JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE 25 July 2002<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan OHR<br /><br />Sorry we are a little bit late this morning, three items form Office of the High Representative.<br /><br />The High Representative Paddy Ashdown is continuing his tour of European capitals, ahead of next weeks Peace Implementation Council Political Directors meeting in Sarajevo. He has been to Berlin and London and he is travelling to France today, he will be back in Sarajevo at the weekend.<br /><br />Tomorrow in Banja Luka the Principle Deputy High Representative Don Hays, will address on the High Representatives behalf the Republika Srpska National Assembly. Ambassador Hays will discuss the importance of partnership.<br /><br />Partnership between the Republika Srpska National Assembly and the people, partnership between the Republika Srpska National Assembly and the state and partnership between the Republika Srpska National Assembly and the International Community. He will address the continuing failure of the Republika Srpska to catch up with the Federation economically and he will point out that is a direct consequence of the slow pace of consolidating the single economic space.<br /><br />The Principle Deputy High Representative will emphasise that swift and effective economic reform cannot be delayed any longer. When he speaks to the Republika Srpska National Assembly he will follow the same format that the High Representative used when he spoke to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament a couple of weeks ago, there will be a statement of 15 minutes followed by an extended question and answer session. The object of this is to develop a functioning, creative, productive dialogue with the institutions. We will send out a media advisory today on Ambassador Hays visit to Banja Luka<br /><br />I would like to draw your attention to the Office of the High Representatives economic newsletter, which has just been issued. I have copies after the press conference, I know that you will all be looking at the prospect of reading the economic newsletter with huge amount of anticipation so, please just try and be patient until the end of the press conference.<br /><br />There are some statistics in the newsletter, which are sobering. For example, the fact that Industrial production in the Republika Srpska continues to decline.<br /><br />Average pensions in Republika Srpska continued to be significantly lower then those in the Federation, about a 120 KM per month in Republika Srpska, and 190 KM per month in the Federation.<br /><br />Also, the fact the Entity parliaments are beginning to pass sensible economic legislation but they are doing so without sufficient reference to one another. So, if you want to run a business in both Entities at the same time, it is difficult to do so within the law without some inconvenience<br /><br />It also has sobering statistics that 60 percent of the money that now goes to Bosnia and Herzegovina State Institutions has to be used to repay debt. That is a huge burden and one, which other countries that do not have Bosnia and Herzegovina?s problems would find difficult to manage.<br /><br />The newsletter also makes the point, which is consistent with the International Communities, argument on the economic front that aid is not going to resolve any of these issues. There is not going to be anymore aid, it is on the decline and is not going to rise and the transition to investment and trade has to be made. The way to that is to develop a functioning business environment, once a functioning business environment is developed the rest will happen by itself. There is no shortage of entrepreneurs, there is no shortage of willing workers, there is no shortage of business acumen, what there is a shortage of is sensible legislation that makes it practical for people to set up new businesses and start to generate wealth and create employment.<br /><br />At the same time there are too many items of legislation which remain on the statute books, which actually make it difficult to invest in Bosnia and Herzegovina.<br /><br />Just a final thing about the newsletter, which possibly provides an example of how a combination of sensible legislation and investment can actually turn things around, is the European Union?s grant scheme for the rural sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Which has just been introduced and which makes available grants from 5,000 KM to 100,000 KM. The farmer or the entrepreneur in the countryside has to go to the bank with a credible business plan the money has to be paid back at commercial rates. This is not aid it is investment.<br /><br />The Bosnia and Herzegovina State Parliament, as you know is in the process of passing the veterinary law, which when it is passed will allow the authorities to set up an internationally recognised certification system. The point of that is that it will then become possible for animal and fish products to be exported to the European Union, the prospects for that in terms of employment are significant. So, the combination of investment and sensible legislation can produce a package that creates jobs.<br /><br />Having said all that, I know that you really want to get on so that you can read the economic newsletter yourselves, so I will pass the floor over to Urdur.<br /><br />Urdur Gunnarsdottir - OSCE<br /><br />There was no statement today.<br /><br />Kirsten Haupt UNMIBH<br /><br />Thank you, then it is on to me, good morning, first of all I have to tell you I do not have the statement in print form, you will have to take note and I have quite a lot to say today.<br /><br />First, I would like to give some comments on the incident in Kiseljak, which you no doubt have, all seen in the media. The investigation into this incident on 22 July 2002 during which six women were kidnapped in a night-club by a group of about 15 armed men that stormed the night club is continuing.<br /><br />The local police conducted a raid of the night club the following evening that was, the 23 July 2002. By yesterday evening, we had information that 5 of the 6 kidnapped women had been released by the kidnappers.<br /><br />They reported that they had been raped, beaten and tortured by the kidnappers. The women were then brought to a hospital to receive medical attention. I have to say that they were treated according to the reports that we have received without any dignity and respect, which we find really absolutely unacceptable, considering what these women have gone through. As I said, the investigation into this incident is continuing.<br /><br />We would like to commend police action and their performance in this case, which has been very professional as well as during a raid that took place last night. In this case I can vouch for this myself, I went along to get an impression of how this would look on the spot, and I can tell you it was very efficient, very professional and very swift.<br /><br />During the raid yesterday that took place in Busovaca in the ?As? Night club, 5 women were found they were from Moldova, Rumania and Ukraine. They were all brought to a safe house; in the meantime they are being interviewed and an investigation into this raid is also on going at this point. In all these raids the IPTF STOP team, goes along with the local police and that also happened in these two cases.<br /><br />Again I would like to reiterate. UNMIBH takes this problem, which is a big problem very seriously and will continue with the IPTF STOP team in co-operation with the local police and their STOP teams to combat human trafficking and help the girls and women who have become victims of this terrible crime.<br /><br />Coming to another issue, verification of diplomas of police officers, I have mentioned this issue several times, when we were speaking some weeks ago about the mandate and the main tasks of our mission, I would like to just give you an idea of what this is all about.<br /><br />It is part of the process of certification of police officers. UNMIBH is working on the verification of educational diplomas of police officers. This process involves the verification of approximately 30,000 diplomas that were issued in Bosnia-Herzegovina and abroad, and it includes high school diplomas as well as college and university diplomas. These diplomas were submitted by about 24,000 law enforcement personnel of which about 18,000 are police officers.<br /><br />The verification of these diplomas is a joint operation of the IPTF and the Ministries of Interior and is carried out in 975 educational institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina and abroad. The procedure aims at verifying the authenticity of diplomas by comparing data on the diploma and in school registration books. The data includes the student?s registration number, which should appear on both, as well as the exam number and the signature of the school director. At this point we have checked 85 percent of the submitted diplomas. It is anticipated that the main part of this process of verification of diplomas can be concluded in mid-August, while the checking of unclear cases and foreign diplomas will continue this will require more time.<br /><br />The projects main aim is again to establish the authenticity of educational credentials of law enforcement personnel, which is not only an indispensable requirement for their final certification but also one essential element of assuring their integrity as police officers. If irregularities are discovered a detailed investigation follows and the local authorities are requested if necessary to take administrative or legal action against the individual concerned.<br /><br />The next item, The IPTF Commissioner Sven Frederiksen has withdrawn another provisional authorisation to exercise police powers this time from Alojz Filipovic who was previously working as Chief of Police of the Police Administration Kresevo in Canton 6.<br />In two cases, one in 1997 and the other in 1999, Mr. Filipovic was involved in the sale of official vehicles belonging to the Ministry of Interior and acted contrary to the rules on the procedure of public auction of public property.<br /><br />In 1997, Mr. Filipovic received a donation from a company for the Police Administration Kresevo, which he did not hand over to the cashiers, as was required, but handled on his own initiative, thus raising serious doubts about his credibility and also raising concerns regarding his criminal liability in this case<br /><br />In February 2002, Mr. Filipovic was indicted for forging official documents in connection with the sale of one of the two mentioned vehicles and in March 2002, the Canton 6 Ministry of Interior suspended Mr. Filipovic due to the pending criminal procedure.<br /><br />Again, the withdrawal of provisional authorisation precludes Mr. Filipovic from employment in any position within any law enforcement agency in this country now or in the future.<br /><br />And the last is an announcement, on Monday, 29 July 2002; a ceremony will take place in Visegrad to inaugurate the State Border Service Unit there. With the deployment of this unit, the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Border Service will control 94 % of the state borders. That will mean, that among other things that the entire eastern and northern borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina will then be under the control of the State Border Service. The remaining two State Border Service units in Gorica and Strmica in West Herzegovina will be established in August and September and will then lead to a complete control of the state borders by the State Border Service. That is all I have for you today, thank you.<br /><br />Lieutenant Commander John Coppard SFOR<br /><br />I have just one item for you today.<br /><br />As announced in The Hague, SFOR supported a request yesterday by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to provide security for war crimes investigators in their search of headquarters and administrative offices of the 2nd Corps in Tuzla. ICTY investigators were searching for information and evidence related to suspected war crimes committed during the Bosnian war.<br /><br />SFOR?s role remained one of providing security for the ICTY investigators. 2nd Corps staff were co-operative throughout the operation, which began at approximately 10:00 a.m. and concluded shortly before 07:00 p.m. Requests for specific details pertaining to the purpose of the investigation and what information was gathered should be referred to the ICTY<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan OHR<br />Are there any questions?<br /><br />Questions and Answers<br /><br />Q: Milan Stojic RTRS: <br />One question for Ms. Haupt, this morning a woman (the reporter named the victim, this information is being withheld to protect the victims identity) was brought to a local hospital (the reporter also gave the victims general address this information is also being withheld to protect the victims privacy). The woman was the victim of an attempted rape; she was also badly beaten do you have any information about this?<br /><br />A: Kirsten Haupt UNMIBH <br />At this point, I have only been notified that incident took place, but I have no detailed information as yet. I will have to find that out for you and get back to you later or if you could call me in the office later in the afternoon, I can tell you more.<br /><br />Q: Merdijana Sadovic ABC: <br />A question for SFOR, when can we expect more information on your operation in Mostar?<br /><br />A: Lieutenant Commander John Coppard SFOR:<br /> What specific information were you looking for? <br /><br />Q: Merdijana Sadovic ABC: <br />We have read in the media that there was some anti-Dayton activities carried out in the barracks near Mostar not in Mostar itself, do you know anything about that? Apparently the investigation is on going?<br /><br />A: Lieutenant Commander John Coppard SFOR: <br />We are not going to prejudice the results of the investigation by saying that any anti-Dayton activities took place. What I can tell you is that is was part the inspection on the 17 July, and was part of a two-phase operation that was conducted as a matter of routine by SFOR.<br /><br />SFOR under its mandate has the right indeed the responsibility to carryout periodic inspections of military facilities, to determine whether they are acting in accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace and the instructions for parties. It was an unannounced inspection and I would characterise it as rather intensive in scale, what our investigators did was they took data from computer systems at one of the headquarters buildings of the Federation Army Croat component and they are analysing that data as we speak.<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan OHR <br />Do you have anymore questions? OK, thank you very much.