By Svetlana DJURDJEVIC LUKIC
The interview with NIN took place on the day when the top story was the attack on Vuk Draskovic.
PERISIC: Complete infomation is missing; the only thing that's apparent is that someone attacked Vuk Draskovic. Whether this was an assassination attempt is still a question as is what is meant by an assassination attempt. The very attempt to deprive anyone of life is destructive, especially when that someone is a public figure such as the head of a political party.
NIN: You don't seem too disturbed by this.
PERISIC: I've experienced a lot of things which have raised the threshold of my reactions. Personally I am not afraid: I've never stolen anything from anyone, nor made anyone feel slighted in any way. Possible attacks on me would be exclusively political. Since I am in politics to protect the country and the people, which is to the advantage of anyone who loves his country, I have no reason for fear.
NIN: That could be interpreted to mean that Draskovic stole something.
PERISIC: I didn't say that Draskovic was involved in criminal activity but he has been on the political scene a long time and perhaps he has offended someone. I am sorry that this is happening to him.
NIN: Do you think that some kind of changes will take place on the opposition scene, that the decision of the Serb Renewal Movement (SPO) not to participate in the elections will be permanent after the shots fired at Draskovic? That would imply the division of the opposition?
PERISIC: The SPO by its present stance has explicitly advised both its political opponents and opposition associates that it is interested in acting alone. This is motivated by reasons probably known only to them.
NIN: Can you say something more concrete regarding the possible motives?
PERISIC: The Movement for a Democratic Serbia asked that the question of the responsibility of the president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia be posed in the federal parliament, because of a violation of the Constitution. The SPO did not accept this in either September or January; they promised that they would organize a public tribunal in the city assembly with all 16 party presidents regarding Milosevic's responsibility for the usurpation of legislative, judicial and executive powers but this was not done. Our next initiative was directing the activities of the opposition to force the regime to call early elections. This also was not accepted. We asked that the federal and state parliaments be asked to initiate a referendum and this was rejected. Then we proposed the holding of simultaneous protest meetings throughout Serbia, in all cities, with the common demand that democratic elections be called, which also was not accepted.
Therefore, there were a lot od ideas and suggestions all of which were, during the period from January 10 to the withdrawal of the SPO from the united opposition, rejected prrecisely by the SPO. When the realized that they could not place all opposition subjects in the function of their interests, they withdrew from the united opposition.
NIN: You are for unification, but you are not prepared to join any of the existing parties or coalitions even though you are a new party.
PERISIC: I am for unification if it's for the purpose of change. But if we are united in order to preserve the status quo, that is, individual party intrests, to save the trappings of government and possible material wealth which was gained by questionable means, then I oppose it. Certain people, convinced in their own greatness, would like changes but only changes that are beneficial to them.
NIN: You give yourself the right to harshly criticize the other opposition leaders and insist on your proposals but your Movement is not even being mentioned in the public opinion surveys regarding voter preferences.
PERISIC: The Movement entered the political scene because it is apparent that the ruling coalition is leading the country into ruin, while the opposition in 10 years hasn't managed to articulate the will of the people who have actually been on the side of the opposition from 1992 onward. What is worst of all, even the loss of the cradle of the Serb people and state, Kosovo and Metohija, was not enough for the opposition to remove this regime from the scene. That is why the Movement for a Democratic Serbia emerged in August of last year, hoping to find among the 70 percent of the voters who don't belong to any party a sufficient number of people who are ready, able and willing to change the situation in the country. We have no one abroad to finance us and protect us; we don't need this. And in the country we don't have the media houses behind us, nor a completely built infrastructure like other, older political organizations. We don't want to deceive the people as some others are doing by ordering selective public opinion surveys and attempting to gain popularity in this manner.
NIN: How many people do you think will vote for you?
PERISIC: I don't know because we haven't participated in any elections yet. However, I know that we will be supported by people who want change, normalization of the situation in the country, prevention of the further breakup of the state, a more secure life for citizens and a better economic position. Since our political scene is exceptionally polluted, many people are frightened, suffering from post-war syndrome, we don't have a clean cut situation in which it would be easy to determine what is the truth and what is a lie. I am certain that the citizens, after all is said and done, will vote in the next elections for those who have not deceived them many times and who have not betrayed their confidence.
NIN: Research has shown that the citizens will vote first and foremost for a united opposition while you are contributing to its fragmentation.
PERISIC: You said that, I did not. The united opposition can succeed only if its common denominator is change. The foremost task of the new government would be to organize new elections which will only then be real, democratic elections, with a change in election law and freedom of the media. So we are for the united opposition but for people who are prepared, if necessary, to lose what they have in the fight for the interests of the people and the state. However, certain individuals not only do not want to lose anything but they want to gain something and that is not the road to democratic changes.
NIN: Considering all the circumstances, what is realistic?
PERISIC: Changes will certainly occur because the people have begun to comprehend that this regime and certain sterile opposition leaders cannot express their interests. Resistance is appearing spontaneously, it will take on greater and greater dimensions, tremendous national energy will be released. It is necessary that all those able and courageous people are found and connected so that they can find a way out together. The task of the Movement is the fight against the totalitarianism of the government and against chaos which may lead to a civil war. No one is more important than the citizens of this country and since we have already suffered so much, we must avoid further suffering and destruction. Even though the government "has a file drawer" as Milosevic's former advisor Mr. Trajkovic once said, and occasionally opens its files in order to paralyze its opponents as necessary, I don't have that obstacle and I am not afraid of this.
NIN: You don't consider it to be an obstacle that up to a year and a half ago you were a part of the system?
PERISIC: I was not in the government but headed a state intitution, and at that time the army was equally the army of all the citizens of this country.
NIN: General Ojdanic, for example, appeared in uniform at the congress of the Socialist Party of Serbia while you were still the chief of General Staff.
PERISIC: Not only Ojdanic, but also general Kovacevic who left the army because of this. Because of the attitude of certain people in the supreme defense council, general Ojdanic remained in the army. It was in their interests to have people who would protect their interests in the military leadership and it is no coincidence that I was replaced in the function of chief of the General Staff by Ojdanic.
NIN: Today is Yugoslav Army Day. Did you decide not to go to the promotion of the book on the chief of the General Staff or were you not invited?
PERISIC: My congratulations to the members of the Yugoslav Army and again I give it credit for resisting aggression together with the people. At the same time, I am critical of individuals who are demeaning this success by aligning themselves with advocates of certain parties. It is these people who issued this book about chiefs of the General Staff, to promote themselves, and they are very uncomfortable because they must include some people there who do not think like them. Neither general Mirkovic nor I were invited. If they had invited us, they would have placed themselves, not us, in an awkward situation, and that is why they excluded us. Their greatness, which they wish to project, would be reduced by this.
NIN: How is it that the title of supreme commander is now being used when you never used it?
PERISIC: Certain individuals want Milosevic to be the supreme commander, and to verify his decisions by a change in the Constitution. He has, in the capacity of president of the supreme defense council, without the presence of the complete supreme defense council, made decisions regarding the use of armed force which is a violation of the Constitution and the law. Sooner or later the question of his responsiblity for this will come and those who executed such decisions, knowing that they were illegal, will also be held accountable. If he is given the title of supreme commander, that is, the right to use the army in war and in peace without the decision of the supreme defense council, responsibility for what was done earlier would be removed, as well as that of the blind executioners of his will.
NIN: What do you think is the background of the campaign to decorate Slobodan Milosevic as a national hero?
PERISIC: After attempts to introduce the title of supreme commander, the switch was made to the campaign to decorate him as a national hero which would be humorous if it were not tragic. Milosevic is one of the co-perpetrators of the destruction of Yugoslavia, the loss of human lives, material goods, the loss of Kosovo and Metohija. A hero must be among the soldiers in the front line of battle, with the citizens, must receive the families of those killed, visit the wounded. He has done none of this and he does not deserve to be decorated as a national hero. This is being proposed by people who want to flatter him and, on the other hand, to get something. There is a third dimension: maybe someone thinks that by presenting him as a savior and a hero some kind of fallback could be created for him. If the intent is to motivate him to withdraw peacefully from power in this way then even I support it. He can be a hero three times over if only he would leave. In general, I oppose revanchism and the handing over of anyone to the Hague tribunal.
NIN: Repeating that Milosevic is the supreme commander may have tremendous consequences for Montenegro.
PERISIC: Decisions in the supreme defense council are reached by conssensus. The Constitution says that a state of emergency on the territory of FRY can be declared by the federal parliament with the agreement of the two republics [Serbia and Montenegro]. That article was changed last year by some sort of decree. This implies the danger of misusing the army. And certain generals, who have either been bought or corrupted, are placing themselves at the service of one party and may endanger the interests of the citizens of Montenegro and our common state.
NIN: Why did the court of honor of the General Staff decide now to strip you of rank?
PERISIC: This act of stripping rank from a general who was formerly the chief of the General Staff represents a precedent in the history of our people. I was dismissed, and then stripped of rank, because what I think and what I say is not to the liking of the current regime. This measure was undertaken at this time with the desire to frighten everyone who thinks differently, especially in the army. The fact is that the current regime is losing its rating and attempting to return it via the reputation which the Yugoslav Army enjoys in this country and in the world. That is why he is buying generals to misuse the army for political purposes.
I don't feel personally stricken by this decision because it is not coming from the generals but from certain individuals and their mentors. I consider the Yugoslav Army as a whole to be a healthy institution because I myself also worked for years to make it so.