05 March  2002

SFOR Investigates Alleged Karadzic Tipoff

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- The NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia is investigating whether a call from a French Army officer to a policeman in Foca last week tipped off an operation to arrest Radovan Karadzic. The German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt broke the story Monday (4 March). The Times of London says that officials are trying to determine if it was a courtesy call to notify the officer of imminent NATO activity or an actual betrayal of the operation. Though a French foreign ministry spokesman calls the accusations unacceptable, the defence ministry says it will await results of the SFOR investigation. NATO chief George Robertson dismisses the newspaper reports as pure speculation.

The Associated Press reported, meanwhile, that the US embassy in Sarajevo has received 300 to 500 calls in response to a US offer of $5m for information leading to Karadzic’s arrest. (AP, AFP, Tanjug, FTV, ATVBL, HINA, Balkan Web - 04/03/02)

Macedonian Interior Minister Announces Arrests of More Terror Suspects

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Macedonian Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski announced Monday (4 March) that police arrested four more terrorist suspects near Gevgelija. The arrest followed a shoot-out early Saturday that killed seven suspected terrorists who allegedly planned to attack Wsetern embassies in Skopje. Boskovski says two of the seven had fought with the Taleban in Afghanistan, and the four arrested were foreign nationals linked to the first group who had tried to enter the country with false identity documents. He urged the international community not to underestimate the threat.

Ljubomir Frckovski, an adviser to Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, meanwhile, told reporters in Skopje that ethnic Albanian organized crime was preventing the return of police to areas formerly held by the National Liberation Army. He called on the West to step up efforts to help restore order in what he called "gray areas". (Nova Makedonija, AFP - 05/03/02; A1 TV, MIA, AFP - 04/03/02)

Montenegrin Party Gives Chilly Reception to Serbian War Crimes Co-operation Draft

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Montenegro's Socialist People's Party (SNP) asserted Monday (4 March) it has not changed its position on Serbian co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal. SNP President Predrag Bulatovic says the party maintains that a federal law without clauses on extradition could be adopted, but legislation on the republican level should determine the concrete steps of co-operation. SNP is a member of the ruling coalition, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, which is to meet by week’s end to determine where all member parties stand on the draft law. (Tanjug, BBC - 04/03/02)

Kosovo Serbs Call for Establishment of Ministry of Refugees

PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- The Kosovo Serb coalition Return will call on the UN Mission in Kosovo to help establish an additional ministry in the new cabinet. After parliament elected the prime minister and president Monday (4 March), Return member Oliver Ivanovic raised the prospect of a ministry for refugees and displaced persons. Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia backs the idea. Return was allotted one cabinet post, the Ministry of Agriculture, under the new power-sharing government. The party has reportedly refused to fill the post until it gets at least one more ministry position. (FoNet - 05/03/02; B92, Tanjug, BBC - 04/03/02)

Three Croatian Ministers May Withdraw Resignations

ZAGREB, Croatia -- Three Croatian ministers planning to leave the cabinet in a sign of solidarity with three of their colleagues may withdraw their resignations. Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados told reporters Monday (4 March) that he, Health Minister Andro Vlahusic and Science Minister Hrvoje Kraljevic, who had submitted resignations without being asked by the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), are reconsidering. HSLS, meanwhile, urged the other three -- First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic, Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic and Transport and Telecommunications Minister Alojz Tusek -- to comply with the decision of party leaders and step down.

Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Parliamentary Speaker Zlatko Tomcic agreed Monday to discuss the cabinet reshuffle within the ruling coalition of five parties before appealing to parliament. (Vjesnik, Vecernji List, Jutarnji List - 05/03/02; HINA - 04/03/02)

EU Official Urges Romania to Speed Up Harmonisation of Legislation

BUCHAREST, Romania -- The president of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Gil Carlos Rodriguez Iglesias, urged Romanian officials Monday (4 March) to intensify efforts to harmonise laws with those of the EU. Prime Minister Adrian Nastase reiterated Romania's readiness to comply, citing the recently prepared proposal for constitutional amendments.

In a bid to increase its chances for NATO membership, Romania reportedly will buy two British frigates that meet all NATO standards. The daily Ziua, quoted by Mediapool, says negotiations began last summer, with an eye to turning Romania into a prominent naval force in the Black Sea region. (Nine O'clock, Dnevnik - 05/03/02; Rompres, Mediapool - 04/03/02)

Bulgaria and Macedonia Seek Financing for Crucial Railway Project

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Bulgaria and Macedonia are seeking international financing for a joint railway project that would link the Black Sea with the Adriatic. The Sofia-Skopje project would be part of the European Corridor Number 8 connecting Bulgaria to Macedonia and Albania. Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi and his Macedonian counterpart Slobodan Casule signed the document Monday (4 March) in Sofia. The countries need at least $220m to complete construction of the 210km railway link; they have raised about half so far. Casule is to visit Tirana Wednesday to discuss the project with his Albanian counterpart, Arta Dade. (Standart, Pari - 05/03/02; BTA, AP, MIA, Monitor, Novinite.com, Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Ministry - 04/03/02)

Bosnian Serb Refugees Threaten to Block Border Crossings

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Bosnian Serb refugees threatened to block border crossings with Serbia as well as roads leading to Croatia Tuesday (5 March). The refugees are protesting attempts by the authorities of Republika Srpska to evict them from homes they had moved into without permission. The protests are organised by Ostanak, an organisation of Serb refugees from the Muslim part of Bosnia who do not want to return to their previous homes. (AFP - 04/03/02)

Croatian Ministry of Environment Presents First Climate Report

ZAGREB, Croatia -- Croatian Minister of Environment Bozo Kovacevic presented on Monday (4 March) the first national report on local climate changes. The report found that the level of harmful gas emissions had increased considerably since 1990 and warned of possible international sanctions. It stressed, however, that the calculations in the base year referred to the whole territory of the former Yugoslavia and were not adjusted for industrial and population density. A UN expert team will travel to Croatia to assess the report. (Vecernji List - 05/03/02; HINA - 04/03/02)