OHR BiH Media Round-up, 20/3/2006

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs)

BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs)

RTRS (12,00 hrs)

HNC: Teachers still on strike

EU Foreign Ministers meeting

RS NA to hold session Thursday

Bishops’ Conference in session

HNC teachers still on strike

Discussion on BH suit vs. SiCG

Presidential elections inBelarus

Evaluation of school names to end

EU Min to convene: SICG on agenda

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Constitutional changes agreed

McElhaney on const. changes

Agreement on constitutional changes

Secret negotiations in Zagreb

Lange on SAA negotiations with BiH

Indictment against HVO member

Strike of HNC schools

“Circle 99” on higher education

Four persons killed in a car accident

Feature on killed friars from 1945

Rules for school trips in RS

Shooting incident near Buzim

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

Incident at Nordfish Blagaj

McElhaney on constitutional changes

15 murders in RS still unsolved

Constitutional changes agreed

SDU, SPS on constitutional changes

McElhaney on const. changes

Interview with Josip Milic

Shooting incident in Uskoplje

BiH Court on Sarovic case

Feature on high education in BIH

Indictment against Obradovic

New indictment for war crimes

Oslobodjenje

[McElhaney] Stronger state, easier way to EU

Dnevni Avaz

[McElhaney] Everything should be done by deadline

Dnevni List

Ethnic and entity divisions confirmed (reactions on const. changes agreement)

Vecernji List

RS blackmails Croatia with flats (on property-legal relations btwn BiH and Croatia)

Slobodna Dalmacija

Features Croatia related headline

Nezavisne Novine

Parliament to change the Constitution by the end of the month

Glas Srpske

Pursuit for Mladic will follow

EuroBlic

Marija Milosevic: Scandalous funeral

Vecernje novosti

Two views on grave [reactions following funeral of Slobodan Milosevic]

LATEST NEWS OF TODAY

EU Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels , discuss enlargement and Western Balkans

BH Radio 1 by Elvir Bucalo – At the meeting in Brussels, EU Foreign Ministers will discuss, among other issues, EU enlargement strategy and the issue of Western Balkans. Reporter comments that the meeting should only approve stances from recent unofficial meeting held in Salzburg when it was concluded that the cooperation with the ICTY is the main burden for both BiH and SCG in their progress towards the EU. BH Radio1 concludes that the gathering is expected to result with EU putting the same pressure on the RS Government as it did in the case of SCG. RTRS – EU Foreign Ministers will today also present their readiness to support SiCG in efforts to release from remnants of Slobodan Milosevic’s regime. The Ministers have voiced the message that Serbian Government may evade stoppage in talks on SAA of SiCG to EU if “fully tangible evidence were provided” to Brussels and the ICTY Prosecutor by the end of March that the most decisive measures to apprehend Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic.

BiH lawsuite vs. SCG: hearing continues, closed for public

RTRS, RHB – The BiH lawsuit against SCG continues before the International Court of Justice on Monday with presentation of witnesses’ testimonies. According to the ICJ’s procedures, the testimonies will be closed for public until 28 March.

RS NA holds special session on Thursday to discussing lawsuit, Tihic’s demands

RTRS – The RS NA Speaker, Igor Radojicic, RSNA Speaker, has announced in Banja Luka today that the Agenda of the forthcoming special RS National Assembly’s session will include the issue of the BH suit against SICG before the International Court of Justice and demand of Sulejman Tihic, Chairperson of the BH Presidency, requesting review of constitutionality of Law on RS symbols before BH Constitutional Court.  Special session will be held Thursday.

Agreement on constitutional changes reached

US Ambassador McElhaney: Talks on constitutional changes to continue after elections, US to stay involved

PINK Zeljko Mandic – At a press conference held on Sunday, US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney stated that the agreement on constitutional changes reached by BiH political leaders sets the framework for one President, stronger Parliament and Council of Ministers, and a Prime Minister able to meet demands of the country on a road to the EU. The leaders of seven political parties on Saturday reached the agreement on the first phase of the constitutional changes by which the future Presidency members should be nominated by the BiH House of Peoples and verified by the House of Representatives. Furthermore, all directly elected deputies at the state level – whose number in the future shall be 87 – will be candidates for members of the BiH Presidency. McElhaney expressed hope that BiH Parliament Assembly is going to adopt the agreement by the end of March, so the changes could be implemented before the October elections. BHT1 – McElhaney added that the “next phase of the talks on constitutional changes could start immediately after the elections, when the structure of BiH should be discussed”. Hayat – “Please keep in mind that US administration will continue its engagement in the process of constitutional changes in BIH”, stated McElhaney. FTV – McElhaney noted “the ultimate goal of BIH is to have the government responsible to the citizens and not some political party”. The BIH Parliament will discuss the agreement adopted on 23 March. The representatives of political parties agreed to discuss the issue of the state organization during the second phase of constitutional changes. RHB, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover splash ‘Stronger state, easier way to EU’, pg 3 ‘BiH can survive with much less authority’ by A.Omeragic, Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 3 ‘Everything should be finished before deadline’ by S.Numanovic, Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Parliament to change Constitution by the end of the month’ by M. Cubro, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Leaders fulfilled promise’ by Z. D., EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘BiH to get President and two Deputy Presidents’ by Dusanka Stanisic, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘McElhaney: Parliament should accept agreement’ by R. Dautefendic, Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Tihic was in hurry at gathering of hunters’ by Z. Kresic, E. Medunajnin (VL says after the agreement was signed Tihic was in hurry since he wanted to attend gathering of hunters, thus the headline). – also reported.

PDP’s Ivanic, SNSD’s Simic welcome agreement on changes; HDZ official Madunic says Dragan Covic betrayed Croats because he was blackmailed with criminal charges

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Agreement leads to strengthening of BiH institutions’ by V. Popovic – Following the signing of the agreement on constitutional changes, PDP’s Mladen Ivanic stated the agreement represents stabilisation of RS institutions and strengthening of BiH institutions adding: ‘RS lost nothing, but it showed great readiness for compromising’. SNSD’s Krstan Simic assessed the negotiations on constitutional changes as positive. Head of HDZ Caucus at F BiH HoP Ivan Madunic says he thinks HDZ President Dragan Covic ‘betrayed interests of Croat people because he was blackmailed with numerous criminal charges’.

HDZ leader Covic: Agreement is first step towards rationalisation of BiH; SDS leader Cavic: state functionality improved

RHB – HDZ leader Dragan Covic stated that the agreement on the constitutional changes is the first step towards rationalisation of BiH’s constitutional order. Covic expressed gratitude to the US Embassy, the Administration and the EU representatives. SDS leader Dragan Cavic stated that the agreement relates to several important issues that significantly improve the functionality of BIH institutions. SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija stated that the most important thing now is for the whole agreement package to become public and for it to be sent into parliamentary procedure.

SDP’s Lagumdzija: election of BIH President and Deputy President is not complicated

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Election of the chief of state is not complicated’ by M. Cubro – SDP President Zlatko Lagumdzija says in an interview to NN that the leaders of seven political parties, which signed the agreement on constitutional reforms on Saturday, did not agree on a complicated model of the election of President and Deputy Presidents of BiH and added that the election of the chief of state through a parliament is a model suitable for BiH as county that has parliamentary democracy. He added that a new phase of constitutional talks would be launched after October elections and will contain discussions on destiny of entities and cantons.

Dzaferovic (SDA): changes can be completed by April 14; Zoric (HDZ): HDZ- HNZ Caucus has not changed its position

Dnevni Avaz, pg 2 ‘Additional 20 days will be gained for adoption of changes to Constitution’, by H. Orahovac – Deputy Speaker of BiH House of Representatives, Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA), expects that the chamber will one of these days get amendments to Constitution, in the form agreed by the party leaders, which will be forwarded to the Constitutional-Legal Commission of the HoR, which has to organize a public debate that should not last for less than 15 days. Dzaferovic insists that the whole procedure (adoption of changes) can be wrapped up by April 14, when writs for elections should be issued, because the proposed changes to the BiH Election Law will shorten the period for organization of elections from 180 to 150 or 160 days, which gives the MPs additional 20 to 30 days for the job. Vinko Zoric, the Head of HDZ-HNZ Caucus in the BiH HoR says that when it comes to their Caucus, nothing has changed with regards to acceptability of constitutional changes (the Caucus earlier said it would not support changes that are detrimental to the Croats).  According to Avaz, the same applies for SBiH, BOSS and Ivo Lozancic (independent MP), whilst it is yet unknown how Muhamed Altic (Pensioners Party) and Ibrahim Djedovic (DNZ) would vote. Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Ethnic and entity divisions confirmed’ by R. Dautefendic carries Zoric.

DL wonders whether HDZ representative in BiH Parliament Zoric is actually HDZ President Covic’s player

Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Vinko Zoric wants to discredit Ljubic and Raguz?’ by Z. Jukic – Few foreign diplomats including US and German Ambassadors to BiH held meetings with HDZ representative in the BiH Parliament Vinko Zoric to discuss constitutional changes. A DL source from one Embassy in Sarajevo revealed that the diplomats believed that Zoric is politically mature person and that along with Bozo Ljubic he stands for pro-European stands, however, Zoric’s collocutors were surprised by rigid and retrograde stands of Zoric who said that he would support only those changes that would divide BiH according to ethnic principles. DL says that in this way Zoric discredits Ljubic and Martin Raguz and gives advantage to HDZ President Dragan Covic and his supporters, that international diplomats start to view again as their partners regardless of their criminal acts. DL also wonders whether Zoric truly broke up his connections with Covic or he has been acting lately according to Covic’s instructions.  

NHI’s Zubak:  Numerous blockades to happen due to const. changes agreed; SBiH’s Halilovic: changes to ensure special status for RS; SDU’s Tokic: agreement ensures entity division

BHT1 by Sanita Lisica-Biberovic – Commenting the agreement on constitutional changes, NHI leader Kresimir Zubak stated that because of it “I think that we would have to fight numerous blockades and obstructions, not only in the House of Representatives, but also in other institutions”. SBiH leader Safet Halilovic said that “those changes practically ensure special status for RS, as a state within a state… We believe that such changes cannot satisfy citizens of BiH”. FTV – SDU Leader Sejfudin Tokic, stated that the agreement guarantees entity division of BIH and gives stronger possibility to obstruct the work of the Government, adding that after the reform of the Constitution, International Community would most definitely leave BIH with the least rational state organisation created in Dayton. Tokic noted that this agreement preserves the discriminatory elements in BIH especially the name of RS warning the delegates in the Parliament that they do not have the support of citizens in “cementing BIH and denying its right on democratic organisation based on European standards”. SRS leader Milenko Mihajlica opposes the constitutional changes in BIH asking that RS National Assembly and citizens at referendum discuss the entire issue. Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Deputies do not have mandate for cementing ethnic divisions’, Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Ethnic and entity divisions confirmed’ by R. Dautefendic – carried Tokic. Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘Agreement leads to strengthening of BiH institutions’ by V. Popovic, Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘They signed betrayal’ by D. T. and M. B. – reported Mihajlica.

SDU Vice President Komsic criticizes preservation of entity vote in BiH Parliament

Dnevni Avaz, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘Entities will be protected in State parliament by Constitution’, by professor Ivo Komsic – Vice President of SDU, professor Ivo Komsic, signs a commentary in which he harshly criticizes the agreed constitutional changes, especially focusing on the issue of entity vote in the BiH House of Representatives, which could according to him, cause numerous blockades in the functioning of BiH, be it election of BiH Presidency or BiH PM designate or adoption of budget.

Ajanovic (BOSS), Halilovic (SBiH) criticise agreement

Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Ethnic and entity divisions confirmed’ by R. Dautefendic – BOSS President Mirnes Ajanovic stated: ‘SDS, PDP and SNSD, that is, their representatives show that Zlatko Lagumdzija and Sulejman Tihic were in favour of Great Serbia interests and not in favour of BiH’s interests.’ Safet Halilovic from SBiH said that the constitutional changes agreement is short-sighted and irrational.

NN op-ed: it would have been logical if someone raised issue of transfer of competences from Cantons onto F BiH

Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘The Constitution’ by Aleksandar Sekulic – the author complimented the fact the agreement on constitutional changes was signed on Saturday but also criticised the fact no person had so far raised the issue of the Federation of BiH and its organisation since it has ten Cantons – each with its own constitutions, judicial, legislative and executive authorities. He concluded by saying it would have been logical if someone had raised the issue of transfer of competences from Cantons onto F BiH, primarily in order to reduce bureaucracy.

Other political issues

Circle 99 discusses problems of higher education system in BH, urge adoption of the law

PINK by Zeljko Mandic – In the session held in Sarajevo on Sunday, Association of the Independent Intellectuals “Circle 99” discussed the problems of higher education in BiH. Dean of Sarajevo University Hasan Muratovic said that the major obstacle for BiH on its way to the EU is that fact that state law on higher education still does not exist, while there is a lack of interest on a part of the state institutions for this reform. He reminded that in most EU countries, state institutions are in charge of education. Professor Miodrag Zivanovic from Banja LukaUniversity stated that the Bologna Declaration needs to be implemented in BiH as soon as possible. However, he adds it needs to be harmonised with specific conditions in BiH. Dnevni List pg 3 ‘So far state has lost 1,5 million Dollars’ by M. Zorlak – : Due to failure to adopt high education law in accordance with Bologna Declaration BiH has lost 1,5 million Dollars of World Bank loan so far. BHT1, Hayat, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘Two classrooms in primary school and there is a university’ by E.Kamenica Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘State is not interested in higher education reform’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 11 ‘Urgently adopt law on high education’ by S. Lemoalso covered.

EU official Lange: SAA negotiations conducted so far were not difficult

PINK – Commenting first technical round of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement [SAA] held on Friday in Sarajevo, Head of EU technical negotiation team SAA talks Dirk Lange stated that the negotiations conducted so far were not difficult, adding that there is consensus on all general issues. Lange reminded that EU encourages the establishing of a customs-free zone in the West Balkans, being that most countries in this region are rather small, and such zone would help their industry and economic development. Lange believes that BiH economy is ready to fulfil the conditions of free trade with the EU and region countries, despite of certain critical stances in BiH. RTRS also covered.

Gligoric (MP, Socialist Party) hopes he will be able to remove BiH CoM

Dnevni Avaz, pg 4 ‘I will win Lagumdzija over for removal of Terzic’, by N. Diklic – An MP in BiH House of Representative, Tihomir Gligoric (Socialist Party), who launched an initiative the aim of which is to remove the BiH Council of Ministers, believes he will get the necessary support from the MPs from the RS. However, he needs a support from 10 MPs from the FBiH.  Gligoric expects he will win over votes of independent MPs from the FBIH, announcing that he will talk to the SDP leader, Zlatko Lagumdzija, about the issue in order to get the SDP’s support.

BiH CoM delegation and Croatian Ministers discussed property-legal relations/VL: Serb side obstructs reaching of agreement on this issue

Vecernji List cover pg splash and pg 8 ‘RS blackmails Croatia with flats’ by Z. Kresic – BiH Security Minister Barisa Colak stated that the last week’s meeting between the BiH CoM delegation and Croatian Ministers (held in Zagreb) was not secret and it was a result of a previous meeting between Chairman of BiH CoM Adnan Terzic and Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. Colak added that they talked about property-legal relations between two countries and VL learns that the problem is a stand of the Serb side which brings into connection ‘return of Serb flats in Croatia with wartime robbery of Croatian property in BiH’. According to the article, they also talked about construction of the bridge near Peljesac, Free Trade Agreement etc.     

DL op-ed: BiH is not willing to resolve disputable issues with Croatia due to October elections

Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Secret negotiations’ by I. Glibusic comments on disputable issues between BiH and Croatia such as an agreement on rights of HVO victims, border near Neum etc. and the author concludes: ‘It is clear now that a pre-election campaign has started in BiH and for this reason BiH is not ready for any concessions and therefore there would be no any attempt to resolve these disputable issues by the October elections and its is only possible that secret negotiations take place by then.’

Preparations for upcoming elections: SDS has collected BAM 1.2 million from members so far

Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘They collected over BAM 1.2 million’ by V.Popovic – Momcilo Novakovic, member of SDS Presidency, Sunday confirmed that SDS is collecting resources from the membership in order to ensure SDS participation at the upcoming elections, noting the amount of BAM 1.2 million has been collected so far.  He also announced SDS Presidency will hold a session today, at which Dragan Cavic, SDS President, will submit Report on constitutional changes in BiH.

Crime, judiciary and security

BiH Court rejects release of Mirko Sarovic

BHT1 – Attorney of Mirko Sarovic, indicted in the case of ‘Privredna’ Bank Srpsko Sarajevo, stated for news agency SRNA that the BiH Court did not accept guarantees Serbian and Montenegrin authorities gave for a temporary release of his client. Sarovic was a member of the BiH Presidency, but resigned in 2003 after he was faced with accusations of organizing illegal military trade withIraq. In November last year he was arrested and the indictment for crimes in the PBSS against him, Momcilo Mandic, Milovan Bjelica and Milorad Govedarica was confirmed on February 7. On that occasion, they were ordered to stay in detention until first-degree procedure is completed. The detention may last up to one year and, as it was announced on February 7, the main hearing should start within 60 days. RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘BiH Court refused SCG guaranties for setting Sarovic on probation’, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Main hearing’, Dnevni List pg 5 ‘Court does not accept guarantees of Serbia and Montenegro’ not signed,Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Request for release of Sarovic denied’, by ra, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘BH Court exceeded powers’ by N.N., Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘They do not trust Podgorica neither’ by Z.Domazetalso covered.

President of BiH Constitutional Court Tadic: To be legal expert with high moral qualities is only criterion for BiH Constitutional Court judges

Dnevni List pg 9 ‘Constitutional Court partly political and partly legal institution’ (hdl refers on election of Constitutional Court judges in Europe not in BiH) by D. P. Mandic carries an interview with President of the Constitutional Court (CC) Mate Tadic. Asked how common it is in the world that a high-ranked politician becomes a CC judge such as the case of Seada Plavric, Tadic said it is typical for Europe that politics appoint these judges since CC judges are not regular judges and the CC is not a typical category of judiciary. He added that ’in these countries the judge must not perform some executive, legislative or political duty at least 3 years before he takes over the position of the CC judge’. Tadic added: ‘We do not have this regulation and if we had it we would not be faced with the aforementioned situation. ’ He added that as far as the BiH Constitution is concerned as the only criteria it was stated that the judge should be a legal expert with high moral qualities.

BiH Commission for Audit citizenships holds 3 mtgs: Expelling of persons with illegal BiH citizenship will not start soon

Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Expelling of suspicious citizens on hold’ by A. Vrebac carries a member of the BiH Commission for Audit of BiH Citizenships (DL does not state his name) who says that they have held 3 meetings so far, however they have not started to work on concrete cases yet. DL says that this means that first expelling of persons who got a BiH citizenship in an illegal way will not start soon although it was announced that they might start at the end of March. 

Croatian State Attorney and Chief BiH Prosecutor meet to discuss Jelavic case

Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Investigation against Jelavic launched!?’ by Pincom.info  – Croatian State Attorney Mladen Bajic and Chief BiH Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic talked about the case of fugitive Ante Jelavic and they agreed in principle that in case that Jelavic was sentenced to prison validly he would serve his sentence in Croatia if he was not accessible to BiH authorities

Donors conference for BiH judiciary to be held in Brussels on 31 March

Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Donors conference for BiH judiciary’ Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Collection of resources for judicial reform’ – BiH Council of Ministers, supported by European Commission, will organize donors conference for BiH judiciary, which is to be held in Brussels on March 31. Fifty invited countries would among other things finance building BiH state prison and raise of salaries for international judges and prosecutors.

War crimes

ICTY demands from Serbian authorities to explain why temporarily released suspects attended Milosevic’s funeral

BHT1 – The Hague Tribunal demanded from the authorities in Belgrade to explain why three ICTY suspects temporarily released from the detention attended the funeral of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic on Saturday. According to the ICTY, Serbian generals Dragoljub Ojdanic and Nebojsa Pavkovic, as well as former Vice-President of the Yugoslavian Government Nikola Sainovic, attended funeral in Pozarevac. Tribunal underlined that the indictees under temporary release waiting a start of the trial are not allowed to participate in the political life; and that they were forbidden to leave Belgrade. FTV, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘What were Hague indictees doing at Milosevic’s funeral’ by B92 also covered.

Indictment against former HVO member confirmed

BHT1 – Cantonal Court in Mostar confirmed the indictment against Niko Obradovic from Capljina, former member of Croat Defence Council (HVO). Obradovic is charged with war crimes committed against Bosniak civilians in the area of Stolac between July and October 1993. FTV, RTRS, Vecernji List pg 3 ‘Bill of indictment against Niko Obradovic’ by Pincom.info – also covered.

GS: analysts agree Hague Tribunal would increase pressure against Belgrade and Banja Luka authorities to extradite Karadzic and Mladic

Glas Srpske cover pg splash ‘Pursuit for Mladic will follow’ by S. R. T. and M. L. – The article reads most of political analysts agree Hague Tribunal would now, following death of Slobodan Milosevic, increase pressures exerted on authorities in Belgrade and Banja Luka to extradite Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, since the Tribunal would lose its purpose if it has no “big cases”. [the article quotes analyst Srdjo Trifkovic, Ljubisa Borovcanin’s lawyer Miodrag Stojanovic and Belgian humanist and publicist Michel Colon].

EU Ministers voiced message to SiCG authorities: Deadline for apprehension of Mladic is end of March

Nezavisne Novine pg 2, announced on cover ‘Deadline for location of Mladic is end of March’ by BETA– The Foreign Ministers of the EU have voiced the message that Serbian Government may evade stoppage in talks on SAA of SiCG to EU of “fully tangible evidence were provided” to Brussels and the ICTY Prosecutor by the end of March that the most decisive measures to apprehend Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic. On the latter, EU explained decisive actions to apprehend Karadzic are tied with the assistance Serbian authorities may give to RS.

Discussion before ICJ on BH suit vs. SiCG to resume without reports to public until 28 March

Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Testimonies of witnesses from BiH and SiCG under embargo for the press’ by BETA, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Testimonies – as secret’ – The final discussion on the BH suit against SiCG for genocide against Muslims and Croats will today (Monday) commence before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with testimonies of witnesses. According to Court procedures, those testimonies will be closed for public until 28 March, i.e. discussions would be open but members of the press will be threatened with removal of accreditation if reporting on testimonies.

ICTY to unseal some files from  ‘Milosevic case’

Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Part of files from Milosevic case will be unsealed’ by Asim Beslija – Upon request of Dutch authorities, ICTY Court Council decided to reveal part of secret documentation from ‘Milosevic case’ so the investigation on causes of his death could be continued. Court Council said that this documentation consists of personal information, with no much ties with the process itself.