BOSNIA NEWS

SARAJEVO,Bosnia - The international community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia (HR/EUSR), Miroslav Lajcak held a meeting with Bosnian State Court President Meddzida Kreso.

The HR/EUSR thanked the Bosnian State Court President for the close co-operation, which made possible the measures he took last week to limit the possibility for those under investigation to avoid justice.

The HR/EUSR said that strengthening criminal justice system, ICTY cooperation together with a strategy for war crimes cases were priorities for his mandate and that he looked forward to close cooperation with the Bosnian State Court on these issues.

Kreso and Lajcak talked about cooperation with the ICTY and solving the issues of war crimes on the inner and regional plan, including the issues of dual citizenship, owned by the persons suspected of war crimes, which leads to “doubling” of criminal procedures in Bosnia and neighboring countries.

”Effective jurisdiction is one of the key pillars of an efficient state”, Lajcak told the press after the meeting.

He emphasized that OHR is willing to continue supporting the Bosnian State Court’s activities and expressed conviction that the cooperation will continue.

The Bosnian State Court President Meddzida Kreso expressed pleasure with the fact that the High Representative has recognized the key issues of the Bosnian judiciary system.

”The High representative has shown interest in strengthening of the Bosnian judiciary system and promised to fully support the plan”, Kreso said and added that such relationship is additional motivation for engagement of judiciary employees.

The HR/EUSR also underlined the need for greater cooperation between judicial institutions in the region.

The HR/EUSR also made the regional cooperation point when he met with the Bosnian Justice Minister Barisa Colak yesterday.

The HR/EUSR and Bosnian Ministerof Defence Barisa Colak discussed the State Prison Project and Police Reform. The HR/EUSR noted that police reform is crucial for Bosnia as it will lead to effective, state-wide, crime fighting strategies and open the door to EU integration.

Lajcak also met with the Bosnian Defence Minister Selmo Cikotic and discussed Bosnia’s progress on defence reform. The HR-EUSR said that the defence property must be resolved as a priority, and that he favours a solution agreed by Bosnia’s parties.

SARAJEVO, Bosnia – The Bosnian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights sharply condemned the attack against the Orthodox Christian Bishop of Bihac and Petrovac Hrizostim. This act is a fierce threat to the return process in Bosnia, the Helsinki Committee announced.

”We are especially concerned with the relationship of police to this case, for, prior to the attack, the bishopric had been targeted three times and the Christian Orthodox Church robbed. None of the cases has ever been cleared; the perpetrators have not been arrested”, the Committee announced.

The Bosnian Helsinki Committee has urged the Bosnian police on more than several occasions to pay attention to the safety of this religious institution.

”The Una – Sana Canton Ministry of Interior Affairs tried to minimize the problem and it has negated any connection between those criminal acts and the situation in Bosanski Petrovac. We ask the Una Sana Canton authorities to question the work of police and sanction the persons responsible for the deterioration of situation in the area. We also ask the police to finally put this case to a close”, the Bosnian Helsinki Committee announced.

SARAJEVO,Bosnia – The average net wage in the FBiH entity in May stood at 662,79 Bosnian Marks (467.097 USD), i.e. the average net wage increased by 1.84 percent during that month, FBiH Entity Statistics Bureau Assistant Director Kresimir Krmpotic told a press conference in Sarajevo yesterday. Presenting the latest Monthly Statistical Report for the FBiH entity he said that the average net wage during the period March-May totalled 651,51 Bosnian Marks. Compared to the same period last year the average net wage has increased by 9,49 percent.

The total number of employed persons in the FBiH entity during the month of May was 397.754. Employment bureaus in the FBiH entity had 370.728 unemployed persons on their records at the end of the month, which is 223 persons or 0,06 percent less than the month before.

However, Kromptic said that real unemployment figures are much lower, which has been made evident by the results of the the FBiH entity government’s recent camping on fighting unregistered employment.

Retail prices in June have dropped 1,2 percent from the month before. The cost of agricultural products has dropped by 12,1 percent, that of beverages by 0,7 percent and of industrial products also by 0,7 percent. On the whole, retail prices in the month of June were 0,9 percent higher than the average prices in 2006, and 0,3 percent higher than in the same month last year.

The overall cost of living in the FBiH entity in June was 2,1 percent lower than in the same month last year.The cost of the consumers’ basket in June was 495,821 Bosnian Marks, which is 5,44 Bosnian Marks or 1,09 percent lower than in May.

Industrial production in the FBiH entity during the month of June has increased by 14,4 percent compared to the average monthly industrial output in 2006. Compared to the level of industrial production in the same month last year it has increased by 18,2 percent, while compared to the month of May this year it has increased by 2,4 percent.

Kromptic said that 1.818 babies were born during the month of May the FBiH entity and that 1.536 people died. This means that the population growth rate stood at 282 and that the vital index was 1,18. Negative natural population growth rate was registered in four cantons.