Headlines
- Radisic and Krajisnik met in Pale – take over of the function of the RS member at the BiH Presidency
- Russia prepared to get involved in the monitoring of the FRY air space
- An agreement on the formation of a coalition red-green Government reached in Germany
- School classes started for children of Bosniak returnees in Brcko
A meeting between the President of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic, and the outgoing RS representative at the BiH Presidency, Momcilo Krajisnik, is currently ongoing behind closed doors in Pale. The meeting is said to be discussing the details about the takeover between the two high-level officials.
0:18
(Kosovo-related news) BETA has reported that the NATO Force Commander for Europe, Wesley Clark, is expected to arrive in Belgrade this evening to meet with President Milosevic of Yugoslavia and the FRY Army Supreme Commander, Momcilo Perisic. General Clark will also be accompanied by Christopher Hill who will be meeting with Milosevic, too, and, separately, with representatives of Yugoslav independent media. The joint meeting with Milosevic will be focusing on the implementation of the Milosevic-Holbrook agreement and the current situation in Kosovo.
0:52
The Serbian Parliament, at their session today, passed the Law on Information. The main provisions of the law refer to the protection of personal liberties and rights, protection from monopolies and the establishment of the principle of obligatory records of the source of funding received by a media. According to the new Law, the Yugoslav media will no longer be allowed to carry reports or replay radio and TV programs of a political and propaganda nature by media sponsored by foreign governments or their organizations of non-commercial nature.
0:34
The RS Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, met with the IPTF Commissioner, Richard Monk, and the Deputy SRSG, Eric Morris, in Banja Luka today. The meeting discussed the cooperation between the RS police and IPTF and a letter addressed by Mrs. Rehn to the RS leadership noting that the presence of IPTF representatives in some segments of the work of the RS Ministry of Interior would be necessary in the future.
1:38
The newly-elected RS Vice- President, Mirko Sarovic, in an interview given to SRNA, stated that the formation of a Government of national unity was a good way to overcome current political divisions in the RS. “If we do not go by the concept of such a government, I fear that the current differences between the SDS and the SRS on one side, and the Sloga coalition on the other side would deepen to an unforeseeable extent”. Sarovic went on to stress that himself and the newly elected RS President, Nikola Poplasen, were favoring the idea of a de-centralized state administration, due to a specific position of the RS which does not allow for an efficient and rational work of a centralized administration.
1:16
BL municipal counselors, at their today’s session, addressed a letter of appreciation to the respective Governments of Russia and Belorussia for their support to President Milosevic’s efforts to reach a peaceful solution of the Kosovo crisis. The session, also, stated that the BL Assembly, in cooperation with the RS Government, should work to design an operational plan for the implementation of Annex 7 of the DA, that would take into account the capacity of local authorities in terms of resolving the problems of refugees and DPs.
1:10
Tanjug has quoted the HR for BiH, Carlos Westendorp, expressing concern that possible NATO attacks against Kosovo could jeopardize the three-year peace process in BiH.
0:13
The Head of the OHR Political Department in BL, Paul Vincent Devine, at an international press conference in BL today, expressed the satisfaction of the HR over the first working meeting that took place between the newly elected members of the BiH Presidency, and over the establishment of a task force that will, as he said, improve the work of the BiH Council of Ministers. Devine described the recent meetings between the HR and representatives of the Sloga Coalition as useful, and stated that the planned meetings with the SDS and the SRS had been postponed for technical reasons, but that those would eventually take place.
2:16
The SNS, at a press conference today, stated that this Party was increasingly preparing for the forthcoming constitutive session of the RS NA. President Plavsic stated that the Radical Party of the RS and the Coalition for the King and Homeland had yesterday joined the Sloga Coalition. On the composition of the new Government. Plavsic stressed that it should be comprised of representatives of the Sloga Coalition, and explained that this coalition had obtained the largest number of seats at the NA, as the SRS and the SDS had never officially signed an agreement on creating a coalition. “It would be unreasonable to replace a Government that has been functioning well. Talks with the SDS-SRS were held under the pressure of the political situation in Kosovo and will continue”.
1:53
The SNSD today stated that this Party had increased their activities in order to ensure that, at the planned constitutive session of the RS NA, the Sloga Coalition can come up with concrete proposals on candidates for RS parliamentary bodies and the Government. Slavko Mitrovic, a member of the SNSD Executive Board, announced that the SNSD Main Board would meet in Serb Sarajevo next week to analyze the results of the recently held elections and start preparing for the local elections next year.
1:18
School classes for about 250 children of Bosniak returnees, who used to travel to the BH Federation daily to attend school classes, started today in two district schools in Brcko.
1:26