BOSNIA LOSES MILLIONS DUE TO FAILURE TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL NORMS

SARAJEVO, Sept 16 (Hina) - The civil aviation of Bosnia-Herzegovina has so far lost 10 million dollars because the country's authorities cannot reach an agreement on the distribution of funds gathered from the fees foreign airline companies are paying for the fly-over over its territory, said general Charles Henry de Monchy, deputy commander of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR). In an interview published in Thursday's issue of the Sarajevo daily "Oslobodjenje", the French general said the BH Council of Ministers wanted the fly-over fees to be directed into the state budget and not the Civil Aviation Administration, which was contrary to all international regulations. Airline companies are now directing the money which should be given to Bosnia-Herzegovina to the European organisation for the safety of civil aviation in Brussels and those funds are waiting on a special account until the state authorities in Bosnia start realising international regulations, he said. In this way, the country is being left without the money necessary for the reconstruction of airports and the purchase of navigation equipment and flight control. De Monchy stressed the SFOR would not hand over the control over Bosnia's air space to the country's civil authorities until the problem was solved, nor would the country have a chance of becoming a European Union member until it changed its conduct. (hina) rml