Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 6 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) |
| Oil spill in Neretva river – update | Croat Serb Babic committed suicide |
| Snow in BiH causing problems | BiH lawsuit against |
| FBiH HoR to discuss budget | Suspect Jankovic to plea on charges |
TV news broadcast on 5 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| HNC teachers continue with strike | BiH lawsuit against | Dodik announces lawsuits |
| Karadzic’s ally killed | Three more dead swans in Vojvodina | Support of BIH lawsuit in |
| Bad Reception | WN: Avian flu is spreading | Proceedings in BIH lawsuit continue |
| World Bank on cooperation with BIH | Dodik on revenues from ITA account | Sentence to Nikolic to be confirmed |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| Coppola on terrorism in BIH | Dodik announces lawsuits | Dodik on revenues from ITA account |
| Dodik to file charges | 2 robbers arrested | Families of missing persons’ protest |
| World Bank on cooperation with BIH | Reinermann on WB help to BIH | Feature on apartments in Bijeljina |
| EU Parliament on visa regime to BIH | Payment of RS February pensions | Court trial against municipal officials |
| Oslobodjenje | Silajdzic under a strike because of legalization of RS |
| Dnevni Avaz | [Ivanic] In |
| Dnevni List | Herzegovinaians eat unhealthy meat?! (on possibility that meat which is being improted from |
| Vecernji List | Demining troops from |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Features |
| Nezavisne Novine | Police still do not know who murderers are [investigation on murder of Ratomir Spajic in |
| Glas Srpske | Tears of mother Nada [feature story on mother of a pilot who was killed during war] |
| EuroBlic | Spajic was buried, police are interrogating [investigation on murder of Ratomir Spajic in |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related titles |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| Former leaders of Serb Krajina committed suicide in his ICTY cell
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| BiH team attorney: Volunteers from
| BH Radio 1 – In a continuation of the proceedings in BiH lawsuit against |
| PDPs Ivanic: Serb people to do not support BiH’s lawsuit vs. | |
| FBiH HoR holds session on budget proposal, PM Hadzipasic asks from deputies not to propose more amendments
| BH Radio 1 by Maida Alic – FBiH House of Representatives extraordinary session started today with only two items on agenda: proposal of FBiH budget for 2006 and the Law on its implementation. Deputies will consider the budget proposal in amount of 1,13 billion KM. FBiH Prime Minister Ahmet Hadzipasic asked from deputies not to propose more amendments, as they did with the first budget proposal, for the sake of urgency of its adoption. Hadzipasic added that budget could not be distributed if the Law on Allocation of Public Revenues is not adopted as well. This Law is being reviewed by the |
| Unions leader Milic briefs HR Schwarz-Schilling on strike of teachers in HNC | |
Finances and economy | |
| RS PM Dodik to file charges against ITA Gov. Board Chair Dixon; Dodik: RS lost 40 millions KM due to some ‘ITA omissions’
| RTRS by Radoslav Banovic – The RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik oltd the press conference on Sunday that the RS Government would demand the responsibility of the Chairman of the Indirect Taxation Administration [ITA] Governing Board, Joly Dixon, because of the decision to halt payments gathered through indirect taxes to the RS. In addition, the Government demands form the ITA to pay out the sum of between 30 and 40 million KM claiming the entity is owed this in funds from ITA single account. “ |
| RS PM Dodik: First section of highway Banjaluka-Gradiska could be completed by end of year
| RTRS by Radoslav Banovic – The first section of a Banjaluka-Gradiska highway could be completed by the end of the year, RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik told the press conference on Sunday. The RS Minister of Transport and Communications Nedeljko Cubrilovic deems that the construction of the highway goes too slow, mainly due to unsolved property-legal relations. However, as RTRS says, the biggest obstacle is inadequate cooperation between state and entity institutions. Dodik stated that RS has lost approximately 40 millions KM due to the fact that ITA did not obey the decision on allocating the revenues from the single account. According to Dodik, BiH Council of Ministers was supposed to set aside 22 millions KM per year for the construction of highway between Banjaluka and Gradiska; instead of that RS received only 11 millions per year, while the rest of the money was allocated to some other projects at the state level. “We believe that those funds belong to the RS, and that CoM has no right to act like they do… We will do anything we can to clear up those relations“, stated Dodik. PINK, BHT1, FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 2, mentioned on cover ‘RS Government seeks criminal liability for Joli Dixon’, Inset ‘Building of Banjaluka-Gradiska highway to be intensified’ by O.V., Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Dodik: first part [of highway] by the end of the year’ by A. Sekulic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘Enough of insulted peasant girls’ by G. Dakic, EuroBlic pg RS2 ‘First kilometres by the end of 2006’ by Nedeljka Breberina– also covered. |
| BiH Minister of Transport and Communications Dokic: Dodik will soon deal with more significant problems
| BHT1 by Zorica Lolic – Commenting the RS Government’s allegations on the being owed funds from the single ITA account, the BH Minister of Transport and Communications Branko Dokic stated that Council of Ministers has regularly transferred resources towards entities. “There are more significant problems that [Milorad] Dodik will be aware of on the following period”, stressed Dokic. He added that there are still some legal-property issues that need to be resolved in the area of Laktasi where one part of the high way is being constructed. |
| World Bank to continues cooperation with BIH
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| FBIH HoR and HoP to discuss 2006 budget on Monday and Tuesday
| FTV, Oslobodjenje pg 2 ‘Extraordinary session today’, Slobodna Dalmacija, pg 16 ‘This year’s budget amounts to 1,1 billion KMs’, by D. Pasic– Extraordinary session of FBIH House of Representatives will be held on Monday. FBIH HoR deputies will consider the 2006 proposal budget in the amount 1,139.600.000 KM. FBIH House of Peoples is scheduled to discuss the budget on Tuesday. |
| BiH Finance Minister confirms 3,5 mil KM granted for BiH
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘3, 5 million KM for negotiating team’ mentioned on cover by T.L.– As it was confirmed for DA by BiH Finance Minister Ljerka Maric, BiH team for the negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU would have 3,5 million KM on its disposal from the BiH budget. Maric said that in addition, BiH Directorate for European Integrations would provide KM200.000. Maric said majority of funds would be spent on compensation fees for team members and technical support, whereas decisions on distribution of granted finances would be passed by Council of Ministers and BiH Parliament on proposal of BiH Chief Negotiator Igor Davidovic. |
| Schwarz-Schilling leads BiH delegation on IT fair; intends to use influence to introduce businessmen to world market
| Dnevni Avaz pg 2 ‘Schwarz-Schilling introduces BiH businessmen to world market’ by T. Lazovic– High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling and BiH Communication Minister Branko Dokic would lead BiH delegation on one of two largest world fairs of information and communication technologies. During the three-day visit to ‘CeBIT 2006’ fair Schwarz-Schilling has intention to use his influence and connect BiH businessmen with world market. OHR Spokesperson Kevin Sullivan confirmed for DA that this presents confirmation of fulfilling of the first priority that HR chosen and that is economy. |
| DA: FBiH Finance Minister’s law foresees abolishment of Finance Police
| Dnevni Avaz pg 9 ‘Minister Vrankic believes that Financial Police is unnecessary’ by F.Vele – DA reports that the FBiH Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic submitted to the FBiH Government the draft Law on cessation of the application of the Law on FBiH Financial Police on 24 February. According to daily, the draft foresees for the FBiH Taxation Administration to take over all employees of the FBiH Financial Police, along with its premises, cases and archive. Explaining the proposal, Vrankic said the Law on Financial Police hasn’t been changed since 1995, while in meantime several other laws stipulating transfer of authorities to other institutions made this institution unnecessary. Daily brings that these drafts also foresee decrease of authorities of FBiH Financial Inspectors, which wouldn’t have authority to confiscate documents, money, vouchers or anything that could help in investigation, just as they wouldn’t have authority to close shops, search vehicles, confiscate merchandise, regardless of established irregularities. Inset ‘Dervisevic: That is Vrankic’s deceit’- Chief Inspector of FBiH Financial Police Zufer Dervisevic stated that proposed law is Vrankic’s deceit. |
Crime, judicial issues, security and war crimes | |
| Investigation on murder of
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash and pg 2 ‘The police still do not know who murderers are’ by Ra. Rakic and M. Kusmuk – East Sarajevo |
| DA: Why was BHT 1 journalist with Spaic at time of incident? Murders with political-mafia background to be solved
| Dnevni Avaz pg 50 ‘Is Ratomir Spaic new victim of political-mafia clashes in RS’, mentioned on cover by Dz.Mahmutovic, Aj.Delic– Following the murder of Ratomir Spaic, DA unofficially learned members of the Public Security Centre East Sarajevo carried out a search of facilities occupied by people allegedly brought in connection to the case. As for the reasons as to why BHT1 journalist Svetlana Topalic who suffered severe injures was with Spaic at the time of incident, BHT1 Director Milan Trivic did not want to comment. DA speculates that this murder is another in series of such “ordered murders” which are frequent in |
| Oslob.: Spaic connected to local politicians, IC members; his murder a provocation against Dodik
| Oslobodjenje pg 49, mentioned on cover ‘New arrests to come, killer still unknown’ by R.I. – Commenting the murder of East Sarajevo car-mafia boss Ratomir Spajic, who was also suspected of trafficking women and drugs, daily learns from the unnamed source that mafia has now provoked “the new RS Government, after newly appointed Prime Minister [Milorad Dodik] announced fight against organized criminal.” There were 15 unsolved murder cases in Pale so far. Besides good relationships with local politicians, Oslobodjenje claims Spaic was also connected to the international community members, including former Head of United Nations Mission to BiH, Jacques Klein. |
| NN op-ed: Spaic’s murder was Mafia’s clear message to RS Govt, Govt needs to show is it strong enough make RS peaceful part of Europe | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘The gauntlet was thrown down’ by Aleksandar Sekulic – Referring to the murder of Sarajevo businessman Ratomir Spaic, who was, according to the author, at the very top of those who are handling shady deals in this country, the author notes the Mafia sent out a clear message to RS Government and the Government now needs to show whether it has or has not the strength to make RS a peaceful and stabile part of Europe and world. |
| VN: Spaic turned his back to Karadzic, started supporting Dodik? | Vecernje Novosti pg 12 ‘Troublesome witness was removed’ by V. N. – the article reads Ratomir Spaic was familiar with numerous shady deals of former high-ranking officials and businessmen in RS and rumour has it that he had turned his back to [Radovan] Karadzic and started supporting Milorad Dodik’s option. |
| DL op-ed: Murder of alleged Karadzic’s aid Spaic threat to those who are willing to speak up about Karadzic’s whereabouts | Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Murders and intimidation’ by I. Glibusic comments on reasons of the murder of alleged Radovan Karadzic’s aid, Ratomir Spaic, and the author says: ‘If persons who are closest to Karadzic learn that some from his aids might speak up about Karadzic’s whereabouts it is quite certain that that person would be killed or blackmailed in order to force that person to keep silent.’ |
| NN: Dodik’s strongest wild card at elections would be his success in fight against crime | Nezavisne novine op-ed pg 7 ‘On the right path’ by Sead Fetahagic – the author says he believes RS PM Milorad Dodik would not hesitate to deal with the issue of thieves and frauds in next seven months and notes Dodik’s strongest wild card at the forthcoming elections would the his success in fight against crime. |
| Proceedings in BIH lawsuit against
| BHT1 by Nermin Bise – Proceedings in BIH lawsuit against |
| Gathering for support of BIH lawsuit against
| BHT1 by Samir Kahrovic – |
| Head of EUPM Coppola: terrorism in BIH same as in other EU states, biggest problem organised crime and corruption | Hayat – Head of EUPM Mission to BiH Vincenzo Coppola stated that terrorism is present in BiH but the situation is same to the situations in some European states. Coppola noted that minor crimes, organised crime, trafficking in people, drug smuggling etc represent the greatest threats to safety in BiH. According to Coppola, corruption is more visible in BiH than in other states. RTRS, Dnevni List pg 2 ‘Terrorism’ not signed – also covered. |
| BiH Parliament to ban OSA Director Dzuvo, Deputy Director Zaric to apply for another mandate for violation of Parliamentary decision to ban work of agents who took part in “coup d’etat” affair
| Nezavisne Novine pg 3, announced on cover ‘Possible ban on re-election of OSA officials’ by M. Cubro – Several state officials have confirmed BiH Parliament might forbid Director and Deputy Director of OSA, Almir Dzuvo and Risto Zaric respectively, to again apply for a new mandate at the vacancy that should be published by the end of this month. Such a decision might be reached because Dzuvo and Zaric have failed to respect parliamentary conclusions on ban of the work of OSA agents that have participated in preparing of “coup d’etat” affair. Reportedly, members of former Federation Intelligence Agency (FOS) had been wire-tapping Hague investigators, politicians and journalists and later accused them they had been preparing coup d’etat. The Prosecutor rejected these claims and determined the wire-tapping was illegal. Subsequently, the Parliament banned the work of agents that had been involved in this case but these agents, according to a source from OSA, not only continued working but were also awarded with better jobs and other benefits. |
| OHR and HJPC warn FBiH HoP on danger for judicial reform to be blocked: asking for FBiH HoP to reject amendments proposed by FBiH HoR
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Europe would not finance parallelisms in judiciary’ by A. Omeragic– Daily says that the OHR and BiH High Judicial and Prosecution Council have asked Chair of FBiH House of Peoples Slavko Matic “to save judicial reform”. Namely, FBiH House of representatives has passed amendments to the Law on Courts, which foreseen closing of 71 minor offence courts in FBiH, but several MPs passed amendments and blocked the reform. Principal Deputy of High Representative Lawrence Butler sent a letter to Matic and asked for FBiH HoP to reject proposed amendments, since their goal is to preserve current, separate structure of minor offence courts and because they are installing jail sanction for minor offences which is in contradiction with EU Convention on human rights. Chair of HJPC Branko Peric deems that these amendments have destroyed the basis of the reform. |
| BiH troops that served in
| Vecernji List, front pg splash ‘Demining troops from Iraq are suing BiH’s military top’ and pg 3 ‘Demining troops from Iraq are suing FBIH’, by Ana Drmac – VL learns from an anonymous member of BiH Armed Forces, who took part in the first BiH de-mining mission to Iraq, that entity defence ministries owe half of the money the troops were supposed to get paid, which is the reason why both the soldiers from the RS and FBIH will file charges against the entity MoDs. According to the source, the entity MoDs owe 12.000 (FBiH) and 18.000 KMs (RS) to the troops. VL notes that the state MoD honored its part of financial obligations towards the troops, it is only the entity MoDs, which have been shut down in the meantime, that failed to do so. |
Political issues | |
| SDA criticises SBiH, SDU, BOSS for deceiving public on const. changes by making impossible proposals
| Oslobodjenje cover splash ‘Silajdzic under a strike because of legalization of RS’ pg 6 ‘Current status wants to be preserved trough not changing of the Constitution’ by M.G. and A.Ba – SDA issued a statement regarding the recent reactions of SBiH, SDU and BOSS to agreed changes of BiH Constitution, which reads that changing of the Constitution in election year was a favourable moment for SBiH founder Haris Siladzic and SDU leader Sejfudin Tokic to “wake up”. SDA criticizes SBiH for deceiving citizens by claiming that their ‘wish list’ was possible, without identifying Serb and Croat parties with whom such agreement would be possible. SDA also reminded in 2002, SBiH has signed “shameful |
| SBiH public debate on constitutional changes’ agreement; entity vote aimed at dividing BiH
| Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Agreement reintegrates BiH’ by M.G. and A.Ba – During the public debate on topic of recently agreed changes to BiH Constitution, founder of SBiH Haris Silajdzic continued to criticise both the agreement and parties that endorsed it. He stressed “[the worst thing is] entity vote in our Parliament remains, which means it blockade remains as well”. Silajdzic said that this could be interpreted as a sign that someone is in a hurry to bring BiH into situation where it would be split in two. SBiH also organized signing of petition, which would be submitted to the Venice Commission and which asks for its stance on entity vote and whether this vote is in accordance with any of European standards. |
| Austrian Ambassador Almhoffer hopes issue of election of BiH Presidency members will be solved after Venice Commission declares itself
| Vecernji List, pg 6 ‘Need for new reforms is needed already’, by Eldina Medunjanin – In an interview with the VL, the Austrian Ambassador to BiH, Werner Almhoffer, expresses hope that leaders of BiH’s strongest parties will solve the issue of election of BiH Presidency members as soon as the Venice Commission declares itself about it, underlining achievements agreed upon so far. The Ambassador however notes that many areas need reforms to the extent that one can already feel the need for reforms. Questioned to comment on the issue that the Croat parties are calling upon the opinion of the Venice Commission, which suggests that members of BiH Presidency be elected indirectly (in Parliament), the Ambassador puts the issue of election of BiH Presidency in the context of overall package of reforms, saying it is a package of compromises, which is a situation that is different from the then situation (when the Venice Commission declare itself on election of BiH Presidency). |
| VL op-ed on connection btwn constitutional changes talks and BiH’s lawsuit agst SciG
| Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Lawsuit as solution to issue of BiH organization’ by M. Vaslij carries that constitutional changes negotiations do not coincide with the BiH’’s lawsuit against SCiG accidentally and the author says that if the International Court of Justice concludes that SCiG committed aggression and genocide in BiH it would be confirmed legally that the RS is a result of genocide. The author goes on to say that many international legal experts stress that in case of such outcome the RS’ abolishment is the only solution. The editorial says that that the |
| DA int with Mladen Ivanic: I expect visa regime liberation
| Dnevni Avaz cover splash and pg 5 ‘I expect easing of visa regime’ by Tarik Lazovic– On March 10 and 11, BiH Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic will attend meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers with their Western Balkans counterparts in Salzburg. In a page long interview for DA, Ivanic expresses hope that the meeting would gather support for BiH and |
| Member of European Parliament says majority supports visa regime liberation
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5 ‘The fact is that no one suspicious has received BiH citizenship in last few years’ by Fena– Member of European Parliament in charge of monitoring the Western Balkans, Hannes Swoboda, visited Sarajevo and stated for Fena news agency that majority in European Parliament support visa-free regime for BiH. Swoboda stressed that some people in EU fear from infiltration of suspicious people from BiH, because of which it is important to present results of work, such as the fact that no one suspicious has got BiH citizenship in last few years. |
| RS NA Chairman Radojicic: RS NA will follow the tempo dictated by RS Government
| Nezavisne Novine pg 6, announced on cover ‘The Assembly will follow the tempo of RS Government’ by V. Popovic – In an interview to NN, RS NA Chairman Igor Radojicic announced RS NA would work in a more efficient and more organised manner. ‘The election of the new Government will give a new impulse and fresh blood to the administration as well as new enthusiasm. We expect from the Government, which had announced it would undertake a number of new measures, to dictate this tempo and we are ready to follow this tempo’, Radojicic added. Immediately after taking over the duty of RS NA Chairman, Radojicic had expressed his support to Chief RS Auditor Bosko Ceko and announced there would be more intensive work on audit reports. |
| Announced changes of election law and election threshold caused different stances; SDA against it, | Dnevni Avaz pg 8 ‘Stance that election threshold should remain on 3% prevails in SDA as well’ mentioned on cover by L. Sinanovic– DA carries the reactions to the proposed changes of BiH Election Law, where election threshold should be increased from 3% to 4%, but this proposal did not get the support of leading parties. SDA Vice-president Sefik Dzaferovic stated that stance that 3% threshold should remain prevails in SDA. “SDA participates in election in the RS and we deem that in some election units we would be damaged with threshold of 4%” stated Dzaferovic. On the other side |