BOSNIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS STATE BUDGET FOR 2008 AND BILL ON POLICE REFORM

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – The Bosnian Parliament's House of Representatives adopted the Bill on the Bosnian State Budget for 2008 and, according to which this year’s budget is 1.186.357.560 Bosnian Marks. 29 delegates voted in favour of the Bill over 8. Three delegates were in abstention.Also, delegates accepted the conclusion that the Bosnian government should develop a plan of activities in order to decrease the expenses of rents for the Bosnian state institutions.

After a long discussion, delegates supported the principles of law on independent and supervisory bodies of police structures in Bosnia with 22 votes in favour over 17 and one in abstention, as well as the coordination of police bodies principles and agencies for police structures in Bosnia.

The remaining items of the agenda are to be discussed at a session which will be held in early March.
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BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBER HARIS SILAJDZIC DISCUSSED POLITICAL SITUATION IN BOSNIA WITH SEVERAL FOREIGN DIPLOMATS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – A member of the Bosnian Presidency Dr Haris Silajdžić met with Said Nasser Mansoor Al-Sinawi Al-Hartly, the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Bosnia.

Dr Silajdžić also had separate meetings with Zulkifli Adnan, the Ambassador of Malaysia to Bosnia, Bullent Tulun, the Ambassador of Turkey to Bosnia and Raffi Gregorian, the International Community's First Deputy High Representative in Bosnia.

During the meeting, they talked about the current political situation in Bosnia and the region.

Besides that, they also talked about the state of the Bosnian economy , as well as the possibilities and the perspective for the following period.

All conversationalists agreed that besides all pressing issues in Bosnia, the priority is signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union,the Cabinet of Bosnian Presidency Member Dr Haris Silajdžić said in a press release.
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PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION BETWEEN BOSNIA AND DENMARK TO BE INTENSIFIED

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (February 22,2008) – The Bosnian Ambassador to Denmark Sead Maslo met in the Danish capital Copenhagen with the Chairman of the Danish Parliament Thor Pedersen.

Ambassador Sead Maslo congratulated Chairman Pedersen on his appointment and informed him about current political situation in Bosnia and the region, and particularly about Bosnia's efforts in approaching Euro-Atlantic integrations.

They stated that bilateral relations between Bosnia and Denmark are friendly and without open issues and that parliamentary cooperation should be intensified.
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AVERAGE GROSS SALARY IN BOSNIA IN DECEMBER WAS 1,007 BOSNIAN MARKS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – According to data released by the Bosnian State Statistics Agency, the average gross salary in Bosnia in December was 1,007 Bosnian Marks.

This amount was by 0.9 per cent nominally higher, in comparison to November 2007. On the annual level, the average national gross salary was up by 10.7 per cent. The average net salary in December was up by 1.3 per cent, to 681 Bosnian Marks.
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ICTY INVESTIGATOR DEAN MANNING TO TESTIFY BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT AT TRIAL OF 11 SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – At the trial of 11 Serbian war criminals,former members of the genocidal paramilitary forces of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS),charged with genocide before the Bosnian State Court, a discussion was held yesterday on a number of procedural issues, as well as on the witnesses who will appear at the Court and those who have refused to testify.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges the 11 Serbian war criminals with the mass murder of around 1,000 Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian village of Kravica on July 13,1995.

It was announced that International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) investigator Dean Manning, who lives in Australia, might be examined on March 12, at midnight,due to the time difference between Bosnia and Australia.

The Defence teams of the 11 indictees charged with genocide committed in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica in 1995,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia,are due to cross-examine Manning, after the Bosnian State Prosecutor has filed a transcript of his testimony at the trial of a convicted Serbian war criminal Vidoje Blagojevic, who was sentenced by the ICTY to 15 years' imprisonment for crimes committed in Srebrenica.

"The Australian legal authorities are willing to help us and facilitate a video-conference within their working hours. The time difference is ten hours, and the only way to make this happen is to begin the examination at midnight," Trial Chamber Chairman Hilmo Vucinic said, adding that he will attempt to establish the video-link at "a more adequate time".

The Defence attorneys did not have any problems with "examining this witness at midnight", as his testimony is "in the interest of the Defence".

Following Manning's examination, investigators Richard Batler and Jean Rere Ruez are due to be cross examined by the end of March.

At this hearing, the Trial Chamber informed the Defence teams that two ICTY convicts who are serving their sentences in Norway - Serbian war criminals Dragan Obrenovic, sentenced to 17 years, and Vidoje Blagojevic – have refused to testify in favour of the 11 Serbian war criminals.

"Obrenovic is not willing to testify as he is concerned for the safety of his family, while Blagojevic claims he does not know Serbian war criminal Milos Stupar and has no connection with him at all," Judge Vucinic explained.

At the request of Serbian war criminal Milos Stupar's Defence, the Trial Chamber admitted the transcripts and recordings of the testimonies of Zoran 'Pirocanac' Petrovic and Nikola Gajic in The Hague, who "were also not willing to testify".

Petrovic is a journalist who was with the genocidal Serbian aggressor during the attack on Srebrenica on July 11, 1995. The Defence attorneys said that Gajic was "an eyewitness of the events".

The Bosnian State Prosecutor proposed that the statements given by Serbian war criminal Ljubomir Borovcanin to investigators prior to being charged be included as material evidence. Serbian war criminal Ljubomir Borovcanin is currently on trial in The Hague for genocide committed by the Serbian aggressor in Srebrenica.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor Ibro Bulic suggested that Alister Graham, the ICTY investigator who examined Serbian war criminal Ljubomir Borovcanin, be called as a witness to talk about the acceptability of those statements. The Defence teams objected, asking for another chance for cross-examination.

The Prosecution also proposed a list of evidence to refute the Defence's allegations, including a proposal for the examination of two witnesses who would speak about the happenings in Srebrenica of July 13, 1995.

In July 1995 the genocidal Serbian aggressor mass murdered up to 10,000 Bosnian civilians from Srebrenica.

The trial of 11 Serbian war criminals charged with genocide is due to continue before the Bosnian State Court on March 12.
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BOSNIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ATTENDS OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY SESSION IN VIENNA

VIENNA, Austria (February 22,2008) – A delegation of the Bosnian Parliament, lead by First Deputy Speaker Semsudin Mehmedovic is attending the annual OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session in Vienna, from February 21 to 23.

At this year’s session, participants are to discuss Kosovo independence proclamation and reaction of other countries, members of OSCE.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will also debate current issues relating to OSCE activities.The Conventional Armed Forces Treaty will also be discussed.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE was established in 1990. The primary task of the 320 member Assembly is to promote parliamentary involvement in the activities of the OSCE and to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue and co-operation, important aspects of the overall effort to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area.
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ESI: BOSNIA IS BECOMING A MAJOR ENERGY PLAYER IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – Bosnia is becoming a major energy player in the Southeastern Europe, the latest report from the Berlin-based European Stability Initiative (ESI) claims.

This is owing to the country’s potential for dramatically increasing domestic electricity production.

In the report that will soon be officially introduced, ESI’s analysts underline the importance of the Stanari thermal power station with installed capacity of 420 megawatt-hours, into which some EUR 600 million is about to be invested.

The Stanari will be third power station in Bosnia in terms of capacity, and the first to be built in the past 25 years. Only Romania and Bulgaria have bigger electricity production capacity than Bosnia in the region, according to ESI.
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INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN BOSNIA PRESENTED TO DUTCH INVESTORS

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (February 22,2008) – On the initiative of the Bosnian embassy in The Netherlands, and in response to the interest of more than 40 companies from the Lansingerland region in western Netherlands, representatives of the Bosnian Foreign Investment and Promotion Agency (FIPA) held a presentation at Lansingerland’s municipal government office.

They discussed investment opportunities in Bosnia, and focus was on wood and metal processing industries, agriculture, energy, transport and tourism.

Dutch businessmen showed great interest for legal framework for foreign investments, expenses and modern business activity, as well as for the level of education on labour market in Bosnia.

The Ambassador of Bosnia in the Netherlands Fuad Sabeta emphasized that Bosnia's interest is initiation of the activities which bring closer Bosnian economic potentials to Dutch business partners and represent a step towards improvement of relations of the two countries.
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BOSNIA'S IMPORTS REACH 1 BILLION BOSNIAN MARKS IN JANUARY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – According to data released yesterday by the Bosnian Statistics Agency, Bosnia imported 1 billion Bosnian Marks worth of goods in January this year.

Exports amounted to 485 million Bosnian Marks during the same period. In real terms, the trade exchange deficit was almost 515 million Bosnian Marks (exchange ratio was 48.6 per cent).

The processing industry was the main importer in January (18 per cent share of machinery and electric equipment, 11 per cent of petroleum products).

The metal industry contributed to 22.3 per cent of exports. This indicates that the raw metal output is increasing at Mostar Aluminij and Zenica steelworks, while demand on the local market is dropping.

Croatia was the main trade partner (16.9 per cent of export and 17.8 per cent of import). Germany, Serbia, Italy and Slovenia followed.
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HEAD OF EUPM TO VISIT TUZLA TODAY

TUZLA, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – In scope of his regular visits to Bosnian police counterparts and EU Police Mission’s offices across Bosnia, Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola, Head of the EU Police Mission to Bosnia, will pay a visit to Tuzla today.

During his visit, General Coppola will meet with the Minister of Interior of the Tuzla Canton, Sead Omerbegovic, Police Commissioner Nedim Mutapcic, and the EU Police Mission personnel in Tuzla.

General Coppola will use the opportunity to discuss the current state of affairs in the Ministry and police activities in Tuzla Canton as well as their cooperation with the EU Police Mission and other law enforcement agencies.

All media are cordially invited to attend a press opportunity which will take place today, Friday, 22 February 2008 at 12.30 hrs at the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior’s premises, Turalibegova bb, Tuzla.
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