent, and that the tax revenues must be taken from bureaucracy and allocated properly. Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic, stated that the City of Mostar supported the reform to the public administration. “We hope that the Proposal of law on principles of local self –government in FBiH and Proposal of law on changes and amendments to Law on allocation of public revenues will be soon adopted in the FBiH Parliament, which will mean a big reform, in other words get the public administration closer to the citizens and make position of the cities and municipalities stronger, the position which is currently not good, and Mostar certainly shares the destiny with other cities”, said Mayor Jahic. Nezavisne Novine pg 15 ‘Govenrment must finance the reconstruction of Saborna Crkva’ by V. Coric also reported on PDHR Hays meetings with top Mostar officials.

PDHR Hays visits remains of Orthodox Church in Mostar

 

RTRS on Friday, Vecernji List, Sat, pg 6 ‘Reconstruction of Orthodox church has OHR’s support’, by Meri Musa, Dnevni List, Sat, ‘We will make Mostar a cosmopolitan city’, by Sanja Bjelica, Nezavisne Novine pg 15 ‘Govenrment must finance the reconstruction of Saborna Crkva’ by V. Coric – Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, who visited Mostar on Friday when he visited the remains of the destroyed Orthodox church in Mostar, stated that the reconstruction of the Orthodox church in Mostar had the OHR’s full support, noting that the OHR would influence all levels of authority to start with the process because it would mean a lot to Mostar as a multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan city. In talks with father Danilo, PDHR Hays also promised help in raising donors’ funds for the reconstruction of the church once the project of (re)construction has been completed

HDZ’s Merdzo on Law on principles of local self-government

 

Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 12 ‘Heads of municipalities will be tested’, mentioned on front, by Zoran Zekic – carries an interview with the Speaker of the FBiH Parliament’s House of Representative and President of HDZ in Canton 7, Josip Merdzo, in which he announces that the public should be in the next few days informed about the new Law on principles of local self-government, the aim of which is to clearly define competences of units of local self-government, make them stronger and more efficient. Still, Merdzo warns of possibility that a directly elected head of municipality does not come from a party or coalition that has the majority in the municipal council, which could lead to problems in relations between the municipal councils and heads of municipalities, which could eventually lead to situation in which the municipal council is dissolved and new elections organized.

EC on progress made in BiH

 

BHT on Saturday – President of European Commission Romano Prodi stated that he would do his best to ensure that EC submits its official report on BiH’s progress towards EU until November 1.  Prodi was a special guest at the session of the National Congress in Sirt, Libya. On the occasion, Prodi met with BiH premier Adnan Terzic to discuss progress made in BiH. Romano Prodi: “You know that your country started from a very difficult situation, but we notice progress in political terms. After conference in Thessalonica, it is clear that the Balkan countries, including BIH, are on the list of potential EU members. Now it is matter of political decisions, speed of reforms implementation and time. This road is very long, because of all that happened to you in the past, but I must say that you are going in right direction.”  BiH submitted its report on progress in implementation of reforms in 16 areas to Chris Patten, EU External Relations Commissioner in July. Prodi promised he would discuss BiH’s report with Patten, in order to complete EU evaluation report on reforms in BIH until November 1. If BiH gets EU Commission’s positive response/recommendation, the SAA (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) negotiations can start at the beginning of next year.

DL critical of reforms in BiH

 

Dnevni List, Sat, pg 30 ‘Comrade Paddy, we vow we will not divert from your reform course’, by Zvonimir Jukic – carries an op-ed in which the author notes that all the recent talks about the VAT, announcements of steeper prices as a result of more expensive fuel and announcements of strikes during the forthcoming autumn mean we are in for more despair in BiH, which on the other hand burst all the “phoney optimism”, which was showered upon us by IC representatives led by Lord Paddy Ashdown, as “soap-bubbles”. The author cites the example of the VAT, arguing that a sane person cannot even talk about taxing bread and milk in the situation in which one fifth of the population lives under the level of poverty and in which workers in the steelworks industry make 270 KMs a month, or 0,7% of Paddy Ashdown’s sal

DL: BiH citizens to travel across EU without visas soon?

 

Dnevni List, Sun, pg 5 ‘Implementation of reforms opens European borders’, by Tanja Dragic – Notes that citizens of BiH could soon be travelling to European countries without visas. Apparently, the BiH Council of Ministers recently received an encouraging letter from the European Commission regarding the progress the BiH authorities have achieved in the areas of security and judiciary. According to an advisor to the Chairman of BiH CoM, Bojan Zec Filipovic, the letter commends the reforms carried out to the security policy, judiciary, and the fact that BiH has the best state border service in the region. He also announces that a meeting between BiH authorities and EC experts should take place in late October, after which the situation will be clearer.

IFIMES’ analysis of political situation in BiH

 

Dnevni List, Sun, pg 7 ‘National parties have no competition’, mentioned on front, not signed – the Ljubljana-based ‘International Institute for Middle-east and Balkans Studies’ (IFIMES) prepared an analysis of the current political situation in BiH in wake of the local October elections. The report says that the ruling national parties, namely the SDA, SDS, and HDZ, as well as their satellites, the PDP and SBiH, even after almost 14 years in power, cannot find answers to pending issues of the BiH transitional society. On top of this, IFIMES notes the worrying fact for BiH is that one would have expected that the citizenry in BiH would have recognized the fatal policy of the ruling national parties by withholding the support to them.

DL: HDZ and SDA reach agreement on distribution of departments in City administration of Mostar

 

Dnevni List, Sat, pg 11 ‘Croats get urban planning department’, mentioned on front, by Zvonimir Jukic – The daily learns from its sources close to the SDA and HDZ in Mostar that the two parties have reached an agreement on distribution of posts i.e. five departments in the City administration of Mostar.  Apparently, the office of head of urban planning department, over which the SDA and HDZ fought the most, will be given to a person of Croat nationality, and given the balance of power in the City Council, the person will be from the HDZ. On top of this, agreement has been reached that a Croat becomes the head of economic department. DL notes that two Bosniaks will be leading departments for social services and finances, whilst a Serb will be leading general services department. DL notes that these inter-party agreements are not legally binding and that they can be realized only with tacit approval of the OHR.

CBMC presents second set of recommendations for Mostar

 

FTV on Friday, Dnevni List, Sun, pg 10 ‘Modern sports and cultural centres as places to gather all Mostarians’, not signed, Vecernji List, Sun, ‘Second set of proposals for restoration of trust’, by mm – The President of Confidence Building Measures Committee (CBMC), Zoran Pajic, presented the Mayor of Mostar, Hamdija Jahic, and the President of City Council of Mostar, Ivan Musa, the second set of recommendations. The CBMC’s role is to identify and pass on to the City Authorities measures or projects, which could contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of confidence and trust among the people of Mostar, in the context of consolidating the administrative, functional and legal unity of the City. The second set of recommendations include the finalization of construction of sports centre in Mostar, completion of the sports hall in Northern Camp, reorganization of the ‘Pavarotti’ music centre and reconstruction of the ‘Abrasevic’ youth centre. Mayor Jahic expects that all the recommendations, both from the first and second set, will be adopted at the next session of the City Council.

Canton 6 Education Minister: Croatian language not questionable

 

Vecernji List, Sat, pg 9 ‘Croatian language not questionable’, by Miso Relota – Announces that the Canton 6 Assembly will hold a session on September 9, when it is suppose to confirm the imposed solutions regarding the law on elementary and secondary education. Canton 6 Minister of Education, Nikola Lovrinovic, says he does not know what the Croat delegates in the Canton 6 Assembly will behave like, however he notes that anything that’s even on trail of extinction of the Croatian language from the education process and curriculum will not be accepted.

Canton 7 Education Minister Musa confirms there are still parallelisms in Canton7

 

Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 6 ‘Parallelism in education – reality’, by Fena – The Canton 7 Education Minister, Jago Musa, told journalists in Sarajevo on Friday that parallelisms in education sector in Canton 7 were still a reality, adding that parallelisms that cause irrationalities have been either abolished or they are about to be abolished. “I signed a decision for textbooks used in the Croat curriculum, I did not sign for the use of books for the Federation curriculum. It says we have not harmonized the FBiH Constitution in other words the Cantonal Constitution to practice or vice versa. Those are objective parallelisms”, says Minister Musa.

 

 

Security/investigations/legal proceedings

Security Minister Colak rejects allegations that bin Laden’s order was found in BiH

 

Herceg Bosna Radio, FTV on Friday, Vecernji List, Sat, pg 5 ‘We do not have information that bin Laden’s message was found in BiH’, mentioned on front, by Miroslav Vasilj, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, back pg ‘Bin Laden’s message was not found in BiH’, by D. Pasic, F, Glas Srpske cover page report ‘No Osama’s message’ by D.M., Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Colak: Someone deliberately places disinformation on terrorism in BiH’ – The Bosnia and Herzegovina Security Minister, Barisa Colak,has resolutely dismissed claims by Russia’s news agency RIA that a message from Al-Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden in which he called for terrorist attacks against Russia was allegedly discovered in BiH. Questioned whether such reports could be linked with reports on alleged terrorist camps in BiH, Minister Colak notes that he does not want to speculate about such important issues, adding that the public will be informed in timely manner should the intelligence services find anything out.

Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Bin Laden’s message not in BiH’ also carried Colak’s as well as the Russian Embassy to BiH’s denial that the allged bin Laden’s message related to the terrorist attacks against Russian had been discovered in BiH.

VL: AL Qaeda’s aide has company in Sarajevo?

 

Vecernji List, Sun, pg 5 ‘’Risala’ financed terrorist forces’, mentioned on front, by Dalibor Ravic – Notes that the owner of the Sarajevo-based ‘Risala’ Company, one Yassin A. A. Kadi, is a close associate of the leader of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, because of which the FBiH Financial Police has started an investigation into business operations of the company a month ago. Apparently, a source close to the IC confirmed that the FBiH Financial Police is investigating whether ‘Risala’ was only a facade for funding of terrorist activities and money laundry. According to the Head of Special department for organized crime of the BiH Prosecution, John McNair, accounts of certain persons and financial transfers of the ‘Risala’ company are being checked, on basis of the UN Resolution number 1267, which orders stopping of funding of channels of Al Qaeda. US President Bush has labelled Kadi in his executive order from October 12, 2001, as a person who finances bin Laden’s Al Qaeda. Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 3 ‘Bin Laden’s associate is the owner of firm in Sarajevo’ by M. Cubro also covered the issue.

Update to forged CIPS docs: Investigation to be expanded onto Brcko District

 

Dnevni List, Sat, pg 7 ‘Brcko is next target of investigation’, by Dario Pusic – Notes that the BiH Prosecution is extending investigation on persons who have been issued with forged documents from the CIPS programme. According to a prosecutor in the BiH Prosecution, Ahmet Halebic, among 1000 files that have been checked so far, 70 forged documents have been found, and Halebic notes that some 100.000 files need to be looked into. According to Marinko Jurcevic, a State Prosecutor, Banja Luka is not the only place where illegalities occurred. He notes that the investigation will cover other places in BiH, whilst the current information point to the Brcko District where the investigation will resume.

DL: McNair continues investigation into ‘Hercegovacka bank’ case

 

Dnevni List, Sun, pg 2 ‘President of association of widows at hearing at McNair’s’, by N. Dedic – Notes that the Head of Special department for organized crime of the BiH Prosecution, John McNair, is continuing his investigation into the ‘Hercegovacka bank’ case, and according to information DL got from a source close to the Prosecution, McNair will tomorrow be questioning the President of Association of widows, Jasna Zlomislic, who allegedly received a loan amounting to some 100.000 KMs from the Hercegovacka bank. DL notes that McNair does not have documentation that could incriminate Zlomislic, however he wants to learn about circumstances in which Zlomislic got the loan.

VL: SIPA candidates cheating at test

 

Vecernji List, Sun, pg 5 ‘Police cheats on test’, mentioned on front, by Dejan Jazvic – Director of SIPA, Sredoje Novic, annulled a written test of Police officers, who applied for vacancies in SIPA. Apparently, the test was conducted on Friday and Novic decided to annul the test after officials, who supervised the test, detected ‘certain irregularities’. VL goes on to say that an independent investigation has been launched, which includes the EUPM. According to VL’s unofficial information, the candidates restored to well-known elementary school-type of cheating at tests, including the head of personnel department of SIPA, Niko Beno. VL comments it is absurd that such things are carried out by people who are suppose to prevent crimes and illegalities.

SD: SBiH planning scam in Mostar

 

Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, front and pg 13 ‘Mostar: Federation Government buying illegal building’, by Zlatko Tulic – the author is wondering whether the Party for BiH is preparing the biggest scam in Mostar since the FBiH Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry, which is led by Minister Ismet Zigic from the Party for BiH, is planning to buy a building which is said to be illegally constructed in the former Central Zone of Mostar. Apparently, the building is owned by Salko Durakovic and Faruk Cupina, and allegedly Durakovic’s wife is employed at Minister Zigic’s. According to SD, the Ministry invited a tender and one of pre-requisites was that the building had to be in the former Central Zone, although everybody knew that there was only one building (Durakovic and Cupina’s building) available. Allegedly, the price tag for 800 square metres is 2 million KMs.SD also carries a secretary in the FBiH Government, Ismet Trumic, as confirming the SD’s conclusion that the FBiH Government will be eventually legalizing an illegally built building. (NB: SD carries a photo of a building the OHR South is accommodated at, saying that’s the building the FBiH Ministry of Industry is buying)

Njegus performance to be evaluated

 

BHT, RTRS on Friday, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘RS Parliament Board examining Njegus’s conduct’ by D.R.; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Njegus brought up for discussion’ by G.D.; EuroBlic RSpg 3‘Possible removal of Njegus’ mentioned on cover Njegus under vetting procedure’ by N.B. – The RS NA Independent Board for selection of the RS Police Director will next week review statements Radomir Njegus, RS Police Director, gave at the press conference held on 20 August, when he referred to some press and RS MoI structures as “members of organised group with an aim to discredit him”.

Seven-member Board on Friday met with Dusan Stojicic, RS NA Speaker, and Sefket Hafizovic, RS NA Deputy Speaker, upon whose initiative meeting was held.

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Njegus to go to SIPA’ – As NN learnt, Radomir Njegus has already decided to leave RS MoI. According to well-informed NN source, Njegus has already passed the test with the SIPA. NN also learnt that Njegus has applied to the position of inspector with SIPA. Sarajevo dailies also covered the issue on Saturday.

Charges pressed against MP Gligoric for alleged office abuse

 

BHT on Friday, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Charges brought against Gligoric’ by A. Durmo, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Charges pressed against Gligoric’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Charges pressed against deputy Tihomir Gligoric’ – According to BHT 1 sources,BiH Prosecution Office has pressed charges against Tihomir Gligoric, the current deputy to the BiH Parliamentary Assembly.The criminal report has been submitted to BiH Court and it is expected that the official indictment will be confirmed in next few days. According to unofficial information Gligoric as former Head of RS Administration for Geodetic and Property-legal Affairs, has been charged with illegal registration of a real estate in favour of the Laktasi-based Domet Company. Gligoric claims that he was operating in accordance to the Law. “The registration of the real estate in Laktasi has been carried out according to the Law,” said Gligoric. Damaged party in this case is Dzevad Haznadar, who has pressed the charges, because he believes that after a ruling of Constitutional Court Geodetic Administration should not register the disputed real estates on name of Domet. 

Oslobodjenje: Andan the first candidate for RS Interior Minister?

 

Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘Andan the first candidate for RS Interior Minister?’ by Edina Kamenica – The author quotes her unnamed source as saying that, as of Thursday, Dragan Andan, the current Chief of Serb Sarajevo Police, has officially been the main candidate for the new RS Minister of Interior. Andan’s counter-candidate is Sinisa Djordjevic, a lawyer from Doboj, who is prominently advocating a strong RS and who is supported by PDP and SDS. According to the Oslobodjenje source, a fierce debate on the mentioned candidates was taking place at OHR on Friday between the US and British diplomats there. HR Paddy Ashdown decided to support Djordjevic while, according to the Oslobodjenje source, Americans were standing for appointment of Andan

Dnevni Avaz on appointment of new RS Interior Minister

 

Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Osmanovic: They are looking for a person who will continue obstructing obligations towards The Hague’ – In a statement for the daily, Sinisa Djordjevic rejected possibility that he is appointed new RS Interior Minister. RS Vice-president Adil Osmanovic sticks to his initial position the new RS Interior Minister should be of the Bosniak nationality. He claims that the delay in appointing of the new interior minister was just about attempt to find a person who will continue obstructing cooperation with ICTY.

 

 

War crimes

Ashdown meets with SCG human rights minister Ljajic, discusses cooperation with ICTY

 

Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS on FridayNezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Mladic is a problem of BiH and SICH’ by Agencies, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Cooperation with The Hague is of crucial significance’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Karadzic and Mladic in The Hague before December’, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Friday met with the Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) Minister of Human Rights and Minorities and Chair of the National Council for Cooperation with ICTY, Rasim Ljajic. OHR said in a press statement that, during a friendly meeting, the High Representative and Minister Ljajic talked about the rights of minorities and refugee return, as well as about cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Ashdown and Ljajic agreed that cooperation with the Tribunal is essential for the development of both sovereign countries.

Terzic and Ljajic on how to reduce movements of war crimes indictees

 

Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS on Friday, Dnevni List, Sat, pg 5 ‘Reduce movements of war crimes indictees’, by NINA, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Karadzic and Mladic in The Hague before December’ – the Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, met with the Serbia and Montenegro Minister for Human Rights and Minority Rights and President of National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, Rasim Ljajic, in Sarajevo on Friday. The two talked, among other issues, about possibilities how to improve exchange of information between the two countries’ state border services the aim of which would be to reduce movements of was crimes indictees.

Rasim Ljajic escaped assassination attempt

 

Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Rasim Ljajic escaped assassination attempt’ – According to the sources close to the BiH security-intelligence structures, SCG Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Rasim Ljajic probably escaped an assassination attempt on Friday while returning from the official visit to BiH. Ljajic vehicle was from Pale being followed by a BMW, in which there was a few people well-know to the police by their criminal records. They for several times tried to get closer to Ljajic’s vehicle but they were prevented in doing so by the RS police.   

SDA’s Boric: Lawsuit against SCG is of BiH’s fundamental interest

 

Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘SDA expects final ruling’, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Lawsuit against SCG is BiH’s fundamental interest’, FENA – The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) expects the International Court of Justice in The Hague to as soon as possible schedule the main procedure and finally issue the verdict on BiH’s lawsuit against Serbia-Montenegro for aggression and genocide. President of the SDA Main Board Adem Boric told a press conference in Sarajevo on Friday that the lawsuit against SCG was of the fundamental interests of BiH and its citizens. “This is an obligation of all of us as well as the Court towards hundreds of thousands of innocent victims of aggression and genocide committed against BiH”, stressed Boric.

ICTY requests RS Government to hand over wartime documentation of RS Army

 

FTV on Friday, Herceg Bosna Radio, BHT on Saturday, Vecernji List, Sun, pg 4 ‘Deadline for handing over recordings one month’, by BS, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘The Hague demands minutes’, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Prosecution Office requests for all wartime documents/minutes of RS Army’ – The ICTY has requested from the RS Government to submit to the ICTY Prosecution Office the recordings of sessions of Supreme Command of the RS Army held between November 30, 1992 and November 30, 1995. The request comes after the RS authorities ignored the Chief ICTY Prosecutor’s requests to hand over the records in question. The recordings, which the Chief ICTY Prosecutor finds important for proceedings

Mikerevic says it should be checked on whether documents asked by ICTY exist

 

RTRS, FTV on Saturday – Commenting on the ICTY request sent to RS Government to submit documents from the sessions RS Army HQ held from 1992-1995, RS Prime minister Dragan Mikerevic said that it would be checked on whether those documents exist and are in possession of RS Defence Ministry and RS Army HQ. Mikerevic says that the recently adopted action plan obliges the Government and all the Ministries to do their job when it comes to providing documentation that is important for proving the truth. “With that regard I expect that the Government will do what it is expected to do. At this moment I cannot talk about details, we do not know whether that documentation exists”, says Mikerevic.

Search for missing persons

 

EuroBlic RSpg1 ‘Skrba: Prosecutor’s Office is hiding information’ mentioned on cover ‘They are hiding the truth about the missing Serbs’ by J.D. Slobodan Skrba, member of the RS Commission for search after missing persons, yesterday accused Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of having known the identity and destinies of many Sarajevo Serbs (who have gone missing during the war), but hid it for years. He claims that “they are trying to hush it up”, noting that Prosecutor Mico Potparic plays a role in this as well.

He also criticised the ICMP, because “the process of DNA analysis is performed too slowly”.

Oslobodjenje: Will SFOR continue apprehensions of its former detainees?

 

Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5, mentioned on cover ‘SFOR again interested in Bato and Luna’ by Edina Kamenica – The author wonders if SFOR will continue with apprehensions of the persons they had already been detaining once before in RS? “After Bjelica and Borovina, Dusan Bato Tesic and Zeljko Luna Jankovic will be again detained in coming days, an Oslobodjenje source says,” according to Kamenica. She reminds that it is about two more close wartime and post-war associates of the most wanted war crime suspect Radovan Karadzic

 

 

Economic/social issues

BiH Statistics Agency still not started its operations

 

BHT on Saturday – The BiH Statistics Agency has not started to work yet, because Chair and Deputy Chair of the Agency have not been appointed so far.This condition, set by EU, should have been completed in February. The leadership of the Agency should be appointed soon, but this is not the only effort required. Frane Maroevic, Spokesman of Delegation of European Commission in BIH: “We request a significant progress. Only appointing of the Chair is taking two years. It is disappointing that this has not been done yet.”  Without statistics, BIH doesn’t have the key data for determining development policy. Azra Hadziahmetovic, economics expert, says that the late Agency’s operation start will produce negative consequences for BiH. According to her, the Agency will need 3-5 years and financial support to provide relevant data, as requested by EU standards. Maroevic says that the EU Commission has foreseen euro 2.5 mill for education of the staff and equipment which are necessary for the Agency, and if the Agency does not start to work soon, this donation will not be implemented. EU demands political stability and economic self-sustaining, which is not possible without relevant statistics data. Statistic data are is also necessary for investments.

Croatian PM Sanader with Beslic and Brajkovic

 

Herceg Bosna Radio on Friday, Vecernji List, Sat, pg 5 ‘Again airplanes from Zagreb to Mostar’, by Hina – The Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, received the Deputy Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Beslic, and CEO of ‘Aluminij’ Company of Mostar, Mijo Brajkovic, at Zagreb yesterday, and according to a statement from PM Sanader’s office, the Croatian Government is encouraging business people from Croatia to have a stronger approach on market in BiH, and is also advocating an introduction of a regular airline between Zagreb and Mostar. Furthermore, Brajkovic informed PM Sanader about business plans of ‘Aluminij’, in which Croatia has a 12% share, whilst Beslic informed PM Sanader about preparations for the forthcoming local elections in BiH.

Dnevni List, Sat, front and pg 2 ‘Encouragement to investments in Mostar’, by Jurislav Petrovic – notes that PM Sanader stressed that the Croatian Government encouraged business people to have stronger approach in BiH, such as in privatization of the Hercegovacka bank.

Sarajevo dailies also covered the issue on Saturday.

VL int: FBiH PM Hadzipasic on budget, moving of ministries to Mostar, transfer of shares in Eronet

 

Vecernji List, Sat, pg 7 ‘I am not blocking stronger presence of HT Zagreb in HT Mostar’, mentioned on front, by Miso Relota – carries an interview with the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, in which he notes that he believes that the re-balance of the 2004 FBiH budget will be completed in September. He also believes that the filling of the FBiH budget should improve by raising taxes on tobacco and cigarettes. Questioned as to when the moving of 5 FBiH ministries to Mostar will take place, PM Hadzipasic says the FBiH Government has given consent to ministries in question to invite tenders and find suitable accommodation in Mostar, noting the process should be completed by end of year. Finally, regarding the transfer of HT Zagreb’s share in Eronet onto HT Mostar, PM Hadzipasic says he is not blocking a stronger presence of HT Zagreb in HT Mostar, however PM Hadzipasic says a sequence of moves has to be determined first.

Vecernji List, Sat, pg 7 ‘Agreement on HT very uncertain’, by Zoran Kresic – in an exclusive statement for VL, PM Hadzipasic confirmed that HT Zagreb will not be allowed to have a control package in HT Mostar in case that HT Zagreb transfers its share in Eronet onto HT Mostar. VL also reports that the Bosniak and Croat ministers in the FBiH Government have different opinions about the issue. Whilst the Croat ministers do not see anything disputable about HT Zagreb having the control package, the Bosniak ministers do not approve of it.

Update to Mikerevic-Privredna Banka S. Sarajevo affair

 

Nezavisne Novine cover and pg 5 ‘Mikerevic’s Government paid out EURO 500 thousand to Mandic’s bank’ by A. Sisic – NN got hold of a document, which reads that on 14 April 2003, RS Government has transferred the amount of BAM 1 million to the bank account of Privredna Banka Serb Sarajevo, owned by Momcilo Mandic. These resources have been collected through taxes and were intended for pay out of external debt of RS.

Goran Radivojac, Spokesperson of the RS Prime Minister, says that all these allegations were aimed at discrediting Dragan Mikerevic, RS Premier, and bringing him into connection with persons from EU and USA black lists. He says: “Premier is not linked with any person from that list.”

Another NN collocutor claims that this is only one of few transactions performed between RS Government and Privredna Banka S. Sarajevo.

Mikerevic on VAT

 

Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Traps to grey economy’ – Dragan Mikerevic, RS Premier, on Friday in Sokolac expressed expectation that the introduction of VAT in RS would avoid great economy, noting that VAT introduction is expected to increase the concurrent abilities of our economy.

Political parties on VAT proposal

 

Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Majority parties supports proposal on food free-of-VAT’ by M. Cubro, N. Hasic – The article reminds that it depends on the Thursday session of the BiH House of Representatives whether bread, milk, cooking oil and medicines would be VAT-free, as proposed by the BiH HoR Commission for finances and budget.

NN further brings statements of Zlatko Lagumdzija (SDP), Momcilo Novakovic (SDS), Beriz Belkic (Party for BiH), Seada Palavric (SDA),who share the view this proposal should be adopted, noting their parties would vote for its adoption.

Terzic and foreign ambassadors in BiH discuss preparations for international donor’s conference

 

Saturday’s Oslobodjenje, pg 9 ‘To make BiH economically self-sustainable by 2007’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘BiH will not need foreign assistance after 2007’, FENA – BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic together with representatives of 24 embassies and development agencies, which have so far participated in the reconstruction of BiH, on Friday presented status of the preparations for the International Donor Conference on BiH’s Development, scheduled for September 22 and 23 in Sarajevo. The Conference, which is organized by the World Bank and the European Commission, will define the manners for supporting implementation of the BiH Midterm Development Strategy (PRSP), it was announced by the Council of Ministers. In his address to representatives of the embassies, Terzic said that the future forms of supporting BiH need to be directed to structural reforms, and the task of the domestic authorities is to make BiH economically self-sustainable and independent from foreign aid by the end of 2007. Representatives of co-organizers – Director of WB Mission to BiH Dirk Reinermann and the Head of the Political Department in the EC Delegation in BiH, Renzo Daviddi, confirmed that this is the first domestic development project that was prepared professionally and realistically, and that after success in the recovery process, BiH deserves continuation of support in the new, development cycle.