OHR BiH Media Round-up, 14/11/2005

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00hrs)

BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs)

RTRS (12,00 hrs)

Brussels talks continue

Brussels conference, day 3 starts

Brussels talks to end today

Earthquake near Hutovo blato

Manjaca PoW’s release anniversary

Dodik’ Vecernji List int.

Fuel cheaper in FBiH

World news

World news

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Conference on BIH Constitution

Ivanic on Brussels meeting

Talks on constitutional changes

Tihic on reform of BIH Constitution

Pejic on Mladic

BiH citizens on Brussels talks

Dodik on reform of BIH Constitution

Feature story on BiH SBS

Youth conference ended in Sarajevo

Mladic arrested?

Issue of the west road in Banja Luka

Negotiations with ICTY indictees

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Meeting in Brussels

Talks on constitutional changes

Pejic denies negotiations in Belgrade

Hays on Brussels meeting

Regional conf. on missing persons

Conference on BIH Constitution

Belkic on Brussels meeting

Circle 99 session in Sarajevo

Dinkic on VAT

Prices of electric energy to go up

RS Govt. guarantees for Miletic

BIH Publishers on VAT

Oslobodjenje

Only cosmetic changes to the BiH Constitution

Dnevni Avaz

[USAID’s Sumka] There could be a crisis in a less than a month and a half

Dnevni List

Party removes Terzic

Vecernji List

Threat to Sarajevo ‘twins’

Slobodna Dalmacija

Features Croatia related headlines

Nezavisne Novine

Parents do not let children to go to school [in Una-Sana Canton, due to lack of heating in classrooms]

Glas Srpske

A pension sufficient to buy three loafs of bread [feature story on former teacher of French language with pension amounting 2,40 KM]

EuroBlic

High tensions in Brussels

Vecernje novosti

Features Serbian related titles

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

Third day of Brussels talks commences, media agree nothing significant to be agreed on

BH Radio 1 – The third, final, day of the talks between the representatives of eight political parties have commenced this morning in Brussels . BH Radio 1 comments that it past two days have not brought any significant agreements regarding the constitutional changes, while some large progress is not expected today either. The only principle all participants agree was to allow Serbs from Federation of BiH and Croats/Bosniaks from RS to be entitled to an election to BiH Presidency.

RS Radio – It is evident, according to RTRS, this meeting will neither result in any evident solution nor conclusion on any single important issue. The talks are scheduled to resume on 21 November in Washington.

RS Veterans on Brussels talks

RS Radio – Commenting on Brussels talks, Savo Cvjetinovic, President of the RS Veterans Associations, warned that the issue of RS survival and constitutional changes would lead to destabilization of the situation in this region. 

RS NGOs support Serb People’s Movement’s action to protection RS

BH Radio 1 – Serb People’s Movement put up the posters around Bijeljina calling on Serbs to protect the RS and to sign the petition for separation of the entity from BiH. RS Radio – The representatives of 6 NGO’s from RS have formed the Initiative Board for establishment of Serb Movement of NGO’s, aimed at protecting the constitutional status of RS. The president of the Board, Branislav Dukic, confirmed that the Initiative Board is consisted of the following Associations: Former detention camp inmates, Veteran’s, Families of the imprisoned and missing persons, refugee coordination, pensioners and Students Organization.

Brussels conference on constitutional changes

Brussels conference, Day 2: Negotiations difficult and not promising, no agreement reached on BiH HoP

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Negotiations are difficult and not promising’ by A.M. – On the second day of the conference in Brussels which gathered the representatives of eight political parties from BiH [SDA, SDS, HDZ, SNSD, PDP, SBiH, SDP, HNZ] no agreement was reached on future structure and authorities of the BiH House of Peoples. DA says that two entirely different stances on BiH future were advocated at the meeting. “When it comes to the election of delegates to the House of Peoples, the parties from RS believe that this should be done by the entities assemblies while others believes that this should be done directly through the elections. RS also think that Houses of Peoples and Representatives should have the same authorities, while on the other side we believe that this should only include the issue of the vital national interest,” stated SDA leader Sulejman Tihic for DA. The joint conclusion, says DA, is that the negotiations are difficult and not promising. At the beginning of the second day of the conference, the participants were addressed by the Director of the EU Directorate for the Western Balkans, Reinhard Priebe. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Negotiations proceed hard and are not promising’ by A.M, inset ‘What Priebe said’ – Daily learns Priebe did not propose any concrete solution. However, in his speech he said thatBiH should have one Government that will be negotiating with EU, and also that all legislative authority in regard to path to EU should be at the state level. Today is the last day of the conference which will be focused at the issue of human rights. DA says that as the agreement was not reached on Saturday regarding the possibility to introduce the president of the state, the issue will be put on the agenda again today.

VL, SD: Parties agree on number of BiH HoP delegates

Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Tihic supports regions proposed by Bishops, Dodik supports Croat entity’ by Z. Kresic claims that during the talks in Brussels the only success was the discussion on the BiH House of Peoples that would have 30 representatives (10 Croats, 10 Serbs and 10 Bosniaks respectively). Slobodna Dalmacija pg 10 ‘Third entity in RS as well?’ by I. Sabalic says that changes in the BiH HoP were agreed according to which members of all 3 peoples can be elected regardless from which entity they come from.

Hays: Participants disagreed more than they have agreed on; Cavic: RS a basic condition; Tihic: cosmetic changes unacceptable; Cavic: third entity best option

BHT 1 by Elvir Bucalo – Donald Hays, former Principal Deputy High Representative who is now the patron of those talks on constitutional changes in BiH, stated that participants so far showed more disagreement than agreement. The positions and the views of BiH political leaders have not changed at all: according to BHT reporter, leaders of RS political parties are still against any kind of changes regarding the three-members BiH presidency, and they still believe that the survival of RS is the basic condition. “RS is the basic condition for internal order, and all those other things that we could discuss about result from that condition”, stated SDS President Dragan Cavic. On the other hand, FBiH parties do not see the purpose of this and other similar meetings, if they will result only in cosmetic changes to the Dayton Peace Agreement. “I believe that BiH state institutions should be strengthened through those constitutional changes, and not weakened”, stressed SDA President Sulejman Tihic. HDZ President Dragan Covic once again opposed the country’s being composed of two entities, RS and FBiH, saying that Croats in BiH are nothing but a second or even third-class citizens. RTRS – Covic underlined the confederation of three entities would be the best solution for Croats since the current state organisation is not acceptable. Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘Only cosmetic changes to the BiH Constitution’ by Fena – also carries Tihic. PDP leader Mladen Ivanic also said that the party doesn’t expect the talks to result with the spectacular agreement.

Hayat– also brings Hays statement. RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Conflict of two concepts’ by Tanjug – carry Tihic. FTV also carries Cavic and Covic. RTRS, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS2 ‘High tensions in Brussels’ by Nedeljka Breberina, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3, announced on cover ‘Agreement is not even in sight’ by D. Risojevic and M. Cubro, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘We do not want to have suicide of RS’ not signed, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Negotiations in a dead-end street’ by Beta – carry Cavic. RHB– also reports on second day of conference.  

Dodik: Parties not able to reach any agreement

RTRS by Momcilo Ostojic – SNSD Chair Milorad Dodik commented on the SNSD’s proposal on the BIH Parliament. “We have proposed to abolish the entity’s House of Peoples and a transfer of all authorities to BIH HoP that will be responsible for protection of Vital National Interest. Another proposal is that RS related issues that cannot be solved at the BiH constitutional Court but should be returned to RS Constitutional Court. Same would be for FBIH related issues but it was not accepted” said Dodik. ATV – Dodik does not believe that representatives of political parties in Brussels will be able to reach any agreement. He thinks that instead of resolving the most important issue of 10 cantonal centres, political representatives from the BiH Federation are focusing on the issue of RS. Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘No progress’ by Srna, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3, announced on cover ‘Agreement is not even in sight’ by D. Risojevic and M. Cubro – also reported on Dodik’s statements.

Tihic says third entity not an option; Cavic: RS open on any kind of discussion 

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Negotiations proceed hard and are not promising’ by A.M, inset  ‘Tihic did not support proposal on three entities’ – Sulejman Tihic, SDA President, denied claims of Zagreb based daily “Vecernji List” published Sunday that Tihic supported proposal of Dragan Covic regarding division of BiH intro three parts. Tihic said: “It is nonsense. Covic at no moment demanded third entity. He said more than two, and at the end he elaborated on organisation with four regions. I supported proposal on regions of Tuzla, Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Mostar.” Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Three entities’ not signed – as a comment on Covic’s idea on three entities, SDS’s Dragan Cavic stated RS is open for any kind of discussion, reiterating the importance of preservation of RS.

Ivanic on different stances between the parties

PINKby Adriana Domazet – In an interview to PINK, the PDP Chair Mladen Ivanic comments on the Brussels meeting. In terms of election of BiH House of Peoples, Ivanic said that PDP, SNSD and SDS believe that the delegates should be elected within FBiH and RS Parliaments, and HDZ finds existence of RS unacceptable, while SDP, SDA and SbiH insisted on HoP representatives being elected at the BiH level. Ivanic added that this was just an example of the issues being discussed in Brussels. RTRS – Ivanic stated that PDP came out with proposals on the appointment of members of BIH Presidency. “The problem is that one part of FBIH advocates for unitary BIH while the other part, namely HDZ, advocates for the third entity. Each solution is at the expense of RS” added Ivanic. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘I will not sign anything in contradiction with principles of parties from RS’ by N.D. – Ivanic told daily that participants of Brussels meeting will most probably manage to agree on one topic only, which is the transformation of the BiH Council of Ministers, which should be expanded for two more ministries. He reiterated his stance he would not sign anything under the pressure, if it were the last political decision in his career. Ivanic concluded that the talks today would last until late afternoon. ATV, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS2 ‘High tensions in Brussels’ by Nedeljka Breberina, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3, announced on cover ‘Agreement is not even in sight’ by D. Risojevic and M. Cubro, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘We do not want to have suicide of RS’ not signed, inset ‘Are they abolishing or multiplying?’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Negotiations in a dead-end street’ by Beta – also carry Ivanic.

Lasic: HDZ expects no final solution in Brussels ; Covic: new constitution in four months

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Lasic: We do not expect agreement’ by F.V. – HDZ’s expert for constitutional changes, Mile Lasic, told DA his delegation doesn’t expect reaching of the final solution on the constitutional changes in Brussels. He anticipates that the conference could only result with the joint stance on the minimum that parties agree, while he did not specify what this minimum could be. EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS2 ‘High tensions in Brussels’ by Nedeljka Breberina, inset ‘Covic: Such BiH is unacceptable’ – HDZ’s Dragan Covic has stated he believes BiH would, in the following four months, get a constitution in accordance with which next elections would be held.

Halilovic: Everyone agrees only about transformation of CoM 

ATV, EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS2 ‘High tensions in Brussels’ by Nedeljka Breberina, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Agreement only on two new state ministries’ by A. Malagic – SBiH leader, Safet Halilovic, commented the progress of the Brussels talks stating for DA that the parties only agree on transformation of the Council of Ministers. He adds there are difference on the name of this institutions – one propose it to be called the BiH Government headed by the Prime Minister, while others say it should be the Council of Ministers lead by the President. Halilovic adds parties also discussed the establishment of the news ministries, however have different opinions as to which one should be formed. “There were proposals for this to include the Ministry for European Integrations, but… I think that is not necessary as we already have the Direction with the same authorities. Majority of participants proposed the state Ministry of Agriculture. I personally advocated for the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare,” said Halilovic. Hayat – carries SBiH representative Beriz Belkic along the same lines.

Silajdzic: BiH doesn’t need changes discussed in Brussels , but entirely new Constitution

HTV 1 ‘Nedjeljom u dva’ current affairs programme by Aleksandar Stankovic – Founder of the SBiH party, Haris Silajdzic, said in an interview to Croatian HTV’s current affairs programme that BiH doesn’t need the changes currently discussed in Brussels. Instead, Silajdzic believes that the country needs a new Constitution which doesn’t support results of genocide and blood. SBiH proposal foresees BiH as decentralized state with strong state mechanisms divided in regions. He expressed a satisfaction that the Bishop’s Conference came out with the similar proposal.

Komsic: Ruling parties cannot reach agreement, thus important talks under US/EU control

Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘This chance must not be missed’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Ruling parties cannot reach agreement’ by A.M. – SDU Vice President, Ivo Komsic, commented that the Dayton anniversary and beginning of SAA talks with EU are the opportunities for significant changes to the BiH structure which must not be missed. “One should not expect from ruling parties to reach an agreement on constitutional changes… therefore, it is important that the talks are led under the control of the American administration and with an assistance of EU,” concluded Komsic.

DNS’s Mitrovic: Serbs are being framed

ATV, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Serbs are being framed’ by S. M. – DNS’s Jovan Mitrovic on Saturday stated DNS is not participating in Brussels talks on changes to BiH Constitution, because this party thinks Serbs are only being framed once again by this. He noted DNS supports changes, but only such changes that would preserve the autonomy of RS.

SDP urges one president

EuroBlic cover pg splash and pg RS2 ‘High tensions in Brussels’ by Nedeljka Breberina – SDP’s Jozo Krizanovic stated SDP pleads for a single president of BiH, which would be elected through the Parliament.

Hays: Any drastic changes would cause instability

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Without dramatic changes to the Constitution’ by Tanjug, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘No dramatic changes’ by Tanjug, Nezavisne Novine, pg 3, announced on cover ‘Agreement is not even in sight’ by D. Risojevic and M. Cubro, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘We do not want to have suicide of RS’ not signed inset ‘Hays: path to EU’ – Donald Hays stated for Tanjug news agency that dramatic changes to the BiH constitution could cause instability, thus such changes were not at all included in the Brussels talks. He also claims that the essence of the negotiations on constitutional changes is not toe jeopardize existence of the entities, but to create a serious SAA negotiator out of BiH.

FTV on proposal presented in Brussels by the US Institute

FTV by Ognjen Blagojevic – FTV comments that the RS representatives expressed readiness to accept some changes, but strongly rejecting to endorse constitutional position of RS. The USinstitute has proposed replacing the current tripartite Presidency with one President elected by the Parliament, or one President with two Vice Presidents rotating every 16 months. According to this proposal, current Council of Ministers would be replaced by the centralised government; Parliamentary Assembly would still be composed of two Houses, HoR with 84 representatives and HoP with 30 delegates. Minorities would have four representatives in BiH HoR, which would be authorised to deal with all the legislature-related issues, as well as with all the laws regarding the Stabilisation and Association process and the processes of admission to the EU and other Euro-Atlantic institutions. House of Peoples would have the authority to deal with the issues of vital national interest. RHB, Hayat, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Two proposals on Presidency’ by Srna, Dnevni List pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Serbs dictate course of negotiations’ by I. Rozic also bring details of the proposal presented at the conference.

Oslobodjenje: no comments from Serbia on Brussels talks

Oslobodjenje cover splash, pg 3 ‘Only cosmetic changes to the BiH Constitution’ by Fena – Daily’s correspondent from SCG, Branislav Boskov, reports there are no either official or unofficial comments in Belgrade on the conference. It is believed that Belgrade is busy with the upcoming Kosovo negotiations, but it also means that their previous stance on supporting the DPA is valid. Inset ‘Support to RS stance’ carries daily’s opinion that the recent meeting between RS President Dragan Cavic and Serbian President Boris Tadic and Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica most probably discussed the RS destiny. It is most certain, says daily, that RS received the support for their stances.

Oslobodjenje op-ed says only revolution, not evolution, of some DPA provisions would be real change

Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 9 ‘Long live (r)evolution!’ by Josip Vricko – Writing about Brussels meeting, the author notes it is being held at certain level of secrecy while in wait of historic news for BiH. Furthermore, Vricko stresses that only revolution of some provisions of the Dayton Agreement, not evolution of the Agreement as Olli Rehn proposed, could lead BiH to a state. The provisions include amends of some compromises reached at Dayton , establishing federal structure of F BiH and existence of RS, which Serbs view indisputable.

VL op-ed: New Constitution would damage Croats again

Vecernji List pg 2 ‘New Constitution – old solution’ by Z. Cosic comments on the constitutional changes talks and the author concludes: ‘When all plans and goals related to this issue are taken into consideration the only possible result is that BiH would get what Radovan Karadzic and late SDA President Alija Izetbegovic (Serbs and Bosniaks) had got a long time ago: a state divided in two entities while BiH would lose what was promised to late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman (Croats).’

War crimes and security issues

Pejic: Andan in Belgrade to visit family, not negotiate Mladic’s surrender

PINK, BHT1, Hayat, RHB, RTRS, FTV, Nezavisne novine pg 2 ‘Negotiations on surrender of Zupljanin’ not signed, Vecernje Novosti pg 12 ‘Ratko is still wishful thought’ by Sl. P. – RS Ministry of Interior Spokesperson Radovan Pejic denied the media speculations that RS MoI conducts the negotiations on possible surrender of ICTY indictees Ratko Mladic and Stojan Zupljanin. Pejic said that RS Police Director Dragomir Andan is in Belgrade not to negotiate surrenders of certain ICTY indictees, but visiting his family. Banja Luka based daily Nezavisne Novine published that the negotiations with Ratko Mladic started some ten days ago.

Sarajevo : Police investigating into bomb hoax from Saturday

Oslobodjenje, pg 2, mentioned on front ‘List of calls will reveal hoax bomber’, by L. S. – N. K. – According to the spokesman of Canton Sarajevo Interior Ministry, Enes Cerimagic, the anonymous phone call from Saturday night, which said that two bombs were planted in the ‘UNITIC’ business centre, was in fact a hoax threat. According to unofficial information, there is possibility that police authorities ask from the ‘BH Telekom’ to provide the relevant list of phone calls in order to help the investigation. Vecernji List front pg splash and pg 3 ‘Terrorism: Threat against Sarajevo twins’, by Dejan Jazvic, Dnevni List pg 49, mentioned on front ‘People from UNITIC skyscrapers evacuated’ by M. Maric, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Unknown whether OSCE was under threat’ by A.Durmo , Glas Srpske pg 13 ‘Alert over false alarm’ by TANJUG – also reports on the incident.

Other political issues

DL: SDA fraction wants to remove Terzic

Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Party removes Terzic’ by M. Zorlak – According to the sources close to SDA there is a fraction within this party that demands from SDA President Sulejman Tihic to remove Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic from this position. In order to implement this plan some SDA members started to lobby among the parties that participate in the BiH CoM but also among the strongest opposition parties and they addressed SNSN President Milorad Dodik with this proposal. Dodik stated that he refused the SDA proposal since he does not want to help this party and interfere in their matters. DL explains that Terzic provoked such reaction within his party since he as the BiH CoM Chairman was passing decisions without prior consultations with the SDA top and his decision according to which a chief negotiator for the SAA negotiations should be from the RS caused the biggest reaction. DL says that RS Vice President Adil Osmanovic is the biggest advocator of the Terzic’s removal. 

Hadzic (SDA): Tihic conducting revengeful policy within party

Dnevni Avaz, pg 9, mentioned on front ‘Tihic’s policy could lead to rift within SDA’, by E. Huremovic – According to an MP in BiH Parliament and one of founders of the SDA, Izet Hadzic, the SDA President, Sulejman Tihic, is getting down with his revengeful policy against people who did not support him during the last SDA inter-party elections. He notes that Tihic is applying pressure against SDA municipal organizations that did not support him, the policy which culminated in Zivinice where the SDA Presidency installed a board to run the party, despite the party working good in Zivinice, which, according to Hadzic, is contrary to the SDA Statute. Questioned whether such situation could lead to a rift within the party, Hadzic confirms that it could.

Oslobodjenje on SDS rifts: Ashdown calmed down situation through rehabilitation decisions

Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Ashdown clamed down the spirits’, mentioned on cover, by O. Vukovic – Daily comments that if there were the conflicts inside the SDS, they have certainly been overcome which has been confirmed by the Thursday’s SDS Assembly’s election session. Sixty new members of the main board were elected, while the announced mutiny of the members from Eastern RS did not happen. SDS Vice President, Bosko Siljegovic, stated that Zdravko Salipur, chair of the SDS East Novo Sarajevo, has neither resigned nor demanded the SDS leader to resign as it was speculated by the media. “Decision made by the HR Paddy Ashdown only several days before the session annulling the bans for 23 persons, mainly SDS members, has contributed to such positive results of the SDS Assembly session… Also, the unofficial published story on OHR preparing rehabilitation for another 16 SDS members help a lot. Opposition is unified in position that this information was leaked by Cavic… in order to improve the shaken position and calmed down the division in side the party,” reads the article concluding that the problems have been solved.    

VL interview: M. Dodik on const. changes and Shwartz-Schilling as possible new HR 

Vecernji List pg 6 ‘We have to please Croats in BiH’, mentioned on cover Dodik: Third entity to Croats’ by B. Stevandic carries an interview with SNSD President Milorad Dodik. Among the other things stated, Dodik said that he is not willing to talk about constitutional changes if there is no the RS in these talks and he added: ‘We do not want a monster that would be destroying functionality of BiH. The RS is not a mono-ethnic area.’ Talking about the Croat people in BiH Dodik said that the solution, which would meet needs of the Croat people so that they can see BiH as their state, should be found and according to Dodik they would accept any realistic demand of the Croats. VL inset ‘Schilling would be different’ carries Dodik as saying that he expects that Christian Shwartz-Schilling would be a new High Representative. Dodik expects that with the experience that Shwartz-Schilling has he would be different from all other HRs.      

HDZ BiH reaction to Sanader’s accusations

Vecernji List pg 3 ‘9^th Convention finished on June 4’ by V. Ivankovic – Reacting to the accusations of the HDZ Croatia President Ivo Sanader, HDZ BiH issued a press release which say: ‘We are not intending to deal too much with ill-intentioned efforts and especially not with ourselves. The 9^th HDZ BiH Convention finished on June 4, 2005 and this is the fact that only those who do not want a unified and strong HDZ dislike as well as those who do not want a strong and clear political position of the Croat people in BiH.’ The press release also says that the purpose of such intentions is weakening the strength and position of HDZ BiH in these crucial moments.

NN op-ed urges creation of strategy regarding SAA talks

Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Without strategy’ by Sead Fetahagic – The author criticises the BiH authorities for being unable to have a strategy on any issue of interest to BiH, including the issue of election of BiH Chief negotiator with EU. He agrees with Mladen Ivanic first strategy of talks should have been adopted, and then negotiator/negotiating team elected. Strategy-wise, Fetahagic says BiH authorities wait what Paddy Ashdown will order them to do, as well as WB and IMF. He concludes by saying that a consistent political platform demands consultations with scientists, scientific institutions, which is not the case with BiH.

Serbian Minister Jocic reproaches RS officials for border crossings

Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Border crossing between BiH and Serbia disputable’, announced on cover ‘Jocic reproaches RS officials over manner of border crossing between BiH and Serbia’ by G.Maunaga – Daily learns from a source at the Serbian Government that Dragan Jocic, Serbian Interior Minister, Sunday reproached RS senior officials on manner in which they cross border between BiH and Serbia. At the meeting with RS MoI Darko Matijasevic and RS Police Director, Dragomir Andan, Jocic reminded of procedure RS officials need to obey during border crossing.

RS PM on Stankovic status

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Bukejlovic still does not know what to do with Stankovic’ by D.Risojevic – Pero Bukejlovic, RS Premier, stated it remains unknown what will happen with Milovan Stankovic, RS Defence Minister, after his Ministry is abolished in the near future. This means Bukejlovic does not know whether Stankovic will remain at Government for the sake of ethnic balance, as is the case with Miroslav Nikolic, F BiH Defence Minister, who will be Minister without portfolio.

IMF delegation to visit BiH next week

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Talks on new stand-by arrangement’ by Agencies – The officials of the IMF will visit BiH during the course of this week in order to resume talks with BiH officials on continuation of stand-by arrangement.

VAT introduction and other economic issues

USAID’s Sumka warns of lack of legislative norms in VAT law

Dnevni Avaz front pg splash ‘There could be crisis in less than months and half’, and pg 5 ‘Municipalities in FBiH could be losing necessary means’, by Lana Sinanovic – Carries an interview with the director of USAID for BiH, Howard Sumka, in which he warns that the relevant authorities in BiH are yet to make a program and devise how the funds collected through the VAT would be allocated from the single account to the municipalities.  According to Sumka, there is a fear that the municipalities, especially the ones in the FBIH, could not be getting enough money, unless an efficient system of allocation of money is in place. In this context, he explains that the state will firstly take as much money as it needs, whilst the rest would be given to the entities, a situation which will create complications, especially in the FBIH, because the money would be then given to the cantons and finally to the municipalities. Because of this situation, adds Sumka, the USAID is working on a ‘formula’ how to allocate the funds together with the entity finance ministries, mayors, parliamentarians and cantonal PMs, and in the same time Sumka calls on the MPs to react quickly because the VAT will be in effect in 6 weeks.

SCG Finance Minister: Single rated VAT in BiH a mistake

RTRS – SCG finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic stated BiH is making a mistake by introducing a single rated Value Added Tax. Dinkic added that in order to protect vulnerable population categories the SCG government introduced the lower VAT rate of 8%.

Publishers, citizens concerned about VAT

RTRS by Sladjana Jasarevic – BiH Publishers stated that they are against the single rated VAT as it would bear a great impact on publishing industry in the country. The Union requested from the BiH Council of Ministers to introduce two VAT rates and to apply the lower one on publishers. CoM Chairman Adnan Terzic stated that together with the Indirect Taxation Administration he would seek for the best solutions. ITA Chairman Kemal Causevic stated that this agency would only apply the adopted law. Polled citizens were more concerned with VAT on food than on newspapers. Terzic stated that BIH citizens should have faith in BIH Government adding that CoM is not authorised for solving the social problems.

Old foreign currency savings depositors to sue APIF and RS Ministry of Finances

Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Old foreign currency savings depositors to sue APIF and RS Ministry of Finances’ by D. Kozina, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Deadline for verification extended’ by F – The RS Government decided on Friday to extend the deadline for verification of the old foreign currency savings for 4 months. DL says that commenting on this decision, President of the Association of Old Foreign Currency Savings Depositors Svetozar Nisic stated that extending of the deadline is against all laws and Conventions and the FBiH Constitutional Court’s decision confirmed that this is illegal and discriminatory. The Association also demanded from the Chief RS Auditor Bosko Ceko to make an audit of business operations in the Agency for Mediation, Information and Technical Service (APIF) where the aforementioned verification takes place. Nisic also said that they would file a lawsuit against the APIF Director and the RS Ministry of Finances and demand a ban on the future APIF’s work.

Dokic: Int. conference on Corridor Vc in Sarajevo next week; BiH Parliament to discuss Vc on Nov 24?

Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Corridor would block further development of Neum’ by E. Mackic – Talking about the future Corridor Vc, BiH Minister of Traffic and Communications Branko Dokic stated that its passing through Neum is not an advantage for BiH and its citizens and certainly not for the economic development of Neum. Dokic said that ‘Bosmal’ is still the only company interested in concession however he expects that new candidates would appear at the international financial conference on Corridor V C that is to take place in Sarajevo next week. Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Separate session only on Vc corridor on 24 November?’ by L.S. – DA learns that the BiH Parliament could hold the separate session only on Vc corridor on 24 November.

Gliogoric on B.Brod Oil Refinery: Strategic partner to be named in December?

Nezavisne Novine pg 5, announced on cover ‘Strategic partner of Oil Refinery will be known in December’ by R.Segrt – In a brief interview to daily, Miladin Gligoric, RS Minister of Energy, power and development, announces that the beginning of December should see naming of the strategic partner for Bosanski Brod Oil Refinery.