Headlines
- New Minister of Internal Affairs in RS Government, Sredoja Novic and New Minister of Justice, Milan Trbojevic
- Different Reactions of Parliamentary Parties to RS NA Session Adjourned Last Night
- Radisic and Dodik Talked with New SFOR General for BiH, Montgomery Meigs, in Separate Meetings
- NATO Ordered Start of Kosmet Air Monitoring Mission
The Cabinet of the RS Government issued a press release stating that newly appointed RS Minister of Internal Affairs is Sredoja Novic, from Banja Luka and new Minister of Justice is Milan Trbojevic. The release states that the RS PM accepted the resignations of the former Ministers, Milovan Stankovic and Petko Cancar, who is leaving for a new position. In a letter addressed to the PM, Stankovic explains that the new Minister will be facing very difficult and significant tasks, which can be fulfilled only if the new Minister has the support of all relevant factors in the RS.
00:35
The inaugural session of the RS NA will be continued on Wednesday, November 4th. The decision on adjournment of the session was made last night, at the continuation of the session after an eight-hour break during which the Clubs of Deputies tried to agree on election of the NA leadership. Head of the SPRS Club, Dragutin Ilic, stated that his party expressed willingness for a compromise in establishing a Government which would be supported by the IC, as well as having the legislative authorities that will reflect the will of people. Head of the SRS Club, Milan Lazic, said that it was improper of the SPRS to request the election of a new Government at the NA session as a pre-condition for the newly elected RS President to take the oath of office. President of the SDS and a Deputy, Dragan Kalinic said at the speaker’s stand that a party agreement had been made and that the election of the NA leadership is agreed upon. He did not want to give any names, but he emphasised that the SDS agreed to a compromise. Head of the Coalition for Single and Democratic BiH, Safet Bico said that there is “a game of cat and mouse” of the SDS and SRS with the Coalition, as they tried through the IC to transfer their responsibility on to the Coalition.
03:35
3 RS PM, Milorad Dodik met with a five-member delegation of the Consulting Institute of Japan today in Banja Luka. The discussion centred on a project of the Japanese Government to provide a credit for reconstruction of refineries in Srpski Brod and Modrica, agreed in May 1998 between the RS PM and the PM of Japan, Obuchi. According to a completed study this project amounts to $200 million and it is planned that it should be included in the environmental protection project and that it should be finalised in two or three years.
00:40
Cabinet of the RS PM issued a press release denying information published by some media yesterday, creating an impressing that yesterday’s session of the RS Government was held in two parts and that international officials attended a part of the session. The release states that the 31st session of the Government was held yesterday and that it centered on preparations for inaugural session of the RS NA. PM Dodik left the session to meet with the HR, Carlos Westendorp, President of the RS, Biljana Plavsic and President of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic. The release states that the Government did not adjourn its session and it was chaired by one of the Deputy PMs, so the representatives of the IC did not attend the session.
03:08
REUTERS reports that NATO ordered the start of the Kosmet Aerial Monitoring Mission today in order to ensure that Yugoslavia does not overstep the limits on the number of soldiers and amount of heavy artillery in the area. The US piloteless aircrafts are already flying over Kosovo, while Great Britain, Netherlands and France are about to send their aircraft next week, when the Mission is to start officially.
00:30
The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the OSCE, Bronislav Geremek, said that he will suggest that Belgrade accept an amendment to the Agreement on Kosovo. Geremek stated to BETA in Tirana that sending 2,000 unarmed monitors is dangerous and that he will suggest the Yugoslav authorities allow bodyguard escort for the monitors.
00:23
Head of the Kosovo District, Veljko Dalovic said that Albanian terrorists are trying to prevent implementation of the Milosevic-Holbrooke Agreement by frequent provocation.
00:18
According to TANJUG, representative of the Kosmet Albanians, Ibrahim Rugova, advocated independence of Kosovo and Metohija again at today’s press conference as he considers this to be the best solution of all problems.
00:20
TANJUG also reports that the US and member countries of the Contact Group condemned appearance of armed forces of the so-called Liberation Army of Kosovo (OVK) in parts of Kosovo and Metohija immediately after withdrawal of police.
00:17
The State Department, according to BETA, finds that members of the illegal OVK do not disturb withdrawal of the Serb security forces but are performing useful actions.
00:15
Brcko Supervisor, Robert Farrand, denied the decision on including Brcko in the RS Union of Municipalities and Cities, at today’s press conference. He said that the Mayor of Brcko, Borko Reljic did not have the mandate to make such a decision. Farrand said that this decision must be approved by the Municipal Assembly and that there was no quorum at the meeting of the Assembly. According to Farrand, Mayor Reljic must include this decision on the agenda again.
00:23
Authorities of the BiH Federation informed the Serb refugees currently residing in Doboj that their applications for return of the tenant’s right will not be resolved as long as the RS fails to pass an adequate Law on apartments which is in power in the BiH Federation. The Zenica authorities even sent a direct message that there will be no return of tenant’s right as “there were no combat activities in Zenica and all those who left this city did so of their own free will”.
00:28
Chairman of the SRS Executive Board, Mirko Blagojevic said at today’s press conference that an agreement on election of the RS NA leadership was reached during yesterday’s break at the inaugural session, but that the agreement was violated by the Coalition for Single and Democratic BiH. According to Blagojevic the agreement was that Dragan Kalinic should be the Speaker, the Deputy Speakers would be one from the Coalition, one from the SNS and one would be the Secretary of the SRS, but the Coalition representatives “…suddenly got scared of I do not know what…”
00:45