A Fair Offer Under Pressure

The new year for the Serbs in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem began under the sign of the Memorandum on Completing the Peaceful Reintegration sent to them and relevant international community members by the Croatian government.

That letter of intent said the territory now under the control of UNTAES will be divided into two areas (the Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srem districts). The possibility of forming a Serb ethnic community which would unite those two districts was allowed but with no hint of political autonomy. In regard to participation in the authorities, ethnic Serbs were offered the posts of district deputy chiefs, three seats in the Croatian parliament house of representatives and one in the chamber of districts along with several posts in parliament bodies and ministries. The right to vote in local elections on March 16 will be given to Serbs who lived in Eastern Slavonia in 1991 and refugees who were also allowed to "vote in their place of residence". Both will vote as citizens of Croatia which means they have to get all the necessary documents before the elections.

The Memorandum also allows Serb men of military age not to serve in the Croatian army (HV). If they want to they can choose a working duty as conscientious objectors. Finally, all Serbs who want to leave the region will be "secured adequate compensation" by the Croatian government.

For now there have been no serious reactions by the Serb authorities in Eastern Slavonia. Most likely, they’re discussing the Croatian government document with UNTAES chief Jacques Klein and waiting for his final word. A positive opinion on the document came from Milorad Pupovac, head of the Alliance of Serb Organizations in Croatian and a member of parliament, and similar tones were included in a Christmas message from Milan Djukic, leader of the Serb National Party. That message was sent by him and the HV transitional administration chief for Eastern Slavonia Ivica Vrkic.

The main issue in the peaceful reintegration of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem is the return of refugees, both Serb and Croat. General Anse said the return of Croatian refugees will be an extremely important job as well as solving the position of Serbs from other parts of Croatia living in Eastern Slavonia because Zagreb’s stand on that issue is clear. Vrkic said no one should hope to stay in a Croat house. The essence of the whole thing is the return of some 80,000 Croatian refugees to Slavonia and the return of Serb refugees to the their homes in the Krajina.

It’s hard to believe that there is any way for the Serb authorities in Eastern Slavonia to prevent Croatian refugees from returning and Zagreb from taking over. Vrkic is clear: the proposals in the Memorandum are not Croatia’s problem. If they are refused, the Serbs can choose whether to accept Croatian authority individually or leave. The war is lost and the Erdut agreement which defined everything was signed long ago.