A solemn atmosphere on the occasion of the Day of BiH Independence has been felt in the country already today. Alija Izetbegovic, BiH Presidency President congratulated all BiH citizens on their hard gained independence, apparently depressed. He reminded them of the hard losses which they and the country went through in 5 years long bloody war in order to preserve the wish of the majority of BiH people to live in a sovereign, unified country.
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On occasion of the 1 March The BiH Independence Day, Alija Izetbegovic received congratulations, from among others, Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tudjman, expressing his wish for improving complete relations between two countries – BiH and Croatia.
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Numerous sovereigns, statesmen and ambassadors sent their congratulations to the Presidency President.
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Relating to the arrests which followed the IPTF Report on the Mostar incident, BiH Press informs that a source close to IPTF said that 9 persons accused of crime, evictions and killing have been arrested. Follow details and full names.
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Colum Murphy, the HR Spokesman confirmed press news today that Croatian police had arrested 19 persons responsible for many incidents in Mostar which were aimed at destabilizing the situation in the city and Federation. He pointed out that among them are two organized criminal bosses Mladen Naletilic Tuta and Vinko Martinovic Stela. Murphy pointed out that these arrests are a product of the growing pressure of the International Community on Zagreb. We have received assurances from the highest places of the Croatian authorities that the Croatian police did not perform arrests on the BiH territory, Murphy said. He also informed that the Canadian Government decided to forbid entry in the country to the three Croatian policemen who are responsible for provoking the incident in Mostar on 10 February.
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I won’t go into details but you all are aware that some serious problems are shaking Mostar in this moment, Sir Martin Garrod told a Press Conference in Mostar today. He added that he is encouraged by the talks he had with Safet Orucevic, Deputy Mayor of Mostar being sure that we shall overcome this abyss we have been in for the last weeks. Also Safet Orucevic has been shown saying that the Bosniak side is ready to carry out all commitments they have made, but expect the same from the Croats in Mostar.
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Hamdija Jahis, the City’s Council President sent a letter to the UN Secretary General Special Envoy, Kai Aide and the HRs Principal Deputy, Ambassador Michael Steiner, informing them that he represents the stance of 21 Joint list for Mostar deputies relating to the incident in Mostar. With regard to the suggestion for conducting an analysis of events which occurred prior to and after 10 February in Mosta, I would like to inform you that we accept every analysis by IPTF and OHR but it should encircle the period from the signing of the Dayton or the Washington Agreement, and has to enlighten on 23 killings of non-Croats in the west part of Mostar, point out the responsible persons for evictions, and those politicians who did not carry out sanctions against the culprits.
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Four out of 10 new houses in Gajevi were destroyed by explosives in the ZOS under Serb control last night, a Press Conference was informed.
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The Federal Minister for Interior Affairs, Mehmed Zilic, and his Deputy,, Jozo Leutar, met with the Bosnian Assistant Bishop. The meeting should have accentuated the maximal readiness of the respective authority organs to safeguard the congregation and objects especially in the light of the Pope John II visit to Sarajevo.
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Summary SRT News
Belgrade – Member of the BiH Presidency Krajisnik and Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Lilic signed an Agreement on Special Mutual Relations Between the RS and FRY. Serbian President Milosevic, Montenegran President Bulatovic, and other FRY and RS representatives attended the signing ceremony. The Agreement contains 14 items which are in accordance with the DPA. SRT quoted the whole Agreement.10:00
Pale – RS Government session – the Government adopted a draft Law on the RS Senate, whereas the first draft of the Budget Law will be discussed on the next session scheduled for next Tuesday. The Government also discussed and planned agriculture sowing for the next year.
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Brcko – The RS Association of Expelled and Missing Persons representatives met RS Army Commander Gen. Colic and talked about the most important problems that families of missing persons are facing. The Association addressed the RS Army Command hoping that they will help them in finding their dearest ones because they are the most responsible for their children’s destiny. Colic said that this is rather a political issue, which will be discussed at the extraordinary assembly session.
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What others think about us:
Le Monde reported that the Soros foundation had spent millions of dollars on publication of works and artists of the Croat-Muslim Federation during the war in BiH, providing only for the Muslims to travel around the world and tell lies about the Serbs. However, Soros changed its strategy towards Bosnian Serbs after the DPA was signed.
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World News:
Sarajevo – Alija Izetbegovic and Kresimir Zubak are having a dispute regarding who should represent BiH in the Hague Tribunal. Both of them sent separate letters to the Hague – Zubak thinks that Vasvija Vidovic, a current BiH representative to the Hague, has not been legally appointed, whereas Izetbegovic claims the opposite.
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