BOSNIA NEWS

SARAJEVO,Bosnia - A hearing before the Appellate Panel of Section I for War Crimes of the Bosnian State Court in the case of Croatian war criminal Nikola Andrun has been scheduled for today, Monday, 20 August 2007 in courtroom 5, starting at 10.00am.

On 14 December 2006, the Trial Panel handed down the first instance verdict in this case, finding Croatian war criminal Nikola Andrun guilty of War crimes against Bosnian civilians and sentencing him to 13 years imprisonment.

The Trial Panel’s verdict inter alia states that in 1993,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia,acting in the capacity of the Deputy Commander of the Gabela concentration camp in the Municipality of the southern Bosnian town of Čapljina, and as a member of the Croatian aggressor's formations.

Croatian war criminal Nikola Andrun acted contrary to the rules of international law.He tortured and participated in the torture of detained Bosnian civilians, behaved in an inhumane manner towards the detainees and used methods of intimidation and terror.

At the end of September or beginning of October 1993,Croatian war criminal Nikola Andrun, together with another individual, transferred a detainee to the Police station in Čapljina where he participated in the physical and mental abuse of this Bosnian civilian.

Croatian war criminal Nikola Andrun was also found responsible for a murder of one Bosnian civilian in the Gabela concentration camp.

The above verdict was appealed by the Defence Counsel and the Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office.

SARAJEVO,Bosnia – Bosnia has realized trade turnovers with the foreign countries in the amount of 1,7 billion Bosnian Marks (BAM). 532,1 million BAM or 29,9 per cent are export and 1,2 billion BAM or 70,1 per cent are import-related amounts. Maida Hasanbegovic, the Bosnian Bureau of Statistics Deputy Director stated at a press conference in Sarajevo that the percentage of the import-export balance was 42,6 per cent.

The total export in the first seven months of this year was 3,4 billion BAM and has increased per 18,5 per cent. In that same period, import was 7,7 billion BAM, which is per 28,1 per cent higher compared to the same period last year. Percentage of the import-export balance was 44,1 per cent.

”In the first seven months, Bosnia has made a trade deficit of 4,3 billion Bosnian Marks”, Hasanbegovic said.

Bosnia made most of the export to Croatia in July. Considerable amount of export was made with Serbia as well.

Bosnia made most of the export to the EU, 307,7 million BAM (57,8 per cent). Of all the EU countries, Bosnia exported most to Italy, 73,8 million BAM.

Most of the import was made from Serbia and Croatia in July.

Of all the EU countries, Bosnia imported most from Germany, 148,9 million BAM. That is 12 per cent of the total import.

SARAJEVO,Bosnia – As of the start of the Bosnian Premier League 2007-2008 hooligans will be severely sanctioned, especially those from the Sarajevo Canton.

According to Jasmin Idrizovic,Chief of the First Police Administration of the Sarajevo Canton will start implementing the Law on Prevention of Violence and Hooliganism more actively.

In September Idrizovic plans to organise a meeting gathering prosecutors, judges, police officers and football club managers in order to set further measures and register the supporters who represent a potential threat.

Supporters of the Sarajevo football teams, both FC Sarajevo and FC Zeljeznicar, as well as supporters of clubs from other Federal and Cantonal leagues, will be made aware of all possible consequences should they fail to abide by the law.

Idrizovic noticed that stadiums have been quieter since the law has entered into force: “I know this sounds unbelievable, but during the last two or three matches of the Bosnian national team, which were played in Sarajevo, there were no incidents at all.”

The Police Administration and the Ministry of Interior believe that there is an urgent need for a state law in this area, which would make all stadiums in Bosnia more secure.