Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 1 September
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| Bjelasnica: Police talks | Bjelasnica mtg. commences |
| BiH Presidency, FBiH Govt sessions | EC on foreigners in EU |
| Petrac case update | Typhoons in |
TV news broadcast on 31 August
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Regional News | World News | 800 dead in stampede in |
| Blaskic update | Robbery in Bukova Glava | The biggest bank robbery in BiH |
| Zelenovic update | New NATO Commander appointed | Extradition of Dragan Zelenovic |
| BIH HoR in session | Cavic on defence reform | RS MoI on war crimes over Serbs |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| World News | 800 dead in stampede in | Zelenovic update |
| RS MoI on crimes against BiH Serbs | US experts on BiH and terrorism | Sokolac robbery |
| Safet Halilovic’s case, update | Bread price to increase in FBiH | Delic update |
| BiH HoR in session | Payment of pensions in FBiH | Bukejlovic on police reform |
| Oslobodjenje | Single BiH Army will be established until September 2006 |
| Dnevni Avaz | New Saudi King receives Head of BiH Islamic Community Ceric |
| Dnevni List | Catholic Church under strike of Bosniak inspectors |
| Vecernji List | British spy at head of BiH |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Worker’s salary – 1 KM? |
| Glas Srpske | They killed daughter in front of her mother |
| Nezavisne Novine | Over hundreds of the dead in stampede (tragedy in |
| Blic | They have stolen 2 million KM from unescorted “Audi” car (Sokolac robbery) |
| Vecernje Novosti | Features |
| Srpski nacional | Features |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Bjelasnica mtg. On police reform commences
| RS Radio – Negotiations on police reform have commenced at Bjelasnica meeting under organisation of the BiH CoM. Pero Bukejlovic, RS Premier, expressed optimism, noting that disputable issues in entities and cantons (such as maps) should be left for some other occasion, adding: “Talks on these issues should be run at the time when talks on SAA commence, or after admission process completes when the times and climate will most surely be different.” Ahmet Hadzipasic, F BiH Premier, stated that we should first wait for the end of today’s meeting. Dragan Vrankic, F BiH Finance Minister, is of the view that today’s is another wasted day. Adnan Terzic, BiH CoM Chair, stated he has a plan for resolvement of the problem, without giving details. |
| RS PM Bukejlovic: Public security should remain authority of entities
| FENA – Conveying the statement of RS Prime Minister Pero Bukejlovic, Head of the RS Government’s Press Office Cvijeta Kovacevic stated that during the talks on the police reform it turned out that 4 Cantons with the Croat majority have different views on transferring competence of the police functions to the BiH level from the official stand of the FBiH Ministry of Interior. Bukejlovic also believes it is necessary that the area of the public security remains under entity competence and he hopes that such solution would be reached when the talks continue. Also, on the eve of the talks on Bjelsanica Bukejlovic expects to see whether the other side has a proposal for improving the text that the RS negotiating team offered at the previous meeting in a form of an agreement and framework law on grounds of the security system in BiH. |
| SIPA Director Novic is a moderate pessimist re police talks
| Banja Luka BIG Radio, 11:55 hrs: Sredoja Novic, SIPA Director, has stated prior to today’s meeting on police reform at Bjelasnica mountain that he is “a moderate pessimist” in regard to outcome of today’s meeting, but also in regard to the entire process of police reform talks. He is of the view that talks are gradually losing the point, adding that it is necessary to discuss the issue of major importance, after which discussions on minor issues will follow. |
| BiH Presidency in session
| RHB, RS Radio – BiH Presidency is in session today (Thursday). The Presidency should be, among other issues, discuss the Proposal of decision on approving credentials to the Cyprus ambassador to BiH; financial report of the BiH Central Bank with the closing date of June 30, 2005; and Proposal of decision on placing moratorium on military service. |
| FBiH Government in session
| RHB – FBiH Government is in session in Mostar today (Thursday). The Government should, among other issues, discuss Draft law on financial-informative agency; report on execution of FBiH budget for first 6 months of 2005 and report on work of FBiH Ministry of DPs and Refugees. |
Political Developments/Reforms | |
| BiH Deputy Defence Minister Becirbasic: Single BiH Army will be established by end Sept 2006
| Oslobodjenje cover splash, pgs 4-5 ‘Single BiH Army will be established until September 2006’by Az.Kalamujic – BiH Deputy Defence Minister, Enes Becirbasic, told daily that the BiH Armed Forces should be established by the end of September next year, with the last obstacle being removed by RS National Assembly’s support to transfer to jurisdiction to the state authorities. Becirbasic reminds that it is now up to FBiH Parliament to do the same on 6 September, and than by the end of year the BiH Council of Ministers and Parliament must adopt the Defence Law. Becirbasic says that all employees of RS and FBiH military structures could become paid soldiers as of beginning of next year, and the future Army should have no more than 9000 or 10000 active professional troop and about 5000 active reserves. One third of the forces will be stationed in RS and rest in the Federation. Structure and size of the troops will be decided by the Presidency. Inset ‘Cavic gave up on RS Army’s survival’ carries that SDP welcomes the RSNA decision to endorse transfer of authorities to the state level, noting that Dragan Cavic’s speech was a welcoming surprise. Inset ‘Important decision by RSNA’ carries Presidency of GDS also welcoming this development. |
| NATO, OHR welcome RSNA decision to accept defense reform solutions
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Step that will bring BiH closer to NATO’ – NATO HQ to BiH welcomes decision of RS National Assembly to approve the adoption of legislation by which single army, single Ministry of Defence and professional army would be established in BiH. OHR also welcomes the fact that the RSNA on Tuesday endorsed one of the outstanding reforms needed to make BiH ready for membership of PfP and NATO alliances. OHR is confident that the FBiH Parliament will do the same on 6 September. NATO and EU membership are the two tracks that will secure long lasting peace, stability and prosperity for BiH; to accelerate down these tracks BiH must show full co-operation with the ICTY, and conclude the restructuring of the Police in line with the three EU principles. Without these, the doors to full NATO and EU integration will remain closed. Defence Reform does not replace the need for Police restructuring, according to OHR. RHB carried OHR statement, Pink carried NATO statement. |
| RS President Cavic on defense: Professional Army to be established in BiH
| Pink Mirjana Pavlovic – After RS National Assembly decided to transfer authorities in domain of defence to state level, there would be single professional army established in BiH. As RS President Dragan Cavic said on Wednesday in Hayat, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Cavic: Defence reform in the interest of Serb people’ by R.S., Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘Police is next’ by M. Labus also carried the statement. |
| NN op-ed commending defence reform | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘A historic act’ by Aleksandar Sekulic – The author commends the adoption of the defence reform by RS NA, adding that defence reform is finally one of the most visible steps towards European integration. |
| Dukic/Cvjetinovic critical of defence reform
| Srpski Nacional pg 8 ‘The beginning of an end’ not signed – reports on RS NA conclusions on defense reform. Inset ‘POWs and veterans are demanding for referendum’ – Branislav Dukic and Savo Cvjetinovic, the Chairmen of the Association of POWs and RS Veterans’ Association respectively, have assessed the new concept of defense reform as unacceptable for RS because, as they say, this represent an anti-Dayton Unitarianism of BiH and violation of its constitutional-legal organization. |
| NN:F BiH parties to support defence reform at F BiH HoR’s session
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Safe support at F BiH Parliament’ by M.C. – Daily notes (referring to Ivan Madunic from HDZ, Semsudin Mehmedovic from SDA, and Zaim Backovic from Party for BiH) that the ruling and leading opposition parties in F BiH will support transfer of authorities over defence from entity onto BiH state level. F BiH HoR will on Tuesday hold session, which is expected to support proposed defence reform. |
| SA dailies announcing new round of talks on police: Terzic, Novic, Colak to propose police reform solution at Bjelasnica meeting
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘What will Terzic, Colak and Novic offer to negotiating parties today?’ by |
| RS President Dragan Cavic expects Bjelasnica meeting to be successful | Pink – RS President Dragan Cavic said in |
| Cropress on prospects of police reform negotiations, relation between defence and police reforms
| Dnevni List pgs 4-5 ‘Extremists will not allow police reform’, by Zvonimir Jukic – Commenting on the decision of the RSNA to transfer the jurisdiction over defence issues onto the state level, the author says it in fact represents further dismantling of the RS in favour of BiH statehood. Jukic connects the defence with police reform saying that the police forces will most likely come under the state administration, which will represent the demise of the RS’ statehood. However, the author also notes that some sources say that the ‘price’ the IC had to pay to the SDS for the defence reform is the survival of the RS police, which will remain under the Serb domination. Inset entitled ‘Police in for same destiny as army’ carries an anonymous international diplomat, who is allegedly well informed about the course of police reform, as saying: “The police organization is already agreed upon, and the last strolls through BiH and alleged negotiations of the local parties are just a show for the public until the politicians from RS agree among each other who will place the signature on the police reform and put the last nail into the coffin of the RS’ statehood”. Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 18 ‘Without result on Bjelasnica too?’, by Zlatko Tulic – Commenting on today’s (Thursday) meeting on Mount Bjelasnica regarding the police reform, the author makes the connection between the police and defence reform saying that some people see the latest developments in the RS regarding the defence reform and the role of the SDS in it as some sort of trade with the RS under the motto “we give you defence reform, you give us police reform”. Tulic reckons that given the EU’s deadline for the police reform (September 15), it is likely that the Bjelasnica meeting will not be the last destination of the negotiators. Inset entitled ‘OHR: Agreement must be reached’ carries an OHR spokesman, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Police maps in focus of negotiations on Bjelasnica’ by M. Ivesa says that according to their unofficial information the HDZ Presidency believes that the structure of the Cantonal Ministries of Interior cannot be touched until a new constitutional organization was arranged. |
| RS Press onpolice reform: A sort of agreement to be reached, but disputable issues postponed for a year
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Disputable issues delayed’ by M.C. – Daily reports referring to one of participants of police reform that the representatives of the BiH COM and the entities’ Government today at Bjelasnica are expected to discuss the agreement, which accepts EU principles on police reform, adding that: “The resistance of the RS representatives towards defining of police regions, which would cross IEBL and transfer of police authority, is evident. Talks may result in a sort of agreement which accepts EU principles, but these issues may be postponed for a year.” Dragan Cavic, RS President, Wednesday expressed his conviction that progress will be achieved in police reform. Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘It takes three for the agreement’ by N.G. – Daily reports referring to Pero Bukejlovic, RS Premier, that the RS delegation traveling to Bjelasnica is firmly convinced that RS can maintain authority over public security and that it will not be a problem for reaching agreement on police reform. Bukejlovic also said that it is necessary to indetify solution which will satisfy all three sides, in order to make it pass parliament procedure. He also stated that Capljina meeting resulted in surfacing of the fact that four cantons in F BiH have a completely different view on transfer of authority onto the state level, which differs from the view of the F BiH MoI. Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘”Marsal” is the last stop?’ by Z.Ma. – reports on Bjelasnica meeting today. Fokus cover pg splash ‘Nigh stick and carrot’, pg 3 ‘Return of those dismissed’ by N.Diklic – Daily claims referring to its source from the SDS that Paddy Ashdown has offered pardoning of the SDS officials who were previously dismissed (including Slobodan Saraba, Goran Popovic, Momcilo Komljenovic, Vojislav Gligic, Momir Tesic, Dragomir Ljubojevic, Djuro Bulic, Novak Gojkovic and Nemanja Vasic) under condition that SDS accepts police reform in the form Ashdown devised it (including IEBL crossings). Furthermore, in an exchange for adoption of police reform, Ashdown is ready to declare SDS a reform-oriented party and to have it become a member of the Congress of the European People’s Parties, whose Chairperson is Wilfred Martens. SDS source also claims that “however, the party has been divided more than ever, and it is still unknown whose stance will prevail: the stance of Pero Bukejlovic, who opposes to changes of Constitution, or the stance of Dragan Cavic.” |
| US general Louis Weber assumes duty of NATO HQ Commander in
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Steven Schook handed duties to Louis Weber’, mentioned on cover ‘Schook: I am leaving service in a wonderful country’, Oslobodjenje pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘General Weber is new NATO HQ Commander’, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘NATO forces in BiH under new leadership’, not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘NATO: Acceptance of defence reform is crucial for BiH’ by A.Sisic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Webber takes over duties’, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Weber instead of Schook’ not signed– On Wednesday in Sarajevo, NATO Commander to BiH Steven Schook has transferred his duty to Louis Weber. BiH Presidency members, BIH Parliament Ministers and representatives, diplomatic representatives and NATO members attended the ceremony. “I am looking forward performing this challenging but important duty. Changes I have been introduced to, since I have been back, are incredible and I can hardly remember where we had been in April 2001, the day when I left BiH”, said Weber. “Who could ever think that NATO would propose joint training with RS special police unit aimed on arrestment of war crime indictees. The of the ICTY’s chapter has to close…it is high time, and I am sure that it will be closed very soon”, said Schook. |
| BiH Presidency members receive Admiral Ulrich: BiH to become exporter of security
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Urlich: BiH to become an exporter of security’, FENA – BiH Presidency Chair Ivo Miro Jovic, and BiH Presidency members Sulejman Tihic and Borislav Paravac on Wednesday received the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces in Europe, Admiral H. G. Ulrich III. Welcoming Admiral Ulrich and General Louis Bill Weber in |
| US Congress: BiH has made progress in fight against terrorism
| BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘BiH has made progress in fight against terrorism’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Balkans must not become base of terrorists’ by M. Vaslij, Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Terrorists are being recruited in mosques, which Saudi Arabia built in BiH’ by N.N. – The Report of the Congress Research Centre on Islamic terrorism in BiH (prepared for US Congress) reads that the Saudi Arabia has built mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where foreign extremists, but also Bosnian Imams, continued with speeches of hatred towards the USA and other western states. Report notes that this might reinforce terrorist efforts to get as much supporters in this state as possible. However, Centre also writes that the Bosnian opposition to terrorist is vast, stressing that the USA still have strong support in BiH, especially amongst Bosniaks because USA helped in the establishment of peace and provided post-war assistance. |
| BiH HoR adopts Law on Traffic Safety
| RHB, Pink, BHT, Hayat, Oslobodjenje back page, Dnevni Avaz pg 9, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘To drive with 0.3 per mille of alcohol’ by E. Medunjanin– BiH Parliament HoR adopted the law on basics of traffic security on roadways in BiH, which should increase traffic security. But the law does not regulate certain fields in the traffic. That is one of the reasons why the law was under discussion for more than a year. The law predicts introduction of penalty points after which a driver might be ordered to have additional training or his driving licences could be taken for 3 or 6 months or permanently. Drivers beginners must not pass over certain speed limit and their cars must be marked so the other drivers can know they are beginners. 150 amendments were submitted on this law and the law was adopted in its 11th version. Certain representatives consider that the law is not harmonized with European standards and that the law does not regulate one of the most important fields, taking of the driver’s test. |
| Cavic on the issue of BiH Ambassador to
| EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Cavic: it is a shame’ by T. V., Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘State blindness’ by G.D. – RS President Dragan Cavic thinks it is a shame BiH has no Ambassador to Croatia. He thinks BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs should respond in the same manner when the mandate of the current Croatian Ambassador to BiH expires. According to Cavic, Bosniak politicians, primarily SDA officials, have politicized the entire issue. He thinks the other possible reason for such a situation is the fact “ |
| SDA rejects Cavic’ accusations
| Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Invented stories’ by Srna – SDA thinks RS President Dragan Cavic is again getting involved in BiH foreign policy, which is not under his jurisdiction. The party thinks he should work on police reform instead. “He is inventing stories about terrorism instead to arrest his party colleagues – war criminals”, a press release of SDA reads. They appealed to Cavic to unblock the process of the appointment of BiH Ambassador to |
| Danas magazine on possible establishment of new HDZ
| Danas cover pg splash and pgs 15-22 ‘Who are founders of new HDZ BiH’ by Z. Jukic – According to the latest information coming from HDZ, regardless of the pressure that is being exerted by the European People’s Party and HDZ Croatia, HDZ President Dragan Covic will not abandon his current position. ‘Danas’ also says that the HDZ fraction, which supports Bozo Ljubic, will not start with establishment of a new party as long as there is a single chance to remove Covic from the current position. In case that Covic remains at this position, they will establish a new party with a Croat prefix, which would be called HDZ 1990, BH HDZ or New Croat Democratic Union. According to the article, politicians who would be members of the new party are apart from Ljubic, Martin Raguz, Josip Merdzo, Vlatko Medjugorac, Rudo Vidovic, Velimir Valjan, Nikola Lovrinovic etc. ‘Danas’ also says that if established, new HDZ would have parliamentary majority at the level of the Federation of BiH and BiH Houses of Representatives. The article says that this HDZ fraction has already shown its strength when it prevented a removal of the FBiH Minister Tomo Lucic. |
War Crimes | |
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| RHB, BHT, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Documentation prepared for extradition of Zelenovic’, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Preparations for extradition of Zelenovic’ by S.Karic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Moscow gets documents’ by Agencies– Russian Prosecution initiated process of extradition of Dragan Zelenovic, indicted for the war crimes by the ICTY. Zelenovicwas arrested last Thursday in |
| New reports on war crimes against Serbs in
| BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘New reports on crimes in Sarajevo, Capljina’ – RS Ministry of Interior (MoI) delivered new reports to BiH and RS Prosecutor’s Offices and to the ICTY about war crimes over Serbs during the past war in BiH. These are related to war crimes in Ilijas, Capljina and Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘They killed daughter in front of her mother’, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ’31 persons suspected’ and Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘New evidence against Delic’ by Sn.K., EuroBlic pg RS1, announced on cover ‘Mujahedeens were killing and raping in Gornja Bioca’ by Mirna Soja, Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Evidence on Delic’s individual responsibility?’ by D. Pusic, Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Report against 1743 mujahiddin soon’ not signed, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘New evidence against Rasim Delic’ by bs also covered the issue. |
| Retrial of Blaskic likely to take place
| RHB, BHT, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘New procedure in case of Tihomir Blaskic’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, Dnevni List pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Blaskic’s defence prepares reply to The Hague’ by I. Glibusic, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 4 ‘Nobilo confirmed that demand for renewal of procedure arrived’, mentioned on cover ‘Nevertheless, The Hague wants Tihomir Blaskic again’ by A. Malenica – A lawyer of Tihomir Blaskic, Anto Nobilo, confirmed on Wednesday that the ICTY Prosecution sent a demand for renewal of the court procedure in the Blaskic case. Nobilo stressed that the defence in this situation has 40 days to reply to the ICTY demand and that they are preparing it. Also, Nobilo expects that the renewal of the trial will not take place. DL says that the ICTY used a possibility to renew the trial for the first time and this raised suspicions that politics interfered in the ICTY’s work. |
| DL op-ed on HDZ and del Ponte’s attitude towards Blaskic
| Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Carla’s logic’ by M. Karacic comments on the ICTY’s demand to renew the trial against Tihomir Blaskic and the author says: ‘While Croat politicians are dealing with the case of Miroslav Prce, whose sentence is being reduced because of the pain in his back, Blaskic is not so interesting to the ruling HDZ, but he is interesting to Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla del Ponte. If she had been dealing with Radovan Karadzic as much as she deals with Blaskic probably Karadzic would have been with Slobodan Milosevic in |
| Head of ICG SCG: Karadzic in BIH,
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4, mentioned on cover ‘Karadzic enjoys support of the Church and nationalists’ by S. Skuletic – The Head of the International Crisis Group in SCG, James Lion, says that Radovan Karadzic spends most of his time in BiH and Montenegro hided by a large community of his supporters, and that he visits Serbia rarely. Lion adds that while it is clear that ICTY will not close its doors before Karadzic is arrested, his possible surrender has been slowed down and made difficult, or even prevented, by nationalists supporting him. “It is widely known that the big role in these circles is played by the Orthodox Church. We obtained a number of information from different sources according to which Church provides direct support to Karadzic and that is not a secret anymore,” says Lion. |
| NN op-ed on Amfilohije call on Karadzic to surrender
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘A grand thawing’ by Pero Simic – Commenting on the latest interview Metropolitan Amfilohije gave to BBC (who was accused on hiding Radovan Karadzic with no evidence provided for these claims), the author notes that in spite of attempted following denial, one of the most conservative clerics of the Serb Orthodox Church did say that the wisest thing for Radovan would be if he surrendered. Author notes that Amfilohije made this statement in a sort of milder, but not less worth, version that Bishop Grigorije called on Karadzix to surrender. |
Economic/Social Issues | |
| Sume RS” Director announces sanctions against management of forest units
| Nezavisne Novine pgs 4-5 ‘Penalties for Director of forest units’ by D.Risojevic, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Auditors ‘lumbered’ the truth’ by B.Gajevic – The management of “Sume of RS” Wednesday rejected claims of auditors (on failure to achieve profit of around BAM 16 million) and described it as unacceptable, announcing that all Director of Forest units, where machinations were uncovered will be penalized. While GS carries press statement released by the company, NN carries statement of Vlastimir Topalic, Director of “Sume of RS”, confirming this. |
| OHR and RS Govt. on Audit report on ERS
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Auditors detected abuses, Prosecutor’s Office to make a move’ by P.Klincov – The RS Chief Auditor, Bosko Ceko, has detected abuses in business dealings of ERS (RS Elektroprivreda) and no polemic can obscure this fact, |
| CIA analysis on BiH: Unemployment is the biggest problem
| Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Unemployment is the biggest problem’ by D.Ra. -_In its latest Report for August 2005, the CIA published that BiH, along with Macedonia, is the poorest state of former Yugoslavia, noting agriculture is at low level since BiH is a major importer of food. Report notes that the privatization process proceeds extremely slowly, while the unemployment rate is high and still one of the biggest problems in BiH. |
Judiciary/Legal Proceedings | |
| PDHR Butler sends letter to FBiH President Lozancic: Pain in the back not sufficient reason for granting a pardon
| RHB, Pink, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7 ‘Pain in the back does not pardoning office abuse/stealing a million KM’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Prce pardoned because of back pain’, not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 16, mentioned on front ‘Lozancic pardoned Prce because of back pain’, by Z. Zekic, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Butler wrote to Lozancic’, Glas Srpske pg 4 ‘Pardoning with faults’, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘Unclear pardons’ not signed – Principal Deputy High Representative Larry Butler sent a letter to FBiH President Niko Lozancic, stating that the OHR was worried by the submitted additional documentation on reasons for granting pardon to Miroslav Prce, who was suspected of abuse of position and authorities. The OHR states that Lozancic pardoned Prce due to medical reports with no signature or stamp. |
| NN reports Lozancic pardoned 73 persons in first three months 2005
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ’73 pardons in three months’, announced on cover ‘Niko Lozancic pardoned 73 persons in first three months of this year’ by R.Cengic – Daily reports that in line with decisions published in “F BiH Official Gazette” since beginning 2005 to 4th April 2005, Niko Lozancic, F BiH President, with the assent from F BiH Vice Presidents, Sahbaz Dzihanovic and Desnica Radivojevic, approved pardons to 73 persons, while 192 motions for pardon have been rejected. Daily lists those pardoned and acts they have been found guilty of. According to NN inset 1 ‘Decision on pardoning of Prce was not published’, NN reports that decision of pardoning of Miroslav Prce has not been published in “F BiH Official Gazette” as yet. Report notes that F BiH Government staff in charge of publication of decisions in “Official Gazette” claim they have not seen decision in question as yet, while Cabinet of Niko Lozancic claims decision has been forwarded to Government services for publication. |
| VL carries new details on Prce pardon
| Vecernji List, pgs 4-5 ‘Prce sacrifices half a year more’, by not signed – VL learns from sources close to Miroslav Prce that he will not be asking to be released from prison on parole, not until January 23, 2006 although he will be entitled to do so on September 23 this year. The reason why Prce will postpone his parole request is because of “unseen campaign that is led against him by the BiH Prosecution and OHR”, which means that a parole commission would not be able to take an independent decision. VL also carries Prce’s lawyer, Zarko Bulic, who denies the OHR’s claims that the documentation on Prce pardon is suspicious and ungrounded. Bulic insists that the medical documentation is authentic and credible, and on top of that, Bulic denies the OHR’s claim about the alleged political background of the pardon since Prce, according to Bulic, was never a member of HDZ. Finally, VL says the FBIH President, Niko Lozancic, when he took the decision to pardon Prce, also pardoned a number of other convicts, including a “controversial” former Interior Minister of |
Miscellaneous | |
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| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Paddy Ashdown was a MI6 spy in Geneva?!’, mentioned on cover, not signed – The name of the HR, Paddy Ashdown, has been included in the list of alleged 121 MI6 spies published by the US web-site Cryptome.org. The site, ‘dedicated’ to publishing documents banned by the governments all around the world, has already cased a stir in the intelligence community publishing lists of MI6 agents in 1999. It was noted that Ashdown was a spies in 70s during in FTV, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, announced on cover ‘Paddy Ashdown is British secret agent’ by M.Cubro, Srpski Nacional pg 4 ‘Ashdown is a spy’ not signedalso covered the issue. Vecernji List cover pg splash ‘British spy at head of BiH’ and pg 3 ‘Paddy Ashdown is British secret agent’ by Z. Kresic, Dnevni List last pg ‘ Paddy Ashdown British secret agent’ not signed, Slobodna Dalmacija pg 6 ‘Ashdown does not want to comment on claims that he is secret agent’ by F also published the list of alleged MI6 agents. VL inset under headline ‘Special relation towards RS’ carries that it is not a secret that HR Ashdown had meetings with war crime indictee Radovan Karadzic during the war and that he visited prison camps Omaraska and Keraterm in 1992, when he wrote that human rights were not drastically violated there. VL goes on to say that Ashdown exactly was in the British diplomacy mission after which the UN and NATOs’ action against BiH Serbs did not take place. VL also says that some analysts interpret the current Ashdown’s attitude towards the RS as continuation of such policy. |
| OHR did not want to comment on published list of alleged British secter agents
| RHB, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘OHR did not want to comment on speculations on list of secret British agents’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘OHR with no comment, British Embassy keeping silent’ – OHR refused to comment to FENA the published list, on American internet page “Krypton Org”, of British Secret Agents that includes the name of High Representative to BIH Paddy Ashdown. OHR stated that the Great Britain Ministry of Foreign Affairs already gave the comment on the list. |
| Shooting in Doboj
| Glas Srpske cover pg ‘A bloody argument’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Two women killed’ by S.C. – dailies report on the shooting in Doboj Wednesday, when a man shot at four women, two of whom died. |