| RADIO HERCEG BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | BH TV 1(19,00 hrs) | FED TV(19,30 hrs) | RT RS(19,30) |
| Fire in Mostar | Failed RS police action | Radovanovic on PfP | New action of RS police |
| Attempt to arrest Zupljanin | Elections in | | BiH/PfP |
| Cavic on | NATO | Action of RS Police | Cavic on |
| Elections in | University campus in SA | Elections in | Elections in |
Oslobodjenje | Will RS be punished? |
| Dnevni Avaz | Midhat Arifovic: We will forcibly collect 75 million KM |
| Dnevni List | Four billion Euros worth of certificates still with citizens |
| Vecernji List | FBiH PM Hadzipasic: All administrations in FBiH were working illegally |
| Glas Srpske | No Glas Srpske today due to St. Vitus Day |
| Nezavisne Novine | Today in Istanbul NATO Summit commences: 25 thousand policemen guarding NATO leaders; Police action in Kotor Varos and Knezevo: RS Police did not find Stojan Zupljanin; Serbian citizens voted for President |
| Blic | Bijeljina: Three people killed in “Audi” in flames; Incident: Wreath to victims from |
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| PfP/Cooperation with ICTY |
| H will not be admitted into PfP in
| FTV – Members of BiH Delegation who left for NATO Summit in RTRS – BiH will not be admitted to the PfP at the NATO summit in Oslobodjenje cover page, pgs 4-5 ‘Will RS be punished?, Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Tihic to meet with Blair, Schroeder’ also reported on the issue. |
| Ivanic: NATO will say “yes, but not yet” to BiH’s PfP membership
| Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Ivanic: I do not expect admission into PfP but I also do not expect sanctions’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘We will support our people if Ashdown removed them’; Blic RSpg 4 ‘There will be days for admission’, SRNA – BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic believes that “it is unrealistic” to expect that Bosnia-Hercegovina would be admitted to the Partnership for Peace (PfP) at the NATO summit in Istanbul. “I think that NATO’s stance will be ‘yes, but not yet’, because greater cooperation with the Hague tribunal is still mentioned as a key problem,” Ivanic told SRNA before departing for Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘We will support our people if Ashdown removed them’– Mladen Ivanic, PDP President, stated prior to his departure for his party would support its members, if any were removed by High Representative to BiH, Paddy Ashdown over failure of RS to cooperate with the ICTY. He said: “As a party, we would support them, especially if no concrete evidence proving they are responsible were given.” |
| NN op-ed critical of Ivanic
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Empty talks by Josip Blazevic – The author is critical of the statement by Mladen Ivanic, BIH Foreign Minister, when he said that a great step forward has been performed in the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal in the past few months. The author claims Ivanic again did not give arguments for his claim. Blazevic further stresses it is evident there has nothing been achieved in the field of improving cooperation with the ICTY, owing to which BiH would not be admitted into NATO programme Partnership for Peace. Author further refers to the most recent statement of PIC Steering Board and messages it sent out. First of which is there will be some sanctions against officials, and another one is that there will be no abolishment of the RS (although it may turn out otherwise, according to him). He concludes the article by saying that it would be normal if Ivanic were penalised as well, because it seems he is not clear with what his job should be. |
| RS President Cavic: RS needs to be encouraged, not punished
| Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Karadzic was for years walking/passing by the international forces’, Nezavisne Novine pg 3 ‘There will be no “D” day after Istanbul’, SRNA – RS President Dragan Cavic said on Sunday in Banja Luka that he did not regard the day of the NATO summit in Istanbul as “D-Day” after which nothing would be the same any more. After his address to the first assembly of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) Youth Wing in |
| Lagumdzija on PfP
| Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Progress of BiH depends on new constitutional organization’, by NINA – The President of SDP BiH, Zlatko Lagumdzija, is taking part in a conference entitled ‘NATO alliance at new crossroad’, which is being held at Istanbul’s ‘Cirakan palace’ on the occasion of the NATO Summit. The conference was opened by the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip, and is gathering among others, Presidents and Prime Ministers of Romania, Georgia, Afghanistan etc. In his address entitled ‘From the Balkans to |
| RS police fail to arrest another war crimes suspect
| Herceg Bosna Radio, BHTV, FTV, RTRS, Oslobodjenje pg 7, mentioned on cover ‘RS police not found the Karadzic’s advisor’, Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ’RS police found neither Stojan Zupljanin’, Nezavisne Novine cover andpg 3 ‘Police did not find Stojan Zupljanin’; Blic RSpg 1 ‘Zupljanin and Todic changed their addresses’,Dnevni List, pg 18, ‘Stojan Zupljanin not found’, not signed, and Vecernji List, pg 2, ‘Search for Zupljanin’, by bs, ONASA – RS police said they failed on Sunday in a bid to arrest 53-year-old Stojan Zupljanin, wanted for war crimes and genocide. The police launched early on the day raids in two villages in the hope of arresting Zupljanin. There were no incidents but also unfortunately no results, the police said. Officers searched Zupljanin’s family house in the northern |
| Audit report into SDS financial operations
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Million’s embezzlements unveiled in SDS’ – Millions of marks passed through SDS finances without proper registration (report on their spending) and no taxes were being paid on these funds. In addition, in the large number of cases, SDS drastically violated the BiH Election Law. These conclusions, according to the daily, can be made on the basis of a part of special auditor’s report on SDS financial operations. Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘SDS does not pay lease for party premises’ – NN brings more information from the audit report on the SDS financial dealings. According to NN, Bijeljina SDS Board does not pay lease to Slovenian company “Planika” whose premises at two-store building in Bijeljina it uses. International auditors also established that in December last year, Bijeljina SDS took some assets from its bank account, without stating for what purpose the cash would be used. International auditor also established that SDS Teslic Board bought a car of BAM 17500, but officials could not show the contract or the bill proving origin or the real value of that car. According to same report, SDS Banja Luka has been using premises in exclusive town centre free-of-charge for ten years. |
| Team of lawyers representing survivors from Srebrenica to offer settlement to Dutch Govt
| Dnevni List, pg 9 ‘People from Srebrenica offering settlement’, mentioned on front, by Nermin Bise – A team of lawyers from Mostar led by Semir Guzin, who are representing the survivors from Srebrenica, will be joining 50 members of the ‘Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves’ association and travelling off to The Hague. In a statement for DL, Mr. Guzin says his team of lawyers will submit the competent court in |
| VL on financial assistance to war crimes suspects in
| Vecernji List, pg 3, ‘Money for suspects in the Hague already spent’, by Dejan Jazvic, mentioned on cover ‘Money for detainees spent already’, – while the RS Government has passed Decision which regulates financial assistance to ICTY detainees coming from the RS, FBiH has failed to provide assistance to ICTY detainees coming from this entity. Goran Mihaljevic, Croat Liaison Officer with ICTY’ who last year submitted to competent domestic institutions a proposal of the decision that would regulate the assistance to those who voluntarily surrender but which was turned down, is quoted as saying that he believes that the FBiH Government has already re-routed the means planned for the Hague detainees to some other social programmes. |
| Patriot on Cavic’s public address related to Srebrenica crime
| Patriot ‘Balance of justice’pgs 9-11 by Slobodan Vaskovic – Patriot comments on the most recent public address of Dragan Cavic, RS President, regarding Srebrenica Commission Report, and reactions following it. The author agrees with Cavic in assessment that Srebrenica events represent a black page in the history of Serb people. He also claims that the hardest thing for Cavic was to face with crimes, with criminals, victims, families of victims, but also with the Serbs, most of whom are still unaware of proportion of the crimes committed in Srebrenica. By giving such statement, Cavic has ensured a right for future to Serb people, according to Vaskovic. Apart from commending this move by President Cavic, Vaskovic further stresses the importance of his words, since RS citizens of Serb nationality have acknowledged his move and realised the black past must be confronted. Furthermore, Vaskovic stresses the importance in the following – international community has also realised the significance of Cavic’s statement, and hence RS institutions must proceed on this path initiated by President Cavic. Patriot, as an inset, carries some pieces from Cavic’s public address. |
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| Security/Incidents |
| Cavic says
| Herceg Bosna Radio, RTRS, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Cavic: None of Bosniaks want to accept that representatives of all peoples in BiH committed crimes’, by NINA, Blic RS pg 5 ‘Cavic: Bosniaks bothered with facts’; Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Wahhabism and cult of martyrdom will bring nothing good to BiH’, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Cavic accused Tuzla citizens of fundamentalism’, Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘Dangerous cult of shehids’, SRNA – RS President Dragan Cavic said on Sunday in Banja Luka that there was no-one in the Bosniak political scene who was willing to accept that representatives of all peoples in BiH had committed war crimes during the war in BiH. In his reaction to Saturday’s events in |
| Nezavisne Novine: Comments on
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘There should be more compassion for victims in BiH’ – Apart form Cavic’s one, NN brings some reactions of other politicians from RS following attempt of RS Association of former camp inmates to place wreaths in the memory of victims from JNA procession at Tuzla Malta in 1992. Dragan Mikerevic, RS Prime Minister, assessed that the assault in Dusan Stojicic, SDS Spokesperson, stated that Krstan Simic, member of SNSD Chair Board, stated that the weekend incident demonstrated primitivism and chauvinism, which is not in the function of creating conditions for reconciliation and truth establishment |
| DL’s Statement of the Day – Barisa Colak
| Dnevni List’s column Statement of the Day (pg 2) carries the statement by Barisa Colak, BiH Minister of Security: “Intelligence officers bypass the Minister”. |
| | Economic/Social Issues |
| Interview with FBiH Tax Administration Director
| Dnevni Avaz cover page, pg 5 ‘Midhat Arifovic: We will forcibly collect 75 million KM’ – Interview with Midhat Arifovic, the FBiH Tax Administration Director. According to Arifovic, the poor collecting of public revenues has been actualised again following a last week’s meeting of all institutions and bodies tasked for the issue. He however said that the collection of taxes had been increased in the entity and that the Tax Administration had filed a total of 124 criminal reports against tax evaders in the past five months. He also emphasized that the preparations were underway for forcible collection of some 75 million KM from the taxpayers. |
| FBiH PM Hadzipasic on Daimler-Chrysler investing in BiH
| Dnevni List, pg 3 ‘Investment offer worth 400 million Euros on hold’, mentioned on front, by Miso Relota – Speaking about an intention of the ‘DaimlerChrysler’ corporation to invest 400 million Euros into various projects in BiH, the FBiH Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadzipasic, stated that investments into public companies were being carried out through tenders in interests of the FBiH. “They intend to invest in BiH, but I have not seen a single concrete move. At this stage, they are exclusively interested in securing a quality supply of electricity to the Mostar’s Aluminij. I am interested in quality investment in targeted projects and in interests of the FBiH Government. What they have offered is acceptable from the investment point of view, but if it’s not operational and implemented, than it is only a story that does not solve the problem”, said PM Hadzipasic. |
| VL interview: FBiH PM Hadzipasic on budget, Aluminij, FBiH MoD
| Vecernji List, front and pg 5 ‘All administrations in FBiH were working illegally’, by Zoran Kresic – carries an interview with the FBiH PM, Ahmet Hadzipasic, in which he confirms that the FBiH Government will carry out a re-balance of the FBiH budget in July. According to Hadzipasic, the problems in filling of the budget are caused by slow implementation of military reforms, introduction of customs-free regime and big tax evasions. Questioned whether he had problems with work of ministers coming from HDZ, PM Hadzipasic notes the crisis has been overcome, however he is unhappy with the work of the FBiH Defence Minister (Miroslav Nikolic). “Too little conclusions, not to say that a single Government’s conclusion has not been realized. However, I do not think it is down to his lack of expertise, quality and education. I think that powers that be are controlling the Ministry of Defence outside the Government and even perhaps outside the HDZ”, said Hadzipasic. Questioned to comment on recent media reports about illegalities in the (FBiH) Pension Fund, PM Hadzipasic notes that no administration in the FBiH had worked within legal frames in the past, suggesting that the relevant institutions should remedy it in the future. Finally, questioned whether the situation related to supplying of electricity to ‘Aluminij’ Company of Mostar has been put ‘ad acta’, PM Hadzipasic notes that ‘Aluminij’ must be included in the FBiH power-system, in accordance with the tariffs system, be it is accordance with the current or the new system, which is apparently to be unveiled one of these days. “Why export electricity and not supply own plants with energy”, wonders PM Hadzipasic. |
| Third round of privatisation between July 22-Sept 27
| Dnevni List, front and pg 5 ‘Four billion Euros worth of certificates still with citizens’, by Renata Radic – The third public invitation for subscription of stocks into 49 companies with State capital, which is worth 221 million KMs, will last between July 22 and September 27. DL notes that according to unofficial data, citizens are still in possession of 4 billion Euros worth of certificates, in other words 50% of the issued certificates. |
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| Vecernje Novosti pg 9 ‘It is worse only in He also points at necessity for seeing the VAT established as soon as possible, because it might resolve many existing problems (for example, it would reduce level of tax evasion). |
| Discrimination at working place
| Nacional pg 21 ‘Illegal work is the greatest discrimination’ – The RS Syndicate Union says that the entry into European relations anticipates resolution of problems related to violations of human rights through discrimination at working posts. On the basis of information at the disposal of RS Syndicate Union, discrimination in the work and employment is demonstrated through ethnic, gender age and political discrimination. The fight against discrimination should include engagement of authority institutions and syndicates, which would follow up on law implementation. |
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| Political developments |
| VL: Russians taking over OHR in Mostar?
| Vecernji List, pg 3 ‘Russians taking over OHR in Mostar?’, by Meri Musa – Claims that although it would appear that the adoption of the Mostar budget went without troubles last week, it was the OHR that encouraged the City Council to adopt the budget. In that context, VL claims the report of the High Representative for BiH before the Peace Implementation Council had to show some positive developments in Mostar. VL goes on to say it is very difficult to speak about positive developments in Mostar knowing that many institutions will maintain two separate accounts, despite announcements that multi-ethnic steering boards will be running them. Claiming that the imposed Statute will show its real worth after the October elections, VL notes that all the preparatory works have to be in place by August 31. In that context, the author doubts it will happen, both because of the agility of the city authorities and due to the fact that the OHR in Mostar still does not have a new Head. According to VL, after two not-so-successful mandates by French representatives Jean-Pierre Bercot and Jacques Andrieu, the word is that the Russians will take over the OHR in Mostar. |
| Musovic announces new audits
| Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Auditors announce new reports for 12 institutions’, by De. L. – The acting Chief BiH Auditor, Samir Musovic, told DL that the public should be informed about audit reports on financial operations of additional 12 State institutions by middle of next month. Apparently, the audit has been completed, among others, on |
| Kalinic at SDS Youth Congress
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Dragan Kalinic seeking assistance from the youth’ – The SDS Youth yesterday in Banja Luka held a first Congress, at which it adopted the Programme Declaration on key goals of the future work. The Congress also elected Presidency of SDS Youth of 12 members. It was stressed that SDS Youth does not accept the existing difficult situation in the RS. Dragan Kalinic, SDS President, addressed a message to SDS Youth not to be on the margin, but instead to get into the very core of what is called defence of SDS and RS, “and right to live under these semi-colonial conditions, freely and in accordance with democratic, European and Orthodox principles”. He added: “I ask from Youth to support us, because we do not want to participate in our own lynch.” Dragan Cavic, RS President, also attended SDS Youth Congress.
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| Drafting of new Constitution of BiH
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘Three working versions’ – NN learnt from couple of its collocutors that the draft of the new constitution of BiH should have been prepared by middle November. Bisera Turkovic, leader of the team in charge of defining new Constitution, stated that: “At the present moment, we have three models, on basis of which the new Constitution of BiH could be developed. One model stipulates establishment of municipalities and the state, second one existence of six regions and a state and third one establishment of three entities and the state.” According to NN inset, Vedran Persic, OHR Spokesperson, stated that constitutional changes cannot be made without prior assent given by people and citizens of BiH. |
| Jovic on
| Blic RS pg 4 ‘Croats satisfied with Court opinion’ – BiH Constitutional Court passed a ruling according to which the proposed framework law on higher education in BiH (which anticipates possibility to use one or several languages of constitutive peoples and the manner in which the statute on higher education has been enacted) is destructive upon vital interest of the Croat people. Croats assessed this ruling as “decision, which opens the door to democracy and enjoyment in human and national rights of Croats in BiH”. Miro Jovic, delegate at the BiH House of Peoples, says that “over the past period and through various pressures, with the assistance of the World Bank and OSCE, a part of the international community wanted to impose laws damaging for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ignoring the interests of Croat people”. He said: “They failed, since we have demonstrated a communal spirit regarding Croat spiritual and national education.” |
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| Miscellaneous |
| Summer school of media: 250 charges against BiH media
| Dnevni List, pg 7 ‘Over 250 charges against BiH media’, by NINA – The 7-day Summer school of media completed its work in Neum. Talking about first experiences related to application of the Law on defamation, the FBiH Ombudsman for media, Mehmed Halilovic, stated that in year 2003, 196 defamation related charges were pressed in the FBiH, whilst the number in the RS in 60. He added that the number was decreasing in last few months, noting that courts were not accepting extremely high claims by plaintiffs. For example, Halilovic cited the Munir Alibabic v Dnevni Avaz case, in which the plaintiff requested 300.000 KMs, but the court decided to accept the request amounting to 20.000 KMs. |
| Wing of Senior Citizens Home in Mostar burnt down | Vecernji List, pg 49, ‘Fire destroyed Senior Citizens Home’, mentioned on cover, by Robert Soldo, Dnevni list, pg 43, ‘Fire threatened lives of 17 tenants of Senior Citizens Home’, mentioned on cover, by N. Dedic, and Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 16, ‘Fire ‘swallowed’ left wing of Senior Citizens Home’, by Antonela Vlaho, carry that, yesterday morning, around 07:30 a.m., fire broke out in Senior Citizens Home in Mostar. It was started by a cigarette butt. Despite swift response of Fire Fighting unit, entire left wing of the Home completely burned down. There were no casualties.
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