Chronologies General Chronology of the Mediterranean January 2005 ernment without mentioning an even- unanimously condemns France for vio- tual ceasefire. On the 18th of January lating the rights of the terrorist Ilich Ra- The creation of the EU makes a step for- ETA claims responsibility for a car bomb mirez Sanchez, who was sentenced to Appendices ward with the European Parliament’s attack which injures a policeman and life imprisonment in 1997. The prisoner adoption of the Treaty establishing a on the 30th of January, following a tele- was kept in isolate confinement from European Constitution. In Algeria, the phone warning, a bomb explodes in De- 1994 to 2002 and again from March Minister of Home Affairs confirms that nia, a holiday resort in Southern Spain. 2004 onwards. The accusations, ac- the GIA has been disbanded. In Croa- • On the 17th of January 8 people are cording to which the prisoner was trea- tia, the President Stipe Mesiv wins a sentenced for having given logistic as- ted in an inhuman and degrading way are 2006 second term of office. From the first of sistance and false documents to some dismissed by a vote of 4 to 3. January Turkey introduces a new cu- suspects in the attacks of September the • On the 31st of January the trial which Med. rrency. Spanish-Moroccan relations im- 11th 2001 in the United States. will establish who was responsible for the prove with the visit of the King of Spain, fire in the tunnel of the Mont Blanc in whilst Turkish-Greek relations deterio- France 1999 starts. There are 4 companies and rate following accusations against Tur- 12 people in the dock over involuntary key for violating Greek territorial wa- • On the 3rd of January the trial of 4 homicide and negligence. ters. At the same time Turkey reopens people starts, including the Franco-Al- 241 relations with Israel. The Republic of gerians Djamel Beghal and Kamel Daou- Italy Sprska in Bosnia-Herzegovina decides di, accused of being members of the to reinforce its cooperation with the Al-Qaida cell in Paris responsible for • On the 10th of January a ban on ICTY and simultaneously Serbia and organising attacks against American tar- smoking in public places comes into Montenegro attracts European and Amer- gets in France. Beghal has supposedly force throughout the country, causing ican criticism for not collaborating with confessed these facts in the United Arab some protests as it involves fines for the ICTY. Emirates before being extradited to Fran- the establishments and the smokers ce, where, he affirms he was forced to who do not abide by the law. Spain confess under torture. • On the 25th of January the judge • On the 13th of January, the Minis- Clementina Forleo from the court of Mi- • On the 3rd of January, the Prime Min- ter of Justice Dominique Perben calls lan dismisses the accusations of terro- ister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero op- for a criminal investigation to be held rism against 4 Tunisians and a Moroccan poses the “Ibarretxe Plan” describing it against the arguments advanced by the provoking criticisms from the Minister of as secessionist and anti-constitutional as leader of the National Front (extreme- Foreign Affairs, the Vice Prime Minister it suggested a “free association” be- right party), Jean-Marie Le Pen. Ac- Gianfranco Fini and the European Com- tween Spain and the Basque country. cording to these the German occupa- missioner responsible for Justice and On the 13th of January, Juan José Iba- tion in France during the Second World Freedom, Franco Frattini. She declares rretxe, the Basque autonomous Presi- War was benevolent. Such declara- that it is necessary to make a distinction dent, contests Zapatero’s request to tions, according to the French press between the defendant’s engagement withdraw the plan. The Esquerra Repu- laws, could lead to a prison sentence in guerrilla activities for recruiting militants blicana de Catalunya (ERC) threatens to of up to 5 years. to fight against the American forces in withdraw its support to Zapatero if he • Between the 25th and the 29th of Iraq and terrorism. On the 28th of January, opposes the plan, since the minority go- January, 12 people are arrested on sus- the Court of Cassation (the Italian Su- vernment needs backing from regional picion of recruiting Muslims to lead the preme Court) decrees that travelling to and left-wing groups. “holy war” against the American forces Iraq to take part to the insurrections is an • On the 16th of January the Basque in the United States. act of international terrorism. terrorist organisation (ETA) declares to • On the 27th of January, the Euro- • On the 27th of January the trial of 47 be in favour of negotiating with the gov- pean Court of Human Rights (ECHR) people starts, including policemen, doc- tors, nurses and prison warders, accu- bombing of the city of Dubrovnik in ternational Crisis Group declares that the sed of verbally and physically mistreating 1991. situation in Kosovo is increasingly dan- anti-globalisation protesters during the gerous and could lead to severe riots or 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa which left Bosnia-Herzegovina even to a new war. hundreds injured and caused the de- • On the 14th of January the American ath of a demonstrator. • On the 8th of January, the President ambassador, Michael Polt, announces • On the 28th of January, the Italian of the Srpska Republic (the Serbian that the United States decided to cut aid Court of Cassation blocks the extradi- entity in Bosnia), Dragan Cavic, nomi- to the country and withdraw technical tion of the Moroccan imam Mohammed nates Pero Bukejlovic as Prime Minis- advisers in the Serbian Ministries. They Rafik to his country, which suspects him ter. The former Prime Minister resigned threaten to take other punitive measu- of being involved in the Casablanca at- at the end of December to protest res if the government continues to chal- tacks of May 2003. The judge bases against the dismissal of Bosnian Serb lenge the ICTY. his decision on the risk of Rafik being tor- officials accused of not cooperating • On the 18th of January, the UN Se- tured or killed if extradited to Morocco. with the International Criminal Tribunal curity Council adopts resolution 1581 for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). A few (2005) allowing judges from the ICTY Malta days following Bukejlovic’s nomination, to finalise some active cases. Appendices the authorities announce a certain num- • On the 21st of January, the EU High • On the 14th of January, Amnesty In- ber of measures in order to reinforce co- Representative for the Common Foreign ternational requests to open an inquiry operation with the ICTY. These include and Security Policy (CFSP), Javier So- over information received according to the creation of a team of 8 people on Jan- lana, postpones his trip to Serbia and which, members of the Maltese armed uary the 13th with responsibility for Montenegro to discuss the reforms nec- forces would have inflicted physical abu- verifying whether anyone involved in the essary to join the EU, as this country 2006 se on some asylum seekers and illegal murder of over 7,000 civilian Muslims in does not cooperate with the ICTY. immigrants. This happened at the im- Srebrenica in 1995, still has an official Med. migration detention centre of the army position or is connected with the insti- Macedonia barracks in Safi as they were peace- tutions of Srpska or Bosnian Republic. fully protesting against the length of their On the 15th of January, for the first time, • On the 18th of January, the Europe- detention, the lack of information con- the authorities of the Sprska Republic an enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn, cerning the development of their de- hand a war crimes suspect over to the declares in front of the European Par- mands for refugee status and humani- ICTY, the Serbo-Croatian Savo Todovic. liament Foreign Affairs Commission that 242 tarian protection. Those who were The latter is accused of taking part in the there could be a new candidate country refused asylum already were complaining management of the Kazneno-Popravni to join the EU between now and the about the absence of information re- Dom camp, where 300 prisoners were end of the year if the commission con- garding their future. killed during the 1992-1995 war. siders Macedonia’s arrangements suf- • On the 17th of January, the ICTY ficient. Macedonia is still just a “poten- Slovenia condemns two Serbo-Croatians to 18 tial candidate country” at this stage. and 9 years in prison for their involvement Rehn announces that starting negotia- • On the first of January Slovenia takes in the Srebrenica massacre. tions with Macedonia is one of his ob- over the presidency of the OSCE for • On the 17th of January, 300 agents jectives during his term of office ending 2005. of the Secret Service are dismissed in in 2009. He stresses that progression order to fulfil one of the conditions for to candidate country status will depend Croatia joining the NATO and the EU. on the type of answers Macedonia gi- ves to a questionnaire it is filling in, on • On the 2nd and 16th of January two Serbia and Montenegro the quality of its technical measures, on rounds of Presidential elections take the country’s positive and constant po- place. The current President of the So- • On the 10th of January, following the litical evolution and on political reforms cial Democratic Party (SPH), Stipe Me- assassination of a 16 year old Albanian especially in the judicial field. siv, wins a second 5 year term of office.