Step Down or ...!

In a statement issued just before the start of the RS parliament session in Pale on June 25, Presidents Zoran Lilic, Slobodan Milosevic and Momir Bulatovic called for the dismissal of Radovan Karadzic without mentioning his name. If not, "the FRY will take all measures both against institutions and individuals whose behavior obstructs the implementation of the peace agreement and endangers the interests of the RS and FRY populations".

The key parts of the statement, which came a day after Plavsic, Koljevic, Krajisnik and Kijac, Lilic, Bulatovic, Sainovic, Stanisic and finally Bildt met with Milosevic, said: "Part of the RS leadership is refusing or avoiding to implement the Dayton agreement. They are repeating the old practice of taking on obligations and then avoiding them. Some willful acts in opposing the Dayton agreement have had a negative effect in the world and in the FRY... In talks with RS representatives, the presidents of Serbia, the FRY and Montenegro learned that the highest RS officials hid from their associates, parliament and government the fact that high representative Carl Bildt warned them on June 12 that if they continue disrespecting the Dayton agreement, sanctions will be re-imposed on the RS... We are calling the parliament to immediately and without delay take decisions which will secure the implementation of obligations. In existing circumstances, it is necessary to immediately appoint an acting RS president with full authority and prevent the further endangering of the interests of the RS population in implementing the peace agreement."

The statement includes many recognizable Bildt phrases and Milosevic sent Jovica Stanisic and Nikola Sainovic to Pale and a lengthy meeting with Krajisnik.

That final pressure on Karadzic is the result of months of pressure by Western governments which culminated prior to the latest agreement in Vienna on scheduling the Bosnia elections for September 14. Under the Dayton agreement, persons charged with war crimes cannot stand in the elections or hold any public post. But, Karadzic showed no intention of stepping down.

Over the past few weeks an unbelievable amount of reports, rumors, interpretations and denials of Karadzic’s fate appeared. First there was an attempt to transfer some presidential powers to Plavsic which drew speculation whether Karadzic had stepped down and it turned out he hadn’t.

Since that didn’t work, a debate began on whether it is enough for him to not appear in public or does he have to be ousted. There was speculation that he might step down as RS president and remain SDS leader. That Reuters report was categorically denied in Pale. Then Aleksa Buha spoke to BK TV to deny reports that Karadzic is resigning in favor of Buha. Then there was a report that several local SDS boards will nominate Karadzic for the elections.

On June 22 in Florence, EU members condemned his candidacy. Two days later Bildt spent over two hours with Milosevic in Belgrade and said after the meeting that Karadzic cannot stand in the elections and that he won’t. At one moment Pale threatened a referendum which would mean Karadzic stays. Rallies of support for Karadzic and Mladic were held in Foca, Bijeljina and Nevesinje.

Western pressure grew meanwhile. French Foreign Minister Herve De Charette said on June 4 that all necessary pressure will be exerted on Milosevic to secure the solution to the unresolved Karadzic issue and IFOR representatives said the international peace force will step up its patrols in Pale. US mediator John Kornblum said he had come to convey the US expectations to Milosevic including the role of Karadzic.

The statement by the three Yugoslav presidents came after that. Just prior to its publication, Krajisnik conveyed Karadzic’s personal message that he will do everything not to endanger the interests of the RS and Serb people. That statement came after Krajisnik met with Bildt. Krajisnik added that Karadzic is absolutely the most popular figure in the RS and there will be certain reactions among the people if he is no longer president but that "we are trying to find a compromise solution with respect for the Dayton agreement".

As soon as the statement from the Lilic cabinet was released, reactions poured in. Dragoljub Micunovic (Democratic Center) said he expects Karadzic, with some guarantees, to step down. "It’s no secret that his departure is part of the overall agreement reached in Dayton. Failure to implement that part of the agreement created tension between the RS and the FRY and the international community. On the other hand, Karadzic has allowed an erosion of his security because he is aware that his presidential post protects him from the Hague. In that sense the international community pressured the FRY and that pressure was passed on to the RS leaders," he said.

Vesna Pesic (GSS) said: "Milosevic has been trying to oust Karadzic for a while and replace him with someone more cooperative. He failed so far and the pressure will certainly be stepped up. An interesting point in the statement is the part that says the FRY will take all measures against institutions and individuals who obstruct the peace agreement. I don’t know how Milosevic can threaten individuals in another state."

"This statement is more proof that Milosevic has become a puppet in the hands of the international community and that he is only interested in staying in power and is prepared to sacrifice the honor, survival and vital interests of his people. We see once again that Milosevic can only blindly obey foreign ultimatums and that the West is prepared to close both eyes to human rights violations and a lack of democracy in Serbia as long as Milosevic delivers what they want," said Vladan Batic (DSS).

The latest report before this issue of VREME went to press was:

The RS parliament session ended on June 26 without a decision on Karadzic. But, at a meeting of the SDS parliament group before the session he obliged himself to step down as president and not run in the elections but with certain conditions. Reports said Karadzic wants a minimum of statehood recognized for the RS and the town of Brcko to stay in Serb hands following arbitration. Allegedly, Karadzic informed Milosevic and Bildt in writing but added that he will stay on as SDS party leader.

Bildt denied receiving any letter. Krajisnik told reporters after the parliament session that high quality decisions were made but refused to detail the conclusions. Karadzic’s resignation did not get an official form but that is expected to come in the next few days.

Kornblum is on a tour of the Balkans including Belgrade. Prior to departure, he said Karadzic must not have any influence on events in the RS. Most predictions said no new names should be expected in the RS leadership. The safest bets are Foreign Minister Aleksa Buha, Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic, Plavsic and Krajisnik.

Details for a Biography

The man who few people ever heard of six years ago, Radovan Karadzic, was born on June 19, 1944 in the Mt. Durmitor village of Petnica near Niksic. He’s a neuropsychiatrist. Married to Ljiljana Zelen-Karadzic, also a neuropsychiatrist. He has two children, daughter Sonja and son Sasa. He writes poems. Before the war he was charged with embezzlement and spent 11 months in jail. Claims he was framed.

In July 1990, he formed the Serb Democratic Party of Bosnia. Prior to the 1990 elections in Bosnia he said: "We don’t want a single tear shed over the new state organization, let alone a drop of blood. We want a peaceful, democratic Yugoslavia and a peaceful Bosnia in it." He became Bosnian Serb president on January 9, 1992. When the name was changed to Bosnian Serb Republic (RS) on August 12 and state insignia and a declaration on the state were adopted he stayed on as president never standing in elections because there were none. He told Pobjeda daily in February 1991: "The Serb people should not be afraid of civil war. They should watch out for a possible overnight massacre. Europe won’t stand a civil war in Yugoslavia nor does anyone dare strike the Serbs to wage a lengthy civil war."

Probably his most famous statement was: "The Serbs can do without bread but not without a state."

In the past few years he has traveled more than he probably ever dreamed he would: he went to Lisbon, Geneva, London, New York, Athens, Moscow. He met with leading diplomats and made fools of them. He also met with Slobodan Milosevic a number of times and sometimes made a fool out of him.

His most serious clash with Milosevic was in 1993 when the RS parliament, despite pressure from Milosevic, Cosic and Mitsotakis decided to reject the Vance-Owen peace plan which Karadzic signed in Athens four days earlier, pocketing Mitsotakis’ golden fountain pen in the process. "If World War III comes the blame for it will be on the Vance-Owen maps," he said at the time.

His relations with Milosevic were never the same after that episode.

Mladic in Belgrade Military Hospital

The operation to remove Karadzic has peaked and no one is mentioning General Ratko Mladic. With good reason. Confidential and reliable sources said Mladic has been at the Belgrade military hospital since Friday, June 2. His condition: numbness in the right part of his head and loss of speaking ability.

The general was due to address the RS population on TV on June 28, BSA day. There was speculation about what he might say since he took no side in the latest shifts of allegiance. His political restraint is interpreted as an inability to take sides because of the Hague tribunal charges that pair him up with Karadzic. Others say that is precisely why he had something to say because he is irritated by rallies of support to Karadzic and himself and Karadzic’s statements that the army will rise if someone tries to arrest him.