| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Elektroprivreda on oil spill in Neretva | 1st technical round of talks on | Names translated in Croatian |
| Podravka on imported tinned fish | Barosso ‘s letter to Terzic | Jelavic in |
| | Trial BiH vs. | Milosevic was not poisoned |
| Venice Comm. on BiH const. reform | Jurcevic confirms investigations | Lavrov on abolishment of the ICTY |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Venice Comm. on BiH const. reform | Press-conference on oil in Neretva | 1st technical round of talks on |
| Const. talks to continue on Saturday | Fish cans with false expiration date | Barosso ‘s letter to Terzic |
| | Podravka on debatable fish cans | RS NA Adopted 2006 Budget |
| BIH Lawsuit update | HR on BiH decertified police officers | Milosevic died of heat attack |
| Oslobodjenje | 20 million euros foreseen for work of the Truth Commission |
| Dnevni Avaz | It is time for the agreement on constitutional changes |
| Dnevni List | If there are no consequences why compensation is being given? [oil spill in Neretva] |
| Vecernji List | Suspicious water is being drunk in Mostar and Capljina [on oil spill in Neretva] |
| Nezavisne Novine | Increase of salaries after five years [RS budget] |
| Glas Srpske | I can not be silent any more [carries testimony of rape victim] |
Political developments | |
| First technical round of
| Hayat – The first technical round of negotiations for a Stabilization and Association Agreement with EU was held on Friday in |
| EC Head Barosso writes to CoM Chair Terzic, expressing full dedication of EC to BiH’s European perspectives
| PINK– Head of European Commission Jose Manuel Barosso addressed Chair of BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic with a letter that confirmed EC’s full dedication to the EU perspectives in BiH. Barosso stated in the letter that the start of negotiations on Stabilisation and Association is a proof and demonstration of progress made by BiH so far. Barosso stressed that the main obligations for BiH are full cooperation with ICTY, implementation of political agreement of police reform and adoption of necessary laws on public broadcasting. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Barosso confirmed readiness to mitigate visa regime’, mentioned on cover by S.Numanovic– Speaking for DA, Terzic said Barosso has confirmed in his letter that EC is prepared to start with alleviation of visa regime.RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Plan for mitigation of visa regime soon’ by Fena, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Support of free trade zone is essential’ by M.Cubro – also carried. |
| HR Schwarz- Schilling; issue of decertified policemen to solve as soon as possible
| FTV– While addressing the Council of Europe’ Commission for Political and Security issues the High Representative to BiH Christian Schwarz-Schilling pointed out necessity to solve the issue of decertified police officers as soon as possible. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Schwarz-Schilling lobbied for decertified police officers’ by Onasa– Schwarz-Schilling supported the stance of BiH authorities on this issue. “Manner for solving of this issue has to be found. UN has basic responsibility here, in legal sense and in sense of providing of necessary resources” said HR. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Issue of decertified police officers has to be solved’ by Onasa, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘UN responsible for issue of decertified police officers’ by N.N., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Keys in New York’ by N.Z., also reported. |
| Decertified police officers to meet HR next week
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Meeting with the High Representative next week’ by A.M.– BiH Human Right Minister Mirsad Kebo met with Association of decertified police officers and introduced them to activities that BiH authorities are taking to enable audit of decisions by the United Nations International Police Task Force’s by which their certificates have been taken. Kebo stressed that they should meet with the High Representative to BiH Christian Schwarz-Schilling, next week and reminded that HR travels to |
| Daily: Schwarz-Schilling intends not to use Bon Powers, understanding that ‘reconciliation can not be imposed
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Replacements only for nationalistic fanatics’, mentioned on cover by A.Omeragic– Daily reports on statement of High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling before the |
| RSNA passes 2006 budget 16% higher then last year’s
| RTRS – Late on Thursday night RS National Assembly passed the 2006 Budget o amount of 1,098 billion KM, which is 16% more than last year. The Budget was adopted with 51 votes pro, 22 against, and 2 abstained from voting. Most revenues for the Budget are expected from indirect taxes. RS NA also adopted the Law on implementation of the RS budget for 2006. RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said that this year’s Budget, with increased funds for pensioners, workers and budget users should meet the expectations of all categories of populations. Head of |
| SDA leader Tihic: SDA MPs not signing replacement of FBiH President, for the time
| Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Replacement of FBiH President would be waste of time’ by S.Se.– As daily learns initiative for replacement of FBiH President Niko Lozancic would continue in FBiH House of Representatives and would be carried in FBiH House of Peoples as well. Initiative is signed by 50 MPs so far [out of necessary 66]. SDA leader Sulejman Tihic stated that ‘SDA MPs are not going to sign the initiative for the time being’, stressing that this replacement would be waste of time and would op[en other issues. |
| To legally regulate position of RSNA Board for Privatization Audit
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Nothing without the law’ by G.D.– Member of RS National Assembly’s Commission for monitoring of privatization Dusan Stojicic stated that position of RSNA Board for Audit of Privatization should be legally regulated. “Position of the Board should be legally regulated by the Law on Privatization that would soon be submitted to RSNA procedure,” said Stojicic. |
| Daily: 20 million euros for Truth Commission, while ex PoWs without finances
| Oslobodjenje cover splash and pgs 4-5 ‘20 million euros foreseen for work of the Commission for Truth’ by S.Rozajac – Daily carries that establishment of the Truth Commission was agreed in 2001, but that members of BiH Associations of missing and of former inmates learned that only in 2004. Article further brings their reactions, since they have learned that budget of this Commission would be about 20 million of euros, while the budgets of their Associations are minimal. |
Constitutional changes | |
| Venice Commission prefers one President and indirect elections; remarks placed to role of BiH HoP in this process
| BHT1– During the plenary session, the Venice Commission formally adopted on Friday the opinion about the proposals for electing the BiH Presidency members. The Commission, which functions within the Council of Europe, accepted the opinion of the same content as the draft opinion forwarded earlier to BiH Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic. According to the opinion, Commission prefers one President, elected indirectly, while combinations with one President and two Vice-Presidents are considered as provisional solutions. The Commission made a special remark to the role of BiH House of Peoples in the election of the Presidency members, because in its opinion the House should not have this role, especially because the constitutional changes are aimed at reducing the role of the House of Peoples. |
| Constitutional talks continue on Saturday; McElhaney invited seven parties’ leaders
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘McElhaney sent invitation to leaders of seven parties’ by A.Malagic– US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney has sent invitation to leaders of seven parties [PDP, SDA, |
| HDZ leader Covic: direct election in House of Peoples is minimum for HDZ
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 To elect members of Presidency in House of Peoples’ by F.V.– HDZ leader Dragan Covic confirmed that he would attend talks on constitutional changes and expressed optimism that disputable issue would be solved. He also stated that it is ‘minimum of minimums’ for HDZ that members of the BiH Presidency are elected directly in BiH House of Peoples, stressing that ‘other solutions are not an option’. Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘HDZ firmly sticks to stances on direct election’, mentioned on cover by A.O.– HDZ Vice President Marinko Cavara confirmed for daily that HDZ could accept only direct election of BiH Presidency, since ‘it is the only way for Croats to be equal’. HDZ proposed that BiH Presidency members are to be nominated by MPs in both Houses of BiH parliament, where Caucuses in BiH HoP would make lists from which the BiH HoR would elect members of BiH Presidency. Vecernji List pg 2 ’Current Constitution doesn’t suit Croats’ by Zoran Kresic, |
| Coalition of Croat Parties not going to accept cosmetic changes of the Constitution | |
| Chair of
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash and pg 5 ‘It is time for the agreement on constitutional changes’ by Brus Hitchner– In a comment for DA, Chair of Dayton Project and initiator of constitutional changes agreement in BiH, Bruce Hitchner stresses that it is time for negotiators to make the agreement on constitutional changes. Otherwise, emphasises the author, the failure to reach the agreement would lead to blockades in BiH institutions for another four years, as well as to postponing of association with the EU. |
| DL Op-ed: HDZ has to protect Croats from not becoming less then minority | Dnevni List op-ed pg 2 ‘Constitutional changes are destroying Croats’ by Anja Vrebac– Commenting on talks on constitutional changes and the fact that Croats are once again outvoted, as they are in entity voting, Vrebac stressed that there is some hope that HDZ how that they arte not incapable to fight for interests of their people, which is under threat to become less then minority. “Though we would still be called as constitutive people, nothing would remain of our constitutionality” comments Vrebac. |
Milosevic’s death/ update | |
| ICTY: preliminary results show no proof of poisoning, Milosevic abused privileges since preparing his defence
| BHT1– According to preliminary results of Slobodan Milosevic’s autopsy and internal investigation, carried out by the ICTY, Milosevic was not poisoned. ICTY stated that while preparing his defence, Milosevic abused privileges he had in order to smuggle alcohol and non-prescribed medicine in his cell. The investigation proved that Milosevic died out of heart attack. “So far, no signs of poisoning have been revealed. Traces of several prescribed medicines have been found, but not in toxic concentration”, told the Chair of the ICTY Fausto Pocar the press conference on Milosevic’s death. Commenting the smuggling of alcohol and non-prescribed medicine, Pocar said that it was ‘a burning question he would like to know an answer to’. “I have to remind you that Milosevic prepared his defence on his own…he had a special office in which he met over 70 witnesses”, said Pocar. FTV – The ICTY Secretary Hans Holthuis denied allegations on Milosevic inadequate medical treatment in prison, by saying that a prison doctor supervised his condition. On being asked whether alcohol was found in Milosevic’s cell, Holthuis indirectly confirmed such information. It is expected that causes of Milosevic’s death would be discussed a lot more since it was pointed out that these were preliminary results. |
| Milosevic to be buried on Saturday in courtyard of family house.
| BHT1– Slobodan Milosevic will be buried in Pozarevac on Saturday, in courtyard of his family house at |
| Russian Duma asks for abolishment of | BHT1– Russian Foreign Affair Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the ICTY should be abolished before 2010. In an interview for |
Lawsuit BiH vs. | |
|
| RTRS- Second phase of the trial BiH vs. |
| ICJ puts temporary embargo on live broadcast, during the witnesses’ depositions
| BHT1– International Court of Justice has informed BiH Public Broadcasting Service that won’t be permitted to broadcast live process before the ICJ in case BiH against |
| RS PM Dodik writes CoM Chair Terzic asking for CoM to take official stance on lawsuit against
| BHT1– RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik sent a letter to Chair of Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic in which he asks for the CoM to take the stance on the issue of the BiH’s lawsuit against |
| Protests against BiH lawsuit vs.
| BHT1– Serb National Movement ‘Election is Ours’ organized a protesting walk in |
| FBiH NGOs organize rallies supporting the lawsuit vs. | BHT1– In last couple of days, FBiH NGOs have organized supporting rallies in several cities, expressing their support to the lawsuit. Representatives of the two associations said that they regretted the fact that the RS, being |
Judicial/ security issues | |
| SBS arrested war crime suspect in Trebinje
| PINK– State Border Service officer arrested Predrag Miskovic in Trebinje. Miskovic is suspected of committing war crimes against civilians in |
| Ante Jelavic seen in
| BHT1– In its last edition, Split based magazine ‘Feral Tribune’ has published picture of former BiH Presidency member Ante Jelavic as he was drinking coffee in a café in Split. Jelavic has been sentenced for embezzlements in ‘Hercegovacka Bank’ case to 10 years, after what he escaped to |
| BiH Chief Prosecutor confirmed launching of investigation against | PINK– BiH Chief Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic confirmed that BiH Prosecution has launched investigation against |
| Bijelica to be transferred to
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Bijelica from Doboj’ to The Hague’ detention’ by Sense– ICTY Judge Alfonso Ori has ordered that former high official of |
| Daily: single financing of judiciary another attempt to transfer RS authorities to BiH | Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Throwing dust in the face’ by Z.Markovic– Commenting of recent statement of Head of EC Mission to BiH Michael Humphreys who stated that judiciary should be fiancés from one budget, since fourteen budgets are an obstacle to establishment of independent judiciary, daily notices that this is just another story whose goal is to transfer RS authorities to BiH level. RS Justice Minister Omer Brankovic said that it is too early to comment this, stressing that RS judiciary is financed from the same budget, while in FBiH municipality and cantonal courts are being financed from Cantonal budgets. Brankovic said that this statement still deserves serious discussion within BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council. |