SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 9,2008) - Hosted by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), a two-day coordination meeting gathering participants in the Multi-Beneficiary Programme under the European Commission’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), has commenced in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo today.
Head of Operations of the European Commission Delegation to Bosnia Boris Iarochevitch and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Hido Biščević addressed the participants at the opening ceremony. They both emphasized the importance of the meeting and of the Multi-Beneficiary Programme, which might become an important tool for the very essence of the work of the RCC.
Delegations of Bosnia, Albania, Croatia,Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and European Commission have gathered to discuss and evaluate implementation of the ongoing projects, Programme’s strategy and possibilities for future cooperation.
Iarochevitch underlined how important and useful is to held meetings like this one in order to exchange information among the beneficiaries of the countries and delegations of the region and discuss future regional cooperation and steps forward.
“I think that the timing is very important. As you all know, we are currently engaged in the IPA programming cycle. You have been recently asked to commence to draft programmes and plans for the years 2009-2011, and I think our work today will help us to generate ideas with a regional scope for the future indicative programmes.”- stressed Iarochevitch.
Biščević pointed out that the next year, a year of 2009, would be a crucial year for the countries of the southeastern Europe, and particularly for the Western Balkans countries.He said that these countries, which are at the crossroad now, could experience two possible outcomes – a positive one, where the positive trends can be sustained and accelerated, and a negative one, a scenario of standstill.
“I need to tell you that the countries in the region are eagerly waiting for a strategy to be finalised. The governments in the region are very much preparing to see in what way, how, to what dynamics and to what methodology the Multi-Beneficiary Programme strategy will be translated, in the forthcoming period, into concrete work, concrete projects.” – said Biščević.
The multi-beneficiary programme will complement and add value to the support given by different national programmes. Multi-beneficiary actions consequently focuses on support that requires collaboration among the beneficiaries, such as regional structures, networks of experts or civil servants or to tackle needs or problems of a cross-border nature.
Purpose of support under the IPA programme is to help candidate and potential candidate countries (the Beneficiaries) to progress towards fully meeting the Copenhagen political and economic criteria as well as adopting and implementing EU acquis.
Besides the country-specific financial assistance, a multi-beneficiary programme supports joint projects by several partners, in areas such as economic and social development, exchange of students and academic staff, supporting civil society, administrative and judicial reform, fight against organised crime and corruption and disaster risk reduction.
For 2008-2010, the overall indicative amount of EU financial assistance under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is 4.471 billion Euros.
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Showing posts with label croatia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label croatia. Show all posts
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
FOUR REGIONAL GAS DISTRIBUTORS TO FORM A JOINT RESEARCH COMPANY
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 7,2008) - Four gas distributors in the region have agreed recently to form a joint research company that will be the beginning of the process of connecting national distribution networks in the southeastern Europe and developing a new network of gas pipelines, BH Gas has announced.
The agreement was reached in Budapest recently, on the Nets transmission initiative by Hungarian Mol. Each of the countries involved will contribute 1 million Euros to the joint venture.
Within two years, the new organization should produce a study about the network routes and new regional infrastructural projects. The headquarters have not been specified yet, but Croatia and Romania are candidates.
Bosnia is an observing member for now, with an ambition to become a full member of the Nets project. The country has submitted two project initiatives in Budapest.
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The agreement was reached in Budapest recently, on the Nets transmission initiative by Hungarian Mol. Each of the countries involved will contribute 1 million Euros to the joint venture.
Within two years, the new organization should produce a study about the network routes and new regional infrastructural projects. The headquarters have not been specified yet, but Croatia and Romania are candidates.
Bosnia is an observing member for now, with an ambition to become a full member of the Nets project. The country has submitted two project initiatives in Budapest.
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
CROATIANS LIVING IN BOSNIA "GO CRAZY" ABOUT GREEN SIDEWALKS IN SARAJEVO
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (August 19,2008) - The non-governmental organization of the Croatians living in Bosnia "the Croatia Libertas NGO" stated yesterday that the decision to paint the sidewalks green in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo is "a pure provocation".“This is a message of intolerance and a perfidious scene of 'ethnic cleansing' that was preconceived by Bosnians as a way to drive away people of other ethnicities and religions living in Sarajevo,” said NGO President Leo Pločkinić.
Pločkinić said that nowhere in the world were streets and sidewalks painted green,the color traditionally linked with Islam,not even in Tehran.
Bosnian workers painting sidewalks green in Sarajevo
“It is clear that Sarajevo wants to be a greater Tehran than the capital city of the Islamic Republic of Iran itself,” Pločkinić surmised.
Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac said that painting the sidewalks and streets green is good for the city, simply because the city lacked greenery.
However,Miro Lazović,one of the leaders of the Bosnian Social-Democratic Union, said that this should not be regarded as provocation, and that the move has been misinterpreted.
“The green sidewalks were meant to mark the 14th Sarajevo Film Festival, and in that context I believe that those who draw some other connotations from the green sidewalks have a political agenda of their own,” he said.
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Monday, July 21, 2008
BOSNIAN PRESIDENT HARIS SILAJDZIC VISITS CROATIA
UMAG, Croatia (July 21,2008) - Croatia has been unlawfully using the hydro potential from the Busko jezero lake to produce electricity at her Orlovac station, and there is a similar problem with the Trebisnjica hydro power station, where Croatia has altered the distribution of electricity, at the cost of Bosnia, the bosnian President Haris Silajdzic asserted yesterday in Umag, Croatia, during a meeting with the Croatian President Stjepan Mesic.Bilateral issues were discussed there, including the border, property issues, the Ploce port, the issue of Bosnian workers who were working in Croatia and lost their jobs during the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia.
The next meeting of the Bosnian-Croatian Interstate Council will take place in Bosnia in November, it was agreed. President Silajdzic said Bosnia wants good relations with Croatia, but not at Bosnia's cost, which is also why he thinks that the border between Bosnia and Croatia should be defined before the building of the disputed Peljesac bridge.
Bosnia is against the construction of thAT bridge.Bosnian officials said the bridge would prevent large ships from entering Bosnia's only port in Neum, thus blocking Bosnia's access to the open sea.
Meanwhile, Bosnia has several options, and a lawsuit is one of them.
If the Croatian authorities do not react to the just and legally well-based warnings that the construction activities are halted, that is if the legal disagreement is not solved diplomatically or in accordance with the international law, Bosnia will sue Croatia at the International Court for the Sea Right.
Recently,the Bosnian State Presidency recommended as well as the Bosnian State Parliament’s House of Representatives to inform the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) on the construction activities, as well as all other department institutions of the European Union.
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Saturday, March 8, 2008
"TELEKOM SLOVENIJE" PLANS TO EXPAND TO BOSNIAN MARKET
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (March 8,2008) - The management of "Telekom Slovenije" has announced its plans to expand to the markets of Bosnia and Croatia, including the possibility of acquisition of BH Telecom.
The Slovenian operator, which announced its financial results for 2007 this week, also has broadband plans for Bosnia and Macedonia.
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The Slovenian operator, which announced its financial results for 2007 this week, also has broadband plans for Bosnia and Macedonia.
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Saturday, March 1, 2008
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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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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Thursday, February 21, 2008
BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY AGAIN WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON AGREEMENT ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP BETWEEN BOSNIA AND CROATIA
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 21,2008) – The Bosnian Presidency did not achieve consensus on the proposition to ratify the agreement on dual citizenship between Bosnia and Croatia.
Bosnian Presidency member Haris Silajzic was against this decision since he believes that the problem of dual citizenship should not be solved this way and that a complete solution has to be found which would satisfy all Bosnian citizens and put then in equal position.
”The case is by ratifying this agreement with Croatia, the Bosnian citizens with Croatian citizenship would be in privileged position”, stated Silajdzic at the press conference after the Bosnian Presidency session.
He pointed out that there is no democratic country in the world which takes away its citizenship if its citizens gain citizenship of some other country” and that “Bosnia is the only country in the world which conditions dual citizenship with bilateral agreement”.
He appealed to those in parliament who for the fifth time refused to cancel Article 17 of the Law on citizenship to reconsider their decision, since by doing this we put all our citizens in equal position and to resolve this matter with the countries which expect us to conclude it by canceling Article 17”.
Considering there was no consensus, Silajdzic announced that he will take the decision to the Bosnian Parliament's House of Peoples and claim the protection of vital national interest”.
Also,the Bosnian Presidency did not reach a consensus on sending the request to the UN Security Council regarding the measures on implementation of the verdict by International Court of Justice from February 2007.
Bosnian Presidency members Haris Silajdzic and Zeljko Komsic voted for while Nebojsa Radmanovic was against this decision.
The Bosnian Presidency adopted the information on realization of NATO Trust Fund activities and adopted a decision on opening proceeding for talks over the conclusion of Agreement between Bosnia and Slovakia on improvement and protection of investments and decision on the agreement between Bosnia and Hungary on social security and insurance.
The Bosnian Presidency also adopted a decision on changes and amendments of the decision on rationalization of diplomatic and consular offices of Bosnia abroad.
According to this decision, the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall within 90 days from this decision finalize all affairs on closing one consulate of Bosnia in Bonn, Germany and all activities around opening of the new consulate in Frankfurt until December 31.
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Bosnian Presidency member Haris Silajzic was against this decision since he believes that the problem of dual citizenship should not be solved this way and that a complete solution has to be found which would satisfy all Bosnian citizens and put then in equal position.
”The case is by ratifying this agreement with Croatia, the Bosnian citizens with Croatian citizenship would be in privileged position”, stated Silajdzic at the press conference after the Bosnian Presidency session.
He pointed out that there is no democratic country in the world which takes away its citizenship if its citizens gain citizenship of some other country” and that “Bosnia is the only country in the world which conditions dual citizenship with bilateral agreement”.
He appealed to those in parliament who for the fifth time refused to cancel Article 17 of the Law on citizenship to reconsider their decision, since by doing this we put all our citizens in equal position and to resolve this matter with the countries which expect us to conclude it by canceling Article 17”.
Considering there was no consensus, Silajdzic announced that he will take the decision to the Bosnian Parliament's House of Peoples and claim the protection of vital national interest”.
Also,the Bosnian Presidency did not reach a consensus on sending the request to the UN Security Council regarding the measures on implementation of the verdict by International Court of Justice from February 2007.
Bosnian Presidency members Haris Silajdzic and Zeljko Komsic voted for while Nebojsa Radmanovic was against this decision.
The Bosnian Presidency adopted the information on realization of NATO Trust Fund activities and adopted a decision on opening proceeding for talks over the conclusion of Agreement between Bosnia and Slovakia on improvement and protection of investments and decision on the agreement between Bosnia and Hungary on social security and insurance.
The Bosnian Presidency also adopted a decision on changes and amendments of the decision on rationalization of diplomatic and consular offices of Bosnia abroad.
According to this decision, the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall within 90 days from this decision finalize all affairs on closing one consulate of Bosnia in Bonn, Germany and all activities around opening of the new consulate in Frankfurt until December 31.
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ICTY RELEASES FIVE CROATIAN WAR CRIMINALS FROM CUSTODY
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (February 21,2008) - Five former leaders of the fascist Croatian creature in Bosnia "the HB", who are currently on trial in The Hague, have been granted release from custody.
Croatian war criminals Jadranko Prilic, Bruno Stojic, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoje Petkovic and Valentin Ćoric will be on provisional release from today,Thursday February 21, until May 4.
All five Croatian war criminals were indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for crimes committed against the Bosnian civilians,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia in 1992 and 1993 on the territory of Prozor, Gornji Vakuf, Jablanica, Mostar, Ljubuski, Capljina and Vares.
The five are being allowed to wait for the beginning of the Defence process at liberty. Still, by this decision, they will have to appear at the ICTY on March 17 and 26, and April 21 during pre-Defence conferences.
The ICTY has also ruled that all five must stay in Croatia, where the government has agreed to provide necessary security measures and ensure the indictees' return to The Hague.
The trial started on April 26, 2006, with the Prosecution case closing on February 6, 2008. The Defence's case is set to start on May 5, 2008.
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Croatian war criminals Jadranko Prilic, Bruno Stojic, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoje Petkovic and Valentin Ćoric will be on provisional release from today,Thursday February 21, until May 4.
All five Croatian war criminals were indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for crimes committed against the Bosnian civilians,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia in 1992 and 1993 on the territory of Prozor, Gornji Vakuf, Jablanica, Mostar, Ljubuski, Capljina and Vares.
The five are being allowed to wait for the beginning of the Defence process at liberty. Still, by this decision, they will have to appear at the ICTY on March 17 and 26, and April 21 during pre-Defence conferences.
The ICTY has also ruled that all five must stay in Croatia, where the government has agreed to provide necessary security measures and ensure the indictees' return to The Hague.
The trial started on April 26, 2006, with the Prosecution case closing on February 6, 2008. The Defence's case is set to start on May 5, 2008.
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
REGIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORS MET IN SARAJEVO
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 26, 2008) - A meeting organized by the SEE Institute for Telecommunications and Information Research and the Regulatory Agency for Communications (RAK) was held in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.
Eight regional telecommunications agencies were present at the meeting – from Bosnia,Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.
They were discussing EU standards in their field, and security issues in the e-communications sector.The Bosnian and the Montenegrin RAK agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding, for increasing co-operation in the area of developing telecommunication services.
Eight regional telecommunications agencies were present at the meeting – from Bosnia,Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.
They were discussing EU standards in their field, and security issues in the e-communications sector.The Bosnian and the Montenegrin RAK agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding, for increasing co-operation in the area of developing telecommunication services.
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