| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Metropolitan’s plea to Karadzic | Metropolitan Amfilohije on Karadzic | Zelenovic update |
| Zelenovic’s arrest not confirmed | Zelenovic’s arrest not confirmed | Amfilohije denied appeal to Karadzic |
| PDP’s proposed resolution in Drvar | Property claims implemented | Bihac human organs traffic. update |
| Session of SDS’s Main Board | RS CoP on CC’s decisions | SDS session |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Metropolitan Amfilohije on Karadzic | Protest in Gorazde on waste area | Earthquake inBanja Luka |
| Luka Karadzic on Radovan Karadzic | OHR prepares the | SDS will support defence reform |
| Blaskic to be tried again | SDS session on defence reform | EUPM on police reform |
| Kardic, Krnjic on RS CoP’s work | Zelenovic update | Tihic on status of Brcko |
| Oslobodjenje | |
| Dnevni Avaz | Conflict within the team for highway |
| Dnevni List | A Lijanovic Company’s employee held weapons illegally!? |
| Vecernji List | Modified bird flu virus threatening BiH |
| Nezavisne Novine | A healthy kidney taken out of a girl |
| Glas Srpske | Terrorist with three faces (BBC story on Mujahedeen Commander Abu al Ma’ali) |
Political Developments/Reforms | |
| SDS Main Board adopts principles of defense reform, principles of police reform are still being discussed
| BHT Boris Grubesic – At Friday’s session, SDS’s Main Board (MB) stated that SDS will give its support to abolishment of Entities’ Ministries of Defence (MoD) and transfer of authorities to the State level as suggested by Defence Reform Commission (DRC). SDS requested the national balance before the transfer of authorities to state level and placing the training and logistic HQs in RS. Leader of SDS and RS President Dragan Cavic said that by accepting the defence reform model all conditions for NATO membership will be fulfilled. “SDS will support transfer of authorities for defence affairs from the Entity to the BiH, with clear role of the Presidency in commanding and usage of Armed Forces, exclusively by consensus”- said Cavic. After the session, RS PM Pero Bukejlovic has met with Chair of Defense Reform Commission Raffi Gregorian to inform him that SDS adopted the principles pertaining defense reform. Regarding the police reform, reporter noted that there are speculations that part of the SDS Main Board doesn’t agree with Cavic’s assertions to accept the reform of police forces in BIH and in return they will abandon the reforms of police regions. Cavic confirmed that there are differences in stand on this issue between him and RS PM Bukejlovic. PDP Leader Mladen Ivanic stated that PDP will only asses the police reform principles when they are changed since they had rejected these ones. “It is obvious that International Community counts on SDS plus SNSD” added Ivanic. According to the Chairman of RS Council of Peoples (CoP) Remzija Kadric, the RS representatives manipulate with the conclusions of RS NA although these conclusions are invalid since opposed by the RS CoP. RSNA will determine its stands on defence reform on Tuesday, while day before that the matter will be discussed by the RS Government. The discussion on principles of police reform was ongoing at the time of the news broadcast. FTV, Dnevn Avaz pg 2 ‘SDS accepted defence reform’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, Glas Srpske pg 2 also covered the issue. RTRS Biljana Knezevic– SDS will give its support to abolishment of Entities’ Ministries of Defence (MoD) and transfer of authorities to the State level. This was stated after six hours long; session of SDS’s Main Board (MB) and President of SDS and of RS Dragan Cavic stated that on a special session of RSNA, 26 of SDS Representatives will support the proposal for defence reform on the suggestion of Defence Reform Commission (DRC). During this marathon session, three members of the MB have voted against and eight was sustained, but as Cavic claims majority of the MB has voted for this proposal, by which all conditions for NATO membership will be fulfilled. “SDS will support transfer of authorities for defence affairs from the Entity to the BiH, with clear role of the Presidency in commanding and usage of Armed Forces, exclusively by consensus”- said Cavic. According to the Reporter, Cavic hasn’t explained this sudden change in attitude, being that everything that was accepted on this session was totally unacceptable few months ago. “I personally think that there is no need for extinguishing of Entities’ MoDs, and personally I think that there is no possibility for creating of new JNA”- stated RS Minister of Defence Milovan Stankovic. Reporter reminded to Cavic’s statement from December 17th 2004, when he stated that defence reform conditions are totally unacceptable, stressing that this change means that it is time to finish reform process, and even though this means changing of the Constitution, Reporter stressed that Cavic is not concerned by the following session of RSNA. |
| Paravac’s advisor Vukovic stated that Tihic should be aware of the fact that if a country is not supported and loved by all peoples it has no future | BHT, Nezavisne Novine pg 4 – Drago Vukovic, advisor to Serb Member of BIH Presidency Borislav Paravac, stated that Bosniak member of BIH Presidency Sulejman Tihic should be aware of the fact if country is not supported and loved by all peoples it has no future. Vukovic added that Tihic is promoting the issue of “right and wrong” in BIH and the impossibility of reconciliation of the peoples. Tihic’s office did not want to comment the statements of Vukovic since it is inappropriate for advisor to give statements. |
| IWPR/BIRN respond to criticism: EUPM is inefficient
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Griffits: EUPM is inefficient’ – The Balkans Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), which first published an ICG report criticizing EUPM, rejected all the criticism that they in this way were reducing chances for police reform success. They believe that is is about a need for a healthy and open debate on how BiH can pass the most important test on its road to |
| BiH HoR Chair Spiric: There will be no new parliamentary majority
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘There will be no new parliamentary majority’, mentioned on cover ‘Nationalist would rather cause new war than step down’ – In an interview with the daily, SNSD’s Nikola Spiric, who recently took over the post of BiH HoR Chair from SDA’s Sefik Dzaferovic, fircely criticizes work of BiH Presidency and Council of Ministers. Spiric ironically says that BiH Presidency can only agree on division of the country while BiH CoM’s moves destabilize BiH. He, however, concludes that there will be no any new parliamentary majority at the state level since the opposition political parties are certainly not interested in any deals with ruling parties one year before the next general elections. |
| DL: Establishment of a new BiH Croat political party becoming more and more certain | Dnevni List pg 8 ‘Establishment of a new BiH Croat political party becoming more and more certain’ – Unsatisfied/disappointed HDZBiH members headed by Bozo Ljubic, a candidate for the HDZ BiH leader at the latest party Convention, are closer and closer to establishment of a new Croat political party in BiH that will be named HDZ BiH 1990 or B-H HDZ. |
War Crimes | |
| Montenegrin Metropolitan denies that he called on Karadzic to surrender
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, RTRS, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Denial by Amfilohije’, Glas Srpske pg 3 – Secretary of the Montenegrin Metropolitan Amfilohije Radovic has denied that the Metropolitan called on the ICTY indictee Radovan Karadzic to surrender voluntary to the ICTY. That was solely the issue of personal decision and responsibility before God and people, but not the issue of anyone’s intrusion, stated the secretary to foreign journalists. Metropolitan denies that Karadzic is hiding at church properties in |
| Luka Karadzic on brother’s surrender: Everything is possible
| RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 – Brother of Radovan Karadzic, Luka Karadzic has stated that his brother could surrender due to enormous domestic and international pressure. L. Karadzic stated for Agency AP, that everything is possible. ICTY investigators believe that Karadzic is hiding in part of BiH, under Serb control and that he crosses the border to |
| RS MoI, Russian Embassy to BiH, representatives of ICTY not posses official information on arrest of ICTY indictee Zelenovic
| Pink, RTRS, Oslobodjenje cover page, pg 3 ‘Moscow still not confirmed apprehension of Zelenovic’, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Russian did not officially confirm apprehension of Dragan Zelenovic’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2, Glas Srpske pg 2 – Representatives of the ICTY and Russian Embassy to BiH stated that they had not got official announcement on arrest of the ICTY indictee Dragan Zelenovic. Zelenovic is being charged with war crimes against non-Serbs in Foca, in period April 1992 – February 1993. RS Ministry of Interior is still checking information on Zelenovic being arrested on Wednesday, in BHTSuzana Stambol– BH TV 1 found out that the models of ICTY indictee Dragan Zelenovic’s surrender are being negotiated. It is not certain if Zelenovic will be extradited to |
| Hayat on possible retrial of Blaskic before ICTY
| Hayat Semsudin Skejic – In terms of Croatian Army General Tihomir Blaskic, who was released in August 2004, after he had been found guilty of war crimes and served 9 years in prison, some media published information according to which Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla del Ponte was going to have Blaskic prosecuted once more. The ICTY Prosecution states that it has no comment on the article, published in |
Judiciary | |
| FTV claims that OHR legal department preparing proposal to HR to suspend Entity Law on Pardnoning
| FTV – FTV commented the correspondence between The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, and the FBiH President, Niko Lozancic, regarding the Presidential Pardon granted to Miroslav Prce, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2004 for misuse of public funds. Reporter mentioned the case of Munib Jusufovic when High representative suspended the State Presidential Pardon Law. FTV claims that OHR legal department has been preparing the proposal to High Representative to issue an order on suspense of Entity Presidential Pardon law. Deputy BIH Minister of Justice Momo Zubac stated that Lozancic’s decision is according to the law since he applied automatism which means that in the absence of the state law the entity law is automatically applied. However, according to the Deputy Minister of Justice (not stated which level of the Ministry) Jusuf Halilagic, Lozancic’s decision was illegal since the verdict was reached before the BIH Court according the state law, so only the BIH Presidency had the right to grant the pardon. FTV found out from the OHR legal department that the Prce’s defence excluded any form of pardon since by the settlement the punishment was minimal. Nobody from OHR wanted to say before cameras the reasons why High Representative several times asked Lozancic to explain his decision in written although Lozancic was protected by the discretion law and was not obliged to do it. Reporter stated that obviously OHR is buying time because it doesn’t want to admit the mistake of not suspending the entity law at the same time with the state one adding that OHR must have thought that nobody will think of applying automatism. Reporter concluded that nothing is concluded until OHR issues the legal exposition. |
Economic/Social Issues | |
| FBiH Ministers Vrankic and Brankovic in Capljina
| RHB, BHT, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘First border railway station in BiH’, Dnevni Avaz pg 5, Dnevni List pg 3, mentioned on cover ‘Capljina again becoming transportation center of Herzegovina’ – FBiH Minister of Finances Dragan Vrankic and FBiH Minister of Communications and Transport Nedzad Brankovic have visited the construction site of railroad terminal in Capljina. Vrankic stated that Capljina has deserved for railroad objects to be renewed, while Brankovic stressed that reconstruction of this terminal is just a part of a project of reconstruction of railroads in BiH. Constructions are preformed by “Unigradnja” from Sarajevo and will be finished by mid of November. After this visit Ministers have met with Head of Municipality Capljina. |
| PDHR Butler visited Eastern Herzegovina, discussed economic issues with local officials
| RTRS Ana Jokanovic– Principal Deputy of the High Representative Lawrence Edward Butler has met with head and Representatives of six Municipalities of Eastern Herzegovina, talking about improvement of production and increase of employment. Head of Municipality Trebinje Dobroslav Cuk has stated that Eastern Herzegovina needs to be treated the same as the rest of the RS, or it will be faced with huge emigration, stressing that it is necessary to establish political contact with Mostar and Dubrovnik. Cuk stressed that this part needs better infrastructure and communications, which would enable better contacts with other parts of RS, BiH and Serbia. “One of the specific issues that Heads of Municipalities have mentioned and in which I want to help, is to improve the situation on crossing Ivanjica- Gornji Brgat for transportation”- stated PDHR Butler. Head of Municipalities are hoping that influence of the PDHR will bring some progress and improvement in economy and other aspects of society. Oslobodjenje pg 9, Dnevni Avaz pg 12, Dnevni List pg 3 also reported on the visit. |
| Oslobodjenje on pardoning of Suljic, Zelenovic: Ashdown has no comment | Oslobodjenje pg 5 ‘Ashdown has no comment’ – HR Paddy Ashdown does not want to comment on why he has suddenly decided to ‘pardon’ Edin Suljic and Dragan Zelenovic, former FBiH Finance Police inspectors, who had been banned from performing their duties by former HR Wolfgang Petritsch, according to OHR spokesperson Ljiljana Radetic. |
| DA on Vc corridor construction: Dokic seeks full control over the project
| Dnevni Avaz cover page ‘Conflict within the team for highway’, pg 2 ‘Dokic seeks full control over Vc corridor project’ – According to the daily, there are many disputes within a team tasked with preparations for construction of Vc corridor through BiH and BiH Transport of Communications Minister Branko Dokic is through removal of Chief Project Coordinator Izet Bajramovic and other moves trying to seize full control of the project. |
Human Rights | |
| RS CoP officials say CC’s decision on constitutionality of peoples not properly implemented in RS
| Pink, BHT, Hayat, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Authorities in RS ignoring work of Council of Peoples’, Dnevni Avaz pg 8, Vecernji List pg 5, Nezavisne Novine pg 4, Glas Srpske pg 2- The RS Council of Peoples (CoP) representatives state that the decision of Constitutional Court (CC) on constitutionality of peoples is hardly being implemented in the RS. They take Law on local self-governance as an example. According to this law, local communities and municipalities are obligated to carry out self- employment of constitutive peoples in line with census from 1991. The Chair of the RS CoP Remzija Kadric saysthat Law on self-governance is not being implemented in any municipality. Another law, which also has not been coordinated, is the law on amendments to law on RS territorial organization, which has been denied by the CoP, being the vital national interest issue, along with the request of having the pre-war names brought back, said the reporter. Kadric stresses that there is no support to sustainable return, while different kind of discriminations are regular occurrence in RS. Due to all of this, the Council announces that it is going to fight such decisions legally in the future. Kadric explained that he and CoP Co-chair Pero Krniic held a press-conference in |