Sunday, November 11, 2007

BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBER HARIS SILAJDZIC DELIVERS LECTURE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

WASHINGTON, USA (November 11,2007) - During the lecture at the Georgetown University in Washington,D.C.,USA,on the topic “Bosnia: the way ahead”, a member of the Bosnian Presidency Dr Haris Silajdžić clarified the current situation in the region and pointed out that democratic and functional structure of Bosnia was the best guarantee for the country’s progress towards the EU and NATO membership and the long-term stability in the region. Dr Silajdžić noticed that certain circles in the democratic countries must be persuaded in that fact, emphasizing that we are forced to smuggle in the democracy and the pluralism in Bosnia, just as Bosnia was forced to smuggle in the weapons for defending itself against the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions.

In a full university classroom where the lecture took place, Dr Silajdžić was especially greeted by a great number of students from Bosnia studying at this prestigious university and invited them to continue to represent Bosnia in the best light.

During the interview for Al-Jazeera, asked what he would do about the Kosovo status, Dr Silajdžić said that in any case, he would not give the green light to signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement to Serbia until Serbia has fulfilled its international commitments.

CZECH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER KAREL SCHWARZENBERG VISITED BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 11,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic had a meeting in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg. They talked about improvement of relations between Bosnia and the Chzech Republic.

The officials stated that the relationship between the two countries is good and that the people and Government of the Czech Republic have supported the people of Bosnia both during the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggression and in the post-war period.

The Bosnian Pesident Zeljko Komsic emphasized that Bosnia is facing serious halts in progress and that the country’s way to the EU and NATO is the only safe way for the country to achieve progress.

He added that the upcoming period will be extremely difficult for Bosnia and added that he fully supports the International Community High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak’s recent measures aimed at strenghtening the Bosnian state.

The Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg stated he understood how difficult the EU road must be for Bosnia, but that it is necessary in order to achieve stability and progress.

He expressed full support to the attempts of Bosnia to enter the Euro-Atlantic integrations and added that cooperation is necessary between all politicians in Bosnia in order to achieve progress.

Schwarzenberg added that the Czech Republic is still ready to share its experience with Bosnia for the purpose of achieving all conditions necessary for the EU association.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic and the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg emphasized that the relations between the two countries will still be developed economically and in the sector of culture. Signing of eight international agreements is to follow soon.

They also talked about the current situation in the region, especially about the Kosovo issue.

PROTECTED WITNESS HELPED LOCATE MASS GRAVES IN EASTERN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 11,2007) - The trial of four Serbian war criminal indicted for war crimes committed in the eastern Bosnian town of Bratunac during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia continues before the Bosnian State Court. The Bosnian State Prosecutor has invited investigator Muris Brkic to testify.

Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic are charged, as members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), with having participated in the mass murder of the Bosnian civilians detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in Bratunac.

On September 18, 2006 Muris Brkic and one protected prosecution witness visited the locations in Srebrenica municipality, which the witness identified as mass graves. The mentioned locations are: Glogova near Bratunac, two locations in the vicinity of Budak village, Vitlovac, Ljubisavic, i.e. Pusmolici, Zeleni jadar, Jasenovo and two more locations near Zeleni jadar.

After he had received the information from the witness, on March 22, 2007 Brkic made "preliminary visits" to these locations together with Murat Hurtic, head of the Missing Persons Office in Tuzla. An official note on the preliminary visit to potential mass graves locations in Srebrenica was made.

The prosecution ordered pilot excavations, which were undertaken from March 26 to March 28, 2007. Brkic said that human remains were discovered at the locations in Budak, Pusmolici and Zeleni jadar. No remains were found at the location in Vitlovac. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) undertook an exhumation at the location in Jasenova in 2005.

Human remains were discovered at four locations, of which witness told Brkic. Following the preliminary testing, exhumation was undertaken from two graves – Zeleni jadar and Budak. The prosecutor intended to present the exhumation reports, but this will have to be done at a later stage as the defence received those pieces of evidence just before the hearing. Other pieces of evidence shown to this witness, including the photographs of these locations, will be presented at the next hearing, when the witness will be cross-examined.

The prosecutor has announced that military observer Jozef Kingori will testify at one of the future hearings. He is the last prosecution witness who will testify in this phase of the proceeding. The Bosnian State Prosecutor does not intend to invite the remaining 20 witnesses, whose names were listed in an attachment to the indictment.

The trial of Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic is due to continue before the Bosnian State Court on November 21, 2007.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON RISE IN UNA-SANA CANTON

BIHAC, Bosnia (November 11,2007) - Over the first nine months of 2007, 125 cases of domestic violence have been registered in the Una-Sana Canton, i.e. 28 percent more than in the same period of time last year.

Victims of domestic violence are partly protected by NGO Women from Una, a non-governmental organization which provides a safe house for them.

However, the Cantonal Government refuses to support the project and it is hence feared that the only safe house in Bihac could soon be closed because of a lack of financial means.

The overall budget needed for the implementation of this project would amount to approximately 50,000 Bosnian Marks a year.