OHR RTRS News Summary, 24 January 2000

News Headlines

  • RS Government holds session to discuss oil refinery in Srpski Brod and central heating in Banja Luka and Prijedor
  • RS National Assembly to continue ninth session on 25 January
  • No constitutional possibilities to elect new RS Government – RS Assembly General Secretary and SPRS member Momir Malic
  • Incumbent RS Government to work until next elections – Dodik
  • SDS expects discussion on election of new RS Government – Cavic
  • Political situation should calm down – SNS member Stanic
  • President of King and Fatherland Coalition Prstojevic hopes that RS National Assembly will adopt laws and not discuss selection of new government
  • CD Coalition will not insist on election of new RS Government – Tihic
  • Thirty-six judges and public prosecutors swear oath in Banja Luka
  • Sloga Coalition condemns Silajdzic statement
  • High Representative will not entertain request for Silajdzic’s dismissal – OHR spokesman Ferguson
  • PDP holds press conference on Silajdzic statement and Croatian presidential elections
  • Flu epidemic in RS
  • Education
  • Bad weather causes problems in RS
  • Bad weather causes problems in transport in BiH Federation
  • Bad weather causes problems in transport in Yugoslavia and Croatia
  • US Embassy asks BiH leadership to protect journalists
  • No political will for integration of BiH Federation Army and HVO – BiH Federation Defense Minister Prce
  • OSCE Livno Regional Office Human Rights Officer Linton addresses letter to Mayor of Livno on evictions
  • HN Cantonal Prime Minister Saric comments on flooding in Neretva valley
  • BiH citizens employed in April 1992 can contact pre-war employers
  • 6,000 Serb returnees to Drvar region do not have electrical energy – former Drvar Mayor Marceta
  • Bomb thrown at house in Lipljan, Kosovo
  • Three persons arrested in Kosovo
  • Eighteen persons arrested in Prizren, Kosovo
  • US envoy comments on level of violence in Kosovo
  • Appointment of Kosovska Mitrovica judges postponed
  • Kosovo Albanians hold protest meeting in Pristina
  • Micro-Credit Bank opens in Pristina
  • New Croatian Government can expect US and EU support – Klein
  • Croatian presidential elections
  • World news
  • 100 Bosniaks return to Rovasi, RS
  • RS privatization
  • Deadline for reconnecting phone lines 25 January – OHR
  • Central heating in Banja Luka
  • Literature
  • Sports and weather
  • Silajdzic will on Tuesday present proposal for revision of Dayton Agreement
  • RS Government will attempt to stop construction of Glamoc military center on grounds of danger to environment
  • EU requests urgent action to stop violence and organized crime in Kosovo
  • Kosovo Serb National Council holds session
  • UNMIK and KFOR deny information on cooperation with parallel police force in Kosovo
  • Kosovo Democratic Progress Party President Krasnici sends letter to Kouchner and Reinhardt
  • Yugoslav Telecom Minister Markovic on new mobile telephony in Kosovo
  • Kolundzija and Dosen indictments defective – their legal teams
  • EU welcomes arrangement of Serbian opposition parties

News Summary

Sloga Coalition condemns Silajdzic statement

The Sloga Coalition condemns a statement by BiH Council of Ministers Co-chairman Haris Silajdzic. During a meeting of regional leaders in the Bulgaria, Silajdzic urgently requested the radical revision of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Silajdzic’s statement is especially inappropriate since the High Representative and other IC officials had already told BiH politicians that revision of Dayton was out of question. The Sloga Coalition Presidency considers this Silajdzic statement and obstructions to the work of the BiH Council of Ministers to be aimed at violating the principles of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The Sloga Presidency feels that this statement is an attack on the constructive attitude the RS has had in Dayton implementation. The Sloga Presidency protests and asks for appropriate sanctions to be undertaken. The Sloga Presidency expects the High Representative to disassociate himself from this statement and use his authority to dismiss Silajdzic from the post of co-chairman in the BiH Council of Ministers. The Sloga Presidency also expects the OSCE to strike Silajdzic’s candidacy from election lists and stop his future appointment to office in BiH.

01:45

PDP holds press conference on Silajdzic statement and Croatian presidential elections

On Monday in Banja Luka, representatives of the Democratic Progress Party (PDP) held a press conference. PDP Vice-president Branko Dokic said that statements by BiH Council of Ministers Co-chairman Haris Silajdzic were the strongest and the most direct attack on the Dayton Peace Agreement by any BiH politician to date. Dokic expects High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch to divest Silajdzic of his political mandate and ban his participation in political activities. The PDP suggests the removal of the SDP-proposed permanent election law from the parliamentary procedure. The PDP also suggests the establishment of an expert working group to draft a new election law. The PDP assessed that the newly elected Croatian president would not change Croatian policy towards Serbs.

00:59

US Embassy asks BiH leadership to protect journalists

The US Embassy to Sarajevo has asked the BiH leadership to protect journalists because they are under the pressure of threats. Threats against Dani correspondent Hasan Hadzic are only one example of pressure on the media. Ensuring conditions for freedom of expression is one of the main elements for developing a democratic society. That is one of the most important conditions for BiH integration into Europe and the rest of the world, said a release of the US Embassy to Sarajevo.

00:37