used without permission, for "fair use" only

Whining Politicians

by Slavko Santic

Oslobodenje, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina, March 20-22 1998

In the cacophonous orchestrated whining of Bosniak politicians and their various "experts" for justice, international morality and the Dayton Agreement, initiated after the decision by the arbitrator Robert Owens about Brcko, the peaceful, reasonable and honest words of the Mostar mayor Safet Orucevic come as a relief for those whom the decision concerns the most: the citizens of Brcko. "Ignoring emotions, the postponement of the final decision in the Brcko arbitration is the only politically realistic and expected decision. At the time when some threaten resignations and protest rallies in connection with Brcko, any other decision would have been rash and dangerous for the future of the Dayton Agreement". To this open and very clear statement Orucevic added an explanation which only illustrates with how much logic and political vision he views this problem; consequently he was right to tell the citizens of Brcko that "there is no reason for pessimism".

This attitude is drastically different from frustrating and politically counterproductive statements by Ejup Ganic, Haris Silajdzic and other Bosniak political "advocates" for the citizens of Brcko. And the fact that in all this din the voice of the federal Croat partners hasn't even been heard can mean that they are not even interested (!?) in Brcko or that their Bosniak partners don't care about Croat opinion and didn't allow them to be heard.

It is also interesting that Momcilo Krajisnik and numerous leaders of various extreme nationalist parties in the Republic of Srpska are now spinning an almost identical tear-jerker with as much force as the Bosniak politicians (but of course for totally different reasons). They, also are not happy with Owen's decision. The citizens of Brcko should think about that fact.

Those who dispassionately, but not unobjectively, view this decision are inclined to think that even the Bosniak politicians would not have imposed more difficult conditions ("burden of proof") on Milorad Dodik than those given by Robert Owen. Even with best will, in the Republic of Srpska as it is today, Dodik will find it hard, if not almost impossible, to fulfill the imposed conditions. If he fails, the Bosniak politicians won't have it easy either. That is why it is of crucial importance for the Federation to fulfill the conditions as fully as possible. Instead of accusing Roberts Owen and the International Community as a whole, the Bosniak politicians must find it in their interest to contribute to the development of democracy in Srpska, to what Milorad Dodik is now obliged. That can certainly only be in the interest of the citizens of Brcko.

The side which takes less time to "cool down" after Owen's decision will catch up sooner with the time in which one should fight for the best possible (or "most just") final decision about Brcko. The attitude of the Federal prime minister Edhem Bicakcic that Brcko should be converted into a huge building site in which the citizens of Brcko will see the real reason for the return and hope for the re-establishment of normal life appears very reasonable.

Translated on 4/17/98