Serb Stari Grad (Sarajevo) – Prime Minister Klickovic and his assistants visited this municipality and talked to the local leadership about economy and construction of the Serb Sarajevo. In the first stage of construction, they will build housing units for 15,000 residents, factories, and telecommunication system, whereas they already started with the construction of a church.
3:00
Brcko – VRS General Colic and Minister of Urbanism Misanovic talked to the local leadership about stopping the illegal habitation by Muslims of this part of the RS. Brcko was defended three times – once during the war, then in August when the legal institutions were attacked, and recently at the local elections. Now Brcko has to defend itself again against Muslims who are illegally inhabiting the area, violating the DPA, all blessed and supported by the IC. Not only Muslims who previously lived in border areas of the RS are illegally inhabiting the area, but also Muslims from Tuzla, Zenica, Srebrenica, Kupres, etc. There are over 90% Muslims who want to inhabit the area without respecting the agreement. They have already crossed the IEBL. Both their army and the police are inhabiting the area together with them. But those who are not loyal to the RS, that is those who don’t consider the RS as their only country, but think instead that they will take over Brcko this way – I am telling them that we will not allow this to happen because we strictly respect the DPA which they have already violated, said Colic. SRT learnt that Muslim leaders are Œfeeding’ their people with misinformation that 60% of Brcko should belong to Muslims, whereas only 40% belongs to Serbs. Muslims plan their return in three phases – 1. Inhabiting the ZOS, 2. inhabiting Serb borderline territories, and 3. inhabiting the town itself; of course, with help from the IC.
4:00
The RS PEC demanded from the (BiH) PEC to stop the counting of absentee ballots for Srebrenica until the RS PEC solves local commissions’ complaints regarding 3,900 disputed ballots of Muslims who voted without any right to vote. The RS PEC Spokesman, Milinic, said that there are people on lists who did not live in Serbrenica in 1991. Another complaint is related to Brcko’s unconfirmed 1,863 ballots of Serbs who were properly registered, but not on the list to vote. SRS also noted a number of violations regarding the counting of absentee ballots in Lukavica. SRS demanded cancelling of counting until the violation is stopped. Yesterday morning the counting did not start in Lukavica because of the RS PEC and SRS complaint regarding Brcko and Srebrenica votes, as well as because of an incident which occurred at the Rajlovac warehouse in the night between Sept. 15 and 16, when 75 RS counters were sent to the RS at 00:30, while the Federation counters and OSCE representatives stayed and worked until 7 a.m. However, the RS PEC and SRS, and OSCE have solved this problem and the counting process continued this afternoon at four.
4:00
FRY scientific figures, Cavoski and Markovic, commented on the local elections, concluding that Frowick did not allow RS refugees in FRY to vote for municipalities they wanted, but for their previous municipalities in the Federation, whereas Muslims abroad had that choice. They also commented on the CoE decision to ban travelling of the Serb CoM members throughout Europe until they adopt the Law on Passports and Citizenship, saying that the same procedure should be passed against officials in Mostar, but the IC does not seem to find it important.
3:00
At today’s press conference, OHR announced that 12 people were killed and 4 injured at the helicopter crash near Bugojno yesterday. They also announced the names of all OHR staff who were killed on board the helicopter. Krajisnik, Plavsic, and Bosic send their condolences to the OHR, the US, and German Embassies, and families of those tragically killed, adding that they carved their lives into the implementation of the DPA.
Flash news:
Washington supported Frowick’s decision on overruling the EASC decision on disqualifying SDS Pale after the elections and annulling the results, adding that this decision might change if the same occurs during the parliamentary elections. French media reported that the French Foreign Office is strongly against the withdrawal of US troops in summer next year.
2:00
Head of the “Energopetrol” company, Draganic, sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Klickovic, informing him that the Banja Luka police took away a certain amount of money from Serb State Bank officials. The above amount was collected from ŒEnergopetrol’ fuel stations in the Banja Luka area. Draganic asked the Government to try to get the money back by using its power, and suggested stopping all ŒEnergopetrol’ businesses in the Banja Luka region.
2:00
Trebinje – the Collegium of the Serb State Bank – among other issues, bank officials discussed the payment operations between RS and FRY, which is practically already agreed, and RS and Federation, which depend on whether the Government will agree on the convertible mark. However, the Serb State Bank is ready to start business with both parties.
2:00
Summary SRT TV News Banja Luka
Headlines
On the occasion of the tragic accident and the death of the Senior Deputy High Representative, Gerd Wagner, the RS President sent a telegram of condolence to the High Representative, Carlos Westendorp, to the American and German Embassies and to IPTF. The President’s telegram to the High Representative says:Momcilo Krajisnik, member of the BiH Presidency from RS, also sent a telegram of condolence to the High Representative.
Kai Eide, special envoy of the UN General-Secretary, stated today that an investigation was being conducted to determine the cause of yesterday’s accident, which happened near Bugojno, in which 14 people were killed.
2 min
The Standing Council of the OSCE in Vienna considered the possibility of sending observers to monitor the parliamentary elections in RS. Diplomatic circles in Vienna claim that Russia opposes that decision. American Ambassador Robert Frowick, Chief of OSCE in Bosnia, expressed his satisfaction at the turnout of voters in the elections in BiH and at the peaceful voting process. He assessed that the elections would contribute to the development of the peace process. “Šregarding the RS, there were some problems in Brcko,” Frowick said. He explained his decision on non-suspension of SDS from the elections and added that the most important thing was to exclude the influence of former RS president, Radovan Karadzic. Frowick said that in the elections the people had voted for some other parties, not only for the nationalistic ones. He mentioned that the possibility of having both presidential and parliamentary elections was being deliberated, as well as the possibility of appointing new representatives for the BiH Presidency.
2, 5 min
The Security Council of the Municipality of Brcko demanded from the Government the introduction of measures which would control the settling of Muslims in this town. In that respect, a delegation of the RS Government visited Brcko today. General Pero Colic attended the session of the Security Council. It was decided that the Government would undertake all measures to prevent illegal and violent settling of Muslims, and that their return had to be done in compliance with defined procedures, i.e. Muslims should have documents of RS and they should respect laws of RS. General Pero Colic emphasised that the Muslim police were entering the ZOS, which was a violation of laws and stipulations of the DA. “I warn the Muslims who think that they will conquer Brcko that we shall not allow it. In the realisation of this task, the VRS will respect the framework of the Dayton Agreement,” Colic emphasized. 2,5 min The school year started for students of the Education Centre of the Ministry of Interior in BL. 508 out of total 600 students attended lectures today. Mile Dosenovic, Director of the School, expressed satisfaction that so many students came to the school today. He said that he was worried about the obvious intention of manipulating students.
3 min 45 sec
Current events:
The counting of ballots of those who voted in absentia was stopped today in Lukavica. It happened because the Main Board of the Serb Radical Party requested it. This party noted some mistakes relating to the ballots coming from Srebrenica. According to the Serb Radical Party, there were some 3,000 additional ballots of Muslim voters who did not have the right to vote. The Republic Electoral Commission informed the Provisional Electoral Commission and OSCE about this, but they did nothing to prevent it.
1 min
Washington supports R. Frowick’s decision on non-suspension of candidates of SDS and the decision not to nullify the election results in Pale, but does not exclude these two possibilities happening in the next elections.
The French President stated that the things were improving in BiH and added that he was satisfied with French-German co-operation in BiH. He supports the idea that SFOR remains in BiH after 1998.
Liberation assessed yesterday that the ruling parties in BiH, i.e. HDZ, SDA and SDS had confirmed their power and influence.
2 min 15 sec
Recently established Serb National Alliance of RS founded its first municipal board in Bijeljina. However, this caused some concern.
The founding Assembly of the municipal board of the Serb National Alliance was held in Bijeljina today. Djordje Krsmanovic, former Vice-President of the municipal board of SDS, was appointed as President of the municipal board in Bijeljina. Two hours before the founding assembly started the police loyal to the leadership from Pale entered the office and asked members of the Alliance to leave the building. The members of the Alliance convened a press conference and informed the public about this event. IPTF ascertained that there were no legal obstacles for the Alliance to use those offices.
1 min 10 sec