Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 19 January
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| | Humphries met Bukejlovic: | Dodik on resumption of talks |
| Croat parties mtg on January 25 | Busek criticize failure of const. Talks | Buseck criticizes failure in talks |
| US Croats support abolish. of entities | Gas delivery decreased | |
TV news broadcast on 18 January
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| BiH CoM & BiH Presidency in session | RS MoI after war crime suspect | RS MoI searched for Mladic? |
| Results of prices monitoring action | Hartman on Mladic | Comment on RS MoI’s actions |
| RS Police action in Zepa area | Serbian media on Mladic | Milosevic to be temporarily released |
| HR in visit to SIPA | Presidency in session | Explosion in Zenica |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| RS Police action in Zepa area | BiH CoM in session | RS MoI after Mladic |
| BiH media on BiH-SiCG lawsuit | Explosion in Zenica | Chiarini on Abazovic incident |
| ICTY on Milosevic’s request, update | Ashdown, Colak visit SIPA | Audit report on RS Railways |
| Custodies to Djuric, Besir extended | Djuric and Besiri case update | BN Municipality’s account frozen |
| Oslobodjenje | Looking for Mladic where he was never supposed to be |
| Dnevni Avaz | Due to VAT, additional 100.000 unemployed by March |
| Dnevni List | Failed search after Ratko Mladic |
| Vecernji List | Hostage crisis because of 3 years old child (about incident in Mostar Welfare Center) |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | HVO victims to receive 7 times smaller salaries! |
| Nezavisne Novine | |
| Glas Srpske | A failure |
| EuroBlic | Dead ostriches caused panic (fear from bird flue) |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Humphries: Casting no-confidence vote to RS Govt will have no influence on BiH/EU
| BH Radio 1 by Dragan Stegic – Head of EC Mission to BiH, Michael Humphreys underlined in |
| Busek critical of failure to reach agreement on const. changes
| RTRS, BH Radio 1 – Speaking for |
War crimes | |
| RS MoI raids Zepa searching for PIFWCs at large; Pejic confirms to daily they looked for Mladic, but nobody found; Blic: Militiary intelligence to continue search?
| RTRS By Sladjana Jasarevic – RS Ministry of Interior raided several facilities in Zepa after receiving information from a “respectable security agency” that a war crimes suspect from the ICTY’s public list might be in the area. The action ended Wednesday at |
| ICTY: Mladic is in
| RTRS – ICTY Prosecutor’s Spokesperson Florence Hartman underlined Mladic is hiding in SiCG, not in BIH where RS MoI had carried out the arrest search. Hartman said that ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte would discuss the start of |
| DA op-ed on Andan’s statements regarding raid in Zepa region
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Policemen or showmen’ op-ed by Edina Sarac – Using a very ironical tone, author refers to the statements of RS Police Director Dragomir Andan given during the raid in Zepa which was supposed to lead to capturing a suspect from the ICTY’s public list. Author deems Andan is very “unserious” police officer, a showman. Reminding he has promised capturing Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic when he was appointed to the position, editorial concludes Mladic can sleep peacefully as long as Andan is going after him. |
| EUFOR informs BiH Foreign Minister about the Rogatica operation
| RTRS, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Mandate was not breached’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Troops did not breach the mandate in Rogatica’ by A.S. – The EUFOR Commander, General Gian Marco Chiarini, Wednesday informed the BiH Foreign Minister, Mladen Ivanic, about the course of the internal investigation EUFOR is conducting in regard to the incident that occurred in Rogatica, on 5 January, when Rada Abazovic was killed in the EUFOR operation there. A press release issued by EUFOR reads that Chiarini “reassured BiH Foreign Minister that the EU troops had acted in line with their mandate” and that “they are in contact with the local Prosecutor who is conducting his investigation”. |
| DA: Ashdown to establish a commission for Palic case
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Ashdown to establish a commission for Palic case’ by S. N. – According to DA, HR Paddy Ashdown will soon establish a commission that would clarify the fate of Zepa wartime commander Avdo Palic. According to a source, the commission will have a deadline no longer than ten days to investigate what had happened with Palic. It is still unclear whether HR would remove anyone from RS Government over failure to resolve this case. Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Ashdown on failure of RS Government in “case Palic”’ – announces the press conference the HR Ashdown is to hold on the case today. |
Political issues | |
| BiH CoM to raise issue of decertified police officers before UN Security Council
| Hayat – BiH Council of Ministers held an extraordinary session on Wednesday discussing the issue of decertified policemen who held protests and demanded the revision of the process carried out by the UN IPFT. They had commenced with the hunger strike and ceased it after meeting BiH Minister of refugees and human rights Mirsad Kebo who promised help. Consequently, the BiH CoM at the session decided to launch activities in order to solve the issue before the UN Security Council in line with recommendations of the Venice Commission (which advised revision of the process). “The CoM has decided to insist on including the |
| Presidency “cannot do anything” on issue of decertified police
| BHT1 – Following the session on Wednesday, the BiH Presidency member Borislav Paravac said that the Presidency couldn’t do anything regarding the issue of decertified police officers and their demands as the UN Security Council must approve the revision process. BHT 1 says that some sources claim the issue of decertified policemen would not be solved soon, as the issue may also open discussions on legality of decisions dismissing politicians which were imposed by the OHR. |
| HR: I expect CoM to pass decision on SIPA permanent HQ on Thursday
| BHT1– High Representative Paddy Ashdown and BiH Minister for Security Barisa Colak visited the temporary office of SIPA. Ashdown called on the BiH Council of Ministers to make urgent decision on the permanent location of the SIPA HQ at its session on Thursday. Currently, there are two possible locations – in Lukavica and Nedzarici. BHT1 claims the possession of report prepared for CoM by independent agency “Ekoplan”, which clearly indicates the location in Lukavica is most cost-effective solution. Head of SIPA Sredoje Novic said that it is now up to BiH CoM to decide on permanent location of SIPA headquarter, being that it is obviously a political decision. Reporter commented that Chair of BiH CoM Adnan Terzic is refusing to accept the location in Lukavica, but Ashdown is going to insist on solution for this issue during his mandate. Hayat– “SIPA’s future work is being obstructed since the decision on its permanent seat has not been passed yet. The decision should be passed as soon as possible if the BiH authorities do not want to lose means already foresaw in the budget for new SIPA’s seat. I expect the final decision to be brought on Thursday, at the BiH CoM’s session”, said Ashdown. Colak said that temporary location for SIPA’s seat was not a solution, since enormous amounts of money were being spent on its rent. Colak pointed out that he expected the solution to be reached on Thursday. |
| Paravac presents BiH delegation for
| PINK by Zeljko Mandic – At the session on Wednesday, BiH Presidency adopted the platform for negotiations on Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Member of Presidency, Borislav Paravac, also confirmed the Presidency issued the Decision on provisional appliance of the regulations of this agreement, with regard to the movement of goods and transport between BiH and the EU. He explained that the essence of the |
| DA: BiH team demands
| Dnevni Avaz pg 11 ‘Agreement has to have clause that would guarantee EU admission’ by T.Lazovic – BiH Negotiating Team on Stabilisation and Association Agreement [ |
| Covic: HDZ in BiH is not branch office of HDZ Croatia | Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Covic: HDZ BiH is not a branch office of HDZ Croatia’, mentioned on cover, by F.Vele – In light of recent decision by the European People’s Party to freeze HDZ status and following a clash with the HDZ Croatia, HDZ BiH leader Dragan Covic stated that HDZ in this country is not a branch of HDZ Croatian or its string puppet. Covic added that BiH and HDZ Croatian have to regain “lost” confidence. |
| Elec. Comm.: Luzanski cannot be member of HDZ Central Board | Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Ban for Luzanski after all’ by zk – The Election Commission had recently ordered expelling of Ivo Andric Luzanski from the Central Board of BiH HDZ. The Election Commission stated that Luzanski can only be a member of the party. |
| HR in farewell visits: mufti Ceric and HJPC Chair Peric thank Ashdown for helping BiH to follow the right path, reforms
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2, announced on cover ‘Effendi Ceric: He helped BiH to follow the right path’ By MINA, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘BiH will remember Ashdown’ by MINA – Reiss Mustafa Ceric met HR Paddy Ashdown on Wednesday on the occasion of his departure from the position of HR. Reiss thanked HR for everything he had done for BiH and he expressed regret over the fact Ashdown was not the last HR to BiH as well as over the fact strong principles of civic society have not been established. HR Ashdown thanked Reiss Ceric and wished to BiH Islamic Community and everyone in BiH to achieve progress on the path to Euro-Atlantic integrations. Dnevni Avaz pg 2, announced on cover ‘Effendi Ceric: He helped BiH to follow the right path’ By MINA, inset ‘Peric: he had fulfilled the promise on judiciary reform’ by S. T. – HJPC Chairman Branko Peric thanked HR Ashdown for transfer of competences for appointment of judges and prosecutors onto HJPC and he noted Ashdown’s role was crucial in establishment of HJPC. |
| Cavoski says he will not convene session of E.Sarajevo Law Faculty Council over Lukic case
| Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Kosta Cavoski will not convene session’ by G.Maunaga – Daily reports that Kosta Cavoski, President of the East Sarajevo Law Faculty Council, Wednesday stated he finds the problem related to removal of Radomir Lukic, professor and dean of this Faculty, concluded at the session of Council on 15 October, when it was unanimously decided Lukic should remain at position. He said he has no reason to convene new session. |
| NN op-ed: Dodik to examine “pockets” of Cavic, Bukejlovic and Stojicic | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Searching the pockets’ by Pero SImic – The author harshly criticizes the RS Government led by Pero Bukejlovic, as well as Dragan Cavic fro failing to undertake any action in regard to resolving the crisis in RS. Simic underlines crime and corruption are basic philosophy of their reign. He is supportive of Milorad Dodik taking over authority from Bukejlovic, expressing eagerness to see if Dodik would raise the issue of (illicit) accumulation of wealth amongst some politicians, including Bukejlovic, Cavic and Dusan Stojicic. |
Economic issues | |
| Price Monitoring Teams file criminal charges in case of large VAT irregularities
| Hayat – Preliminary results of price monitoring process following the VAT introduction was presented on Wednesday. BiH Indirect Taxation Administration stated their inspectors carried out 415 partial controls in from 1 January and certain irregularities have been registered. In case of some smaller irregularities, preventing actions were carried out, and in case of greater wrongdoings criminal reports have been filed. After the FBiH Prices Monitoring Team carried out 738 controls, 142 criminal reports have been filed. “Prices of bread started to increase immediately after the New Year’s Eve and in certain Cantons we had to bring the prices back to the level before the VAT introduction”, said the FBiH Monitoring Team official Ibrahim Tirak. |
| Hurtic urges entity governments to pass budgets for 2006; CoM to analyse situation in 6 months
| RTRS late news by Aleksandar Vranjes – Economy advisor of Chairman of CoM Zlatko Hurtic said that more than 10.000 products had their price decreased after the VAT implementation. He also stressed the price of medicaments from the list of essential drugs were not increased. Hurtic explained the Price Monitoring Teams were more concerned with socially vulnerable groups therefore focused their activities at basic groceries. “Because of [these groups]… I would like to call on the entity governments to adopt the budget for 2006 and to forget about political games and start thinking about people” said Hurtic. He reiterated that CoM would analyse the VAT effect in 6 months and discuss the possible decrease of the VAT rate or introduction of multiple VAT rates. EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘VAT introduced minor price increases’ by D.S.-N.B. – also reported. |
| Toskic: additional 100.000 unemployed by March due to VAT
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash pg 5 ‘Due to VAT, additional 100.000 unemployed by March’ F.C. – Graphic Workers Trade Union President Amer Toskic stated that damaging effects of VAT are already present, especially in graphic industry, adding that due to the VAT BiH will have additional 100.000 unemployed by March. Tokic added that situation was difficult even prior to the VAT introduction due to damaging interstate agreements with |
| DL op-ed: VAT – joint deal between merchants and state?!
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Joint ‘deal’ of merchants and state?!’ by I. Rozic says that merchants and the state budget profit the most from the VAT introduction and that some analysts warn that the VAT is a classical example of ‘a deal’ that the merchants and the state benefit from. The author says that if view the situation from this aspect we should not be surprised at all that the current authority in some Cantons does not do anything to prevent irregularities related to the VAT introduction but it even covers up relevant data from the public. |
| SD: HVO victims are not aware that according to new Law their incomes have been considerably reduced | Slobodna Dalmacija cover pg splash and pgs 16 and 17 ‘HVO victims to receive 7 times smaller salaries!’ by E. Felic carries that after January 1, 2006 HVO victims are going to receive disability pays that are considerably less since amounts of disability pays for both BiH Army and HVO victims have been made equal according to the new Law. The SD source, who is well familiar with this issue, says that HVIDRA representatives kept silent while the procedure for drafting of this law was taking place and that many HVO victims are not aware that their disability pays have been considerably reduced. |
Constitutional changes | |
| Blic: const. changes talks to continue in five days?
| EuroBlic RSpg 2 ‘Continuation next week?’ by N.Breberina – As daily learns from sources close to negotiators, the leaders of the eight leading parties in BiH will most likely resume talks (on constitutional changes in BiH) in the coming five days. Daily’s collocutor notes “There is an agreement in principle that we should try to de-block the process of talks. If we failed, it would be evident the upcoming general elections would be held in the same environment as in 2002.” Dragan Covic, HDZ President, confirmed to daily that the negotiators have agreed during the last round of talks not to abuse the issue of constitutional changes during pre-election campaign. Beriz Belkic, S BiH Presidency member, is not an optimist talks would resume, adding a progress in talks has been achieved. |
| BHT1: constitutional changes will be endorsed after elections
| BHT1 by Mirela Cosic –BHT1 sources say that the negotiations on constitutional changes failed because of politicians’ fear that they might lose votes at the elections. Therefore, the changes are allegedly going to be endorsed after the elections. However, sources close to the US State Department claim that in case the constitutional changes are not passed by April, BiH might lose the support of the |
| Tihic: Commission to legally frame const. amendments started working
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Attorneys to create amendments from the issues agreed’ by D.Muminovic – Sulejman Tihic, SDA President, Wednesday stated that the Commission composed of legal experts, that should legally frame issues on changes of BH Constitution on which BH politicians agreed and convert them into constitutional amendments, has started with its work. Tihic also said: “The agreement has also been reached that the non-rotating president of BiH, who will have two vice presidents, would freely decide on issues, bar issues related to defence, where Vice presidents have a right to veto.” Vinko Radovanovic, PDP Presidency member, stressed the work of Commission is formal and there will be no problems most likely, adding that the Commission will not process issues on which stances were harmonized, i.e. future organization of BH Presidency and BH Parliament. |
| Dodik: As far as SNSD is concerning, “we are done with” const. changes talks
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| Komsic: Talks should continue in one month
| Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Party leaders should continue talks in one month’, Dnevni List pg 6 ‘Negotiations failed because of parties from RS’ by R.D. – |
| HDZ and
| Slobodna Dalmacija pg 4 ‘If Washington decides so, Croats support continuation of negotiations’ by H – HDZ and |
| Associations of US Croats launched petition for abolishment of BiH entities
| Vecernji List pg 4 ‘Dayton unified Croats’ by Z. Kresic – Leaders of few respectable associations of US Croats originally from BiH called on Croat and Bosniak politicians in BiH to demand abolishment of two BiH entities. They also criticized ‘proposals for cosmetic changes coming from the State Department’. These associations also launched signing of the petition for this initiative and commenting on this initiative HDZ President Dragan Covic stated that he is satisfied since Croats from BiH and Diaspora recognize that current constitutional solutions negate equality of Croats. |
| Vukicevic: There is no plan for exchange of Kosovo and RS
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘There is no exchange of RS for Kosovo’ by Fena – Commenting recent statement of American Professor Francis Boyle, SiCG Ambassador to BiH Stanimir Vukicevic said there is no compensation deal or any connection whatsoever between RS and Kosovo. Vukicevic said he was surprised with the statement in which Boyle claims that the reforms of the former principal deputy high representative, |
| GS on const. changes: Bosniaks failed to accomplish their intentions | Glas Srpskecover pg splash ‘A failure’ by Z.Markovic – Commenting on constitutional changes talks in BiH, the author stresses that the Bosniak politicians, led by Sulejman Tihic, have failed in their intention to convert the Dayton Agreement and the BiH Constitution into the past and centralize the BiH in line with the pre-war pattern. |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on talks on constitutional changes:
| Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 9 ‘Dayton II, after all’ by Josip Vricko – Following the latest round of talks on constitutional changes, the author notes one gets an impression there would be no reforms by Spring. The author says US Ambassador Douglas McElhaney had certainly informed his bosses in |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed on talks on constitutional changes: Bad introduction to ‘ | Oslobodjenje op-ed pg 9 ‘Poker in the Central Bank’ by Gojko Beric – With regard to talks on constitutional changes, the author assesses claims that there is much time left for talks as unserious and he criticizes “international mediators with the American Ambassador” on the head for admitting that talks were only unsuccessful but not a failure. He believes RS is the center of majority of political crisis in BiH since they rely only on official |
Judicial issues, crime | |
| New courtroom of
| PINK, BHHT1, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3, announced on cover ‘The safest courtroom in the Balkans was put in function’ by A. Omeragic, Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘Process for Srebrenica genocide will be carried out in the safest courtroom in the region’ by S. Turcalo, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘It has been made possible to have over 12 trials at the same time’ by E. Mackic, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘The most modern courtroom opened at BH Court’ by A.Durmo – BiH court President Meddzida Kreso and Secretary General of Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan Grauls officially put in function the safest courtroom in the Balkans, seated in the building of BiH Court. Numerous local and international officials attended the ceremony. |
| BHT 1: Weapons found in K. Dubica belonged to RS Army?
| BHT 1 Boris Gagic – Several days ago, a secret warehouse containing 3 tons of weapons was discovered by EUFOR near Kozarska Dubica, but it’s still not clear who was hiding it. According to unconfirmed information, the weapons belonged to RS Army. The Mayor of Kozarska Dubica Branko Barac said that many different troops were active in this area, and that illegal weapons were found in past too. |
| Globus on Jelavic’s whereabouts and possibility that Croatian Police arrests him
| Globus pgs 18 -21 ‘Expensive Jelavic’s shelters’ by T. Disopra, B. Oresic carries that former HDZ President and Hercegovacka Banka case indictee Ante Jelavic appears on few location in Croatia, that is, in the area of Lika, in Zagreb and Split. Globus says that Jelavic is very discreet and allegedly accompanied by bodyguards. Also, according to unofficial information the Croatian police does not try to locate Jelavic and justifies such stand by the fact that he, as a Croatian citizen, cannot be extradited to BiH. In the BiH seat of Interpol it was stressed that that the Croatian Police should arrest him since the most rigorous, so-called ‘Interpol’s red arrest warrant’ was issued against him which implies ‘temporary arrest of the person because of extradition’. Globus says that this means that |
| SD on alleged struggle for FBiH Financial Police documentation | Slobodna Dalmacija pg 18 ‘Minister Vrankic protects Covic?’ by Z. Tulic – With regard to the disputes between FBiH Minister of Finances Dragan Vrankic and Chief FBiH Financial Police (FBiH FP) Inspector Zufer Dervisevic about shutting down of the FBiH Financial Police, SD carries that the FBiH FP documentation is the most interesting issue in the whole story. According to some information, Vrankic wants to come into possession of the documentation since he actually wants to protect HDZ President Dragan Covic who has been a subject of few FBiH FP investigations. On the other hand, the FBiH FP does not want to give up its documentation since some documents might discredit its work. SD says that this is about the investigations that have been exclusively motivated by political pressures of domestic and international factors. Also, its work might be a cause of inter-ethnic conflicts if it was established that the number of investigations is 6:1 in favor of Croats, which means that Croats are thieves while the other ones are honest. |