OHR RTRS News Summary, 9 October 2000

News Headlines:

  • EU lifts oil embargo and air traffic sanctions on Yugoslavia, maintains sanctions on Milosevic and his associates
  • EU Council of Ministers decides to approve funds for Yugoslavia from Balkan reconstruction program
  • EU ministers discuss immediate humanitarian aid to Yugoslavia
  • Serbian parliamentary parties and DOS representatives reach agreement to hold parliamentary elections in December
  • Elections for Serbian Parliament to be held on 17 December – sources from consultative meeting of Serbian Assembly
  • Serbian parliamentarians inform Serbian President Milan Milutinovic of start of consultations on early presidential elections and government reconstruction
  • Serbian National Assembly Speaker Dragan Tomic congratulates Kostunica on presidential election victory
  • Serbian Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic resigns from ministerial post following election to Yugoslav Parliament
  • Vote of non-confidence to Serbian Government will not be on agenda of parliament session following withdrawal by SPO which had proposed it
  • Serbian Government is ready to resign within two days and allow establishment of new government – SPO Head of Caucus Milan Ninkovic
  • Serbian Assembly adopts Law on Election of National Representatives
  • Serbian Assembly accepts proposal to form committee to investigate death of four SPO officials in suspicious traffic accident earlier this year
  • Serbian Assembly decides to form committees to investigate murder of former Serbian police deputy head Radovan Stojicic Badzo and JUL official Zoran Todorovic Kundak, as well as last month’s disappearance of Ivan Stambolic
  • 300 Belgrade students protest against Serbian Assembly failure to include Law on University on agenda for discussion
  • Demonstrators boo and stone Seselj while exiting Serbian Assembly building
  • Momir Bulatovic resigns from position of Yugoslav Government President after talks with Kostunica
  • Factory directors in Yugoslavia who are members of SPS and JUL resign from positions
  • Kostunica and Djukanovic agree that Supreme Defense Council should soon convene to discuss staffing changes – Djindjic
  • G-17 PLUS demands establishment of one-year interim expert government in Serbia – Dinkic
  • Draskovic says he found anarchy and retribution of worst kind upon return to Serbia from Montenegro
  • Milosevic’s son Marko returns from Beijing airport where he arrived from Moscow – Reuters
  • Out of 206 paintings, sculptures, graphics and drawings in Yugoslav Parliament building, only 60 are preserved or were returned after Friday’s demonstrations – National Museum officials
  • Putin invites Kostunica to visit Moscow
  • Moscow is determinedly and consistently working on bringing Yugoslavia back into IC and bringing about suspension of all outer sanctions against Yugoslavia – Putin
  • Four Dutchmen accused of planning Milosevic assassination, arrested this summer in Yugoslavia, cleared of charges and released
  • British Government thanks Kostunica for release of two British police officers accused of espionage in Yugoslavia
  • Kostunica meets with Croatian Foreign Ministry Assistant Josko Para who conveys Racan’s congratulations to Kostunica
  • Norway lifts oil embargo, investments and air traffic sanctions on Yugoslavia
  • Yugoslavia will be central item on agenda of NATO session scheduled for 10 October
  • NATO to consider impact of Milosevic defeat on NATO troops in Kosovo and BiH (00:11)
  • Djukanovic injured in car crash near Brajici on Budva-Podgorica road, hospitalized in Podgorica – Montena TV
  • Djokic congratulates Srdja Bozovic on election to chairmanship of Council of Republics (00:22)
  • Tusevljak expects normalization of relations between BiH and Yugoslavia without conditions (00:33)
  • Recent events in Serbia may change course of history in region – Izetbegovic during farewell session with BiH Federation Defense Ministry and Army officials (00:23)
  • Changes in Yugoslavia will lead to lifting of sanctions and Yugoslavia’s return into international institutions, which will have positive impact on stabilization of peace in southeast Europe – Ivanic
  • DSP welcomes Kostunica decision to lift economic barriers between Serbia and Montenegro (00:15)
  • New border traffic regime between BiH and Montenegro in effect; car drivers have to pay DM 30 for 15-day insurance as of 5 October
  • New exchange rate reported on Bijeljina black market – now 1 DM equals 20 dinars
  • Dodik visits Crkvena near Trebinje, where remains of writer Jovan Ducic are to be moved (00:45)
  • Dodik meets with representatives of Mostar Serb Returnees Association (00:40)
  • RS Privatization Agency extends deadline for voucher investments until 15 November
  • Sarajevo Cantonal Court Chair Amira Rizvic proclaims Goran Vasic guilty of crimes committed in Kasindolska Street and Nedzarici Barracks in 1992, Vasic sentenced to seven years in prison (00:21)
  • Jelavic welcomes announced indictment against 23 Bosniaks accused of committing war crimes against POWs and civilians in Mostar in 1993, says he hopes ICTY will also try those responsible for murder of 32 Croats in Grabovica village (00:23)
  • Seven of 14 Beli Manastir Serbs accused of committing war crimes in Baranja plead not guilty, say they hope they will defend themselves as free men (00:19)
  • Pakracka Poljana case of 1991 execution of Serb civilians in Slavonija to be reopened – Croatian Deputy State Prosecutor Slavko Zadnik
  • Latest arrests of Serbs in Baranja serve to intimidate and slow down Serb return process there – President of Krajina Serb Refugees Association Petar Dzodan (00:22)
  • Serb Democratic Forum condemns arrests of Serbs in Baranja (00:15)
  • Albanian extremists throw six grenades on Serbian police in Konculj, Bujanovac, no casualties reported – Serb sources
  • Three explosions in Bujanovac damage two bridges, no casualties reported – BETA
  • World news
  • Spiric on BiH Federation politicians and Petritsch (00:28)
  • RS Customs Administration Office rewards eight customs officials for confiscation of large amounts of narcotics in RS
  • Newly-constructed bridge on Gomjenica River in Bronzani Majdan opens for traffic
  • New school year begins at Banja Luka University
  • Weather
  • Earthquake measuring four degrees on Richter scale registered 140km south of Banja Luka in Jablanica region, no casualties or damage reported

News Summary:

Dodik meets with representatives of Mostar Serb Returnees Association

00:40 RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik visited representatives of the Mostar Serb Returnees Association. This is the first time that any RS official has ever visited the Association. As Association President Vujadin Berberovic told RTRS, 465 Serb houses in Mostar have been reconstructed so far, 2,950 Serb returnee families are still waiting for reconstruction of their houses, and 2,400 families have applied to return of their apartments in Mostar. Berberovic said he expects greater cooperation with the RS Government in future.

Spiric on BiH Federation politicians and Petritsch (00:28)

BiH House of Representatives delegate Nikola Spiric says that BiH Federation politicians have lately become louder in their requests to delete entity names from public documents. Spiric told a press conference that Haris Silajdzic and the suchlike, with assistance of High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, want to create a new TV BiH, which does not include the existence of entity televisions.