OHR RTRS News Summary, 1 September 1999 - Office of the High Representative

News Headlines

School year starts in majority of RS schools
67 % of schools respect strike decision – RS Education Trade Union
RS Government sends protest letter to Austrian Government on Talic arrest
Talic ready to prove his innocence – Belgrade lawyer Vladimir Petrovic
Lawyer Petrovic on Talic case
Dodik visits UK
Dodik meets with UK officials
Dodik and Bicakcic discuss taxes, return of refugees and status of Muslims in Banja Luka
BiH Presidency holds session on human rights and return of refugees
BiH Presidency gives certificate of appreciation to Holbrooke
21 November state holiday – BiH Presidency proposal
Radisic discusses Talic case and BiH institutions with UK Ambassador Hand
SRT Technical Director Bosko Budisa nominated for position of member of RTV establishing board By Radisic
Petritsch decision on SRT
SRT General Director Kozomara on Petritsch decision
RS Interior Ministry addresses amendment on border police to OHR
RS Interior Minster Novic praises security situation in Bratunac
Father Sava not informed of mass grave in Zlas
Pristina Peace and Toleration Center confirm news of mass grave in Zlas
Gracanica citizens block Pristina-Gnjilane road
Serbs from Sevce block KFOR
Kosovo Albanians continue blocking roads to Orahovac
Kosovo Albanian- KFOR talks postponed – KFOR Spokesman Lavoir
Kosovo Serbs fail to participate in Kosovo Temporary Board session
Kouchner nominates another seven judges and two lawyers in Kosovska Mitrovica
Russian Foreign Ministry suspects US troops in Kosovo of disguising crime in Ugljare
Italian Prime Minister on solving Kosovo crisis
Ethnic cleansing almost ended in Kosovo – Clark
KLA must be demilitarized before 19 September – US State Department spokesperson Foley
Serb Resistance Movement President Trajkovic on Kouchner fiasco in Kosovo
‘Europol’ assists countries who investigate cooperation between KLA and Albanian Mafia
Level of violence decreases in Kosovo – NATO
Yugoslavia releases two CARE workers convicted of spying
Bishop Filaret meets with Sjenica Islamic Community
Serbian Democratic Party criticizes Arbour address to citizens of former Yugoslav countries
Montenegrin Assembly to hold session on 16 September
Elections can rebuild situation in Serbia – Djukanovic adviser Vukovic
Yugoslav Minister Nikcevic on referendum for Montenegrin secession
School year starts in Serbia
‘Media in election law’ seminar held in Banja Luka
OSCE holds press conference
Trial of Serb Kusic starts in Munich Court
Kozarac murderer Rifet Bakonjic discovered dead in prison cell
UN and IPTF spokesperson Roberts holds press conference on Bakonjic suicide and Canton Ten police
Nobody discussed suspension of diplomatic relations between BiH and Croatia – Prlic
USAID brings 23 accusations against BiH Federation companies
Court police try to arrest Dani Editor-in-Chief Senad Pecanin
Several savings account holders stand in front of SAB Bank in Sarajevo
BiH Federation Privatization Direction Director on Ombudsmen commendation
World news
RS Radical Party holds press conference
Culture
Holbrooke praises BiH Presidency
Imposed law on SRT not to be discussed at next RS National Assembly session – Vasic
Kosovo Albanians and Serbs fight in front of school in Obilic
Two Serbs missing in Gnjilane
US Senator on new status of Kosovo
Austrian Foreign Minister Schissel on current situation in Balkans
UN spokesperson on border customs with Macedonia
Thaci supports Kosovo Albanians who block roads to Orahovac
Milosevic releases two CARE workers
Montenegrin Prime Minister discusses democratic processes in Montenegro with Israeli Ambassador to Yugoslavia
Italy supports former Yugoslav Bank Governor Avramovic activities
Democratic Center to organize round table on democratic alternative to current Serbian leadership
Movement for Democratic Serbia President Perisic criticizes Yugoslav and Serbian leaders
Sports and weather

News Summary

RS Government addresses protest letter on Talic arrest to Austrian Government

The RS Government addressed a protest letter regarding the arrest of General Talic to the Austrian Government. The RS Government requests the Austrian Government to present complete responsibility. The RS Government considers that the arrest was an illegal act, because Talic was arrested during an official visit. During the arrest, questioning and extradition, Talic did not have a lawyer. Austria and representatives of its institutions arrested, questioned and extradited Talic without the permission of BiH and RS institutions. Talic had diplomatic immunity. The Convention on Special Relations, Article 29, and the Vienna Convention were violated by this act. All members of the RS Defense Ministry delegation had diplomatic immunity defined by the Agreement on Building Trust and Security in BiH, Article 4, and paragraph 1. Talic’s human rights were violated. The RS Government asks for the complete engagement of the Austrian Government for Talic’s release.

02:14

Petritsch decision on SRT

The imposed decision of High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch on RTV Republika Srpska is put in practice on 1 September. This decision contains many amendments to the actual law and presents a temporary decision that will be valid until 29 February, 2000. Until then, the RS Assembly should adopt a law on RTV RS. According to this decision, the new name of SRT will be RTV Republika Srpska.

00:28

SRT General Director Kozomara on Petritsch decision

SRT General Director Andjelko Kozomara commented on High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch’s decision saying that SRT ‘s status is made stronger by it. This decision enables progress in professionalization and the democratic standards of modern society in transmission programming. The programming will serve the subscribers, not the political parties. Kozomara claims that nothing is hidden in the Petritsch decision. The well-known temporary arrangements and memorandum signed by SRT and RS Government were part of that decision. SRT ensures conditions for professional work. The shortcoming of this decision for the RS public is the fact that the decision this was imposed rather than adopted by the RS Assembly. The Assembly will probably adopt a law that will replace this decision.

01:53

OSCE holds press conference on seminar and preparations for BiH elections

The OSCE Regional Office in Banja Luka held a press conference on Wednesday where OSCE representatives outlined some of the aspects of the new permanent election law. OSCE representatives Pierce McCorley and Ovidia Cry also spoke of the next elections in BiH and that legal institutions, political parties, candidates and voters should start preparing for them. McCorley and Cry outlined the processes for registration, election campaigns and media presentation.

00:52

RS Radical Party holds press conference

The RS Radical Party held a press conference on Wednesday in Banja Luka where RS Radical Party President Miroslav Radovanovic said that General Talic was arrested because he is Serb and because he was protecting the Serb nation. According to him, the ICTY does not want to see genocide committed against Serbs during the war in the BiH. The RS Radical Party supports the idea on restructuring the RS Government. The RS Radical Party believes that the Sloga Coalition and SDS should make extra efforts towards creating a Serb majority in the RS National Assembly. Party General Secretary Miodrag Deretic said that some ministries did not do anything and that is why their leaders should be dismissed. The RS Radical Party appeals for RS Vice-President Mirko Sarovic to assume presidential duty. Party representatives think that the arbitration decision on Brcko and the BiH-Croatian border agreement are not judicial, but political acts. According to them, General Talic’s arrest is a dishonorable act, never before seen in diplomatic history. The RS Radical Party supports the view of RS Information Minister Rajko Vasic that the entities be authorized to control their own media.

01:34