Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 31 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1(12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| | Lukic pleads not guilty before ICTY | RS NA in regular session |
| Const.-Legal Comm. on const. chgs | | |
| Ministerial consultations on refugees | World news | Milan Lukic pleaded not guilty |
TV news broadcast on 30 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Tihic meets The Pope | Davidovic regarding | Terzic meets Rehn in |
| HR at | RSNA session- live | Negotiations with the EU on |
| War crime sentence in Mostar | Regional News | Changes to the BiH Constitution |
| HDZ secretary meets | RSNA session | HR Schwarz-Schilling in |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Feature on BIH map on internet | The sale of ‘Privredna Bank’ building | RSNA session |
| ICTY conference on trial to Prlic | Increase of electricity prices in FBiH | RSNA session- live |
| War crimes trials in | Law on allocation of public revenues | Rehn regarding |
| Dodik on ICTY indictees | RS National Assembly in session | Davidovic regarding |
| Oslobodjenje | Postponing constitutional changes would be loss for all |
| Dnevni Avaz | Tihic: Pope accepted my invitation to visit BiH |
| Dnevni List | Panic in Mostar: Twenty dead birds in school yard (fear of bird flu in Rodoc near Mostar after dead birds were found in school yard) |
| Vecernji List | Peljesac bridge will be movable ( |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Mortgage on gym because of debts to ‘Kompas’ (session of municipal council of Citluk) |
| Nezavisne Novine | BiH in a dangerous zone |
| Glas Srpske | Tito, “seagull” and me (feature story of a retired military ensign Radomir Ivic) |
| EuroBlic | SFOR have beaten them up, NATO ignores them |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| BiH Constitutional Courts discusses entities’ symbols at Vlasic mountain
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| RSNA in session, adopts minor offences law
| BH Radio 1, RTRS – During resumption of 33rd regular session, the RS National Assembly (RS NA) has adopted changes and addenda to the Law on sailing, Law on farming and Law on minor offences. The Law on minor offences introduced new prison, according to which all minor offences should be dealt by Minor Offence Departments at Courts, which are to be formed. Law no longer stipulates prison sentence as offence penalty. RS NA is currently in break. |
| ICTY suspect pleads not guilty | BH Radio 1, RTRS – Milan Lukic the war crime suspect has today pleaded not guilty before the ICTY for the crimes against Muslims in Visegrad during the war. |
| ‘HDZ 1990’ holds inaugural session on 8 April | FENA – The Presidency of the Initiative Board of HDZ 1990 has held its second session during which it was decided that an inaugural assembly of this party would take place in Mostar on April 8. The Presidency also concluded that the constitutional changes agreement in this form and contents is not acceptable and they called on Croat and all other MPs in the Parliament to reach a solution that would be acceptable for all |
European integrations, political issues | |
| CoM Chair meets EU Enlargement Comm: EU urges progress in police, PBS reforms; const. changes not
| BHT1by Elvir Bucalo, Brussels – Following the meeting with Chair of the BiH Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic in Brussels, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn stated that improvement BiH has achieved in the course of the negotiations with the European Union is a good thing, but it is necessary to continue the reform processes, and to establish full cooperation with the ICTY. “In order to reach a real progress in the negotiations, we must see progress in the reformatory processes, especially in the police reform and the implementation of the law of Public Broadcasting Service. Those were the last conditions for a beginning of the negotiations, and we hope that they will be fully implemented”, stated Rehn. He called on all BiH structures and security agencies to end ‘ |
| DA: CoM Terzic to meet ICTY Chief Prosecutor Del Ponte while in
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 inset ‘Possible meeting of Terzic and Del Ponte’ – Daily learns that during his visit to |
| BiH Chief
| BHT1 – The Chief BiH negotiator with the EU Igor Davidovic is convinced that the issue of the full cooperation with the ICTY would be positively resolved before signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The third round of negotiations with EU scheduled for May 12 will mark the beginning of the ‘most delicate phase’, says Davidovic, with a focus on the free trade: “We are now entering the most intensive phase of preparations, and at the same time the most intensive phase of negotiations on the |
| BiH Presidency Chair in
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash, pg 3 ‘Tihic: Pope accepted my invitation to visit BiH’ by A.Malagic, inset ‘Speech at EPP congress’– On Friday, BiH Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic addresses the Congress of the European Peoples Party. On Thursday, Tihic met Pope Benedict XVI, with whom he discussed the current situation in BiH, and dined with the Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi. Daily also announces Tihic should attend a joint meeting with the Croatian PM Ivo Sanader and High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling. Inset ‘Reception at Ciampi today’ – While in |
| HR Schwarz-Schilling attends EPP Congress; HR would lobby for easing of visa regime
| BHT1– The High Representative and the EU Special Representative in BiH Christian Schwarz–Schilling is in |
| BiH obliged to introduce biometrical passports; EC hasn’t yet set a deadline | |
| RS CoP Speaker Kadric: RSNA team wants to reduce Bosniaks to a religious group | Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘RS want to reduce Bosniaks onto religious group’ by H.O. – Commenting proceedings before BiH Constitutional Court on the initiative for protection of vital national interest [VNI] on assessment of constitutionality of RS symbols launched by BiH Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic, RS Council of Peoples Speaker Remzija Kadric said that RS National Assembly team want to reduce Bosniaks “simply onto religious group”. Kadric said for daily that RSNA team stated that “practice denies applicant Tihic in the meaning that other people cannot have their flag or coat of arms, because there is no religious object, i.e. mosque in the RS that has no green flag with crescent hoisted.” DA carries that |
Constitutional changes | |
| BiH Presidency Chair Tihic meets
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| Public debate on proposed constitutional changes launches today: all citizens, orgs, etc can submit written comments to Parliamentary Comm.
| BHT1 – Public debate on the proposal of constitutional changes will start on Friday before the Constitutional-Legal Commission of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly; it will be the opportunity for every BiH citizen to, in the next 30 days, express their views on the agreement reached by the leaders of seven political parties. “As of [Thursday], all BiH citizens, various associations and so on, can deliver their written comments and stances (on proposed constitutional changes) to the Constitutional-Legal Commission”, stated Chair of the Commission Mirsad Ceman. The public debate on the changes to the BiH Constitution will be organized in the BiH Parliament in mid-April; after that representatives will vote on the constitutional changes “If certain parties from FBiH try to obstruct the constitutional changes, it will be a clear message proving who does not want the effective BiH, and who wants to ‘blackmail’ [adoption of the] const. changes with [abolishment of] the RS, which is impossible”, stated SNSD’s Krstan Simic. “The failure to adopt constitutional changes would send a clear message to the EU, that we are not mature enough for any kind of serious society, and that, in the case of BiH, EU should wait with the enlargement. And that is the reason why I believe that we will adopt those amendments in the BiH Parliament”, added |
| SDA Vice President Osmanovic announces party’s public debates on const. changes
| FTV, Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘These changes are not against any people’ by Fena, Dnevni List, pg 5 ‘Explain constitutional reforms in public’, by E. Mackic – Vice President of SDA, Adil Osmanovic, announced at an SDA press conference held in Sarajevo on Thursday that the most senior SDA officials would in the coming days organize public forums throughout BiH in order to explain to the citizenry the essence of the ongoing constitutional changes. He also called on the citizenry to get acquainted with the proposed changes. BHT 1 – “We expect that, after the public debate, amendments to the BiH Constitution will be adopted in the House of Representatives”, stated Osmanovic adding the changes are not against any people. |
| SDA Vice President Izetbegovic: agreement on const. changes not ideal, but still a step forward
| OBN current affairs program ‘Telering’ By Mato Djakovic– Commenting the agreement on constitutional changes, SDA Vice-President Bakir Izetbegovic said that it is far from ideal, nevertheless it is a step forward. He adds the process of the constitutional reform must continue to the point when BiH becomes a citizen orientated state with mechanisms for protection of strictly determined vital national interests. Izetbegovic also argues that the changes should lead to cheaper, more effective and professional public administration. He concludes stating that opponents of the agreement exaggerate and use this situation as their election campaigns. |
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| Oslobodjenje cover splash ‘Postponing constitutional changes would be loss for all’ by A.Omeragic Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘These changes are better than waiting for another ten years’ not signed, Dnevni List, pg 2 ‘Changes are not at detriment of any people’, by D. P. M. – the leader of |
| SBiH leader Halilovic warns against singing const. changes: RS PM Dodik only proves who holds the real power
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘Dodik demonstrates who is the real boss in house’ by Edina Sarac – In his interview for DA, SBiH leader Safet Haliloviconce again warned on danger of signing agreement on constitutional changes. “Letters of RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik addressed on BiH Council of Ministers prove who has the real power and the will to rule… [This] shows that imposing his political will, both in RS and BiH, has more than solid legal basis, and that he has no need to use the force as [Radovan] Karadzic.” Halilovic said that Dodik sent letters to Serb ministers in BiH CoM, inviting them for consultations with him for “coordination of common interest” which is being set in the RS Government, and not in the cabinet of BiH CoM Chair Adnan Terzic, as it should be. Halilovic noted that Dodik also want entities, instead of state to control work of Police Reform Directorate. Halilovic concludes that Dodik, unlike Terzic, has political instruments to implement his political will: “RS Government can block work of state institutions, while BiH CoM has no instrument to prevent this.” |
| BHT 1
| BHT1 current affairs program By Amir Zukic – For the first time in nine years, |
| SDU press conference: We cannot support const. changes
| Oslobodjenje pg 4 ‘Open dictate of International community’ – At the press conference held in Sarajevo on Thursday, SDU once again underlined official announcement of the constitutional amendments, that they cannot support the constitutional reforms that will enhance the Entities and bring into question the future order of the BiH State. Dnevni Avaz pg 10 ‘I cannot support changes that put future of BiH in question’ |
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| Vecernji List, pg 8, mentioned on front ‘We will activate Croat lobby in America’, by Miroslav Vasilj – the leader of |
| BNTV debate on const. changes: Only Radical Party believes changes aimed at abolishment of RS, other praise it
| BNTV ‘Puls’ current affairs programme by Suzana Radjen-Todoric – |
| GS: Dispute over const. changes not seen here since signing of DA
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Dispute over constitutional changes’ by Z.Markovic – Daily notes that the Agreement on constitutional changes has resulted in a political dispute not seen here in the region since the signing of the Dayton Agreement. Daily further reminds of opposed stances political parties presented (SDA, PDP, SNSD, HDZ, |
| Feral Tribune comment: Politicians, foremost Silajdzic is using const. changes to assume power
| Feral Tribune, pgs 24 and 25 ‘Hit list of populists’, by Ivan Lovrenovic – commenting on the ongoing constitutional changes process in BiH, Lovrenovic argues that the changes are just an excuse to some politicians, foremost to the founder of SBiH, Haris Silajdzic, to take over the power. As for Silajdzic, Lovrenovic notes he is using the proven recipe i.e. he is winning the public support through his aggressive campaigning against the proposed changes by being arrogant and using nationalistic rhetoric when opportune for him, which goes down well with public in BiH, as seen during the last TV poll on ‘Hayat TV’, when Silajdzic defeated SDA leader Sulejman Tihic during their debate on constitutional changes (some 28.000 calls for Silajdzic to 13.000 for Tihic). |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed:
| Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Power of clergy’ op-ed by Zija Dizdarevic – Commenting that Resolution of Islamic Community [IC] impacted talks on constitutional changes, forcing Patriotic Block [SBiH, SDU and BOSS] to soften their stances and come out with only one demand which is the abolishment of entity vote in BiH Parliament, editorial reads that we are about to see what kind of authority Catholic Church has among Croat politicians. Noting that involvement of Church came too late, editorial concludes: “Church would impose its view of BiH state in this phase of constitutional changes, which is impossible. Bishops’ pressure can use in the second phase of constitutional changes, which should become binding.” |
Economic issues | |
| RSNA passes Law on Audit of Privatization foreseeing establishment of special Commission
| RTRS late news – Late on Thursday night, the RS National Assembly passed the Law on Audit of Privatization of state capital in companies and banks, submitted by the RS Government for a discussion in an urgent parliamentary procedure. RTRS – The law foresees establishment of the Commission appointed by the RS Government, which would carry out the audit. Commission would be have to consider audit request and make decisions within thirty days from its submission. |
| PDP supports privatisation audit law;
| RTRS – At the RSNA session, the PDP said it believes the Law on audit of privatization is very necessary in RS but that the way of compensation of damage that was done during privatization is not clear. Borislav Bojic from |
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| BHT1 – Public debate on the FBiH law on allocation of public revenues took place in the |
| FBiH Govt urges postponement of the FERK decision to increase electricity prices in FBiH
| BHT1 – At the session held on Thursday, FBiH Government discussed the reasons for and consequences of announced 6% increase of electricity prices in FBiH. Government demanded from the FBiH Regulatory Commission for Electricity (FERK) to postpone implementation of the new tariffs until FBiH Ministry of Energy, the Economic-Social Council and representatives of large consumers analyse all the elements and consequences of this decision for BiH economy and citizens. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘FBiH Government asks for postponing of increase of electricity price’ by M.K. – FBiH Government also called upon members of Steering Boards of both Elektroprivredas to respect this decision. FBiH Energy Minister Vahid Heco told daily that extraordinary session of the Economic-Social Council would be held on Tuesday, and attended by both FERK and DERK [FBiH and BiH Electricity Regulatory Commissions] in order to come up with the solution to be proposed to the Government at next session. FTV, Hayat, Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘FBiH Government asks for increase of electricity price to be postponed’ not signed, Dnevni List pg 4 ’20 millions KM for refugees and displaced persons’ by R. Dautefendic, Vecernji List pg 5 ‘Government demands postponement of electricity prices’ by E. Medunjanin, Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘F BiH Government demanded electricity price increase is postponed’ by R.Cengic – also reported. |
| NN criticises FERK’s decision to increase electricity price
| Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Electric shock’ by Natasa Krsman – Being critical of the announced price increase I in F BiH, the author underlines it is unclear why the interests of major users and economic giants are being protected, while minor users like households will have to cover for expenses. She adds that regardless of bills, the minor users will always pay bills, since power will otherwise be cut to them. |
| FBiH Government approves funds for sustainable return
| FTV – At the session held on Thursday, FBiH Government adopted a plan of return, repatriation, reconstruction and construction for 2006 in amount of 20.4 millions KM. Following the consultation with numerous experts and institutions, FBiH Government has decided to use 8.2 million KM for reconstruction of housing units; four millions are intended for the BiH Return Fund, while 300,000 KM are to be used to facilitate return to Srebrenica. FBiH Minister of Refugees and Displaced Persons Edin Music said that 25% of funds would be invested in sustainable return. |
| VL:
| Vecernji List, front pg splash and pg 2 ‘Peljesac bridge will be movable’, by Tanja Ivancic Belosevic – After BiH authorities voiced their concern that the Peljesac-Croatian mainland bridge will block undisturbed access to open sea to BiH (plan foresees the bridge to be 30 metres high), it would appear that Croatia plans to build the bridge with movable parts that would satisfy BiH’s requirements i.e. that would provide undisturbed access to open sea. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘ |
War crimes | |
| In trial in case ‘Heliodrom’ to former guards pleads not guilty
| FTV– The trial for crimes in former ‘Heliodrom’ concentration camp started before the |
| Five members of BiH Army sentence to prison for war crimes over Croats
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| RS PM Dodik announces establishment of special police units to search PIFWCs at large
| RTRS – RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik announced establishment of special department within the RS Crime Police Administration effective as of Friday, which would be responsible for searching and locating war crime indictees and their support network. Hayat, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘RS Government establishes Unit for arresting of ICTY indictees’ by O.V., Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Special department would be seaching for war criminals’ by Onasa, Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘A special department – for search’ by Z.Ma.– also reported. |
| ICTY: Trials to ‘Prlic and others’ starts on April 25, judge warns of slow proceedings
| Hayat, Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Trial to Prlic and others could last six years’ by Sense Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘Trial to Prlic and others could last six years’ by Asim Beslija, Hague , Dnevni List, pg 5, mentioned on front ‘First witnesses during May’, by Ivica Glbusic – Status conference in the ‘Prlic and others’ case was held at the ICTY on Thursday. It was concluded that the trials would start on April 25 with opening arguments. Jadranko Prlic and other former senior Herceg-Bosna officials are charged with ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks and other non-Croats from Croat majority areas during the war. Vecernji List, pg 3, mentioned on front ‘Trials to Prlic and others will last 18 years’, by Goran Jungvirth – Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti warned that the proceedings could last for a long period of time, as much as 18 years in fact, given the slowness of trial conducted until now. |
| The Starovlahs, injured in SFOR action two years ago, still have not managed to get compensation for injuries
| EuroBlic cover pg splash ‘SFOR have beaten them up, NATO ignores them’ and pg RS1 ‘Beaten and deprived of rights’ by Rajna Radosavljevic – Two years since Priest Jeremija Starovlah and his son Aleksandar were injured in the action of SFOR in Pale, Starovlah family has not managed to get any compensation for injuries. [Note: Due to suspicion on existence of support network to PIWFCs, SFOR searched Parish home in Pale on |
| EuroBlic source: ICTY Chief Prosecutor asked from Serbian President Tadic not to overthrow the Govt is it would jeopardize coop. w/ICTY
| EuroBlic pg 3 ‘Carla is guarding Kostunica’ by N. Calukovic – A source close to Hague Tribunal says Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla del Ponte had asked from Serbian President Boris Tadic not to overthrow Serbian Government with his Democratic Party because ‘if the Government is overthrown, then there would be nobody to complete the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. In this case, [Ratko] Mladic’s departure to |
| VN int: Ljajic and del Ponte exchanged letters of understanding granting access to Hague investigators to all archives of SiCG | Vecernje Novosti pg 4 ‘They gave everything on Mladic’ by J. Kosanovic – in an interview to VN, Chairman of SiCG Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal Rasim Ljajic says he delivered social insurance file of Ratko Mladic, as well as the remaining part of his pension documentation, to Chief ICTY Prosecutor del Ponte on Wednesday and Thursday. Ljajic stated for VN the two of them also exchanged letters on understanding, by which Hague investigators were practically granted access to all archives of |
Crime and judiciary | |
| PBES Provisional Administrator files motion for seizure of
| Nezavisne Novine pg 4, announced on cover ‘Payment of money and seizure of |
| SB: BiH Prosecution to file new charges against twenty SDA, HDZ leaders?
| Slobodna Bosna pg 12 ‘BiH Prosecution prepared charges against several leaders of HDZ and SDA’ by S.M. – Article speculates BiH Prosecution’s Special Department for fight against organized/economic crime and corruption is to announce two new lawsuits against about twenty persons. Allegedly the charges would be filed against high-ranking current and former SDA and HDZ officials, among others former FBiH Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic and former FBiH Finance Minister Dragan Covic charging them for several criminal activities committed over the last ten years. SB learns [but doesn’t specify from who] that the charges could also be filed against SBiH high-ranking officials. |
| SB: PIFWC’s aide Bjelica ordered murder of controversial businessman Spaic, who was informer of FBiH MoI and Intl. Community? | Slobodna Bosna pg 6-9 ‘Spaic cooperated with FBiH MoI last couple of months’ by Emir Hodzic – Noting it has been almost a month since a controversial RS businessman Ratomir Spaic was killed in Eastern Sarajevo, author claims the RS Interior Ministry made no progress in an investigation to date, but rather presents the case as a result of the mafia clash thus justifying his murder. Article further reads there are two scenarios being investigated by the RS Crime Police: one is that former owner of Privredna Banka Eastern Sarajevo [PBES] Momcilo Mandic hired Spajic to execute a protected witness in the case against him processed by the BiH Court; second is that Spaic was about to execute Radomir Kojic, person allegedly in charge of criminal activities previously lead by Milovan Cicko Bjelica, under detention for charges of supporting ICTY-fugitives. SB also learns from the “international police” that Bjelica ordered this murder because Spaic allegedly worked as an informer for both the FBiH MoI and the IC for the last several years. Concluding that the next victim of “ |