Latest radio news broadcast at 12.00 on 8 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (12,00 hrs) | BH Radio 1 (12,00 hrs) | RTRS (12,00 hrs) |
| International day of women | ICTY reduced Nikolic’s sentence | RS police in B. Luka fighting drugs |
| HNC: Teachers, Govt in negotiations | | Requiem for 13 Serbs in Brcko |
| 5 billion | Energopetrol employees on strike | ICTY reduces sentences to Nikolic |
TV news broadcast on 7 March
| RADIO HERCEG-BOSNA (18,00 hrs) | TV PINK (18,00 hrs) | BHT 1 (19,00 hrs) |
| Kreso visits Mostar | BiH HoR in session | BIH vs. SiCG lawsuit update |
| HNC schools still on strike | FBiH HoP adopts 2006 Budget | Babic’s suicide update |
| Response of | OHR on FBiH law on PBS | Trial to Nikolic update |
| HDZ opposes constitutional changes | RS Government adopts 2006 Budget | BIH HoR in session |
| NTV Hayat (19,00 hrs) | FTV (19,30 hrs) | RTRS (19,30 hrs) |
| BIH lawsuit against | BIH vs. SiCG lawsuit update | RS Government adopts 2006 Budget |
| BIH HoR session | Trial to Nikolic update | Cavic criticizes new RS Government |
| Initiative for CoM dismissal | BIH HoR in session | Cavic on BiH CoM |
| Cavic to meet Terzic | Venice Commission on const. reform | BiH HoR in session |
| Oslobodjenje | [BiH lawsuit against |
| Dnevni Avaz | [BiH lawsuit against |
| Dnevni List | Zoric is establishing new party ?! (Vinko Zoric is HDZ mmeber) |
| Vecernji List | Features |
| Slobodna Dalmacija | Livno Councillor would like to have ‘Display’ while ordinary people are hungry and without electricity (on difficult material situation of one family from Livno) |
| Nezavisne Novine | Karadzic was financed through “Jahorina” |
| Glas Srpske | On water and beatings [Testimony of Ljubo Obradovic, former detainee of Mostar prison and |
| EuroBlic | Tribunal failed to guard Babic |
| Vecernje novosti | Features Serbian related topics |
LATEST NEWS OF TODAY | |
| ICTY reduces sentence to Nikolic | |
| B. Luka
| RTRS – As of this morning, the Banja Luka Public Security Centre has been engaged in a wide action of arresting persons involved in production and trade in narcotics in the area of |
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| BH Radio 1 by Jesenko Krehic – |
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War crimes | |
| BiH HoR passes Law to prevent access of ICTY fugitives to their accounts and investments; and the amendments to the Law on BiH Ombudsmen
| BHT1by Vanja Filipovic – The BiH House of Representatives adopted on Tuesday the law on applying certain provisional measures to ensure the efficient implementation of mandate of the ICTY under which the ICTY fugitives and their aides would be prevented to use their assets. The law stipulates measures in order to prevent them having an access to the bank accounts, goods, premises and other investments. Assets could be blocked only if the |
| BiH team ends first round of evidence presentation before ICJ;
| FTVBy Adisa Dedic – The Serbia-Montenegro legal team will start presenting its defence in the proceeding of BiH vs. |
| Lawyers Franck and Pellet re BiH lawsuit against SiCG: issue of compensation should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations of the two states | Nezavisne Novine pg 8 ‘Compensation claim was not filed’ announced on cover ‘BiH had not filed compensation claim’ by Agencies – The article quotes American lawyer Thomas Franck as saying ‘Sarajevo will not file compensation claim before the court, but this issue needs to be resolved through diplomatic negotiations of the two sides after judges of ICJ rule that Belgrade was responsible for genocide in BiH’. Glas Srpske pg 2 ‘Finish in the sign of Srebrenica’ by Beta – BiH legal expert Allain Pellet also thinks compensation issue should be discussed through diplomatic and expert negotiations. Dnevni Avaz also reported. |
| NN: Pale businessman Spaic was murdered in connection with raid of “Jahorina” osiguranje and potential appearance before BH Prosecution as witness
| Nezavisne Novine cover pg splash, pg 3 ‘Karadzic was financed through “Jahorina” by A.Sisic – Daily learns from several sources that The Hague Tribunal believes the network of aid and support to Radovan Karadzic was supported through dealings of the Insurance Company “Jahorina osiguranje” from Pale. Sources note that last week raid at premises of this company should result in identification of many persons, who have been aiding Karadzic and Ratko Mladic over the past years. Daily further reports referring to its source that there is a link between the raid of “Jahorina” company and the murder of controversial businessman Ratomir Spaic from Pale. Namely, the source reveals: “There are indications Spaic could have been troublesome witness in some of the cases being run at BH Prosecutor’s Office or are to be opened. Therefore, he was liquidated.” |
| VL int with Ivo Miro Jovic: | Vecernji List pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘Bosniaks and Serbs continue to divide BiH’, inset ‘Croatia could file lawsuit BiH in the Hague’, by Z. Kresic – In an interview for VL, Ivo Miro Jovic, Croat member to BiH Presidency, said he is of the view Croatia could have filed suit against BiH for aggression a long time ago. Asked whether BiH could sue |
General political issues | |
| SP’s Gligoric initiated casting of vote of no confidence to the CoM; Terzic without comments until official demand is submitted
| BHT1– At the session of the BiH House of Representatives, the delegates Tihomir Gligoric, Mirko Blagojevic and Petar Kunic, launched the initiative to cast a vote of no confidence to the BiH Council of Ministers, alleging CoM has no control over the finances thus damages the budget and its beneficiaries. |
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| RTRS – RS President and |
| EC’s Humphreys met with Dodik, Cavic and Radojicic; no full liberalization of visa regime
| RTRS – Chief of the EC Delegation in BiH Michael Humphreys visited |
| SDA’s Tihic meets EC’s Rehn
| BHT1- Presidency Chair Sulejman Tihic is currently paying an official visit to |
| OHR calls upon FBiH Parliament to pass Law on FBiH PBS
| PINK, Dnevni List pg 8 ‘PBS reform questionable’ by E.M.– At the press conference held on Tuesday in Sarajevo, OHR Spokesperson Sanela Tunovic stated that the OHR calls upon the FBiH Parliament to adopt the Law on RTV FBiH, fully harmonized with the BiH Law on PBS System. Tunovic explained that the Government’s version of the draft law, with its wording on the founder concept, is in contradiction with the BiH Law on PBS System and unacceptable as such. Tunovic expressed OHR’s hope that the Parliament is going to delete this clause. If they do not, Tunovic warned that FBiH authorities are putting at risk two things – the PBS reform as such and the fulfilment of an important precondition for BiH in the process of Stabilisation and Association with the EU. |
| DL: Vinko Zoric (HDZ) to establish new party or join expelled HDZ members Bozo Ljubic and Martin Raguz?!
| Dnevni List cover pg splash and pg 3 ‘Zoric is establishing new party?!’ by R. Dautefendic learns that together with few like-minded persons President of the HDZ Caucus in the BiH Parliament Vinko Zoric is planning either to establish a new party or to join expelled HDZ members Bozo Ljubic and Martin Raguz in the worst case. DL says that allegedly the reason for such Zoric’s decision is that HDZ President Dragan Covic does not listen to anyone when the constitutional changes issue is in question. DL also says that being aware that he could not avoid consequences for such move Zoric tried to persuade representatives Ruza Sopta, Vlatka Komsic and even Niko Lozancic to join him, however, so far it is certain that Ivo Lozancic only would join the new party together with Zoric. Asked to comment on this information HDZ spokesperson Miso Relota said it was impossible that Niko Lozancic would leave HDZ and he added that this is certainly about Ivo Lozancic, ‘who has left |
| Commission for audit of decisions on naturalization of foreign citizens started with its work
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Constitutional changes | |
| Venice Commission drafts response to BiH parties; preferences lie in one President and indirect election
| BHT1– The Venice Commission has designed the draft response on the manner of electing the members of the future BiH Presidency, i.e. president and two vice-presidents. The Commission was asked for the opinion by the BiH political parties who took part in the negotiations on constitutional changes and failed to agree on the manner of election of BiH Presidency. Venice Commission’s stance was sent to the Chairman of BIH Presidency Sulejman Tihic, and it reads that the Commission prefers solution under which there would be only one President elected by indirect elections adding that the proposal of electing president and two vice-presidents is a transitional solution for them. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 inset ‘Market: Comment of the Venice Commission on March 18’- Venice Commission Secretary Thomas Market stated that this draft would be formally passed during the next session of the VC, on March 17 and 18, when the official explanation would be submitted as well. |
| Ex BiH CC judge Sadikovic: Venice Comm. is not obliged to accept preliminary assessment of its Task Force on election of BiH Presidency members | Nezavisne Novine pg 4 ‘BiH Constitution needs to be changed by the end of March’ by R. Cengic Inset ‘Preliminary assessment’ – Former judge of BiH Constitutional Court Cazim Sadikovic has explained that the preliminary assessment of the Venice Commission on election of members of future BiH Presidency, which should have arrived to Sarajevo on Tuesday, was a material of the Commission’s Task Force and the Commission is not obliged to accept it at its next session scheduled for March 17. |
| BiH Presidency Chair Tihic says Venice Comm. stance unclear, DA: stance closest to HoP
| Oslobodjenje pg 3 ‘Commission hasn’t given a concrete response’ by Fena– Commenting the draft response of the Venice Commission on the constitutional changes, Chair of BiH Presidency Sulejman Tihic stated the response was not clear. Tihic stated that the Commission prefers one President and indirect election, with the special focus on the role of BiH House of Peoples in election. The Commission deems the BiH House of Peoples shouldn’t have role in the process, as constitutional changes are directed at decreasing HoP’s authorities. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Members of BiH Presidency to be elected in BiH House of Representatives’ by A. Malagic– “[Commission] prefers indirect election, deem that this proposal we sent has many limits. That is… there is a possibility to block elections. They believe role of the HoP shouldn’t be essential in this [process]… this House should be abolished or its authorities should be decreased. They have proposed a model which gives leading role to the HoR, but as I understood, without entity vote” stated Tihic for DA. |
| VL, DA:
| Vecernji List, pg 2 ‘Presidency will be elected in Parliament according to Covic’s proposal’, by Zoran Kresic – the author notes that the Venice Commission, by suggesting that the BiH Presidency members be elected indirectly in the BiH Parliament, remained consistent to its position from March 2005. VL notes that the same proposal has come from the HDZ leader, Dragan Covic. VL reckons now that the Venice Commission has voiced its opinion, the same opinion/solution will most likely have to be accepted by the Serb and Bosniak side in BiH. Dnevni Avaz pg 4 ‘Members of BiH Presidency to be elected in BiH House of Representatives’ by A. Malagic– DA also comments that the Venice Commission stance is closest to the proposal of HDZ. |
| RS PoWs: decision on consulting Venice Commission serves to justify agreements under IC pressure
| Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘Commission serves as an excuse’ by G. K., Dnevni List pg 7 ‘Prison camp inmates on constitutional changes’ not signed – RS Association of Former Camp Inmates on Tuesday assessed that the decision to consult the Venice Commission on certain constitutional solutions was a maneuver aimed at hiding the true goal, i.e. to again justify the reached agreements with pressures of the international community. The Association says leaders of parties must no longer carry out the negotiations, but instead competent bodies of RS and F BiH, as in accordance with the Constitution, should carry out the negotiations. |
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| PINK– Deputy Assistant to the US State Secretary Rosemary Di Carlo called upon BiH political leaders to respect the deadline for reaching an agreement on constitutional changes. This deadline will expire at the end of March. It was also stated that eight political parties should reach the agreement on constitutional changes by the end of March in order for the amendments to be applied at the coming elections. |
| VL: HDZ President Covic and | Vecernji List pg 2 ‘Covic and McElhaney talked secretly’ by Z.K. carries that HDZ President Dragan Covic and US Ambassador to BiH Douglas McElhaney talked in Mostar on Tuesday in Covic’s flat. VL says that they failed to get the information what was the topic of this meeting however it has been supposed that they talked about the constitutional changes issue and election of the BiH Presidency. |
| HDZ- DC Caucus in BiH HoR oppose the agreed changes of the constitution
| Hayat – At the press conference in |
| Interview with Chairman of BiH Presidency Jovic on const changes, PBS system: ‘Bosniaks and Serbs continue to divide BiH’
| Vecernji List pg 6, mentioned on cover ‘Bosniaks and Serbs continue to divide BiH’ by Z. Kresic carries an interview with Chairman of the BiH Presidency Ivo Miro Jovic who says that the current result of the constitutional changes talks cannot meet needs of Croats and BiH citizens. Jovic also said that the Croat side would start with the implementation of the agreement reached between political parties and US State Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns because it says that constitutional changes would continue. Jovic added: ‘If we accept cosmetic changes only and they imply survival of 2 entities with 3 peoples Croats would not be again in the position to launch the discussion on constitutional changes and current situation would be legalized. We must not allow that something like this be verified in the Parliament. ‘ Asked to judge ‘pressures to reject his appeal with regard to PBS system’, Jovic said that he respects the judicial authority and he does not belong to the groups, which like the OHR instruct what the court would decide. He added that he just insists on changes of 3 Articles and that he would keep insisting on it. |
| SBiH leader Halilovic on const. changes: Basic principle of consensus is breached; requesting opinion from Venice Commission is hypocrisy
| Dnevni Avaz pg 5, mentioned on cover ‘It is being made constitutional basis for division of BiH and separation of RS’ by Sead Numanovic – Commenting recent talks on constitutional changes, in an interview for daily SBiH leader Safet Halilovic stated that participants in the negotiations have been constantly breaching principle of consensus established as a basic principle in decision making process. He added that main principle at the beginning of the talks was that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”. As a leader of a party that did not support talks, Halilovic said that they could only result with strengthening of the RS constitutional position, dissolution of BiH and separation of the RS. “When SBiH, HDZ or |
| VL on constitutional changes: BiH political scene divided; Professor Boyle: Bosniak authorities working on division of BiH too
| Vecernji List, pg 5 ‘First phase of constitution’, by Zdenko Cosic – Commenting on the constitutional changes in BiH, Cosic argues that the US Administration is in the hurry to wrap up the process ASAP, which divided the BiH political scene. As for announcements that the second phase of talks would continue after the October elections, VL carries SDU Vice President, Miro Lazovic, who says that the IC, back in 1994, promised a ‘second phase’ in terms of the territory under Serb occupation returning i.e. joining with the FBIH, however the then ‘second phase’ never came because the Contact Group acknowledged the RS in September 1995. VL also carries professor Francis Boyle, who wrote the BiH’s lawsuit against |
Budgets and other economic issues | |
| FbiH HoP passes 2006 budget in same text as FBiH HoR did
| PINK – FBiH House of Peoples adopted the 2006 FBiH budget on Tuesday. The same proposal on 2006 budget has been adopted by FBiH House of Representatives days before. Chair of the FBiH HoP Slavko Matic stated that the budget in amount of approximately 1,140 billion KM could be official as soon as Wednesday, since both Houses of FBiH Parliament adopted it in the same text. FTV – FBiH Finance Minister Dragan Vrankic stated the budget would be effective within next two or three days announcing possible rebalance of the budget due to better collection of the taxes. Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘FBiH Budget for 2006 implements as of today’ by S.Se. Inset ‘Enes Duvanjakovic Vice President of BiH House of Peoples’ – BiH House of Peoples appointed Enes Duvanjakovic for Bosniak FBiH HoP Vice President. Duvanjakovic succeeded Vahid Heco, earlier appointed for FBiH Minister of Energy. |
| RS Government passes 2006 budget in amount of KM1, 98 billion
| RTRS – RS Government adopted the proposal on 2006 RS budget in amount of 1,098 billion KM. The Government plans to finance 1,42 billion KM by its own revenues, and the rest by different grants and other financing forms. Main items in the proposed budget are measures for development and social care. RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik stated that the 2006 budget is higher that the last year’s Budget because of the expected income from the VAT. PINK, BHT1, Hayat, FTV,Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘Dodik goes into new replacements’, Nezavisne Novine pg 2 ‘Proposal of BAM 1.098 billion’ by D.Risojevic, Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘BAM 3 million to airport’ by G.Dakic, EuroBlic RS pg 3 ‘They added BAM 50 million, BAM 140 million to pensioners’ by Mirna Soja – also reported. |
| RS Govt. did not discuss draft Law on Audit of Privatisation and Law on Special Department of Prosecution | Glas Srpske pg 3 ‘3 million to airport’ by G.Dakic – According to daily, the RS Government did not determine the announced draft Law on Audit of Privatisation and Law on Special Department of Prosecutor’s Office and Special Court Unit, since another round of consultations should be held on these two issues, according to RS PM Milorad Dodik. |
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| Dnevni Avaz pg 12 ‘Joint Commission of both Houses first has to declare on the law’ by Fena, Oslobodjenje pg 6 ‘Demand of Caucus of Croat representatives rejected’ by O.S.– The FBiH Constitutional Court (CC) discarded as groundless the request of the Croat Caucus in the FBIH House of Peoples, which contested the proposal of law on allocation of public revenues by invoking the vital national clause. According to the FBIH CC, there were procedural omissions during the process of launching of the vital national clause related to harmonization in the joint commission of the FBIH HoR and FBiH HoP (DL does not go into details of the CC’s decision). A Croat MP in the FBiH HoP, Ante Boras, although he did not see the CC’s decision in its entirety, says the decision in reality means that the FBiH now has the law on allocation of revenues that is applicable, however he still believes the law is detrimental to the Croats. Dnevni List pg 6, mentioned on front ‘Fiasco of HDZ’s attempt to control municipalities’, by Mensud Zorlak – also reported. As for the headline, DL has been saying throughout the process that HDZ, by invoking the vital national clause, wanted to have the cantons in charge of distribution of the funds, unlike the proposal of the law that stipulates direct funding of municipalities, in order to be in control of municipalities. |
| Telecoms’ Unions against individual privatization
| Oslobodjenje pg 12 ‘Trade Unions against selling off of telecoms’ by Darko Omeragic – Trade Unions of three BiH telecom operators [BH Telecom, RS Telecom and HT Mostar] issued a joint statement stressing that there should be no rush in privatization of the companies. They stressed that the “approach that already started in the RS with sale of RS Telecom would be disastrous for all employees of telecom sector in BiH because value of the capital is being decreased”. Chair of the RS Telecom Trade Union Milenko Topic stated that CoM’s decision on the telecommunication sector’s policy reads all three would be sold at the same time, in order to protect welfare of entities and of the state. Inset ‘Tender at end of April’- RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik stated that he expects that his government would sign off the bid by end of April, stressing that government would ensure full transparency if this happens. Hayat, |
| ITA official claims ITA failed to pay several million of BAM to RS budget
| Nezavisne Novine pg 5 ‘Several million of BAM was not paid to RS budget’ by R.Segrt – Daily reports referring to a senior official of the Indirect Taxation Administration, who wanted to remain anonymous, that several million, i.e. approximately BAM six million were not directed into RS budget through distribution of resources last year collected through indirect taxes. Daily further reminds of the ITA stance (saying entities Premiers and BiH CoM agreed in December 2004 coefficients should be frozen until VAT introduction), also carrying statement of Dragan Mikerevic, former RS PM, denying that. According to inset ‘Irregular distribution of VAT’, daily also learnt at ITA that no change in distribution coefficient has been made following introduction of VAT. |
New RS Govt removes officials in Govt, police, companies | |
| RS President Cavic criticises Dodik replacing police officials, says he would deal with it; Dodik says dismissals to continue
| RTRS by Marina Marjanovic – At the press conference held on Tuesday in |
| RS Govt. dismissed a number of assistants to Ministers
| Glas Srpske pg 3 inset ‘Dismissals’, Dnevni Avaz pg 13 ‘Dodik heads for new removals’ – On Tuesday, the RS Government accepted the resignations offered by Assistants to Ministers and dismissed those assistants who failed to file resignations and removed them from office. Government has also dismissed Supervisory Boards at “Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske” and “Sume Srpske”. Nezavisne Novine pg 6 ‘Resignations of assistants to ministers accepted’ – Mladjen Mandic, Assistant to RS Justice Minister, noted that assistant to Minister can only be relieved of duty only if s/he meets conditions for retirement or criminal procedure is run against the person. (NOTE: Not a single paper gives the total number of assistants dismissed.) Dnevni Avaz g 13 ‘Dodik goes into new replacements’ not signed, Nezavisne Novine pg 6, announced on cover ‘Milorad Dodik: Removals at Government and police will continue’ by V.P. Glas Srpske pg 5 ‘We will move on’ by G.D., EuroBlic RSpg 1, announced on cover ‘I choose my associates’ by Rajna Radosavljevic, Dnevni List, pg 4 ‘Dodik continues with removals’, not signed – Dodik says dismissals to continue. |
| RS President Cavic appoints former MoI Matijasevic for his advisor
| BHT1, RTRS, Nezavisne Novine pg 6 “Matijasevic as advisor to Cavic’, EuroBlic RSpg 1 ‘Matiajsevic advises Cavoc about relations with international community’- RS President Dragan Cavic appointed the former Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic for his new advisor. Matijasevic will be in charge of political and security issues, and cooperation with the international community. |
| RS PM’ op-ed: RS Government will be engaged in a compromiseless fight against crime | Novi Reporter op-ed pg 11 ‘We will get back the faith in RS’ by Milorad Dodik, RS PM – Writing an opinion editorial for Banja Luka weekly magazine, Milorad Dodik, RS PM, said that the priority task of the RS Government is to strengthen the power of the RS institutions and get the trust citizens had in it, noting institutions should show they are legally grounded and capable of resisting economic, social and spiritual violence. he also reiterated RS Government will be engaged in a compromiseless fight against crime, adding it would set a higher level of justice. |
| DA op-ed: Quarrel between SNSD leader Dodik and
| Dnevni Avaz pg 3 ‘Why do Dodik and Cavic fight’ op-ed by Edina Sarac – Commenting recent political alternations that new RS Government led by Milorad Dodik did in the RS Ministry of Interior, editorial reads that SNSD followed its political interests, doing the same as |
| Oslobodjenje op-ed: Both RS PM Dodik and RS President Cavic choose only obedient | Oslobodjenje pg 9 ‘Obedient’ op-ed by Senka Kurtovic – Editorial comments recent removals in the RS Ministry of Interior, editorial reads that situation in RS did not change at all, since both newly appointed RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and RS President Dragan Cavic proved that they choose only the obedient ones, regardless of the phrase that state administration must not be serving daily politics. |
| NN op-ed supportive of RS PM Dodik’s activities involving purge at RS MoI | Nezavisne Novine op-ed pg 7 ‘Motorola, police circle’ by Mirjana Kusmuk – The author stresses that two institutions – police and judiciary – have been two mail culprits for the disturbed system in RS. She lists some of pro arguments for the thesis that in order to supports establishment of a legal and democratic environment, RS must first conduct purge at RS Interior Ministry, which Milorad Dodik will most likely undertake, since he is aware of the fact that police efficiency is a test on which his Government and programme would pass or fail. It has taken years for people to start believing that there is somebody ready to fight for justice and other democratic values. |