NICHOLL RE-APPOINTED AS HEAD OF BOSNIAN TAXATION AUTHORITY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 9,2007) - The International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak amended yesterday the Law on Indirect Taxation System in Bosnia and re-appointed Peter Nicholl as Head of the Bosnian Indirect Taxation Authority’s Governing Board until 30June 2008.The Bosnian Indirect Taxation Authority’s Governing Board has not yet established a permanent system for the distribution of funds from indirect taxation, Peter Nicholl will continue to assist the Board in finding a permanent methodology for revenue distribution.

Peter Nicholl’s mandate was due to expire on 13 January 2008. So far Bosnia’s most influential political parties have been unable to agree on Peter Nicholl’s successor.

The International Community's High Representative in Bosnia therefore yesterday also amended the Law on Indirect Taxation System to ensure continuous leadership and this institution’s functionality in case there is no agreement on future Governing Board Chairs.

“The law now provides for the Bosnian Finance and Treasury Minister to automatically take on the role of Chair for at least a year if there is no agreement on a new Chair of the Governing Board”, Lajcak said yesterday.

“Functional institutions and a secure base from which to continue to build a common economic space are essential for this country’s future,” Lajcak added.

This six-month extension also allows time for the Indirect Taxation Authority’s Governing Board to establish the administrative capacity necessary for the transition to the Bosnian authorities.

LAW ON PUBLIC RADIO AND TV SERVICE NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED PRIOR TO SIGNING OF SAA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 9,2007)- The new law on public Radio and TV service is necessary to be passed prior to singing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and the European Union, since the European Commission stated that the public Radio and TV service reform is one of the conditions for signing of the Agreement.

Osman Topcagic, Head of the Bosnian Direction for European Integrations said that the FBIH entity needs to adopt the law on public Radio and TV service so that the corporate body is formed.

The FBIH TV should form its managing board and four members are to be chosen to the level of the Bosnian public service managing board, which should have 12 members.

Topcagic stated that a new law needs to be adopted and Radio and TV service constituted according to the new law at the state and entity levels.

SLOVENIAN EMBASSY IN BOSNIA TO ORGANIZE MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF VISA REGIME FACILITATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOSNIA AND EU

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 9,2007) – Most of embassies of the EU countries in Bosnia started with the implementation of the Visa Regime Facilitation Agreement between Bosnia and the European Union, even though there are still embassies were certain discrepancies exist with regards to the implementation of this agreement, the Bosnian Ministry of Security Secretary, Bakir Dautbasic stated.

He added that all irregularities in the implementation of the agreement are being cleared in the forthcoming period, and this issue shall be discussed at the meeting organized by the Slovenian Embassy, since Slovenia is currently the presiding EU country.

Dautbasic expects that this meeting will help in clearing all ambiguities and misunderstandings, as to avoid any inconsistencies in the implementation of the Agreement.

”There are some embassies where certain misunderstandings exist, but most of them started with the implementation of the agreement. Some more successful than others, but we have to have some degree of tolerance since these are the first days of implementation”, stated Dautbasic.

He hopes that after today's meeting, the process of implementation would improve.

Visa Regime Facilitation Agreement between Bosnia and European Union entered into force January 1,2008.

This document would provide advantages for all Bosnian citizens, which would primarily show in lower visa costs and faster processing of submitted visa applications.

Asides, conditions for visa approval will be simplified for certain categories of the Bosnian citizens, such as students, business people, journalists, contestants in scientific and cultural events and representatives of civil society.

Visa Regime Facilitation Agreement is the first step for Bosnia towards a non-visa regime with the EU countries.

BOSNIAN HOSPITAL SAVES EUFOR SOLDIER

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 9,2007) - On 7th December 2007, EUFOR Spanish Major Manuel Garcia was evacuated from Camp Butmir to the University Hospital in Sarajevo after suffering chest pains. This was diagnosed later as a heart attack and his condition was assessed to be very serious and at one stage critical,the European Union Force in Bosnia [EUFOR) said yesterday at a press conference in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

Major Garcia was attended to at the University Hospital in Sarajevo by a highly qualified specialist team led by Doctor Mirsad Kacila.He was in intensive care until his condition stabilised. On 27th December he was diagnosed as being well enough to travel home to Spain and on 29th December he was transferred to a military hospital in Madrid where he continues to make good progress,the EUFOR said.

The EUFOR medical teams were extremely impressed with the care provided by the University Hospital in Sarajevo and indeed commented on the level of sophistication of treatment given by Doctor Mirsad Kacila and his team. Because of Doctor Mirsad Kacila’s skill it is doubted if Major Garcia would have survived in any other environment,the EUFOR stated.

The EUFOR Commander, Major General Ignacio Villalaín will visit the University Hospital tomorrow to personally thank Doctor Mirsad Kacila and his team for efforts made in the saving of Major Garcia’s life,the EUFOR announced.