KK Igokea

The announcement on Friday of a ban on genocide and war crimes denial by High Representative Valentine Inzko, the international official who oversees implementation of the peace deal that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war, was hailed by representatives of survivors of the Srebrenica gecocide.

More than 200 Bosnians holding banners and flags protested on Thursday in Sarajevo over the arrest of the country's intelligence chief, Osman Mehmedagic.

The head of the Intelligence and Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, OSA, was detained by Sarajevo Canton police on Wednesday in an investigation into abuse of office, forgery of documents and money laundering.

Facebook has taken down a video about former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic entitled 'The General Has Become a Legend Today', which was posted on the official page of the ruling party in Bosnia's Serb-dominated Republika Srpska entity, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday that from now on, Belgrade wants to see regular reports from the High Representative, the official tasked with overseeing the implementation of the 1995 Dayton peace deal that ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Berlin has given no indication that Schmidt's appointment signifies any meaningful increase in its commitments to Bosnia; a fact which is readily apparent given that Chancellor Angela Merkel is herself preparing to step down later this year.

Christian Schmidt of Germany will take over from Valentin Inzko as head of the international community's Office of High representative, OHR, to Bosnia from August 1, the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, PIC, which groups countries overseeing the peace in Bosnia, confimed on Thursday.

Behind a Bosnian Serb call for talks on the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina lurks the latest threat of secession by the country's Republika Srpska entity, but analysts question whether Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik is playing to anyone but his domestic voters.

Taking advantage of the tensions caused by a controversial document predicting the dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb political leaders said on Tuesday that they want to formally discuss the future of the country with Croat and Bosniak politicians.

He stated that both the Federal government and the Republic of Srpska are turning to Russian, Chinese and Turkish suppliers.

A shrine has reappeared in Banja Luka's central Krajina Square - candles, flowers and a wooden carving of a clenched fist next to photographs of a 21 year-old student who died three years ago this month in this northern Bosnian town.