OHR BiH Media Round-up, 5/2/2006

RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs)

TV PINK (18,00 hrs)

BHT 1 (19,00 hrs)

Jovic calls for US part. in Const. talks

Dodik new PM designate

World News

ZHC teachers still in strike

Jovic meets Burns

Jovic’s letter of condolence to Egypt

Dodik as PM-designate

Tihic on constitutional changes

Armed incidents in Zenica

Dodik on his nomination

Flour products must have tax stamps

Dodik appointed as PM designate

NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs)

FTV (19,30 hrs)

RTRS (19,30 hrs)

100^th edition of CD

World News

Dodik new PM designate

Music Video

World News

Interview with Dodik

Dodik elected PM-designate

Ceric on pict. of Prophet Muhamed

World news

Tihic on Const. talks and SAA

World News

Regional news

Dnevni Avaz

Dodik as PM-designate, SDS to go to opposition

Dnevni List

Grenades near school

Vecernji List

Crew was the first one to escape (ship wreck at Red Sea)

Nezavisne Novine

Milorad Dodik as PM-designate

Political affairs / constitutional changes

RS Pres. Cavic nominates SNSD’ Dodik RS PM-designate

RTRS – 24 hours earlier than expected, RS President Dragan Cavic appointed SDS leader Milorad Dodik and Prime Minister designate on Saturday. Dodik now has 40 days to propose the agenda and composition of the new Government to RS National Assembly. As Cavic explained, the second candidate Nedjo Djuric obviously didn’t have the support of parliament majority. Commenting his appointment, Dodik stated that he is convinced that his Government can achieve significant progress during its short mandate. Main points of Dodik’s agenda will be audit of privatisation process, fight against organised crime and corruption, full cooperation with ICTY, rise of moral values, joint approach of RS parties to the constitutional changes in BiH and support to the project of Free Trade Zone in West Balkans.

TV PINK – RS President Cavic stated that his decision is the start of new practice that represents contribution to democratisation of society and added that it also sends a message to democratic world that everyone in RS is politically more mature and serious. “Our differences (differences between SDS and SNSD) cannot be the reason of new social destabilisation”, stated Cavic.

BH TV 1 – Commenting Dodik’s appointment, SDA’s Adil Osmanovic announced that SDA is going to insist on fast reforms on entity and state level, as well as on participation of SDA members in the new Government. Zekerijah Osmic from SDP expressed his hope that the new PM is going to work on establishing of full equality of all peoples in the whole territory of BiH .

Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pg 3 ‘Milorad Dodik as PM-designate’ by S.Karic, Dnevni Avaz cover pg splash, pg 4 ‘Dodik as PM-designate, SDS to go in opposition’ by N.Diklic,RHB, NTV Hayat, FTV – also report on nomination

SDS Pres. Cavic: SDS to remain in opposition

Nezavisne Novine pg 3 inset ‘ SDS in opposition’ – SDS President Cavic stated that this party will remain in opposition, adding it would give full contribution on all issues in the interest of RS placed on RS NA agenda.

PM-designate: RS NA to hold session on Govt. composition by 20 Feb. at latest

RTRS – carries Interview with new PM designate Milorad Dodik, saying his priority will be fight against organised crime that will in turn return trust of citizens towards RS institutions. He stated that everything must be done on improvement of economy and added that he is aware of all problems in RS especially when it comes to socially endangered categories. Dodik says that he will negotiate with all political parties on forming of new Government. “Basics of Government will be made up from those parties who voted no-confidence to the previous Government”, says Dodik. He also stated that the Government would be formed within the following 2-3 weeks. Dodik wouldn’t divulge any details on possible names for future Ministers in the Government. He stated that RS NA will be in session on this issue by 20^th February at the latest.

PDP’ Ivanic: No talk about participation of PDP members in new Government

FTV – Commenting the appointment of SDNSD leader Milorad Dodik and Prime Minister designate, PDP leader Mladen Ivanic stated that at the moment, there can be no talk about participation of PDP in the new Government or even PDP’s support for the new Government, adding: “We will discuss this after we see the agenda and after we see if it comply our ideas.”

F BiH HoP’ delegate Pudaric to initiate removal of F BiH President Lozancic

Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Pudaric in a hurry to remove Lozancic’ by Mensud Zorlak – Svetozar Pudaric, delegate of Party for BiH (S BiH) at F BiH House of Peoples will launch an initiative for removal of Niko Lozancic, F BiH President, at the next session of F BiH HoP, owing to Lozancic’ failure to act in line with the Constitution and dismiss F BiH Parliament after F BiH HoR failed to adopt entity’s budget. On this grounds, Pudaric has asked from Slavko Matic, Chair of F BiH HoP to schedule an urgent session next week at latest, at which delegates would give stances on official launchment of initiative. 

Constitutional changes

BH Pres. Chair Jovic asked for intensified US Govt participation in BIH Const. Reforms

RHB, TV PINK, BH TV 1, FTV, RTRS – At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Chairman if BIH Presidency Ivo Miro Jovic met with US Undersecretary for Political Issues Nicholas Burns discussing the importance of continuing the negotiations on Constitutional changes and police reform in BiH. Burns agreed with Jovic’s request for intensified US participation during negotiations on constitutional changes. Jovic stressed that constitutional changes must be reached trough the consensus.

Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘It is necessary to resume talks on constitutional changes in BiH’ by FENA, Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Jovic met with Burns’ – also report on meeting  

Tihic says leading parties are trying to restart negotiations on constitutional changes

TV PINK – SDA Chair Sulejman Tihic stated that leading parties in BIH are trying to restart negotiations on constitutional changes in BIH.  Tihic also stated that chances are small that BIH will sign SAA any time soon since BIH does not have state competences or institutions to meet over 100 demands set by EU. Tihic reminded there are 3 key issues that BIH politicians cannot agree upon, state competences, entity voting and mandate of BIH Presidency. She adds that international community has stressed that there is still time for these issues to be resolved before elections in October.

Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘To resume talks on constitutional changes’ by Agencies, Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘At this moment, the most important thing is unity of pro-Bosniak forces’ by S.Turcalo, NTV Hayat – also report on Tihic’ call for resumption of talks

Dnevni List pg 2, announced on cover ‘Europeans on the side of Serb negotiators’ by Resad Dautefendic – daily reports Tihic’s as saying that: “If there were no Americans, the RS officials would not accept anything. Both EU and EC work in interest of RS officials and have so far failed to try to pressurise those politicians to make significant changes.”

Interview with S BiH Pres. Silajdzic re his recent visits to US and EU

NTV Hayat – PhD Haris Silajdzic confirmed that his recent visits to USA and EU were his attempts to lobby for BIH. He stressed that this period is very important for BiH because either the Constitution will remain the same or BIH will get the new one. Silajdzic said that he went to US to ask for help in forming the democratic, citizen-centred country and not ethnically divided nation. Silajdzic stated that US Congress was very open for cooperation as well as EU Parliament. “On 3^rd February 2006, EU Parliament has adopted the amendment on its priorities on Foreign Affairs regarding the security sector, noting that BIH needs to be helped in establishing the democratic country and in eliminating the ethnic intolerance” stressed Silajdzic. He noted that since BIH wants to be integral part of EU it should pay attention to the official stands of the EU Parliament. According to Silajdzic, the issue of ethnicity, entities and state is closely connected.

President of Association “Truth and Reconciliation”: Commission be formed this year

Dnevni List pg 3 ‘Diaspora against reconciliation of peoples in BiH’ by R.D. – Jakob Finci, Presidnet of the Associaition of Citizens “Truth and Reconciliation” is of the view that BH Parliament will this year legalise Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, noting: “What I know is that eight political parties, that have been engaged in  negotiations on constitutional changes, have also raised the issue on establishment of Commission. To my knowledge, nobody in BiH opposes to establishment of Commission, bar some groups from Diaspora.”

SDP ’ Lagumdzija critical of Party for BiH re. constitutional changes

NTV Hayat – SDP Leader Zlatko Lagumdzija was the guest of CD’s “Face to Face” where he was supposed to meet with SzBIH Leader Safet Halilovic who refused to come without explaining his decision. Halilovic accused SDP and SDA, that they were advocating for the state based on ethnical principles at the Constitutional talks which would allow RS to separate from BIH. Lagumdzija denied Halilovic’s accusations adding that not many things were agreed upon during the negotiations. Lagumdzija than attacked SzBIH that all their statements are revenge against SDP for discovering their criminal activities adding that SzBIH has never been in the opposition, and that the so-called EU Parliament’s amendments will not solve anything in BiH since the same Parliament has condemned the aggression in 1992 “and we were all witnesses in how it ended”. He stressed that constitutional changes cannot be done overnight since everything must be adopted by consensus. Lagumdzija reiterated that SDP sent to BIH Parliament the proposal for Constitutional changes in 2002 but it was rejected. Being asked to comment recent SDA Leader Sulejman Tihic’s statement that SDA is willing to form coalition with SDP if necessary, Lagumdzija stated that SDP will form coalition with parties that have same platform and same goals.

SDP on constitutional changes

RTRS – SDP BIH announced that every change in the direction of constitutional changes is significant progress when compared to the attempts to freeze the existing situation.

Other issues of interest

RS Pensioners Association asked to meet with HR

RTRS – RS Pensioners Association asked to meet with HR Christian Schwarz Schilling. They want HR to use his authorities and make FBIH authorities to accept 38 000 RS pensioners into FBIH pension Disability Invalid Fund as ordered by Human Rights Chamber.

Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Pensions are first Schilling’s task’ by Eldina Medunjin – Referring to demand of RS Pensioners’ Association, the author observes that the new HR to BiH, Christian Schwarz Schilling, did not expect his first “major task” on this duty would be to resolve the issue of dispute between entities in regard to status of 38 thousand pensioners from RS (who earned their pensions in F BiH, but RS Pension Fund is covering their pensions).

Schilling to participate on round table in Travnik re small enterprises

Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Schwarz Schilling in Travnik’ by FENA, RHB – HR Christian Schwarz Schilling attends round table in Travnik on Sunday on topic of “Small and Medium Enterprises”. They will discuss the business situation in BIH.

Former Head of Djindjic’ Communication Bureau claims ‘Kostunica will arrest Mladic or “an accident” will take place’

Nezavisne Novine pgs 8-13 ‘Kostunica will arrest Mladic or “an accident” will take place’ by Mirjana Kuskum – In a lengthy interview to daily, Vladimir Beba Popovic, former Head of Serbian Government Bureau for Communications (at the time of Zoran Djindjic) speaks on issues like politics, media, mafia, murders…On stories about chase after Ratko Maldic, he says it is a farce, responsibly claiming that the entire Army, not just parts of Army are protecting Mladic. As for Radovan Karadzic, he is certain that RS with the assistance of SiCG is hiding him. He is convinced that Mladic’s hiding is being coordinated by SiCG Army, but also by para-units under command of Jovica Stanisic. On this he adds: “Kostunica cannot save himself from this. Therefore, if he fails to convince Mladic to surrender, he will arrest and extradite him, but the attempts of arrest will be carried out somewhere in Ukraine, Moldavia or some state of that kind. Although the possibility of accident is not excluded either.”

53 grenades found in Mostar

BH TV 1 – In the joint action of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Police and EUFOR, 53 grenades have been found in a shed owned by Djula Cotic in the settlement of Dreznica near Mostar. Police assumes that Cotic has nothing to do with the grenades. EUFOR Commander Philip Coti stated that the action was completed successfully and without any incident. Canton Prosecution is investigating on this case.

NTV Hayat, FTV, Dnevni List cover pg splash ‘Grenades near school’, pgs 18-19 ‘A hidden cache of grenades near primary school’, Dnevni Avaz pg 23 ‘Children brought in dangerous missiles in school yard’, announced on cover ‘Dangerous missiles found’ by F.Vele, Vecernji List pg 2, announced on cover ‘Grenades detected near school in Dreznica’ by Robert Soldo – also report

Insulting posters in Bijeljina and Doboj

FTV, RTRS, Dnevni List pg 4 ‘Federation as “world of perpetual darkness”’ – Organisation “Obraz” put up posters in several locations in Bijeljina and Doboj. The posters show map of BiH, where RS is painted white, and FBiH painted black, with inscription “Tamni vilajet” (“world of perpetual darkness”). Police investigation is ongoing.

Dnevni Avaz pg 6 ‘BiH and Croatia marked as “world of perpetual darkness” by V.S. – daily claims that posters have also surfaced in Banja Luka Friday, while Rade Mutic, Spokesperson of Banja Luka PSC , says police did not notice them neither have citizens reported seeing any.

Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Dark thoughts from RS’ by Reasad Dautefendic – The author notes that since politicians in RS do not care for constitutional changes, they have engaged masters of wall papers to place posters in Doboj and Bijeljina, SDS bastions, and divert public attention from the real problem, i.e. RS Government crisis.