BOSNIA AND EU TO SIGN STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT IN MAY

BRUSSELS, Belgium (March 18,2008) – Sources close to the EU claim that the signing date of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and the EU has been moved to May, instead of the initially expected April 28. Unofficially, the change carries no political message, nor is it a consequence of the Bosnian Parliament's Commission for Defence and Security rejecting the police reform bill.

Instead, it is a matter of procedure. After Bosnia had met the key conditions, it will take several weeks for the EC to complete preparations and documentation.

The document, among other things, needs to be translated into 23 languages. For this reason, the signing is more likely to take place in May, a source has explained.
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ONLY QUARTER OF ARMAMENT USED BY BOSNIAN ARMY MEETS NATO STANDARDS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 18,2008) – An assessment by the Bosnian Defence Ministry shows that only a quarter of the armament used by the Bosnian Army complies with the standards of NATO.

At the same time, there is a large quantity of obsolete weaponry which will be either sold, donated or destroyed. Most of the weaponry that meets the required standards is of western origin.

The Bosnian Deputy Defence Minister Igor Crnadak confirmed that the country does not plan the procurement of new fighter airplanes and helicopters soon, due to insufficient funds.
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NINTH ANNIVERSARY SINCE ASSASSINATION OF FBIH ENTITY DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER JOZO LEUTAR MARKED IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 18,2008) – On the occasion of the ninth anniversary since the assassination of the FBiH Entity Deputy Interior Minister Jozo Leutar, the FBiH Entity Vice President Mirsad Kebo and the Sarajevo Canton Police Commissioner Himzo Selimovic visited the place of Leutar’s assassination.

They paid their respects to late Deputy Minister Leutar by laying flowers at the place of his killing and by observing a moment of silence.

Vice President Kebo used the opportunity to again urge relevant authorities to do all in their power to discover the perpetrators of this heinous act.

The Bosnian Deputy Security Minister Mijo Kresic also laid a wreath at the memorial marking the place of Leutar’s assassination.

Kresic held a conversation with members of Leutar’s family and numerous friends who did not hide their frustration with the fact that the perpetrators of this act have not been discovered to this day.

The FBiH Entity Deputy Interior Minister Jozo Leutar was killed on March 16 1999 by an explosive device placed under his vehicle.
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BOSNIAN MINISTRY OF SECURITY TO DEVELOP A LAW ON WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION

MOSTAR, Bosnia (March 18,2008) – As a part of the Small Arms Control Project in Bosnia (SACBiH), in organization of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), , a seminar is being held in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar (from March 17 to 20), aimed to support the SAC Coordination Board and the Bosnian Ministry of Security in the process of development of a law on weapons and ammunition.

The Coordination Board will conduct an analysis at the seminar, as well as a revision of the state strategy in accordance to the information on progress and results of the weapons control activities, as well as destruction of the weapons and ammunition.

Also, the Board will finalize the UN Annual Report in accordance to the Resolution against the Illegal Weapons Trade.

Bosnia is currently in the process of harmonization of the Law on Weapons and Ammunition in accordance to the EU Directives on Purchase of Ownership of Weapons. UNDP is actively involved in the process, as a member of the workgroup for development of bill on weapons and ammunition and as a part of the Weapons Control Program in Bosnia.

UNDP is also a part of the workgroup in charge of development of bill on transport of dangerous materials, which should also be in accordance to the UN and EU agreements on transport of dangerous materials.

It has been planned that both the bills are submitted to the Bosnian Council of Ministers and the Bosnian Parliament by mid-November 2008. UNDP said it will continue supporting the attempts of passing the comprehensive laws which will enable a better action against all the threats and risks the illegal weapons bring about.

The Coordination Board has been nominated by the Bosnian Council of Ministers in October 2005 and in 2006 the Council of Ministers adopted the Bosnian State Strategy for Control of Weapons and Ammunition.

UNDP survey results have shown that 270 incidents caused by the use of weapons were registered in the period from January – December 2007.

Those incidents resulted in 69 fatalities and 52 major or minor injuries.

Goal of all the UNDP activities in the Program of Weapons and Ammunition Control in Bosnia is improvement of the security situation in the country though introduction of the new, unified laws which regulate the ownership, purchase and carrying of weapons, as well as activities in the process of purchase and destruction of weapons and ammunition, UNDP announced.
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