Interview with Zeljko Kopanja

Nezavisne Novine, Banja Luka, Srpska, B-H, November 3 1999

(...) NN: First, the most important question: how do you feel?

Kopanja: Better. After horrific pain I suffered after the operation, I now feel much better. Thanks to wonderful staff of this clinic, led by Dr. Grubor, his collaborators and nurses, who took good care of me, first in the intensive care unit and now here in a hospital room, I feel better with every new day and increasingly closer to the final recovery and rehabilitation.

Do you think about work?

Definitely. For example, I was just thinking about whom I should ask to have a laptop sent from the editorial offices. I want to start writing tomorrow. I think that would help me forget about pain. Writing is, for me, the best way to begin to return to my way of living and thinking.

One of the first things you asked Radmilo Sipovac, your deputy and closest collaborator when you saw him for the first time after the assassination was whether the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS [led by Slobodan Milosevic]) had reacted to the assassination. Was that an indication of your guess regarding the perpetrators of the attack on you?

No comment.

Do you think that, otherwise, it is best not to enter into speculations of that kind?

I personally have no illusions that the Police of the Republic of Srpska will be able to resolve this mystery. I do not care much about that any more. My life has been, I would not say destroyed, but definitely utterly changed. However, because of some other events and other people I am sorry to have to say this but, I have no confidence in our security services in the Republic of Srpska. In any case, no one here knows any more how incompatible security services in FR Yugoslavia, the Republic of Srpska and the Federation Bosnia-Hercegovina are, where is the border between crime and members of various security services, so that in all that chaos, I doubt that insignificant Zeljko Kopanja would be enough to change all that. Because of that I am a pessimist as far as the solution of this case is concerned and, as I said, I do not care about it that much. I am only sorry about some other cases and because, honestly, something like this can happen to someone else.

You said that your life has been changed, but that you want to continue working. Will this attack change anything in your professional attitude?

My professional attitude remains the same as before the attack. Nothing has changed there: articles must be sharp, truthful, well argued and sourced, as much as possible of course, but also we must make sure to maintain and increase circulation, as Radmilo Sipovac, Goran Rosic, Zlatko Marinovic and I and all others in Nezavisne Novine and Radio Nes agreed in the past.

Do you already have some concrete plans for the future?

I do. You may find that funny, but I can't wait to get out of the bed and into a wheel chair or on crutches so that I can get to the editorial offices and work on the plan for the weekly edition of Nezavisne Novine in color. I have been "haunted" by that idea for weeks.

Every cloud has a silver lining. This may sound like black humor, but Nezavisne Novine are now in the peak of popularity because of my tragedy. From the professional point of view, that represents a chance for us and we shouldn't miss it.

As far as the profession is concerned, I want to say something about the media. I have been really fascinated by the solidarity of the colleagues from other media companies who came to see and visit, gave support in their media and demanded that the assassins be found. When I talk about this I am referring equally to the colleagues from the Republic of Srpska, and the Federation Bosnia-Hercegovina. I was also fascinated by the support coming from various political parties.

Media gave detailed reports about the assassination. How much do you remember about that event?

Before this accident I was receiving threatening letters. One, two, three... However, I did not take them seriously. The same applies to threatening phone calls. Only after one threatening letter, which was left in my holiday home and found by my brother Stevo, I began to worry. I went to the Police to report that threat. People were put on that case and started to work. I tried to be more careful. A day before that happened, I was sitting in front of "Gradska Kafana" [city pub] and told a colleague that we better go home, half jokingly. I said "you see, the city is full of some strange suspicious men, with short hair". Besides, lately, I have been changing my cars. One car went to the field, and the other was at my disposal. I was constantly under pressure to check the car before starting the ignition. That morning I got up at 7:45am and went on foot to the cafe "Napoleon" where every morning I have coffee at the same time. In order not to be late for that coffee, I returned with the intention to drive to the cafe. I do not recall whether I entered the car, placed the key into the ignition or tried to start the engine. I only know that at one moment I felt the explosion. There was no pain, only an explosion. I still remember shouting "help!". And that's all.

My mind goes blank at that point. Later I heard what happened: that I was clinically dead, and was resuscitated by machines. You already know everything that happened later.

After everything, do you think that more could have been done for your protection? As you said, the Police knew about anonymous death threats?

Minister Sredoje Novic and his collaborators have visited me. One of them asked me "why didn't you tell us to guard you?" And I gave them that threatening letter ten days ago!

In any case, that's all water under the bridge. Even after everything I am sincerely impressed by the support of the media, colleagues from the Republic of Srpska and the Federation, but also by the support from political parties from the Republic of Srpska, the Serb Democratic Party, Radicals, Socialists, and many other parties and politicians. I was especially touched by the token of attention offered by Ms. Biljana Plavsic, the president of the Serb Popular Accord (SNS): a jar of home-made jam. That was for me a truly friendly gesture! Also, I appreciate the involvement of Prime Minister Milorad Dodik. He did a lot to make sure I get a chance to spend some time in rehabilitation in Austria. Therefore, I'll be traveling to Vienna soon.

Which articles, in your opinion, could have provoked the mentioned threats and the assassination?

I think that we unconsciously touched some subjects. I can't keep it straight how many different Police organizations have talked to me during the last few days. I can't keep track who is working for whom. What is military security, what military-counterintelligence security, what a security agency, what ordinary police, what FBI, CIA, what KGB, I'm totally confused. I have already said that the difference between a criminal and honest policeman is very vague here. Therefore, I do not believe that this is all due to war crimes, but rather that in the articles about war crimes we, apparently, mentioned some names and those people, probably, tried to prevent that our investigation and writing spread further to topics that may be dangerous for them. Instead, what did they actually do? They only built in us even stronger determination, greater spite to go further, to the very end. Besides, I openly suspect some conversations I had three to four months ago with people responsible for war-time events in [Bosnian] Krajina. I am afraid that the assassination against me is an attempt to prevent discovery of still unsolved crimes committed by various para-military units, criminal gangs and individuals. True, all of this is just a speculation.

Soon, you're leaving for further treatment and rehabilitation to Vienna. What can you tell us before your departure?

Thanks to the engagement of the High Representative and assistance of the city authorities in Vienna I am leaving soon for further treatment and rehabilitation to Austria. After that, I will be returning to the newspaper on my regular duties. I have full confidence in my regular collaborators and believe that the company "DNN", which has grown into one of the most powerful media companies in the Republic of Srpska, will continue to work as until now. I would like to tell to the editorial team to continue in an even more uncompromising manner than before. Besides, I will soon be back and, as I already said, I already have plans for new publishing and journalistic endeavors!