Headlines
- The border between BiH and Croatia is on the river Una – said the citizens of Srpska Kostajnica at a protest rally;
- The BiH House of Peoples adopted the framework law on privatisation of enterprises and banks;
- million KM allocated for the reconstruction of streets in Banja Luka – contract signed between the Executive Board of Banja Luka Municipality and Directorate for Roads.
- New abductions and murders in Kosovo – a 14-year-old boy killed;
- EU Foreign Ministers announced the cancelling of sanctions against Montenegro and Kosovo;
The BiH House of Peoples adopted the framework law on privatisation of enterprises, companies and banks in BiH. According to the law, BiH entities are eligible to privatise companies and banks which are located in their own territory. The deputies also discussed the issues pertaining to preparations for the forthcoming Stability Pact Summit. Silajdzic stressed that the preparations were going according to schedule, with good co-operation between the entities regarding preparations. They also agreed on ratification of several agreements regarding credit arrangements between BiH and the International Association for Development. The deputies discussed the proposals on decisions regarding the use of land and buildings allocated for the common institutions. Ismet Zigic took over the post of Chair of BiH HoP.
Talks between RS ministers and the Special Commissioner of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on conditions for BiH admission to Council of Europe. The EU Special Commissioner praised the agreement on removing inflammatory texts from school-books, signed by the Federation and RS ministers of Education in Mostar. RS Minister of Education, Suzic said that the RS would do everything to be admitted to the Council of Europe. RS Minister for refugees and DPs spoke in the same tone, stressing the fact that 10,000 refugees had already returned to the RS in 1999.
Citizens of Srpska Kostajnica gathered to protest against the decision on changing the border between Croatia and BiH, demanding that RS top officials visit the town. They also demanded that Petar Djokic convene an RS NA extraordinary session.
3.5 million KM contract signed between the Directorate of Roads and the Head of the Executive Board of Banja Luka Municipality, Nebojsa Radmanovic. The money will be allocated to the reconstruction of roads in the centre of Banja Luka.
KOSOVO and FRY RELATED NEWS
SRT carried news on the situation and incidents in Kosovo and carried the statements of Serbian opposition activities: DS, Vladan Batic (Co-ordinator of Alliance for Changes), DSS, ND, SPO, Momcilo Trajkovic (Serbian Resistance Movement), Vojvodina Movement, Dragoslav Avramovic (former Governor of the FRY National Bank).
The Head of Grahovo Municipal Council, Slobodan Sabljic said that only 40 out of 500 Serb returnee families received aid in construction materials. They asked assistance from the OHR, CoM and Cantonal authorities, but had received none so far.
Veljko Dzakula, the Head of the Serb Democratic Forum held a press conference in Zagreb. He said that not enough Serbs had returned to Croatia so far and emphasised the difference between the official figures (60,000 returnees) and the figures from his findings (30,000 returnees). Dzakula said these people should be eligible to vote in Croatia, because in all the countries where they currently live they are disfranchised.