OHR RTRS News Summary, 24 February 2000

News Headlines

  • BiH Presidency adopts report on New York Declaration implementation
  • Radisic rejects HDZ BiH initiative to abolish BiH Federation and supports affirmation of Dayton Agreement – BETA
  • Petritsch meets with Mesic and Racan
  • International organizations hold press conference in Sarajevo
  • RS and BiH Federation Education Ministries, OHR, European Council, EU and UNESCO delegations discuss improvement of schooling in Brcko
  • Sloga bugged SPRS sessions – SPRS Main Board member Milinkovic
  • SDS and RS Party of Democratic Progress try to convince BiH voters and IC that RS institutions are in chaos – SNSD
  • RS brought into difficult situation due to Sloga policy – SRS
  • Democratic Patriotic Party holds press conference
  • If RS Government does not dismiss RS Elektroprivreda Director Mrdic (SPRS member), we will reexamine our participation in Sloga – Coalition for King and Fatherland President Prstojevic
  • Municipal elections will not change much, because BiH opposition is not united on democratic principles – BiH Republican Party
  • RS Interior Ministry did not bug anyone, because it has no capabilities for that – RS Interior Ministry Head of Office Ivanovic
  • RS and BiH Federation Trnovo authorities discuss return of refugees and their accommodation and employment
  • Brcko Povratak Association representative Uzeir Bukvic announces establishment of offices for return of Brcko citizens
  • BiH Croat National Council President Komsic expects breakup of HDZ BiH
  • IMC decision to suspend Erotel suspends information program to Croats – Begic
  • It would take five years for Bosniaks to return to Central Bosnia, 17 for Croats and 327 for Serbs – Central Bosnia Refugee and DPs Minister Juricevic
  • 750 applications for purchase of flats submitted in Livno
  • US supports Clark’s demand for additional troops in Kosovo, but has not decided on troop deployment – BETA
  • Search for weapons in Kosovska Mitrovica over – KFOR
  • KFOR expects new riots in Kosovska Mitrovica and southern Serbia – KFOR official
  • Kosovska Mitrovica Serbs support living together with Albanians, but not in independent Kosovo – Kosovo Serb National Council
  • Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Radovic sends protest letter to UN due to its plans to build new bridge in town
  • NATO controls Kosovo and Kosovska Mitrovica – Robertson
  • Clark rejects claims of Serbian generals that Yugoslav Army will return to Kosovo
  • Holbrooke accuses Milosevic of attempting to divide Kosovo
  • Montenegro and Albania open Skadar border crossing
  • World news
  • RS Defense Ministry and RS Miners’ Syndicate hold meeting on strike of Bratunac remount factory
  • Weather
  • Jelavic’s advisor Primorac refuses to comment on Jelavic’s support of transferring BiH Federation duties to BiH level
  • Syndicates of RS, Serbian and Slovenian metal workers hold session in Laktasi
  • Talks with Kosovska Mitrovica Serb National Council step towards peace – Kouchner
  • Canada sends 100 soldiers to Kosovska Mitrovica
  • Russia could examine purpose of its presence in Kosovo – Russian official
  • Eurocorps to start deploying to Kosovo on 5 March
  • Gypsy Kings hold concert in Banja Luka

News Summary

International organizations hold press conference in Sarajevo

OHR spokesperson James Ferguson stated that the High Representative warned political parties to abstain from inflammatory speeches and that all parties should focus on resolving unemployment, accommodation and education problems. OSCE spokesperson Tanya Domi stated that the election campaign must not be used as a platform for inflammatory speeches such as those that could be heard before the civil war in BiH. She added that the OSCE would support civil society actions during the election campaign.

00:45

Democratic Patriotic Party holds press conference

RS Democratic Patriotic Party President Predrag Radic stated at a press conference in Banja Luka that RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik’s estimation that the parliamentary elections scheduled for autumn could be postponed raises the question of whether the elections are an expression of the people’s will or a test that would show that majority rule over minorities continues. Commenting on ICG Director James Lion’s statement that the RS is only an artificial and short-term creation, Radic said that the task of the ICG has become a source for the creation of crises instead of analysis of the situation in BiH.

00:54

IMC decision to suspend Erotel TV suspends information program to Croats – Begic

Advisor to the Croat BiH Presidency Member for Media Issues Tihomir Begic stated that the recent IMC decision to suspend Erotel is aimed at suspended an information program for Croats in BiH. He added that, in this manner, BiH Croats have been deprived of the guaranteed right to information in their mother tongue. They are now in an information blockade, added Tihic. He believes that the basic aim of those who decided to suspend Erotel before the elections was to destroy an information outlet, which was an important factor in connecting Croats in BiH. Begic is of the opinion that the HRT program is not an appropriate replacement for Erotel, because, from a professional viewpoint, it is clear that not as much media space as BiH Croats need can be gained through HRT.

00:52