The Belgrade-Zagreb Highway

Formally, Belgrade's idea was to show a cooperative spirit in negotiations and Zagreb wanted to win recognition for its internationally recognized borders. In fact, this was a case of the fate of the Krajina which controlled 38 kilometers of the highway at Okucani.

The opening of the highway on August 7, 1992, announced by then FRY Prime Minister Milan Panic, didn't happen for that very reason. Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and the Krajina leaders felt that would be too big a concession to make to Zagreb and Croatia wasn't prepared to make any concession in return, let alone recognize statehood for the Krajina or mutual recognition without clearly defined borders.

In October 1992, two busloads of reporters left Belgrade to see the highway opened but were stopped at Okucani by a group of local protesters who had gathered "spontaneously". They were told to come again but through the Posavina corridor.

Croatia grew stronger and the Krajina and ideas of a Greater Serbia grew weaker.

The next opening of the highway was on December 21, 1994. To win time for the Serb issue in Croatia, Belgrade agreed to the reopening of the highway from Zagreb to Lipovac via Western Slavonia through Krajina Prime Minister Borislav Mikelic. AN added reason for that was the need for an alternative corridor to supply the Krajina Serbs after Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic rejected the Contact group plan and Belgrade broke off relations with him. Traffic was unobstructed both from the Krajina and Croatia up to May 1, 1995. Then the Croatian Army (HV) launched operation lighting and the highway became Croatia's internal affair.

After the Krajina fell in HV operation Storm early in August 1995, the Serbs in Croatia were no longer a relevant factor in terms of the highway. The only use they had for it was moving refugees but only on Serbian territory.

Serb controlled Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem (Sector East) didn't really affect matters in terms of the highway. Belgrade, aware that recognizing Croatia is inevitable, turned to the bargaining table to profit from Croatia's impatience to gain access to its international borders. In a way, the Belgrade authorities managed to get a step by step solution and not give Zagreb what it wanted - a package deal on mutual recognition. In other words, recognition will come but not for free.

At the moment that price is being paid by the people expelled from the Krajina. Croatia is conditioning any possibility of their return on recognition.

The highway has been opened. A new border crossing stands on the FRY side and containers on the Croatian side. The Croatian delegation that came to the ceremony said they'd build a better crossing. Minister Jarnjak said the FRY outpost took two years to build and added that was a good sing Belgrade has no pretensions on Croatia.

Two thing indicate that. First; Sector East President Goran Hadzic was prevented from attending the ceremony by the Jordanian UNTAES battalion. Second; just before the Croatian flag was raised, the wind knocked down the Sector East sign.

Both sides and international mediators stressed the importance of opening the road in the process of normalizing Serbia-Croatia relations but speculation is rife over who really profited from the opening. Most people in Belgrade feel Croatia did primarily because its officers are at the internationally recognized border and there are some financial effects.

Still, Belgrade has reaped some benefits. The Adriatic oil pipeline has also been opened which economically much more important to the FRY than to Croatia. Croatia sent a delegation to the opening of the highway while the Serbian state media stressed the opening of the pipeline showing what's important to who.

The real question is what ordinary citizens have from all of this in both states. Nothing for now is the answer.

If you want to go to Zagreb from Belgrade you need a Croatian visa which requires a trip to the embassy in Budapest and if you want to come to Belgrade from Zagreb you're at the mercy of customs officers. Practically everything remains the same except for international transport which will bring money to both countries.