BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC OFFENDS EU BUREAUCRATS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic has “offended the EU" by rejecting the European Union’s offer for a meeting, some media and politicians said yesterday.

Following this week's meeting of the Peace Implementation Council, PIC, the body overseeing Bosnia's compliance with the deal that ended the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia, the European Union's Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn invited top Bosnian leaders to stay in Brussels and discuss the country’s progress in its accession to the 27-member bloc.

While all other Bosnian politicians welcomed the invitation, the President of the Bosnian State Presidency Zeljko Komsic said he “does not need EU night school” and returned to Bosnia.

On Friday some Bosnian media and political leaders strongly criticised the move, calling it a “diplomatic scandal.”

“Zeljko Komsic has disgraced Bosnia,” read the headline of Bosnian daily Dnevni Avaz, listing numerous politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties who had lambasted President Komsic.

Some political leaders argue that President Komsic did not go to Brussels as a representative of his SDP party, but of Bosnia, and that it was extremely rude of him not to accept the invitation.

Despite President Komsic's absence the meeting went ahead with Rehn suggesting Bosnia could sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in April, widely seen as the first step to EU membership and become a candidate country in 2009.

"The President of the Bosnian Presidency Zeljko Komsic primarily did not plan to participate at the meetings in Brussels with EU Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn and some Bosnian political leaders, for he is of the opinion that one should not participate at the meetings of the “evening schools about the EU”-kind, President Komsic’s media advisor Irena Kljajic said.

Kljajic stated that President Komsic is of the opinion that it is not an adequate relationship of EU bureaucracy towards Bosnia.
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SDA EXPECTS LAJCAK TO REVOKE RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – The President of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA Sulejman Tihic said he finds it the International community High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak’s obligation to nullify the Kosovo resolution recently adopted by the genocidal Serbian creature in bosnia {"RS").

This is a normal conclusion after the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council denounced the document, Tihic stated, claiming its adoption was illegal and an anti-Dayton Agreement and anti-constitutional act.
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SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL JOVAN OSTOJIC ARRESTED IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – On the basis of arrest warrant issued by the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office, Serbian war criminal Jovan Ostojic (53), suspected of crimes against humanity, was arrested in the northern Bosnian cit of Banja Luka on Thrusday, Boris Grubesic, the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office Spokesperson said.

Serbian war criminal Jovan Ostojic has been suspected of war crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in the Bosanska Krupa area in 1992,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The suspect will be extradited to the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office in the legal time frame and will be submitted to the Bosnian State Court for determining detention measures.

Serbian war criminal Jovan Ostojic was arrested by members of War Crimes Investigation Centre, the Banja Luka Office, in cooperation with the Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).
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BOSNIAN STATE PROSECUTOR HAS FILED AN INDICTMENT AGAINST SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS KRSTO SAVIC AND MILE MUCIBABIC

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – The Bosnian State Prosecutor has filed yesterday an indictment against Serbian war criminals Krsto Savic and Mile Mucibabic for war crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in the southeastern Bosnian towns of Nevesinje, Kalinovik and Bileca between June and December 1992,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers Serbian war criminals Savic and Mucibabic were deliberate participants in a joint criminal enterprise, within a broad and systematic attack by the Serbian aggressor's formations against the Bosnian civilians.

The Prosecution alleges that the indictees "acted deliberately with a common goal" to deport the Bosnian civilians "by committing murder, forcible deportation, detention, torture, demolition of property, starvation and intimidation of people."

Explaining the custody order motion, the Bosnian State Prosecutor Munib Halilovic presented the results of the investigation which indicate that Serbian war criminals Krsto Savic and Mile Mucibabic were members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The statements given by injured parties imply that they were detained in the Public Safety Centre premises in Nevesinje, where they were tortured and mistreated. After that, they were transferred to a concentration camp in Bileca, while a group of detained Bosnian civilians was handed over to the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia, which took them to Boracko lake and murdered them, the Bosnian State Prosecutor told the custody order hearing held on October 5 last year.

The Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency arrested Serbian war criminals Krsto Savic and Mile Mucibabic on September 6, last year and they have been in custody ever since.
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BOSNIA TO INTENSIFY COOPERATION WITH CROATIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – The Bosnian Deputy Prime Minister and the Bosnian Minister of Security Tarik Sadovic had a meeting yesterday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Djurdja Adlesic.

Sadovic told the press after the meeting that he informed the guest about all the conclusions of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC).

”I repeated that signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) is one of the conditions and the other is a positive mark of the PIC Main Board on the entire situation in Bosnia One of the goals set that will be especially monitored by the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) is the issue of finding an acceptable and sustainable solution for military property and the issue of full implementation of the arbitrage for the Brcko District”, Sadovic said.

He added that fiscal sustainability has a special importance and added that the Bosnian Council of Ministers developed the Law on Fiscal council and sent it to the parliamentary procedure.

Also, it is of the outmost importance for obtaining the rule of law in Bosnia to pass and adopt a national strategy on movement and stay of foreigners and adoption of the judiciary sector reform strategy.

”Directors of the PIC Main Board were united in the attitude (Russian Federation included) that the Dayton Agreement is to be fully implemented and emphasized that BiH is a country made up of two entities and three constitutional peoples and that the open issues need to be solved in Bosnia in a more responsible way”, Sadovic said.

The two officials talked at the meeting about the issue of joint activities that are taken in relation to the borders between Bosnia and Croatia.

”We expressed pleasure over the fact that Bosnia is about to complete the project of sealing the locations suitable for illegal crossing of the state border. Croatia will soon do the same”, Sadovic said.

They also expressed pleasure that trade exchange between the two countries is increasing.

Sadovic stated that his guest informed him that Croatia expects an invitation to NATO. “This is good news..This, in a way, can be a good message and a guarantee for Bosnia and other countries of the region”.

The Croatian Deputy Prime Minster Djurdja Adlesic thanked for support Croatia has from its neighbours in the integration processes.

She emphasized that Croatia is ready to associate to NATO.

She said that it is extremely important for BiH to have safe neighbourhood and added that Croatia has been monitoring all the events in Bosnia.

”We want to strengthen cooperation at the economic level and prepare for association to the EU”, Adlesic said.

Answering the journalist’s question if Croatian government has discussed Bosnian Presidency member Haris Silajdzic’s veto regarding the Bosnian Presidency’s Decision on dual citizenship between Bosnia and Croatia, Adlesic stated that the Croatian government has not yet discussed the issue.
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BOSNIAN AND EU OFFICIALS HELD TALKS IN BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS, Belgium (March 1,2008) - A two-day exchange of opinions between the EU representatives and Bosnia's political leaders on the current political situation in the country, and steps that need to be taken in oder for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) to be signed by Bosnia and EU ended in Brussels with some long-awaited announcements.

The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn confirmed that talks about liberalization of the visa system would speed up, “having in mind that this is one the biggest problems for the Bosnian citizens" and the outlook for the SAA signing in April was said to be realistic.
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CANADIAN-SCOTTISH COMPANY TO BUILD A LARGE ETHANOL FUEL PLANT IN BRCKO

BRCKO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) - An advisor to the Mayor of Brcko announced yesterday that the Government of the Brcko District accepted an initiative from Canadian-Scottish EI Group to build a large ethanol fuel plant in the area. The government also agreed to some terms for this strategically important investments, but they have not been specified.

According to the same source, the company will invest around USD 150 million in the factory on the area of 20 hectares, which will give employment to around 400 people. The Brcko District overnment will provide the land for this investment.
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MINORS NOT ALLOWED ANYMORE ON BOSNIAN CAPITAL'S STREETS AT NIGHT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) - The Sarajevo Canton Assembly has adopted new law banning youngsters from the streets at night.

According to the law, minors will not be allowed on to the Bosnian capital's streets between the 2300 and 0500 hours, unless they are accompanied by their parents or guardians.

The legislation, adopted Thursday, aims to curb juvenile delinquency, which in recent weeks has become a major issue in Sarajevo, following the brutal murder of a 17-year old boy in a tram, and several other separate incidents.

Public concern over the worsening security situation has triggered four protests in as many weeks, with demonstrators demanded resignations of city government officials.

Parents and guardians whose children are caught after hours will be subject to pay a fine of between 200 and 900 Bosnian Marks (100-450 Euros).

In addition, Sarajevo’s City Public Transportation Company, GRAS, will for the first time, train conductors and hire additional security to serve as guards on buses, trams and trolleybuses.
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SLOVENIAN LARGEST FUEL RETAILER AIMS TO DOUBLE ITS PRESENCE IN BOSNIA BY 2010

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) - The Slovenian largest fuel retailer Petrol said yesterday it would invest 17 million Euros ($25.8 million) in its Bosnia operation this year, aiming to double its presence in the country by 2010.

The group plans new acquisitions and mergers to expand in the country, said Aleksander Malakovsky, director of Petrol BH Oil Company.

"The plan is in line with the company's strategy to expand in the region," he said.

Malakovsky said the company planned to create 50 new jobs this year.

Petrol BH Oil Company, which owns 36 petrol stations in Bosnia and employs 250 people, posted a 2007 revenue of 105 million Euros ($159.5 million). Its Bosnia operation currently accounts for 10 percent of its overall portfolio.

The group owns 380 petrol stations in Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo.
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