Friday
| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Protest in Doljani | Release of Prlic issue | Robbery near Sapna | Request of Bosniak Club |
| Nobilo on Blaskic, Cerkez | Protest in Doljani | T. Lukic pleaded guilty | Protest in Doljani |
| Statement of F. Hartman | Law about customs tariff | Rebuilding BiH Army | Robbery in |
| Bosniaks, Croats on Tihic | Q fever | BiH Chief Auditor issue | Terzic on war criminals |
Saturday
| Radio Herceg-Bosna (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30 hrs) |
| Vrh Bosna radio forum | 4 criminals arrested | BiH connected to Al Qaida | Pre-election campaign |
| BOSS on chetniks | Sugar affair | Return to RS | Mass-grave in Sijekovac |
| Becirbasic meets Tadic | Grave near Srebrenica | Robbery near Sapna | Meeting in Karadjordjevo |
| Reg meeting in | Mosque in Janja opened | Mosque in Janja opened | Nobilo on Blaskic case |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | FBiH Army Commander Grabovica: BiH will soon have units for world-wide peacekeeping missions |
| Dnevni Avaz | FBiH Premier Hadzipasic on internal debt: Each foreign currency depositor to receive 5,000 KM? |
| Dnevni List | Farmers block Doljani |
| Vecernji List | Exclusive-Testimony by Tihomir Blaskic: Secrets from |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Mostar: Oil floating down Neretva river |
| Glas Srpske | Mass grave in Sijekovac near Serb Brod: Victims from Vukovar!? |
| Nezavisne Novine | Protest of farmers at border crossing Doljani: Farmers blocked the border; RTRS and FTV refuse to abolish |
| Blic | Djordje Lajsic: I have a solution for bad economy |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | Indictment against Ministers Dokic and Ivanic to be raise3d soon?! |
| Dnevni Avaz | Srebrenica Mothers: We will request removal of Ivanic |
| Dnevni List | Will Police be patient until autumn? |
| Vecernji List | Elite tourism: Richest guest on |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Blic | Testimony of a CIA agent: How I chased Radovan |
| Belgrade’s Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
Defence/war crimes | |
| BiH Deputy Defence Minister in
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Saturday, Dnevni List, Sun, pg 2 ‘New approach to strengthening of regional cooperation’, by De. L., Vecernji List, Sun, pg 3 ‘Cooperation of military intelligence’, by f, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 – BiH Deputy Minister of Defence, Enes Becirbasic, together with Defence Ministers of Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro met with the Serbian President, Boris Tadic, in Belgrade yesterday. According to a press release from Tadic’s office, the talks were held in friendly atmosphere and stressed the support to further strengthening of regional cooperation, foremost in the area of defence. All the participants agreed there needed to be a new approach to strengthening of regional cooperation, which would manifest itself through joint military exercises, preparations of regional troops for participations in peace missions and cooperation between military intelligence. Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Again about trust’ by FENA; Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Support to SiCG commitment to be admitted unto NATO programme’ by FENA , Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Agreement on mutual assistance in integration processes’ – The Defence Ministers of five Balkan countries, who are paying an unofficial visit to Serbia & Montenegro at the invitation of SCG Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic, assessed on Friday that such meetings contributed to building confidence and improving cooperation between the countries in the region. The conference, which is taking place in Karadjordjevo, is being attended by Macedonian Defence Minister Vlado Buckovski, Romanian Defence Minister Joan Mircea Masku, Albanian Defence Minister Pendelji Majko, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolaj Sviranov and BiH Deputy Defence Minister Enes Becirbasic. The conference is discussing bilateral cooperation in the field of security and the joint interest of all countries in joining the European and NATO institutions. |
| OHR welcomes Terzic’s initiative
| Herceg Bosna Radio on Friday, Dnevni List, Sun, pg 6 ‘Police to reach war criminals across borders’, by Marko Karacic, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘OHR supports initiative on establishment of a single police team of BiH and SiCG’ by FENA, Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Joint action to catch war criminals is a good idea’ – Oleg Milisic, anOHR spokesperson, stated that the OHR supported the initiative launched by the Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, to form a joint police team of BiH and Serbia & Montenegro (SCG), that will be working exclusively on locating and arresting persons indicted for war crimes. According to the OHR, this initiative is welcome and necessary for both countries. |
| Dnevni Avaz interview with BiH armed forces chief of staff Podzic | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘I and my deputies have tremendous obligations and tasks’ – Interview with Sifet Podzic, the BiH Armed Forces Common Headquarters Chief of Staff. He said that there were a large number of benefits from the membership in the PfP and that BiH had lost much by non-accession to the program. |
| Oslobodjenje interview with newly-appointed FBiH Army commander
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘BiH will soon have units for world-wide peacekeeping missions’ – Newly-appointed FBiH Army Commander Hajrudin Grabovica said in an interview with the daily thaty BiH would soon have units for participation in the peacekeeping missions throughout the world. Speaking on BiH’s accession to the NATO PfP program, Grabovica said it was about a process that could not be stopped. |
| VL interview: Tihomir Blaskic
| Vecernji List, Sat, front pg and pgs 32-33, ‘Secrets from The Hague prison’, by Jasna Babic – carries an interview with an HVO general, Tihomir Blaskic, who was recently released by decision of Appeals Council of the ICTY, in which he mostly talks about the life in detention in Scheveningen prison unit and relations with other inmates. It is worth noting that Blaskic realized back in March of 1996 that official |
| Feral Tribune: Who framed Blaskic
| Feral Tribune, front and pgs 7-9 ‘Who framed Blaskic’, by Ivica Djikic – the magazine investigates into who were the main players of operations ‘Haag’ and ‘Sigma’, the aim of which was to send Tihomir Blaskic to The Hague and pin on him as many crimes the Croats committed against the Bosniaks in central Bosnia as possible. According to Feral Tribune, apart from the late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Defence Minister Gojko Susak, who ordered that all documents that can help Blaskic be hidden, people who knew everything about the operations and who partly participated in them were, amongst others, former Croatian Prime Minister, Zlatko Matesa, former Croatian Interior Minister, Ivan Penic, and former Croatian Foreign Minister, Mate Granic. The weekly argues that both the operations were conceived by former Tudjman’s advisor for national security, Markica Rebic, and that formally, the operations were coordinated by the Croatian Intelligence Agency (HIS), which was then led by President Tudjman’s son Miroslav. |
| Rajic’s lawyers: Document that set Blaskic free is forgery, reaction by Blaskic’s lawyer Nobilo
| Jutarnji List, Sat, pg 2 ‘Blaskic was set free by forger documents’, mentioned on front, by Ana Plisic – Doris Kosta and Zeljko Olujic, lawyers of an ICTY indictee Ivica Rajic, claim that one of key documents on basis of which many charges against Tihomir Blaskic were dropped, was in fact forged. Kosta explains: “Our knowledge says the HIS’ (Croatian intelligence service) report was not authentic, it is forged. That report has been mentioned in the media as basis to charge others, including our client Ivica Rajic, who is also mentioned in the report, and we will react”. Vecernji List, Sun, pg 12 ‘Prosecution guarantees for authenticity of documents’, by Jasna Babic – carries now already former Blaskic’s lawyer, Ante Nobilo, as commenting Kosta’s and Olujic’s claims from article above. Nobilo says he is currently on leave, therefore he does not intend to spend it on denying fabricated stories about forged documents. According to VL’s findings, sentence to Blaskic was not reduced on basis of one document only, but rather on basis of some 8000 documents that were stored in archives of SIS in Mostar (Croat intelligence service), HIS in Zagreb (Croatian intelligence in Zagreb) and Office of (Croatian) President. VL also notes that the ICTY Prosecution has thoroughly verified each evidence that had been submitted by Blaskic’s defence team. On the same issue, Dnevni List, Sun, pg 3 ‘Nobilo: Proper way to defend client is in court, not in media’, mentioned on front, not signed – carries Nobilo as saying that the proper way to defend a client is to defend him/her in the courtroom, not in the media. |
| Vjesnik: Blaskic visits Ahmici
| Vjesnik,Sat,front pg ‘Blaskic in Ahmici’, by Zeljko Garmaz – the daily learns that Tihomir Blaskic did visit the village of Ahmici on late Thursday night, but not to bow to the victims of the Ahmici crimes as was his original idea. Instead, Blaskic and his wife visited one of the biggest advocators of his freedom, a Bosniak caterer Mehmed Ahmic AKA Sudzuka. Sudzuka did not want to either confirm or deny the report. |
| Former Blaskic lawyer on destiny of Mario Cerkez
| Vecernji List, Sun, front and pg 5 ‘Crime was not committed by Vitez brigade’, by Srecko Stipkovic – carries Ante Nobilo, who was Tihomir Blaskic’s lawyer during the trails at the ICTY, as saying that the verdict to Blaskic confirms in terms of facts that the Vitez brigade of the HVO did not commit crimes in Stari Vitez (Old Vitez), Gacice, Grbavica, Donja Veceriska and that it was not active in Ahmici, which leads Nobilo to say that a former commander of the said brigade, Mario Cerkez, who is currently in The Hague, will be out soon. Nobilo explains: “Cerkez could be responsible similar like Blaskic, in other words for imprisonment of Bosniak men in the Vitez cinema, and taking them to dig trenches (…) However, those are minor criminal offences for which I think Cerkez has already served the time”. |
| Statement of Day: Florence Hartmann | Dnevni List, Sat, pg 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’, the spokesperson of ICTY Prosecution, Florence Hartmann, as saying: “Karadzic is hiding in the Republika Srpska”. |
| SFOR on search for Karadzic
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘SFOR does not disclose where it is searching for Karadzic’ by M.C. – SFOR Spokesperson, Marc Hope, said on Friday that SFOR, in cooperation with the local authorities, is undertaking all necessary measures to find Radovan Karadzic and other persons indicted for war crimes, noting he could notdisclose any further detail on this. The SFOR Spokesperson refused to comment on the statement made by the Spokesperson of the ICTY Prosecutor’s Office, Florence Hartman, that Karadzic is hiding in the RS. |
| EuroBlic on Karadzic
| EuroBlic pgs 2-3 and cover ‘How I chased Karadzic’ – According to EuroBlic, this is a testimony of a CIA agent, who came to Serbia introducing himself as a journalist attempting to find the most wanted Serb, Radovan Karadzic. His testimony brings information about people he met during this trip and how Karadzic escaped him. According to the author, his host and guide in Serbia and Bosnia was a guy with initial B., who collected millions of dollars of assistance to Karadzic and who introduced him with Tim Balkholtz, former US Special Forces member who was on secret government missions for 17 years. He allegedly trained Karadzic’s bodyguards. |
| Exhumation at Sijekovac
| Glas Srpske cover page story ‘Victims from Vukovar?’ by B.T.; Nezavisne Novine pg 11 ’51 bodies exhumed from mass grave’ by SRNA – The exhumation of a mass grave located at the Moslem graveyard in the settlement of Sijekovac has recently begun at the request of the Association of Families of Persons that went missing in Srpski Brod in 1992. The information about the location of this mass grave was provided by a Croat, who also told the Association that Serbs killed in Croatia (Vukovar in 1992) were buried there in April 1992 when Serb Brod was under the control of the Croatian forces. According to NN, judge wtih the Zenica-Doboj Canton Court, Enisa Androvic, confirmed that in the last 7 days, 53 bodies had been exhumed, including 16 children from 7-16 years of age. She also said that the grave was being exhumed by the workers of the City Cemetery from Visoko. Whether the victims buried in this mass grave are of Serbian ethnicity will be known after the DNA analysis that is being conducted in Visoko in the BiH Federation. |
Economic/social affairs/media | |
| Farmers block Doljani border crossing, announce possible new blockades
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Farmers next week at the Mostar cross-roads’, Vecernji List, Sat, pg 2 ‘Blockade of Sarajevo to follow, after that of whole state’, mentioned on front, by Frano Matic, Dnevni List, Sat, front pg and pgs 4-5, ‘Farmers block Doljani’, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija, Sat, pg 3 ‘Farmers from BiH block border at Doljani’, mentioned on front, by S. Soldo, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Farmers blocked border crossing Doljani’ mentioned on cover ‘Farmers blocked the border’ by V. Coris ; Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Crossing at Doljani blocked’ by J. N.; EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Farmers blocked roads’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Several hundred farmers from all over BiH blocked the Doljani border crossing on Friday between 1100 and 1300hrs in order to express dissatisfaction over failure of BiH authorities to implement the earlier adopted law on changes and amendments to customs tariffs. According to the President of Association of agricultural producers of BiH, Ranko Bakic, the failure to implement the law proves that the ruling authority has sided with the “import lobby” that has already destroyed the domestic production. Bakic goes on to say that in first 20 days of May alone, 60.000 livestock has been imported to BiH, whilst the domestic producers cannot sell their livestock in BiH. Finally, Bakic says if there is no reaction to the farmers’ protest, the farmers will be blocking the “Mostarska petlja” (the busiest junction south of Sarajevo) on Wednesday, and other important roads and border crossings if necessary. |
| EC’s Maroevic on sugar affair | Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘EU investigators completed investigation’ by M.C. – The investigators of the Office for the Fight against Corruption of the European Commission have completed the investigation into the “sugar” scandal in BiH, EC Spokesperson in BiH Frane Maroevic confirmed. He noted: “The investigators have returned to Brussels. There is no deadline within which they need to prepare a report for the EC, because this is a complex investigation and we do not want to miss something.” Maroevic went on to say: “We are monitoring the activities the BiH authorities are taking in relation to the investigation into this case, but the report of this Office will be made independently from the results of the investigation conducted by the BiH Prosecutor’s Office. These are two separate investigations.” BHTV, RTRS on Saturday also addressed the affair. |
| Hadzipasic on internal debt settlement | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 2 ‘Each foreign currency saver to receive 5,000 KM?’ – In order to ensure a full agreement between the FBiH parliament’s houses on the draft law on the internal debts, the FBiH Government headed by Ahmet Hadzipasic is considering possibilities for compromise. “The Government currently considers two options that can be acceptable for the citizens. It is about allocation of a three percent of funds to be obtained through the privatisation of public companies meaning the increase of the payment in cash to the citizens in general, and the attempt to adopt a document that will have a more significant social component,” said Hadzipasic. |
| DL: Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna to fire 400 workers | Dnevni List, Sun, pg 3 ‘Elektroprivreda fires 400 workers ‘, mentioned on front, by V. S. – claims that the new re-organization structure within the Elektroprivreda of Herceg Bosna (EP HZ HB) envisions the downsizing of number of employees by 25%, meaning that of 1732 employees that are on the company’s payroll at the moment, some 400 will be made redundant. DL carries the company’s CEO, Vlado Maric, as saying that the EP HZ HB reduced the number of employees in 2003 by 3%, and the plan is to do the same this year. He adds that the majority of redundant workers will be sent to retirement. |
| Statement of Day: FBIH PM Hadzipasic | Dnevni List, Sun, pg 2, carries in its ‘Statement of Day’, the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, as saying: “Foreign currency savers get five thousand KMs each”. |
| FBiH: Decrease of salaries to result in strikes? | Vecernji List, Sun, pg 2 ‘Blockade of work of Government and Parliament of FBiH in September’, by Dejan Jazvic – Claims that a recent decision of the FBiH Government to decrease salaries of all FBiH budget beneficiaries by 10% will not go without consequences. Apparently, employees in the FBiH administration and judiciary could be going on warning strike right after the summer holidays, and after that on proper general strike. The decision is, according to VL, down to the FBiH Government i.e. whether it changes its decision on salaries or not. |
| VL on return of apartments to Croatian Serbs | Vecernji List, Sun, pg 4 ‘Thousands of Croatian Serbs permanently stay in BiH’, by Eldina Medunjanin – Notes that the last decision of the European (Human Rights) Court in Strasbourg, according to which a Croatian citizen, one Kristina Becic, loses the tenancy right because she did not use the apartment in question for six months, could have serious consequences on the situation in BiH. VL claims that the Court’s decision gives Croatia a legal argument in relation to the issue of return of apartments to the Croatian Serbs, who left Croatia in 1995 and who have now settled mostly in the Banja Luka area. On top of that, VL notes it is now questionable whether Croatia will sign a bilateral agreement with BiH regarding the return of property, an issue which has been dragging for years already. |
| Rakulj announces protests of pensioners on September | Nezavisne Novine pg 10 ‘Protests in September’ by I. Simundza – This is a brief interview with Rade Rakulj, President of the RS Association of Pensioners, who announced that the protests of RS pensioners would take place in September, when authority officials return from leave. He notes that RS Government, which failed to plan the pension increase for this month, has again betrayed the eldest population, owing to which reason pensioners are eager to go on protest. |
| RTRS and FTV: No to abolishment of 19:30 hrs central news | Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘RTRS and FTV oppose to abolishment of 19:30 hrs news’ mentioned on cover ‘RTRS and FTV against abolishment of 19:30 hrs news’ by N. Krsman – Below are some comments on last weeks’ statement ofDrago Maric, the Director of the PBS ( who said that the entity TV stations’ 19:00 hrs news might be abolished, and that instead of the central 19:30 news report, the entity TV stations might broadcast news reports at 17:00 called “Federation Today” and “Srpska Today”, and would have another news report at 22:00 – BHTV would then start broadcasting central news at 19:30 hrs). Dragan Davidovic, RTRSDirectorsaid that the RTRS would not change the time of its central news report (19:30) and would not agree with the abolishment proposal. Jasmin Durakovic, the FTVDirector, also shares the view that the cancellation of the entity TV stations’ news reports is not a good idea, noting that: “FTV central news attracts four to five times more audience than BHTV 1 news, but I do hope they would improve. Decision on abolishment of entity news is of political nature and accordingly a full assent on this must be provided by all three broadcasters.” |
| Update to Telekom Srpske | Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Self-will stronger than Law’ by Z. Marceta; Nezavisne Novine pg 11 ‘They demand return of Jungic, Stanic…’ by P. Klincov – On Friday, the Syndicate of employees at Telekom Srpske demanded from OHR to ensure the employees of this firm, whose employment term has been terminated upon OHR order, be returned to work. Milenko Topic, President of Syndicate, stated: “We demand that six employees of Telekom be returned to work, because their employment terms were terminated on basis of no violation of a single Law in RS. In this manner, their basis human rights were violated.” |
| Interviews with newly-appointed RS Minister of Economy Lajsic | Glas Srpske pg 2 in GS weekend supplement ‘To be successful’ by Dijana Vrhovac Mihajlovic – This is a page long interview with Djordje Lajsic, the newly appointed RS Minister of energy, economy and development, who said he has already composed a “list of priorities”, which would finally make the RS economy successful. He announces “cleansing” at Ministry first. EuroBlic cover and RSpg 2 ‘I have a solution for bard RS economy’ by Tijana Veselinovic – In a brief interview to EuroBlic, DJordje Lajsic, the newly appointed RS Minister of energy, economy and development, says that “RS Government cannot print money and give it to employees, but instead it should purge the channel in order to clear the natural potential. I do have a solution of professional nature. It is just a question how big my power is to implement it.” He further notes it is necessary to hold a concrete dialogue with Syndicates. |
| Update to money laundering affair | Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Lukic pleaded guilty’ by N. Z. – Deputy BiH Prosecutor Medzida Kreso expects that the proceedings against 65 persons and legal parties, charged with laundering KM 13,5 million, tax embezzlement and forging documents, will see the collection of at least KM 15 million to the BiH budget. She confirmed on Friday that these assets were to be collected thought fines the Court establishes following the proceedings, as well as by seizing the profits made by around 30 companies, involved money laundering and tax embezzlement, through the Doboj based “Uzdah” company. The indictment charges the owners of “Uzdah” company Ranko Pilic and Tihomir Lukic with money laundering and tax embezzlement they committed through various business deals with 115 companies, mostly from western Herzegovina. The second defendant Lukic on Fridayreached a plea bargain with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, according to which the imprisonment sentence of 2 years is proposed. |
Police/security/investigations/legal proceedings | |
| FBiH Police Union to organize strike?
| Dnevni List, Sat, pg 2 ‘Police threats with strike’, mentioned on front, by M. Batarello – carries a press release issued by Union of employees of FBiH Ministry of Interior, which reminds that the FBiH Government, at its last session, took a decision to decrease salaries of all budget beneficiaries by 10%, which means smaller salaries for Police officers. On top of that, the Unions claims that when it comes to salaries, there is complete chaos in the FBiH MoI since many employees get paid for jobs they are actually not doing. The Union requests the OHR, EUPM, FBiH Government and FBiH Interior Minister to make an effort and return the Police officers’ salaries to the June 1 level, otherwise they will take the matter to the Court. The Unions says it will use all means at its disposal to protect workers of the FBiH MoI. Similar article in Dnevni List on Sunday, front and pgs 4-5 ‘Will Police be patient until autumn?’, by Miso Relota. |
| FBiH Police seek help from OHR
| Dnevni List, Sun, pg 4 ‘Police seek help from OHR’, not signed – Advisor to the Director of FBiH Police, Camil Kreso, told DL that a letter has been sent to the OHR, FBiH Prime Minister and Interior Minister, which requests that the salaries be returned to the earlier levels. Kreso says the OHR has been requested to get involved and intervene, noting that the issue had been discussed with the OHR’s Deputy Head of legislative office, Bill Potter, on Friday. Dnevni List, Sun, pg 4 ‘OHR does not want to comment on meeting with Police officers’, not signed – carries an OHR spokesman, Oleg Milisic, who could not confirm whether the meeting took place or not. Milisic noted that the OHR never commented on its correspondence. |
| FBiH PM Hadzipasic on FBiH Police salaries
| Dnevni List, Sun, pg 5 ‘Illegal rulebook on salaries’, not signed – carries the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, as saying that the FBiH Police in fact was receiving salaries on basis of an illegal rulebook on salariesfor two years, which was decided on by the (FBiH) Police and the IC, but was never cleared by the FBiH Government. According to PM Hadzipasic, the Police was receiving salaries that were 30% higher than other FBiH employees. PM Hadzipasic notes the last FBiH Government’s decision will apply from the level of Prime Minister all the way down to the doormen. |
| Update to Matanovic case
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Priest begged be transferred to Banja Luka’; Glas Srpske pg 10 ‘Matanovic asked for assistance’– At the resumption of the trial against 11 former Prijedor police officers, charged with war crime against civilians in “Matanovic” case, priest Ivica Bozinovic from the Banja Luka Bishop’s Office stated that he had visited priest Tomislav Matanovic and his parentson three occasions during the critical period in August and September 1995. According to Bozinovic, the first two times he visited the priest, he looked relaxed and there seemed to be nothing that might pose danger to his status and position. However, during the third visit, Matanovic looked anxious and disturbed and asked him: “Please, get me out of here, take me to Banja Luka to the Bishop’s Office.” Bozinovic also said that during the visits, the police officers posted at the house had not searched them or asked them to provide Ids. |
| ‘Indictment against Ministers Dokic and Ivanic to be raised soon?!’
| Sunday’s Oslobodjenje cover page ‘pgs 4-5 ‘Indictment against Ministers Dokic and Ivanic to be raised soon?!’ – The Banja Luka District Prosecution Office representative confirmed to Oslobodjenje that the investigations were underway against BiH Minister of Transport and Communications Branko Dokic and BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic on the basis of criminal reports submitted in the course of 2002 and 2003 by the RS National Front association. According to the unnamed prosecutor, the investigations are related to a contract between the RS Telecom and EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and they are about to be completed. Judging by to date findings, the indictments will be filed against Dokic and Ivanic. The final decision on the issue will be made by the District Prosecution Office Collegium. |
Political developments | |
| Potocnik says BiH, Albania and S&M should sign SAA within two years
| Vecernji List, Sat, pg 19 ‘SAA for S&M, Albania and BiH’, by H, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Agreement on BiH admission into EU within two years time’ by ONASA – Janez Potocnik, a member of European Commission from Slovenia, wrote in “Financial Times” on Friday that Stabilization and Association Agreement should be signed with Serbia and Montenegro, Albania and BiH within two years despite the countries’ great difficulties regarding organized crime and corruption. By doing so, says Potocnik, the EU would finalize the reform process and Europeization of the Balkans. |
| GS on Ashdown’s speech in Mostar | Glas Srpske pg 3 in GS weekend supplement ‘From Sulejman to Tihic’ by Snjezana Milankovic – In its commentary on the Old Bridge re-opening ceremony in Mostar the daily wonders if in his speech, the High Representative made it clear that we are now occupied by him and the international community in the same way we were occupied by the Turks in 16th century during the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent. Author brings some parts from the speech as well. According to history professor from Banja Luka, Ranko Pejic, Suleiman the Magnificent was no artists or someone that can serve as an example. He was a conqueror – the greatest conqueror the Ottoman Empire had. When the bridge was built, apart from trade, many other connections were established. However, in the minds of the people living in Mostar, the bridge was also the symbol of the imposition of a new religion – Islam. It symbolized the hardship under the Turkish rule and the Christians never saw it as something belonging to them, but as a form of the (Turkish) occupation, the professor said. Pointing at Suleiman the Magnificent as an example to be followed is more than a thoughtless suggestion. It is more than dangerous to represent this Turkish Sultan as an example of “co-existence” in BiH, since he conquered a large part of Christian Europe. In his speech, Ashdown suggested that during his rule, Suleiman only built, and did not destroy. It is well-known that during his reign, many Orthodox churches were pulled down and that many mosques were built at the same sites. Pejic observes that Ashdown failed to mention that the Orthodox Monastery Zitomsilic and the Orthodox Church nearby, much older monuments that the entire Europe admired, were still in ashes and that they should be re-constructed. According to Pejic, both Ashdown and the Chairperson of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, failed to mention the Serbs, who according to the 1991 census made up one third of the population in this town, but they certainly did not forget to mention Suleiman the Magnificent. Another issue the daily refers to is the languages into which the High Representative’s speech was translated. Namely, Ashdown’s speech on the OHR’s web site is written in Bosnian, Croatian and English language. The speech was not translated into Serbian, which according to linguist Milorad Telebak represents a political, not a linguistic issue. All three languages in BIH are constitutional categories, and being such they are equal. The omission of one of the languages is in violation of the Constitution. Writers, linguists and Serbian language professors agree that this is not the first time the High Representative leaves out the Serbs and everything to do with them. |
| DL on public administration reform: HR Ashdown tricks his own laws | Dnevni List, Sat, pg 11 ‘Depoliticising of state administration – road to Europe’, by Zvonimir Jukic – carries an op-ed in which the author deals with the issue of reform to public administration. The author claims that the High Representative for BiH, Paddy Ashdown, who enacted a set of laws in the matter after the last elections, stated that future public administration officers will be appointed on merit of their qualifications, not political suitability, only to play down the laws on the ground, because the HR allegedly allowed removals of “unsuitable” officials in return for implementation of some reforms. Jukic goes on to say that HR Ashdown’s practice of bargaining is also evident in the City administration of Mostar, where several removals already took place and the word is that the SDA and HDZ will soon start negotiations on distribution of important offices in the City administration among themselves. “The OHR’s pattern is well known: You implement the Statue and we will turn away from unjustified removals or hiring in the City administration”. |
| VL: Criminals to be elected as public officials? | Vecernji List, Sat, pg 3 ‘Criminals on elections lists for municipal elections’, mentioned on front, by Renata Radic – Carries a member of BiH Election Commission, Branko Peric, as saying that the said Commission is not in position to check whether candidates for the forthcoming local elections in BiH have criminal files, therefore it is possible that criminals take up public offices in case they get enough votes. “According to our knowledge, persons who have been subjected to criminal proceedings appear on the lists. Investigations are launched against some of them. Some have been indicted, and some have been sentenced. That issue should be solved in the future by amendments to the Election law (…) We do not know how many of them have been indicted or sentenced. The applications for political subjects does not envision disclosure of such information, therefore we do not request them”, says Petric. |
| Tadic and Tomcic on local elections in BiH | Dnevni List, Sat, pg 3 ‘Election law legalizes ethnic cleansing of Croats and Bosniaks’, by NINA – the President of HSS BiH (Croat Peasant Party), Marko Tadic, visited the HSS of Croatia where he met with its President, Zlatko Tomcic. One of topic of discussion was the forthcoming local elections in October. Tadic and Tomcic concluded that the current Election law in BiH favours the big national parties in BiH and legalizes the ethnic cleansing of the Croats and Bosniaks in the RS and Brcko District. Tadic and Tomcic say the Election law needs to be changed, noting that it is necessary that peoples in BiH enact a Constitution of their own, which would organize BiH as a decentralized and sovereign European state. |
| PDHR Hays in Kresevo | Vecernji List, Sun, pg 4 ‘Unequal distribution of revenues’, by mj – Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, visited the Municipality of Kresevo where he had talks with the Head of Municipality, Mato Barisic, and representatives of all parties participating in the Municipal Council. Following the talks during which he was informed about the problems the municipality is faced with, PDHR Hays told journalists that the main problem in Kresevo was, like in many other municipalities, the unequal distribution of public revenues between the municipalities, cantons and state. |
| Interview with Lagumdzija | Nezavisne Novine pgs 4-6 in NN inset Revija ‘Leaders of ruling parties are protecting criminals’ by Nihada Hasic – The failure to adopt the law on the seizure of illegally acquired property showed that the leaders of the ruling parties in BiH are protecting criminals, instead of ordinary citizens, Zlatko Lagumdzija, the President of the SDP says in a lengthy interview to NN. According to him, this has initiated the adoption of this law.He further claims there are two groups of people in the Parliament that are against the adoption of this law. The first group is made up of those who really support the fact that someone became wealthy through illegal activities. Five years ago, the SDA and HDZ representatives to the Federation Parliament adopted the Law on Amnesty, by which amnesty was granted to all those who had “robbed” anything by that time. The second group is made up of hard-line nationalists, who wish to again provoke nationalistic divisions in the country before the forthcoming elections. He further notes there is mafia in BiH, which is more complicated than Italian mafia for example, “because our mafia has for long lived in a multi-ethnic society, the mafia lived in a multi-ethnic society during and after the war. A criminal from Sarajevo can solve any problem he may have in Pale, and his colleague can solve any problem in western Herzegovina. Even if the law is adopted, I doubt that these authorities can enforce it.“ On VAT, Lagumdzija says that decision on 17% VAT directly effects the most vulnerable population in the entire state. |
| SRS “Dr Vojislav Seselj” on removals of 59 officials | Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘OHR should launch criminal proceedings against removed officials’ by Z. K. – The Serbian Radical Alliance “Dr. Vojislav Seselj” will request the OHR to take adequate measures against all 59 officials that were removed on 30 June by the High Representative, meaning they be prosecuted and criminal proceedings be launched against them. This was stated on Friday by the President of the Executive Board of this party, Mirko Blagojevic. He further said that all those officials “were involved” in the criminal activities of the SDS, which rob KM one billion, or the entire budget, from RS citizens every year. |
| Support to Tihic’ initiative by Bosniaks and Croats | Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg6 ‘Bosniaks and Croats support Tihic’s initiative’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Bosniaks and Croats support Tihic’s initiative’ by ONASA – The Croatian and Bosniak Caucuses to the RS Council of Peoples supported on Friday the initiative launched by the Chairperson of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, concerning the assessment of the constitutionality of the Law on RS coat-of-arms, anthem and flag, the Law on territorial organization and local self-management and the Law on holidays and St. Patron’s Days). According to a letter sent to the BiH Constitutional Court and Sulejman Tihic, these laws are to be harmonized with the decision on the constitutionality of the peoples in BiH. |
| NN op-ed on BiH Constitution | Nezavisne Novine op-ed by Mato Djakovic –The author is writing about the BiH Constitution, explaining it is actually Annex 4 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, whose only Good was that it has brought peace to BiH. According to him, Dayton Agreement created the political Frankenstein – referring to Constitution – which is untenable. He further expresses support to activities of the Security Studies Centre seated in Sarajevo (sponsored by Norwegian Government), that has been working on the New Constitution of BiH with three proposals. On first proposal – state with municipalities – he says this system was on before the war, but is would hardly be implemented since it implies abolishment of RS, on which Serb people would not say Yes. On second proposal – state with six regions – he says this option would not be implantable. On third proposal – state with three republics and Sarajevo district – he says it would be implementable, but noone could guarantee that any of those three republics would some day demand to secede from BiH and be united with SiCG or Croatia. |
| Srebrenica Mothers to request removal of Ivanic | Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 2 ‘We will request removal of Ivanic’ – The Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Association will on Monday send an open letter to BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic requesting him to equally represent all three peoples in BiH. The association members refer to a number of Ivanic’s recent statement including the one that Bosniaks have no right to declare them so. |