SDA ADOPTS DECLARATION ON THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT

BRČKO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - The Main Board of the largest Bosnian political party - the Party of Democratic Action (Bosnian: Stranka Demokratske Akcije - SDA) has adopted the Declaration on the full implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement at its meeting in Brčko.SDA also requested more determination from the international community in the field of reforms Bosnia needs to implement, because of a drastic deterioration in the political situation in Bosnia, especially with respect to the Dayton Peace Agreement enforcement.

According to the SDA, the Bosnian constitutional reform is the key condition for the international community withdrawing from Bosnia.
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SDP SENDS DRAFT LAW ON CASH REGISTERS INTO PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - Delegates of Bosnian Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Bosnian State Parliament's House of Representatives sent into the parliamentary procedure draft law on fiscal cash registers.

SDP delegate, Zlatko Lagumdzija at the press conference in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo stated that this is basically law on cash registers against tax evasion.

This law regulates the sector as a whole, strengthens state institutions, decreases tax theft and costs we now have for administration which evidently has higher and higher demands on all levels.

SDP believes this leaves room for decrease of VAT rate.

Lagumdzija mentioned that proposed law could be adopted by the end of the year.He stated that the concrete application of this law would cut down a great deal of grey economy and contribute to regulation of tax discipline in Bosnia.
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BOSNIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND MEDIEVAL ARTEFACTS ON MT.VISOCICA

VISOKO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - Summer excavations at Bosnia's Mt. Visocica yielded results.A Bosnian archaeological team said that it has unearthed significant artefacts from the middle ages.

These include eight pieces of Gothic architectural carvings and parts of glass vials dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, imported from Venice and principalities of today's Germany, as well as numerous pieces of ceramic. They have also found 20 silver objects dating from the 15th-century.

"This demonstrates that much attention was devoted to the city where the medieval Bosnian Kings resided from time to time," team leader Lidija Fekeza told the Bosnian media. "Once we remove the ... vegetation from the top of Mt. Visocica, we will finally see how this medieval Bosnian locality used to look," she added.

References to the medieval Bosnian royal city of Visoki, on top of Mt. Visocica, appeared in writing for the first time in 1355; however, archaeologists believe its construction dates back as early as the 12th century. They consider it, along with the ancient Bosnian royal city of Bobovac in central Bosnia, one of the most significant historical finds in the country.
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OSCE HELPS ARRANGE REGIONAL MILITARY INSPECTIONS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - Croatia will conduct an Article IV Inspection of a military site in Bosnia from 22 to 26 September.This will be the 300th inspection mission according to the Dayton Peace Accords Annex 1 B, which covers the measures for Sub-Regional Arms Control under its Article IV,the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said.

It will also be the 600th single inspection of a military facility which was conducted on the territories of the four Parties: Bosnia,Croatia, Montenegro and the genocidal Serbia.

"The Parties have reached a high level of competence and conduct the mutual inspections in a professional and thorough manner and confirmed in inspection reports that the number of notified heavy weapons in the region is in accordance with the agreed limitations," said Brigadier General Costanzo Periotto, the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office for Article IV.

"These activities resulted in more transparency, openness and confidence between the Parties."

At the 1995 OSCE Ministerial Council in Budapest, OSCE participating States decided to designate a Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office to assist the parties in the former Yugoslavia in their negotiations and implementation of peace and arms control agreements.

Inspection activities by the Parties began in August 1996 after the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control was signed in Florence, Italy. It was agreed that for the purpose of ensuring verification of compliance with the provisions of the Agreement each Party should facilitate these inspections in line with detailed inspection rules which are covered by special procedures in protocols to the Agreement.
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BOSNIA BEATS GREAT BRITAIN 89-80 IN EUROBASKET 2009 QUALIFIER

CAZIN, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - Bosnia beat Great Britain in Cazin but will play in Additional Qualifying Round of the European Basketball Championship of 2009.Bosnians upset the leader of the group 89:80 even trailing after the opening quarter. Ernest Bremer led the winners with 18 points and 6 assists. Kenan Bajramovic netted 16, while Mirza Teletovic posted 15.

Bosnia desired a win but looked a bit problematic in the opening quarter. Even without Deng Great Britain took 20:13 after the first period. Bosnia woke up in the second and bounced back with 28:17 in the quarter. Dedovic made it 41:37 after the halftime.

Bosnia remained in front in the third period and after 20:14 had 61:51 advantage. They led more than 15 points in the last stanza but Great Britain managed to reduce to 89:80 at the end of the game.

Bosnia: Ernest Bremer 18+6 ast, Kenan Bajramovic 16, Mirza Teletovic 15

Great Britain: Andrew Betts 14, Nate Reinking 13
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BOSNIAN TRADE DEFICIT WORSENS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - In the first eight months of 2008, Bosnia exported 4.5 billion Bosnian Marks worth of goods, while the imports amounted to 10.8 billion Bosnian Marks. The resulting deficit of 6.3 billion Bosnian Marks was therefore by 1.5 billion Bosnian Marks higher than in the same period last year.

The average export/import ratio was 41.7 per cent – by two per cent lower compared to the same time last year.

However, the Director of the Bosnian State Agency of Statistics Zdenko Milinovic informed in a press conference on Friday, the August ratio was down to 39.6 per cent. As he explained, the main factor in this was the increased import from the EU, after Bosnia cancelled some of the import tariffs.Out of total August imports of 1.3 billion Bosnian Marks, the EU accounted for 634 million Bosnian Marks (about 10% bigger share compared to July 2008).

Based on the current trends, Bosnia’s trade deficit is expected to reach approximately 10 billion Bosnian Marks,Milinovic announced.
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SIX THOUSAND BOSNIAN MINERS BRACE FOR GENERAL STRIKE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - About six thousand Bosnian coal miners organized by the Bosnian National Miners’ Union are preparing to meet in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on October 2 at noon, and that way begin a general strike which will last until their demands are met, a union representative announced in on Saturday.

The miners to participate in this strike are from the coal mines in Zenica, Breza, Banovici and Kakanj. Low wages, unsatisfactory level of safety in the mines and some claims made on the basis of their previous collective agreement are the main reasons for this industrial action, miners say.
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NEW POLITICAL AGREEMENT NEEDED TO PUSH BOSNIAN POLICE REFORM FORWARD

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - Head of the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) Vincenzo Coppola has warned about a delay in the reform of the Bosnian police. In a comment to that, the Bosnian Deputy Minister of Security Mijo Kresic asserted that, in order to implement what had been agreed so far, a new political agreement is needed.

As he explained, the Ministry has submitted to the Bosnian Council of Ministers a list of its preferred candidates to helm the future policing agencies. The Council now needs to make a selection of six (heads and their deputies).

Another decision expected from the Bosnian central government is where the agencies would be headquartered. Finally, the representatives of three constitutive peoples in Bosnia need to agree on the distribution of chair positions on the basis of ethnicity. Adopting the police reform laws was a condition Bosnia had to meet to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union.
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ANNUAL INFLATION IN BOSNIA AT 6,5%

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 22,2008) - According to figures published by the Bosnian State Agency of Statistics, prices in Bosnia in August of this year were 9.5% higher on average, while the average annual inflation rate amounted to 6.5%.

The list of products and services that registered the highest increase of retail prices at annual level is slightly different than the monthly one.

The highest price growth was registered in transport prices (16.9%) and food and non-alcoholic beverages (14.4%), while prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other energy sources climbed 12.3%.

Restaurant and hotel services were 8.1% more expensive, recreation and culture 5.1%, communication services 4.2%, education 3.9% while prices of other goods and services climbed 3.5%.
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