Interview: Ejup Ganic

by L. Davico

Ejup Ganic, acting president of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency in the absence of Alija Izetbegovic, believes the Bosnian Serbs will join the Bosnian-Croat federation and accept the country's division into cantons.
"No one will take anything from the Serbs. But they will have to return what is not theirs. I'm not referring to the towns such as Visegrad or Zvornik. I'm talking about houses that belong to people. And they should be returned," said Ganic.

"As far as we're concerned, we are flexible and we accept dual citizenship, passport control, there's no problem with this. Everyone will have the right of veto and everyone will enjoy full equality. What we don't accept is one side being more equal than the other," said Ganic to VREME.

VREME: What is the next step (following the Washington accord)?

Ganic: The Bosnian-Croat accord has created conditions to end the war, with the West as a witness. Now we have to negotiate with the Serbs.

The Serb Consultative Committee, headed by Ljuba Berberovic, will hold an "assembly of the Serb people" in Sarajevo. Who will be your partner in future talks - the Committee, the leadership in Pale or the regime in Belgrade?

Talks should be opened with Serbia, although it is not so powerful and important as it was before the war. Serbia, or the FR Yugoslavia, should recognize Bosnia-Herzegovina as an independent state... This is in its interest as well, since this would be its shortcut to the West... The Washington accord has made the Bosnian issue easier, it eliminated one of the three unknown factors. I think Lord Owen made a mistake when he invited those with weapons to the talks. Boban left. The good and the bad remained. Serbia has 300,000 Bosnian Serb refugees, of whom 200,000 live under our control in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica... Less than 50% of Bosnian Serbs stayed under Pale's control...

What were your motives in entering a confederation with the Croats?

It is good for us because it gives us access to the sea and to the West... The main thing is for the people to understand that we have to live from our work and that the more others divide Bosnia, the more united it will remain.We will need hard currency in the future and we can earn it in tourism and in deals offered by Arab countries.

You certainly know that some people in the ex-Yugoslavia and abroad are branding you an extremist, an Islamic fundamentalist?

Me, an extremist? Never. I am a rational person. I studied in Belgrade and earned a PhD degree in the U.S. I lecture at the University of Illinois. I returned to Bosnia after ten years in America where I was a big fish in a big pond. In Bosnia, I'm a bigger fish because the pond is smaller. I'm also the editor of two scientific magazines, one in the U.S., the other in Russia. I have a book published by a major U.S. publisher, which allows me to educate my children in America. And, believe me, I am the last man to be accused of Islamic extremism and fundamentalism. This is the best joke I've ever heard.