CITIZENS OF BOSNIAN SERB TOWN PROTEST AGAINST SFOR'S "INAPPROPRIATE" BEHAVIOUR
SRNA - February 22, 2003  

Prijedor, 22 February: The disturbed citizens of Prijedor have requested to be protected from the inappropriate conduct of the Sfor NATO-led Stabilization Force in Bosnia members, who beat up 63-year old Milorad Rado Bilbija yesterday 21 February while searching his house for weapons in Ljeskare and they called into question the extent of the Sfor powers.

Due to numerous calls and written protests following the yesterday's incident, the representatives of the legislative and executive governments today held talks with representatives of the public security station, the garrison, the Prijedor-based war veterans' organization and the European police.

A statement issued after the meeting says that the participants in the meeting expressed strong condemnation of this type of behaviour in case members of the Sfor were behaving outside their competencies. It was decided that the letters of protest should be forwarded to Chairman of the Bosnia-Hercegovina Presidency Mirko Sarovic, Bosnian Serb Republic President Dragan Cavic and Speaker of the Serb Republic People's Assembly Dragan Kalinic, requesting them to define the Sfor powers with the representatives of the international community.

Speaker of the Serb Republic People's Assembly Dragan Kalinic was asked to include the latest incident in Prijedor on the agenda.

It was also decided that the deputies in the Serb Republic People's Assembly should declare their position on this issue at their first session.

Passage omitted: more on the same

The end of the statement, which was signed by Prijedor Mayor Nada Cevo and Prijedor municipal assembly Speaker Muharem Murselovic, the citizens were asked to abide by the Serb Republic laws and to have confidence in their elected representatives, who will be informing them about the results of their talks with the most senior officials within the Serb Republic and Bosnia-Hercegovina governments in good time.


Source: SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 1324 gmt 22 Feb 03

Copyright 2003 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire 
Copyright 2003 BBC Monitoring/BBC  
BBC Monitoring International Reports

Posted For Fair Use Only