Headlines
- HR to BiH, Carlos Westendorp, Dismissed RS President, Nikola Poplasen
- PM, Milorad Dodik Resigned
- Main Arbitrator Roberts Owen Decided that Brcko Will Be District, Joint Property of Both Entities
- Extraordinary Session of RS NA to Be Held on Sunday
- 11 Policemen of Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs Wounded in Kosovo
OHR press release on Poplasen’s dismissal (read in full)
01:30
Srna reports Nikola Poplasen told the media during his visit to Prnjavor this evening that the decision of the HR on his dismissal from the Office of RS President is undemocratic, non-Dayton, and that he cannot accept it. Poplasen said that he will ask for a referendum so that the citizens can decide whether he should leave or he should stay in the Office of the President.
01:45
Extraordinary session of the RS Government was held in BL today and discussion centered on the decision of the Main Arbitrator for the Brcko area, Roberts Owen.
00:13
RS PM Milorad Dodik resigned this evening. He said that he and the Government had stated at the beginning of their mandate, that the only way for complete implementation of the DA was for the International Arbitration Tribunal to provide for Brcko remaining in the RS. At that time the Government and Dodik said that they would resign if this aim was not realised. Dodik said that the Main Arbitrator did not appreciate the positive progress this Government had made in the implementation of the DA, not only in Brcko, but in the RS in general. Keeping in mind all the political consequences of the Arbitration Decision, the RS Government, i.e. the PM, resigned and requested an urgent session of the RS NA, to consider the new political situation. He also said that the Arbitration Decision provides a status of special District for Brcko, a status which does not exist in the DA, and that this should be discussed at the NA session.
02:10
HR, Carlos Westendorp, informed the media in Sarajevo today about the final decision of the Main Arbitrator, Roberts Owen. The HR stated that the Brcko area will be organised as a “condominium” District which will belong both to the RS and the BiH Federation, and will have multiethnic assembly, government, Police and Judiciary. Westendorp added that the entities will not have any authorisations within the District area borders. The IEBL will exist within the District, for as long as the Supervisor for Brcko decides it is necessary. The HR emphasised his hope that the decision will be implemented by the end of the current year.
01:52
Supervisor for Brcko, Robert Farrand, held a press conference in Brcko today, where he spoke about the decision of the Main Arbitrator for Brcko.
00:30
RS Vice President, Mirko Sarovic today commented on the decision of the HR to dismiss the RS President from Office. He stated that the RS President carries out his duty and his activities in accordance with the Constitution. Sarovic said that neither he nor his party will accept any unconstitutional and undemocratic derogation, nor will he take over authorisations which would result from the dismissal.
00:28
Speaker of the RS NA scheduled an extraordinary session of the RS NA for Sunday at 12:00 hrs. Djokic’s letter of opinion on dismissal of the RS PM read in full.
04:45
PM, Dodik’s letter to President Nikola Poplasen on initiative for dismissal read in full.
04:20
The SRS Spokesman, Ognjen Tadic emphasised at today’s press conference that the crisis in the RS is caused by the Government, due to its non-expert and irresponsible activities. Therefore, the SRS entirely supports the current policy of the RS President, Nikola Poplasen, as well as the initiative for dismissal of PM Dodik from the Office. Tadic stated that the HR misuses his authority and denies the RS Constitution as well as the DA. The SRS requests the IC, Contact Group, UN Secretary General to re-examine the activities of Carlos Westendorp in BiH.
00:38
As it was stated at the press conference of the SPR, this party is very concerned about the decision of the HR, on dismissal of RS President from Office. We consider that this decision should not have been made, as the HR was asked to put in additional efforts where a political consensus could be reached by patient work and political discussions.
00:42
The SDS informed the media that they are unpleasantly surprised with the decision of the HR and that they consider it to be a direct strike on a legal and legitimate institution. This party will remain loyal to the democratically elected President of the RS. The SDS will request an extraordinary session of the RS NA and an opinion of the RS Constitutional Court on the HR’s decision.
00:35
Several hundred Brcko citizens reacted this afternoon in a peaceful protest at the decision of the HR, Westendorp on dismissal of Nikola Poplasen from the Office of RS President.
00:25
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to BiH, Philipp Sidorskiy and President of the BiH Presidency, Zivko Radisic today met in Banja Luka. They discussed the current political situation in the RS as well as the Kosovo situation. Sidorskiy later met with PM, Dodik as well as with Nikola Poplasen, and he stated after the meetings that the current situation in the RS was not suitable for development of bilateral relations between the RS and the Russian Federation. The Ambassador also met with the President of the SNS, Biljana Plavsic and Mayor of Banja Luka, Djordje Umicevic.
00:42
President of the BiH Presidency, Radisic, Nikola Poplasen, RS PM, Dodik and President of the SNS, Plavsic today had separate meetings with Ambassador of Portugal to BiH, Antonio Tanger Correa, during his farewell visit to BiH.
00:23
A press release of the SPRS expresses complete displeasure with the final arbitration decision on the Brcko IEBL. According to the SPRS the IC decided to revise the DA by passing this decision and made a heavy strike against the RS and the democratic processes within the RS. The Party considers the resignation of the RS Government to be morally correct, while the steps of other officials of the SPRS elected to the RS and joint BiH institutions will be decided upon in the coming days.
00:32
Kosovo news
According to Pristina Media Centre, 11 police officers were wounded at the Village of Magura, 20 km south-west from Pristina, when Albanian terrorists attacked vehicles transporting food.
NATO invited the delegations of Yugoslavia and Kosovo Albanians to the NATO HQ in Belgium, for technical discussion on implementation of the military part of the possible peace agreement.
EU Envoy for Kosovo, Petrich stated in Pristina that he discussed implementation of the agreement on the temporary status of Kosmet, with Deputy PM of Yugoslavia, Sajinovic. Beta reports that in a meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov, his counterpart Robin Cook, expressed his standpoint about Kosovo, that deployment of NATO forces in the area is necessary, even without UN Security Council approval.
According to Tanjug, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the FRY is a sovereign state and that any international presence on its territory is possible only with approval of Belgrade.
US Senator, Dole stated in Skoplje that he is on a personal visit to Kosovo.
Chairman of the Finnish Forensic Commission stated that they had completed processing all 45 bodies from the village of Racak in Kosovo and that the report will be submitted to Germany on Monday.
A three-day mourning period was announced in Vucitrn today due to the murder of the Mitrovic brothers committed by Shqiptar terrorists on Monday evening.
According to Beta, Pentagon Spokesman, Ken Bacon, stated that NATO has no intention to deploy forces in Kosmet without a previously signed peace agreement which would ensure deployment of troops without resistance.
03:10