Banja Luka – SFOR and IPTF units blocked and searched the buildings of Security Service Center, Police Academy, and three police precincts in BL. The search resulted with large amounts of weaponry, even mortars and shells. The newly named heads of police and State Security, took on their duties today at noon, and informed the public that all police units in BL were put under their command.
RS President Plavsic received a visit of HR Westendorp, US Special Envoy, Gelbard, and SFOR commander, Gen. Shinseki. The subject of their dialogue was the current situation in BL.
SRT commented the new change of duties in BL, saying that newly named officers have many stains on their careers, that one of them origins from a mixed marriage, while the other one protected Moslems and Croats. Under the picture of Karadzic, with the presence of, Krajisnik and Prime Minister, Klickovic, SDS party had a meeting in BL where they accused Plavsic in many ways.
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Vienna – Accompanied with HR Westendorp, the US Special Envoy, Gelbard went to Vienna, where he is supposed to have a meeting with the Contact Group. The meeting was asked by the Russian side, and the main subject seems to be the pre-elections in RS.
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Reactions on events in Banja Luka – French Ambassador in BiH, Goddard supported Plavsic’s decision about the pre-elections. OHR spokesman Haselock said that the IC supports Plavsic, and condemns the decision of the RS Constitutional Court. Haselock added that crisis in RS must be solved in democratic manner. RS Prime-Minister, Klickovic said that simultaneously with the Parliament pre-elections, the Presidential elections should take place. Kalinic and Krajisnik appealed toPlavsic to join the hard-liners in Pale, threatening her that if not doing so, there is no force in the World that can save her.
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Sarajevo – The Federation Forum meeting is in progress. The subjects on agenda are the establishment on police and legal system, return of refugees, human rights, and the establishment of new municipalities in BiH Federation. This meeting is chaired by the HR deputy Wagner, the US Embassy Charge d’affairs Bicroft, the Federation President Soljic, and the Federation Co-president Ganic. Federation ombudsmen are also present at the meeting, as requested by Gelbard. So far, no information was published.
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Mostar/Capljina – Mostar SFOR troops deputy refuted the claims of the news agency STINA about the delay of police establishment process in Her/Ner canton. Canton Minister of Internal Affairs deputy, Dziho also refuted this claims.
Fifteen out of 35 Bosniak policemen returned to their work in Capljina. As Dziho said, the main problem seems to be the scorn of Bosniak police officials, and treating of them as ordinary constables. As Croat police representative said, the reason for this is a lack of information’s, what was solved during the day.
As suggested by an IPTF officer, 10 policemen, allocated in Prozor, did not go to their work. IPTF considers that the situation in Prozor is very tense after the incident few days ago.
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Jajce – According to the Agreement of Refugee Return in Jajce, 97 expellees should return today in this municipality. Except for this, 90 more Bosniaks should return before the expire of the deadline.
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Sarajevo – Federal Prime-Minister, Bicakcic and two of his ministers, Kadic and Despotovic received a visit of German Special Envoy for Refugees, Schlee. The subject of conversation was the return of refugees from Germany, as well as the aid from German Government in reconstruction of BiH. Bicakcic said that the return of refugees from Germany will be difficult because of the lack of residential places, and inability of refugees to return to the RS.
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Zagreb/Hague – Croatian HSP party President, Paraga submitted the evidences to the ICTY, against Croatian President Tudjman, and the Defence Minister, Susak. As said by Paraga, these evidences show Tudjman’s and Susak’s involvement in the establishment of Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna(HB). This Republic was supposed do divide BiH definitely, by uniting with the Croatia. Paraga also claims that he has an original document of an order to establish HB. Since he believes that Tudjman and Susak ordered the HB establishment, he charged them to the ICTY.
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Summary SRT TV News
Banja Luka – After the talks with SFOR Commander Gen. Eric Shinseki on the current events in Banja Luka, RS President in the BiH Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik addressed the press this evening. Krajisnik told the press that he has warned Gen. Shinseki that immediate measures have to be taken to normalize the situation and restore the order. Overall, in his statement Krajisnik underlined that the current developments could further aggravate the situation in the RS. In rather strong words, he declared that the RS President was not empowered neither to dismiss nor to appoint police officials and appealed to RS policemen to disobey those officials, which he called “usurpers”.Having promised that a solution will be found in a diplomatic discourse, Krajisnik related to the international community as not being properly informed on competencies of the RS President. 2’50”
Banja Luka – In the early morning today SFOR troops in a full combat readiness escorted by two choppers seized the State Security building, the Police Academy and all police stations in the town. After a forceful entry, SFOR troops have thrown out all legal employees of the RS Interior Ministry and allowed irregular police forces to enter the buildings. A group of citizens who witnessed the event strongly protected, said the report. ( The footage showed a small group of elderly citizens who were shouting and protesting. One of senior police officials spoke lamentably before the cameras that he was thrown out of his office after 30 years of service).
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The RS Interior Ministry issued a statement to the effect that the newly appointed police officials were persons with tarnished reputation. In an obvious attempt to defame those persons, the statement mentioned that one of them is a child from a mixed marriage while another one had been helping Croats and Muslims during the war.
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Banja Luka – The report conveyed excerpts from a rally in Banja Luka where RS President Biljana Plavsic invited citizens to confront tyrants and fight for democracy and Law and Order. However, the media used the footage to allude to Biljana Plavsic as some kind of Mussolini and an unfulfilled individual, unfit to be a president.
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Banja Luka – At its meeting today the SDS City Board in Banja Luka appealed to RS citizens to preserve peace and their state, since the RS has come close to an abyss of evil opened up by a woman with no sense of balance. ( The footage showed SDS deputies in a conference hall with Radovan Karadzic’s picture hanging on the wall). The report carried extensively Momcilo Krajisnik’s address to deputies in which he reiterated that President Plavsic was not authorized to dismiss police officials. He also denied that he personally called SFOR troops to intervene, but thanked SFOR for preventing bloodshed, adding that those who want to create a conflict with SFOR will be disappointed.
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Banja Luka – The report maintained that leaflets issued by SFOR and IPTF appeared in the town today by which the occupational SFOR forces are offering their perception of democracy. This action calls for the only answer such bullies can understand, said the statement suggesting that bullies and invaders should be asked to leave.
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