Headlines
- RS NA adopted several legal regulations. Multiethnic police force legalised;
- BiH Presidency assessed preparations for the upcoming Stability Pact Summit as successful;
- Serbian Parliament confirmed war decrees; ND MPs excluded from the Serbian Parliament;
7th Session of the RS NA continues. SDS, SRS and SKRS (Serb Coalition for RS) left the Assembly as well as two independent deputies, Miko Perkovic and Ostoja Knezevic due to the fact that their proposal to discuss the election of the new Government was not accepted. Law on the rights of veterans, war invalids and families of killed soldiers caused lengthy debate but was withdrawn from the procedure by the RS Government. The deputies were also addressed by Cedo Vrzina, Chairman of Organisation of families of killed soldiers and prisoners of war who criticised SRS and SDS for not being in the Assembly while this important law was being discussed. Until this moment 11 laws had been adopted: law on court fees, amendments to the law on payment transactions, law on auditing in the public sector, deputies will decide on the law on health insurance later on, amendments to the law on internal affairs, excise and sales tax, securities and law on privatisation of state-owned capital in the banks, law on banks, law on accountancy, public corporations.
Djokic and Dodik had separate meetings with the Head of EU Monitoring Mission in former Yugoslavia Yorm Inki. The main topics were the functioning of the RS NA and upcoming Summit of the Stability Pact that was assessed as an event of great importance for the RS as well as for FRY.
Milorad Dodik also talked to the Head of UNDP, Henrick Colstrup on Japanese Government’s $1 million donation allocated to the RS media.
Milorad Dodik also had a meeting with the delegation of US congressmen;
BiH House of Representatives discussed issues pertaining to preparations for the Stability Pact Summit and admission of BiH into the Council of Europe; Deputies did not accept the law on citizenship or the law on Bosnian coat of arms. Mirko Banjac requested the adoption of the law on dual citizenship, considering the fact that BiH constitution enables that possibility. The law on citizenship caused a lengthy debate after which it was returned to the HR Collegium;
BiH Presidency discussed issues pertaining to preparations for the Stability Pact Summit and Annex 7 of DPA. Presidency members also met with Carlos Westendorp and Louise Arbour.
The members of the Standing Committee for Military Matters held a meeting today in Sarajevo also attended by Robert Barry, Mongomery Meigs and Jacques Klein. SCMM decided to establish a permanent secretariat comprised of 2 representatives from each nation, to decrease the military budget and military potential, and establish a working group consisting of the RS Minister of Defence, Federation Minister of Defence and his Deputy.
Border Commissions of BiH and Croatia continued in Zagreb. New proposed border would be the river Uncica instead of river Una.
KOSOVO and FRY RELATED NEWS
SRT carried the news on Serbian Parliament confirming the war decrees, petitions organised by Alliance of Change and police action on it, rallies in Serbia, situation and incidents in Kosovo, return of Ibrahim Rugova to Pristina.
IC Press Conference in Sarajevo: Alexandra Stiglmayer expressed HR’s disappointment over the behaviour of SDS and SRS at the latest RS Session;
SDS held a press conference in Banja Luka regarding the latest developments in the RS NA and announced the possibility of SDS instituting proceedings before the RS constitutional Court. Dragan Kalinic said that the RS Constitutional Court should look into the legality of the issue of the interim Government proposing laws to the RS NA.
On the occasion of the conclusion of the three-day Bishops’ Conference, a press conference was held in Banja Luka. Bishops (Ratko Peric and Franjo Komarica) stressed the importance of all nations living together in peace.