Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 10 February
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Lovrin new | 20th Winter Olympic Games in |
| Constitutional Court on old savings | Payment of January pensions in RS |
| C10: Teachers on warning strike | Sanader removes Vesna Skare |
TV news broadcast on 9 February
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Said Atmani extradited | NATO search in Vlasenica | Stankovic on Mladic’s helpers |
| Apologies for flag burning | Sasa Badnjar put in detention | NATO searches house in Vlasenica |
| Terzic on flag burning | Stankovic on Mladic | Filipovic refused to be ICTY witness |
| Jovic at Olympic Games opening | Regional News | Atmani extradited to |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Indictment against Mandic | The ‘Aluminij’ issue | NATO action in Vlasenica |
| Stankovic on Mladic | Workers of Breza mine freezed strike | Former RS Army officer arrested |
| NATO search in Vlasenica | SIPAD and Vranica workers’ protest | Indictment against Mandic |
| Terzic on protests in | Urbing employees continue strike | Regional news |
| Oslobodjenje | [ |
| Dnevni Avaz | [ |
| Dnevni List | Bomb thrown at club ‘Ontario’ (night club near Mostar) |
| Vecernji List | President of Mesihat of Islamic Community Croatia Omerbasic: I will demand condemnation for Moslem agitators |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | HNC Education Minister Musa: They can strike but Government does not have money (Musa on strike of HNC teachers that should start on Monday) |
| Nezavisne Novine | Search after Mladic |
| Glas Srpske | They also searched the baby |
| EuroBlic | Illegal trade in shares detected |
| Vecernje novosti | Four teams in search after Mladic |
War crimes and security | |
| NATO raids house of person under suspicion of helping PIFCWs at large
| BH Radio 1 – Early Thursday morning, NATO searched the house of Milisav Kljestan in Vlasenica, suspecting he has ties to the network supporting general Ratko Mladic. A press release issued by the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo reads: “The search was done in order to gather additional information on the network and try to determine Mladic’s location. The house was searched in line with NATO mandate to provide support to the ICTY regarding the arrest of persons indicted of war crimes.” NATO added its troops confiscated some things that could help to identify the network of supporters. PINK – NATO Spokesperson Derek Chapel said the RS Police members were present during the action. Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘They also searched the baby’, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash ‘Search after Mladic’, pg 3 ‘They took a full van of documentation’ by J.Sarac – dailies carry statements of Milisav Kljestan, saying NATO action was carried out in a correct manner, adding no property has been damaged. |
| Former RS Army member suspected of helping Mladic arrested in
| FTV – Serbian police arrested on Monday in |
| NN op-ed: The ICTY is a powerful, serious and perfectly organized institution, with which we must not vie in being witty
| Nezavisne Nobine op-ed pg 7 ‘Soldiers in game’ by Goran Petrovic – The author, formerly Head of RS State Security in 2001, writes about the Hague Tribunal, noting that “although it is illegal, illegitimate, although it has no grounds in international law, although it is a political not legal institution, although it is anti-Serb – it does exist and has been working for some time now. Even |
| Moroccan Atmani extradited to
| BHT1 – Moroccan Said Atmani, arrested on Wednesday under suspicion of terrorism by SIPA in |
| BHT1: revision of acquired citizenships to last for couple of months
| BHT1 – Following the case of extradited Moroccan citizens with BiH CIPS ID, reporter noted that assumption is that several hundreds of persons from |
| East SA Municipality allocates site for SIPA facility
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Land for construction of SIPA facility allocated’ by |
| BiH CoM adopts changes to BiH Criminal Code, Operational plan to combat human trafficking | Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Changes of Criminal Law’ by N.Z., Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘State protects witnesses and victims of human trafficking’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – The BiH Council of Ministers, at its session held on Thursday, determined changes and amendments to the BiH Criminal Code, which are related to criminal acts against BiH Armed Forces. The BiH CoM also adopted the Operational plan of activities for fight against human trafficking and illegal migrations for 2006. BiH Deputy Justice Minister, Niko Grubesic, explained that the plan included, among other measures, providing protection and support to victims and witnesses in such cases. |
Follow up: protests against caricatures in European press | |
| Organizers of protests apologized to
| RTRS – Following the protests held on Wednesday in |
| BiH Presidency Chair Ivo Miro Jovic, CoM Chair Terzic condemn burning of flags
| BHT1 – Chairman of BiH Presidency Ivo Miro Jovic condemned burning down of Croatian flag during protests against cartoon drawings of Prophet Mohammad in |
| Danish ambassador to BiH says he will not withdraw its staff from BiH
| Vecernji List, pg 4, mentioned on front ‘We will not withdraw staff from BiH’, by Zdenko Jurilj – carries an interview with the Danish ambassador to BiH, Johannes Dahl-Hansen, who comments on the protests in front of the Norwegian, French and Danish embassies in Sarajevo from two days ago and an announcement that new protests in front of the embassies would be again organized this coming Sunday. The ambassador expresses pleasure that the protests from two days ago were under control, and in this context he is grateful to reis Mustafa ef. Ceric, whom he met day before the protests, for calling on the Muslims to be reasonable and calling for dialogue. As for the coming Sunday, the journalist asked whether he (the ambassador) would close down the embassy if things got out of hand, to which the ambassador replied that he did not believe it would happen, and added that he, as the Danish ambassador, did not intend to withdraw from BiH. |
| SD: Relations between BiH and | Slobodna Dalmacija pg 5 ‘Relations with BiH are not endangered’ by S. Selimovic carries an experienced Croatian diplomat, who wanted to stay anonymous, as saying that burning down of the Croatian flag in Sarajevo will not endanger official relations between 2 countries. He added that the situation would be quite different if the official authority or some its part stood behind such demonstrations and attacks. |
| BH officials condemn burning down of flags; RS Govt. official condemns SA protest
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Officials condemn burning of flags’, announced on cover ‘Caricature caused global problem’ by D.Muminovic – reports on meetings held at BH Foreign Ministry, where BH officials held meetings with officials of Croatia, Denmark, Norway and France, that condemned burning down of flags. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘We are not Talibans’ – Dusan Antelj, Director of RS Bureau for religions, Thursday stated that the picture aired from Sarajevo to the world two days ago does not represent a realistic reflection of situation in BiH, adding that we have come to position to have Europe view us as Talibans, and this should not have happened. |
| GS condemns SA protest
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Duty culprits on the list’ by Z.Markovic – Article criticizes |
| President of Mesihat of Islamic Community Croatia Omerbasic: I will demand condemnation for Moslem agitators’ | Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘I will demand condemnation for Moslem agitators’ by R. Kovacevic carries an interview with President of Mesihat of the Islamic Community Croatia Sefko Omerbasic with regard to the protest in Sarajevo during which the Croatian flag was burnt down. Omerbasic says that they regret because of this incident, that the incident was unnecessary and it could only harm relations of 2 peoples sand 2 countries. He also said that he would demand condemnation of Moslem agitators at the session of the Council for Condemnation. |
Reshuffling in RS Government; no-confidence in CoM? | |
| Dodik to demand Terzic’s dismissal/ Terzic sas he would continue with reforms and Dodik as RS PM would have to respond positively to them
| BHT1– SNSD will demand BiH CoM Chair Adnan Terzic’s removal if that party gets into position to decide on the reconstruction of the BiH Council of Ministers, SNSD leader and the RS Prime Minister-designate Milorad Dodik stated on Thursday prior to the meeting with SDA leader Sulejman Tihic. “We are ready to support the reconstruction (of BiH CoM), and our main aim is that Adnan Terzic is not in that (reconstructed) CoM. He is unacceptable for us, because he did not exactly show all those things he is bragging about. But we are ready to accept the fact that somebody else from SDA is the CoM Chair”, stated Dodik. On the other hand, CoM Chair Terzic stressed that he understand Dodik’s motives for such statement. “Whoever accepts to lead the RS Government must know that I, as the CoM Chair, will continue the reform processes, and that they will have to answer positively to such projects. Therefore, I understand why he finds me unacceptable as the CoM Chair”, concluded Terzic. Although it was announced that |
| Comments following Dodik’s initiative for overthrowing of BiH COM: Tihic says NO to initiative, Belkic: SNSD has no capacity to do that
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘SDA will not support removal of Terzic’ by M.Cubro/V.Popovic – Sulejman Tihic,SDA President, Thursday stated that SDA would not support the removal of BiH CoM and its Chair, Adnan Terzic, adding BiH CoM should remain in the existing composition until the end of mandate. Beriz Belkic, member of Party for BiH Presidency, is of the view that SNSD has no capacity to overthrow the existing BiH CoM. Martin Raguz, member of parliamentary coordination formed by discontent HDZ delegates, announced a critical approach towards the work of BiH CoM. |
| BiH Com Chair Terzic: I have no reason to deal with Dodik’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘I have no reason to deal with Dodik’ by T.Lazovic – In light of recent statement of RS Prime Minister designate, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, who said that he would support reconstruction of BiH Council of Ministers, BiH CoM Chair Adnan Terzic stated: “Dodik needs someone like me, who is experienced in process of reforms, as well as he himself is.” Commenting that he completely understands Dodik’s motives for such statement, Terzic said that it is necessary for entity majority to lead at the state level as well, adding it is not his problem to deal with. Terzic also added that if he were replaced, the process of reforms would be stopped, for it would take some time for new administration to manage the reforms issues. EuroBlic RSpg 3 ‘Terzic not scared for survival of CoM’ – carries similar report. |
| EC Head of Delegation Humphreys: Overthrowing of Terzic is overthrowing of European path
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Overthrowing of Terzic is overthrowing of European path’ by S.Numanovic – Head of European Commission Delegation to BiH Michael Humphreys said that Stabilisation and Association Agreement [ |
| | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘New majority from RS will decide on issue of Council of Ministers’ by N.Diklic – RS Socialists Party delegate to the BiH House of Representatives Tihomir Gligoric said that BiH HoR representatives already started to collect signatures for casting vote of no confidence to the Council of Ministers and its Chair Adnan Terzic. Gligoric stated that the only one issue that left unresolved is the name of the party that would initiate vote of no confidence, adding that his party, SNSD and PDP, would support the initiative. |
| SDA’s Tihic: SDA should preserve the position of RS Deputy PM and get the Refugee Ministry
| FTV– SDA President Sulejman Tihic on Thursday afternoon held a meeting with the new RS Prime Minister-designate and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik. Talking for news agency FENA about the concept of new RS Government, Tihic stated that Government’s programme must contain elements that would assure the equality of all constitutive peoples. SDA should hold the position of Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Refugees and Displaced Persons; our candidate is Omer Brankovic, stated Tihic after the meeting with Dodik. SDA leader also believes that the change of the RS Government will not provoke crisis in the BiH Council of Ministers. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Omer Brankovic candidate for vice-president of the government’ by A.M – Dodik confirmed Tihic’s statement on Brankovic. Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons would belong to SDA’ by FENA – also reported. |
| Dodik: Proposal for new RS Govt by 25 February
| RTRS – RS PM designate Milorad Dodik stated that proposal for new Government will be presented in RS National Assembly by 25th February at the latest. Consultations with parties that would be represented in the new Government have been completed. Dodik claims that RSNA majority has already been ensured and added that he will send a request to RSNA Speaker Dusan Stojicic to schedule a session where program and new cabinet of RS Government will be presented. |
| Daily: How to establish RS Government/would PDP get three or two ministerial positions
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘PDP would get three ministries?’ by O.Vukovic– RS prime Minister designate and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik still claims that he has sufficient majority in RS National Assembly. After meeting with PDP leader Mladen Ivanic, Dodik stated that he has nothing against this party to be represented in three ministries, however adds that constitutional limits have to be taken into consideration under which the RS Government has to have 8 Serbs, 5 Bosniaks and 3 Croats Ministers. |
| SB: SNSD leader Dodik has to take care and not be fooled by
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 6-9 ‘Great comeback of Milorad Dodik’ by Mirha Deric – Danka Savic – Analysing current political situation in the RS, SB speculates that |
| RS PM designate Dodik wants better cooperation between RS and
| Dnevni List, pg 6 ‘Intensify cooperation with |
| DL op-ed: Political parties deliberately create crises because of coming elections | Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Crisis by elections’ by I. Glibusic carries that the authority crisis in the RS would also emerge at the state level in the coming days when |
FBIH Government restructuring | |
| SBiH and HDZ Caucuses in FBiH HoR to propose amendments to the Law on Ministries
| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Parties would be proponents of changes to the Law on FBiH Ministries’ by S.Se.– As daily reads, HDZ and SBiH Caucuses in FBiH House of Representatives are prepared to be formal proponents of amendments to the Law on FBiH Ministries, which would carryout the agreement between parties on establishment on new ministry, in which leading position would belong to HDZ. SBiH’s Ismet Briga explained that they can be formal proponents of the law, but the FBiH Government has to propose the text of the Law. Briga stated that in his opinion the best solution, for new ministry, would be establishment of Ministry of Environment. HDZ’s Ivan Madunic stated that no one has still contacted him regarding the new ministry and that he is waiting for direction from the party. Madunic also stated that amendments to the Law on Ministries is a formality and added that unfreezing of FBiH Government would also unfreeze more important issues, such as passing of the budget for 2006. BHT 1 also reported. |
| DA: ‘FBiH Government to get ministry of trade or of military production’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘FBiH Government to get ministry of trade or of military production’ by F.V.– As DA learns FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic and his Deputies Dragan Vrankic and Gavrilo Grahovac are considering two possibilities for new FBiH Ministry. In first option Trade and Tourism Ministry would split and new one would be of Trade; in second possibility they are considering the establishment of Ministry of Military Production. |
| DL: Former FBiH Defence Minister Nikolic to be Minister in charge of environment and tourism? | Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Whose Minister Nikolic would be?’ carries that according to their information former FBiH Defence Minister Miroslav Nikolic should have under his competence an area of environment and current FBiH Minister of Urban Planning and Environment Ramiz Mehmedagic would be the Minister of Urban Planning. Also, Nikolic would get the area of tourism while current FBiH Minister of Trade and Tourism Maid Ljubovic would be the Minister of Trade. |
| FBiH President Dzihanovic: Forming of HDZ Ministry would cost tens millions KM
| Dnevni List pg 5 ‘HDZ Ministry would cost tens millions KM’ by M. Zorlak – FBiH Vice President Sahbaz Dzihanovic stated that a new FBiH Ministry that should be formed thanks to the agreement of SDA, HDZ and SBiH would cost tens millions KM. He also denied the statement by FBiH Deputy Prime Minister Gavrilo Grahovac who said that the Ministry would be formed in a rational manner and that it would not cost a lot. Dzihanovic also believes that this is another unnecessary spending of money at the time when BiH is faced with numerous welfare and economic problems. |
| NN op-ed critical of ruling parties in F BH over their failure to agree on ministerial posts
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Masters’ by Rubina Cengic – The author is critical of the three ruling parties in F BiH, namely SDA, HDZ and Party for BiH, that have failed to agree on who would assume two ministerial posts, one of which is “without portfolio and hence without budget”, sarcastically noting the three had to agree on forming the new Ministry instead. She stresses the three are not only rude but also endlessly scared for their survival on power after October elections. |
Other political issues | |
| HR visits CoM: domestic politicians have to carry out negotiate on
| BHT1 – During his first meeting with the representatives of BiH Council of Ministers on Thursday, the High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling stated that the reform process, which is one of the priorities for BiH, has to be continued. Schwarz-Schilling stressed that domestic politicians are those who must conduct the negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union. PINK – The HR pointed out that reform processes, carried out by the BiH Council of Ministers, muss not be blocked since BiH has to be efficient and functional state. The HR also said that BiH must define time frame, in order to have the |
| HR: Constitution should be changed to bring possibility of one people blocking the country to minimum;
| Dnevni Avaz front splash, pg 5 ‘Even Germany would have hard time with such constitution’ by Sead Turcalo – In an interview for DA, High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling said that current political structure of the authorities at the municipal, cantonal and entities levels, could hardly help BiH to get out of economic crisis and move towards the EU. “Those who think that the Constitution should remain as it is, they should prove that an aim can be reached with current solutions. But, if it is shown that they have been using its complexity only to stop everything, than such actions should bear consequences,” said |
| Schwarz-Schilling and Lagumdzija agreed on priorities
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Seven priorities for the state’, Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Reforms versus poverty and crime’ by A.S. – High Representative Chrstian Schwarz-Schilling met with |
| FBiH Govt visits Mostar
| BHT1 – During his visit to Mostar and meeting with Mostar Major and Chair of City Council, Ljubo Beslic and Murat Coric, respectively, FBiH PM Ahmet Hadzipasic promised help in reconstruction of devastated buildings, taking care of the redundant employees in city administration and reconstruction of Mostar’s Gymnasium. FBiH Government will pay 5.3 million KM for the rebuilding of the former Vihovici coalmine. FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘Aluminij would call old employees’ by A.O – also reported. |
| FBiH Govt visits ‘Aluminij’: CEO Brajkovic says expensive electricity would mean demise of company; PM Hadzipasic says DERK and FERK should not hinder businesses in BiH | |
| Spokesperson of Croatian Government Macek: Croatian PM Sanader does not go to Mostar to resolve situation in HDZ BiH | Slobodna Dalmacija pg 2 ‘Sanader goes to Mostar to support Bozo Ljubic’ by A.B.K. carries spokesperson of the Croatian Government Ratko Macek as rejecting all speculations according to which Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader goes to Mostar on Saturday to resolve the situation with regard to HDZ BiH. SD says that on the other hand SD sources claim the opposite and they believe that during this visit Sanader will supportan HDZ part that stands for election of a new HDZ BiH President. |
| SB: Former HDZ members Ljubic, Raguz and Merdzo to form new party by mid March
| Slobodna Bosna pgs 18-20 ‘Ljubic, Raguz, Merdzo…are pulling down Covic’s HDZ’ by S. Mijatovic carries that some former and current HDZ members (Bozo Ljubic, Martin Raguz, Josip Merdzo etc.) are going to form a new party and it was agreed that this job should be completed by mid March when a new political party should be officially promoted. SB supposes that Ljubic would be proposed to be a leader of a new party. According to future members of this party, HDZ Croatia supported establishment of the new party at their joint meeting held in |
| Ambassador McElhaney: US Administration would not impose anything when it comes to constitutional changes
| Dani pgs 12-15 ‘We will not impose solutions’ by Senad Pecanic– In interview to Dani, US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney commented negotiations on constitutional changes in BiH, expressing his and US Government’s disappointment due to failure to reach agreement, especially since BiH politicians promised US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice this would be done. McElhaney, who underlined US would not impose solutions, did not want to give more details on letter that US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns sent inviting leaders to submit new proposals and continue talks, but he did say that no new proposals have yet been submitted. Answering whether some politicians use the talks on the issue to strengthen their positions before the elections, McElhaney strongly pointed out they should not do this but “use negotiations for people who want this country to move forward, to get closer to the EU, to have more normal Constitution!” Commenting SBiH leader Safet Halilovic’s accusations against |
| Feral op-ed on future BiH political scene
| Feral pgs 18-19 ‘Civic principle of yokel state’ by I. Lovernovic carries an editorial in which the author says that if we can talk about SDA (which very indicatively insists ‘on the civic principle of the state organization’) SNSD and |