Sarajevo – The BiH Presidency held a session at the National Museum today to review conclusions of the Sintra conference. In the absence of the Chairman of the Presidency Alija Izetbegovic, Co-Chair of the CoM Haris Silajdzic attended the session. Reviewing the Sintra declaration, the members of the Presidency defined its own obligations within the framework of this document. It was agreed that to debate on the organization of diplomatic and consular offices and appointments at the next session of this body. The Presidency has formed a working body to deal with the issue of joint BiH symbols and insignia and outlined basic principles for participation in the Donors Conference. Another working group has been constituted to negotiate with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a new loan for electro-energy supply system in the amount of US $15 million.
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Sarajevo – At today’s session, deputies of the FBiH House of Representative endorsed draft-laws on the federation budget and budget expenditures. HDZ deputies did not show up at the session, and deputy Vladimir Gojer appealed to the president to exert efforts to bring HDZ deputies back to the Parliament and thus make this parliamentary body fully legitimate to which the Speaker Enver Kreso replied that the House of Representative was fully legitimate and legal under the FBiH Constitution.
The Parliament has also reviewed a set of draft-laws on privatization and restitution as well as purchase of socially-owned flats. During a debate, FBiH PM Edhem Bicakcic confronted his views with some opposition deputies on how the process of privatization should be carried out. Opposition deputies contended that the process of privatization should be harmonized in both entities in order to prevent further disintegration of the country, while PM Edhem Bicakcic advocated that privatization of the FBiH was a way to reintegration of BiH and the way out of a twilight zone.
Debating on a draft on purchase of socially-owned apartments by legal tenants, deputies proposed more than 60 amendments. Some of the proposed amendments have been endorsed, such as that the buyer cannot purchase an apartment occupied by families of dead soldiers, refugees, war invalids, demobilized soldiers, etc for the period of five years. During that time, the above categories of citizens have to be provided with adequate accommodation or enabled to return to their own flats or houses. This amendment was proposed by SDA deputies. The Parliament has agreed to the law on apartments to remain effective until the relevant legislation is enacted at the level of the BiH state.
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Sarajevo – Co-chair of the CoM Haris Silajdzic received a high level delegation from the United Arab Emirates headed by Sheik Diab Zaid, a son and personal envoy of the President. On this occasion, Sheik Diab expressed support of his government and people to the integrity and sovereignty of BiH and pledged that his country would continue to render assistance to BiH in economic, political and military aspects. Thanking his collocutor on assistance of his country, Silajdzic accentuated that the United Arab Emirates had greatly contributed to the program Train and Equip and invited businessmen from this country to take part in the reconstruction of BiH
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Summary SRT News
Banja Luka – The RS President Plavsic held a brief meeting with the Head of OSCE Mission in BiH, Frowick. There were no press statements, therefore SRT assumes that the discussion was about the problems that increased with regard to the voters’ registration process, especially in Brcko where the OSCE closed down four registration offices because of alleged irregularities in their work.2:00
Brcko – Brcko Supervisor Farrand said that the OSCE decision to close down voters’ registration offices in Brcko will not postpone the local elections in the area. Emphasising that neither the OHR nor the OSCE have any intentions to stop the elections process, Farrand firmly denied the possibility that by this decision the international community is helping Muslims and Croats who are doing everything they can to have the elections in Brcko held after the Arbitration decision.
The SDS municipality board said that the OSCE decision actually punishes the ordinary people and not the political parties or the leaders. They said that they are stunned by this sudden decision which was carried out before they were informed about it. They are worried that the decision may have a bad influence on the present political situation in the town, as well as on the arbitration decision and the people.
SRT reminded that only a week ago, at the press conference at OHR Brcko, Farrand said that the voters’ registration had been carried out without any problems and that 50% of the population in the RS part of the town had already been registered, whereas only 14% of the population had registered in the Croat part of town, and 13% in the Muslim part of Brcko. ‘It is logical to conclude that the figures above are the reason for such a decision by the OSCE,’ SRT said.
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Pale – RS President in the BiH Presidency, Krajisnik met the head of the European Bank mission for reconstruction and development. The meeting was held behind closed doors and details of the talks were not given.
Sarajevo – Presidential session – Presidency analysed the Sintra Declaration and specified its own duties and the pace of their implementation. The Presidency convened a session of the Standing Committee for Military Issues for June 16 and established a working group for adoption of the BiH insignia. The Presidency will discuss the allocation of diplomatic and consular posts at the next session. It tasked the Foreign Ministry with preparing the document that will define the relations between the Presidency, CoM and the Foreign Ministry. The Presidency appointed a delegation which will discuss the new credit of $15 million for reconstruction of the power system with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
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Pale – RS Prime Minister Klickovic, his deputy and the Minister of Finance talked with the WB delegation about implementation of eight already agreed projects. They also discussed the Donors’ conference to be held by the end of this month, where the RS should be given significant resources.
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Pale – RS Assembly Speaker, Kalinic held a brief meeting with Klickovic and other representatives of the Government and discussed the preparations for the 9th session of the Assembly to be held on June 26. There will be more than 15 items on the Agenda, such as proposals for the Law on Interior Affairs, draft laws on housing, strikes, and refugees and displaced persons. Prior to the Assembly session, the RS Government held its meeting and adopted the Law on Interior Affairs which is in line with peacetime, as well as the Law on the PTT by which the RS will be connected to the world.
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Paris – The French President Jacques Chirac awarded HR Bildt with the medal of honour, thanking him for his efforts on establishment of peace in BiH.
Pale – Refugee Minister Vladusic met the Swedish delegation headed by the Swedish ambassador to Sarajevo. The Swedish Government is willing to help the RS in solving the problems of accommodating the refugees and displaced persons, in the aim of creating the conditions for repatriation of refugees abroad.
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