Serbs in the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) government

Prior to the recent elections in Croatia, Dr. Milorad Pupovac merged his Independent Serbian Party from Zagreb with the newly formed Serbian Independent Democratic Party (SDSS) from Vukovar, in which he took the post of program council president. At those elections, the SDSS scored very well, coming to power in 11 municipalities and the town of Beli Manastir. Judging by everything, that party shall in future play a key role in the difficult process of Serb political and social reintegration into Croatian society.

The leaders of the SDSS have promoted a new, reconciliatory tone which clearly demonstrates their awareness that their future lies in Croatia, however it seems as though they are not overly inclined towards the opportunism of a loser. They are energetic in their insistence for respecting the rights which they are guaranteed by the Croatian Constitution and the Erdut Agreement, as well as the Letter of Intent of the Croatian government, however they exclusively advocate methods of a democratic and parliamentary battle. In certain cases they do not even exclude a coalition with the HDZ which stands as a precedent amongst the Serbian parties. The SDSS platform relies to a great extent on the new policy of the international community - primarily the US - which is hoping for a multi-cultural society in Croatia on which, as it appears, it no longer intends to tolerate any obstructions.

VREME: What have the recent elections brought to the Serbs in Eastern Slavonia?

PUPOVAC: They brought what the SDSS promoted as its basic election message: a mass turnout at the elections as the best way to create political pre-conditions to defend the rights of those Serbs who have remained in Eastern Slavonia - therefore, somewhere directly, somewhere indirectly, the rights of the other Serbs who live in Croatia."

General Klein says that by turning out for the elections, the Serbs have confirmed their wish to live in Croatia and that problems shall successively be resolved by political means. Is that evaluation too optimistic?

"It is true. Klein is right when he says that both the political leadership and the Serb people in eastern Slavonia have chosen political means to defend their rights and a political road to integration into Croatian society. We shall fight for Serb rights through the Croatian judicial system. These elections have insured that."

Is everything concerning the constitution of local government bodies going smoothly?

"No, that process actually still hasn't started as there are no official results, since subsequent, additional elections need to be held in certain places. It is certain that it shall be necessary to form a joint council of municipalities and that is the first step which needs to be insured so that after it the council of municipalities could help constitute municipal, city and district assemblies. The main problem shall certainly be a constitution of the Vukovar city council."

The president of the community of expatriated citizens Mato Simic is radical in his stands. For example, he is disputing the results of the elections for Beli Manastir...

"With his stands, Simic is reflecting a part of the government's stands. However, I can only say that such stands and such rhetorics which are against a reconciliation and a creation of stable pre-conditions for their return shall not be able to, as time moves on, generate adequate solutions and it won't even be in the interest of the Croat expatriate citizens from that region. I believe it would be wise to significantly change such rhetorics."

What does the Agreement state on the return of the expatriated citizens?

"This Agreement is actually an agreement by which the government, on one side, is trying to create the image that there are no barriers for the return of the Serbs and that all those who wish to can return. They claim that it includes all citizens of the republic of Croatia, therefore even citizens of Serb nationality, regardless of whether they live in eastern Slavonia or elsewhere. On the other level, a much more realistic one, that program applies to the expatriated Serbs who are located in eastern Slavonia and it actually opens up three possibilities. One possibility is for the people to declare whether they will return to their previous residences, whether they will remain in Eastern Slavonia or whether they shall go to a third country and receive certain compensation in return. If they remain in Eastern Slavonia they also receive some kind of compensation and other accommodation. These are the three key elements of the plan of return."

Is July, which the government is announcing as the deadline for the return of the 40,000 expatriated citizens, too close a deadline for such a task?

"It isn't in the least unusual that some Croatian politicians are making those statements. Quick promises are constantly directed towards the refugees but at the same time a means of applying pressure on Serb expatriated citizens. We cannot accept such pressure nor such unfounded and speedy solutions since we doubt the financial and realistic possibilities which would cause that."

Vojislav Stanimirovic is insisting on a parallel return of the Serbs and the Croats, as well as on an overall solution for the problem of all expatriated Serbs, even those in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia?

"That is the SDSS's stand. We truly believe that the issue of the return of all expatriated and refugee Serbs must be resolved with a single approach. That doesn't mean in the same breath, however it needs to be viewed as a whole. The issue of the return of the expatriated Serbs from FRY must be opened up as a question starting now."

Until now, over 50 thousand Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina have settled in Krajina. Lately it seems that the international community and the US will not accept a change of the ethic picture after all?

"The US policies are very clear on that issue, which means Mr. Klein's policies as well. They are based on the supposition that Croatia needs to be preserved as a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society and a significant role in that structure needs to belong to the Serbs. That is one dimension. The other dimension is that the US administration wishes to open up the process of returning expatriated citizens and refugees to the entire region from Drina to Kupa. Therefore, that means to Bosnia and Herzegovina as well. They believe that a successful return of the Serbs to Croatia would open a possibility for a return to Bosnia and Herzegovina as well, to all its regions, i.e. all its entities. We definitely support such a stand by the international community and the U.S., however we also know that only outside pressure on the Croatian government, without a sufficient amount of internal readiness to accept life with the Serbs, without the readiness to accept the Serbs as this country's citizens and as people who will take part in constituting this society, shall not bring about satisfactory results.