Headlines
- A special session of the RS Parliament cancelled due to the lack of quorum
- Members of the BH Presidency met Klaus Kinkel in Sarajevo
- Primary and secondary schools ready for the beginning of a new school year
The Speaker of the RS Parliament, Petar Djokic, today held a press conference explaining why the special session of this body scheduled for today had been cancelled. Djokic said that the session which was to discuss only one item on the agenda, the decision by the RS Government of 26th July removing heads of 16 local radio and TV stations in the RS, had been cancelled due to the fact that only 32 MPs showed up to attend, 31 of which were from the alliance of the SDS and the Serb Radical Party, which was not enough to have a parliamentary discussion. Djokic added that the above decision by the RS Government had not deteriorated the overall situation in the RS, but, on the contrary, had contributed to improve it. “People have been able to see for themselves that, when I told the present MPs downstairs that there was not going to be any session, we heard the words liquidation, you have liquidated yourselves, and it is your own fault”.
3:11
Dragan Kalinic, Mirko Sarovic (from the SDS) and Nikola Poplasen (from the Serb Radical Party) today held a joint press conference in reaction to the failed attempt to hold a special session of the RS Parliament. Kalinic described this as a rude violation of the RS Constitution and laws. Sarovic, on his part, explained the position of his party in relation to the initiative to remove the current Deputy Speaker of the RS Parliament, Safet Bico.
0:57
Prime Minister Dodik met with a delegation of the U.S. Congress in Banja Luka today on the current situation in the RS and the forthcoming elections.
0:47
The German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, today visited Sarajevo where he met with the three members of the BH Presidency. The meeting jointly concluded that Germany had, so far, been actively involved in supporting the accommodation of refugees in BiH and that conditions must be created for a better return process in the future. After the meeting Krajisnik stated that: “It is true that Germany had done a lot to assist on the matter…, but we also stressed that there were 450,000 refugees in the RS who had fled from the Federation and who do not want to return”. Kinkel said that Germany saw the refugee issue as the central issue in BiH.
2:25
An extraordinary session of the BiH CoM took place in Sarajevo today. The session, amongst others things, discussed the draft law on refugees and DPs, which was not given the necessary consensus.
0:21
(Kosovo-related issues)
2:32
A new school year is to start at primary and secondary schools in the RS tomorrow. Classes will not start in those schools that are currently being reconstructed. For those, the RS Ministry of Education has made a decision to provide for another 7 to 10 days before the beginning of the new school year.
2:11
(Reports on the beginning of school year in Trebinje, Bijeljina and Prijedor)
2:32
Following the murder of two local police officers, today’s date has been declared a day of mourning in Mrkonjic Grad. On this occasion, a meeting was held there today in commemoration of the death of the two police officers. The investigation into the murder is currently being conducted by the Banja Luka Higher Court. Motives behind the murders are still unknown.
0:45
High level judicial officials of the RS, including the President of the RS Supreme Court, Jovo Rosic, and the Deputy RS Public Prosecutor, Stanislav Jat, took their solemn oaths before the Speaker of the RS NA, Petar Djokic, in Banja Luka today.
0:49
A protocol on cooperation was today signed between the RS Ministry of Health and the humanitarian organisation of “Pharmacians sans frontieres” providing food and medicines for 250,000 citizens of the RS in the most affected social cases.
1:39
After visiting the RS and Croatia, the U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, visited Sarajevo today. At a joint conference with Zubak and Izetbegovic, Albright stated that there would be no revisions of the DA nor division of BiH. Answering the question of why she had not met with Krajisnik too, Albright said that she only cooperated with those who were supporting the DA.
0:38
A Deputy High Representative, Hanns Schumacher, today stated that the credibility of the BH Federation had been put in jeopardy in Vitez due to local resistance to the return of refugees.
0:10
The RS Government have made a decision reducing cadastral revenue, as a basis for taxation, this year. The decision was explained by the water famine that had been registered in May, June and July.
0:42
- The SNS – an election tribune in Doboj last night
- The SDS – an election rally in Visegrad last night
- The SP RS – a public tribune in Kozarska Dubica last night
- The SNSD – presentation of candidates for RS MPs in Prnjavor, Dodik on visit by Albright
- The SNSD – an election rally in Srbac, Dodik on economic situation
- The SLOGA Coalition – a joint press conference by Plavsic, Dodik and Radisic announcing the official beginning of their joint election campaign
- The SDS & the SRS – a joint press conference by Dragan Cavic and Nikola Poplasen, mainly on detainees at the Hague Tribunal
- The New Croat Initiative – a press conference in Brcko
- The RS Social-Liberal Party – Zivanovic, the leader of the Party, met with Klaus Kinkel (who is also a liberal) in Sarajevo today
- The Serb Movement of Renewal – statements in Sipovo and Trebinje, mainly on the Kosovo issue
- The Serb Coalition for the RS – a statement condemning violations of election rules and regulations (illegal display of election posters).