Friday
| CROAT RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Explosion in Otes | HR sets priorities for 2004 | BiH without capital market | NY celebrations |
| Kreso on HR Decision | Cancelled flights to US | Appointment of judges | Rocks thrown on train |
| Terrorists in BiH | Situation in Serbia | ICG on HR performance | Djeric on war crimes |
| Djeric on war crimes | Djeric on war crimes | Situation in Serbia | Ashdown’s statement |
Saturday
| NTV HAYAT CENTRAL NEWS (18,55 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| OHR’s statement | World news | Plane crash in Egypt | Plane crash in Egypt |
| False bomb treat in OHR | ORH statement | Iran earthquake | HR’s priorities in 2004 |
| World news | Mostar issues in 2003 | Ante Gotovina | Reforms in 2004 |
| BiH personalities of year | Mikerevic statement | OHR statement | Spiric and Pamuk satisfied |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | Scandalous: Delegates would to go to pensions at age of 55?!; Armed forces: Dismissals starting in February? |
| Dnevni Avaz | Hadzipasic: I don’t want to break the law; Presidency member resting in Bjelasnica: Tihic: This will be a year of progress |
| Dnevni List | FBIH Government makes strategy on solving of internal debt: More than two billion written off; Professor Muhamed Borogovac analyses current situation in Mostar: SDA wants to maintain status quo in Mostar |
| Vecernji List | Federation Army does not have money for food |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Liberalization of border crossing regime between Croatia and BiH: Without passports over borders |
| Glas Srpske | More than500 RS Companies owe 28.5 million km to Pension and Health Insurance Funds |
| Nezavisne Novine | New year has started with old problems; Donation for Iran; Ljubisa Vladusic, BiH Central Bank Vice-Governor: BiH is not facing bankruptcy |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | Ashdown commences campaign for security reforms: State security an exam for RS leadership; Dragan Mikerevic: Truth about Srebrenica in interest of RS |
| Dnevni Avaz | Adnan Terzic: ‘Zrak’ [building] is clear, SIPA can move in |
| Dnevni List | Coric: Boric participated in making of Draft budget that he now denies; Mladen Ivanic: Foreign policy cannot be tied to Islamic countries only |
| Vecernji List | Croatia with BiH and Slovenia through compromise; Children “planted bomb” in front of Ashdown’s office |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
OHR on priorities for 2004 | |
| OHR: security, judiciary and Mostar priorities for 2004
| NTV Hayat, BHTV 1, Dnevni List cover, pg 3 ‘According to Dayton, competence is with state, not entities’- Reforms in the security sector and judiciary, as well as the solution for the city of Mostar will be priority issues for the High Representative Paddy Ashdown at the beginning of 2004. As statement by OHR Communications Director Julian Braithwaite reads, the independent judiciary is also one of the important EU standards. The High Representative is also determined to find solution for Mostar, which would satisfy two main principles: abolishment of the parallel structures and prevention of the domination of any of the constituent peoples. It was stressed that the security sector reforms, on which a campaign will be launched in upcoming weeks, are of crucial importance for BiH if it seeks to become more effective in the arrest of war criminals, fight against organized crime and global terrorism. According to a statement from the OHR, the Dayton Peace Accord has placed the security of the country into the hands of State, not the entities and therefore if BiH wants to show its seriousness, it cannot prolong the process. FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje Sun cover splash ‘State security an exam for RS leadership’, pgs 4&5 ‘State Security exam for RS’ – The statement further reads on the security reforms: “This is especially important for RS, where there should be a decision on whether they would be serious or not in regard to the creating institutions which are capable of arresting war criminals, but also whether they want to be looked at like obstructionists on the way towards building Dayton state.” Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Campaign for the reforms in security sector’, ‘Next week, visit to Mostar’, Vecernji List Sun pg 3 ‘Security, judiciary and Mostar priorities of OHR’ – When it comes to Mostar, VL reports that HR Ashdown will visit Mostar next week to present his reaction to the report prepared by the Chairman of Mostar Commission and talk to political parties about its implementation. |
| Ashdown on reforms and priorities in 2004
| BHTV 1 – In an telephone interview with BHTV 1, High Representative Paddy Ashdown explains his priorities for 2004: “I have three important objectives in upcoming period. Politicians have to learn that they can no longer appoint judges and prosecutors… As for Mostar, there should be a single administration for entire city without municipalities and with a clear division of power. We have not completed reform on intelligence service as requested by European Union, so both entities’ intelligences, which are corrupted and scandalous, need to be abolished and unified in a new structure. If these reforms are not completed, BiH citizens will not be able to travel without visas and the rest of the international community will not treat BiH as a partner in the fight against terrorism.” Stressing the BiH cannot join EU as long as the High Representative imposes decisions, Ashdown was also asked to comment on the recent pressures at the work of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils: “I have full confidence in the work of all HJPCs. They make appointments based on merit of candidates, not on ethnic criteria, but I am sure that at the end of process there will be a fair ethnic balance. If there are some objections on process then it should be addressed to the BiH Supreme Court and not instead to start with the media campaign as EU will recognize political lobbying unacceptable in democratic societies.” FTV – In an telephone interview to FTV, Paddy Ashdown commented: “If we don’t demonstrate progress on creation of [state] Defence Ministry, appointment of Defence Minister and adequate budget for that Ministry before NATO summit in Istanbul, then we can’t join NATO structures.” High Representative also commented that the “last 6 weeks were not good for reforms processes, a lot of obstructionism has occurred threatening the reforms.” RTRS – Marking that while the doors to Europe and NATO have been opened for BiH, Paddy Ashdown warns: “The step towards Europe should be made by August 2004, however that road is not without obstacles, as politicians are not realizing how big task they have in front of them and due to the increased obstructions towards reforms. If BiH wants to join the Europe, they have to establish the single High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council in the next two to three months.” |
2003 in reviews | |
| ICG on work of the High Representative and local authorities in 2003
| RTRS Fri, FTV Fri – The International Crisis Groups estimated the work of the High Representative Paddy Ashdown in 2003, noting that while he imposed 93 decisions in the first half of 2003, in the second part of the year he restrained from imposing solution and reforms have not been substantial. Priorities for 2003 were defense, indirect taxation, intelligence service and City of Mostar. First two reforms have been partially achieved in 2003, while other two were postponed to 2004. However analyst of the International Crisis Group Senad Slatina comments: “These are good ‘paper’ reforms, but without a real impact and they just created forum for discussion over certain issues.” Slatina adds that the large part of responsibility lies with local leaders, adding that the passed reforms introduced changes to the Dayton agreement through ‘back doors’. ICG also notes that the domestic leaders have not used opportunity to act more decisively after the High Representative changed his approach from imposing decisions to monitoring the situation. |
| Spiric, Pamuk on work of BiH HoR and HoP in 2003 | RTRS – The Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nikola Spiric and the Speaker of BiH House of Peoples Mustafa Pamuk, said that they were satisfied with the work of their Houses in the last year. Mustafa Pamuk said that it was important that all Laws imposed by the High Representative were adopted, which created conditions for these laws to be changed later. Nikola Spiric: “A lot of work is ahead of us regarding the completion of the 16 conditions from the Feasibility Study and 2004 will be more complicated in the economic sense.” |
| FTV on work of FBiH Parliament in 2003 | FTV – In a feature reviewing the work of the FBiH Parliament, FTV interviewed several delegates on their responsibility for the current situation. Slavisa Sucur from SDP: “I am personally not satisfied with our performance. We have been making useless conclusions, aimed only at self-promotion and without a real impact for people. I am afraid many of us don’t understand what is our mission.” Ismet Osmovic from SDA: “We had good discussions on all issues and proposed solutions, but there is also an issue of our independence. What we can do if all solutions are given and limited.” Ivan Medunic from HDZ: “We don’t have independence in our work, since most of solutions are already prepared. Decisions are imposed even when we have better solutions. So I don’t think we may overcome our problems in short time.” |
| VL: politicians on achieved in 2003 | Vecernji List Sat pg 7 ‘Although the progress is state is obvious, results are not visible yet’ by Milo Jukic – VL carries opinions of several prominent politicians on the year behind us. FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmed Hadzipasic, says: “BiH is moving forward and the reformatory laws make it acceptable to the EU. All that is being done in order to make the single economic space come to life, but it has to speed up significantly in the first half of 2004. We will need the OHR’s help, which should not amaze anyone, because no country has entered the EU without pressures, nor will BiH”. The President of SDA Caucus in the FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives, Semsudin Mehmedovic, says: “The International Community worries us sometimes, because they often abuse their authorities. Any OHR official can call any judge or prosecutor and exert pressure, and that’s a classic example of abuse, but the IC’s presence is still needed, considering that there are still destructive forces in BiH, which do not consider BiH as their country. That’s where I see the OHR’s role, not in the part that I mentioned earlier”. |
| Hayat on HNK and Mostar issues in 2003 | NTV Hayat – The year 2003 will be remembered as the year of the crisis in the work of Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonal Government (HNK). Feature also notes some of the most important events in Mostar over the past year, such as eight months period needed to establish the government, parallelism in the authority, work of the two commissions for draft of the City’s Statues and disputable educational reforms. Sead Djulic, Head of the SDP branch in HNK comments: “This year will be remembered by a great hypocrisy of the international community, and by a total strip of the leading politics in the canton and the city.” Josip Merdzo, Head of the HDZ branch in HNK: “It will be necessary to find a compromise on every level. A consensus has to be a foundation in order to make things work, not only in Mostar but also in the entire state.” |
| VL on situation in BiH in 2003 | Vecernji List Sat pg 2 ‘Non-state’ by Ilko Barbaric – In light of the High Representative’s Decision on Industrial Electricity Tariffs, the author argues that BiH has again “brilliantly” confirmed it is a “non state”, since the HR had stated that BiH could not go into Europe with imposed solutions. “In BiH, there is a war again itself. Maybe that’s the point of the non state?”, concludes the author. Vecernji List Sun pg 2 ‘Backward is difficult, forward even more difficult’ by Ljuba Djikic – The author judges by statements of BiH politicians that none of them is happy about what had been done in 2003, believing that they do not have proper plans how to deal with problems at municipal, cantonal, FBiH and State levels. The author writes: “They are full of pessimistic statements for the following year too. Only the High Representative sees the progress in the BiH economy and living standard during the past year, whilst regarding the vision in the new year, he speaks in conditional, if you do that, that would be easier…But his vision should be taken with reservations, he judges by his own standard and everything is in harmony with colour of his shirt (pink)”. |
| DL editorial on aims for 2004 | Dnevni List Sun pg 2 ‘Mostar the capitol city of Federation of BiH after unification’ by Zvonimir Jukic – The author believes that changes to the Dayton Peace Accord that should happen in 2004 will lead to weakening of the entities’ authorities in favour of strengthening State institutions, which should lead to Sarajevo becoming the capitol city of BiH in the true meaning of the word. Having said all that, the author believes having Sarajevo as both the capitol of BiH and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina would be unnecessary, so one should count on Mostar becoming the FBiH capitol. In light of that, the author reminds that Richard Holbrooke stated during his visit to Mostar in 2000 that Mostar should be a single city and as such the capitol of FBiH. |
War crimes | |
| Djeric on arrest of war criminals by RS MoI
| RTRS, FTV, BHTV1, CRHB, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘To make state plan for arrest of war criminals’, Vecernji List Sat pg 2 ‘Co-operation for arrest of war criminals’, Dnevni List Sat pg 9 ‘Co-operation between RS MoI and The Hague Tribunal’, Nezavisne novine pg 3 – RS Interior Minister Zoran Djeric stated that the local RS police has shown maximal readiness to arrest war criminals, but stressed that the cooperation with all authorities is needed in BiH. Djeric also stated that the there has to be a joint action plan for the arrest of war criminals still at large agreed at all authorities levels in entities and the state. While Interior Ministry is ready to fulfil its obligation towards ICTY, Djeric stressed that RS MoI is not the only institution that can solve this issue. “Cooperation and exchange of data is needed between the ministries and intelligence as well as cooperation with SFOR and EUPM.” – stated Djeric. Zoran Djeric added that during his term as the Interior Minister he has not received single information on war criminals. |
| DA editorial on Djeric’s statement
| Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 3 ‘RS obstructs the Hague, not BiH’ editorial by Edina Sarac – Following RS Interior Minister’s proposal for the establishment of state action plan for the arrest of war criminals at large, author writes that this was a hypocritical invitation, “which Djeric, of course this must not be forgotten, has sent by himself, but on behalf of his mentors and employees from Karadzic’s SDS”. Calling entire Djeric’s statement ‘absurd’ author concludes that “RS was the one which obstructs the cooperation with the Tribunal, and not the Federation or BiH. And whether any kinds of sanctions by the international community follow, they should be punish the smaller entity, and not the state.” |
| Mikerevic: Truth about Srebrenica is in interest of Serb people | FTV, BHTV 1, Vecernji List Sun pg 2 ‘It is in interest of RS to learn truth about Srebrenica’, Dnevni List Sun pg 10 ‘It is in interest of Republika Srpska to reach the truth about Srebrenica’ – RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stated on Friday that it was in the interest of Republika Srpska to disclose the truth about the events in Srebrenica in July 1995. In his appearance in Alternative TV stated based in Banja Luka, Mikerevic also stressed that the RS institutions were willing to face this issue in order to disperse the suspicion of the Serb people’s collective responsibility for the events in BiH during the war. Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 2 ‘Truth about Srebrenica is in interest of Serb people’, Oslobodjenje Sun cover, pg 3 ‘Truth about Srebrenica in interest of RS’, FENA – Mikerevic added that he expected special commission of the entity government appointed at the session held in Visegrad on 26 December to examine events in Srebrenica and ‘submit to appropriate addresses’ its findings in April or June 2004. Commenting the cooperation with the ICTY, Mikerevic stressed that activities which would promote cooperation between RS and the Hague Tribunal were undergoing: “That is our obligation which we have to fulfil.” |
Economic and social issues | |
| Comments on Ashdown’s decision on Industrial Electricity Tariffs
| CRHB, Nezavisne novine pg 2 – The Director of Elektroprivreda BiH Sarajevo Enver Kreso issued a press statement welcoming the decision imposed by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown on electricity supplies for industrial producers. The statement also reads that the FBiH Government would have to take over the largest part of the work, but that not much will be done to solve the issue with current structure of the Ministers. Dnevni List Sat pg 2 ‘Statement of Day’ – The CEO of Elektroprivreda of BiH, Enver Kreso: “Paddy Ashdown has found a good solution”. Vecernji List Sat pg 2 ‘Non-state’ by Ilko Barbaric – Author writes that the High Representative’s Decision on Industrial Electricity Tariffs, “saved the Aluminij, thus preventing the political and economic crisis of wider proportions”. Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 8 ‘It is good that Aluminij will be direct consumer of Elektroprivreda BiH’ – The President of the Syndicate of the Energy workers in BiH Mensud Krljes commented on the Ashdown’s decision on Industrial Electricity Tariffs: “If I interpret this decision well, Aluminij will finally have to be our direct consumer, which is certainly positive. That also means that it would have to pay the electricity at the price which is valid for other consumers, which is also good, but it if left to be seen what that price will be.” He added that if the price is lower than the current one, than Elektroprivreda and mines will be in ‘deep trouble’. Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘I don’t want to break a Law’, pg 5 ‘Even the harshest critics knew that the payment of a half pension by 31 December was not possible’ – FBIH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic said that the decision made by HR was the same as FBIH Government’s stand that was taken two months ago, but “interests of some political structures, wish for conflicts … which do not lead forward, bad estimate of realistic situation, animating of Syndicate representatives and using the large number of workers, expressing possible dissatisfactions… showed that the presence of the international community in here was still necessary for long time.” |
| Oslobodjenje editorial on Ashdown’s decision
| Oslobodjenje Sat pg 2 ‘Continuation of the protectorate’ editorial by Mirko Sagolj – Author refers to HR’s decision on industrial tariffs, saying that this year has began as the last one: ‘in the sign of protectorate’. Adding that even Paddy Ashdown stated that he was no happy to impose the decision, author writes that HR was right to say that ceasing Aluminij would cause economic and political crisis in FBiH. Editorial further reads that the issue of Aluminij is, beside economic, also political and ethnic issue, as the company is under HDZ control and employs mostly Croats. It concludes that in explanation of his decision, HR has sent an important message to political structures in BiH: “that he hopes that in the future ‘interests of the country and its peoples, bot the interests of national rivals will be in the focus’.” |
| Third GSM licence update | Dnevni List Sun pg 3 ‘Eronet ready to pay the price’ – Following the decision by the BiH Council of Ministers on the price of 3rd GSM licence in BiH (140 million KMs), the manager of “Hercegovina osiguranje” (one of shareholders in “Eronet”), Robert Gavranovic, says the Supervisory Board of “Eronet” will sit on January 15 to discuss the issue. Gavranovic hopes that owners of “Eronet” will pay the price, noting that the price is not as “terrible” as it seemed when it was originally revealed. Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘Owners of Eronet still did not decide whether they would pay 140 million KM’ – The president of the Eronet’s board Bozo Knezevic said that company has unofficial talks with CRA, who expressed positive attitude towards the company and its development. He added that also CRA’s official were positive about Eronet being third GSM operator. Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 4 ‘Eronet was not promised anything!’ – Spokesperson for the Communications Regulatory Agency, Amela Odobasic, denied the statement by Bozo Knezevic which said that this company will be issued the GSM licence next week. She confirmed that in the mid January, CRA will start to establish the criteria which would decide whether Eronet or HT Mostar will be issued with the licence. Odobasic also stressed that Eronet will not be shut down before the final decision on the licence. |
| Hadzipasic answers criticism regarding overdue pensions | Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘I don’t want to break a Law’, pg 5 ‘Even the harshest critics knew that the payment of a half pension by 31 December was not possible’ – In an interview to DA, FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic stated that he did everything possible to bring Government into being capable of paying out a half of the overdue pension. He added that, however, he was not ready to break the law which clearly said that or the budget will be rebalanced in 2003 or the payment will be included in 2004 budget. He also explained that the rebalance of the budget has to be approved by the both Houses, and that House of Peoples did not held a session. Hadzipasic criticized those who used media to promote themselves by criticizing the government and him for something that was not possible to do. |
| DL on FBiH internal debt | Dnevni List Sat cover, pg 3 ‘More than two billion written off’ by Renata Radic – DL reports that the Government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has made the Strategy for solving of FBiH internal debt, which amounts to 2,963 billion KMs. Of the sum, the Government acknowledges the debt that amounts to 828 million KMs, of which 318,8 million would be paid in cash, whilst the rest would be paid in bonds. The strategy will have to go through the parliamentary procedure. |
| BHTV on public administration reform in RS | BHTV 1 – Reform of public administration in RS is due next months, but some drastic cuts have been already carries out in the entity Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons. About 300 vacancies were closed as return process has been completed in many segments. RS Refugees and DPs Minister Jasmin Samardzic underlines: “Many of collective centres have been closed, implementation of property laws is completed. Most of future activities will be in regard to the reconstruction projects so it would involve more people within the Ministry.” RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic also announces: “Until the end of March 2004, we will finalize the preparations for the new Law on wages in public sector and review all activities in order to eliminate overlapping procedures and reduce a number of staff.” |
Political issues | |
| Ceric criticises EU over its attitude towards Muslims
| RTRS, FTV – In an interview to Austrian magazine Zeitschrift, head of Islamic Community in BiH, Mustafa effendi Ceric criticized attitude of the European Union towards Bosnian Muslim population. Noting that the EU has not provided a single Euro for destroyed mosques in BiH, Ceric stressed Saudi Arabian influence in BiH strengthens. Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 2 ‘EU doesn’t want to help Muslims in BiH’, Dnevni List Sat pg 5 ‘Karadzic did more on awakening of Islam than me’ – “Saudis come and are ready to help us, and we accept that help. I invite EU to, however, finance mosques, so we could say that he live in Europe and that human rights are respected in this continent.” – stated effendi Ceric criticizing behavior towards Muslims in Europe: “Instead of real mosques, Muslims have to pray in apartments and there are welcomed in European obviously as long as they are capable of working.” Ceric also added that current European logic is that ‘not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims’. Ceric also stated that Radovan Karadzic had done more on awakening of Islam in BiH than he had achieved in 50 years of his religious service. According to Ceric, after the aggressive atheism during the communist times, many people were reminded that they were Moslems because of crimes committed by Bosnian Serbs. |
| Busek: Protectorate may slow down BiH admission to EU | BHTV 1, Oslobodjenje Sun pg 6 ‘Because of protectorate, BiH will go slower in EU’, ONASA, Dnevni Avaz Sun pg 5, column ‘Personality of the Day’, ‘Expert for the Balkans’ – In an interview to Austrian magazine Zeitssrit, the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for the South East Europe, Erhard Busek, believes that the perspective of the Balkan states lies in their admission to the European Union. Busek also stressed that two protectorates in Balkans – BiH and Kosovo – will possibly slow down the expansion of the EU in the future. “Slowing down would be connected to Kosovo, whose international status is not solved, but also for the BiH, who still did not grown into joint state,” stated Busek stressing that the tune of large European assistant to SEE has passed: “Large international assistance has to be gradually decreased and it has to be succeeded by the model such as the partnership of public and private sector, and of course, through larger self-financing,” |
| Dispute over HNK Cantonal Budget for 2004 | Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 4 ‘Miroslav Coric and Croat ministers will impose its budget proposal’, Dnevni List Sun cover ‘Coric: Boric participated in making of Draft budget that he now denies’, pg 7 ‘Boric participated in making of Draft budget that he now denies’ – Following a statement by the Canton 7 Finance Minister, Semin Boric, that the HNK Prime Minister, Miroslav Coric, is trying to adopt the Draft (cantonal) budget for 2004 without consent of Bosniak Ministers in the said Government, DL contacted PM Coric who believes that Minister Boric is acting less as the Finance Minister and more as some petty politician. “It seems to me he reversed the order of operations and that he listens to instructions of his policy that he tries to carry out in his ministry. I believe that because of those reasons he is not doing his job in the Government and that he will not succeed in his destructive intention”, says Coric. DL reports that the HNC Government had appointed a Commission for making of Draft budget for 2004, which held its session just before the New year and concluded that nobody should have exclusive rights when it comes to budget funds, and that only the budget beneficiaries have the exclusive rights on funds. |
| RTRS feature on change of DPA | RTRS by Dejana Radovanovic – In a report on the recent initiative of some members of the European Parliament to change the Dayton Peace Agreement, journalist notes that in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina this has been accepted as a ‘done deal’, while in the Republika Srpska this initiative has been rejected and is considered to open questions that lead to war in the first place. BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mladen Ivanic comments: “I think it is senseless to open discussions on another structure of BiH, as there is no consensus, and if that topic is launched there will be conflicts and arguments which will last for months and years, presenting a discussion on something that we knew in the beginning that we can not agree on.” Deputy Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives, Sefik Dzaferovic: “In my opinion that initiative would be in the interest of all peoples and in the interest of the state.” Deputy Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Martin Raguz: “Dayton gave its results, but Dayton with this organization is an obstacle for integration of BiH.” Goran Milojevic, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers: “We do not have climate here to discuss something like that.” |
| BH Parliamentarians discuss Law on their rights and obligations | Oslobodjenje Sat cover, pgs 4&5 ‘BH delegates would like to go to pension at age of 55?!’ – Delegates of the BiH Parliament proposed the law according to which they could go into pension at age of 55, which is ten years before all other citizens. The Law on rights and obligations of BH parliamentarians is already in the procedure, and on Monday delegates should discuss it at the session of Commission for Financial and Administrative Affairs of BiH House of Peoples, which will be closed for public. Daily further lists a number of benefits delegates proposed for themselves with this Law. Dnevni Avaz also reports on this issue. |
Security and military issues | |
| FBiH Govt orders EP HZHB not to cut electricity supply to FBiH Defence Ministry
| Vecernji List Sat pg 3 ‘Elektroprivreda of HB must not disconnect electricity to FBiH Army’, Dnevni Avaz Sat pg 5 ‘Elektroprivreda HZ HB will not cut the electricity for next 30 days’ – The Government of FBiH has ordered the Elektroprivreda of Herzeg-Bosnia (EP HZ HB) not to disconnect the electricity supplies to facilities of the FBiH Ministry of Defence in the next one month because of the MoD’s debts to the EP HZ HB. In the meantime, it should be established how much the MoD owes to the company since the Ministry is contesting some 50% of the EP HZ HB’s claims, since there is no documentation to prove it. Vecernji List Sat cover ‘Federation Army does not have money for food’, pg 5 ‘There is not enough money in budget to feed soldiers’ – The FBiH Defence Minister, Miroslav Nikolic, warns of a difficult situation the FBiH Army is in, noting that the budget funds in 2004 will not be sufficient to carry out the assigned tasks. “For example, the budget funds have been halved for procurement of materials and foods despite our realistic needs”, says Nikolic also warning that the membership in the Partnership for Peace requires additional costs. Oslobodjenje [Sun, pg 2 ‘Army at the edge of misery’ also carried this statement. |
| Terzic: SIPA can move in Zrak building | Dnevni Avaz Sun cover splash, pg 2 ‘’Zrak’ [building] is clear, SIPA can move in’ – BiH Prime Minister Adnan Terzic stated for DA that FBiH Army has left the Zrak building in Sarajevo, making it available for the State Information and Protection Agency to move in. Commenting on the State Intelligence Agency, Terzic said that everything requested by the High Representative Paddy Ashdown in his letter dated 1 December 2003 has been fulfilled: “I sent the official proposal with the name of a person to participate in the working group on merging intelligence services. However, according to my information, the names were not submitted by the Security Minister Barisa Colak and Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic.” |
| FTV feature on defence reforms | FTV – Implementation of Defence Law should be carried out in 2004, what includes appointments of minister, commander of joint personnel and an operations commander. Structure of BiH Armed Forces has not yet been discussed in BiH Presidency, which is supposed to approve it. Appointments of minister and 2 deputies will happen one month before appointment of army commanders. Commander of Federation Army general Atif Dudakovic comments on the envisaged structure: “Term BiH Army has been dropped, but definition of Armed forces of BiH consisting of Federation and RS army was introduced instead. So Federation army preserved its character and significant autonomy… I think we should keep multiethnic units in Federation Army.” Federation Army is supposed to reduce from 5 to 2 brigades, but it is still not clear if these two brigades would be on ethnic basis. Oslobodjenje [Sun pg 2 ‘New look at the army in BiH’] also carried this statement. |
| Oslobodjenje on staff cutback in FBiH Army | Oslobodjenje Sat cover, pg 7 ‘Dismissals to start in February?!’ – Even though FBiH Joint Command last month urged BH Presidency to bring decision on the reductions in the army, military advisor to the Croat member of the Presidency Slavko Marin stated that the Presidency will not bring such decision before the adoption of the plan to take care of the soldiers which will be surplus. This was also confirmed by the military advisor to Bosniak member, Rasim Delic, who said that the criteria for dismissals were still not established, but also explained that the structure and organization of future state army structure still has not been finalized. The Joint Army Commission is expected to hold the session on 30 January, and to discuss different proposals of structure. |
Media | |
| BHTV 1 feature on public broadcasting system and subscription | BHTV 1 by Lejla Redzovic – By the end of the June 2004 BiH should have three financially stable and politically independent public broadcasters. However, public broadcasting system will face a financial collapse unless the solution for collection of the TV subscription is found. In the RS, the solution was reached through the agreement with the Telekom Srpske. In the FBiH, BH Telecom and HT Mostar refused to reach an agreement without an approval from the FBiH Government, leaving the issue still in the domain of the politics. Barisa Colak, President of the HDZ: “I do not think that any political party should have the control over that issue. We should eject political… influence on broadcasting services.” Seada Palavric, SDA Vice President: “I pay TV subscription for two reasons, firstly because I’m legally obligated, and secondly because I want the state TV to have its full program. No political party should make pressure on the program scheme. However, I believe that the citizens should have some control, since they are the one that pay TV subscription.” The European Commission will provide with 3 million KM of assistance for the public broadcasting system if the reforms are fully implemented by the set deadline. |