Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 19 December
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) |
| Bihac: Workers to enter ‘Zitoprerada’ |
| RS Gov. on privat. of strategic comp. |
| Update on Cavtat hospital issue |
TV news broadcast on 18 December
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Trial of Gotovina | World news | UNESCO delegation in |
| Regional news | | Malaysian interest in Corridor Vc |
| Weber on Karadzic and Mladic | Jovic visited | Report on a blind boy from Buzim |
| World news | Legalisation of Microsoft in BiH | Jovic visits ‘S.O.S. Kinderdorf’ |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Customs issue of free trade zones | Report on a blind boy from Buzim | Feature on mines in BIH |
| Privatisation in | Jovic visits ‘S.O.S. Kinderdorf’ | Matijasevic visits injured policeman |
| Holidays in State administration | Report on BiH doctors in | Cenic on RS budget |
| Regional news | Malaysian interest in Corridor Vc | Feature on housing loans in RS |
| Oslobodjenje | Human life valued at 5000 KM |
| Dnevni Avaz | Dokic expects a concrete Malaysian offer for participation in the highway construction |
| Dnevni List | What were 48 million marks spent on (initiative in BiH HoR) |
| Vecernji List | Entities to be left without finances (strengthening of state authorities) |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | |
| Glas Srpske | They are not asking about Serbs [Feature story on Serb returnees to Srebrenica] |
| Nezavisne Novine | Mladic and Karadzic will not be arrested by the end of the year |
| Blic | President on the head of Council of Ministers [constitutional reform talks] |
| Vecernje Novosti | |
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| LATEST NEWS OF TODAY |
| Bihac: Workers to enter ‘Zitoprerada’ by force
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| RS Gov. gave consent for privatisation of 5 strategic companies
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| Update on Cavtat hospital issue
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| Economic/Social Affairs |
| Malaysian official to visit BiH; discussions on Corridor Vc expected
| Pink, BHT, FTV, Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 2 ‘Dokic expects a concrete Malaysian offer for their participation in the highway construction’, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Malaysia interested in highway through BiH’, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘They expect job at the Corridor’ by Beta, Nezavisne Novine pg 9 ‘Malaysians want to participate in construction of corridor Vc’ by D. Muminovic – Malaysian Government announced that it expects to participate in the construction of the highway on the Vc Corridor through BiH. Malaysian Labour Minister Samy Vellu on Monday will arrive to BiH where he will discuss the possible participation of Malaysian companies and financial institutions in the construction of the part of this Corridor. According to Malaysian state news agency, Malaysian companies showed interest for the 312 KM-long part of the Corridor which goes through BiH, which would probably cost about 3.2 billions of Euro. “Malaysian Minister has already sent an ‘patrol’, which saw the most of the Corridor Vc route… therefore, I expect very concrete discussions on the construction of the Corridor”, stated BiH Minister of Communications and Transport Branko Dokic. He stressed that he expects to discuss with Malaysian guests the financial aspects of the construction of Corridor Vc. |
| D. Cavic proclaimed valid the Law on right to receive compensation for material and immaterial damage made during war
| Oslobodjenje cover pg splash and pgs 4 and 5 ‘Human life costs 5000 KM’ by E. Kamenica carries that on November 21 RS President Dragan Cavic proclaimed valid the Law on right to receive compensation for material and immaterial damage made from May 1992 to June 19, 1996. Osl. explains that according to this law you have a right to demand compensation, however instead of money you will receive bonds that can be cashed as late as in 40 years. The article quotes some examples of the cases that show illogical and unfair sides of this law. |
| Hayat: Harmonisation of the laws on customs and free trade zones expected soon
| Hayat Elvira Ahmetovic – TV Hayat bring report on problems that entrepreneurs who work in so-called free trade zones face with. Users of the free zones are exempted from paying customs when import equipment aimed to production, according to the law on free trade zones. On another side, this exemption is not foreseen in the law on customs policies, so the entrepreneurs had to pay customs in any case. At the end of the last month, the Indirect Taxation Administration (ITA) Steering Board have adopted amendments to the law on customs policies. The essence of the amendments is that the equipment imported to the free trade zones and aimed to production is exempted from paying customs. “The Steering Board send draft amendments to the law to the Council of Ministers, it will be discussed during one of the sessions before New Year, and it will be sent into parliamentary procedure,” said ITA Director Kemal Causevic, hoping that investors, domestic and foreign, who run production in free zones, will be exempted from paying customs in first months of the next year. “We support that decision and we will do everything in our power to have this decision adopted by the BiH parliamentary assembly, because it will have positive impact on growth of investments and working places,” said BiH Premier Economic Adviser, Zlatko Hurtic. Users of free zones are obliged to export 75 % of its production to the world market. So far, only two zones out of five, in Visoko and Vogosca, fulfil this condition. Others are near to closure. |
| Cenic warned that 2006 RS budget must be adopted in order for VAT implementation to start
| RTRS – RS Finance Minister Svetlana Cenic warned that RS budget for 2006 must be adopted in order for VAT implementation to start. She also warned that negotiations with the EU might be stopped if VAT implementation fails to start on 1st of January 2006. |
| RS Government announces adoption of a decision on temporary financing in case 2006 budget is not adopted; Cavic:
| EuroBlic pg RS3 ‘RS Government: without budget, temporary financing’ not signed – A press release of RS Government reads the Government will prepare for RS NA session that will be held on December 28 a decision on temporary financing for 2006 as an alternative solution should the budget and economic policy for 2006 not be adopted. The Government emphasized this would be the worst solution. RS President and Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Bad political message’ by D. Z. – also carries RS Government’s press statement. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Support the budget’ by D. |
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| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘If the budget is not adopted, RS Government should leave’ by V. Popovic – in an interview to NN, |
| MP Majkic argues BiH Parliament is not in control of BiH budget, Minister Maric argues otherwise
| Dnevni List, front pg splash ‘What were 48 million marks spent on’ and pg 2 ’48 million marks from budget reserves disputable’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic– The BiH House of Representatives’ Commission for Finances and Budget rejected a proposal of an MP in the BiH HoR, Dusanka Majkic, who wants to change the Law on carrying out of BiH budget and honouring of international obligations. Majkic notes that the Law, as it is, stipulates it is only the BiH Council of Ministers that can take decisions on transfer of money from the budget reserves, arguing that in that way, the BiH Parliament is losing the control over the budget. She also argues that in last year 48 million KMs were spent from the reserves without the knowledge of the BiH Parliament. Inset ‘Pointless discussion for Minister Maric’ carries the BiH Minister for Treasury, Ljerka Maric, who says the BiH CoM abides by the law, arguing that the BiH Parliament gets the relevant report each six months, therefore it has a complete control over the budget. |
| VL op-ed argues electricity in FBiH should not be more expensive
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘African standard – European price of electricity’, by Zoran Kresic – The author comments on recent media reports that suggest that the two ‘Elektroprivredas’ in the FBiH want to increase the prices of electricity, which would, when combined with the start of application of the VAT, represent another attack on valets of citizens. Kresic notices that the FBiH PM, Ahmet Hadzipasic, at one point stated that there would not be increases of prices, however the author notes that there are no concrete actions on the part of the FBiH Government. Kresic also argues that the two ‘Elektroprivredas’ are exporting electricity, despite the HR Paddy Ashdown’s order to meet the domestic requirements first, suggesting that the ‘Elektroprivredas’ should be modernizing themselves and take care of surplus workers instead of sorting problems by increasing the prices. |
| VL: BiH Croats only get 6,5 million KMs from
| Vecernji List, pgs 2-3 ‘Aid or mercy’, mentioned on front ‘Republic of Croatia sends to BiH one sixth of Mostar’s budget’, by Petar Grubisic – The author notes that the public perception in Croatia is that Croatia should be stopping sending money to the BiH Croats, however the author argues that most of people in Croatia do not know how little money Croatia is in fact sending to the BiH Croats a year, namely 26,2 million Croatian Kunas, or 6,55 million KMs. |
| Causevic: ITA is ready for introduction of VAT
| EuroBlic pg RS2, announced on cover ‘We are ready for VAT’ by Nedeljka Breberina – in an interview to EuroBlic, ITA Chairman Kemal Causevic stated ITA is completely ready for the introduction of VAT as of January 1, 2006. He added he believes revenues from indirect taxes would amount more than 3,5 billion KM in 2006. He could not confirm whether there would be an increase in prices as of January 1 and added this is a matter for entities governments and CoM. |
| Contracts supporting return process to be signed in EC Delegation premises today
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘More than a million € for support to return’ by Agencies – The ceremony of signing the contracts for support to return process will be held today in premises of EC Delegation to BiH. Deputy Head of EC Delegation to BiH Renzo Daviddi, Commander of Austrian CIMIC unit Gunter Zimmer and representative of Italian CIMIC unit Renzo Pangrazzi will sign ten contracts, approximately one million € worth, which envisage reconstruction of social and technical infrastructure in several municipalities. Other BiH media also announced the ceremony. |
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| Crime/Security/Legal Proceedings |
| Ljajic: Mladic and Karadzic will not be arrested by the end of the year
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Mladic and Karadzic will not be arrested by the end of the year’ by V. Popovic – In an interview to NN, the Chairman of SiCG National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, Rasim Ljajic, stated he thinks Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic would not be arrested by the end of this year. He noted SiCG state structures are investing tremendous efforts in search for Mladic but they still have no reliable information on his whereabouts. |
| Canak: Kostunica does not dare to extradite Mladic
| EuroBlic pgs 2-3 ‘Kostunica does not dare to extradite Mladic’ by Nenad Calukovic – carries an interview with Nenad Canak, the leader of the League of Social-Democrats of Vojvodina, in which he says it is not difficult to find and extradite Ratko Mladic to the Hague Tribunal because there are only 7-8 places in Serbia where he appears. He thinks the problem lies in the fact Vojislav Kostunica does not dare to extradite Mladic because this would not be in his political interest. |
| BHT: Serbia-Montenegro after the apprehension of
| BHT Vesna Simic – After the apprehension of Croatian General Ante Gotovina, International Community started exerting pressure on Serbia-Montenegro, urging them to arrest two most wanted ICTY fugitives Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic as soon as possible. According to BHT reporter, if |
| VL wonders how it possible that Karadzic and Mladic at large
| Vecernji List, pgs 14-15 ‘Who protects war criminals?’, mentioned on front ‘Whilst NATO is looking for him, Radovan writes poetry’, by Tihomir Begic – Commenting on the issue of arrest of PIFCWs, especially Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the author wonders how it is possible that the NATO, despite all the state-of-art equipment, is not able to locate the two. The author also wonders whether there is ‘an invisible scenario’ that stipulates the order in which all the PIFWCs will be arrested. Begic also notes that the IC, if it had the genuine will to arrest Karadzic and Mladic, would not be issuing ‘funny’ threats to the RS that BiH would not join the Partnership for Peace as long as the two are at large. |
| Conference dedicated to the court trial of Slobodan Milosevic hld in Belgrade
| BHT Vesna Simic – Representatives of several non-governmental organizations in |
| J. Bacovic: ‘Extradition of Mladic is international obligation of SCiG’
| Oslobodjenje pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘Extradition of Mladic is international obligation of SCiG’ by M. Kavaz-Sirucic carries an interview with Director of the SCiG Office for joining the EU, Jela Bacovic. Asked if there were hints that the negotiations on stabilization and association with the EU might be stopped if Ratko Mladic was not extradited to the ICTY, Bacovic said: ‘I do not know as to how this issue would be treated. Sincerely, I hope that there would be understanding for our situation. It is up to us to show that we are doing everything to meet international obligations and in this case that is the extradition of Mladic.’ |
| Interview with R. Gregorian: ‘EUFOR’s presence is first-rate shield for BiH’
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘EUFOR’s presence is first-rate shield for BiH’ cover pg splash ‘There is no threat from military attack’ by L. Sinanovic carries an interview with |
| DL: Certain military intelligence matters will be done by OSA
| Dnevni List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Military-intelligence office being established as of next year’, by Danka Polovina-Mandic – The daily notes that starting January 1, 2006, when the Law on Defence of BiH becomes effective, certain military intelligence matters will be done within the BiH Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA). In order to establish an office within the OSA, the BiH Defence Minister and OSA Director have to sign a memorandum of understanding within 15 days of start of application of the Law on Defence. BiH Defence Minister, Nikola Radovanovic, notes that a pre-requisite for signing of the MoU is the carrying out of changes to the Law on OSA. |
| SBS Director Dumancic admits to corruption within SBS
| Dnevni List, pg 9, mentioned on front ‘More than 50 reports against corrupt workers’, by Anja Vrebac – carries an interview with the Director of BiH State Border Service, Vinko Dumancic, (appointed a few months ago) in which he reiterates his earlier claims that the SBS is short on staff, some 500 employees to be exact. Questioned whether he has knowledge about corruption within the SBS, Dumancic says that according to numerous sources, one can say there is corruption within the SBS, however he underlines that all information are being checked and measures are being undertaken against those who violate the law and regulations. In that context, Dumancic notes the SBS and other law enforcement agencies have so far submitted more than 50 criminal reports against SBS officials suspected of being corrupt. Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Finally honest’, by Anja Vrebac – carries an op-ed in which the author congratulates Dumancic for having the courage to admit to existence of corruption within the institution he is charge of. |
| Lionel Dumont sentenced to 30 years in prison in France
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ’30 years in prison for Dumont’, announced on cover ‘Lionel Dimon sentences to 30 years in prison’ by D. Raduski – Lionel Dumont, 34-year-old French who converted to Islam and who had fought in “El mudzahid” unit of 3rd Corps of BiH Army during the war, was sentenced to 30 years of prison in France because of participation in several attacks during 90-ies, including the attempt of planting a bomb during the Group seven summit in Lilles. |
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| Political Developments/Refeorms |
| VL: IC led by new HR Schwarz-Schilling will be transferring authorities from entity onto state ministries in 2006
| Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Entities to be left without finances’ and pg 5 ‘Entities losing ministry of finances and pension fund’, by Zdenko Jurilj – The daily notes that the IC in BiH, led by the new High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, will in 2006 be engaged in implementation of the document entitled ‘Plan on rationalization of administration in BiH’ the aim of which is to transfer competences from the entity onto the state level ministries, namely ministries of finances; healthcare; education, culture and sport; physical planning and protection of environment; labour and social welfare; agriculture, water-works and forestry; refuges and DPs and finally communications and traffic. VL notes that the same will also apply on other institutions such as the pension/disability funds; customs and tax administrations, road directorates, statistics bureaus etc. According to VL, in the FBiH alone, the reform would save 400 million KMs a year. |
| Cavic expects new HR to be more of an advisor
| Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Drastic shrinking of Schilling’s authorities expected’, not signed– The RS and |
| Reactions in RS to talks on constitutional changes: Cavic, Dodik, Ivanic oppose to abolishment of three-partite Presidency and introduction of a single President
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Two stumbling blocks’ by D. Momic – RS President Dragan Cavic says Bosniak politicians are trying their best to achieve predominance of Bosniaks in BiH through constitutional changes. He says Bosniak politicians are trying to centralize BiH, which is unacceptable for participants of the negotiations from RS. With regard to BiH Presidency and BiH Parliament, Cavic said these are two stumbling blocks because stances of these matters are completely different. He added Nezavisne novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Consent slowed down by insisting on one President’ by V. Popovic – SNSD’s Milorad Dodik thinks it is only acceptable to elect BiH Presidency, which would be composed out of a president and two rotating deputy presidents, at BiH Parliament as well as to clearly define individual and collective competences. PDP’s Mladen Ivanic pleads for preservation of three-partite Presidency, while |
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| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Croats and Serbs will disappear from BiH, an Islamic country will be created’ by D. Raduski – A commentary of the “Washington Times” reads the Bush administration has decided to get involved in another dangerous nation-building project in the Balkans. The effects of this intervention will lay the groundwork for an Islamist state in the heart of |
| Ivo Miro Jovic: There are forces in BiH that want a normal country
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘There are forces in BiH that want a normal state’ – Chairman of the BiH Presidency Ivo Miro Jovic on Sunday expressed satisfaction because there were forces in BiH willing to establish a normal, European state that would have perspective. “It is about a process and talks are one step in it,” said Jovic commenting on the latest round of discussion on constitutional changes in BiH. |
| Party for BiH’s Halilovic says approach to constitution reform in BiH wrong
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Some solutions are even worse than the Dayton ones’ – The approach to the constitutional reform in BiH is wrong and that leads to contradictory, illogical and only cosmetic solutions that are sometimes worse that the Dayton ones, according to Party for BiH President Safet Halilovic. Halilovic said that he was against solution for the state government to function on the basis of ethnic-national principle i.e. as a house of peoples. |
| Spasovic appointed SiCG Ambassador to BiH
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Spasovic was appointed SiCG Ambassador to BiH’ by V. P. – Grujica Spasovic, one of founders and editor-in-chief of Belgrade daily “Danas”, was appointed SiCG Ambassador to BiH. Spasovic said his appointment was not officially confirmed as yet. |
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| Miscellaneous |
| UNESCO delegation visited Plehan Monastery and
| BHT Boris Gagic, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘UNESCO delegation visited Ferhadija’ by A. Sekulic – UNESCO delegation on Sunday visited Franciscan monastery Plehan near Derventa, and Ferhadija mosque in |