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08 March
Latest News
Serbia's Ruling Coalition Endorses
Draft Law on War Crimes Co-operation
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Serbia's ruling coalition late
Thursday (7 March) endorsed a draft law on co-operation with the UN war crimes
tribunal that envisions a general framework at the federal level and leaves the
more concrete aspects to the republics. As drafted, the bill will formally
recognise The Hague tribunal's statute but does not mention extradition, which
should satisfy the Socialist National Party, the Democratic Opposition of
Serbia’s (DOS) coalition partner from Montenegro. Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia, which has traditionally opposed
co-operation, abstained from voting.
DOS members suggest the measure will move to parliament next
week. Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic says quick passage could mean
the extradition of several people by the end of the month. The US Congress has
cautioned that Yugoslavia must begin full co-operation by then or risk losing US
aid.
The Hague tribunal, meanwhile, launched a probe Thursday into
a mass execution of Croat civilians in 1991. Investigators will look into
reports that Serb rebels killed some 50 elderly Croats in the village of Dubica.
The investigation could result in charges against Serb rebel commanders and
Yugoslav military officers who allegedly helped them. (BBC, Serbian Radio,
Tanjug, BETA, AFP - 07/03/02)
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Kosovo Citizens Given One Month to
Surrender Arms Voluntarily
PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- Kosovo citizens are being given the
chance to turn in weapons from 15 March to 15 April without penalty or threat of
prosecution. The Belgrade-based B92 radio reported Thursday (7 March) that UN
mission in Kosovo head Michael Steiner approved the initiative. Daz Slaven,
spokesman for the peacekeeping force in Kosovo, said that a similar procedure
last June helped curb crime in the province. (FoNet - 08/03/02; B92 - 07/03/02)
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Montenegro's Local Elections Scheduled
PODGORICA, Yugoslavia -- Local elections will take place in
Montenegro in May, according to Dragan Djurovic. The deputy prime minister said
the elections would be held in accordance with the new law on self-rule, which
the government is expected to finalise by Saturday and then pass on to
parliament. He urged lawmakers to act quickly to pass the law. Under the new
legislation, residents will elect mayors rather than municipal presidents. (Tanjug
- 08/03/02)
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Bosnia Files Charges Against 29 Foreign
Ministry Officials
SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Criminal charges
reportedly have been filed against 29 foreign ministry officials, including
former Foreign Minister Jadranko Prlic, several ambassadors and Bosnia's former
permanent representative to the UN Muhamed Sacirbey, who has already been
charged with misappropriating $2.5m. Local media reports the charges involve the
illegal spending of money collected from consular fees to support the embassies'
day-to-day business.
Meanwhile, the BiH Council of Ministers adopted Thursday (7
March) a temporary measure regulating procedures in cases of expelling or
extraditing foreign nationals. The government acted under pressure from the
international community (AFP, FTV - 07/03/02)
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Croatia’s Ruling Parties Vow to Avoid
Early Elections
ZAGREB, Croatia -- The executive council of the Croatian
Social Liberal Party (HSLS) pledged Thursday (7 March) to co-operate with the
four other parties in the ruling coalition to resolve the current government
crisis. HSLS leader Drazen Budisa said his party is not interested in early
parliamentary elections, and suggested the ruling parties could agree on a
cabinet restructuring by the end of the week. Budisa will likely replace Goran
Granic as first deputy prime minister, while Granic would most likely be
reassigned.
In other news, the government Thursday proposed a measure that
would bar military personnel from participating in politics. The personnel would
be prohibited from establishing political parties, holding political conferences
or staging protests.
In Vienna Thursday, the permanent council of the OSCE
concluded from a recent report that Zagreb has improved the status of minority
groups in Croatia, but recommended some amendments to the law on minorities. (Vecernji
List, Vjesnik - 08/03/02; HINA, Inforpress, HRT - 07/03/02)
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Romanian President Calls for Better
Legislation, Less Bureaucracy
BUCHAREST, Romania -- President Ion Iliescu called on the
government Thursday (7 March) to streamline legislation and reduce bureaucracy.
He said frequent changes in the law discourage investment, both foreign and
domestic. He spoke after meeting with the cabinet about measures aimed at
bringing Romania closer to the EU’s criteria for membership. He noted that the
inflation rate should fall from 30 per cent to 22 per cent this year, but says
more must be done in that area.
Also Thursday, Iliescu firmly denied rumours of conflict
between him and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase. While conceding there had been
some misunderstandings, he predicted the leaders would find common ground. (AP,
Mediafax - 07/03/02)
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Skopje Hosts Vilnius Group Meeting
SKOPJE, Macedonia -- The foreign ministers of the so-called
Vilnius Group gathered in Skopje Friday (8 March) for a conference attended by
senior officials from NATO. The Vilnius group includes the ten countries vying
for NATO membership: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Opening the conference, Macedonia's
Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule urged the international community not to allow
the creation of "grey zones" in Europe that could become sources of
instability, criminality, or terrorism.
Meanwhile, Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase called again
Thursday for joint action and strategy with Bulgaria in a bid to bolster both
countries’ chances for NATO membership. (A1 TV, MIA, Sega - 08/03/02; Rompres
- 07/03/02)
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Bulgaria's Prime Minister Seeks
Resignations of Three Parliamentarians
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg demanded
Thursday (7 March) that three members of parliament step down after they
circulated letters critical of the government. Saxe-Coburg refused to identity
one of the lawmakers, but identified the other two as Elka Anastasova and Stela
Bankova. Both are from the ruling National Movement Simeon II. In the letters,
they criticised the government’s economic policy and accused the cabinet of
failing to fulfil its pre-election commitments. By law, their resignations
cannot be forced.
Also Thursday, the chairman of the newly established
Association for Regional Economic Development vowed to work to reduce
unemployment in Bulgaria’s ethnically mixed regions. Osman Oktai noted the
jobless rate is four times higher than in other parts of the country in areas
populated by Turks and eight times higher in areas with large Roma populations.
(24 Chasa, Sega,Trud, Mediapool, Bulgarian National Radio - 08/03/02; BTA -
07/03/02)
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