If we ask who and when said this, the answer will be quick and easy: Franjo Tudjman, in 1990, and each following of the next nine years. But, this is not true. The year is 2000, and this was said by "a high SDP official" as a part of the general denouncing of Stipe Mesic; the "high official" was enlightening the voters in Tudman's style that "a vote for Mesic is a vote against the Budisa-Racan duo".
Woe is us if so soon after the departure of HDZ, "a high SDP official" so passionately insults the voters - not to mention Mesic as the Presidential candidate and their coalition partner - and so arrogantly uses the same fatal slogan about the necessity of the unity of everything and everyone in Croatia. Denouncing Stipe Mesic with most vulgar accusations - from the alleged political inconsistency to changing parties and suspicious sources of financial support - SDP and HSLS leaders, stunned by Mesic's good standing in the presidential race - gnash their teeth, and cover their political ambitions with the fake concern for Croatia.
As if the Croatian electorate is completely stupid (this is precisely the way it was treated by HDZ), and as if a political party, or more precisely the coalition SDP-HSLS, were running for the President of the Republic. Losing their temper and revealing their real nature, the winning coalition hysterically screams that they cannot guarantee changes if Budisa does not become the President. They even took a further step via the mouth of their "high official", completely unaware that by legitimating their similarities with HDZ, they do themselves a lousy favor.
The "brave", but nameless "high official" claims: "It seems that there are reasons to believe that a few tycoons, the extreme left headed by Feral Tribune, representatives of the Bosnian Muslim lobby and some American organizations finance Mesic" (Nacional, January 19).
Let us assume that the anonymous "high SDP official" is Zdravko Tomac (as was confirmed by a respected columnist of Nacional, who wished to remain anonymous), who is also the boss of the electoral headquarters of Drazen Budisa, and who therefore denounces Feral as an exponent of the extreme left. Does this mean that this gentleman (also a former Prime Minister in a HDZ Government) accuses us of terrorism, since that is another way of referring to the extreme left movements? If the assumed Mr Tomac didn't refer to terrorism, than he must be accusing us of communism. And since we have never been either high, or low officials of the Communist League, howcan we defend ourselves from the accusations by so pure, so liberal person, who (that must have been against his will) spent his whole life in the Communist League, and who was a ghostwriter of the book named "How I looked for the Red Thread" for the notorious "liberal" district attorney from the times of the worst communist persecution, Jakov Blazevic?
Using the democratic centralism, invented by the Communist League, and developed to perfection by HDZ, the assumed Tomac, underestimating the Croatian citizens, said that precisely them - the Croatian voters - would be responsible if they elect Mesic, as his election would then slow down, or even prevent the changes. Who is not with us is against us! Sounds so familiar, just like the theory of conspiracy (Muslims, Feral, Americans, Mesic...), thanks to which Tudjman's regime survived for so long, and which was used to obstruct the former opposition, and Feral Tribune. Just a few months ago it seemed so natural that the HDZ-controlled media, using the same conspiracy matrix, would attack, for example, Ivica Racan? And finally, didn't the assumed Tomac connect Feral and Mesic precisely because of the fear of humor and laughter, that the communist and HDZ's dictators were afraid of, aware that the laughing people is a dangerous people?
And then, what a coincidence, the real Zdravko Tomac spoke out denouncing Stipe Mesic, and coolly stated that, unlike Mesic, Budisa "was never a member of the Communist League, or HDZ". Showing that all means are allowed if his party is in question, the professor didn't hesitate to lie. Budisa really never was a member of HDZ, but he was a member of the Communist League, from which he was very soon expelled and sent to a communist prison (which gave him the image of a fighter for Croatia), so Tomac's little lie is even more stupid. On the other hand, Mesic was a member of HDZ, and every minute spent with Tudjman should be considered a sin. But, didn't the leaders of the former opposition, including Tomac, take part in the Government of the democratic unity (the democratic centralism again!), humbly cooperating with Tudjman and protecting the "national interests"? Their collective silence about the murders of and crimes against the Serb civilians must have been one of those interests. It seems that what really bothers the "brave", but "I wish to remain anonymous" high SDP official is the fact that precisely Mesic, when he was still the President of the Parliament, and not the former opposition, spoke in an interview to Feral in 1993, about the murder of the Serb family Zec and about the murderers that are still free.
Mesic's campaign might really be financed by some Muslim and American organizations (about Feral's participation in the campaign see the interview with Mesic), just as, according to the claims by the "evil tongues", the Croatian emigrants (another voting machine of HDZ) maybe finances Budisa. This will however hardly influence voters, just like the demagogic electoral programs of the presidential candidates. Moreover, it seems that the candidates' personalities will be the most influential factor. Damn thing - this will of the people!
After all, why all this fuss about the presidential post if the former opposition has agreed to reduce the presidential authorities? But, that was a month ago...