Headlines
- Prime-Minister Designate, Mladen Ivanic, for a united and economically developed RS
- New OSCE President – Polish; Another American replaces Robert Frowick
- Milo Djukanovic solemnly inaugurated as President
Excerpts of Prime-Minister Designate Ivanovic’s speech presented to delegate clubs in the RS National Assembly, which was published in its entirety by Belgrade-based “Politika”: ” The general situation in the RS is dramatic. There are two power centres – Pale and Banja Luka. There are two Ministries of Interior which have absolute power over two geographic areas. Even the uniforms are not the same, which is more than just symbolism… The Serb people are the greatest victims of the disintegration of YU – expelled from the territories where they used to live, losing the state for which it gave hundreds of thousand of its sons; under sanctions, excluded from the world, without hope for the future… The number of unemployed is greater than the number of those who work…Fear dominates the RS… The Dayton BiH also depends on how it is seen by the Serb people, not only on how the representatives of Moslem people feel about it. The Dayton BiH is possible but only as a community of equal people and a community of the RS and FBiH…SDS and SRS do not support the concept of the government, considering it a puppet government. SNS supports the concept of the government but insists on a change in the seat of government, referring to BL… SPRS and SNSD support the concept without any special conditions… Who is going to be the Prime-Minister of this government is not important. In the event that this person is disputable, and does not represent the concept of national unity, I am ready to give back the mandate and offer the RS President the possibility of finding a person who would be more compromising,” said Ivanic.
7:37
The Polish Foreign Minister took up his duties as OSCE Chairman in Office in Vienna today. The outgoing Head of Mission of this organisation in BiH, Robert Frowick, will be replaced by another American. A spokesman for OHR stated today that the next meeting of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board will be held in Brussels. She also said at a press conference held in SA that the OHR Commission, which is supposed to make a decision on the design of the common BiH currency, should have a meeting today.
0:52
A course for BiH officers on security and co-operation issues will start at the NATO school in Germany on January 17th, stated a spokesman for SFOR. According to him, the course, that will last until January 24th, will be attended by 45 officers, 15 from the RS and 30 from BiH.
0:20
A defence request for the temporary release from custody of the manager of the hospital in Prijedor, Milan Kovacevic, will be considered before The Hague Tribune tomorrow afternoon. Kovacevic’s attorneys were asking for a temporary release due to his poor medical condition. They suggested he should be returned to Prijedor, from where he would call in every day and be monitored by an electronic bracelet.
1:00
SRNA news agency confirmed the news that Krajisnik met with HR Westendorp in Pale today.
0:05
The outgoing Prime-Minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, officially took on his presidential duties in Cetinje today. Before the inauguration ceremony took place, massive demonstrations, organised by supporters of former president Bulatovic, took place on the streets of Podgorica. This resulted in 6 injured civilians and 45 injured policemen.
2:10
As from this morning, all border crossings to Montenegro from Serb Herzegovina are closed. The Montenegrin police explained that this was done due to the demonstrations taking place. It is uncertain how long the border crossings will remain closed .
1:15
The fourth meeting of political parties in Serbia to discuss the Kosovo issue will be held in the building of the Association of Serbian Writers in BG tomorrow. Robert Gelbard stated today that the USA strongly oppose any sort of terrorist activity by Kosovo Albanians, but also the violence of the government security forces in Kosovo. “Our attitude on Kosovo is very clear. There has to be a dialogue. We consider Kosovo an integral part of the FRY,” said Gelbard at today’s press conference.
1:50
The expiration of the mandate of transitional UN political forces was officially proclaimed in Vukovar today. Now, Eastern Slavonia is under the total control of Croatia.