PRESIDENT KOMSIC: LAJCAK IS NOT ONLY TOLERATING STATEMENTS BUT SERIOUS PLANS FOR DISSOLUTION OF BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) - The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo that he did not attend the recent meeting with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn along with the leaders of the most influential political parties in Bosnia because he does not want to be a part of those kind of persuasions into things he does not believe in.

He explained that meeting with Rehn was first drafted as a seminar but that it was not even planned. Still, when its preparation began, he informed the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) that he did not want to attend this meeting.

"Reason is, that they do not have to convince me that this police reform is something good because I believe this plan is bad for Bosnia. That is why I did not want to participate and give legitimacy to something I do not believe in”, stated President Komsic for the press.

He pointed out that various comments contributed to the idea that he rejected to see Olli Rehn.

"I did not refuse to meet him, but I did not plan to attend this meeting in the first place, and neither some individual meeting within some forum was planned”, President Komsic pointed out.

He stated that certain colleagues’ comments on all of this were interesting and that everybody has the right to believe what they want.

In that way, some politicians claimed that the meeting confirmed the unity of Bosnia and its territorial integrity while others claimed that the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia ("RS") is "a permanent category" and that they received confirmations for this from all political directors of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) member states.

"Someone concluded that this is a great victory and that we shall sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU which is all stated in communiqué. We shall have this agreement but not because we have done something concrete but because Europe is primarily driven by security situation in the region and therefore they will allow us to sign the SAA”, believes Komsic.

He pointed out that nothing more was expected from this meeting but that only old positions have been confirmed.

President Komsic commented the work and behavior of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia and called it inadmissible. He believes that Lajcak is not only tolerating statements but serious plans for dissoulution of Bosnia.

"Considering the power he has, he cannot behave in this way. Either it is his personal estimate or an order of his political bosses to act the way he does. I do not expect for High representative to behave in the manner: “Believe me, and not your own eyes”, underlined President Komsic.
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SDA CAUCUS HAS PREPARED A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS TO POLICE REFORM LAWS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) – The Bosnian Minister of Security Tarik Sadovic stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo that the SDA Party Caucus at the Bosnian Parliamentary Assembly prepared a “number of amendments to the two proposals for the police reform laws aimed to improve the laws’ texts”.

”We are not optimistic related to adoption of the amendments”, Sadovic stated and assed that both these laws were supported in the first reading in the parliamentary houses. What follows is the phase of amendments.

Sadovic expressed concerns over the fact that the text of the existing laws does not contain neither of the three EU principles on police reform.

”That worries us greatly. I clearly heard at the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Main Board session that the Office of the International community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) and the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) are authorized to state whether or not the EU principles have been implemented or not. If not, the question is why has the EU given up the principles”, Sadovic stated.

He added that he has had an opportunity to see almost all the documents of the PIC Main Board’s communiqué and several letters of the Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn.

”In each of the three letters, police reform based on the three principles was emphasized. It is strange for us at the SDA party that we are to be given something that is not the police reform, under the excuse for signing the SAA. My party’s position is that Bosnia should sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and European Union, but we also need a good police reform. That means that wee need to get a multiethnic police, based on the EU standards and in the function of efficient fight against all forms of crime”, Minister Sadovic said.
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GENOCIDE SURVIVOR FEJZIJA HADZIC TESTIFIED BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT ABOUT A MASS MURDER COMMITTED BY GENOCIDAL SERBIAN AGGRESSOR IN KALINOVIK

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) – The first Prosecution witness has testified before the Bosnian State Court about out the mass murder of Bosnian civilians committed by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in the Bosnian town of Kalinovik and the indictee's responsibility.

Fejzija Hadzic, the first Prosecution witness at the trial of Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba charged with crimes against Bosnian civilians committed in Kalinovik in 1992,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia, described how he survived the mass murder and the torching of bodies in August 1992.

"I think I will remember that date, August 5, for as long as I live. Askraba came to "Barutni magacin" concentration camp and said: 'You are treated in a nice way in comparison to the others.' Later on, Pero Elez came... Elez ordered them to tie our hands and then they took us in trucks to a stable, where they shot us. When I heard the shooting, I fell to the ground and pretended I was dead. Then they ordered other detainees to drag the bodies into a stable, poured gasoline upon the bodies and set us on fire," Hadzic said, adding that he was wounded in his leg but managed to escape from the stable.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Ratko Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba with the crimes committed on August 5, 1992, against Bosnian civilians from Jelec village in Foca municipality, Mjehovina, Jelasica, Vihovici and Jezera villages in Kalinovik municipality and villages in the Gacko area between April 1992 to March 1993.

Serbian war criminal Pero Elez was commander of a genocidal Serbian paramilitary unit. He is believed to have been killed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The indictment alleges that Serbian war criminal Djordjislav Askraba handed over the detained Bosnian civilians to Elez's Unit members, who tied them with wire and beat them "with their legs, hands and wooden sticks". After that they transported them by truck to a stable in Ratine place, where they were shot, poured gasoline over the bodies and set them on fire by the genocidal Serbian aggressor.

"In early August, Askraba visited the 'Barutni magacin' concentration camp and took some detainees, allegedly, for exchange. Some of them, who were found later, had been killed and their arms had been tied," the witness stated.

The witness said, on June 25, he was detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in Kalinovik. He was among 74 prisoners transferred to "Barutni magacin" concentration camp on "July 6 or 7." In the detention camp he saw Askraba, who introduced himself as "concentration camp commander."

The indictment alleges that Serbian war criminal Djordjislav Askraba was concentration camp commander between July 7 and August 5, 1992.

"I remember being told that Ratko Bundalo was 'a colonel' in early 1992. At that time he used to come to meetings in Mjehovina and other villages. He told us not to worry and said that nothing would happen to us," Hadzic said.

The Prosecution claims that Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo and Nedjo Zeljala participated in the "establishment and organisation" of concentration camps in Kalinovik area where "about 300 Bosnian civilians" were physically and mentally mistreated every day by the genocidal serbian aggressor.

The witness said he did not see Serbian war criminal Nedjo Zeljaja in 'Barutni magacin' concentration camp.

During cross-examination, the Defence teams did not have any questions for the witness regarding the participation of the three Serbian war criminals in the crimes committed in Kalinovik area during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Asked by Trial Chamber Chairman Stanisa Gluhajic if he wanted the indictees to be criminally prosecuted due to their participation in the crimes, the witness said he wanted them to be "tried for what they had done."

The trial of Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba is due to continue before the Bosnian State Court on March 13, when another Prosecution witness will be examined.
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WORKBOOK ON HERITAGE OF BOSNIAN NATIONAL MINORITIES PRESENTED IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) – “The increased focus on national minorities in mainstream education will increase the visibility of national minority issues in Bosnia, and create space for a new voice in Bosnian society and politics”, said Claude Kieffer, Director of OSCE Mission to Bosnia Education Department, at the meeting in Vogosca.

The representatives of the OSCE, the Office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities, 17 national minorities, Ministries of Civil Affairs, Human Rights and Refugees, and Education, as well as CIVITAS attended the launch of the project on the development of a Student Workbook on the Origins, Culture, Heritage and Traditions of the National Minorities of Bosnia.

The aim is to develop an informative and engaging teaching aid, which will consist of a workbook and a supplementary CD/DVD about the culture and ethnic diversity of the country, for pupils of grades 4 to 6.

“The envisioned workbook will provide the national minorities with an exceptional opportunity to present their rich cultural heritage to the youth of Bosnia”, stated Kieffer.

“National minorities’ representatives will form a Working Group, and develop the Student Workbook with an experienced textbook writer. Their contribution will be fully taken into account, as it should be in projects such as this,” Kieffer said.

It is planned that the material from the Workbook will be used as a part of the existing school curriculum by the end of 2008/2009 school year. Primary school teachers will be trained to use the textbook as supplementary material to be embedded in a number of existing disciplines, such as History, Geography, and Civic Education.

The project was developed by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia.
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