Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 11 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Fuel prices increase in FBiH | US-Iraqis raid nets of insurgents | Ashdown to meet SiCG officials |
| Burns: Support BiH to join NATO | Tokyo-Japan relations | BiH Houses’ Commissions in session |
| HR visits | | Many returns to Kosovo in June |
TV news broadcast on 10 April
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Increase of fuel prices in FBIH | HR visits | Opposition in BiH disunited |
| Election of Sarajevo CC revoked | BiH law on excise to be changed? | Petritsch on |
| Branko Peric for NN | State administration reform | Accident in Mostar |
| Academic coop. at Mostar Uni | Issue of BiH children in | More than 250 cars confiscated |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| World News | Uncontrolled exploitation in Zupci | Ashdown in |
| Lawsuit against SCG | Devastated buildings in Mostar | RS property in former |
| | Floods and landslides | BIH WCC capable of prosecuting |
| HR visits | Ashdown in | Softic denies Stojanovic’s statement |
| Oslobodjenje | Investigators from Manjaca and Keraterm serving in OSA; Croatia doest want Branko Kesic for an Ambassador; While Election Commission announces annulling, [Sarajevo] City Council schedules session |
| Dnevni Avaz | HDZ on Covic’s successor: Decision to be made at secret meeting in |
| Dnevni List | Interview with Viktor Lasic: There will be no bankruptcy |
| Vecernji List | Doctors sue Government |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Nezavisne Novine | |
| Glas Srpske | Serb refugees to Kalesija: There is no life here |
| EuroBlic | Pavkovic ran away |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
| Nacional | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| BiH Houses’ Commissions in session | RTRS – The proposed model on police restructuring will today be presented to the members of Constitutional and legal Commissions of both BiH Houses. |
| BiH HoR Commission on HR role | RTRS – The BiH HoR Commission for foreign affairs will today discuss proposed Resolution, which calls on BiH institutions to reach a consensus by May (when PIC is to discuss OHR role in BiH) what they expect from OHR and what the authorities of new HR will be. |
| Burns: To support BiH and Kosovo to join NATO | RHB – New sub-secretary for political affairs in the State Department Nicholas Burns stated last week that during the next year the |
Political issues | |
| Ashdown to meet SCG officials in
| RTRS, RHB, PINK, BHT 1, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Continue the cooperation with the Hague’ by Fena, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Paddy Ashdown today in Belgrade’ by SRNA, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Ashdown with Tadic and Kostunica’ – As a part of his programme of regular visits to Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia, High Representative Paddy Ashdown, today will meet with Boris Tadic, President of Serbia, Vuk Draskovic, Minister of Foreign Affaires, Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Prime Minister, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle and the Serbian Orthodox Church Holy Synod. HR will take note of the recent constructive engagement with the ICTY that has resulted in the transfer of indicted war criminals to |
| DA: HDZ to chose Covic’s successor at secret mtg in
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash ‘Decision to be made at secret meeting in Sarajevo’, pg 2 ‘HDZ chooses Covic’s successor at the confidential meeting’ by H. Orahovac – DA learns from the member of HDZ leadership that the HDZ representatives in BiH Parliament will decide on replacement for the removed Dragan Covic at the confidential meeting to be held in Sarajevo tonight. In addition to the HDZ reps in BiH House of Representatives, the meeting will also be attended by four HDZ reps in BiH House of Peoples, and party’s chair Barisa Colak. A source says the agenda will also include the discussion on the overall Croat position in BiH. Underlying once more that the HR Paddy Ashdown’s decision was illegitimate and unconstitutional, the source says: “We will try to raise this issue through the institutions of the system, and decision on what to do is up to the will of others in legal authorities… Everybody in BiH must realize that BiH Parliament is the place to bring key decisions for BiH.” |
| Jovic (MP, HDZ) on Covic removal: BiH Parliament’s decision not binding for Ashdown
| Vecernji List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Parliament decisions do not oblige Ashdown’, by Miso Relota – Carries a comment by an MP in BiH Parliament, Ivo Miro Jovic (HDZ), regarding the HDZ’s request that the BiH Parliament discusses the High Representative’s decision to remove Dragan Covic from the BiH Presidency. Jovic notes that even if the BiH Parliament concludes that the removal was illegal and anti-constitutional, such conclusion will not be binding for the HR. “Such conclusion would be a satisfaction to Dr. Covic that the Constitution and European convention on human rights were violated in the case of his removal and such decision would represent a position of the top legislative authority in BiH”, says Jovic. |
| All BiH Croat parties to try to reach consensus on Constitutional changes
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘Bosniak and Croat parties have consensus on change of Constitution’ by Husein Orahovac – DA brings an interview with Marko Tadic, the chair of HSS party, who initiated the meeting to be held in Sarajevo on Tuesday where all Croat parties in BiH will meet to reach a consensus on the constitutional changes. Tadic is determined that this can be done, adding that Bosniak and some civic parties in RS could also reach a consensus on this issue. Talking about possible difference in opinions between the Croat parties, Tadic explains that all agree the BiH and local governance must be strengthened, however the issue is what would be in middle between the state and the municipality – region, canton or something else. |
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| Dnevni List, front pg splash ‘Interview with Viktor Lasic: There will be no bankruptcy’ and pg 8 ‘Canton will not go bankrupt because of educations workers’, by Ivana Rozic – Carries an interview with the West-Herzegovina Canton Prime Minister, Viktor Lasic, in which he, amongst other issues, says that there are efforts aimed at presenting the current constitutional arrangement as untenable i.e. that one level of authorities, the cantons, are facing bankruptcy. Lasic says that the HDZ and he personally are against the demise of cantons in this manner because in that case the Croat people would lose the rights it has as a constituent people. |
| DA: BiH will not be invited to join PfP at upcoming NATO mtg
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘No invitation for PfP’, mentioned on cover, ‘BiH still without invitation for PfP’ by S.N. – DA learns from several both domestic and international sources that BiH will not be invited to join the NATO’s Partnership for Peace program at the upcoming informal Alliance gathering to be held on 20 and 21 April in Vilnius, Lithuania. The reason is insufficient cooperation with the ICTY. Inset ‘What will Paddy do?’ says that if DA’s sources are right, the question is what will Paddy Ashdown do. DA reminds he already announced earlier that he would impose new set of sanctions in RS, not only against politicians but also against some of the institutions. |
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| Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Croatia doest want Branko Kesic for an Ambassador’, mentioned on cover, by Az. Kalamujic – According to daily, the BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, has decided to inform the BiH Presidency that Croatia has not issued an agreement for appointment of Branko Kesic for BiH Ambassador to this country, Oslobodjenje learns from diplomatic sources. The Ministry’s spokeswoman, Lepa Babic, says that Ivanic still has not sent a letter and that he is currently consulting the Serb member of the Presidency, Borislav Paravac. Inset ‘Mesic to talk about crisis in relations with BiH today?’ says that Croatian Presidency Stipe Mesic will meet with outgoing BiH Ambassador, Zlatko Dizdarevic, in his farewell visit. Media learnt that Mesic will also address the journalists and will state Croatian stance on the current crisis in relations with BiH. ‘Cavic threats |
| Ashdown to announce pardons soon?
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Soon, the name of those pardoned’ by S.N. – The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, may announce the names of the pardoned politicians in following 15 days. In accordance with his announcement made at the beginning of March that OHR would review some of the removal decisions, the Commission has been reviewing all removal decisions made from 1998 to 2003 and will submit the list. HR will view the list and announce the results. DA says that the pardon can be expected by only a ‘handful’ of people, mainly those who were accused of breaching the property laws. |
| Ivanic: Some political circles trying to undermine PDP
| RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘It is pure speculation that Terzic wants to remove me from authorities’ by Srna – PDP leader, Mladen Ivanic believes that some circles around some RS political parties were trying to undermine PDP by arresting four of its members on embezzlement charges. “I do not mean that party’s official bodies are behind that, meaning not even SDS, but the people hiding behind the parties and with making such spectacular cases they want to call public attention to themselves“, Ivanic told Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti. He added that reports that Chair of CoM, Adnan Terzic, wants to remove him to overtake control in Brod oil refinery were just pure speculations. |
| RFE on role and necessity of HR in BiH
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘BiH authorities still cannot function without High Representative’ by Radio Free Europe – The Radio Free Europe carried a program reporting that Borislav Paravac and Sulejman Tihic, members to BiH Presidency, share the view that BiH authorities cannot function without High Representative ten years after the Dayton Agreement had been signed. Paravac said in a statement to RFE that the function of HR should gradually fade away instead of getting stronger. Zlatko Lagumdzija, SDP of BiH President, is of the view that it is necessary to bring the role of HR into partnership relation with the local authorities, adding: “What is evident is that departure of HR Paddy Ashdown should not equate with departure of the institution of HR. the fact is that Ashdown would be remembered as a person, who has destroyed the partnership between local political forces and international community, and who is also to be partially blamed for having given the licence to false reformists .” Hans Joachim Gizmann, Director of the Hamburg Institute for peace research and security policy, is of the view that HR has over pronounced authoritative role. He is also of the view that HR is still necessary in BiH, adding that HR must act with extreme caution. |
| Mehmedovic (SDA): OHR officials interfering into staffing issued in SIPA and OSA
| Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Paddy Ashdown responsible for insecurity of BiH citizens’, by Mensud Zorlak – The articles notes that the latest analysis by the Ljubljana-based International institute for Middle East and Balkans studies ‘IFIMES’ reads that the High Representative for BiH bears the biggest responsibility for the difficult situation BiH has been in for the last two years. Claiming that majority of domestic politicians also label HR Paddy Ashdown as the main culprit for the situation in the country, DL carries the Head of SDA Caucus in the FBiH House of Representatives, Semsudin Mehmedovic, who says it is unacceptable that some OHR officials are interfering into staffing issues in the BiH security agencies. According to him, that is most evident in the functioning of SIPA and OSA, because certain officials of the OHR have the biggest influence when it comes to appointment of staff. |
| DL: OHR influences staffing issues
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Accepting responsibility’, by Ivica Glibusic – Commenting on the situation in BiH, foremost about the role of the OHR in the country, the author claims that the OHR is trying to give itself credits for everything good in BiH, whilst domestic authorities are being ascribed with all negative events. The author goes on to say that irrespective of the IC accepting or rejecting responsibility for events in BiH, the IC has influenced the appointment of staff in state institutions. In that context, Glibusic says the decisive factor was the loyalty to the OHR, not the expertise. The author concludes it was time the OHR and other international organization leave the job to domestic institutions. |
| VN int with Dodik: ‘Out to the open with all affairs’
| Vecernje Novosti pg 5 ‘Out to the open with all affairs’ by Slobodan Pesevic – Daily carries an interview with SNSD Chairman Milorad Dodik in which he assessed the current political situation in RS as depressive. He thinks there are no signs of exit from such situation, adding: “Perhaps [Paddy] Ashdown and others, after they have removed several persons two-three months ago and caused crisis, have found it suitable to have a sterile RS Government of mixed composition.” He claims ruling parties are trying to keep their chairs at any cost, even if it means accepting reforms that are devastating RS, i.e. bringing it into a position of complete independence from “mood” of the international community. With regard to next general elections, Dodik thinks these would be the least fair elections because the ruling parties would fight to remain at their positions in order to keep many affairs from coming out to the open. He assesses SNSD has the support of 35% of voters in BiH. He explained his most recent claims with regard to the breach in Serbian financial transactions system in 1996, on which occasion, according to Dodik, Radovan Karadzic had a great amount of money for himself. Regarding the situation in BiH, Dodik says the authorities do not know what they want and have recently started raising issues of war past, noting: “Newspapers are full of top stories related to surrenders to the Tribunal, bringing of persons before courts…This is a tragic image of current functioning of BiH, therefore this country has no chance to enter European integrations in next ten years’.” |
| Comments on DPA | EuroBlic pgs RS 2-3 ‘Good ideas, worn solutions’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Daily carries extracts from interview Novi Reporter published with Steve Mayer, Professor at the Washington University for National Security, says that the western politicians have imposed Dayton Peace Agreement as a solution for BiH, not in order to establish a just state, but instead to serve their interests. He is of the view that the referendum would be the best solution for BiH. Tanja Topic, political analyst is of the view that referendum is not possible to implement, and that border issues are fait accompli. Senka Kurtovic, editor of |
War crimes | |
| Manjaca war investigator working as head of OSA in Prijedor?
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pgs 4-5 ‘Investigators from Manjaca and Keraterm serving in OSA’ by Besima Kahrimanovic – Adil Draganovic, a lawyer from Sanski Most, who was kept war prisoner in Manjaca concentration camp during the war says that Jugoslav Rodic, currently Commander of the BiH Intelligence Agency [OSA] in Prijedor, was the investigator in the camp. Brining more detailed account of the events in the camp, Draganovic, who was Rodic’s friend before the war, accused Rodic of taking part in ethnic cleansing. “All those who directly or indirectly committed something evil, should be held responsible,” says Draganovic. “However until somebody calls him on, Jugoslav Rodic will work in OSA office in Prijedor without a disturbance, together with the boss Radomir Rodic, former investigator in Keraterm concentration camp,” concludes the author. Oslobodjenje pgs 4-5 ‘Fixed indictments for fabricated spying’ – Daily brings testimonies of two former PoWs from Manjaca, Amir Talic and Redzo Kurbegovic, on their encounters with Rodic. |
| VL: Lawsuit against SCG unites Croat parties
| Vecernji List, pgs 4-5 ‘Croats in favour of lawsuit against Serbia and Montenegro’, mentioned on front ‘Lawsuit against SCG unites Croats in BiH’, not signed – The articles claims that the lawsuit that BiH filed against Serbia and Montenegro has united the Croat parties in BiH unlike any other issue. Leaders of HDZ (Barisa Colak), HSP Djapic-Jurisic (Zvonko Jurisic), HSS (Marko Tadic) and HNZ (Miljenko Brkic) are carried as saying that they do support the lawsuit against SCG, however they insists that the lawsuit should prove that genocide has been committed against the Croats too, since the BiH legal representative in the lawsuit (Sakib Softic) stated that SCG will be tried for genocide against the Bosniaks. |
| Blic: Pavkovic in RS?
| EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg 2 ‘Pavkovic ran away’ by I.Cvetkovic/N.Calukovic – The daily learnt from the sources close to former Head of Yugoslav General Staff, General Nebojsa Pavkovic has ran way from SiCG, most likely to RS. The collocutor did not exclude the possibility that Pavkovic might have moved again. |
| Oslobodjenje on transfer of cases to
| Oslobodjenje pg 8 ‘Lawyers of ‘Meakic and others’ worried that BiH will not pay them enough’, mentioned on cover, by A. Omeragic – The defence lawyers team in the cases against Zeljko Meakic, Dusan Knezevic, Dusan Fustar and Momcilo Gruban – indicted for war crimes committed in concentration camps Omarska and Keraterm – have been trying to prevent transfer of their clients’ cases before the BiH Court. They forwarded documents to the ICTY expressing their doubt that BiH will pay them enough. They are also interested to know whether there is someone supervising the work of the OHR, believing that “one person or an office cannot have such arbitrary power to write and change laws.” Team also worries that witnesses in BIH are not protected enough noting that“Serbs are victims of attacks in BiH prisons.” At the same time, the Tribunal has asked from BiH to answer to the new questions before decision on the transfer of cases. ICTY wants to know whether witness from RS are willing to testify before the |
| SIPA in establishment of witness protection department | BHT 1by Boris Grubesic – State Information and Protection Agency’s (SIPA) Department for witness protection will employ 50 persons, and will be fully equipped until the end of 2005. BHT reporter says that the international community would donate the majority of the necessary equipment. SIPA’s Department for witness protection will protect witnesses in war crimes cases processed in BiH. |
Appointment of | |
| NN int. w/ Vehid Sehic: Election Commission was not under pressure
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘There were no pressures on members of the Election Commission’ by N. Krsman – Chairman of BiH Election Commission Vehid Sehic says Sarajevo City Council would not have been illegally appointed had the municipal councils respected BiH Election Law and opinion of Election Commission during the process of election of City Council delegates. He claims there were no pressures in the process of making a decision upon a complaint of SDP with regard to the appointment of the delegates. He emphasises the only pressure applied on Election Commission members is the pressure of Election Law that must be respected. He added the Commission could not have reacted sooner because it had been waiting for a reply |
| Sarajevo City Council schedules session today
| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘While Election Commission announces annulling, [Sarajevo] City Council schedules session’, mentioned on cover, by A. Terzic – Despite the fact that BiH Election Commission has announced annulment of the Sarajevo City Council elections on Tuesday, the current Council Chair, Aida Habul, scheduled a session for today. The agenda of the Council’s meeting, which will be annul following day, will include verification of the mandate of 4 missing members of the City Council and election of the Commissions, Boards and Council’s working group. |
| HDZ withdraws its reps from Sarajevo City Council
| Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘HDZ withdrew its candidates for City Council’ by A.T.– Daily learns that HDZ withdrew candidacy of Ana Havel for the position of Deputy Chair of Sarajevo City Council. The party also rejected to participate the work of any commissions, boards or working group and withdrew all its candidates for the positions in these structures. The Chair of the HDZ Sarajevo branch, Dubravko Horvat, states that “ |
| DL Op-ed: RS and FBiH block integration processes
| Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘Broken mirror’, by Slavo Kukic – The author claims that authorities in the RS, foremost the SDS, want to block all integration processes and in the same time preserve the status quo in the country, noting that in the same time their colleagues in the FBiH are doing a similar job. To back his claim up, Kukic notes that the FBiH authorities are neglecting the |
Economic, social and judicial issues | |
| BiH Parliament Commission’ demands from
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3’ announced on cover ‘BiH Parliament Commission demands from BiH Court to give back passports to Hasan Cengic’ by R.Cengic – One of BiH Parliament Commissions has demanded from Meddzida Kreso, BiH Court President, that passports are returned to Hasan Cengic, SDA delegate at the BiH HoP. NN collocutor from BiH Parliament says that: “Instead of demanding from an official, who has been charged with office abuse, to step down from HoP, the representatives of the highest BiH legislative body are protecting him and demanding |
| Dokic to file complaint against indictment today
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Branko Dokic to file complaint against indictment’ by D.Risojevic – Miljkan Pucar, defence attorney of Branko Dokic, has confirmed that defence will today file a complaint with the indictment on the basis of its formal scarcities. The complaint will be field with the |
| RS Labour Ministry to file charges vs. FBiH PIO
| EuroBlic pg RS 1 ‘Lawsuits to lead to pensions’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Branka Sljivar, Spokesperson of the RS Ministry of Labour, has confirmed that theMinistry would this week file a suit against F BiH Pension Find with the Mostar Court, over the failure of F BiH Pension Fund to act in accordance with Human Rights’ Chamber decision and decision of BiH Constitutional Court regarding the payment of pensions by the entity those were earned. She has noted that F BiH officials failed to attend the meeting in |
| FBiH: Medical workers to sue FBiH authorities and claim 20 million KM
| Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘Doctors sue Government’ and pg 6 ‘Doctors demand payment of over 20 million KMs’ by E. Medunjanin – Medical workers from the Federation of BiH are going to sue competent FBiH Ministries because of violation of collective agreements’ provisions. According to representatives of their trade unions, medical workers claim over 20 million KMs. |
| Nadarevic on allowance to war medal winners
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Nadarevic: Everything is possible when political head promises’ by R.Cengic – Ibrahim Nadarevic, F BiH Minister for veterans’ affairs, is of the view that it is possible to provide special monthly allowance amounting to 50% of average income on F BiH to war medal winners, as Sulejman Tihic, member to BiH Presidency, has promised to them. Nezavisne Novine pg 7 ‘Tihic’s promise’ by Nihada Jasic – The author is writing about the promise Tihic gave to war medal winners noting that sticking his nose in issue that do not concern him, the SDA first man meant to keep the support and votes of this veterans’ category of population for the elections. |
| NN on draft law regulating war damage compensations
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Payment in the next 50 years’ by R.Segrt – The Draft Law on establishing of war damage during the war stipulates that war reparations would be paid out until 2057 to parties that suffered war destructions in RS in the period from 1992 to 1996. Veljko Stevanovic, President of the RS Association for coordination of Refugee Associations, is of the view the proposal (that no interest rates should be calculated) shows unfair approach of the state towards citizens, since the citizens have to pay a debts with interests to the state. He stressed: “If somebody has destroyed the property, the person should be tried for that, regardless of ethnic background – Serb, Croat or Bosniak.” |
| NN on costs of visits undertaken by BiH officials
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Officials hide abroad travel expenses’ by M.Cubro – The daily notes that on 10 March, it has forwarded requests to BiH Presidency members and BiH COM Chair, asking from them to provide information on number of official visits they paid and expenses of those. Since they failed to submit information, the daily notes that the BiH Presidency members and BiH CoM Chair do not want to disclose these information. Unlike them, the daily stresses that Sefik Dzaferovic, Chairperson of BiH HOR, and Velimir Jukic, BiH HoP Chair, promptly responded to NN request, releasing information provided to them. |
| Minister Halilovic on funding of cultural institutions in BiH
| Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘There is no political will to preserve cultural institutions’, by kj – Reports that directors of seven cultural institutions, which are of importance for BiH, supported an agreement made by the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs that regulates financing of these institutions. According to the BiH Civil Affairs Minister, Safet Halilovic, who had met with the directors, his Ministry is engaged in solving of the institutions’ problems, however there is still no political will within the BiH Council of Ministry to stop the decay. |
| Report on Serb returnees to Kalesija area
| Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘There is no life here’ by S.R.T. – The daily writes about the return of approximately 20 Serb families to the village of Jeginov Lug near Kalesija, where 165 Serb families lived before the war. The daily notes the returnees are subject to provocations of neighbouring Bosniaks on almost a daily basis. The returnees say RS and F BiH take no care of them at all, and it is impossible for a returnee to find a job in Kalesija. |