Loznica and Zvornik, the Banks of the Drina

The political situation could be said to be stable, at least in regard to support for Milosevic's latest stands since they have been self critical. As local Serbian Radical Party (SRS) chief Drago Ivkovic says, "Everything's perfect. Since local factories have not operated since the sanctions were imposed, the local people have gone from living off of humanitarian aid to small scale smuggling. Mainly petrol, transported into the Serb Republic in gas tanks where it is sold for 3.5-4 DM. The DM is worth 1.2 Dinars. The socialists are upsetting the idyllic picture somewhat when they add up turnovers in time of war. The former police chief, who now heads the communal services, is suing SPS main board member Vojislav Gordanic for libelling him last summer when he claimed the police chief was involved in the "distribution" of Golf cars in Vogosca, in arms smuggling, issuing passports to known criminals..."

The situation at the Sepacki bridge crossing at Loznica is very normal. On the Serbian side, 10 policemen and a large number of police cars. When we crossed the bridge we saw inspectors from Belgrade, probably there to simulate observers. On the other side, police and customs officers. They're more relaxed and are drinking beer. One of them said: "Slobo will fall, fuck him and the blockade with him".

The drivers of 10 trucks full of lumber are not even trying to get across. Their gloomy faces make any question superfluous.

It seems that the blockade of the Drina has endangered both Mali Zvornik and Zvornik. Mayor Miodrag Kostic says these sanctions are worse than the international sanctions because several thousand Zvornik residents worked across the river. Life is more expensive because of the blockade: a 50 kilo sack of flour now costs 40 DM. The suspicious mayor says the people accepted Serbia's latest decisions with great difficulty, that they feel that the situation is tense, and that he hopes Seselj and his party will accomplish something.

A middle-aged local man isn't hoping for anything; he says things are getting worse. Prices are rising; he goes to Zvornik for fruit and vegetables and the police don't allow him to take more than a sack of vegetables across. He said: "When I cross the bridge they swear at Milosevic and us as if we're to blame for anything."

The pedestrian bridge at Zvornik has ramps on both sides and ID papers are checked. On the streets of Zvornik: police, soldiers and people. In that order. Shops and restaurants are open. State owned shops are virtually empty, while the privately owned stores have some goods. There are four kilo containers of US cooking oil: "UNPROFOR's", the saleswoman says, recommending it at 9.2 dinars.

The young men in Zvornik who are preparing to don uniforms say nothing has really changed after the blockade. "Only the smugglers got screwed," they say. Older residents, mostly refugees, are depressed. They sit together in silence to shorten the day. "The peace and freedom is killing us since the Muslims were cleansed", one of them said in an aside.

Unlike the ordinary people, the authorities have more important things to do. On Tuesday, the mayor and local SDS chief, Branko Grujic, lost one of his posts. Even though he is a founding member of the Zvornik SDS, he was accused of being a socialist and had to kiss his job as mayor goodbye in front of SDS executive committee Chairman Velibor Ostojic. Grujic wasn't dismissed for saying there were only five Muslims in Zvornik when asked how many Muslims there were, after charges of ethnic cleansing in Bijeljina.

Grujic thought he was bugged and took us into the Municipal secretary's office. He said his troubles began when he told Krajisnik: "If you're not with Serbia, I'm not with you." Since then the pressure is constant; he fears liquidation. "As a realistic man", he says the Bosnian Serb Republic can't go on without Serbia, that it will hold out another month. "There will be less and less food every day and we'll be left without money, because the people cross over into Serbia and buy what they need".

He believes that the worst thing is that the people believe the blockade is a joke; otherwise they would be behaving differently. He says the basic conflict between himself and the Pale leaders is because "they say they're building a national state here and Serbia is a civil state and they don't want to be part of it. It hurts me. Even if bears rule Serbia, let them rule us as well. A single state is in our interest and the only way for us to survive. We'll vote and oust the bears."

Later, we met Velibor OStojic in a textile shop. He was buying socks and underwear with his armed escort.

The situation is normal at Karakaj border crossing. It was a busy crossing before the blockade and now has no traffic. Ramps on the Serbian side: spikes, police and an anti-aircraft gun which looks out across the Drina. On the other side, the Bosnian Serb police and trucks full of lumber. People don't cross here; they never have.