Friday
| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | FED TV (19,30 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Electricity for Aluminij | Prison for Asim Fazlic? | Prison for Asim Fazlic? | Criminal in RS |
| Dodic- Custom’s fraud | RS People’s Council | ICTY News | RS CoP Session |
| BiH Leaders on BiH to EU | BiH soldiers in Iraq | Commission for Srebrenica | RS resp. towards Hague |
| HSP on Mostar Statute | Telecom’s statement | USC Assembly- session | Export to Croatia |
Saturday
| NTV Hayat (18,55 hrs) | BH TV 1 (19,00 hrs) | RT RS (19,30) |
| Law on SIPA | Laws on SIPA functioning | Life threats |
| Alexander Ivanko | OHR statement | Performance of MoI in RS |
| In Kula Prison | BiH milk returned | Law on SIPA |
| Face to Face | Foreign Investments in BiH | RS Soldiers and Policemen |
Saturday
| Oslobodjenje | The Prosecutor requests 30-day detention for Fazlic |
| Dnevni Avaz | Veterans, war invalids should not be given false promises |
| Dnevni List | “IMF provisions over pensioners’ backs”; “RS President Dragan Cavic: There is no BiH without RS’” |
| Vecernji List | “US officer and historian changes picture on war conflicts in BiH: Bosniaks were aggressors and Croats were defending themselves”; “Verdict to Topalovic confirmed” |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | “Head of Interpol related to assassins on Leutar?”; “If Aluminij is shut down electro-system falls apart” |
| Glas Srpske | Establishment of Institute for missing persons raise suspicion: The dead are not figures; Forcible tax collection: Debtors disappear |
| Nezavisne Novine | Suicidal assault in Moscow: 39 people killed; Interview with Dragan Cavic: I am not satisfied with the work of the Republika Srpska MoI; New details on acetic acid anhydride: Substance for drugs imported since 2000; Sarajevo: Prosecutor requested 30 day detention for Fazlic |
Sunday
| Oslobodjenje | SFOR raided houses in Travnik |
| Dnevni Avaz | Law on state police agreed |
| Dnevni List | “Hadzipasic: We have absolute support of USA”; “SIPA will be investigating more serous crimes” |
| Vecernji List | “Even 100 reports on corruption per day”; “Ante Markotic: Disappearance threatens Croats in Mostar |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features Croatia related headlines |
Organised crime/security | |
| Fazlic gets 30-day detention
| BHTV, FTV on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘Prosecutor requests 30-day detention for Fazlic’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4, mentioned on the front page ‘Prosecutor McNair requests detention for Fazlic’, Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 2, ‘Prosecutor requested 30 day detention for Fazlic’, FENA – The BiH Prosecution Office’s Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption requested on Friday that detention be set for BiH Interpol Deputy Director Asim Fazlic, suspected of abusing office and authorities. The request has been sent to the BiH Court and in accordance with the law the BiH Court needs to pass a decision within 24 hours. Fazlic was arrested in his apartment in Sarajevo on February 4 by the FBiH police acting at the order issued by the BiH Court. TV Hayat, BHTV, RTRS on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 5 ‘Fazlic gets 30-day detention, Oslobodjenje pg. 5, mentioned on the front page ‘Fazlic remains in custody for yet 30 days’, FENA – The BiH Court has ordered 30-day detention for the deputy director of Interpol of BiH, Asim Fazlic, his lawyer Senka Nozica has told journalists. She said the detention was ordered for fear of undue influence on witnesses and accessories. We have 24 hours to appeal, Nozica said, adding that the BiH Court council will then rule on the appeal within 48 hours. Vecernji List (Sunday, page 3, “30-day custody to Fazlic”, by Fena), Dnevni List (Sunday, page 39, “Fazlic believes this is about staged process”, by N. Dedic) also carry this information. On the same issue Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, front and page 15, “Head of Interpol also related with assassins on Leutar?”, by Z. Tulic) carries that the arrest of Fazlic disturbed SDA officials more than the bills of indictments that ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte announced. SD says that a group of SDA politicians, who were receiving big amounts of money for their services, stood behind all these actions that Fazlic was suspected of. According to the article, in case that the investigation against Fazlic was correct then one can suppose that Fazlic could say a lot about showdowns of Mafia, murders of Croats from Travnik and most probably about the murder of late FBiH Deputy Minister of Interior Jozo Leutar. |
| SFOR raids Travnik reportedly looking for weapons
| TV Hayat, BHTV on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘SFOR soldiers were entering houses’, Oslobodjenje front page, pg. 3 ‘SFOR raided houses in Travnik’, FENA – SFOR on Saturday blocked Travnik’s old town using vehicles and helicopters during the search of a house. The raid started in the morning and the old part of Travnik was completely blocked for a while. Many SFOR troops were also located on the approach to the town. According to the Central Bosnia Canton Interior Ministry, the SFOR raid was part of the Harvest 2004 operation aimed at finding illegal weapons. |
| Terzic, Ashdown on SIPA organisation and functioning
| TV Hayat, BHTV, RTRS, FTV on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 2 ‘Law on state police agreed’, Oslobodjenje front page, pgs. 4-5 ‘No one will be beyond the law’, ONASA – BiH Council of Ministers Chairman Adnan Terzic said Saturday the Working Group for drafting a set of laws to set up a strong police body at the state level, the Agency for Information and Protection (SIPA), has ended its work. Terzic and High Representative Paddy Ashdown assessed the set of laws as the first big step toward fulfilling 16 directions of the European Commission on the BiH path to the European integration. “By adopting the set BiH becomes a partner to the EU countries because it achieves identical standard of organization and possibility to fight organized criminal. It’s of key importance for faster approaching the European integration,” Terzic told reporters in Sarajevo. He said the set of laws includes the Law on SIPA, the Law on preventing money laundering, the Law on police employees and the Law on witness protection program. “Once the set of laws is adopted, the SIPA will have competence for uncover, investigate and prevent severe criminal acts defined by the BiH Criminal Law. This means it will have authorization in fighting terrorism, war crimes, organized criminal and arms and human trade,” Terzic said. He added he expects the ministries of security, justice and treasury will next week conduct necessary actions for preparing the set of laws for a session of the Council of Ministers and that the SIPA will move to the foreseen accommodation premises by the end of this month. Ashdown stressed that if BiH fails to set up strong institutions, the country might lose the war against organized criminal, and the battle for Europe. “If other officials in the Council of Ministers and the state parliament fail to join the decisiveness of Prime Minister Terzic in adopting the package of laws on time, it will reflect on the BiH chances to move to the next phase of European integration,” Ashdown said. The Working group for drafting a set of laws, chaired by Minister for Security Barisa Colak, was composed of an entire team of domestic experts with assistance of experts from the OHR and the EU Police Mission in BiH. Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 5, “SIPA will be investigating serious crimes”, by E. Mackic),” Vecernji List (Sunday, page 5, “SIPA is important for Europe”, by E. Medunjanin) also covered this issue. |
| Djodjic requests for publication of confidential documents to be investigated | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 8 ‘Djodjic requests for publication of confidential documents to be investigated’ – Tarik Djodjic, the head of the BiH Council of Minister’s office, on Friday sent a letter to the Independent Board for the Appointment of the Police Commissioner, OHR and EUPM requesting for a confidential document publication in the Slobodna Bosna magazine to be investigated. It is about the document referring to the alleged Djodjic’s illegal activities that was sent to the Federation Prosecution Office by the Chief Federation Police Inspector Zlatko Miletic. |
| NN: Cavic on RS police performance | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pgs. 4 & 5 in NN supplement Revija ‘I am not satisfied with the work of the Republika Srpska MoI’ – In an interview to NN, Dragan Cavic, Republika Srpska President, said he is not satisfied with the work of Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, noting that Interior ministry has many tasks to accomplish ahead of it, including fight against crime and systematic personnel changes. He also says that Republika Srpska Government must set up a report on its activities in 2003 and forward it for consideration to Republika Srpska NA. He also says it seems to be a public secret who and where in Banjaluka is selling drugs. Only police is not aware of these things, according to Cavic. On alleged divisions within SDS he says it is normal situation for SDS to have divisions amongst people, namely amongst authorities. Dnevni List (Saturday, front and page 10, by De.L) carries that President of the Republika Srpska Dragan Cavic stated for newspaper ‘Srpska Vojska’ that at this moment the condition for survival of the RS is not only functionality of RS but also functionality of BiH that must enter integration and regional processes. Commenting on the initiatives for internal re-organization of BiH, Cavic said that the will of the Serb people not to abolish the RS must be respected since if there is no future for the RS there will be no future for BiH as well. |
| Update to Terpentin affair | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 3, ‘Substance for drugs imported since 2000’ – NN got possession of documents proving that the firms of Rajo Krsmanovic and Bogdan Vasic had been importing acetic acid anhydride to Republika Srpska through 2002 and 2002, and both, Republika Srpska Ministry of Health and Internal Affairs had been informed of if, because they issued licences. According to NN inset 1, BiH Prosecutor’s Office is not aware of this information. |
| Interview with Amor Bukic on yellow file | Glas Srpske, pg. 2 in GS weekend supplement, ‘Neither yellow or pink’ – In an interview to GS, Amor Bukic, Republika Srpska Chief Prosecutor, focuses on a “yellow file case”, by Zoran Djeric, Republika Srpska Interior Minister, explaining that file contained information about denunciations filed against local officials, firm managers and politicians since 2000, some of which have already been resolved. On numerous remarks against judiciary, Bukic says he agrees with remarks that not much has been achieved regarding settlement of commercial crime problem, but disagrees that nothing has been achieved. On eventual pressures against judiciary, he explains he does not regard any criticism and remarks against judiciary as pressures, but as a right of each individual to have a view on somebody’s work. |
| Verdict to Topalovic confirmed | Vecernji List (Saturday, page 3, “Verdict to Topalovic confirmed”, by R. Soldo) carries that the Federation of BiH Supreme Court finally confirmed a verdict pronounced against Muamer Topalovic who killed 3 members of family Andjelic in village Kostajnica near Konjic, on Christmas Eve 2002. Dnevni List (Saturday, page 43, “35-year imprisonment confirmed to Topalovic”, by N. Dedic), Sarajevo media also covered this information. |
| SD replies to OHR regarding Jelavic case | Slobodna Dalmacija (Saturday, page 12, “Ashdown knew about pressure”, by M. Puntaric) carries a reply to the OHR’s reaction regarding the SD article on the OHR’s involvement in the case of former high-ranked Croat official Ante Jelavic. SD says that in its reaction the OHR did not deny a single claim ‘regarding the judiciary scandal and efforts to color the process against Jelavic, Prce, Rupcic and other suspects with political colors’. SD goes on to say that the reason for such tepid and unpersuasive reaction of the OHR is only one and that is the fact that everything that SD wrote is completely true and it is grounded on documents of the BiH Prosecution and correspondence between OHR and BiH Constitutional Court. SD also says it is true that a scandalous letter of the OHR official Ian Campbell in which it was demanded from judge Snezana Savic to change the decision on the Jelavic’s case was sent at the end of the Wolfgang Petritsch’s mandate, however, at that time High Representative Paddy Ashdown was in Sarajevo for a month already at that time and he knew about all activities of the OHR in details. |
Political developments | |
| Oslobodjenje’s Beric on Ashdown’s talks with RS leaders
| Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Blaming St John’ In Focus column by Gojko Beric – “Paddy Ashdown is behaving/acirng sometimes as a federal sheriff and sometimes as a moderator of democracy,” said Beric referring to the HR’s attitude to the RS leaders. Claiming it would be naïve to accept that the RS holidays (in January) are culprit for lateness in implementation of reforms, Beric writes that it is actually about an extreme dishonesty of the people holding key public offices in the entity. “They are speaking in one way wile acting in the other,” claims Beric concluding that the leading RS politicians are against creation of any state-level institution and particularly the one that should fight organized crime and corruption. |
| SNSD: Judiciary in RS has been suspended
| RTRS on Saturday, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Judiciary in RS has been suspended’, FENA – The SNSD supports positions of HR Paddy Ashdown on necessary acceleration of implementation of the ongoing reforms. However, the party believes that the current government is not enough responsible to take over the burden of these reforms by its own, SNSD Vice-president said at a press conference in Banja Luka on Saturday. |
| SPRS against change of the Dayton
| RTRS on Saturday, Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘SPRS against change of the Dayton’, ONASA – President of the RS Socialist Party (SPRS) Petar Djokic announced the SPRS Main Board would adopt a declaration advocating for preservation of the Dayton’s BiH. He said that the Party was against the initiatives seeking the BiH re-arrangement, which were not in compliance with the BiH Constitution, and which did not have support by all three peoples in the country. |
| PDP denies opposition claims | Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Fear from reports’; Nezavisne Novine, pg. 6, ‘Accusations against PDP are irresponsible’ – Goran Milojevic, PDP Vice President, on Friday in Prijedor, denied accusations by opposition parties against PDP, according to which PDP is making many moves, many of which are in the interest of BiH and at the cost of Republika Srpska . Opposition parties also claim that international community has been blackmailing PDP, owing to corruption within PDP membership. He denied accusations by saying that: “Such accusations are irresponsible, because they come from political margins.” |
| FENA interview with US Ambassador Bond | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Lessons from Iraq should be used for (apprehending) Karadzic, Mladic’, FENA – In an interview given to the FENA the US Ambassador to BiH, Clifford Bond, said that the best structure for BiH would be the one decided upon by its citizens themselves. He added that everyone agrees that there is too much government in BiH, which consumes about 60% of the GDP. Most people he talks to think that municipalities need to be strengthened because they are the basic levels of government rendering public services. “But you cannot just give them responsibilities; you also need to give them the resources for providing such services. On the other hand many people think that the state also needs to be strengthened in certain areas and that the minimum a state should provide is the rule of law and meeting the international obligations. But there is a great area of disagreement between the state and the municipalities and that is where there needs to be a pragmatic public discussion,” Bond said. Bond thinks that changes of Dayton can happen, and have happened, but they need to be based on a consensus. |
| RS Council of Peoples fails to agree on army, defence law amendments | BHTV, FTV, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 9 ‘Without agreement on citizenship law’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘Request for change of Citizenship Law rejected’, Glas Srpske, pg. 2, ‘Commission measuring up Laws’; NN pg. 12, ‘SNSD amendments were not harmonised’ – At a session held in Banja Luka on Friday, the RS Council of Peoples failed to work out an agreement with regard to the proposed amendments to the law on changes and amendments to the law on army, defence and the law on citizenship. Consequently, the matter will be decided upon by a joint commission of the RS Council of Peoples and the RS National Assembly next week. The joint commission composed of five representatives from the RS Council of Peoples and five from the RS National Assembly will try to reach compromises because the caucuses neither managed to work out an agreement nor rejected the proposals for the protection of vital interest. Momir Malic, deputy chairman of the Council of Peoples, representing the Serb caucus, and Pejo Krnjic, representing the Croat caucus, raised the issue of protection of vital interest with regard to the law on changes and amendments to the law on army and defence, while the Bosniak caucus raised the issue of protection of vital interests for the passed law on amendments to the citizenship law. |
| Hadzipasic hopes BiH will join EU by 2009 | Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 4 ‘BiH in EU by 2009’, FENA – The leaders of BiH hope that their country could join the European Union by the end of the decade. The Prime Ministers of two Bosnian entities admitted that BiH is facing a long road towards European integration, it was reported on Friday by the Voice of America. At the Washington discussion on the future of the Balkans FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic stated that BiH has made great progress since the end of wars in the former Yugoslavia over eight years ago. The Prime Minister stated that reforms in the fields of defence and the rule of law have indicated how much BiH has matured. He said that the greatest Bosnian problems are of economic nature, especially the lack of jobs and slow privatisation. However, he added that BiH’s resources give hope to its citizens for joining the EU by 2009. Hadzipasic warned about the possible instability of BiH if it has to wait a long time for joining the EU after neighbouring Croatia is admitted. RS Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stated that it is vital that Europe recognises BiH as a stable country. He requested from European leaders not to judge BiH by its present situation, but by the road it plans to take toward European integration. FTV on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 2 ‘Favorable stand-by arrangement in 2004’, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘BiH waits for IMF to approve 10 million dollars’ – Hadzipasic told FTV after returning from US that BiH had to work intensively in this year on the implementation of reforms particularly on programs to create new jobs. Dnevni List (front and page 7, “We have absolute support of USA”, by M. Relota) carries an interview with Federation of BiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic after his return from the visit paid to the USA. Asked about the issue of reconstruction of the FBiH Government, he says: “I am doing my job in a responsible and professional way and I am running the FBiH Government in the same way. Existing problems should be resolved through arguments and on the right place. All the things that are being ascribed to me as a problem have been present since 1996…The most important thing is that this Government will be doing its job in a professional way until the last second of its mandate.” |
| NN interview with Brcko Supervisor | Nezavisne Novine, cover and pg. 6, ‘Local elections will also be held in autumn in Brcko’ – In a brief interview to NN, Susan Johnson, the newly appointed Supervisor for Brcko, says that she knows a lot about Brcko District, which she learnt from many books and articles she read about it whilst at other missions, for example Iraq. She brings some information from her biography. On Brcko, she says her first priority is to accomplish the mandate entrusted to her. On other priorities, she lists organisation of autumn local elections in Brcko, expansion of cooperation between entities and district, economic development, opening of new posts and attraction for foreign investments. |
| Meeting between Sanader and Colak at Congress of European People’s Part | Vecernji List (Saturday, page 2, “Both, Sander and Mesic are coming to Mostar”, by Z. Kresic) carries that HDZ BiH President Barisa Colak and HDZ Croatia President Ivo Sanader talked in Brussels where they attended the Congress of European People’s Party. On this occasion Sanader announced that he and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic will attend the Mostar Investment Conference at the end of this month. According to unofficial information, Mesic will also visit Matica Hrvatska Mostar (Croat Cultural Society). During the aforementioned talks Colak demanded from Sanader that Croatia gives stronger financial support to the Mostar University and construction of Clinical Hospital Mostar. They also discussed a Free Trade Agreement between BiH and Croatia and Colak did not exclude the possibility that the delegations of two Governments led by their Prime Ministers meet before the Investment Conference in order to discuss this issue. Colak believes that that the agreement on this issue might be reached by the end of February. Dnevni List (Sunday, page 5, “Correct relations between BiH and Croatia”, by De.L.) also announce Sanader and Mesic’s visit to Mostar. DL (Sunday, front and page 3, “HDZ BiH gets status of observer”, by M. Relota) carries on the same issue that HDZ BiH confirmed that it was agreed that a high-ranked delegation of European People’s Party will come to BiH on March 4 and 5, 2004 and they will meet with leading people of HDZ BiH, SDA and PDP. HDZ BiH also confirmed that all Prime Ministers from Southeast Europe will visit Mostar during the Mostar Investment Conference. Also, HDZ BiH expects that they will become an associate member of European People’s Party in September 2004. |
| Mostar issue
| Dnevni List (Saturday, page 9, “Jahic left policy of Zijad Hadziomerovic?”, by Z. Jukic) carries that judging by statements given by Mostar Mayor Hamdija Jahic he decided to abandon radical policy of SDA Mostar that threatens with obstructioniong of the Mostar Statute. DL says that according to their sources in SDA, such Jahic’s position caused embitterment of radical SDA fraction led by Head of the Mostar Municipality Stari Grad Zijo Hadziomerovic. DL says that in the whole story Jahic well recognized his role and this is a proof of his capability for political survival. DL concludes that Hadziomerovic will strike back, however, it is still not know which way he chose for his showdown with Jahic. Slobodna Dalmacija (Sunday, page 10, “We do not have money for local elections!”, by M. Landeka) carries an interview with President of the BiH Election Commission Lidija Korac. Talking about a new Statute of Mostar passed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown on the ground of which 6 city Municipalities and the Central Zone were abolished, Korac says that in her opinion this should not cause any changes of the Election Law because the HR passed changes and amendments of the Election Law together with the new Statute. Vecernji List (Sunday, front and page 7, “Disappearance threatens Croat people in Mostar”, by Z. Kresic) carries an interview with professor of demography at the Mostar University (Croat) Ante Markotic. Markotic says that the census from 1991 that was a ground for passing of the HR’s Statute for Mostar is a big delusion. VL says that in a few researches Markotic referred that ‘the official statistics’ erased even 11 000 Croats before the war and for this reason Bosniaks were majority in a pre-war Mostar. DL (Sunday, page 2, “SDS’ return on political scene of FBiH”, by De.L.) carries that according to reliable sources from OSCE a half-secret meeting, during which forming of all-Serb party that should take part at the local elections in Mostar, was discussed, took place in Berkovici a month ago. The meeting was held at the initiative of SDS cadre from Eastern Herzegovina after they got the support of the SDS top from Banja Luka. According to the same source, two representatives of the RS opposition parties also attended the meeting but none asked them anything. DL says that apart from SDS, the credit for the idea to return SDS to this area goes to Orthodox Bishop Grigorije. DL says that confirmation that this meeting took place arrived very soon since 4 days before the HR imposed the Mostar Statute SDS and PDP representatives came to Mostar and send a message to Serb returnees to accept the organization of Mostar that HDZ proposes. According to DL, SNSD President Milorad Dodik will have a task to prevent the SDA and PDP invasion on Mostar and some circles of the International Community and opposition parties from the Federation of BiH will be in favor of Dodik and his party. DL (Saturday, page 6, “Americans are coming”, by Z. Jukic) carries an editorial welcoming the engagement of the US Administration in Mostar in the light of the visit that US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond paid to Mostar a few days ago. The author underlines contribution that the USA gave to positive process in Mostar during the past years and notes that a halt in the process of the unification of the city during the last year is a consequence of the fact that the US factor was not present in Mostar. The author believes that the US pressure can discipline SDA Mostar officials who try to obstruct the unification of the city. DL carries in its ‘Statement of Day’ US Ambassador to BiH Clifford Bond as saying: “The one has to overcome parties’ disagreements because of future of Mostar.” |
Economic/social issues | |
| BiH Telecom rejects collection of RTV tax through phone bills
| BHTV on Friday, ONASA – Sarajevo-based BiH Telecom enterprise said on Friday that it cannot accept the notion for the collection of broadcasting subscriptions via telephony bills, as this activity would be a violation of the present legal regulations in the domain, and the signing of such a contract with the Public Broadcasting Service would create a series of legal, economic and technical problems. The BiH Telecom said that the law on protection of consumers indicates that all bills must be mailed separately to consumers, or subscribers in this case. The law also foresees fines for legal entities that fail to comply with the law. “Despite the fact that broadcasting subscriptions are not a service according to this law, BiH Telecom would have to mail special bills for the subscriptions, and the signing of the document would violate the present regulations,” the enterprise said in a press release, adding that the public telecommunications service operator license states that termination of services must be limited to service that has not been paid for. “Hence, the request for termination of telephony services in case of failure to pay broadcasting subscriptions cannot be met by BiH Telecom,” said the enterprise, adding that this model of collection of broadcasting subscriptions, if accepted by BiH Telecom, would greatly reduce its incomes. “Besides, the necessary software changes, given their complexity, would be too expensive, and any mistakes would result in long-term negative consequences,” BiH Telecom said. Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 11 ‘Katica: Citiizens from Zenica-Doboj Canton announced to terminate fix phone contracts’ also covered the issue. |
| OHR on RTV tax collection
| BHTV on Saturday, Sunday’s Dnevni Avaz pg. 4 ‘OHR: Government should resolve stalemate position’, Oslobodjenje pg. 6 ‘BiH facing serious situation’, Nezavisne Novine, pg. 9, ‘OHR harshly warns authorities of F BiH’, Vecernji List (Sunday, page 4, “Payment of RTV subscription condition for entering Europe”, by Fena), Dnevni List (Sunday, page 6, “Telekoms stand on BiH way towards European integration”, by M. Musa) carry that OHR spokesperson Vedran Persic stated yesterday that BiH is faced with very serious situation after Steering Boards of BH Telekom and HT Mostar refused to implement recommendations of the Federation of BiH Government with regard to collection of RTV subscription. He added that the argument, which says that the future of these two companies is being brought in question due to such way of collection of RTV subscription, is not in accordance with the facts. |
| BiH Elektropriveda continued supplying Aluminij with electricity
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV on Friday, Saturday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 3 ‘Aluminij accepted terms for buying electricity’, Dnevni Avaz pg. 9 ‘Supplying of Aluminij with electricity continued’, FENA – In spite of the announcement of the manager of the Elektroprivreda BiH, Enver Kreso, that as of Friday this company will stop the supply of electricity for the Aliminij Mostar through the Elektroprivreda HZ HB this has not happened. The manager of the Elektroprivreda HZ HB, Vlado Maric, has announced that his company will not stop the electricity supply for the Aluminij, and that it will buy sufficient quantities of electricity abroad for the Aluminij to continue its normal operation. As FENA learns, a contract between the Elektroprivreda BiH and the Aluminij on prices and conditions for electricity deliveries should be signed on 9 or 10 February. The Aluminij company is ready to accept the view of the FBiH Government and the decision of the High Representative that the average price of electricity should be 29.7 euros per megawatt hour. Dnevni List (Saturday, page 7, “Aluminij adopted conditions for electricity delivery”, not signed), Vecernji List (Saturday, page 3, “Aluminij continues to work normally”, by zk) also deal with this issue. |
| WB: Veterans, war invalids should not be given false promises | Saturday’s Dnevni Avaz front page, pg. 3 ‘Veterans, war invalids should not be given false promises’ – The World Bank Mission to BiH expresses concern about the adopted draft law on veterans rights and it warns Federation of BiH Government that the foreseen budgetary funds for these purposes must not be overstepped. “We are in permanent contact with the Ministry for veeran’s Issues in order to help them prepare a quality draft law on veterans rights,” said consultant at the WB Mission Christian Bodewig. In a column written for Sunday’s Oslobodjenje pg. 2 ‘Budget and veterans rights’, Dirk Reinermann, WB Head of the Mission to BiH, said that not the international community but reality was limiting rights of veterans and invalids. |
| Forcible tax collection in RS
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘Debtors disappear’ – The Republika Srpska Tax Administration cannot collect tax debt of approximately BAM 110 million, because some firms do not have real-estate that could be confiscated as debt, while other firms were registered at wrong addresses. |
| DL: “BiH on USA list for assistance” | Dnevni List (Sunday, front and page 9, not signed) carries that after the meeting of the Board of Principles of Millennium Challenges Corporation, the USA published a list of 63 countries that acquired a right o get a part of the assistance amounting to a few billion US dollars on the ground of the program whose purpose is to award developing countries that committed itself to democratic and market reforms. DL says that BiH is also on this list. Sarajevo media also carried the information. |
Other issues | |
| Commission for Missing persons at BiH level
| Glas Srpske, cover page story, ‘The dead are not figures’ – Commenting on the latest proposals of the International Commission for the missing persons (regarding forming the Institute for missing at BiH level), Republika Srpska Office for search for missing persons, Association of the missing and fallen soldiers and civilians and war veterans share the view it would mark the end of the Office for search for missing persons. Namely, the Institute would represent a deadlock, which would put an end to further work of Republika Srpska Office for missing persons. |
| Srebrenica Commission
| Nezavisne Novine, pg. 3, ‘Operation plan of work set’ – Republika Srpska Government Bureau for Public Affairs on Friday confirmed that has set the operational plan of work of the Srebrenica Commission. The plan defines the actions to be conducted by Commission members. Sarajevo media also covered the issue. |