Sarajevo – At today’s session, the BiH CoM failed to endorse a set of laws from the “Quick Start” package, the main prerequisite for holding the Donors Conference in BiH. The only tangible result of the session was the endorsement of the budget and budget expenditures drafts. Co-chair Boro Bosic gave an explanation that some additional consultations have to be made at the next session of the BH CoM – scheduled for 26 May.
To a correspondent’s question on speculations regarding the reduction of legitimacy of BiH diplomatic and consular offices throughout the world, Co-Chair Haris Silajdzic retorted that only the UN General Assembly was empowered to take such actions if deemed necessary. However, he underlined that BiH was a state recognized by the UN member-countries and nobody could limit its sovereignty. He further reminded that the guilt for the war could not be equally shared by the three sides in BiH and that the international community seemed to be forgetting to make a clear distinction between the victim and the aggressor.
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Donors Conference on BiH – OHR Spokesman Colum Murphy read out HR Carl Bildt’s statement in which he warned of an increasing concern of the international community about delay in the work of the joint BiH institutions, and particularly in the process of adoption of the Quick Start package. According to the statement, the Donors Conference on BiH could be brought into question if the BiH joint institutions do not endorse the law package before the Portugal conference.
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Washington – US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright appearing before the US Senate Committee announced that NATO-led troops in BiH would assume a new role of enhancing the peace process, including assistance in the programs for return of refugees and telecommunications. Albright reiterated the US commitment to full implementation of the DPA. The new American initiative is based on the concept that international economic aid will be available only to those communities in BiH which allow return of refugees.
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Banja Luka – OSCE Spokesman David Foley informed that the OSCE Head of Election Office ordered a temporary close-down of five registration centers in Banja Luka due to irregularities made by local personnel. In some registration centers, OSCE staff were threatened and in others registration forms were filled with false data. OSCE officials are investigating possible fraud in other centers throughout BiH.
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A member of the SDP Main Board, Sabrija Pojskic stated that his party had not given consent to its Mostar branch office to form a coalition with the Bosnian Patriotic Party (BPS) and the Liberal Bosniak Organization (LBO). Pojskic specified that the local SDP office in Mostar acted independently from the SDP head office and that this coalition would be annulled since it was not congruent with the SDP policy and regulations of the Interim Electoral Commission.
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Summary SRT News
RS President and Deputy President met in Banja Luka with HR Carl Bildt and other high officials of the International Community. This was the third meeting in the last 12 days between President Plavsic and Mr. Bildt. After five hours of talks, both sides agreed that provisions of Dayton must be implemented without any precedents. HR Carl Bildt: ” We are fully committed to implement and enforce FOM. We will not accept the behavior of the police from either entitiy that is contrary to the agreed policy and stands of the International Community. We have said it very clearly that we prefer co-operation to confrontation. What is of great concern at the moment is the setting up of some check-points on both sides. This is obstructing FOM and is against the DPA provisions. We hope to solve these problems in a near future.” Also present at the meeting was Dragan Kijac, RS Interior Minister.3 min
In Pale, the RS Government convened a meeting. The Interior Ministry briefed the Government with regard to the new IPTF rules. So far, this Ministry was co-operative, but the new IPTF “reforms” are unacceptable. According to these “reforms”, policemen in Banja Luka and Brcko would have to pass certain exams, undergo physiological tests and would have to be verified by the Hague Tribunal. Then, only a few would get the IPTF ID card. By accepting such demands, the Interior Ministry would cease to exist as a state body. The new IPTF check-points policy was also rejected. RS Government decided not to accept IPTF’s rules, both with regard to selection of policemen in Banja Luka and Brcko and new check-points policy. RS Representatives in BIH Joint Institutions will be informed about this decision. At the end, the RS Government stressed that such a behavior of the IPFT seriously puts in question further implementation of the DPA. HR Carl Bildt is requested to harmonise the activity of the IPTF with its mandate.
5 min
President of the Republican (sic) Election Commission, Petko Cancar, called upon all organizations, companies, associations and parties in RS to get actively involved in voters registration process.
In Sarajevo, CoM of BiH held a session. Co-Chairs, Boro Bosic and Haris Silajdzic and Vice-Chair, Neven Tomic signed the agreed Budget Law and the Budget Execution Law. The QSP remains to be signed, possibly at the next session, scheduled for Tuesday, 27 May.
2 min
President of the Syndicate Union of RS, Cedo Volas, send a protest note to the High Representative. The reason, he said is the negligence and unprincipled relation of the international organizations towards RS. At the meeting with the presidents of the municipal syndicate organizations in Doboj region, Volas stressed the Syndicate will “as a sign of warning, schedule a one hour general strike of all employees in RS”.
2 min