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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 117, 96-06-17
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 117, 17 June 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] PRISONER AMNESTY IN UZBEKISTAN.
[02] RUSSIANS IN KAZAKHSTAN VOTE FOR YELTSIN.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[03] BOSNIAN DISARMAMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED.
[04] BOSNIAN SERBS CELEBRATE CONFERENCE AS VICTORY.
[05] FORMER BOSNIAN PREMIER ATTACKED IN PRE-ELECTION RALLY.
[06] BOSNIAN CROATS NAME NEW HERCEG-BOSNA GOVERNMENT.
[07] BOSNIAN MUSLIMS APPLY TO RUN IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ELECTIONS.
[08] U.S. OFFICIAL ADMONISHES SERBIAN PRESIDENT.
[09] CROATIAN PRESIDENT SAYS COMMUNISTS WERE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR JASENOVAC
VICTIMS.
[10] LOW TURNOUT REPORTED IN ROMANIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
[11] MOLDOVA AND JAPAN TO BOOST COOPERATION.
[12] BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS NAME PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE...
[13] ...AND INTRODUCE CHANGES IN PARTY LEADERSHIP.
[14] ELECTION RE-RUNS IN ALBANIA.
[15] ALBANIAN DEPUTY PREMIER INVOLVED IN BAR BRAWL.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] PRISONER AMNESTY IN UZBEKISTAN.
The Uzbek government has released 80 prisoners, including members of the
banned organization Erk, Western media reported on 15 June. According to
Reuters, among those released are Rashid Bekjon, brother of exiled Erk leader
Mohammed Solih, Abdulla Abdurazzakov, and Safar Bekjon. All three had been
found guilty of anti-government activities. So far, the amnesty has not been
reported in the local media, nor has a clear explanation been given. The Uzbek
government may be attempting to improve its human rights image in advance of
President Islam Karimov's 21-30 June visit to the U.S. and following a recent
Helsinki Watch report on human rights violations in the country. -- Roger
Kangas
[02] RUSSIANS IN KAZAKHSTAN VOTE FOR YELTSIN.
According to preliminary data released by the Russian Embassy in Almaty to
ITAR-TASS on 16 June, 49.57% of the Russian electorate in Kazakhstan's capital
voted for President Yeltsin; 16.36% voted for Gennadii Zyuganov and 13.39% for
Aleksandr Lebed. -- Bhavna Dave
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[03] BOSNIAN DISARMAMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED.
Rump Yugoslavia, the Bosnian Federation, Croatia, and the Republika Srpska
signed a disarmament agreement in Florence on 14 June, international media
reported. The deal places restrictions on the number of tanks, other armored
vehicles, artillery, fighter aircraft, and helicopter gun ships that each of
the states is allowed to have. The UN Security Council is expected to lift the
arms embargo against the former Yugoslavia on 18 June as a result of the
agreement. The WEU will also end operation "Sharp Guard," under which shipping
in the Adriatic was monitored during the embargo. -- Fabian Schmidt
[04] BOSNIAN SERBS CELEBRATE CONFERENCE AS VICTORY.
Returning from Florence, Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic told Srna
that he was "satisfied" with the treatment of his delegation at the meeting.
He added "we have made it clear that the elections cannot be linked to demands
for the extradition of the leaders of the Republika Srpska, and we did not
come to Florence to make new concessions." Foreign Affairs Minister Aleksa
Buha said the meeting "had calmed the hysteria" about extradition of Radovan
Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, AFP reported. -- Fabian Schmidt
[05] FORMER BOSNIAN PREMIER ATTACKED IN PRE-ELECTION RALLY.
Haris Silajdzic, leader of the opposition Party for Bosnia-Hercegovina (SBiH),
was attacked and injured while campaigning in the northwestern town of Cazin
on 15 June, international and local media reported. SBiH spokesman Mustafa
Mujagic said Silajdzic was hit on the head with an iron bar and sustained a
serious cut and bruises. He added that members of the ruling Muslim Party for
Democratic Action (SDA) were responsible for what he called the "obviously
organized" attack, Onasa reported. Silajdzic was surrounded by a crowd of some
100 people carrying SDA banners and shouting Muslim religious prayers. Both
SBiH and OSCE officials claimed police did nothing to prevent the incident.
But the SDA, which condemned the attack the next day, claimed that the police
"saved" Silajdzic. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[06] BOSNIAN CROATS NAME NEW HERCEG-BOSNA GOVERNMENT.
Pero Markovic, a local official from the town of Capljina, has been appointed
prime minister of Herceg-Bosna by the self-styled Bosnian Croatian
"presidential council." Onasa reported on 16 June. Markovic proceeded to
appoint several new ministers, including Vladimir Soljic as defense minister.
Soljic also holds that post in the Bosnian Federation. Bosnian Prime Minister
Hasan Muratovic condemned the Bosnian Croat leadership for naming a new
government for a rebel state that, he said, should have been disbanded months
ago, AFP reported. Muratovic condemned the move as illegal, saying its shows
that the Bosnian Croats are not committed to a federal government in Bosnia-
Herzegovina. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[07] BOSNIAN MUSLIMS APPLY TO RUN IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ELECTIONS.
Muslims from six villages in northeastern Bosnia have applied to run in
elections in the Republika Srpska, AFP reported on 16 June, citing
Oslobodjenje. Inhabitants of villages held by the Muslims during the war in
Bosnia and transferred to Bosnian Serb control under the Dayton agreement have
nominated candidates for municipal and regional elections. Meanwhile, the
deadline for registering for the fall Bosnian elections passed on 14 June. The
OSCE said that 45 parties and 16 independent candidates submitted
applications. An OSCE spokesman said no details will be announced until the
applications have been checked and possible appeals considered. In related
news, Reuters reported that the U.S. said refugees who vote will not lose
their refugee status and will not be forced to return to Bosnia. -- Stefan
Krause
[08] U.S. OFFICIAL ADMONISHES SERBIAN PRESIDENT.
Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum, visiting Belgrade on 16 June, told
Slobodan Milosevic that Washington wants Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic
ousted from power in the coming weeks. Kornblum stressed the need to implement
the Dayton agreement, adding that "the patience of the international
community...was beginning to wear thin." Kornblum and Milosevic also discussed
freedom of the press in Serbia, freedom of movement, and preparations for the
elections, AFP reported. -- Fabian Schmidt
[09] CROATIAN PRESIDENT SAYS COMMUNISTS WERE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR JASENOVAC
VICTIMS.
Franjo Tudjman, during a visit to the World War II concentration camp at
Jasenovac, has given a new interpretation of what happened there 50 years ago,
AFP reported on 15 June. Tudjman said Communists loyal to Yugoslav President
Josip Broz Tito killed thousands of the people buried at the site. The
generally accepted official version is that all those buried there were killed
by the Croatian Ustachi, which ran the camp during the war. Tudjman's visit
to Jasenovac came one day after the opening of the trial of two Croatian
journalists who criticized Tudjman's plan to bury members of the pro-Nazi
regime together with their victims. Tudjman paid homage to "all the victims"
of the camp, including both "the victims of fascism but also those of
communism," Hina reported. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[10] LOW TURNOUT REPORTED IN ROMANIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
Romania's Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) noted that turnout at the second
round of local elections in Romania on 16 June was even lower than during the
first round (56%) two weeks earlier, Romanian TV reported. Polling stations
stayed open till midnight in accordance with a BEC order, but longer voting
hours apparently failed to attract more voters. Exit polls suggest that in the
race for mayor of Bucharest, Democratic Convention of Romania (CDR) candidate
Victor Ciorbea beat former international tennis star Ilie Nastase, who ran as
the candidate of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania. According to
final results broadcast by Radio Bucharest on 17 June, the CDR also won the
mayoralty of Sibiu. In addition to run-offs, voting was repeated in 334
districts and in two counties where participation in the first round had been
less than 50% . -- Michael Shafir
[11] MOLDOVA AND JAPAN TO BOOST COOPERATION.
The Japanese government has decided to upgrade Moldova from the status of
"transition-economy country" to that of "developing country," President Mircea
Snegur and Japanese Ambassador at Large Sumio Edamura announced in Chisinau on
14 June. The two states will also increase economic cooperation. Infotag
reported that Snegur thanked the Japanese envoy for a $40 million credit and
humanitarian aid worth $2.5 million. -- Michael Shafir
[12] BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS NAME PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE...
The ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party's Supreme Council on 16 June nominated
Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski as BSP presidential candidate, RFE/RL
reported. Following a 10-hour debate, 70 members voted for Pirinski, one
against, and 16 abstained. Under the Bulgarian Constitution, the president
must be Bulgarian by birth. Since Pirinski was born to a Bulgarian father and
an American mother in New York in 1948, questions have been raised as to
whether he can become president. But the constitution also says that everybody
with one Bulgarian parent is considered Bulgarian. Pirinski is to run against
Petar Stoyanov of the Union of Democratic Forces in elections that will most
likely take place in November. Prime Minister Zhan Videnov told the Supreme
Council that the BSP has to win the Presidency in order to implement its
program. -- Stefan Krause
[13] ...AND INTRODUCE CHANGES IN PARTY LEADERSHIP.
The Supreme Council also endorsed Videnov's proposal to change the lineup of
the BSP Executive Bureau, Trud reported. Videnov and his four deputies will
continue to serve on that body, while seven members have been removed and five
new ones appointed. Meanwhile, former Tsar Simeon II wrapped up a three-week
visit to Bulgaria, AFP reported. While he did not elaborate on his plans, he
did suggest that he intends to play a role in Bulgarian politics. He spoke in
favor of a constitutional monarchy, which he described as a "flexible and
pragmatic form of government." Simeon also urged the government to speed up
economic reforms. -- Stefan Krause
[14] ELECTION RE-RUNS IN ALBANIA.
Albania's Central Electoral Commission claimed a 55% turnout at re-runs in 17
of Albania's 115 electoral districts on 16 June, Albanian media reported.
President Sali Berisha decreed the new ballots following opposition claims of
manipulation and calls by international institutions and several countries for
a repeat of the vote. However, the opposition Socialists, Social Democrats,
Democratic Alliance, Party of the Democratic Right, and Party of National
Unity all boycotted the ballots, demanding that the elections be held afresh.
The Constitutional Court on 15 June rejected an appeal by the Social Democrats
and Democratic Alliance to declare the ballot illegal, according to
international agencies. No official OSCE observers were present during the re-
runs, but the Democrats reportedly invited members of conservative and right-
wing parties from France, Greece, Italy, and Austria to oversee the voting
process. -- Fabian Schmidt
[15] ALBANIAN DEPUTY PREMIER INVOLVED IN BAR BRAWL.
Dashamir Shehi hit Koha Jone journalist Frrok Cupi in the face in a Tirana
bar on 15 June, international agencies reported. Cupi had earlier charged
Shehi with incompetence. Shehi was Cupi's bodyguard in 1991 when the latter
was the chief editor of Rilindja Demokratike. Meanwhile, Shehi has denied
that the incident took place, Albanian media reported. -- Fabian Schmidt
Compiled by Victor Gomez and Jan Cleave
News and information as of 1200 CET
This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media
Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in
Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on OMRI publications please write to [email protected].
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