- Reuters: NATO troops fail to seize Karadzic in second swoop on Friday
- Reuters: NATO to Karadzic: “Time is running out. Surrender”
- SFOR fails to apprehend Karadzic on Thursday
- SFOR confirms failure of the operation
- Ivanic slams SFOR operation to nab Karadzic
- Petritsch welcomes SFOR determination to apprehend Karadzic
- RS Government reacts to the SFOR operation in Celebici
- RS president on SFOR operation
- The BiH Presidency supports appointment of Dragan Mikerevic as new BiH Council of Ministers Chairman
- The PIC Steering Board fully supports Petritsch’s efforts in the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s ruling
- Petritsch: Re-calibration starts of the international community’s engagement in BiH
- Dnevni Avaz:
PIC support the EU police mission in BiH, appointment of Paddy Ashdown as the new High Representative - Solana: A European perspective is the best way for BiH to be brought closers to a prosperous future
- The National Democratic Institute poll shows that Serb, Croat nationalist parties most popular in Bosnia
- Broadcast of the FTV satellite program stopped late on Thursday due to a lack of funding
- BiH Federation House of Representatives interrupts discussion on the 2002 Budget
- Behmen says strategic goals cannot be reached without an efficient judiciary
- Dnevni List:
Niko Lozancic will officially represent HDZ in place of Jelavic- Vecernji List:
Permit for construction on site of former City pharmacy creates rift in City Administration
- RS National Assembly send the draft Law on the RTRS into a public debate
- Croatian Government approves the oil import through the Izacic border crossing
- Slobodna Dalmacija: My side of the world – To Bosnia on HDZ rails
BiH State-related Issues
Reuters: NATO troops fail to seize Karadzic in second swoop on Friday
NATO said on Friday it had failed to seize former Bosnian Serb leader and accused war criminal Radovan Karadzic during a second day of military operations near a BiH settlement. “In the second operation in less than 24 hours, multinational SFOR forces moved to seize Radovan Karadzic near the town of Celebici…” a statement issued by the NATO-led SFOR peacekeeping force in the former Yugoslav republic said. “SFOR multinational soldiers conducted the operation with combined ground and air forces. While he was not seized, SFOR continues its efforts to apprehend him.” It said the operation was conducted after SFOR received intelligence that Karadzic — at large since his indictment by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in 1995 — was still hiding in the area where operations were conducted on Thursday.
Reuters: NATO to Karadzic: “Time is running out. Surrender”
NATO Secretary General George Robertson said on Friday that alliance forces in Bosnia would eventually capture Radovan Karadzic and other war crimes suspects and called on the fugitives to give themselves up. “You can expect more high-profile and low-profile operations until the day comes when those who have been indicted for war crimes face justice at The Hague,” Robertson told reporters at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. He was speaking after ground and air forces of the NATO-led SFOR peacekeeping mission swooped on southeastern Bosnia for the second day running in a bid to detain Karadzic, but again missed their quarry. The former Bosnian Serb leader has been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia at The Hague. “Those who hide these people and who give support to them also need to know that their day of reckoning will come as well,” Robertson said. “I have a solemn message for Karadzic and the others who are indicted for war crimes: time is running out — one day, whether it is tomorrow or next month, SFOR will come for you. Surrender now with some dignity, or justice will be brought to you.”
SFOR fails to apprehend Karadzic on Thursday
NATO troops swooped into a remote southeastern Bosnian village on Thursday, blasting their way into buildings and seizing a weapons cache in what proved a fruitless search for accused war criminal Radovan Karadzic, Reuters as well as all BiH media reported. NATO did not say whether the former Bosnian Serb leader actually slipped through the net during the operation or whether the intelligence received on his whereabouts was wrong. But it said the military sweep showed the alliance’s determination to capture Karadzic and other suspects wanted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
SFOR confirms failure of the operation
“Multi-national SFOR forces conducted an operation to detain Radovan Karadzic near the town of Celebici in the Republic of Srpska. Karadzic was not found at this location,” all BiH media quoted SFOR as saying in a press release issued on Thursday.
Ivanic slams SFOR operation to nab Karadzic
Republika Srpska Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic slammed Thursday NATO-led peacekeepers over the way they tried to arrest fugitive war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, saying that his government should have been told about the operation first, AFP reported. “It is really unacceptable that such an activity is going on and that no RS institution knows anything about it,” Ivanic told reporters. Ivanic accused the troops of using explosives 18 times to raid some 40 buildings, and called on residents to demand compensation for damages from SFOR. “Such SFOR activities should be put under control,” he said, saying that “no one, including SFOR, has the right to behave in such a way.” Earlier Ivanic told deputies in the RS assembly that he had been informed by SFOR commander, US General John Sylvester, that an operation conducted in the region of Foca has ended. Ivanic also said that RS institutions could not be expected to cooperate with The Hague-based ICTY “while there is no cooperation of the international community’s institutions with RS.” RS authorities have repeatedly claimed they have no information about the presence of war crimes suspects on their territory, Ivanic said, adding that the operation confirmed that they had not been hiding here. Ivanic also warned that the operation to nab Karadzic would jeopardize trust and relations between Bosnian Serbs and the peacekeepers.
Petritsch welcomes SFOR determination to apprehend Karadzic
All BiH media quotes the OHR as saying in a press release issued on Thursday that the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, has welcomed SFOR’s demonstration of its resolve in apprehending indicted war criminals, by force if necessary. Petritsch noted that robust measures to “apprehend persons indicted for war crimes (PIFWCs) are necessary elements in peace implementation.” “In this context, the High Representative is disappointed with the statement made by RS Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic complaining that his government was not informed of the SFOR operation in advance. This and similar SFOR operations would be entirely unnecessary if the RS authorities fulfilled their statutory obligation to co-operated fully with the ICTY,” the release read.
RS Government reacts to the SFOR operation in Celebici
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
Both Banja Luka dailies report that due the Thursday’s SFOR operation in Celebici, the RS Government held extraordinary session yesterday. The RS Government expressed its discontent because it had not been informed about the operation before it started. The RS Government is especially dissatisfied with the use of force demonstrated during the operation especially in dealing with civilians. The press release, issued by the RS Government, further reads that it is not very good that the RS institutions have not been respected despite the readiness of the RS Government and other RS institutions to cooperate with the ICTY. The RS Government will request that the ICTY gives the information on whether the SFOR operation was conducted in liaison with the ICTY. The government also called for all citizens whose property was damaged during the operation to file compensation claims with SFOR.
RS president on SFOR operation
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
RS President Mirko Sarovic stated that by carrying out yesterday’s operation, SFOR seriously violated the mandate entrusted to it by the parties in BIH and added that his Cabinet had not been made aware of the SFOR operation, Srna new agency reported. Sarovic said that the admission by SFOR of what the goal of the action was, was at the same time an admission that they had seriously violated their mandate. Sarovic said that: “Intimidation of children and civilians, raids of religious sites, breaches of public life and infliction of material damage are not the reasons why we call them to come to our country. This does not contribute to the realization of numerous projects, building of mutual trust and further stabilization in the region.”
The BiH Presidency supports appointment of Dragan Mikerevic as new BiH Council of Ministers Chairman
According to Oslobodjenje, at its session in Sarajevo on Thursday, the BiH Presidency supported the appointment of the BiH Minister for the European Integration, Dragan Mikerevic, as the new BiH Council of Ministers Chairman. The Presidency expressed its hope that the appointment would be confirmed by the BiH House of Representatives on March 15.
The PIC Steering Board fully supports Petritsch’s efforts in the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court’s ruling
The PIC Steering Board met at the level of Political Directors with the High Representative in Brussels on Thursday. The Steering Board welcomed the opportunity to meet with UNMIBH, OSCE, UNHCR, UNDP, IMF and World Bank to recalibrate and streamline the international civilian implementation effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The presence of SFOR was also appreciated. “The Political Directors expressed their unanimous support to the High Representative and his efforts aimed at urgent implementation of the constitutional reforms in BiH,” OHR Spokesman Patrik Volf told the SENSE news agency following a morning part of the session. “The Steering Board fully agrees with the High Representative’s assessment that the political leaders in BiH hold responsibility for making constitutional changes. They have to reach an agreement on how the BiH Constitutional Court’s ruling on the constituency of the peoples should be implemented,” Volf said. (All Sarajevo dailies carried the SENSE report)
Petritsch: Re-calibration starts of the international community’s engagement in BiH
In an exclusive statement with Dnevni Avaz, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, said that, at its session in Brussels on Thursday, the PIC Steering Board had fully accepted a plan of the re-organization of the international community’s engagement in BiH, and that its implementation would start in a few days. “I can now tell for sure that we are entering the final phase of the peace implementation in BiH,” Petritsch emphasized.
Dnevni Avaz: PIC support the EU police mission in BiH, appointment of Paddy Ashdown as the new High Representative
At its session in Brussels on Thursday, the PIC Steering Board supported the EU police mission in BiH to replace the current IPTF. It also supported the appointment of Paddy Ashdown as the new High Representative. “My mandate expires in May, but the process of the Europeization continues,” The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, told Dnevni Avaz.
Solana: A European perspective is the best way for BiH to be brought closers to a prosperous future
“This is a good day to reiterate the commitment of the European Union towards BiH. On Thursday, the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board welcomed the readiness of the European Union to launch a comprehensive police mission, which will continue work of the IPTF. This is a task representing a challenge but also a task, which is the 15-member Union fully prepared to take over,” Javier Solana, the High Representative of the European Union for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, wrote in an exclusive article published in Dnevni Avaz. He expressed his conviction that the European perspective offered by the EU was the best way for BiH to be brought closer to a stable and prosperous future. “In order to further emphasize this European perspective, the Union has expressed its readiness to appoint the current High Representative’s successor also as the EU Special Envoy in BiH,” Solana wrote.
The National Democratic Institute poll shows that Serb, Croat nationalist parties most popular in Bosnia
A poll carried out in Bosnia-Hercegovina in February by America’s National Democratic Institute (NDI) shows that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) still enjoy the support of most Bosnian citizens of Croat and Serb nationality, while the multiethnic Social Democratic Party (SDP) is supported by Bosniaks. NDI questions were answered by 1,200 Bosnian citizens from February 12 to 17. The results of the poll which were presented to reporters in Sarajevo on Thursday indicate that 36 per cent of Serb voters would support a member of the SDS at elections for member of the Bosnian Presidency. Fifty-eight per cent of Croats said they would vote for a HDZ member, while 31 per cent of Bosniaks would opt for a SDP candidate. The SDP would also receive the most individual votes in elections for the state’s parliament. At the level of entities, the voters’ views are similar. All those questioned said that when opting for whom to vote, they would pay most attention to employment programs and uprooting corruption. Among politicians in the Bosnian Federation, the most popular seems to be Haris Silajdzic, while Zlatko Lagumdzija and Beriz Belkic share second place. In the Serb Republic, Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic is the most popular politician, followed by the entity’s President Mirko Sarovic, and Vice-President Dragan Cavic. Opposition’s leader Milorad Dodik is the least popular among Serb politicians.
Federation
Broadcast of the FTV satellite program stopped late on Thursday due to a lack of funding
Oslobodjenje reports that the satellite program of the BiH Federation TV was interrupted late on Thursday. The TV house called on the authorities to provide funds for the continuation of the broadcast.
BiH Federation House of Representatives interrupts discussion on the 2002 Budget
According to Oslobodjenje, the BiH Federation House of Representatives late on Thursday interrupted the discussion on the draft 2002 Budget. The session will be continued on March 7.
Behmen says strategic goals cannot be reached without an efficient judiciary
The BiH Federation Prime Minister, Alija Behmen, told ONASA on Thursday that there would be no an efficient Budget implementation without an efficient judiciary. He added that the Federation Government would do its best to reach foreseen goals and start fundamental economic reforms.
Dnevni List: Niko Lozancic will officially represent HDZ in place of Jelavic
Written by Marko Markovic (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Dnevni List reads that the Mostar Cantonal Court has acknowledged the decision of the High Representative from March 7, 2001, and pursuant to that “Ante Jelavic, the person authorized to represent HDZ BiH, the President of the party, is erased from the court’s register”. The party is given 30 days within it has to submit a name of a person who would be authorized to represent the party with a remark that “such person cannot be included in decisions of the High Representative”.
From the circles close to HDZ and Ante Jelavic, an unrecognized HDZ President, himself, we have found out ‘that they expected such decision although optimists had believed that, after the Constitutional Court decision on the non-competence of the Sarajevo Cantonal Court in the process against Jelavic and the others, the HR, before he leaves, would withdraw the decision issued on March 7 last year, as Westendorp did in the case of SDS members Dragan Cavic and Kalinic.
President Jelavic reiterated many times that ‘he is even ready to withdraw from politics if he were an obstacle for the HDZ running for the elections’. Luzanski, Tokic and Batinic share the same attitude. From the talks with some Presidents of the HDZ Cantonal Boards and influential members of the Central Board, it could be concluded that, opposite to media speculations, the session of the Central Board, which has been planned for March 09, will pass calmly, without divisions and with a full consensus regarding the person, who will represent the party from the date envisaged by the aforementioned decision of the Mostar Cantonal Court.
Most of the members of the Central Board see Niko Lozancic as a person who by his moral, human and political attitudes deserves to be ‘the first one, among the equals’. At the Central Board session they will be talking about the departure of HDZ representatives to the Federation House of Peoples (if it still makes any sense), they will establish the Election Headquarters of the party, that Lozancic will run in operative terms, however, a framework of the Headquarters will certainly be: Jelavic, Tokic, Luzanski and Batinic. In this way everybody would be happy both Wolf and sheep (they put wolf with a capital letter alluding to the HR). Actually, the right question is as to what the HR wanted to achieve by depriving Jelavic and the others of their basic human rights? Has the HR heard of Mandela? Some people from HDZ were convinced that the best beginning of the pre-election campaign would be a verdict and arrest of Jelavic and Tokic or a possible ban on the HDZ running for the elections in October this year. They say that this would truly mobilize a complete membership and unify all Croats in BiH. It would not be good at all for democracy in BiH, however, who can claim that the reasons, which would have brought us in that situation, had been democratic?
By the decisions of the HR and a political process, which started in Sarajevo and which was continued in Mostar and by denying of the entrance visa for the USA to Jelavic by the American Administration, Jelavic, Tokic, Andric-Luzanski and Batinic have become much more than ordinary leaders of the party. They have been recognized as consistent leaders of their people, who are ready to lose their positions, who are ready to stand politically rigged processes and sacrifice their own freedom for the absolute freedom and dignity of their people.
Any sort of an inconsistent solution, which would reduce the constitutional changes to cosmetic changes, which would cement the RS, in its present form, for good, and which would, ‘according to a symmetry principle’, turn the BiH Federation into a Muslim-Bosniak entity, would confirm, that the idea on the necessity of the establishment of the Federation unit for the Croats, which would guarantee the preservation of their status of a people and which would be a prerequisite of a stronger economic development, is justified.
On the same matter, Slobodna Dalmacija reads that the HDZ HQ could not confirm or deny the information and carries the OHR spokeswoman Avis Benes as saying that that she too could not confirm or deny the information. Benes stressed that the OHR wants the HDZ BiH to be properly registered and take part in the elections. Vecernji List that the decision was taken by a Panel of Judges with Judge Silvana Suman presiding.
Vecernji List: Permit for construction on site of former City pharmacy creates rift in City Administration
(Provided by OHR Mostar)
With regards to the motion initiated by the Mostar Mayor, Neven Tomic, when he requested that the Head of Urban Planning Department in Mostar’s City Administration, Sead Pintul, be removed, and when Deputy Mayor Hamdija Jahic opposed Tomic’s initiative, Vecernji List carries an interview with Sead Pintul.
In relation to Tomic’s request, Pintul says that there is no illegal construction in the case. “The investor abided by all legally stipulated procedures. There is the urban permit and the ownership over the facility is not disputable. After that the construction permit was issued, so the works started”, says Pintul adding that the Tomic’s attempt to create “the Pintul case” is a result of his (Pintul’s) efforts to put an end to tycoon construction in the City’s central zone. Talking about the Tomic’s request, Pintul says that there is not a clear stance of the City Government and City Council in the matter saying that it is a case of Mayor Tomic orchestrating a well-planned campaign against him through the so-called independent journalists. “I will reiterate, regardless of Mr. Tomic’s stance, I hope that the City Council will determine the factual situation and undertake necessary measures and stop the illegal tycoon construction in the City’s Central Zone”, says Pintul. The daily learns from sources close to the Mayor’s office that the consent for the construction, i.e. the urban permit/consent was issued by the former Head of City Urban Planning Department, the current Deputy Mayor Hamdija Jahic and that the permit was issued to two names/persons, Cuprija and Rajkovic, whilst Pintul issued the construction permit. The daily also learns that the request for Pintul’s removal was launched because at the time of singing he was not appointed the Head of the Department. On top of that, although it was requested by the Mayor, the blueprints were not submitted and although the permits were issued to two names, consents were given under one number for one location, which is in possession of the former Municipal Housing Association. The Head of OHR in Mostar Jean-Pierre Bercot requested in a letter that all works on the site of the former pharmacy be stopped until the factual situation is determined, reads Vecernji List.
Tomic: Pintul signed the permit without authorization
When questioned what would be the outcome in the “Pintul case”, Mayor Tomic said that since his colleague did not co-sign the request for removal, the process, in accordance to the Statute, goes to the City Council which will be convened as soon as possible.
“My colleague Jahic is of opinion that Pintul could issue the permit all alone by himself, although he knows that all documentation, pursuant to the Statute, is signed by Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Head Pintul was not authorized to issue the construction permit and the contract on rent, on basis of the decision of the Municipality Stari Grad, which is not competent for the Central Zone since August 200”, says Mayor Tomic. He also said, which was later confirmed over phone by Monsignor Luka Pavlovic, Vicar General of Bishop’s Ordiniariate in Mostar, that all the documentation related to the construction of Church of Jesus’ Resurrection, which is 68 meters high, had been submitted to the Urban Planning Department of the City Administration on time, where anyone can check its legality.
Republika Srpska
RS National Assembly sends the draft Law on the RTRS into a public debate
(Provided by OHR Banja Luka)
RTRS radio reports that the RS NA passed the draft Law on the RTRS and the draft Law on University and forwarded them to a public debate.
The public debate on draft Law on the RTRS should be finished by 21 March. The media will publish the text of the draft Law proposed by the Government and the text proposed by the OHR working group. RS Premier Mladen Ivanic stated that the OHR had insisted that there should be no founder of the RTRS in the RS, whereas the founder in the Federation was the Federation Parliament, although the OHR had imposed the law there. Ivanic said that there was no reason for the procedure to be different. “The Government is of the opinion that there is no need for the interim arrangements and that no one has the right to influence the RTRS, including the OHR, which is the only institution that has a supervisor who can influence the program. No one else can and should influence it, because we believe the RTRS should be a public service.”
During the debate on the draft Law on University, assistant to the Minister for Education Stevo Pasalic pointed out that there was a constitutional framework, as well as an obligation imposed by the Bonn Declaration (such as three-level university education/degrees) to adopt this law. The draft Law determines only two two-year colleges – the Medical College and the Interior Affairs College. MPs objected the deprivation of the financial independence of the University, granting broad jurisdictions to the Ministry of Education, as well as limited autonomy of the University. The draft Law on Public Peace and Order was also adopted and sent to a debate. MPs also adopted the law on changes and amendments to the Law on the termination of the application of the Law on Abandoned Property and changes and amendments to the Law on Refugees, DPs and Returnees, which has already been applied.
Friday’s session will discuss the draft Law on Theatre and draft Law on Civil Protection.
International Community
Croatian Government approves the oil import through the Izacic border crossing
According to Dnevni Avaz, the authorized Croatian Minister, Alojz Tusek, on Thursday informed BiH Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Azra Hadziahmetovic that the Croatian Government had approved oil import through the Izacic border crossing.
Editorial
Slobodna Dalmacija: My side of the world – To Bosnia on HDZ rails
Written by Danko Plevnik (Provided by OHR Mostar)
Is nationalistic clothes still being worn in Croatia according to reflection in a Bosnian mirror?
Although strategic pondering about the relations with Bosnia is not his main domain, so far, President Stipe Mesic has done more for the change of the image of a new Croatian Authority in BiH than Prime Minister Racan, who still likes to move along HDZ rails and one-sided railways, because in this way a ride to the past is safer, I guess. It seems as if the Croatian Government does not realize that Bosnia is not any longer a geopolitical region in which it can indefinitely play unilaterally, that Bosnia is not any longer physically and internationally isolated and that it is not a territory, that should be ‘arranged’ from outside, but the state with all its competence.
Does Croatia have any kind of policy towards BiH and not to mention a consistent policy towards BiH that it is supposed to have?
This question can be also posed to the Croats in BiH. While Ante Jelavic, an unrecognized HDZ President, is intending to give up the position of an HDZ President, only to make possible that the party can register in Sarajevo and get a permit to run for the election at which it has good chances, Miljenko Brkic from the Croat People’s Community, cools his heels in the Banski Dvori waiting room as a lost character from the time of Franjo Tudjman’s receptions. A tragedy of the Croat(ian) policy in BiH is that HDZ is always a step ahead of its Croat rivals in BiH and a step back in its relations with the EU. Is not it becoming a standard fate of the Croats ‘the third eye’ in a Bosnia head?
Headlines
Oslobodjenje
- SFOR fails to apprehend Karadzic
Dnevni Avaz
- A SFOR operation in the Foca region: Hunt on Karadzic
Jutarnje Novine
- A failed apprehension of Karadzic
Glas Srpski
- SFOR failed to arrest former RS president: Instead of Karadzic – Karadzic’s picture;
- Football fans of the club from Srpsko Sarajevo stoned at the stadium of the Zeljeznicar football club from Sarajevo;
Nezavisne Novine
- Reporters of Nezavisne novine in Celebici – Unsuccessful attempt to arrest Karadzic;
- New CoM Chairman nominated-Mikerevic to replace Lagumdzija;
Dnevni List
- Action in Foca: Karadzic escapes SFOR forces
- Cantonal Court in Mostar decides to erase Ante Jelavic as person authorized to represent HDZ: Niko Lozancic to represent HDZ instead of Ante Jelavic?
- Open letter of Dragan Vrankic, Deputy Governor of HNC: Six reasons behind merger of Health Insurance Fund(s)
- American National Democratic Institute conducts survey: Most popular politicians in BiH: Jelavic, Silajdzic and Ivanic
- Explosion shakes Mostar: Dika Slezak’s house under attack
Vecernji List
- SFOR’s military operation in east Bosnia: Hunt for Karadzic begins
- Mostar Cantonal Court: Ante Jelavic cannot represent HDZ
- Citizens of Bijelo Polje subject to thefts and intimidation: People in front of television, burglars in sleeping room