Friday
| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Farmers’ protests | BiH Presidency’s statement | BiH Presidency’s session | RS President’s statement |
| Impl. Of Statute in Mostar | SFOR statement | HR statement | BiH Presidency’s session |
| BiH Presidency’s session | Round table in Banja Luka | SFOR statement | HR statement |
| RS Gov on incident in Pale | Impl. Of Statute in Mostar | Impl. Of Statute in Mostar | Reactions on the incident |
Saturday
| NTV HAYAT (18,55 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| HR sanctioned SDS | SDS sanctioned | HR sanctioned SDS | HR sanctioned SDS |
| ICTY Indictments | CC’s decision implement. | D. Cavic’s statement | Reactions on HR decision |
| Citizens about CC decision | Explosion in Sarajevo | Conference in Budapest | Priest’s health condition |
| Bijeljina- 12 years after | Murder in Sarajevo | Starovlah in critical cond. | SNS statement |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | Tudjman’s government accused of creating ‘Greater Croatia’ |
| Dnevni Avaz | A lack of funds in Federation Pension-Disability Insurance Fund – Reserves saved pensioners |
| Dnevni List | “Komarica nominated for Nobel’s Prize for Peace”; “Real integration of Mostar has not started” |
| Vecernji List | “Gibson makes continuation of ‘Passion’ in Medjugorje”; “BiH is losing about 300 million KM without customs on import” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “The Hague wants Ganic, Delic and Mahmuljin”; Bishop Komarica candidate for Noble Prize” |
| Glas Srpske | Condition of Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah – Struggle for life; SFOR Spokesperson Dave Sullivan: “There was no resistance”; Bishop Grigorije: “Like we are Indians” |
| Nezavisne Novine | After SFOR Pale action Paddy Ashdown warned RS Authorities – Possible dismission of functionaries; Construction of Banjaluka-Gradiska Highway late – Construction postponed because Telekom Srpske hasn’t paid yet; Prosectur’s Office investigates coup d’etat affair – Vuksic and 15 FOSS agents under investigation; Bosko Ceko – Prosecutor’s Office must identify persons responsible for illicitness; New feuilleton starts on Monday – Requiem for state secret |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | Paddy Ashdown froze regular budgetary payments to SDS |
| Dnevni Avaz | SDS still maintains links with Karadzic |
| Dnevni List | “Talks about opposition coalitions already started”; “Financing of SDS has been suspended because of Radovan Karadzic” |
| Vecernji List | “Indictees demand guarantees from Sarajevo as well”; “Derby: Zeljeznicar beat Siroki Brijeg 2 to 0” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
War crimes/Cooperation with ICTY | |
| Paddy Ashdown froze regular budgetary payments to SDS
| TV Hayat, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Saturday, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje front page pg. 3 ‘Paddy Ashdown froze regular budgetary payments to SDS’, Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘SDS still maintains links with Karadzic’, Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, last page, “Sanctions against SDS because of helping Karadzic”, by Hina), Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 3, “Financing of SDS has been suspended because of Radovan Karadzic”, by De.L.), Vecernji List (Sunday, page 3, “Sanctions against SDS because of helping criminals”, by Fena) – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, issued on Friday a decision that freezes all further payments to the SDS from the state-level down to the municipal-level due to failure to fully comply with its international duties with respect to the ICTY. The measure will be in affect until such time as the SDS carries out those actions necessary to show convincingly that it is prepared to fulfil its international obligations, according to an OHR press release. Over eight years after the Peace Agreement was signed, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be held hostage by political forces, especially in the RS, that have failed to meet a key obligation of the Peace Agreement – to bring persons indicted for war crimes to justice. It is a regrettable fact that in the RS, while some 25 indicted war criminals have been arrested and sent to The Hague in the last nine years, all of these were arrested by troops of the International Community, and not one of these by the authorities of the RS. The SDS is also the senior party of government today and has been either in, or influential over, government over the whole period. The SDS is manifestly and flagrantly failing its obligations under International Law to pursue and bring to justice indicted war criminals, including, but not limited to Radovan Karadzic. “The SDS was founded by an indicted war criminal who remains at large. We have good reasons to believe the SDS still maintains financial connections with its founder Radovan Karadzic. I have given the SDS space to provide information that will indicate whether this is true or not. In the mean time, Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot afford to run the risk that public money is going to a party that may still have financial connections with indicted war criminals. I look forward to receiving the full and complete information on the SDS financial affairs so that I can assess whether further actions regarding this political party will be necessary,” the HR said. |
| RS President Cavic claims SDS does not help war crime indictees
| Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Cavic claims SDS does not help war crime indictees’ – In his address to journalists on Saturday, RS President and SDS Deputy President Dragan Cavic said that the High Representative’s decision to freeze budgetary payments to his party was very difficult for SDS but that qualifications/attributes from the text of the decision were even more difficult. Cavic denied claims that SDS was supporting/helping war crime indictees and he added that the Party’s Main Board would hold a session to define a proper response to the HR’s decision. BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Saturday, Dnevni List (Sunday, page 3, “Destiny of party in OHR’s hands”, not signed) also carried Cavic’s reaction. |
| TV Hayat: Politicians divided over sanctions imposed on leading Bosnian Serb party | TV Hayat on Saturday – “The Serb Democratic Party (SDS) was founded by a person indicted for war crimes. We believe that the Serb Democratic Party still has financial links with its founder, Radovan Karadzic.” These is a quote from the statement by HR Paddy Ashdown, who froze all payments to the SDS from the municipal to the state level today. The SDS has failed to fulfil its obligations to bring Radovan Karadzic and others to justice, Ashdown’s decision says. The chairman of the Serb Democratic Party and Speaker of the RS National Assembly, Dragan Kalinic, thinks that this decision by the High Representative may actually mean the beginning of the prohibition of the party. The president of the RS, who is at the same time the deputy chairman of the SDS, was quick to react. “It is clear that a new wave of political pressure is focused on the Serb Democratic Party. The responsibility is being attached to the Serb Democratic Party, which is again being fully identified with the responsibility of the institutions, something which should not be done,” Dragan Cavic said. Reactions from the Federation of BiH: Zlatko Lagumdzija, chairman of the Social Democratic Party – I think that the High Representative could have made more energetic moves against obstructions in cooperation with the Hague tribunal even earlier…For me, it is an outright miracle that it took the man a year and a half to see who he is dealing with. I do not think the SDS can be changed. Mirsad Kebo, deputy chairman of the Party of Democratic Action – The Party of Democratic Action fully supports the standpoint of the High Representative. It was high time that someone is sanctioned for the failure to cooperate with the Hague tribunal. The SDS has been in power since the signing of the Dayton accord, but has still not enabled the Serb Republic authorities to arrest a single war crime suspect. Safet Haliovic, chairman of the Party for BiH – I think that the decision by the High Representative has been forced, it is justified and in accordance with his competences. Surely, the SDS deserved even greater sanctions, even a ban, a long time ago as a result of its behaviour. The most original standpoint about the High Representative’s decision was expressed by the Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives and member of the executive board of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, Nikola Spiric. He thinks that the SDS leadership made a deal with the High Representative Paddy Ashdown on freezing the accounts in order to avoid tougher sanctions. RTRS on Saturday also carried Kalinic and Spiric’s reactions. |
| Ashdown’s warning: Scandalous behavior of RS | FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘Scandalous behavior of RS’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 2, FENA – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, warned on Friday that the BiH’s accession to Partnership for Peace would be brought into question if RS continues with scandalous behavior regarding its international obligations. In a statement for RTRS, Ashdown expressed regret for injuring civilians and damaging property of the Serb Orthodox Church during the recent SFOR operation in Pale. He however added that he was quite sure SFOR never acted in such manner without prior receiving of credible information. Nezavisne novine, cover and page 5: “Possible dismission of functionaries” – After Pale events I must act against RS authorities. BiH can not suffer and lose a chance for Partnership for Peace program. Since Dayton RS authorities didn’t arrest a single war criminal nor took actions against any company which gave money for support to Radovan Karadzic. This was said by HR Paddy Ashdown in an interview for Nezavisne novine. Ashdown spoke about co-operation with ICTY saying that FBiH and Croatia send people to Hague. Serbia sent Milosevic to Hague too. “What I can comment or say is that I can clearly see if someone is breaking the law. RS authorities are breaking it for sure”. Dnevni List (Sunday, page 3, “To take injuring of civilians extremely seriously”, not signed) carries that commenting on the SFOR’s action in Pale High Representative Paddy Ashdown stated: “NATO are rightly taking the injury of the priest and his son in the recent Pale operation extremely seriously. This is NATO’s mandate not mine, but I welcome SFOR’s decision to publish yesterday the explanation, from their initial observations, of how the civilians were injured. I also welcome SFOR’s internal review of the operation, which is a standard procedure for all operations.” DL also carries in this article that the condition of the Orthodox priest and his son is still critical. Vecernji List (Sunday, page 2, “Removals in the RS top possible?”, by B. Stevandic) carries that the leading RS officials will meet tomorrow in Banja Luka with High Representative Paddy Ashdown, Ambassadors of the countries that are the EU members and the countries that are joining the EU in order to discuss the last SFOR’s action in Pale. VL says that it will be known tomorrow what kind of measures the HR has decided to use in order to make the RS authorities to do their job. |
| BiH Presidency: Regret for injuring Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘Regret for injuring Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Regret for injuring a priest and his son’, FENA – The BiH Presidency has requested the BiH Ministry of Security to urgently in cooperation wth SFOR and EUPM make full information on an SFOR operation in Pale last Thursday. At a special session held in Sarajevo on Friday, the Presidency expressed regret for injuring Orthodox Priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar in the operation. The body however reiterated its commitment to full cooperation with ICTY and it requested all relevant BiH and Entities’ institutions to make sure through cooperation with SFOR and EUPM that such the incidents do not occur any more. |
| Paravac: Unwanted developments would have not occurred if RS Interior Ministry took part in SFOR operation | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘RS Interior Ministry is the most responsible (for apprehending war crime suspects), Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, Nezavisne novine, page 4: “RS Ministry of Interior is responsible because persons indicted for war crimes hasn’t been arrested yet” – If the RS police took part in the SFOR operation in Pale there would have not been unwanted developments (injuring Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah), according to Serb member of the BiH Presidency Borislav Paravac. Paravac said after the special session of the Presidency in Sarajevo on Friday that he condemned the manner in which SFOR operation had been conducted (not the operation itself). “It will take time to establish contact between SFOR and the Serb Orthodox Church in order for the details of the operation to be cleared up,” said Paravac. |
| RS Government on Pale action | Nezavisne novine, page 4: “Human Rights violated” – SFOR Pale action, where priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar were severly injured and property of Serb Orthodox Church damaged, represents example of violation of bacis human rights. This is conclusion of RS Government. |
| PDP Main Board condemned the SFOR operation in Pale | Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Condemnation of SFOR operation in Pale’, ONASA – The Main Board of PDP condemned Thursday’s SFOR operation in Pale in which the Orthodox priest, Jeremija Starovlah, and his son Aleksandar had been badly injured. The operation jeopardized life of the civilians and it was about an inappropriate and brutal attack on a sacral facility, said PDP in a press statement. |
| SFOR on operation in Pale | BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘SFOR expected Radovan on April 1’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Factors outside SFOR control led to injuring’ – SFOR Command said on Friday that the Serb Orthodox Priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar had been unintentionally injured in an operation carried out in Pale on Thursday. “The action was taken on the basis of an information Radovan Karadzic would be on a certain location in Pale on April 1. Neither the church nor the priests were target of the operation, “ said SFOR in the statement. Glas Srpske, cover page: “There was no resistance” – There was no resistance at house of Pale’s priest and there was no shooting of any kind, said SFOR Spokesperson, Dave Sullivan. Nothing was confiscated and as far as SFOR is concerned, priest and his son are at large. |
| Jeremija and Aleksandar Starovlah still in serious condition | BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Saturday, Glas Srpske, cover page: “Struggle for life”, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘The priest and his son to stay in Tuzla’ – Health condition of Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar, who were injured during the SFOR operation in Pale last Thursday is still serious, according to Amra Odobasic, the spokesperson for the Tuzla Medical Center. According to her, the two are still in the intensive care departments and the doctors are fighting for their lives. |
| Bishop Grigorije: This people and this country are under occupation | Glas Srpske, cover page: “Like we are Indians” – Everyone sane should say that this people and this country are under occupation. Our authorities and opposition have enabled it. This was said by Zahumsko-Hercegovacki Bishop Grigorije. He added that HR Paddy Ashdown didn’t do anything apart of writing some decrees. Our authorities do not know where they are going, where they are or what they want, Bishop Grigorije stated. According to him, problem is that those who should build peace threat people like Indians who should be exterminated. This people will survive because we have survived Turkish and Austrian authority. Therefore we shall survive NATO occupation as well, Bishop Grigorije stated. |
| Mikerevic: RS Government prepared to prove its commitment to cooperation with ICTY | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 5 ‘How we can do something SFOR cannot do’ – After RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic had called on war crime indictees to voluntarily surrender, the RS Government late on Thursday once again confirmed its readiness to cooperate with ICTY. On Friday, Mikerevic denied claims by High Representative Paddy Ashdown and Peace Implementation Council that the RS authorities had not concretely proved by anything they really wanted to cooperate with The Hague Tribunal. “The RS authorities have been doing their best to fulfil their obligations towards the Tribunal. The RS Governments and the authorized institutions did even more than calling the indictees to voluntarily turn themselves in. The actions taken so far by the RS Interior Ministry prove that,” said Mikerevic. |
| Cavic: RS Interior Ministry probably does not know war crime indictees’ whereabouts | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘If RS loses its name it loses everything’ – Interview with RS President Dragan Cavic. Cavic emphasized that one could not say there was no RS cooperation with ICTY at all since the entity had for example submitted all required documentation for the indictees of the Serb nationality. He however admitted that there was no cooperation when it was about the apprehension of the war crime suspects. “It is probably because the RS Interior Ministry does not posses information of their whereabouts. May there was certain obstructions (to these apprehensions) before but at the moment I do not see any obstruction by the RS Interior Ministry,” said Cavic. |
| NATO Secretary General: Karadzic cannot hide forever | FTV on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 8 ‘Karadzic cannot hide forever’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 3, FENA – “Former leader of the Bosnian Serbs Radovan Karadzic and other persons indicted for war crimes and wanted by the ICTY cannot hide forever,” said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at a press conference he held in Brussels on Friday together with Foreign Ministers of the seven new NATO member-countries. Dnevni List (Saturday, page 5, “BiH missed chance for Partnership for Peace”, not signed), Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, last page, by Fena) carry that NATO’s Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stated in Brussels on Friday that he does not know whether NATO will invite Croatia, Albania and Macedonia to join NATO at a summit that is to take place in Istanbul in June. Talking about BiH and Serbia and Montenegro, Scheffer also said that he does not know whether these two countries will be invited to join the NATO’s Partnership for Peace. Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 3 ‘Apprehension of war criminals a key condition for BiH’ – At a press conference following the official admission of seven new member-countries into NATO, US State Secretary Colin Powel said it was possible that the end of SFOR mission to BiH would be announced at the upcoming NATO Summit in Istanbul. He reiterated that the apprehension of war crime indictees remained the key pre-condition for BiH’s accession to the Euro-Atlantic integration. |
| Tudjman’s government accused of creating ‘Greater Croatia’ | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje front-page, pgs. 4-5 ‘Tudjman’s government accused of creating Greater Croatia’ By Darjan Zadravec – The public in Croatia has been shaken with details of the ICTY indictments against former high-ranking political and military leaders of the Croat Community of Herceg-Bosna (HDZ BiH-created wartime state structure of BiH Croats). The indictments indicate involvement of then Croatia’s government of late President Franjo Tudjman in war in BiH thereby equalizing Croatia with Serbia and allowing BiH to even seek payments for war damages. Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘The Hague announced indictments agsints Prlic, Stojic, Praljak and Petkovic – They were following policy of Tudjman and Susak and they tried to join a part of BiH to Croatia’ carried the most important parts of the indictments indicating links of the Croatian leadership with war in BiH. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 3, “Berislav Pusic also goes to the Hague tomorrow”, by A. Malenica), Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 4, “Berislav Pusic leaves to The Hague tomorrow”, not signed), Vecernji List (Sunday, front and page 11, “Berislav Pusic also voluntarily goes to The Hague tomorrow”, by V. Mo.) carry that former Head of the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia (HRHB) Department for Prisoners of War and Missing Persons Berislav Pusic took over a sealed ICTY bill of indictment issued against him in Zagreb yesterday. DL says that Pusic refused to comment on the bill of indictment. Pusic’s lawyer, Marinko Skobic, stated that Pusic goes to The Hague on Monday together with other 5 Croat indictees. Vecernji List (Sunday, page 11, “Croat indictees also demand guarantees from Sarajevo”, by Z. Despot) carry that since 6 former military and political officials of the HRHB, against whom the ICTY issued bills of indictment, have double citizenship the question arose whether guarantees of the Croatian Government will be enough for their pre-trial release and for this reason their lawyers decided to demand the same kind of guarantees from the Federation of BiH Government. Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘HDZ BiH leadership meets with representatives of the Croat veterans’ associations – Dissatisfied with filing new indictments’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘A joint delegation will attend departure of the Hague indictees from Zagreb’, Dnevni List (Sunday, page 4, “Assistance to indictees has been promised”, not signed) carry that a joint meeting of the HDZ BiH leadership and Presidents of the Associations resulting from Homeland War was held yesterday during which they discussed the ICTY bills of indictment issued against 6 Croats. During the meeting it was concluded that just like previous ones the last bills of indictment were taken as another accusing of the whole Croat people. DL also says that representatives of the Croat people committed themselves that, through BiH institutions, they will use all legal means to help the indictees’ defense. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 9, “We were defending our home and our families”, by Z. Zekic) carries an HDZ BiH press release, which says that the HDZ BiH regrets the fact that the ICTY issued bills of indictment against BiH Croats years after the war ended up. Dnevni List (Sunday, front and pages 4 and 5, “Associating in criminal project in order to create Greta Croatia”, not signed) carries parts of the ICTY bill of indictment issued against former HVO Defense Minister Bruno Stojic. DL says that in the next few days they are going to publish parts of all ICTY bills of indictment issued against former officials of the HRHB. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 3, “There will not be new bills of indictment from The Hague”, by Hina), Dnevni List (page 5, “Croatia will not allow revision of Homeland War and past whose witnesses we were”, not signed), Vecernji List (Sunday, page 10, V. Skare-Ozbolt: There will not be new bills of indictment from The Hague”, by Z.G.) carry that Croatian Minister of Justice Vesna Skare-Ozbolt stated: “In spite of the contents of the ICTY bills of indictment issued against Croatian Generals Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac and last 6 bills of indictment issued against 6 BiH Croats, the Republic of Croatia is determined not to allow revision of the Homeland War and the past whose witnesses we were.” Vecernji List (Sunday, page 10, “There is no person who could change Croatian history!”, by D. Djuretek), Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, front and page 2, “Sanader: None can change Croatian history”, by Hina) carry that Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader stated that the Croatian Government will take all legal means and join the process before the ICTY in order to prove that the ICTY claims about a role of Croatia in the war in BiH are not true. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 3, “New Croatian silence on scene”, by D. Ivankovic) carries that about 30 persons from the areas of Croatian politics, culture and science published their ‘Appeal for True about Homeland War’ protesting against the fact that military operation of the Croatian Army and survival of Croats in BiH are being proclaimed criminals acts. SD says that Miroslav Tudjman and former Vice President of the Croatian Parliament Zdravko Tomac are also among the signatories of the Appeal. |
Political developments | |
| EU partnership with BiH
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘New BiH’s homework on its road to EU’, FENA – A document “European Partnership” approved by European Commission on April 30 represents a proposal to the EU Ministerial Council to establish partnership with the countries of the western Balkans. This is a result of the Summit held last year in Thessalonica. Spokesman for the EC Delegation to BiH Frane Maroevic said the document once again reiterated that the future of BiH and the the western Balkan countries is in (unified) Europe. BiH is now expected to accept the document and make a plan of action to fulfill the obligations stated in it. |
| Ivanic, Spiric and Cavic reject possibility to rename RS | Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘Ivanic and Spiric reject possibility to rename RS’ – The SDA fully supports an initiative by Chairman of the BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic to launch a procedure before the BiH Constitutional Court which is supposed to asses the constitutionality of the names of the BiH entities as well as other provisions possibly violating the international conventions on human rights, the SDA General Secretary Sefik Dzaferovic told a press conference in Sarajevo on Friday. Commenting on the initiative, BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic told Oslobodjenje that RS could be renamed only against the will of one (Serb) people. “As a Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic should deal with the future of BiH and its citizens and not with the changes of the names of the entities, cities, streets etc,” said Ivanic. Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nikola Spiric said that the Tihic’s initiative could only support further homogenization of the Serb people (on the ethnic basis). Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Requests for ban of SDS’ work justified’, Dnevni List (Sunday, page 2, “SDS work should be banned”, not signed) also carried Dzaferovic’s statement. The newspaper also quotes him as saying that, having in mind the most recent political developments, statements, the initiatives to ban work of SDS seem to be justified. Dnevni List (Sunday) carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ RS President Dragan Cavic as saying: “By change of its name the RS is losing everything.” Note that the statement was given in an interview for Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz. |
| SDHR Wnendt in Mostar | BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Integration of the institutions is late’, FENA, Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Jahic warned that Mostar was not unified just by abolishment of the municipalities’ and ‘Wnendt: Process has not been brought into question’, Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, last page, “It is necessary to speed up integration urgently”, by Z. Zekic), Vecernji List (Saturday, page 5, “Implementation of new Mostar Statute goes successfully”, by Fena), Dnevni List (Saturday, front and page 14, “Real integration of Mostar has not started”, by S. Bjelica) carry that Senior Deputy High Representative Werner Wnendt visited Mostar on Friday and stated that the reason of his visit is the inaugural session of the Confidence Building Board. Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic stated that in his opinion the re-organization of the city has not started yet. Jahic also said: “I believe that it is obvious that political ambitions of one side have been satisfied completely by the abolishment of the city municipalities and it is being waited for the elections. I believe that the International Community is aware of this and I expect taking of urgent measures for consistent and complete integration of the city, City Administration and institutions in the city within planned deadlines…” |
| Former Mostar Municipality North on Mostar issue
| Dnevni List (page 4, “To realize all adopted projects of the Municipal Council”, by N. Bise) carries that the administration of former Mostar Municipality North started with the implementation of the decision on reorganization of Mostar passed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown by appointing Council of City Area North. DL says that this body will discuss and take stands and pass conclusions regarding distribution and aim of funds that are being collected and spent in this area of Mostar. The Council also demands from Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic and especially from those who proposed the budget for 2004 to take over and realize financing of all projects that the former Municipal Council of the Mostar Municipality North defined a s plan for this year. |
| DL: “Talks on opposition coalitions already started” | Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 7, by Z. Jukic) carries that during the last weeks NHI and HSS held sessions of their election bodies and elected leadership for the coming pre-election period. DL reminds that reelected NHI President Kresimir Zubak stated that his party will closely cooperate with SDP, SNSD and SPRS at the Municipal elections and he announced that some other parties might join this coalition. DL says that analysts judged that this Zubak’s statement primarily refers to People’s Party Working for Prosperity and HSS. Spokesperson of People’s Party Working for Prosperity Vanja Gavran stated that the highest levels of this party decided that they will not join any coalition at the elections and that they will talk about possible coalitions after publishing of the election results. DL also says that HSS President MarkoTadic stated that the HSS bodies have not discussed yet joining some coalitions. |
| Izet Kadic replied to HR Paddy Ashdown | Glas Srpske, page 2: “Lawlessness goes on” – President of the Prijedor Municipality Assembly, Izet Kadic, sent letter to HR Paddy Ashdown and Head of OSCE Mission to BiH Robert Beecroft. Kadic informed them that he was removed from the position. Court will decide if it was correct. Accoding to Kadic, illegal behavior of the majority in Municipal Assembly enabled criminal and corruption in muncipality itself. |
| Economic/social issues | |
| Reaction of OHR and Spanish Embassy on flood in Ravno
| Dnevni List (Saturday, page 7, “Project in Popovo polje important for entity cooperation”, by Nina), Vecernji List (Saturday, page 7, “Spanish and OHR concerned about Ravno”, by E. Medunjanin) carry that with regard to flood in Popovo polje, the OHR and Spanish Embassy in BiH issued a press release which says: “The Embassy of Spain to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina have closely monitored developments over the recent unfortunate flooding in Popovo Polje. The Embassy and the OHR are concerned about possible consequences as a result of the flood on the future development in the area. We fully support a quick and impartial investigation into what exactly happened, without further politicization. Also, we are very pleased with the immediate and professional reaction to this incident by the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Government. OHR and the Spanish Embassy commend the decision of the Federation Government to approve 200,000 KM from budget reserves for repairing damages from floods in Popovo polje, Ravno Municipality. We look forward to the RS Government taking similar measures.” Sarajevo dailies also carried the reaction on Saturday. |
| VL: “Former Serbian Minister rescues privatization in BiH” | Vecernji List (Sunday, page 2, by Dejan Jazvic) carries that former Serbian Minister of Economy and Privatization Aleksandar Vlahovic will lead the process that should result in complete change of the privatization concept in BiH. VL says that the RS authorities are already in the last phase of the negotiations with Vlahovic about the engagement of his team of experts in the RS. According to the article, Vlahovic is very much respected among the international circles and for this reason it is not strange that the OHR also shows interest to talk with Vlahovic about the privatization concept for the whole BiH. |
| Ahmet Hadzipasic on Law on Bankruptcy | Dnevni List (Saturday, page 4, “Law on Bankruptcy is inevitable”, by M.R.) carries that Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic stated that Law on Bankruptcy is inevitable and that at least 6 months will pass before it starts to function completely. He reminded that the FBiH Government has a program as to how to take care of extra workers and that this Law will not have disastrous consequences as the Trade Union claims. |