The greatest Christian holiday, Christmas, was solemnly celebrated throughout the world. A report on the Christmas celebration from Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Trebinje, Srpsko Sarajevo, Prijedor, Brcko, federal part of Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zagreb, Slovenia, FRY, Moscow, Bonn, Tel Aviv and Bethlehem. Christmas liturgies were served in the presence of a great number of Orthodox believers in all Orthodox churches. Serb Patriarch Pavle served a holy Christmas liturgy in Belgrade. The member of the BiH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic, the BiH Federation vice-president Ejup Ganic and representatives of the political parties, numerous organisations and enterprises from the BiH Federation sent Christmas greetings to all Orthodox believers.
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The RS President Nikola Poplasen stated that his proposal to appoint Brane Miljus for the prime minister designate represents a compromise. According to Poplasen, the decision on that proposal is a matter for the RS National Assembly. In his interview for the Voice of America, Poplasen said that assessments that the RS is in a turbulent political situation, which threatens the general security of the RS, are completely groundless. Poplasen said that his criteria for the assessment of the Dayton Agreement implementation and those of international officials, Kauzlarich, Westendorp and Meigs, differ in some respects. President Poplasen stated that he insists upon the respect of the Dayton Agreement provisions. Introducing the category of “spirit of the Agreement” allows that ‘the spirit’ could mean something that is even contrary to the very clear and precise provisions of the Dayton Agreement. The RS President stated that, also in the future, he will insist upon the realisation of the Dayton Agreement and not on its violation and completely disputable interpretation, Beta reports.
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The new RS prime minister designate Brane Miljus stated that on the National Day of the RS, on January 9, in Brcko, he will announce the names of the cabinet members and present his programme. In his interview to the Independent Sarajevo Television ‘Studio 99’ , broadcast last night, Miljus said that he will form a multiethnic government of experts. Miljus added, Beta reports, that, in his government, there will be no place for the Serb Radicals and the members of the SDS. Miljus wants to form a Government of technocrats, Ph.D.s, engineers and experts in their fields. According to Miljus, the programme of his Government will be based on the conclusions of the Madrid Conference on the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, which insist upon a self-sustained economy, accelerated privatisation and transition to the market economy. Miljus underlined that he will struggle against criminal activities and will support the punishment of all criminals on all sides. He will advocate refugee return. Miljus claims that he is familiar with criminal activities, which the RS leadership has been aware of, and that the evidence on corruption and smuggling in which the SFOR and UN representatives are also involved, are being hidden by leading personalities in the RS. He rejected the allegations of being FRY President Slobodan Milosevic’s man. In his consultations with the leaders of the parliamentary parties, Miljus held a meeting with the B&H SDP President Zlatko Lagumdzija. There was a press release after the meeting. The BiH SDA assessed today that the new RS prime minister designate Brane Miljus is not acceptable and announced that the SDA will not support him. At the press conference, the SDA spokesperson Adnan Jahic expressed doubt that the KCDBiH deputies will respond to Miljus’s invitation to negotiate on the composition of the new RS Government. The head of the KCDBiH caucus in the RS NA, Safet Bico, assessed that the candidacy of Miljus for the prime minister designate represents an attempt to disunite the Coalition “Sloga” and in that way to enable the SDS and Serb Radicals to take over power.
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Kosovo-related news.
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News from the world.
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