OHR Weekend Round-up: 27-28/3/2004 - Office of the High Representative

Friday

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs)

FED TV (19,30 hrs)

RT RS (19,30)

FBiH HoP in session

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

FBiH HoP in session

FBiH HoP in session

RS Council of Peoples

Education Laws

Syndicate of ESV session

EC report on BiH progress

Clashes within SDS?

SDU on US troops in BiH

Report on plane crash

On SDA/HDZ agreement

SRS statement on RS Govt

Saturday

NTV Hayat (18,55 hrs)

BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs)

FED TV (19,30 hrs)

RT RS (19,30)

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

Verdict: names of RS cities

Depleted uranium in BiH

Reactions on verdict

Money laundring in Laktasi

Miletic on ICTY

Genetically modified food

SEECP conference

Anniversary of SGV

SEECP conference

RTV subscription

Socialist parties meet in BL

NHI elects Zubak

Socialist parties meet in BL

Saturday

Oslobodjenje

Pre-war names to cities in RS returned; BiH officers: Politicians gave up on generals; FTAs: In April we will start negotiations with Sanader

Dnevni Avaz

‘Serb’ cities abolished; Biber claims Government creates chaos; 100 US troops returned from Kosovo

Dnevni List

Pig plague endangers farms; No more outvoting on national basis?

Vecernji List

SDA and HDZ make peace; Mostar: Firing in school hushed up

Slobodna Dalmacija

Eight-grader shoots in mathematics class

Glas Srpske

Four employees of Hypo Alpe Adria Bank detained: Employees helped in laundering of BAM 23 million; Prefix “Serb” in names of the cities non-constitutional; Attempted assassination of Branko Bulatovic; Letter from Brussels: BiH authorities implementing reforms too slowly

Nezavisne Novine

Commemoration to murdered Serbs in Sijekovac: Criminals to be punished

Sunday

Oslobodjenje

Old or new, but not ‘Serb’; Kresimir Zubak again the President; European Union is not a buffet

Dnevni Avaz

Change of RS name next

Dnevni List

New money launder and tax evasion affair; Fifth anniversary of Jozo Leutar death

Vecernji List

150 companies laundered money through Manojlovic

Slobodna Dalmacija

Features Croatia related headlines

BiH Constitutional Court

BiH Constitutional Court orders abolishment of prefixes ‘Serb’ in names of RS cities and municipalities

RHB, BHTV 1 Fri, FTV Fri, RTRS Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat cover splash, pg 7 ‘Pre-war names of RS cities returned’, Dnevni Avaz Sat cover splash ‘‘Serb’ cities abolished’, pg 2 ‘Prefix ‘Serb’ to be abolished from names of RS cities’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Prefix “Serb” in names of the cities non-constitutional’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Prefix “Serb” is not in accordance with Constitution’ Slobodna Dalmacija Sat pg 7 ‘Anti-constitutional adjectives ‘Serb’ in names of towns in BiH’ – At the plenary session held on Friday, BiH Constitutional Court concluded that the ethnic prefixes ‘Srpski’ in names of cities and municipalities in Republika Srpska were not in accordance with the BiH Constitution. The decision refers to the names of Serb Sarajevo, Serb Drvar, Serb Sanski Most, Serb Mostar, Serb Gorazde, Srbinje, Serb Kljuc, Serb Kostajnica, Serb Brod, Serb Ilidza, Serb Novo Sarajevo, Serb Stari Grad and Serb Orasje. Court also ordered the RS Peoples’ Assembly to harmonize – within three months from the day of the announced decision – the BiH Constitution with Article 11 of the Law on Territorial Organization and Local Government in the Serb Republic and Articles 1 and 2 of the Law on Serb Sarajevo, which regulate the names of these towns. The initiative for removal of ethnic prefixes from names of cities in RS was raised by SDU Vice President Sejfudin Tokic in 2001, when he served as the Deputy Speaker of BiH House of Peoples. Constitutional Court also discussed the agreement on special relations between RS and Serbia and Monte Negro, which enables border crossing for only RS citizens with ID, but concluded that it was constitutional.

Tadic: RS does not have to return to pre-war names of towns

RTRS Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun cover splash, pg 3 ‘Old or new, but only Serb’, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘There was no decision to return old names in RS’, Vecernji List Sun pg 3 ‘RS does not have to return to pre-war names of towns’ – The RS authorities are not obliged to re-introduce pre-war names of the towns, as confirmed by the President of the BiH Constitutional Court, Mato Tadic. “Will the pre-war names be returned or new names will be given, the Constitutional Court did not decide about that. We did not assume competencies of the RS National Assembly. We left them to solve it”, said Tadic.

NTV Hayat – Tadic refused to comment on the constitutionality of the name of Republika Srpska, saying that the BiH Court have never received such request.

Tokic on court’s decision

FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sat cover splash, pg 7 ‘Pre-war names of RS cities returned’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘Open space for change of the smaller BiH entity’ – Initiator of the case, Sejfudin Tokic, commented that the decision will have strong impact on all future processes in BiH, especially those regarding the names of companies, media and even entities. “Decision will have far reaching consequences in RS, as it brings into the question the names of public companies such as Srpske poste, Srpske sume, but also… the coat of arms, hymn and the name of RS,” says Tokic adding that the prefix ‘Serb’ is discriminatory and ignorant of other constituent peoples in RS.

RS reactions to BiH Constitutional Court decision

RTRS Fri – RS officials and political leaders say that the Court’s verdict could cause an unpleasant political situation within BiH. “That is a political problem in BiH and this demand, in my opinion, hurts the wounds which have healed a bit,” commented Borislav Paravac, member of BiH Presidency. “Constitutional Court brings verdicts, not political decisions, and the Constitutional Court is not lead with political motives, but legal norms, meaning Constitutional norms. I believe that in a time we can find a solution,” said Dragan Cavic, RS President. Sejfudin Tokic also demanded the abolishment of prefixes Srpski in the names of public companies and re-evaluation of the Republika Srpska name. However, RS officials and Serb representatives in BiH Institutions say that such decision cannot be made, as RS is a Dayton’s category. “If those are the intentions of a demand by plaintiff, the attitudes of almost all RS political parties on that are known, meaning that would be a major change of BiH Constitution and I don’t believe that any serious political subject from RS would agree on that,” commented Goran Milivojac, Deputy Speaker of BiH House of Peoples. “Considering the campaign in FBiH, lead by individuals and some political parties that lobbied for abolishment of prefix Srpski, the final goal of RS and its name [to be changed] will get on the agenda. The question here, regarding the BiH Constitutional Court, is whether public pressure, in sense of political parties, decides or they really consider this to be a legal and good solution,” comments Tihomir Gligoric, Deputy in BiH House of Representatives.

Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘This decision was expected’, SRNA – RS President Dragan Cavic stated that the BiH Constitutional Court’s verdict, which declared the unconstitutionality of the use of the Serb prefix for towns in the RS, was unfavorable, although he will form a final view after a detailed examination. “This kind of verdict was foreseen and expected. In any case, this is a problem of a political nature for those who think that this is dramatic, even though the verdict was not a political stance,” Cavic told SRNA. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said that the government will be examining the verdict as soon as it is submitted with the copy.

NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Fri, Slobodna Dalmacija Sat pg 15 ‘Republika Srpska will keep the name’ – Dragan Cavic also said that the Court’s decision will not influence the change of the Republika Srpska name.

RTRS Sat – DNS President, Marko Pavic expressed regret that Srpsko Sarajevo will no longer bear that name. He said that main responsibility for that is with SDS and PDP, as they joined the Coalition with those “who want to harm RS.”

Kalinic: “We will raise the issue of names in FBiH with prefix ‘Bosnian’”

NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, RTRS Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘RS is established in the Dayton’, Dnevni List Sun pg 4 ‘Issue of names in Federation of BiH that carry Bosnian prefix to be raised’, SRNA – As carried by Srna news agency, Dragan Kalinic, RSNA Speaker and SDS chairman, stated that the decision of the BiH Constitutional Court “has more to do with politics than law. It is impossible to apply this principle and change the name of the Republika Srpska”. Kalinic added that it was impossible to change the name of RS “because the name is part of the BiH Constitution, and cannot be changed without the change of the constitution and we shall never agree to the constitutional change.” The Constitutional Court’s decision “heightens the sense of frustration of our people because we are deprived of the right to name our towns as we see fit, which is our autonomous right”, Kalinic said. He added: “Of course, we shall open the issue of the names in the Federation of BiH beginning with Bosnian [Bosanski].” Kalinic recalled that almost all street names referring to the Serb history and culture have been changed in the Federation’s part of Sarajevo. “I wonder if the Constitutional Court judges from the Serb Republic have warned about this. We shall ask them at the next session of the People’s Assembly how they voted regarding this latest decision,” Kalinic said.

Paravac: RS name cannot be abolished

NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘RS is established in the Dayton’ – BiH Presidency member Borislav Paravac said that the BiH Constitutional Court cannot abolish the name of Republika Srpska, as that name is defined in the Dayton Agreement and BiH Constitution. Paravac said that the final word on the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision, declaring the prefix “Serb” in the names of 13 cities in the RS unconstitutional, will be given by the RS National Assembly. He added that this decision cannot relate to the entity name, as “any change in the name of the entity would require consent from all three constituent peoples.”Dnevni Avaz Sun on pg 2 also carries Paravac’s statement.

Reactions from FBiH

Dnevni Avaz Sun cover splash ‘Change of RS name next’, pg 2 ‘Next step is to change the name of Republika Srpska’ – DA carries a statement by found of Party for BiH, Haris Silajdzic, as saying that following the decision by BiH Constitutional court, he expected the next step to be the change of the Republika Srpska name, “as that is not an exclusive entity of one people.”

Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘Abolishment of prefix ‘Serb’ is of vital importance for BiH’ – SDU Leader Miro Lazovic stated that the court’s decision regarding the ethnic prefixes in the name of RS cities is of vital importance for BiH, as it will contribute to removal of barriers between two entities. SDA Vice President Elmir Jahic stressed that this decision restores the trust in BiH judiciary.

Oslobodjenje and DA editorials praise Court’s decision

Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 3 ‘Victory of idea of BiH’ op-ed by Almasa Hadzic – Author notes that the decision of BiH Constitutional Court instructing abolishment of prefix ‘Serb’ in names of RS cities and municipalities is “probably one of the greatest victories of idea of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is certainly the most strongest guarantees that BiH slowly moves towards the rest of the world, through wide paths of democracy and justice, and not through the story of Serb, Croat or Muslim [insignias].”

Oslobodjenje Sun pg 2 ‘Soap-opera’ op-ed by Senka Kurtovic – In an editorial highly critical of political developments in FBiH, regarding the crisis between SDA and HDZ, author notes that the Court’s decision was the best thing happened in past several years, calling it “a bingo.”

Political issues

FBiH HoP adopts proposal FBiH budget for 2004; however procedure not completed

RHB, FTV Fri, BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 7 ‘Proposal of FBiH budget to be harmonized’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Proposal FBiH budget for 2004 adopted’, Dnevni List Sat ‘Federation budget for 2004 adopted’ – FBiH House of Peoples at the extraordinary session held on Friday adopted the proposal FBiH Budget for 2004. Prior to adoption, the FBiH Government held special session, attended by HDZ ministers, during the debate over budget in FBiH HoP, and endorsed almost all of the 13 amendments to the draft budget for 2004 submitted by the Croat people’s parliamentary floor group in the FBiH House of Peoples. Now, the adoption of the budget is not final because of different amendments being adopted in both houses, meaning that the draft budget has been endorsed in practically different forms. House of Peoples Chair Slavko Matic stated that in this case a joint commission of both Houses would have to harmonize the Budget, but according to procedure, it will have to be once again adopted by both houses. It is expected that the budget will be finally adopted in the Federation parliament on 31 March, the last possible day this could happen, as the decision on interim funding for the FBiH for the first three months of this year expires. One of the amendments adopted by FBiH HoP stipulates that the funds transferred to the cantons and lower government levels should be increased from 9 to 12 million KM. Another amendment cuts by 6m marks the amount for the construction of the Zenica-Sarajevo motorway. These funds will be redirected for other road construction works; of this amount, 1m marks will be used for the Prozor-Tomislavgrad road.

SEECP conference issues declaration on regional development and cooperation

NTV Hayat, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 ‘Regional cooperation in European integrations’, Sun pg 5 ‘European Union is not a buffet’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Today the conference of South East Europe parliamentary speakers’, Sun pg 4 ‘Taking over leadership in reforms implementation’ – At the fourth Conference of parliamentary representatives of the countries of South-Eastern Europe, organized within the South-eastern Europe Cooperation Process [SEECP], the participants passed a Declaration on development and improvement of relations between the SEEPC member-countries. The Declaration defines mutual values, and the determination to improve democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and freedoms, freedom of movement of people and goods and development of market economy. “Today we prove that the parliaments are determined to take leadership in implementation of reforms in the efforts to be admitted into the EU, Partnership for Peace and NATO,” said speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nikola Spiric. The Conference, held in Sarajevo on Saturday, was attended by delegations of BiH, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, OSCE, the Stability Pact and Central European Initiative.

BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat – The participants also concluded that the Parliaments ought to take a leading role in the reforms’ implementation. The vice-president of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Hasan Muratovic, also said that BiH needed to free itself from the pressure of the international community in order to join EU. “We cannot start negotiations on admission to EU as a protectorate, we need to transform our relations with the EU, who will assist us in the development of democracy and human rights”, said Muratovic.

RTRS Sat – Participants agreed that the SEE Stability Pact initiative hasn’t fulfilled expectations. Muratovic said that it was obvious that the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe, unlike some other projects, had failed and should be replaced with another form of cooperation.

EC report concludes BiH achieved moderate success, although often under IC pressure

FTV Fri by Verica Kalajdzic – European Commission’s report on BiH progress in implementation of reforms in past year has concluded that BiH achieved moderate success, although often under the pressure by the international community. FTV carries that the report will be make public on 31^st March. Report also carries that the BiH Government has not been developed sufficiently to implement the reforms, also facing the challenge of tensions between the state and the entities. EC believes that BiH authorities need to do put an extra effort. Furthermore, EC expects realization of important reforms in the field of public administration and defence. Limited improvements were noted in the field of human rights and inadequate cooperation with the ICTY, especially in the case of RS. Report also concludes that during the past twelve months economic situation was instable and that BiH needs to do more to attract foreign investors and increase the import.

Opposition parties on SDA/HDZ agreement ending FBiH Govt crisis

FTV Fri – Opposition parties in FBiH believe that the two-month crisis between SDA and HDZ, which resulted in the problems with the work of FBiH Government and which ended with agreement reached between parties on Thursday, was created in order to draw attention away from the real problems in BiH. “[Earlier] I said that it is going to be solved, because I believe power is the best cure, and those two parties will not give up the power at this moment”, said Kresimir Zubak, NHI Leader. “Show for the nation is over. Actually, coalition partners decreased the degree of intolerance in the public and degree of doubt in their partners, but basically relations didn’t change. They are still based on mistrust and intolerance”, said Svetozar Pudaric, SDP General Secretary. “One week ago I wrote that they would come to an agreement for sure. But I am not interested in the issue. What interests me is one other phenomenon, present in HDZ’s behavior. Whenever critical issue arises in the Parliament, HDZ’s Deputies leave the session, knowing that certain decisions will be made. This way they try to transfer responsibility from themselves to others”, said Marko Tadic, from HSS.

Editorials on SDA/HDZ agreement

Vecernji List Sat pg 2 ‘Permanent crisis in relations’ by Ilko Barbaric – Author claims that despite the SDA and HDZ reaching an agreement, the Croats in the FBiH are in an unfavorable position, with a tendency to get even worse, because the crisis in the relations between the SDA and HDZ, according to the author, remains. Barbaric believes that all the national rights can be protected only by transferring competencies onto the State and cantonal levels, “which means, the internal re-organization of BiH that does not suit either the Serbs or the Bosniaks”.

Dnevni List Sat pg 6 ‘Outvoting’ by Zvonimir Jukic – Author claims that, with the SDA and HDZ reaching the latest agreement, the two parties are far from reaching a permanent solution to the problem called “outvoting”. The author claims that the SDA and HDZ are persistent in efforts to outvote each other at difference levels, foremost at the FBiH level, in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and in the City of Mostar.

Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg. 7 by Mate Djakovic, ‘Defence and attack’ – The author starts the article with the comment on the current developments in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina stressing that the consistent love for the power has prevailed within the HDZ again and they stayed coalition partners of SDA.

Kalinic on allegedly being unwanted persona in Bijeljina

RTRS Fri, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘We will arrange things in SDS’ – President of SDS Bijeljina Board, Cvjetin Nikic and Vice Presidents Branko Stevic and Dragan Vuckovic refused to comment want to comment the statements of their party members in Bijeljina that Dragan Kalinic, SDS President, became unwanted person in Bijeljina. An anonymous member of SDS stated on Thursday that such stand was taken by SDS in Bijeljina, due to injustices towards the SDS staff from Semberija region. The same source said that Dragan Kalinic was warned not to pass trough Semberija on his way to Belgrade, but that he should go over Croatia. SDS President, Dragan Kalinic commented that he knew nothing of these allegations. “We will work it out in house. Those who thought that public attention… would be turned towards SDS and not to oppositional parties, who failed on their protests, are terribly wrong. SDS will survive, it will be even more united and stronger and we will still remain the important, inevitable factor in the RS political theatre,” commented Kalinic.

NHI Convention: Zubak re-elected as President

Oslobodjenje Sat pg 6 ‘Zubak and Vrbic candidates for president’, Sun pg 4 ‘Kresimir Zubak reelected president’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 10 ‘Uninvited will be stopped from entering’, Sun pg 4 ‘Zubak reelected for the president’, Vecernji List Sun pg 3 ‘NHI Convention without founders’, Slobodna Dalmacija Sun pg 9 ‘Without Grabovac, Vidak, Anic…’, back page ‘Zubak again President of NHI’, Dnevni List Sun pg 4 ‘Zubak: NHI was formed as movement against policy of HDZ’ – The third NHI Convention re-elected Kresimir Zubak as the NHI President. Zubak received backing from 167 delegates, whilst his only rival, Drago Vrbic from Zepce, received 31 votes. VL notes the Convention was overshadowed by an obvious rift within the party, namely the conflict between Zubak and a fraction led by Mijo Anic. Anic, as well as former senior officials of the NHI, Nikola Grabovac, Vinko Jakic and Stanko Sliskovic had not even been invited to the Convention.

Hays meets youth in BL: Young people have little trust in politicians

Oslobodjenje Sat pg 6 ‘Youth doesn’t trust politicians’, Dnevni List Sat pg 4 ‘Young people do not trust politicians’, Vecernji List Sat ‘Young people suspicious about politicians’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Hays: Process of privatisation is slow’ – The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, stated in Banja Luka, after meeting with youth experts and business people, that young people in BiH had very little trust in politicians and that they were “frustrated” that the IC tolerated it. PDHR Hays apparently stressed that the young people were frustrated because they cannot be told when changes would be carried out.

Op-eds on proposal to abolish FBiH

Dnevni List Sat pg 2 ‘Who needs Federation of BiH?’ by Miso Relota – Referring to the proposal submitted by the caucus of HDZ-CCD-HNZ to the Speakers of the FBiH House of Representatives and House of Peoples a Draft constitutional law on transfer of authority from Federation of BiH onto the State and cantons, the author claims this is no cheap political trick of the HDZ because, according to Relota, “people who are familiar with the BiH political scene will, without hesitating, tell you that there is a tacit agreement between the Serb and Bosniak political parties in BiH. By that tacit agreement, as proven in practice, the Serbs are rulers in the Republika Srpska, whilst the Bosniaks are doing everything to have an absolute domination in the Federation of BiH, in order to make the Croat majority areas poor, which would result in further emigration of the Croats from BiH”. Relota concludes: “The avalanche has been started, resistance to the initiative is great, but eventually, there will be a transfer of authority from the FBiH onto the State”.

Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg. 7 by Mirza Cubro, ‘State under three roofs’ – the author claims that the initiative of the HDZ MP’s at the Parliament of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is nothing else but another initiative aimed at establishing the third entity in BiH. As a proof for this he says, inter alia, HDZ does not demand abolishment of Republika Srpska.

Education

Deadline Set For Harmonized Primary and Secondary School Legislation

NTV Hayat, RTRS Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 3 ‘Harmonize cantonal and entities laws with state education laws’, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘D day is 24 April’, Vecernji List Sun pg 2 ‘Entities and cantons have deadline until April 24’, Dnevni List Sun front, pg 3 ‘Deadline set for harmonization of education in whole of BiH’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Robert Beecroft, and the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Special Representative in BiH, Sonja Moser-Starrach, stated that failing to harmonize Canton and Entity Education Laws with the BiH Framework Law must be addressed if BiH is to progress further towards European integration. In the letter sent to the RS Minister of Education, Gojko Savanovic, the Ministers of Education of all FBiH Cantons, the RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic and the speakers of the Cantonal Assemblies, IC representatives underlined that almost two years after BiH’s accession to the Council of Europe, only the Brcko District has met its legal obligation to harmonize their Laws with the BiH Law on Primary and Secondary Education. The letter states that this “issue is not just about Education and domestic legal obligations, but also about BiH meeting its international legal obligations. Adopting and putting in place new, fully harmonized, education legislation at all levels of government by 24 April 2004 – two years after Bosnia and Herzegovina became the 44th member of the Council of Europe, is a post-accession requirement of the Council of Europe.” The fulfilment of the CoE’s post-accession criteria is also raised by the European Commission’s feasibility study.

DL: int with Beecroft on education

Dnevni List Sat pg 9 ‘Enchanted circle of reform to higher education’ by Robert M. Beecroft –DL carries a piece signed by the Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, Robert M. Beecroft, in which he notes that the framework law on higher education has ended up in a deep trouble, since the BiH Council of Ministers forwarded the law to the BiH Parliament, despite the opposition coming from the HDZ Ministers, which means chances that the law gets adopted within the set deadline (March 31) are not good. Noting that it is likely the deadline will be missed, Ambassador Beecroft says it is not certain how many hours or days the World Bank is ready to wait for the law to get adopted, before it decides to send the funds allocated to the higher education to Bangladesh. In that context, Ambassador Beecroft notes the worst thing about the whole issue in the short term is the fact that the people, who made the Draft budget for 2004, have already spent most of the offered WB money, which will create gaps in the budget.

Jovic, BiH HoP MP, on education law

Dnevni List Sat pg 22 ‘Jovic: Croats must not sell national interest for million dollars’ by Ivica Glibusic – In an interview with an MP in the BiH House of Representatives, Ivo Miro Jovic, speaking about the making of the framework law on higher education, says the framework law was prepared by the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, led by Minister Safet Halilovic. “His associates were two entity ministers, Pasic from the FBiH and Stevanovic from the RS. Therefore, no Croat participated in any segment of making of the document”, explains Jovic, adding: “Croats did not participate in the making of the document because, in its essence, the law in anti-constitutional. Paragraph 4, article 3 of the Constitution reads that cantons are in charge of solutions regarding education, science, culture and sport. Nobody has changed the Constitution”.

War crimes

Hays meets Cavic: Report by Srebrenica Commission by mid April

BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 7 ‘Report on Srebrenica by mid April’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘Srebrenica Commission report by mid April’ – RS President Dragan Cavic on Friday met with the Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays. Following the meeting Cavic said he would ask RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic to direct all government resources on the report, by the Commission appointed to examine the events in Srebrenica in 1995, being in line with the decision of the BiH Human Rights Chamber. Hays said that he had agreed with Cavic that the report on Srebrenica should be published by mid April, and that he expected the reformist laws on defence and army to be adopted promptly.

RTRS Fri – RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic also met with Ambassador Hays, with whom he discussed the deadlines for submitting the Srebrenica Commission report.

Miletic: ICTY shows no readiness to cooperate with RS

FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 2 ‘Tribunal submitted with 86 cases’, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 8 ‘Tribunal did not show readiness to cooperate with RS’ – The head of the RS government Secretariat for Relations with the ICTY, Dejan Miletic, on Saturday stated that the Tribunal has so far shown no readiness for cooperation with the Republika Srpska. He said that the secretariat has submitted to the tribunal 86 cases and huge quantities of evidence related to war crimes committed against Serbs in BiH but that replies came back in regard to only 35 cases. Most important documents submitted to ICTY, says Miletic, are connected to Alija Izetbegovic and crimes committed against Serbs in Mrkonjic Grad.

RTRS Sat – Miletic notes that while ICTY has no deadline to make respond regarding to the submitted cases, he considers that some cases have been delayed for no reason. “We have even sent a urgent request to ICTY regarding the cases submitted by Regional Prosecution from Doboj, I think that has been on 23 or 24 criminal cases, out of which maybe five or six were responded to,” added Dejan Miletic, He further explained that these cases will be tried before the Doboj Court, but and added that there are some cases against Bosniaks and Croats that should be lead before Courts in Trebinje and some cases against Serbs in Banja Luka Court. Miletic said that this proves that RS is cooperating with ICTY.

DL on new ICTY indictments of BiH Croats

Dnevni List Sun ‘Municipal elections postpone arrival of indictments from The Hague’ by Zvonimir Jukic – Amid reports on ICTY indictments against several senior Croat military and civilian officials, DL learns from sources close to institutions of the ICTY in BiH that the persons in question will be taken to The Hague on December 2 this year. According to DL, there are plenty reasons for the delay, the most important being the local elections in October this year, and the influence the extradition of the indictees could have on the outcome of the elections. DL’s source reveals that indictments against Bosniaks, who participated in crimes committed against the central Bosnia Croats and Sarajevo Serbs, will be raised soon.

UN SC adopts resolution on ICTY

RTRS Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘US insist Gotovina, Karadzic and Mladic tried in ICTY’, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 6 ‘Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina to be tried in the Hague’ – UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that urges The Hague Tribunal to do everything possible in order to complete all investigations by the end of this year and ICTY work by 2010. Resolution also invites BiH, Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia to increase their cooperation and to enable arrests of top war crimes suspects Ante Gotovina, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. Following the UN resolution, US State Department said that these three suspects must be tried before the ICTY.

Economic and social issues

Syndicate furious with cancellation of ESV session

Dnevni Avaz Sat cover ‘Biber claims Government creates chaos’, pg 9 ‘Biber accuses government of creating chaos’, Sun pg 3 ‘For protests of workers, the address is the FBiH Government’ – Economic and Social Council of FBiH Government on Friday failed to discuss the program of social care for workers who will lose their jobs in bankruptcy, as they FBiH was attending the session of FBiH House of Peoples regarding the FBiH budget. Chairman of the Council, Bozidar Matic stated that the Government did not inform the Council, which could not hold its session due to absence of its members, that it session would have to be cancelled due to the Government’s session. President of the BiH Syndicates Edhmer Biber said that this was “classis example of ignorant behavior of the Government towards the Council… Syndicate supports the reforms, but with its attitude, the Government will create chaos and no representatives of the international community would help it [when that happens].”

BHTV 1 Fri, FTV Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 9 ‘Employers and syndicate arrived, but no ministers’ – “Ministers were present at the [FBiH House of Peoples’ session… so we couldn’t arrange the ESC’s session”, said Radovan Vignjevic, FBiH Minister of Labor and Social Politics.

EC raises concern over delays in public procurement reforms

FTV Fri, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Progress towards European integrations endangered’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘BiH authorities implementing reforms too slowly’- General Director for Foreign Affairs in the European Commission Eneko Landanburu, sent a letter to Adnan Terzic, chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, in which he voiced concern over the delay in the implementation of reforms in BiH, particularly in the sector of public acquisitions. As the report states, the delay may result in serious consequences for the negotiations on the agreement on stabilization and accession to the EU, as well as for the continued financial support of the EU to Bosnia-Hercegovina. The letter poses the reform of the system of public acquisitions as the crucial issue and reiterates that the RS Government had refused to endorse the bill on public acquisitions, which is the reason the European Commission has already suspended its assistance in this sphere.

Terzic’s respond to Landanburu

Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Letter in friendly tone’, FENA – “The BiH Council of Ministers, as well as entity Governments, took part in preparing the law on public procurement and within our ability and authority we shall do all we can to remove reasons preventing the adoption of this law,” BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic told FENA Friday commenting the letter by Enek Landanburu. “I view Landanburu’s letter important for at least two reasons – number one, that the EU sees the law on public procurement as key proof of the willingness of BiH authorities to make another step toward European structures. Number two, the fact that the letter was written in a friendly tone is proof to us that the EU wishes to see BiH continue fulfilling its commitments toward full integration into the EU at an unreduced pace”, Terzic said.

Diplomatic forum discusses economic cooperation btw BiH and SCG

BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 5 ‘Exchange damaging BiH’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 8 ‘BiH is an absolute priority for SCG’ – At the diplomatic forum organized by BiH Foreign Ministry and German Foundation ‘Friedrich Ebert’ held in Sarajevo, Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro to BiH, Stanimir Vukicevic, said that significant improvement has been noted in the bilateral cooperation between SCG and BiH. Ambassador Vukicevic concluded there was a need for greater parliamentary cooperation, adding that BiH was a priority for SCG authorities. As for the Free Trade Agreements, which will be on force as of 1 April: “Finally, we expect that the agreement will be completely symmetric on both sides, and that the merchandise will be treated equally on both sides.” BiH Assistant Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Djikic stated that when it comes to economic cooperation between two country it was improving, but added that trade exchange are still less favourable for BiH.

Hays/Cavic discuss privatisation

Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Hays: Process of privatisation is slow’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Gas on privatisation’ – At Friday meeting in Banja Luka, Dragan Cavic, Republika Srpska President, and Donald Hays, PDHR, agreed that the process of privatisation in Republika Srpska proceeds too slowly. Cavic said: “There are rare examples that the buyers of the state capital advanced the production and employment level.”

DL int with Wold Bank director

Dnevni List Sat pg 23 ‘Zero tolerance for corruption’ by Renata Radic – In an interview for DL, the Director of World Bank for BiH, Dirk Reinermann, notes the big progress BiH has made since 1996, both in political and economic areas, especially in the banking sector. Reinermann explains: “Economy is three times stronger than in 1996. We have invested a billion dollars into the country since 1996, which is a precedent, because neither the IC nor any financial institution has ever invested so much money into one country. This is a great success. We are concerned this could be spoiled by political disagreements. We are worried with what’s happening in the Federation (of BiH), and at the State level”. Reinermann notes that the World Bank is currently concerned with four issues, namely with the law on higher education, payments to victims of war, law on bankruptcy and issue of public procurement.

First draft VAT Law presented

Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 ‘First draft VAT law on discussion’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 10 ‘Draft VAT law prepared’ – Director of the Indirect Taxation Administration Kemal Causevic submitted to the ITA Board the first VAT Law. The draft was prepared with the support of CAFAO, and it is planned for VAT to be introduction on 1 January 2006.

CoM negotiates with neighbours on postponing FTAs

Oslobodjenje Sat cover, pg 3 ‘Negotiations with Sanader to start in mid April’ – Spokesperson for the Chairman of CoM, Bojan Zec-Filipovic stated that the CoM Chair Adnan Terzic will expects to have regulation on change to the tax tariffs sent to the parliamentary procedure. Filipovic added that BiH authorities will not postpone Free Trade Agreements signed with the neighbouring countries one-sidedly, but added that they will try to do that together. He explained that the negotiations with SCG officials are on going, and that Terzic is expected to meet Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in mid April to, among other things, address this issue.

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)	BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs)	FED TV (19,30 hrs)	RT RS (19,30)
FBiH HoP in session	Verdict: names of RS cities	Verdict: names of RS cities	Verdict: names of RS cities
Verdict: names of RS cities	FBiH HoP in session	FBiH HoP in session	RS Council of Peoples
Education Laws	Syndicate of ESV session	EC report on BiH progress	Clashes within SDS?
SDU on US troops in BiH	Report on plane crash	On SDA/HDZ agreement	SRS statement on RS Govt

NTV Hayat (18,55 hrs)	BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs)	FED TV (19,30 hrs)	RT RS (19,30)
Verdict: names of RS cities	Verdict: names of RS cities	Verdict: names of RS cities	Verdict: names of RS cities
Depleted uranium in BiH	Reactions on verdict	Money laundring in Laktasi	Miletic on ICTY
Genetically modified food	SEECP conference	Anniversary of SGV	SEECP conference
RTV subscription	Socialist parties meet in BL	NHI elects Zubak	Socialist parties meet in BL

Oslobodjenje	Pre-war names to cities in RS returned; BiH officers: Politicians gave up on generals; FTAs: In April we will start negotiations with Sanader
Dnevni Avaz	‘Serb’ cities abolished; Biber claims Government creates chaos; 100 US troops returned from Kosovo
Dnevni List	Pig plague endangers farms; No more outvoting on national basis?
Vecernji List	SDA and HDZ make peace; Mostar: Firing in school hushed up
Slobodna Dalmacija	Eight-grader shoots in mathematics class
Glas Srpske	Four employees of Hypo Alpe Adria Bank detained: Employees helped in laundering of BAM 23 million; Prefix “Serb” in names of the cities non-constitutional; Attempted assassination of Branko Bulatovic; Letter from Brussels: BiH authorities implementing reforms too slowly
Nezavisne Novine	Commemoration to murdered Serbs in Sijekovac: Criminals to be punished

Oslobodjenje	Old or new, but not ‘Serb’; Kresimir Zubak again the President; European Union is not a buffet
Dnevni Avaz	Change of RS name next
Dnevni List	New money launder and tax evasion affair; Fifth anniversary of Jozo Leutar death
Vecernji List	150 companies laundered money through Manojlovic
Slobodna Dalmacija	Features Croatia related headlines

BiH Constitutional Court
BiH Constitutional Court orders abolishment of prefixes ‘Serb’ in names of RS cities and municipalities	RHB, BHTV 1 Fri, FTV Fri, RTRS Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat cover splash, pg 7 ‘Pre-war names of RS cities returned’, Dnevni Avaz Sat cover splash ‘‘Serb’ cities abolished’, pg 2 ‘Prefix ‘Serb’ to be abolished from names of RS cities’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘Prefix “Serb” in names of the cities non-constitutional’; Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Prefix “Serb” is not in accordance with Constitution’ Slobodna Dalmacija Sat pg 7 ‘Anti-constitutional adjectives ‘Serb’ in names of towns in BiH’ – At the plenary session held on Friday, BiH Constitutional Court concluded that the ethnic prefixes ‘Srpski’ in names of cities and municipalities in Republika Srpska were not in accordance with the BiH Constitution. The decision refers to the names of Serb Sarajevo, Serb Drvar, Serb Sanski Most, Serb Mostar, Serb Gorazde, Srbinje, Serb Kljuc, Serb Kostajnica, Serb Brod, Serb Ilidza, Serb Novo Sarajevo, Serb Stari Grad and Serb Orasje. Court also ordered the RS Peoples’ Assembly to harmonize – within three months from the day of the announced decision – the BiH Constitution with Article 11 of the Law on Territorial Organization and Local Government in the Serb Republic and Articles 1 and 2 of the Law on Serb Sarajevo, which regulate the names of these towns. The initiative for removal of ethnic prefixes from names of cities in RS was raised by SDU Vice President Sejfudin Tokic in 2001, when he served as the Deputy Speaker of BiH House of Peoples. Constitutional Court also discussed the agreement on special relations between RS and Serbia and Monte Negro, which enables border crossing for only RS citizens with ID, but concluded that it was constitutional.
Tadic: RS does not have to return to pre-war names of towns	RTRS Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun cover splash, pg 3 ‘Old or new, but only Serb’, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘There was no decision to return old names in RS’, Vecernji List Sun pg 3 ‘RS does not have to return to pre-war names of towns’ – The RS authorities are not obliged to re-introduce pre-war names of the towns, as confirmed by the President of the BiH Constitutional Court, Mato Tadic. “Will the pre-war names be returned or new names will be given, the Constitutional Court did not decide about that. We did not assume competencies of the RS National Assembly. We left them to solve it”, said Tadic. NTV Hayat – Tadic refused to comment on the constitutionality of the name of Republika Srpska, saying that the BiH Court have never received such request.
Tokic on court’s decision	FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sat cover splash, pg 7 ‘Pre-war names of RS cities returned’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘Open space for change of the smaller BiH entity’ – Initiator of the case, Sejfudin Tokic, commented that the decision will have strong impact on all future processes in BiH, especially those regarding the names of companies, media and even entities. “Decision will have far reaching consequences in RS, as it brings into the question the names of public companies such as Srpske poste, Srpske sume, but also… the coat of arms, hymn and the name of RS,” says Tokic adding that the prefix ‘Serb’ is discriminatory and ignorant of other constituent peoples in RS.
RS reactions to BiH Constitutional Court decision	RTRS Fri – RS officials and political leaders say that the Court’s verdict could cause an unpleasant political situation within BiH. “That is a political problem in BiH and this demand, in my opinion, hurts the wounds which have healed a bit,” commented Borislav Paravac, member of BiH Presidency. “Constitutional Court brings verdicts, not political decisions, and the Constitutional Court is not lead with political motives, but legal norms, meaning Constitutional norms. I believe that in a time we can find a solution,” said Dragan Cavic, RS President. Sejfudin Tokic also demanded the abolishment of prefixes Srpski in the names of public companies and re-evaluation of the Republika Srpska name. However, RS officials and Serb representatives in BiH Institutions say that such decision cannot be made, as RS is a Dayton’s category. “If those are the intentions of a demand by plaintiff, the attitudes of almost all RS political parties on that are known, meaning that would be a major change of BiH Constitution and I don’t believe that any serious political subject from RS would agree on that,” commented Goran Milivojac, Deputy Speaker of BiH House of Peoples. “Considering the campaign in FBiH, lead by individuals and some political parties that lobbied for abolishment of prefix Srpski, the final goal of RS and its name [to be changed] will get on the agenda. The question here, regarding the BiH Constitutional Court, is whether public pressure, in sense of political parties, decides or they really consider this to be a legal and good solution,” comments Tihomir Gligoric, Deputy in BiH House of Representatives. Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘This decision was expected’, SRNA – RS President Dragan Cavic stated that the BiH Constitutional Court’s verdict, which declared the unconstitutionality of the use of the Serb prefix for towns in the RS, was unfavorable, although he will form a final view after a detailed examination. “This kind of verdict was foreseen and expected. In any case, this is a problem of a political nature for those who think that this is dramatic, even though the verdict was not a political stance,” Cavic told SRNA. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic said that the government will be examining the verdict as soon as it is submitted with the copy. NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Fri, Slobodna Dalmacija Sat pg 15 ‘Republika Srpska will keep the name’ – Dragan Cavic also said that the Court’s decision will not influence the change of the Republika Srpska name. RTRS Sat – DNS President, Marko Pavic expressed regret that Srpsko Sarajevo will no longer bear that name. He said that main responsibility for that is with SDS and PDP, as they joined the Coalition with those “who want to harm RS.”
Kalinic: “We will raise the issue of names in FBiH with prefix ‘Bosnian’”	NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, RTRS Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘RS is established in the Dayton’, Dnevni List Sun pg 4 ‘Issue of names in Federation of BiH that carry Bosnian prefix to be raised’, SRNA – As carried by Srna news agency, Dragan Kalinic, RSNA Speaker and SDS chairman, stated that the decision of the BiH Constitutional Court “has more to do with politics than law. It is impossible to apply this principle and change the name of the Republika Srpska”. Kalinic added that it was impossible to change the name of RS “because the name is part of the BiH Constitution, and cannot be changed without the change of the constitution and we shall never agree to the constitutional change.” The Constitutional Court’s decision “heightens the sense of frustration of our people because we are deprived of the right to name our towns as we see fit, which is our autonomous right”, Kalinic said. He added: “Of course, we shall open the issue of the names in the Federation of BiH beginning with Bosnian [Bosanski].” Kalinic recalled that almost all street names referring to the Serb history and culture have been changed in the Federation’s part of Sarajevo. “I wonder if the Constitutional Court judges from the Serb Republic have warned about this. We shall ask them at the next session of the People’s Assembly how they voted regarding this latest decision,” Kalinic said.
Paravac: RS name cannot be abolished	NTV Hayat, FTV Sat, BHTV 1 Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘RS is established in the Dayton’ – BiH Presidency member Borislav Paravac said that the BiH Constitutional Court cannot abolish the name of Republika Srpska, as that name is defined in the Dayton Agreement and BiH Constitution. Paravac said that the final word on the BiH Constitutional Court’s decision, declaring the prefix “Serb” in the names of 13 cities in the RS unconstitutional, will be given by the RS National Assembly. He added that this decision cannot relate to the entity name, as “any change in the name of the entity would require consent from all three constituent peoples.”Dnevni Avaz Sun on pg 2 also carries Paravac’s statement.
Reactions from FBiH	Dnevni Avaz Sun cover splash ‘Change of RS name next’, pg 2 ‘Next step is to change the name of Republika Srpska’ – DA carries a statement by found of Party for BiH, Haris Silajdzic, as saying that following the decision by BiH Constitutional court, he expected the next step to be the change of the Republika Srpska name, “as that is not an exclusive entity of one people.” Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘Abolishment of prefix ‘Serb’ is of vital importance for BiH’ – SDU Leader Miro Lazovic stated that the court’s decision regarding the ethnic prefixes in the name of RS cities is of vital importance for BiH, as it will contribute to removal of barriers between two entities. SDA Vice President Elmir Jahic stressed that this decision restores the trust in BiH judiciary.
Oslobodjenje and DA editorials praise Court’s decision	Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 3 ‘Victory of idea of BiH’ op-ed by Almasa Hadzic – Author notes that the decision of BiH Constitutional Court instructing abolishment of prefix ‘Serb’ in names of RS cities and municipalities is “probably one of the greatest victories of idea of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is certainly the most strongest guarantees that BiH slowly moves towards the rest of the world, through wide paths of democracy and justice, and not through the story of Serb, Croat or Muslim [insignias].” Oslobodjenje Sun pg 2 ‘Soap-opera’ op-ed by Senka Kurtovic – In an editorial highly critical of political developments in FBiH, regarding the crisis between SDA and HDZ, author notes that the Court’s decision was the best thing happened in past several years, calling it “a bingo.”

Political issues
FBiH HoP adopts proposal FBiH budget for 2004; however procedure not completed	RHB, FTV Fri, BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 7 ‘Proposal of FBiH budget to be harmonized’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Proposal FBiH budget for 2004 adopted’, Dnevni List Sat ‘Federation budget for 2004 adopted’ – FBiH House of Peoples at the extraordinary session held on Friday adopted the proposal FBiH Budget for 2004. Prior to adoption, the FBiH Government held special session, attended by HDZ ministers, during the debate over budget in FBiH HoP, and endorsed almost all of the 13 amendments to the draft budget for 2004 submitted by the Croat people’s parliamentary floor group in the FBiH House of Peoples. Now, the adoption of the budget is not final because of different amendments being adopted in both houses, meaning that the draft budget has been endorsed in practically different forms. House of Peoples Chair Slavko Matic stated that in this case a joint commission of both Houses would have to harmonize the Budget, but according to procedure, it will have to be once again adopted by both houses. It is expected that the budget will be finally adopted in the Federation parliament on 31 March, the last possible day this could happen, as the decision on interim funding for the FBiH for the first three months of this year expires. One of the amendments adopted by FBiH HoP stipulates that the funds transferred to the cantons and lower government levels should be increased from 9 to 12 million KM. Another amendment cuts by 6m marks the amount for the construction of the Zenica-Sarajevo motorway. These funds will be redirected for other road construction works; of this amount, 1m marks will be used for the Prozor-Tomislavgrad road.
SEECP conference issues declaration on regional development and cooperation	NTV Hayat, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 ‘Regional cooperation in European integrations’, Sun pg 5 ‘European Union is not a buffet’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Today the conference of South East Europe parliamentary speakers’, Sun pg 4 ‘Taking over leadership in reforms implementation’ – At the fourth Conference of parliamentary representatives of the countries of South-Eastern Europe, organized within the South-eastern Europe Cooperation Process [SEECP], the participants passed a Declaration on development and improvement of relations between the SEEPC member-countries. The Declaration defines mutual values, and the determination to improve democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and freedoms, freedom of movement of people and goods and development of market economy. “Today we prove that the parliaments are determined to take leadership in implementation of reforms in the efforts to be admitted into the EU, Partnership for Peace and NATO,” said speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nikola Spiric. The Conference, held in Sarajevo on Saturday, was attended by delegations of BiH, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, OSCE, the Stability Pact and Central European Initiative. BHTV 1 Sat, FTV Sat – The participants also concluded that the Parliaments ought to take a leading role in the reforms’ implementation. The vice-president of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Hasan Muratovic, also said that BiH needed to free itself from the pressure of the international community in order to join EU. “We cannot start negotiations on admission to EU as a protectorate, we need to transform our relations with the EU, who will assist us in the development of democracy and human rights”, said Muratovic. RTRS Sat – Participants agreed that the SEE Stability Pact initiative hasn’t fulfilled expectations. Muratovic said that it was obvious that the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe, unlike some other projects, had failed and should be replaced with another form of cooperation.
EC report concludes BiH achieved moderate success, although often under IC pressure	FTV Fri by Verica Kalajdzic – European Commission’s report on BiH progress in implementation of reforms in past year has concluded that BiH achieved moderate success, although often under the pressure by the international community. FTV carries that the report will be make public on 31^st March. Report also carries that the BiH Government has not been developed sufficiently to implement the reforms, also facing the challenge of tensions between the state and the entities. EC believes that BiH authorities need to do put an extra effort. Furthermore, EC expects realization of important reforms in the field of public administration and defence. Limited improvements were noted in the field of human rights and inadequate cooperation with the ICTY, especially in the case of RS. Report also concludes that during the past twelve months economic situation was instable and that BiH needs to do more to attract foreign investors and increase the import.
Opposition parties on SDA/HDZ agreement ending FBiH Govt crisis	FTV Fri – Opposition parties in FBiH believe that the two-month crisis between SDA and HDZ, which resulted in the problems with the work of FBiH Government and which ended with agreement reached between parties on Thursday, was created in order to draw attention away from the real problems in BiH. “[Earlier] I said that it is going to be solved, because I believe power is the best cure, and those two parties will not give up the power at this moment”, said Kresimir Zubak, NHI Leader. “Show for the nation is over. Actually, coalition partners decreased the degree of intolerance in the public and degree of doubt in their partners, but basically relations didn’t change. They are still based on mistrust and intolerance”, said Svetozar Pudaric, SDP General Secretary. “One week ago I wrote that they would come to an agreement for sure. But I am not interested in the issue. What interests me is one other phenomenon, present in HDZ’s behavior. Whenever critical issue arises in the Parliament, HDZ’s Deputies leave the session, knowing that certain decisions will be made. This way they try to transfer responsibility from themselves to others”, said Marko Tadic, from HSS.
Editorials on SDA/HDZ agreement	Vecernji List Sat pg 2 ‘Permanent crisis in relations’ by Ilko Barbaric – Author claims that despite the SDA and HDZ reaching an agreement, the Croats in the FBiH are in an unfavorable position, with a tendency to get even worse, because the crisis in the relations between the SDA and HDZ, according to the author, remains. Barbaric believes that all the national rights can be protected only by transferring competencies onto the State and cantonal levels, “which means, the internal re-organization of BiH that does not suit either the Serbs or the Bosniaks”. Dnevni List Sat pg 6 ‘Outvoting’ by Zvonimir Jukic – Author claims that, with the SDA and HDZ reaching the latest agreement, the two parties are far from reaching a permanent solution to the problem called “outvoting”. The author claims that the SDA and HDZ are persistent in efforts to outvote each other at difference levels, foremost at the FBiH level, in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and in the City of Mostar. Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg. 7 by Mate Djakovic, ‘Defence and attack’ – The author starts the article with the comment on the current developments in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina stressing that the consistent love for the power has prevailed within the HDZ again and they stayed coalition partners of SDA.
Kalinic on allegedly being unwanted persona in Bijeljina	RTRS Fri, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 4, ‘We will arrange things in SDS’ – President of SDS Bijeljina Board, Cvjetin Nikic and Vice Presidents Branko Stevic and Dragan Vuckovic refused to comment want to comment the statements of their party members in Bijeljina that Dragan Kalinic, SDS President, became unwanted person in Bijeljina. An anonymous member of SDS stated on Thursday that such stand was taken by SDS in Bijeljina, due to injustices towards the SDS staff from Semberija region. The same source said that Dragan Kalinic was warned not to pass trough Semberija on his way to Belgrade, but that he should go over Croatia. SDS President, Dragan Kalinic commented that he knew nothing of these allegations. “We will work it out in house. Those who thought that public attention… would be turned towards SDS and not to oppositional parties, who failed on their protests, are terribly wrong. SDS will survive, it will be even more united and stronger and we will still remain the important, inevitable factor in the RS political theatre,” commented Kalinic.
NHI Convention: Zubak re-elected as President	Oslobodjenje Sat pg 6 ‘Zubak and Vrbic candidates for president’, Sun pg 4 ‘Kresimir Zubak reelected president’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 10 ‘Uninvited will be stopped from entering’, Sun pg 4 ‘Zubak reelected for the president’, Vecernji List Sun pg 3 ‘NHI Convention without founders’, Slobodna Dalmacija Sun pg 9 ‘Without Grabovac, Vidak, Anic…’, back page ‘Zubak again President of NHI’, Dnevni List Sun pg 4 ‘Zubak: NHI was formed as movement against policy of HDZ’ – The third NHI Convention re-elected Kresimir Zubak as the NHI President. Zubak received backing from 167 delegates, whilst his only rival, Drago Vrbic from Zepce, received 31 votes. VL notes the Convention was overshadowed by an obvious rift within the party, namely the conflict between Zubak and a fraction led by Mijo Anic. Anic, as well as former senior officials of the NHI, Nikola Grabovac, Vinko Jakic and Stanko Sliskovic had not even been invited to the Convention.
Hays meets youth in BL: Young people have little trust in politicians	Oslobodjenje Sat pg 6 ‘Youth doesn’t trust politicians’, Dnevni List Sat pg 4 ‘Young people do not trust politicians’, Vecernji List Sat ‘Young people suspicious about politicians’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Hays: Process of privatisation is slow’ – The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, stated in Banja Luka, after meeting with youth experts and business people, that young people in BiH had very little trust in politicians and that they were “frustrated” that the IC tolerated it. PDHR Hays apparently stressed that the young people were frustrated because they cannot be told when changes would be carried out.
Op-eds on proposal to abolish FBiH	Dnevni List Sat pg 2 ‘Who needs Federation of BiH?’ by Miso Relota – Referring to the proposal submitted by the caucus of HDZ-CCD-HNZ to the Speakers of the FBiH House of Representatives and House of Peoples a Draft constitutional law on transfer of authority from Federation of BiH onto the State and cantons, the author claims this is no cheap political trick of the HDZ because, according to Relota, “people who are familiar with the BiH political scene will, without hesitating, tell you that there is a tacit agreement between the Serb and Bosniak political parties in BiH. By that tacit agreement, as proven in practice, the Serbs are rulers in the Republika Srpska, whilst the Bosniaks are doing everything to have an absolute domination in the Federation of BiH, in order to make the Croat majority areas poor, which would result in further emigration of the Croats from BiH”. Relota concludes: “The avalanche has been started, resistance to the initiative is great, but eventually, there will be a transfer of authority from the FBiH onto the State”. Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg. 7 by Mirza Cubro, ‘State under three roofs’ – the author claims that the initiative of the HDZ MP’s at the Parliament of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is nothing else but another initiative aimed at establishing the third entity in BiH. As a proof for this he says, inter alia, HDZ does not demand abolishment of Republika Srpska.

Education
Deadline Set For Harmonized Primary and Secondary School Legislation	NTV Hayat, RTRS Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 3 ‘Harmonize cantonal and entities laws with state education laws’, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 3 ‘D day is 24 April’, Vecernji List Sun pg 2 ‘Entities and cantons have deadline until April 24’, Dnevni List Sun front, pg 3 ‘Deadline set for harmonization of education in whole of BiH’ – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Robert Beecroft, and the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Special Representative in BiH, Sonja Moser-Starrach, stated that failing to harmonize Canton and Entity Education Laws with the BiH Framework Law must be addressed if BiH is to progress further towards European integration. In the letter sent to the RS Minister of Education, Gojko Savanovic, the Ministers of Education of all FBiH Cantons, the RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic and the speakers of the Cantonal Assemblies, IC representatives underlined that almost two years after BiH’s accession to the Council of Europe, only the Brcko District has met its legal obligation to harmonize their Laws with the BiH Law on Primary and Secondary Education. The letter states that this “issue is not just about Education and domestic legal obligations, but also about BiH meeting its international legal obligations. Adopting and putting in place new, fully harmonized, education legislation at all levels of government by 24 April 2004 – two years after Bosnia and Herzegovina became the 44th member of the Council of Europe, is a post-accession requirement of the Council of Europe.” The fulfilment of the CoE’s post-accession criteria is also raised by the European Commission’s feasibility study.
DL: int with Beecroft on education	Dnevni List Sat pg 9 ‘Enchanted circle of reform to higher education’ by Robert M. Beecroft –DL carries a piece signed by the Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, Robert M. Beecroft, in which he notes that the framework law on higher education has ended up in a deep trouble, since the BiH Council of Ministers forwarded the law to the BiH Parliament, despite the opposition coming from the HDZ Ministers, which means chances that the law gets adopted within the set deadline (March 31) are not good. Noting that it is likely the deadline will be missed, Ambassador Beecroft says it is not certain how many hours or days the World Bank is ready to wait for the law to get adopted, before it decides to send the funds allocated to the higher education to Bangladesh. In that context, Ambassador Beecroft notes the worst thing about the whole issue in the short term is the fact that the people, who made the Draft budget for 2004, have already spent most of the offered WB money, which will create gaps in the budget.
Jovic, BiH HoP MP, on education law	Dnevni List Sat pg 22 ‘Jovic: Croats must not sell national interest for million dollars’ by Ivica Glibusic – In an interview with an MP in the BiH House of Representatives, Ivo Miro Jovic, speaking about the making of the framework law on higher education, says the framework law was prepared by the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, led by Minister Safet Halilovic. “His associates were two entity ministers, Pasic from the FBiH and Stevanovic from the RS. Therefore, no Croat participated in any segment of making of the document”, explains Jovic, adding: “Croats did not participate in the making of the document because, in its essence, the law in anti-constitutional. Paragraph 4, article 3 of the Constitution reads that cantons are in charge of solutions regarding education, science, culture and sport. Nobody has changed the Constitution”.

War crimes
Hays meets Cavic: Report by Srebrenica Commission by mid April	BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 7 ‘Report on Srebrenica by mid April’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘Srebrenica Commission report by mid April’ – RS President Dragan Cavic on Friday met with the Principal Deputy High Representative Donald Hays. Following the meeting Cavic said he would ask RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic to direct all government resources on the report, by the Commission appointed to examine the events in Srebrenica in 1995, being in line with the decision of the BiH Human Rights Chamber. Hays said that he had agreed with Cavic that the report on Srebrenica should be published by mid April, and that he expected the reformist laws on defence and army to be adopted promptly. RTRS Fri – RSNA Speaker, Dragan Kalinic also met with Ambassador Hays, with whom he discussed the deadlines for submitting the Srebrenica Commission report.
Miletic: ICTY shows no readiness to cooperate with RS	FTV Sat, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 2 ‘Tribunal submitted with 86 cases’, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 8 ‘Tribunal did not show readiness to cooperate with RS’ – The head of the RS government Secretariat for Relations with the ICTY, Dejan Miletic, on Saturday stated that the Tribunal has so far shown no readiness for cooperation with the Republika Srpska. He said that the secretariat has submitted to the tribunal 86 cases and huge quantities of evidence related to war crimes committed against Serbs in BiH but that replies came back in regard to only 35 cases. Most important documents submitted to ICTY, says Miletic, are connected to Alija Izetbegovic and crimes committed against Serbs in Mrkonjic Grad. RTRS Sat – Miletic notes that while ICTY has no deadline to make respond regarding to the submitted cases, he considers that some cases have been delayed for no reason. “We have even sent a urgent request to ICTY regarding the cases submitted by Regional Prosecution from Doboj, I think that has been on 23 or 24 criminal cases, out of which maybe five or six were responded to,” added Dejan Miletic, He further explained that these cases will be tried before the Doboj Court, but and added that there are some cases against Bosniaks and Croats that should be lead before Courts in Trebinje and some cases against Serbs in Banja Luka Court. Miletic said that this proves that RS is cooperating with ICTY.
DL on new ICTY indictments of BiH Croats	Dnevni List Sun ‘Municipal elections postpone arrival of indictments from The Hague’ by Zvonimir Jukic – Amid reports on ICTY indictments against several senior Croat military and civilian officials, DL learns from sources close to institutions of the ICTY in BiH that the persons in question will be taken to The Hague on December 2 this year. According to DL, there are plenty reasons for the delay, the most important being the local elections in October this year, and the influence the extradition of the indictees could have on the outcome of the elections. DL’s source reveals that indictments against Bosniaks, who participated in crimes committed against the central Bosnia Croats and Sarajevo Serbs, will be raised soon.
UN SC adopts resolution on ICTY	RTRS Sat, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘US insist Gotovina, Karadzic and Mladic tried in ICTY’, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 6 ‘Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina to be tried in the Hague’ – UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that urges The Hague Tribunal to do everything possible in order to complete all investigations by the end of this year and ICTY work by 2010. Resolution also invites BiH, Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia to increase their cooperation and to enable arrests of top war crimes suspects Ante Gotovina, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. Following the UN resolution, US State Department said that these three suspects must be tried before the ICTY.

Economic and social issues
Syndicate furious with cancellation of ESV session	Dnevni Avaz Sat cover ‘Biber claims Government creates chaos’, pg 9 ‘Biber accuses government of creating chaos’, Sun pg 3 ‘For protests of workers, the address is the FBiH Government’ – Economic and Social Council of FBiH Government on Friday failed to discuss the program of social care for workers who will lose their jobs in bankruptcy, as they FBiH was attending the session of FBiH House of Peoples regarding the FBiH budget. Chairman of the Council, Bozidar Matic stated that the Government did not inform the Council, which could not hold its session due to absence of its members, that it session would have to be cancelled due to the Government’s session. President of the BiH Syndicates Edhmer Biber said that this was “classis example of ignorant behavior of the Government towards the Council… Syndicate supports the reforms, but with its attitude, the Government will create chaos and no representatives of the international community would help it [when that happens].” BHTV 1 Fri, FTV Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 9 ‘Employers and syndicate arrived, but no ministers’ – “Ministers were present at the [FBiH House of Peoples’ session… so we couldn’t arrange the ESC’s session”, said Radovan Vignjevic, FBiH Minister of Labor and Social Politics.
EC raises concern over delays in public procurement reforms	FTV Fri, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Progress towards European integrations endangered’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 5, ‘BiH authorities implementing reforms too slowly’- General Director for Foreign Affairs in the European Commission Eneko Landanburu, sent a letter to Adnan Terzic, chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, in which he voiced concern over the delay in the implementation of reforms in BiH, particularly in the sector of public acquisitions. As the report states, the delay may result in serious consequences for the negotiations on the agreement on stabilization and accession to the EU, as well as for the continued financial support of the EU to Bosnia-Hercegovina. The letter poses the reform of the system of public acquisitions as the crucial issue and reiterates that the RS Government had refused to endorse the bill on public acquisitions, which is the reason the European Commission has already suspended its assistance in this sphere.
Terzic’s respond to Landanburu	Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Letter in friendly tone’, FENA – “The BiH Council of Ministers, as well as entity Governments, took part in preparing the law on public procurement and within our ability and authority we shall do all we can to remove reasons preventing the adoption of this law,” BiH Council of Ministers Chair Adnan Terzic told FENA Friday commenting the letter by Enek Landanburu. “I view Landanburu’s letter important for at least two reasons – number one, that the EU sees the law on public procurement as key proof of the willingness of BiH authorities to make another step toward European structures. Number two, the fact that the letter was written in a friendly tone is proof to us that the EU wishes to see BiH continue fulfilling its commitments toward full integration into the EU at an unreduced pace”, Terzic said.
Diplomatic forum discusses economic cooperation btw BiH and SCG	BHTV 1 Fri, Oslobodjenje Sat pg 5 ‘Exchange damaging BiH’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 8 ‘BiH is an absolute priority for SCG’ – At the diplomatic forum organized by BiH Foreign Ministry and German Foundation ‘Friedrich Ebert’ held in Sarajevo, Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro to BiH, Stanimir Vukicevic, said that significant improvement has been noted in the bilateral cooperation between SCG and BiH. Ambassador Vukicevic concluded there was a need for greater parliamentary cooperation, adding that BiH was a priority for SCG authorities. As for the Free Trade Agreements, which will be on force as of 1 April: “Finally, we expect that the agreement will be completely symmetric on both sides, and that the merchandise will be treated equally on both sides.” BiH Assistant Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Djikic stated that when it comes to economic cooperation between two country it was improving, but added that trade exchange are still less favourable for BiH.
Hays/Cavic discuss privatisation	Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Hays: Process of privatisation is slow’; Glas Srpske, pg. 3, ‘Gas on privatisation’ – At Friday meeting in Banja Luka, Dragan Cavic, Republika Srpska President, and Donald Hays, PDHR, agreed that the process of privatisation in Republika Srpska proceeds too slowly. Cavic said: “There are rare examples that the buyers of the state capital advanced the production and employment level.”
DL int with Wold Bank director	Dnevni List Sat pg 23 ‘Zero tolerance for corruption’ by Renata Radic – In an interview for DL, the Director of World Bank for BiH, Dirk Reinermann, notes the big progress BiH has made since 1996, both in political and economic areas, especially in the banking sector. Reinermann explains: “Economy is three times stronger than in 1996. We have invested a billion dollars into the country since 1996, which is a precedent, because neither the IC nor any financial institution has ever invested so much money into one country. This is a great success. We are concerned this could be spoiled by political disagreements. We are worried with what’s happening in the Federation (of BiH), and at the State level”. Reinermann notes that the World Bank is currently concerned with four issues, namely with the law on higher education, payments to victims of war, law on bankruptcy and issue of public procurement.
First draft VAT Law presented	Oslobodjenje Sat pg 3 ‘First draft VAT law on discussion’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 10 ‘Draft VAT law prepared’ – Director of the Indirect Taxation Administration Kemal Causevic submitted to the ITA Board the first VAT Law. The draft was prepared with the support of CAFAO, and it is planned for VAT to be introduction on 1 January 2006.
CoM negotiates with neighbours on postponing FTAs	Oslobodjenje Sat cover, pg 3 ‘Negotiations with Sanader to start in mid April’ – Spokesperson for the Chairman of CoM, Bojan Zec-Filipovic stated that the CoM Chair Adnan Terzic will expects to have regulation on change to the tax tariffs sent to the parliamentary procedure. Filipovic added that BiH authorities will not postpone Free Trade Agreements signed with the neighbouring countries one-sidedly, but added that they will try to do that together. He explained that the negotiations with SCG officials are on going, and that Terzic is expected to meet Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in mid April to, among other things, address this issue.