Friday
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Arrest of Croat Officials | HB Affair – Jelavic | HB Affair – Jelavic | Arrest of Croat Officials |
| HDZ on Jelavic’s arrest | HDZ reactions | HDZ reactions | Savic’s Resignation |
| HR visit to Mostar | CoM action plan | FBiH MoI statement | RSNA Session |
| BiH Parl. Plenary Session | HR in Mostar | CoM action plan | BiH Parliament session |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic apprehended |
| Dnevni Avaz | Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic arrested |
| Dnevni List | “Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Rupcic and Miroslav Prce arrested”; “Ashdown: I cannot and I will not avoid Dayton!” |
| Vecernji List | “Ante Jelavic arrested”; “Barisa Colak: HDZ does not want position of Prime Minister” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic arrested”; “Church has been finally recognized by law” |
| Glas Srpske | Whom does Federal Government charge with war crimes: Arrest warrant after a victim? |
| Nezavisne Novine | Action of Federal police and SFOR: Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic arrested; Republika Srpska MoI confirms: Police provided authorisation to Vasic, Krsmanovic and “Terpentin”; Adnan Terzic: I am not spared of critics because of my influence in SDA |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | Cardinal Vinko Puljic froze its function (membership in BiH Inter-Religious Council) |
| Dnevni Avaz | 30-day detention determined |
| Dnevni List | “Bishop Peric criticized Ashdown because of re-organization of Mostar: HR ‘washed hands’ from Sarajevo and Banja Luka”; “Serbs for one Mostar and one election unit” |
| Vecernji List | “Referendum of Croats from Mostar today”; “30 days of detention to Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Ante Jelavic was arrested without writ” |
Organised crime | |
| Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic apprehended
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic apprehended’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic arrested’ and ‘Policemen claimed they had a Court of BiH order’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic arrested’ – Members of the FBiH Interior Ministry’s special police unit assisted by SFOR early on Friday apprehended Ante Jelavic, former HDZ BiH leader and Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Miroslav Prce, former FBiH Defence Minister, and Miroslav Rupcic, former director of the Hercegovina Osiguranje insurance house. The three are being linked to crimes referring to the establishment and operations of the Mostar-based Hercegovacka Bank. Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, front and page 3, “Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic arrested”, by M. Landeka), Dnevni List (Saturday, front and pages 4 and 5, “Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Rupcic and Miroslav Prce arrested”, by N. Dedic) and Vecernji List (Saturday, front page, “Ante Jelavic arrested”, and pages 2 and 3, “Ante Jelavic arrested before his family”, by Z. Kresic) also covered this issue. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, front and page 2, “Jelavic was arrested without writ”, by M. Landeka) carries that President of the BiH Court Martin Raguz stated that the BiH Court did not issue a writ for the aforementioned arrests and added that the BiH Court cannot do it before it gets a demand for issuing of such kind of the writ from the BiH Prosecution. SD also says that their arrests does not mean the end of the action since according to unofficial information arrest of another 6 persons related to the Hercegovacka Bank affair is being expected. |
| Top BiH Croat officials, HDZ BiH Presidency condemned way of Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic apprehension | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Inappropriate demonstration of force’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘We cannot trust judiciary, police’, Nezavisne Novine pg. 3, SD Saturday, page 3, “Arrest is an attempt to stop positive processes in BiH”, DL Saturday, page 4, “Covic, Colak and Lozancic harshly condemn way of arrest of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic”, FENA – Chairman of the BiH Presidency Dragan Covic, Deputy Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers Barisa Colak and Federation of BiH President Niko Lozancic on Friday condemned way in which Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic were apprehended (early hours, inappropriate and unnecessary use of force etc). Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘HDZ BiH Presidency requests parliaments to make investigating commissions’, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘HDZ BiH Presidency requests special session of the Parliaments of BiH, FBiH’ – With regard to the apprehension of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic, the HDZ BiH Presidency held a special session in Sarajevo late on Friday to protest the way in which the three had been apprehended. “We have obliged our deputies both to the BiH and Federation Parliament to request urgent holding of special sessions of the both bodies and demand establishment of parliamentary/investigating commissions that will determine if the authorized institutions had acted legally in this case,” said HDZ BiH President Barisa Colak following the session. With regard to the HDZ BiH Presidency demand to convene emergency sessions of the HoRs of BiH and FBiH Parliaments regarding the aforementioned arrests, Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 3, “Investigative Commissions determine legality of arrests”, by M. Relota) carries Chairman of the FBiH HoR Muhamed Ibrahimovic as saying that he has already talked with his Deputy Josip Merdzo about this issue and most probably the emergency session of the FBiH HoR will take place at the end of the next week. DL also carries Deputy Chairman of the HoR of the BiH Parliament Martin Raguz who says that they have already sent a demand for getting of a complete information on circumstances of the arrests and the same initiative will be launched at the nest session of the HoR of the BiH Parliament that is to take place next Wednesday. Croat Party of Rights – HSP BiH (Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Extremely uncivilized operation’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘It was seizure’), Herzegovina Franciscans (Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Franciscans surprised as well’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2), and HDZ BiH Rama Municipal Board (Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Usage of force justified by nothing’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2) also condemned the way in which the operation had been carried out. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 2, “Uncivilized way of arrest of Ante Jelavic”, by M. Sivric) and Dnevni List (Sunday, page 5, “Herzegovinian Franciscan priests surprised by the way of arrest”, not signed) also carry that Provincial’s Office of Herzegovinian Franciscan priests issued a press release expressing their disapproval over the way in which the arrests were carried out. Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘Someone needed performance/show’ – In a statement for the newspaper, FBiH President Niko Lozancic said someone had to determine if everything had been legal in the operation of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic’s apprehension. “Regardless of that I believe there was no need for such the way of apprehension. Someone obviously needed a show/performance,” said Lozancic. |
| Tihic hopes reasons for such way of Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic’s apprehension will be presented | Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘I hope we will learn reasons why former senior HDZ officials were apprehended in this way’ – Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency and SDA leader Sulejman Tihic said the case should not be politicized. According to Tihic, will be able to comment on the operation only when resons for such the apprehension are presented. |
| Oslobodjenje editorial with regard to apprehension of Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Has it begun?’ Op-ed by Mirko Sagolj – “One can expect that the apprehension of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic represents just an introduction to new apprehensions of false protectors of the vital national interests,” wrote Sagolj. |
| NN op-ed on Mostar arrests | Nezavisne Novine editorial pg. 7 by Josip Blazevic, ‘Arrests’ – The author is commenting on the Friday’s arrests of Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic, stressing that the timing for these was bad and counter-productive. He says there is a danger of seeing HDZ takes advantage of these arrests and deteriorates the shaking relations in BiH. He concludes the editorial by saying that: “Unfortunately, it is also obvious that the international community, that has obviously been involved in this (SFOR engagement makes us draw this conclusion) either has extremely stupid advisors or deliberately wants to generate a chaos in this state.” |
| Ashdown: Politics and Rule of Law are two separate things
| Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, last page, “Local authorities did not carry out arrests”, not signed) carries that asked to comment on these arrests High Representative Paddy Ashdown stated at the press conference held in Mostar on Friday that this action is an issue of the local authorities and the court. He added: “One of the things that we should learn if we want to approach Europe is that politics and rule of law are two separate things. As far as I know, local authorities carried out this action and it is completely normal that SFOR provides assistance at the request of the local authorities, and as far as I know it was not requested from SFOR this time. This operation was carried out by the domestic authorities. I am not related to this action and I will not comment on it since this is the issue of the local authorities.” Dnevni List (Saturday, page 5, “HR commented on arrest”, by V.S.) also covered this statement. |
| VL commentaries on the Mostar arrest | VL (Saturday, page 2, “Disciplining of Croats”, by I. Barbaric) carries an editorial on this issue. The author says that brutal arrest of Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic is culmination of the Federation-Bosniak and international disciplining of Croats that has been lasting for many years. VL (Saturday, page 3, “Motives for use of force: New attack on Croats”, by zk) carries that by this act the Hercegovacka Banka case has come in a final phase of a legal conflict between the International Community and mostly former Croat officials at the time when last bids for the purchase of Hercegovacka Banka are arriving and when the final solution on the Mostar issue should be passed. |
| Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic in 30-day detention | Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pgs. 4-5, mentioned on the front-page ‘30-day detention determined’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘One-month detention determined’ – Following consideration of a request submitted by John McNair, the prosecutor at the Special BiH prosecution Office’s Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption, Court of BiH Judge Bernard Boln on Saturday made a decision on 30-day detention for Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Miroslav Rupcic. Vecernji List (Sunday, front page, “30 days detention to Jelavic, Prce and Rupcic”, by Z. Kresic) and Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 5, “One-month detention to Jelavic, Rupcic and Prce”, by N. Dedic) also reported on the issue. Vecernji List (Sunday, “I am announcing appeal”, by Z.K.) carries Jelavic’s lawyer Muselimovic as saying: “I will certainly lodge an appeal to the Council of the BiH Court within the deadline that law prescribes.” |
| Update to Terpentin affair | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Police provided authorisation to Vasic, Krsmanovic and “Terpentin”’ – NN was told at Republika Srpska MOI that Republika Srpska MoI last year issued three assents on import of acetic acid antihydrate to firms “Terpentin” from Visegrad, “Interspeed” from Brcko and RBS Company from Bijeljina. This is in relation with investigation recently launched by BiH Prosecutor’s Office against Bogdan Vasic and Raja Krsmanovic. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 5, ‘I wanted to call Kopanja and tell him to stop writing about this’ – At Friday’s RSNA session, Zoran Djeric, Republika Srpska Interior Minister, accused “some media” in Republika Srpska of trying to bring Republika Srpska Interior Ministry in connection with firm “Terpetin”, writing the reports as if police was producing drugs in Visegrad and Bjeljina. He also denied accusations by MP Drago Kalabic (regarding police involvement in actions at Terpentin and his relation with the firm Director, Dragan Djeric Cerovic. |
Mostar restructuring | |
| Ashdown met again with representatives of political parties in Mostar
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘Referenda are not wise move’ By N. Bise. Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Solution to Mostar is my obligation and I will not avoid it’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Paddy Ashdown announces decisions on Mostar’ – The High representative, Paddy Ashdown, in Mostar on Friday again met with the representatives of the political parties involved in the process of the town’s restructuring. The meeting was attended also by the SDA representatives, who had boycotted the two previous meetings on the issue with the international officials. Ashdown described the Friday discussion constructive saying the situation was better than a few days ago. He emphasized that the referendums in Mostar were excluding each other and that they were not a wise move. |
| HR met with Mostar citizens, businessmen | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Town has no future with the current administration’, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 7, mentioned on the front page ‘Politicians will be responsible for implementation of the decisions’ – At two separate meetings in Mostar on Friday, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, discussed the future organization of the town with Mostar citizens and businessmen. At both meetings, Ashdown presented his views on the issues claiming that Mostar could not function without change of the current government/administration structure. Mostar citizens on the other side presented their opinions on the issue and Ashdown promised he would take them into account in the process of deciding Mostar’s fate. |
| Form er Mostar Mayor Orucevic on political situation in/around the town | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 of Pogled weekly supplement ‘SDA let Izetbegovic’s policy down’ – “Outcome in Mostar will determine both political developments in BiH and position of BiH in the international community. For a few years now Mostar has been a so-called local problem in the view of the current political authorities in BiH. Mostar is however everything else more but a local problem. It is a key turning point when it is about consequences of Dayton and Washington Agreements. It is a proportion between satisfaction and dissatisfaction of postwar political winners and political losers,” said Orucevic. He emphasized he believed that there was a deal between SDA and HDZ to rule each in its own territory. |
| CRO Press on Mostar issue
| Dnevni List (Saturday, front and page 14, “Ashdown: I cannot and I will not avoid Dayton!”, by V. Soldo) carries that High Representative Paddy Ashdown visited Mostar on Friday where he held talks on the Mostar issue with representatives of political parties in this city. DL says that the HR also held the press conference at which he stated that he came to Mostar because important decisions for the future of the city, that will influence lives of Mostar citizens, will be passed soon. The HR reiterated that in case that the consensus is not reached he will have to pass the solution on Mostar. The HR also said that in case that the local representatives of the political parties do not implement law and do not work in the interest of all citizens he will hold accountable Presidents of these parties. Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, last page, “Ashdown: Obviously I will have to act?!”, by Z. Zekic) and Vecernji List (Saturday, page 4, “Ashdown is announcing important decisions for Mostar that are to be passed soon”, by Fena) also covered the HR’s press conference. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 5, “Sarajevo is city divided according to Dayton, Mostar is not”, by Hina) carries that during his visit to Mostar, the HR stated at the public forum with Mostar citizens the following: “The Dayton Peace Accord defines Sarajevo as a divided city and that is the way it is… The DPA defines Mostar as one city, on whose final form it should be decided upon.” Dnevni List (Sunday, page 14, “Most of Mostarians for European and pre-war Mostar”, by S. Bjelica) and Vecernji List (Sunday, page 15, “Ashdown: Sarajevo is divided, Mostar is not”, by Hina) also covered the public forum. Vecernji List (Sunday, page 5, “Bishop Peric: Ashdown’s solutions to detriment of Croats”, by Z. Kresic) carries that Mostar-Duvno Bishop Ratko Peric sent a letter to Ashdwon harshly criticizing the HR because of the offered proposal on the organization of Mostar ‘that will be considerably different from the organization of other cities in BiH’. Bishop also stressed in the letter that the proposal was exclusively made to the detriment of Croats and it is contrary to domestic and international legislation. VL also says that the Mostar Ordinariate supported organization of the referendum that is taking place in Mostar Municipalities with the Croat majority today saying it will be a true voice of Croats. Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 7, “HR ‘washes his hands’ from Sarajevo and Banja Luka”, not signed), Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 7 ‘Bishop Peric writes to Ashdown’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘We expect just solution for Mostar’ also carry this letter. Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 3, “Serbs for unified Mostar with one election unit”, by M. Relota) carries that representatives of ruling parties from the Republika Srpska, that is, SDS and PDP, led by Dragan Kalinic, Mirko Sarovic and Mladen Ivanic paid an unannounced visit to Mostar yesterday. Together with Orthodox Episcope Grogorije Dujic, among the other things, they discussed the Mostar issue in Orthodox Monastery Zitomislic near Mostar. Commenting on this meeting, a source close to the RS authority stated: “The best articulated interest of Mostar Serbs will be in terms of organizing Mostar as one municipality with one election unit. This is a joint stand after yesterday’s meeting.” Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, page 12, “They want to expel Croats from Mostar”, by D. Juka) carries an interview with Mostar Deputy Mayor Ljubo Beslic. Beslic says that there is nothing that the International Community can object when HDZ legitimate demands on the Mostar organization are in question and he added: “Nevertheless, they are trying to exert certain pressure so that we accept some solution, however, we resolutely refuse everything that is not in accordance with the BiH Election Law and BiH Constitution.” Asked to comment on the HR’s statement that the Mostar referendums will not have any influence when his final decision is in question, Beslic says that each referendum must leave trace and it should be considered. Beslic added: “Ashdown did not go to Zagreb by accident to demand support from the Croatian government for the solutions that he thinks to impose, however, it does not have any influence for us since we run our politics and Zagreb has to agree with it.” Beslic also believes that today’s referendum in Mostar Municipalities with the Croat majority will show that Croats are not destructors but that Croats exactly want to create one normal unified city. Fena carries that the first results of the referendum will be known after midnight. Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, supplement, pages 6 and 7, “Mostar-city of absurd”, by D. Petranovic) carries a lengthy article and a whole chronology of the Mostar issue. The article also carries Chairman of the Mostar Commission Norbert Winterstein as saying that the city Municipalities must cease to exist if the city wants to have future and be united, while one interim period is necessary for the election system in order to establish trust and prove that there will be no dominance. The article also carries former Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic who says that in case that HDZ accepts the proposed solution then HDZ has full right to demand the same rights in the cities where Croats are truly endangered such as Travnik, Bugojno, Sarajevo and Orucevic fully supports them in such demands. Vecernji List (Sunday, page 2, “Referendums”, by Robert Bubalo) carries an editorial on Mostar referendums and the author says that these days the referendums mainly mean an alibi to politicians and he wonders as to what extent the Mostar issue is being used to divert attention from bigger problems. The author concludes: “And while predicted referendums are being organized, BiH citizens will have to deal with terrorism, judicial and every other kind of violence while Ministers of Justice, Security etc. will have no idea as to what is going on in their country.” Dnevni List (Sunday, page 2, “Ashdown’s Pyrrhic victory”, by I. Glibusic) carries that, by all accounts, the solution that will be imposed for Mostar will create the situation in which the city will not be able to function at all because each decision that Councilors will be passing will have to get a consensus. The author also says: “Depending of the whims of Councilors ‘from one and the other side of the river’ the decisions will be stopped and the struggle for national interests will be presented to people…Ashdown’s demagogy will bring solution to the interest of citizens, actually that is what Winterstein proposed, however, his victory is a Pyrrhic victory because Mostar will not be making progress even with the announced solution.” Feral (page 32, “De-bridging of Mostar”, by I. Lovrenovic) carries an editorial on Mostar re-organization issue in which the author says the political and administrative drama of Mostar is pretendedly coming to its end, however, the author believes that, actually, there is no an end of it and says: “No matter what happens, it will be just a beginning of one difficult period in the agony of Mostar.” The editorial says that the political parties will not reach an agreement, and High Representative Paddy Ashdown is aware that even if he imposes the solution it will be just another non-implemented document and therefore he will think well before he decides to make this move. Lovrenovic also believes that every bigger city in BiH, apart from Tuzla, is actually Mostar and that a general model for organization and election system applicable for all cities should be found. According to the editorial, the statement that the HR gave (The HR is quoted as saying: “If BiH was a normal state you would have a rule of majority. You have to change democracy in order to protect peoples.”) shows that none is too sensitive for these issues. The author goes on to say that such gloomy and cynical view on democracy has not been heard from time of ‘dark glory’ of President of the Trebinje War Presidency Bozidar Vucurevic and leader of Croat Community of Herceg Bosna Mate Boban. According to the editorial, disastrous situation in Mostar is a metaphor of the situation in the other cities in BiH with the exception of Tuzla in which all three national parties aspire to achieve the ethnic dominance, however, it brings to the fall of the civic culture and urban way of living of all national communities and especially of their one. |
Political developments | |
| FBiH Government’s reshuffle
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Talks on FBiH Government reconstruction to start next week’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘We want a new and more successful team in the Government’ – SDA Vice-president Mirsad Kebo told a press conference in Sarajevo on Friday that the party’s leadership would next week start talks on the reconstruction of the FBiH Government with its coalition partners. “We expect other political parties participating in the work of the Federation Government to also review its achievements and performance of their ministers and to propose solutions for the more successful functioning of the body,” said Kebo. Dnevni List (Saturday, page 3, “Next week talks on reconstruction of FBiH Government”, by E. Mackic), Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, last page, “It is necessary to have talks on reconstruction of Government as soon as possible”, by D. Pasic) also covered this press conference. Vecernji List (Saturday, page 4, “Minister of Police also leaves Government”, by eme) carries that SDA vice President Mirsad Kebo indirectly hinted that SDA is close to pass the decision on the removal of current FBiH Minister of Interior Mevludin Halilovic because of aggravated security situation in Sarajevo and other cities. Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Unfilled Serb caucus boomerang for the government’ – The issue of filling the Serb caucus in the FBiH House of peoples might be raised again at one of the coming sessions of the House. According to the newspaper, such the structure of the House and a passive attitude towards the resolution of this problem might represent an obstacle to the announced FBiH Government’s reshuffle. Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Nedzad Polic or Denis Zvizdic to head the Government?’ – According to the newspaper’s source from SDA leadership, the most serious candidates to replace Ahmet Hadzipasic in the office of FBiH Prime Minister are the current Prime Ministers of the Zenica-Doboj and Sarajevo Cantons, Nedzad Polic and Denis Zvizdic. Vecernji List (Saturday, front and page 5, “HDZ does not want position of Prime Minister”, by Z. Banovic) carries an interview with HDZ BiH President Barisa Colak. Asked whether HDZ BiH might get a position of the FBiH Prime Minister in the coming reconstruction of the FBiH Government Colak said: “It is not a secret that HDZ could get the position of the Prime Minister during the first appointment of the Government. At that time we objectively judged that in the atmosphere of big social tensions of almost all categories, that is, pensioners, miners, defenders, soldiers etc., it would be the best that the first man of the Government comes from the party that is the biggest in a number. We have completely the same stand at this moment.” Asked about the Mostar issue, Colak says: “It would be the worst solution that the High Representative imposes the solution since experience shows us it is very difficult to implement such decision.” Dnevni List (Sunday, page 2) carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ HDZ President Barisa Colak as saying: “HDZ will not take position of Prime Minister in the Federation of BiH Government.” |
| Oslobodjenje’ Beric comments on fall of FBiH Government | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Collapse of the system’ In Focus column by Gojko Beric – According to Beric, its is much easier for leaders of the ruling political parties in the Federation, Sulejman Tihic and Barisa Colak, to blame individuals/ministers than the political system/concept itself for failures in economy, security sector, for corruption etc. Admitting that these failures are consequence of the political concept would mean admitting the collapse of a system based on dishonest coalition of national political parties, according to Beric. |
| CoM Chairman Terzic presents priorities on BiH road to Europe | Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ’16 priorities in this year’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ’45 measures must be taken by June 30’ – At a joint session of both house of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly held in Sarajevo on Friday, BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic presented list of priorities for 2004. “Our goal is to make visible progress and open the path for negotiating the Stabilization and Association Agreement with EU by June 30,” said Terzic referring to 16 priorities from the EU Feasibility Study on BiH. |
| NN interview with Terzic | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pgs. 4 & 5 in NN supplement “Revija”, ‘I am not spared of critics because of my influence in SDA’ – In an interview to NN, Adnan Terzic, Chairperson of BiH CoM, says that neither SDA nor any other political party in BiH (position or opposition) demanded re-shuffle of BiH CoM, because State Government has achieved a lot during its first year of the mandate, namely it achieved most of all the state institutions. He also adds that the SDA support to CoM has nothing to do with the influence he has within the party membership. On 16 pre-requisites necessary for signing for Accession and Stability Agreement, he says that the issue of election law, namely the changes referring to BiH Presidency, will not be easily agreed on. Hearby, he also stresses that BiH CoM has been functioning much better since the rotation has been abolished. |
| PDHR Hays address to Center for European Policy in Brussels | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje back page ‘Wrong picture of BiH’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘BiH needs a leadership for reforms’, Dnevni List Sunday, page 9, “Possible two scenarios offered”, ONASA – The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, said on Friday at the European Policy Centre in Brussels that during a single generation South-East Europe may become a global model of a sustainable and rapid economic development, according to OHR. The countries of the region, as he said, need strategic partners, while in the future of this region, in order for that to happen, there must be an investment strategy by the European Union and partnership-based linking up of technology and skills, plus fresh investments, both in terms of staff and finances. More than eight years after the war ended, BiH is still viewed through war-time TV reports, which discourages any investment. |
| Brcko Supervisor on priorities for 2004 | Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Elections major concern’ – Susan Johnson, the newly appointed Brcko Supervisor, on Friday stated that the organisation of successful elections is her most important task in this year. After that come establishment of Government, election of Mayor and Parliament members. |
Economic/social issues | |
| Eronet case
| Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘Highway to Visoko will be built when we ensure funds’ – Interview with FBiH Transport and Communications Minister Nedzad Brankovic. “What we can do within our authorities is to request that HT Mostar as a company in major ownership of the state be the third GSM license holder. We are not regulators of the market, and we can only defend/protect our meaning state interests in the process,” said Brankovic commenting on the process of the third GSM license issuance. Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Eronet owners still not decided if they will pay 140 million KM (for the GSM license) – Bozo Knezevic, the Head of the Eronet Management, told the newspaper that the company’s owners (representatives of Alpina Commerce, Croherc Osiguranje and Hercegovacka Bank) were still analyzing and discussing the price of 140 million KM one should pay to get GSM license. They considered the price too high and a final decision on if Eronet will pay it or not will be made in coming days. |
| ITA | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Banjaluka is financial centre of BiH’ – Dragan Mikerevic, Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Kemal Causevic, ITA Director, and Allen Jensen, Head of CAFA Mission to BiH, on Friday in Banja Luka said that the establishment of ITA Seat in Banja Luka would be a “financial centre” of this city. The discussed the issue of ITA seat in Banja Luka. Causevic stated: “I cannot wait to move to Banja Luka, in which order the Administration would be able to work at full capacity.” Glas Srpske, pg. 4, ‘Sarajevo between the lines’ by D. Vrhovac-Mihajlovic – GS writes that Kemal Causevic, ITA Director, decided to seat ITA in Sarajevo instead in Banjaluka, as stipulated by the Law. He explained this with the need for ITA to have some temporary premises until Republika Srpska Government provides appropriate space for ITA and its personnel in Banja Luka. However, GS says that SIPA has not been allocated premises for over year and a half, but this has not made SIPA Director to provide temporary seat for it in Banjaluka, because the Law stipulates the procedures. GS also criticises the High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown, for having appointed Joly Dixon as the first Chairperson of ITA Executive Board. The author does not object to Dixon himself, but against the fact that ITA Law stipulated that BiH CoM should have appointed the personnel, not HiRep. |
| Brod Oil Refinery | Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘Refinery Director received threatening call’ – Ilija Drpa, General Manager of Serb Brod Oil Refinery, claims that he had received a threatening call few days before the New Year, warning him of losses possibly caused when Refinery starts functioning again. Drpa suspects that somebody from oil import lobby made the call – somebody who will not make any gain from re-commencement of production at Serb Brod Oil Refinery. Zoran Glusac, Spokesperson of Republika Srpska MoI, says that Drpa has not reported the case to police, which is the reason why police has not investigated it. If Drpa did it, police would launch an investigation and provide protection to him, if found necessary, stressed Glusac. Nezavisne Novine, pg. 2, ‘If there s no agreement, Refinery will be blocked’ – Jovan Tomic, representative of Chechnya firm “Devin” in Belgrade, stated that the work of the Serb Brod Oil Refinery would be blocked if the authorities of Republika Srpska failed to reach an agreement (regarding the payment of US $ 38 million debt) with “Devin” until 31 January. |
Other issues | |
| Puljic froze its participation in BiH Inter-Religious Council
| Sunday’s Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 6 ‘Cardinal Puljic froze its function’ – Since the last summer’s Pope’s visit to Banja Luka, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, the Head of the BiH Catholic Community, has frozen its participation/membership in the BiH Inter-Religious Council. At a meeting in Sarajevo on Saturday, Puljic informed Chairman of the Council Jakob Finci on the reasons for the move. The sources close to the Cardinal denied any connection between the announcement of the Puljic’s decision only on Saturday with the Friday’s apprehension of the former top BiH Croat officials. According to them, it is about a dispute over a protocol on legal status of the BiH Catholic Church that should have been sign during the Pope’s visit. Dnevni Avaz pg. 5 ‘Religious dialogue has no alternative’ also reported on the Puljic-Finci meeting. |
| RS Srebrenica Commission adopted the Rule of Procedure
| BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Decisions without outvote’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Rulebook adopted’ – The RS Government’s Srebrenica Commission, tasked to determine facts on the developments occurred in the town from July 10-19 1995, adopted the Rule of Procedure at its session in Banja Luka on Friday. According to the document, the Commission members will do their best to make all decisions by consensus. If there is no consensus on certain issue, the body will be making decision on the basis of majority of votes. But if Smail Cekic and Gordon Bacon, who were appointed members of the Commission by the High Representative, remain in minority, the opinion will be asked from the OHR and ICTY observers. |
| Federal list of war crime suspects | Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Arrest warrant after a victim?’ – GS writes about the list of federal authorities of people charged with war crimes. The extent of true information presented in the list GS describes with the fact that the list also contains the name of a person named Vojin Dzina from Sarajevo, who was murdered by members of 5th Motorised Brigade of BiH Army in 1992. Namely, the Federal Interior Ministry declared a victim of a crime as war crime suspect. GS also brings more details related to his murder and the site where he was buried afterwards (at the loan on Quadrant C-5 in Dobrinja, along with 11 eleven other Serb victims). |
| BiH Ombudsperson Savic resigns | RTRS on Friday, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘Frenk Orton ran campaign against BiH Ombudsmen’; Glas Srpske, pg. 4, ‘Orton’s filthy game’ – Snezana Savic on Friday confirmed she had filed resignation to the position of the BiH Ombudsman. She also accused the former BiH Ombudsman, Frenk Orton for a “filthy campaign he has been running against local Ombudsmen over the past months”. In a letter sent to BiH Presidency and Chairpersons of both BiH Parliament Houses on 19 January, she explained that in October last year, Orton presented a negative view towards the future local Ombudsmen, and continued his “filthy” game after his mandate expired. She also said that Orton left the institution in a chaos, both functional and financial. She also said that Orton failed to prepare the report on the work of the institution for the previous year. Orton on Friday denied these claims. Sarajevo media also reported on the issue. |