by Dejan ANASTASIJEVIC
In a voluminous interview, for which the journalist of BiH Danas allegedly had to go through complicated negotiations and be driven blindfolded through Hercegovina mountains, Karadzic says that Milosevic betrayed both Krajina and the Republic of Srpska, and that he was replaced by "characterless individuals". True, Karadzic admits that president Vojislav Kostunica "is a great and honest Serb", but adds that the president of FRY has been "blackmailed" by the hated foreigners and local traitors, so that he has no other choice but to follow their orders. The most bizarre statement was Karadzic's alleged claim that in his "magnificent isolation" he is putting final touches on his autobiography "Radovan and Serbia" for which an unnamed foreign publisher has already paid a huge advance and that he hopes that he will receive the Nobel prize after the publication of this seminal work.
DOUBTS: Karadzic's interview would have no doubt been an even bigger sensation if it weren't published in a small circulation weekly which is hardly read outside its home territory in western Hercegovina. Actually, it may have not even been noticed if with a delay of almost two weeks it weren't reprinted in a British tabloid after which, via press agencies, it reached more serious publications and even the Belgrade press. However, people who know a bit about current Karadzic's situation were from the start claiming that the interview was simply fabricated. "So far Karadzic has refused many requests for an interview coming form the most powerful world media companies that were prepared to pay well for exclusive rights," says a close friend of Karadzic's who has been in touch with the former president all this time. "Therefore, it is ridiculous to even think that he would now give an interview to some Ustashe [Croatian nationalists]". Our source adds that Karadzic is absolutely aware that increased publicity is not at this moment in his interest as it increases the changes for his arrest. Namely, recently Karadzic has been forced to more than half the number of his bodyguards as he is running out of money and he is taking his separation from other members of his family and incessant moves from one safe house to another with increasing difficulty. "He sleeps during daytime, and spends nights by writing and reading," says our interlocutor, explaining that Karadzic is not writing an autobiography but letters "both personal and political in nature". Namely, fearing the Americans and their eavesdropping devices, the former president does not dare use telephone and other electronic communication devices, and communicates with friends and political allies almost exclusively via letters.
If the alleged interview is viewed within the context of the most recent political developments in western Hercegovina, the scandal becomes less surprising. Namely, a general rebellion of Croats in Hercegovina in underway. Left without support from Zagreb they have in a desperate move decided to annul the Dayton Agreement and set up their own entity. Facing that challenge, the High Representative of the International Community for Bosnia, Wolfgang Petritsch, ordered a raid of the Hercegovacka Bank, which was supposed to finance that undertaking. Thus, Croats from Hercegovina were left without some $30 million that were supposed to be used for salaries of "state officials", which seriously endangered their plans. In such a situation, they would do fine with any allies, even the fake ones. Besides, they collaborated regularly during the war with Karadzic on the looting of Bosnia and exchange of strategic resources, from oil to cannons. The magazine BiH Danas is the publication of the most hardline faction of the HDZ in Bosnia, so that it can be understood why this "canard" was launched precisely from there.
MISSING RADOVAN: Thus, most likely against his will, Karadzic ended up in the limelight that could significantly harm him. Ever since Slobodan Milosevic ended up in jail, and the question of his move to the Hague has become a matter for negotiations between Belgrade and the Tribunal, the question of the two remaining "crown jewels", Karadzic and Mladic, that Carla del Ponte would like to see behind the bars in the Hague before the end of her tenure has been naturally opened. Because of a series of political and practical reasons, which are outside the scope of this article, Ratko Mladic does not have to for now fear an arrest. However, Karadzic's situation has slowly been worsening ever since he went underground. One by one, his friends are leaving the stage or are turning against him, and there are even indications that the tacit agreement which offered him relative safety in exchange for his self-seclusion, may not be valid anymore. A clear sign to that effect came recently from the chief factor in that agreement, the former envoy for the Balkans and state secretary, Richard Holbrooke. In an op-ed article written for The New York Times and published last week, Holbrooke sharply criticized the current Bush administration because of its signals that the USA may pull out of the Balkans. The main point of Holbrooke's criticism was, however, the lack of readiness of the Pentagon to get involved in Karadzic's arrest. "It is ironic that American military leadership, which would gain a lot by Karadzic's arrest because that would speed up the withdrawal of the American troops - is the biggest opponent of that arrest," says Holbrooke and adds that that opposition "is one of the factors that saddened [him] the most in the western policy after Dayton".
Thus, Karadzic, besides living long enough to be claimed by Croats, has also become the means for settlement of accounts between the current and former American administrations. All that is increasing chances that he will join his former friends Biljana Plavsic and Momcilo Krajisnik in the Hague by the end of the year. It is expected that Plavsic and Krajisnik will gravely implicate Karadzic and Milosevic with their testimony. Too bad for the Nobel Prize Committee. They will, apparently have to choose between far less interesting candidates.