03.03.1999

OHR SRT News Summary, 3 March 1999

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Headlines

  • Initiative Started for Dismissal of PM Dodik – President Poplasen Requested Opinion of NA Speaker and Government
  • Government Denied Statements About Neglecting Eastern Part of RS
  • Co-Chairman of BiH CoM, Svetozar Mihajlovic Emphasised in Talks With Ambassadors in Sarajevo that Expansion of CoM is Irrational
  • Information from Brussels – NATO Council Expects Peace Agreement on Kosovo to Be Accepted As Soon As Possible

RS President Poplasen today addressed a request to RS NA Speaker and RS PM, demanding that, on the basis of constitutional authorisations, they give their opinions within 48 hours on an initiative of a group of 26 NA deputies on the dismissal of PM Dodik. The mentioned initiative states that activities of the current Government were to the detriment of the institution of President and RS NA. A release from the Cabinet of NA Speaker, Djokic states that he will submit his opinion on this initiative to the RS President within the given deadline. OHR Spokesman, James Ferguson stated that he considers the letter of 26 deputies to be unconstitutional.
02:50

RS Minister of Information, Vasic stated at today’s press conference that the mentioned initiative is a continuation of assessments made by Poplasen during his visit to the so-called Eastern RS, an attempt to divide the public into those for Dodik and those against him. Vasic denied Poplasen’s statements on unequal investments made by the RS Government into the Eastern and Western parts of the RS.
02:30

President Poplasen today supported Mayor of Brcko, Reljic with regard to respecting legal regulations in the work of the Brcko Municipal Assembly and his efforts to preserve the results realised in implementation of DA. Poplasen accused Deputy Mayors, Islamovic and Krndelj of obstructing the work of municipal authorities and of misinforming the International Supervisor for Brcko, Farrand.
00:30

President Poplasen and RS Vice President, Sarovic today visited the Banja Luka Municipal Assembly. They discussed problems of communal infrastructure, facilities for the highest state institutions, housing for refugees and DPs, budget financing, as well as difficulties in culture, sport and educational institutions.
00:38

Co-Chairman of the BiH CoM, Svetozar Mihajlovic today informed the Ambassadors to BiH of Great Britain, Russia, Sweden and Italy of his standpoint that the establishment of new ministries would be irrational and that the efficiency of the CoM should be improved through better management within the existing ministries.
01:40

Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications in the BiH CoM, Marko Asanin today had separate meetings with Deputy HR, Hanns Schumacher, and the Ambassador of Greece to BiH, Manzuranis, in Serb Sarajevo. Asanin received a promise from Manzuranis that Greece will continue its assistance to BiH, and that it will also provide funds for the construction of Serb Sarajevo. The discussion between Asanin and Deputy HR centered on problems of passport issuing, and it was concluded that a meeting will be held on March 22nd, on the level of BiH CoM, with representatives of the German company which delivered the equipment for the processing of passports.
01:25

Kosovo news

Standing NATO Council held a meeting today, and Secretary General, Solana told the press that representatives of the so-called OVK are ready to sign the Rambouillet agreement and that he expects the same to be done by the other side.

A soldier of the Yugoslav Army was killed yesterday in the vicinity of the watchtower “General Jankovic”, in an action to break up terrorist groups which had attacked soldiers of the Yugoslav Army on several occasions.

Bodies of two Kosovo Albanians from Kosovska Mitrovica were found in the settlement Malo Rudare, Zecan Municipality. The UNHCR today confirmed that about 1,000 DPs have crossed the border between Yugoslavia and Macedonia since Friday, while there are about 4,000 temporary DPs still in the Kosovo area.

The Kosovo Verification Mission today confirmed to Beta that the total of Police and Army strength in Kosovo is below the limit defined in the agreement with NATO. A delegation of Kosovo Serbs suggested an annex to the agreement on Kosovo and Metohija which would provide self-management for the Serbs in the areas where they have a majority.

Today’s press release of Rasko-Prizrenska Eparchy states that the Serb Orthodox Church and Kosovo SPO have a lot of comments on the offered political agreement for the interim period in Kosovo and Metohija.

British diplomatic circles today assessed that the political process for finding a solution to the Kosovo crisis is in a very critical phase.

US State Department Spokesman, James Foley confirmed last night that the former US Senator, Bob Dole will visit Kosovo in the coming days, in order to support efforts of international representatives.

Information from RS Ministry of Traffic and Communication states that the border crossing in Gradiska will be closed on March 15th, due to reconstruction of the bridge. The reconstruction will last for 6 months, and in the meanwhile citizens will be able to use the border crossing in Novi Grad.
00:15

RS Minister for Refugees and DPs, Dragicevic emphasised in Prijedor that this Municipality is a positive example of realisation of the refugee return process.
00:38

Srna reports that SFOR established three check-points on the road from Bijeljina to Brcko at the Village of Cadjavica, at Pavlovic Bridge on Drina and at border crossing on Sava, in Village of Raca. About 20 SFOR soldiers are also controlling a border crossing Bratunac – Ljubovija, but they are not stopping any of the vehicles passing through.
00:45

Several thousands of refugees from Bosanski Petrovac, with current accommodation in Derventa, addressed a protest letter to the President of BiH Presidency, Radisic, and to HR, Carlos Westendorp, on the issue of Kosovo Shqiptars settling in Bosanski Petrovac.
00:35