Thursday, August 21, 2008

SDA PRESIDENT SULEJMAN TIHIC INVITES BOSNIA'S RULING POLITICAL PARTIES TO A MEETING

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - The President of the largest Bosnian political party - the Party of Democratic Action (Bosnian: Stranka Demokratske Akcije - SDA) Sulejman Tihic called the heads of leading political parties in Bosnia to meet and discuss burning issues related to Bosnia’s obligations in the process of European integration on Saturday, August 23 in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

They will talk about the Bosnian state property and the status of the Brcko District, which are part of issues that need to be resolved as a precondition for the transition of the Office of the Internationa Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) into the Office of the EU Special Representative (EUSR).
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REQUESTS OF ARCELOR MITTAL ZENICA WORKERS REJECTED

ZENICA, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - Negotiations of trade unions of Arcelor Mittal from the central Bosnian city of Zenica with the employer about the increase of wages were stopped due to the refusal of the owner of the company to increase the hourly wage to 3.2 Bosnian Marks.

The employer offered for hourly wages to increase by 6.7 percent and amount to 2.37 Bosnian Marks which workers refused and announced radical measures.

The trade union explained their request for the increase in wages by 50 percent, which was later reduced to 30 percent, with the increase of prices of basic foodstuffs in Bosnia and the fact that the company is making more and more money and even generated a profit of 64 million Bosnian Marks last year, while workers did not get anything.
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BOSNIAN FOREIGN TRADE DEFICIT AT 5,49 BILLION BOSNIAN MARKS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - Bosnia realized 635.4 million Bosnian Marks export and 1.501 billion Bosnian Marks worth import in July, reported in the Bosnian Agency for Statistics.

The import export ratio amounted to 42.3% in July. In the first seven month 2008, export was worth 3.984 billion Bosnian Marks or 17.4% more than in the same period in 2007, while import amounted to 9.479 billion Bosnian Marks or 23.2% more.

The import export ratio was 42%, while foreign trade deficit amounted to 5.494 billion Bosnian Marks.

Metals and metal products were most exported in this period, worth a total of 1.128 billion Bosnian Marks and making 28.3% of total Bosnian exports.
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SDP BROKE ELECTION RULES

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - Posters of the Bosnian Social Democratic Party (SDP) with photos of candidates of this party for the forthcoming local elections in Bosnia have appeared on the streets of the wedtern Bosnian city of Bihac on August 20. In that way that party has broken the rule of the Bosnian Central Electoral Commission because their election campaign started before the legaly set date.

The Bosnian Central Electoral Commission has already informed that the putting up of paid advertisements and posters cannot start before September 5th.The Bosnian Central Electoral Commission will determine whether rules were broken and what it would do after its next meeting.
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BOSNIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SVEN ALKALAJ INVITED TO BOTH AMERICAN PRE-ELECTION CONVENTIONS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - The Bosnian Minister for Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj has been invited to the forthcoming pre-elections of the both candidates for the future President of the United States, Democrat Barrack Obama and the Republican John McCain, said Zlatan Burzic, advisor in Alkalaj’s cabinet.

The Democrats will hold their convention in Denver, from August 25th to 28th and the Republicans in Minneapolis, from September 1st to 4th.

"Minister Alkalaj will use the opportunities at the conventions to remind both presidential candidates that, Bosnia, regardless the outcome of the elections, expects the continuation of the US support that our country has had before," said Burzic.
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BULGARIA WINS 2-1 AGAINST BOSNIA

ZENICA, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - Tottenham Hotspurs’ unsettled striker Dimitar Berbatov struck a goal in each half to lead Bulgaria to a 1-2 victory against Bosnia at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica yesterday.

Dimitar Berbatov showed exactly why he is such hot property in this summer’s European transfer market when he notched up two goals to steer Bulgaria to a friendly win over Bosnia, as the two nations begin preparations for their respective World Cup qualifying campaigns.

Bulgaria took the lead in the 26th minute when Berbatov took advantage of some shocking defending by Bosnia’s Hajduk Split midfielder Senijad Ibricic, who literally passed the ball directly to the Bulgarian captain right infront of an empty net.

The visitors created the second goal on their own, though, when Martin Petrov’s cross was headed in by Berbatov in the 57th minute. But just two minutes later, the Bosnians managed to pull a goal back and immediately raised hopes of a comeback.

Ibricic atoned for his earlier error when he rose highest in a crowded penalty box to head the ball past Bulgarian goalkeeper Stoyan Kolev who had only just come on three minutes earlier . But the fightback never quite materialized as Bulgaria held on for a 1-2 win.


Video: Bosnia 1-2 Bulgaria (Highlights)

Bosnia's coach Miroslav Blazevic was understandably disappointed with his side when he said after the match that some of his players simply did not meet his expecatations.

The Golden Lilies face a tough qualifying section for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as they are grouped together with the likes of Belgium, Turkey and European Champions, Spain, whom they will kick off their campaign against on the 6th of September.

Bulgaria meanwhile, will start their journey to South Africa against Montenegro on the same date and they will fancy their chances of qualifying in a very feasible group that also contains the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia and defending world champions, Italy.

Bosnia: Goran Brasnic - Zlatan Muslimovic, Branimir Bajic (Mario Juric, 54, Darko Maletic, 86), Emir Spahic, Safet Nadarevic - Dzemal Berberovic, Senijad Ibricic (Said Huseinovic 73), Dario Damjanovic (Mario Bozic, 77), Branislav Krunic (Ivan Radeljic, 54) - Zvjezdan Misimovic, Miralem Pjanic

Bulgaria: Dimitar Ivankov (Stoyan Kolev, 56) - Alexander Tunchev (Valentin Iliev, 30), Lucio Wagner, Igor Tomasic (Ivan Ivanov, 66), Zahari Sirakov (Stanislav Manolev, 80) - Stanislav Angelov (Stanislav Genchev, 45) Stilian Petrov, Velizar Dimitrov, Martin Petrov - Dimitar Berbatov, Zdravko Lazarov (Dimitar Rangelov, 53)
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BOSNIAN STATE COURT POSTPONES TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS VINKO KONDIC,BOSKO LUKIC AND MARKO ADAMOVIC CHARGED WITH GENOCIDE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 21,2008) - The trial before the Bosnian State Court of Serbian war criminals Vinko Kondic, Bosko Lukic and Marko Adamovic, charged with genocide and war crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in the Kljuc area,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia,has been postponed yesterday because the indictees were not brought to the courtroom from the detention units.

The Trial Chamber has decided to postpone the previously announced status conference at the trial for Kljuc war crimes because the two indictees have not been brought from the Detention Unit in Doboj. The public was not informed why they had not been brought to the hearing.

The Chamber has rescheduled the status conference for Monday, August 25.

Serbian war criminals Vinko Kondic, Bosko Lukic and Marko Adamovic are charged with having participated in organising and abetting a group of people in the perpetration of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Kljuc municipality in 1992,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The Defence of Serbian war criminals Bosko Lukic (1946) and Marko Adamovic (1940) filed a motion, requesting the transfer of their clients from the Doboj Correctional Facility to the Kula Facility, because they are "senior citizens", who become "distracted" by the long journey from the detention unit to the Bosnian State Court.

Dusko Panic, Defence attorney of Serbian war criminal Vinko Kondic, asked for his client to be transferred to Kula Facility because the Detention Unit of the Bosnian State Court, in which he is currently held, consists of "containers, in which there is not enough air". The Bosnian State Prosecution objected this proposal.

The Trial Chamber will render its decision at a later stage, after the Prosecution and Defence reply in writing.

Due to his bad health, Serbian war criminal Vinko Kondic was first transferred from Doboj Facility to Kula and, from there, he was transferred to the Detention Unit of the Bosnian State Court.
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