Sarajevo – The Presidency session was held today in Lukavica. The Presidency continued discussions on previously considered matters regarding diplomatic and consular delegates. There was no progress achieved on this subject. BiH President Izetbegovic did not attend this meeting, but he was represented by the CoM Co-President Silajdzic. The main problem with the discussion was the parity of all three sides, as required by Croatian and Serbian side. Silajdzic said that there are minor differences still to be overcome. Krajisnik did not want to discuss the matter of the current political situation in RS, because, as he said, it is a strictly internal matter of the RS. Krajisnik commented on the forthcoming meeting between Izetbegovic, and Tudjman, saying that this subject was also discussed at the session, and that he is looking forward to any meeting at presidential level. The Presidency did not discuss the matter of the Donors Conference, for it has all been done at the previous CoM sessions. The presidency also made a decision to allocate 200,000 DEM from the BiH budget for financing the State institutions, human rights committee, legal property rights committee, and demining committee.
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Sarajevo – BiH President Izetbegovic discussed the DPA implementation with UN Secretary Gen. Deputy Iqbal Riza. Riza pointed out that the most significant IC activity is the role of the IPTF in Mostar and Brcko. The conversation also included the Donors conference, refugee return, freedom of movement, and the work of ITCY.
Federation Co-president Soljic also talked with Riza, pointing out that the great progress was being achieved in the DPA implementation. UN spokesman Ivanko said that the important thing is establishment the rest of joint police units in other parts of the Federation.
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Pale – The RS Supreme Court found the RS president Plavsic’s decision within the constitutional rights and order. Regarding her decision to dissolve the RS parliament, this is for the first time that she is being supported by an institution of state.
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Mostar – UN special envoy Rehn visited Mostar today, where she has met the Her/Ner Canton governor Leho and her deputy Markovic. Mrs Rehn also met Mostar Mayor Prskalo who she criticised for disabling the return of five Bosniak families to eastern Mostar.
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Mostar – OHR spokesman for Mostar Gasic said that the newly formed unions of municipalities with major Croatian population are not accepted by the IC. This is because, those unions represent manipulation and a legal farce. Gasic also said that the establishment and work of those unions with major Croat populations are illegal, and that it would be discussed at tomorrow’s visit to Mostar by the HR deputy Wagner.
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Sarajevo – a press conference of the Union for Refugees and Displaced Persons was held today. The main issue was human rights violations. The most frequent type of human rights violation is the manipulation with the refugees in those municipalities where they are the major popularity. The Union also said that the human rights are also violated in the areas controlled by HVO.
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Summary SRT TV News
The RS Government delegation (Klickovic, the ministers of refugees, finances, health, and education, CoM Co-chair Bosic and Minister Albijanic) went to Brussels for the donors’ conference.Lukavica, Serb Sarajevo – The Presidency session – the Presidency discussed the distribution of BiH diplomatic branches. CoM Co-chair Siladzic replaced Izetbegovic in his absence but, according to Krajisnik, he doesn’t have the competence to represent the Muslim side. Therefore, the Presidency did not discuss the diplomatic parity of the three constituent peoples. Krajisnik also said that, with reference to distribution of branches, the Croat position is similar to the Serb – i.e. that the Belgian model should be applied. The Muslim side insisted on discussing the current crisis in the RS, which was energetically rejected by Krajisnik because it is the interior problem of the RS.
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Pale – The Parliament Speaker Kalinic met the head of ICRC in BiH and discussed the further work of this institution in the RS. They also talked about results of the ICRC conference in Geneva in the light of the POWs issue. Kalinic assured ICRC that the RS will fully co-operate in order to solve this issue. Kalinic thanked ICRC for not being biased and for condemning the SFOR abuse of ICRC sign in the course of the arrest of Dr. Kovacevic. He also called the RS citizens to show their traditional hospitality towards this institution.
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The RS Supreme Court rejected the RS Government charges against Plavsic’s decision to dissolve the Parliament and schedule pre-term elections. The RS Government charges submitted on July 3 1997 were rejected as unacceptable on July 18 1997 by the Court. Explaining its decision, the Supreme Court reminded that it received a letter on July 7, by which the Government initiated an administrative lawsuit against the RS President in view of her decision to dissolve the Parliament and schedule the elections on September 1 1997. After reviewing the charge the Supreme Court rejected it as ‘illicit’, because the Law on Administrative Lawsuit regulates that the administrative lawsuit cannot be initiated on matters which are, in accordance with the RS Constitution, decided by the National Assembly and the RS President. The final decision on illicitness of Plavsic’s decision to dissolve the Parliament and schedule the elections will be made by the RS Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court Secretary, Miodrag Simovic said that public proceedings with regard to Plavsic’s decision will probably not be held until Aug. 10, that is, if Plavsic uses the maximum legally required time period of 15 days for answering to the Government and Parliament’s suggestions to assess the constitutionality of her decision. The Constitutional Court will not allow any mistakes, reminding that Plavsic’s legal time period started last Saturday. President Plavsic, the press, Government and Parliament representatives, as well as public and scientific figures will be invited to the public proceedings.
Brcko – Of about 4000 complaints of Serbs who could not register in Brcko, the OSCE HQ approved of only 181. OSCE denies their basic right to vote, sending them to their previous homes where they lived in 1991. SRT asked how an old Serb woman can return and vote in a town where she had lost her son? Should she vote for her son’s murderers then? SRT reminded that three SDS candidates for the elections were removed from the list by OSCE, whereas the president of the electoral commission Gavric was punished by not receiving a one month’s salary because of his statement given to the SRT, where he called on all Brcko people to register.
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Flash News:
German media reported that the only aim of the IC is to establish a unified BiH and weaken the power of the entities. Therefore, Plavsic’s help is of essential importance to them. Commenting on the current situation in the RS and the IC’s support to Plavsic, German media concluded that Plavsic’s readiness even to order Karadzic’s arrest can destroy the RS. Plavsic established permanent ties with the US Foreign Minister Albright, who gives her instructions. They concluded that Plavsic is not the same person she used to be a year ago.
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Brcko – The electoral municipal board of Brcko sent a letter of protest to the RS leadership (Plavsic excluded) and gave a statement to SRT that a large number of RS citizens come to their office to complain about the current crisis in the RS caused by misunderstandings within the leadership. People usually say that Plavsic is supported by unimportant political party representatives and people of dubious moral and patriotic emotions, which hurts the wounds of the Serb citizens who have been supporting SDS since 1990. A similar letter came from the Association of Serb Invalids and families of soldiers killed in war who said that nobody is allowed to gamble with the RS destiny.
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Brcko – The head of Brcko MUP Bjelosevic said that a hand-grenade which was set off in front of a restaurant on July 21, 30 metres from the OHR Brcko, was not targeted at the Supervisor Farrand’s office. The police are conducting an intensive investigation.
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