BiH CoM appointed the Heads of BiH Directorate of Police Coordination

FPA Director Miletic files a report against the Independent Board

SIPA launches an investigation against Pena, Dumancic is conducting businesses with his wife 

Minister plays the key role in the appointment procedure of TC Police Commissioner

BiH has sent a fake list to UN Security Council

Ganic appeared before the court

Two Zenica Prison convicts found dead

 

BHT, BN, NTV Hayat, Nezavisne novine front page and pgs. 2 and 3, Dnevni list pg. 7, Press RS pg. 6 – BiH Council of Ministers (BiH CoM) appointed yesterday Himzo Selimovic as Director of BiH Directorate of Police Coordination, while Uros Pena and Mile Juric have been appointed as Deputy Directors. The appointment of the heads of this agency was the final condition for abolishment of visa regime for BiH citizens.

“We did a good job and we have good news for the citizens of this country. The agreement reached among BiH CoM has shown that progress is possible” stated yesterday BiH CoM Chairman Nikola Spiric, announcing his trip to Brussels where the results of the conditions met will be presented to EU officials. 

“We have noted several times that the appointment of police officials is a very important condition that needs to be fulfilled and that is why we welcome the BiH CoM’s decision on the appointment. The European Community (EC) will submit an analysis of the implementation of the conditions based on the Reports submitted by our Expert Teams who visited BiH, and then decide whether to propose to the EU Council to abolish the visa regime for the citizens of BiH,” said Delegation of the EC in BiH representative Zora Stanic.

Nikola Spiric also added that he and his deputies, Sadik Ahmetovic and Dragan Vrankic, agreed that the BiH Directorate of Police Coordination Headquarters will be located in Sarajevo, while the Headquarters of the earlier established BiH Agency for the Prevention of Corruption will be located in East Sarajevo.

Spiric also informed that BiH CoM is to take funds from the budget reserves for 2010 in order to finance the work of both institutions.

Within 90 days the BiH Directorate of Police Coordination shall become operational.

BiH CoM additionally extended the mandate of BiH Border Police Director Vinko Dumancic, and appointed Border Police officer Enes Gracanin as his Deputy Director.

Marko Dominkovic from Orasje Canton Police has been appointed as SIPA Deputy Director.

As FTV reported, there was no agreement regarding the appointment of Dragan Lukac.

“BiH Directorate of Police Coordination will have a lot of work concerning the improvement of coordination among different police bodies, and I will give my best to make the its work more efficient,” stated Pena.

Vecernji list additionally reported that the candidate Sead Lisak was also not appointed to any of the positions he applied for, although he has been considered as the odds-on favourite, and praised the work of Vinko Dumancic. With regards to the appointment of Marko Dominkovic, reports the daily, there have been some pressures as well as attempts in order for some other candidates to be selected for this position. According to the official ranking, Mirza Lisinovic and Sead Lisak were the second best and the third best candidates behind Dominikovic.

Nezavisne novine and Dnevni avaz highlighted in their articles that EU Police Mission (EUPM) welcomed the appointment of the Directors and deputies of the Directorate of Police Coordination, the Border Police and SIPA by BiH CoM. EUPM also welcomes the decision on the seat of the Directorate and the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption.

“I congratulate the BiH CoM and the Minister of Security for their determination to take these important decisions. I would also like to congratulate my police colleagues for their appointments and offer them my full support for their important tasks. EUPM stands ready to assist and advice on the next steps to reach this goal”, stated Commissioner Stefan Feller, Head of EU Police Mission.

Feller added that BiH CoM’s decision is a crucial step in the set-up of the institutions established by the 2008 police reform laws.

In addition, BiH CoM adopted the Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Terrorism 2010 - 2013.

 

Dnevni avaz pg. 9 – Director of the Federation Police Administration (FPA), Zlatko Miletic, confirmed for Dnevni avaz that he has filed a report against the members of the Independent Board (IB) headed by Ziko Krunic, who submitted the list of the most successful candidates for the positions of the Heads of new State level police agencies in BiH.

“I have filed a report against six members of the IB because I am of the opinion that the list of the most successful candidates hasn’t been submitted in accordance with the Law and Book of Rules. At the same time, I have filed an administrative lawsuit before the BiH Court because of all that,” said Miletic.

While responding to the question whether his lawsuit might prevent this colleagues and newly appointed police officials from taking over their duties, Miletic stated that the BiH Court is competent of reaching such a decision.

“Still, I love this country more than any position I have applied for and I don’t want any kind of measures to be proposed that will be contrary to the common interest. I would just like to demonstrate to the gentlemen from IB that they are not allowed to play with someone’s credibility or to discriminate anyone,” said Miletic.

Miletic is of the opinion that the IB’s assessment of his performance was illegal, adding that he applied for three vacant positions but preferred to the appointed as the Director of BiH Directorate of Police Coordination. 

 

Oslobodjenje pg. 9 – BiH Council of Ministers (BiH CoM) appointed yesterday Himzo Selimovic as Director of BiH Directorate of Police Coordination, while Uros Pena and Mile Juric have been appointed as Deputy Directors. BiH CoM additionally extended the mandate of BiH Border Police Director Vinko Dumancic, and appointed Border Police officer Enes Gracanin as Deputy Director.

Marko Dominkovic from Orasje Canton Police has been appointed as SIPA Deputy Director.

It is obvious that BiH CoM had no problems with the fact that BiH Prosecution ordered State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) to launch an investigation against current RS Police Director Pena. Persons who filed a report against him are holding Pena partially responsible for the death of at least 20 police officers who were killed in 1992 during a battle with members of Croatian Defence Council (HVO). Pena already used his connections to instruct all potential eyewitnesses – police officers, telling them exactly what to say to SIPA inspectors.

It seems like Border Police Director Dumancic is also dealing with similar businesses. Dumancic allegedly concluded a business agreement worth approximately six millions BAM with the company “Unitrade” that currently employs his wife Mirjana Dumancic.

In addition, during the trial Oliver Idzakovic is leading against the Border Police before the BiH Court, member of the Police Board Nenad Dragisic stated that Dumancic was influencing the selection of the candidates for the vacant positions within Border Police.

“The IB submitted the list of the most successful candidates. My job was to forward the list to BiH CoM for adoption. BiH CoM appointed the police officials and my work with regards to this issue is completed,” commented BiH Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetovic.

In his statement for Glas Srpske, Pena harshly denied that report against him has been filed.

 

Nezavisne novine pg. 7 – Minister will play the key role in the appointment procedure of Tuzla Canton Police Commissioner if the Tuzla Canton Parliamentary Assembly adopts the Draft Law on Tuzla Canton Internal Affairs.

According to the Draft Law, the Independent Board for Appointment, which is not allowed to have members of police agencies, is in charge of scoring and interviewing the potential candidates, after which the Minister of Interior selects two candidates and forwards his proposal to TC Government for approval.

While the current TC Police Commissioner, Nedim Mutapcic, refused to make any comments, sources from the police claim that this is just another attempt of politics trying to take control over the work of Police Commissioner, as well as the police.

EU Police Mission (EUPM) stated that the Mission provided assistance and advice to the cantonal authorities over the last years.

“The Draft Law is in line with the European standards, such as the European Code of Police Ethics of the Council of Europe,” stated EUPM Spokesperson Sladjana Lizdek.

 

Dnevni avaz front page and pg. 2 – Daily claims to be in possession of documentation that in February 2010, BiH authorities have sent a fictitious list to UN Security Council, stating  that there are 45 organisations in BiH that might be linked to terrorism and terrorist activities.

BiH Deputy Minister of Security, Mijo Kresic, signed the list on behalf of BiH Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetovic and ordered BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send the list to New York.

The documentation says that BiH Prosecution has “operative information that 45 organisations in BiH are possibly linked to terrorists and terrorist activities.”

Kresic also stated that BiH Prosecution “is in possession of the information submitted by BiH Council of Ministers Working Group for Fight against Terrorism containing the list of 45 organisations from BiH.”

Among others, the list contains the names of the BBI Bank, Bosniak Cultural Community “Preporod”, “Air Bosna”, radio station “Naba”, magazine “Saff”, company “Vitezit” and even NGO “Zene Zenama” (eng. “Women for Women”), as well as the names  of Arabian humanitarian organisations, and  associations that never existed.

Ahmetovicrefused to comment on this case,explaining that he doesn’t know what it is about.

“I will check what is going on. The only thing I know is that the work of BiH Council of Ministers Working Group for Fight against Terrorism falls under the competence of BiH Prosecution and not BiH Ministry of Security,” said Ahmetovic.

 

BHT, FTV, Nezavisne novine pg. 2 - FBiH Parliament’s House of Representatives adopted the Amendments to the Law on Criminal Procedure. Amendments define changes in criminal procedure and the foresee possibility for extension of custody in complicated cases from nine to 15 months, but only for first-instance verdicts. This does not refer to convicts with the second-instance verdicts.

“The amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code will not only improve the functioning of the criminal justice system in general, they will also contribute to the implementation of the European partnership priorities and objectives set in the visa liberalization Road Map,” cites Oslobodjenje the official letter sent by Head of EUPM, Commissioner Stefan Feller, to the Chairman of FBiH Parliament’s House of Peoples, adding that the letter surely helped the Draft Law being adopted.

 

Dnevni avaz front page and pg. 6 – Results of the latest “Transparency International” (TI) research concerning the citizens’ perception of the corruption in BiH have shown, that when it comes to the citizens’ personal contact with bribe and corruption, there has been an increase of number of persons saying that health institution workers, police officers and border police employees requested bribe from them – such as money or presents – as a favour for the services they are obliged to offer in the scope of their regular duties.

The results of the fourth research conducted in 2009 have shown that the lowest average sum offered as a bribe to the police officer is 45 BAM, as well as that the highest sums – approximately 320 BAM – are being offered to doctors and other health institutions employees.

 

EU funds allocated for the establishment of the border crossing Klobuk amount to 2, 6 million Euros.

 

 

FTV, RTRS, BN, NTV Hayat, Dnevni avaz pg. 4, Oslobodjenje front page and pg. 2, Nezavisne novine pgs. 2 and 3, Glas Srpske front page and pg. 3 – Ejup Ganic will remain in Great Britain until March 25^th. He might stay in custody until Thursday. After the first hearing, the City of Westminster Magistrates Court allowed the defence to present the evidence regarding the issue whether the arrest of the former member of BiH Presidency was illegitimate or not. A parallel process will be continued before a higher instance court on Thursday. Ganic and the team of his attorneys will appear before the Great Britain High Courtof Justice on Thursday.

The Court will reach a decision on Ganic’s extradition, based on the decision on the arrest reached by City of Westminster Magistrates Court, as well as a decision on his possible release on bail.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of BiH Parliamentary Assembly’s House of Representatives (HoR), Beriz Belkic, handed a letter to British Ambassador to BiH, Michael Tatham, on behalf of 38 Croat and Bosniak members of BiH Parliament. The letter has been sent to British Parliament’s House of Commons and refers to the case of Ejup Ganic’s arrest in London. The letter reads that members of BiH Parliamentary Assembly assessed the act of the arrest of the former member of BiH Presidency as violation of sovereignty of BiH and international conventions. Parliamentarians requested Tatham to make maximum efforts to ensure urgent release of professor Ganic and his safe return to BiH.

In his statement for Press RS and Oslobodjenje, SDA leader Sulejman Tihic accused the domestic judiciary for Ganic’s arrest, underlining as a reason the fact that the domestic judiciary failed to timely process the responsible persons for the crimes committed in Dobrovoljacka Street.

BHT, NTV Hayat, Dnevni avaz pg. 15, Vecernji list pg. 19, Press RS pg. 15, Oslobodjenje pg. 13, Dnevni list front page and pg. 19, Nezavisne novine pgs. 16 and 17 - Ahmet Sefic and Alen Cisic, convicts of the Zenica Penitentiary, deceased in the past two days. Cisic’s death was confirmed at the Cantonal Hospital in Zenica, after he was found in his prison cell on Tuesday morning. It is assumed that he deceased after taking a drug overdose.

 

 

 

Dnevni avaz – BiH has sent a fake list to UN Security Council

Oslobodjenje – All conditions for abolishment of visa regime met

Nezavisne novine – Final condition for abolishment of visa regime met

Press RS – All about the SMS fraud of the century

Glas Srpske – Ejub Ganic remains in custody

Dnevni list – Horror in Croatia: Lacerated body of a dead man found in Jarun Lake  

Vecernje novine – Ritual murder in Zagreb