There was no live broadcast from Banja Luka studio this evening.
Sarajevo – Alija Izetbegovic, BiH Presidency Chairman addressed the BiH public relating to the accusation of the British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, regarding alleged misuse of international aid meant for the reconstruction of BiH. Some minutes before Cook’s arrival in Sarajevo, Izetbegovic announced that strong measures will be undertaken if the accusation appear to be founded: arrest for the corrupted and a ban those who spread untruths about our country, Izetbegovic said at the presser today.2’00”
Charles Crawford, British Ambassador to BiH expressed strong concern of his Government relating to the case of leaked money in BiH. He confirmed that the assertion of the London Times are true, but only the part which speaks about the money which is not being spent on the planned projects. On the word misuse, the Ambassador didn’t want to comment calling it pretentious journalist guessing. The British Embassy in Sarajevo issued a statement regarding the aims of Cook’s visit. He will discuss with the BiH officials the level of the DPA implementation, as well as explain the accusations expressed in the newspaper, in detail. The statement was read in full.
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Hasan Muratovic, BiH Minister for foreign trade and economic relations gave a long comment for BiH Press on the accusations by Robin Cook, saying basically that money allocated for projects lies in the accounts of the foreign agencies which carry out the works in BiH. Money given by governments is never transferred to BiH accounts.
BiH Alternative CoM and the LBO party demanded in their statements energetic and independent investigation from the IC, relating to the Times allegations.
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Sarajevo – Bernard Jagoda, Director of the German Federal Office for employment ended his 2 day visit to BiH during which he talked with BiH economic and political officials. This visit represents a continuing effort of Germany, not only to return our refugees back home, but also to restore the pre-war dynamics of economic activities between the two countries. We both need to go parallel, Haris Silajdzic, CoM Co-Chair, told media. He added that the German Office will give financial support for the project called “20.000 Working Places” and support the opening of a BiH office for employment in Sarajevo.
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Hasan Muratovic talked with a Japanese government delegation about money under easier loan conditions. The result is a loan worth a million dollars.
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Representatives of the 190.000 BiH pensioners held talks today with the Trade Union. Conclusions were made relating to the payment of the pending pensions from last year and future harmonization of pensions with the cost of living. (Pensioners were threatening with demonstrations).
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Zagreb -Talks of expert teams between BiH and Croatia, should take place tomorrow and are expected to focus on two documents for the forthcoming meeting of two Presidents Alija Izetbegovic and Franjo Tudjman, Kasim Trnka, BiH Ambassador to Croatia told BiH Press. The first part of the talks and harmonizing of the Joint Declaration was held at the same level in Zagreb last week. BiH is especially interested in the talks on property agreement, annex agreement on economic co-operation and the question of dual statehood. Croatia will insist on the abolishing of AID, the re-organization of BiH TV and distribution of BiH diplomatic seats.
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IC Press Conference focused today on the OHR denial of some elements of the article Entire Judiciary Run by Croats, which appeared in Dnevni Avaz (the OHR statement was read in full). SFOR spoke of a meeting between General Crouch and Krajisnik in Pale and a traffic incident in Sipovo in which a civilian and SFOR car collided.
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Brcko – Robert Farrand, Brcko Supervisor assessed in an interview for Belgrade Vecernje Novosti that between five and six thousand Serbs who are now living in the Bosniak and Croat houses in Brcko, will be asked to leave in 60 days. If they refuse to do it, the local Serb authority will carry the responsibility, Farrand said and added that the authorities in RS and BiH Federation, by their actions, discourage people from returning.
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Summary SRT TV News
Banja Luka – RS President Plavsic held separate meetings with the OSCE Political Representative, Kuznecev and SFOR Commander, Gen. Crouch. They talked about the current situation in the RS, forthcoming elections, and cooling down of tensions between SFOR and RS citizens. Gen. Crouch also paid a farewell visit to Plavsic and presented his successor, Gen. Shinsley. Plavsic met a group of VRS elite soldiers who recently passed an exam at the Military Academy in Belgrade, and said that the RS army advanced every day giving birth to new soldiers who are ready to defend it. The VRS has taken the path of a modern and democratic army through implementation of the DPA. The VRS HQ Deputy Commander, Pandurevic, said that this elite unit would help the VRS reach higher levels of combat readiness.4:00
Brcko – The process of re-registration of voters in Brcko did not suit the IC because Brcko Serbs fully responded again. Therefore, OSCE and PEC used another trick and did not allow 3,500 Serbs to register. Leaders of all political parties in Brcko and the Brcko leadership sent a letter of protest to the PEC and Supervisor Farrand asking them to review all 3,500 complaints, otherwise, Serbs from Brcko will boycott the September elections. Belgrade newspapers Novosti published an article ‘Newcomers must leave’ in which Supervisor Farrand said that about 25,000 families (which is almost a half of the total number of people who live in Brcko now) who live in about 6,000 houses in Brcko will have to leave. Those houses should be given to either Muslims or Croats. However, Farrand denied this statement at today’s press conference, saying that it was misinterpretation of what he had said. ‘Paragraph 9, the procedure of return, is not a secret. Do not forget my statement given on May 24, that as long as I am a Supervisor here, nobody will be removed from a house before we provide him/her with other accommodation.’
4:00
Flash news:
Krajisnik shall meet the British Foreign Minister, Cook tomorrow, and discuss the current situation in the RS and relations with British SFOR troops. German Foreign Minister Kinkel shall meet HR Westendorp, and discuss the return of refugees to the RS and Federation, and the current situation in the RS.
German media reports that German SFOR troops commanders are concerned and not willing to send their troops to capture the alleged war criminals. Germany points out historic problems during its presence in this territory in World War II, as well as certain risks and consequences.
3:00
SRS [Serb Radical Party] press conference – The Party members confirmed their readiness to act in line with the RS Constitution, but they will take part at the RS Parliament session, to be held on Aug. 8. They condemned US interference in the situation in the RS, and said that the donors conference brought exactly what they had expected – new lies and manipulations. They also said that the RS should be connected to FRY as Herceg Bosna is connected to Croatia.
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Sokolac – SDS Sokolac supports decisions adopted at the SDS HQ and the last Parliament session. They agreed that Plavsic had been excluded because she did not respect and she ignored the RS institutions, adding that the RS should preserve its unity, and establish strong relations with its motherland, FRY.
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World news:
BBC World reported that the Jewish Community from Sarajevo had sent a letter of protest to the Islamic Community, saying that Sarajevo authorities are not allowing Jews who lived in Sarajevo before the war to return to their city. 2:00