Kontic’s Possible Departure

During the last five years, since he became Federal Premier in March of 1993, Radoje Kontic has been frequently accused by different sides of not being “ready” for the task he was given.  More established economists claimed that he is not capable of leading the macroeconomic policies of the country.  Opposition leaders criticize him for not doing his job well enough and for accepting to quietly and obediently pass on to Slobodan Milosevic the constitutional position of most powerful man in the state, and everything else that falls into the job description of the federal premier.  Journalists have dug pictures out of archives in which he is exchanging hugs and kisses with the disreputable banker Dafina Milanovic, while word has gone around town that he likes to take a few more drinks than becomes a premier.  Finally, a sarcastic joke was coined which says that if, God forbid, someone from the Liberation Army of Kosovo were to kidnap Kontic, no one would notice it for days, except maybe his wife.

For five full years, no one had any criticism of Kontic’s work where it counts, in the cabinet of Slobodan Milosevic, where, for years now, all staff changes at the federal level have been made, and where the importance, size and life-span of every actor on our political scene is assigned.  This was the case only just this week where, through the mouthpiece of Momir Bulatovic’s People’s Socialist Party, a request was issued for the replacement of the Federal Premier, with the explanation that Kontic is “no longer capable of adequately organizing and directing the work of the federal government, especially with today’s mounting economic, social and political problems in the country, as well as those on the international scene.”

SWIFT MEASURE: Immediately after Bulatovic’s party noticed that Kontic is no longer capable of performing his job, the same thing was also noticed both in JUL and in the Serbian Radical Party.  Explanations were similar — both the one and the other supposedly expected a lot more from Kontic’s Government, much more than empty words about reforms.  Since Milosevic’s Socialists, who evidently thought up the entire scheme, also concluded that they no longer need the Premier, Kontic’s replacement has been scheduled as a swift measure for Monday, May 18, in FRY Parliament (which otherwise has not met for months, not even in a situation where people are getting killed daily in Kosovo).

At that time, you can think of the absurdity of the situation: a man who was judged “ready” to take up the premier’s chair several years ago — at a time when this country was breaking all existing records for hyperinflation and when monthly salaries had dropped from the promised “Swedish standard” down to the average earnings of the Upper Volta — will be replaced.   It turned out that Kontic is not in tune with the problems facing FRY, only one day after he promised that inflation will finally be reduced to below one percent per month, while he was opening the International Fair of Technology in Belgrade (obviously not imagining what was in store for him).  Of course, it could easily be concluded from all this that Kontic’s announced replacement has very little to do with economic policies, or even less with the fact that the Federal Premier did not up to now take his job too seriously.  His faceless and unconvincing government could have continued to vegetate, it seems, for years without anyone criticizing its slowness in resolving economic problems — if parliamentary elections in Montenegro were not scheduled for May 31, and if there was not the possibility of Milo Djukanovic winning in those elections and seriously shaking up the system of rule in FRY, in which someone’s wedding ring can bring incomparably more power than any constitutional authorizations.

WE STAND WITH YOU RADOJE: First reactions from Podgorica indicate that Radoje Kontic’s replacement will not go quite so smoothly.  The President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, claims that beneath the demand for Kontic’s replacement there in fact lurks an intention to create an atmosphere for instituting martial law in his Republic.  “Momir Bulatovic has forged a secret alliance with Duke Seselj for disintegrating the federal government, but not because he is unhappy with the economic and political moves made by that government, but in order to demonstrate violence against Montenegro,” claimed Djukanovic at a pre-election rally shortly after the news regarding the possible replacement of Kontic became public.  According to the President of Montenegro, the new government would most probably have the task of attempting what Radoje Kontic did not wish to do in January of this year, when he refused to use his constitutional authorization for declaring martial law in Yugoslavia after the Presidential elections in Montenegro.  That is why, according to Djukanovic, the initiative for Kontic’s replacement represents an attempt after “certain victory of reform forces in the May 31 elections in Montenegro, for an atmosphere of martial law to be created in which Milosevic could do as he pleases.”  At the conclusion of this pre-election speech, the President of Montenegro sent a kind of message to the residents of 33 Tolstoj Street in Belgrade, warning the conjugal Milosevic couple that they can institute martial law in their own house, but not in Montenegro.  “I will not permit anyone to toy with Montenegro, nor to chose people in its name who will represent it in the federal government,” was the message sent by Milo Djukanovic.
His namesake and party ally, Vice-President in Federal Government, Vojin Djukanovic, also suggested that until the Federal Parliament session on Monday, a fierce political battle will be waged between Belgrade and Podgorica on the question of Radoje Kontic’s fate.  The Vice-President of the federal government announced an emergency session of the Parliament of Montenegro in which the entire delegation of this republic in the People’s Chamber in Federal Parliament could be replaced (that is to say all those who support Kontic’s replacement), which would most likely block attempts to replace the federal government.  Those familiar with procedures claim that, for something of that sort, a change in the existing law which regulates such things is necessary, and that until Monday, beside political fighting, there will also be a fight for time.  At the moment in which this article is going to press (Wednesday evening), the Government of Montenegro is discussing what to do in an emergency session.  Also in the cards, as can be heard unofficially, is the possibility of dissolving the Parliament of Montenegro, which would block operations of the Federal Parliament, and would prevent Kontic’s replacement.

LILIC CENSORED: Regardless of what happens with Kontic and his Government next Monday, the fact remains that the request for his replacement came as a surprise, and that from a source which was not expected, on first consideration, to ask for something like that.  While everyone was waiting for news from Beli Dvor, with their eyes fixed on Holbrook and Gelbard, Milosevic once again exploited the “smoke screen” which he usually creates himself, and struck in the direction of Montenegro.  The initiative by Blatovic’s Party caught unawares everyone who found himself in the federal parliament building last Tuesday.  The question of Kontic’s replacement has been, until now, initiated more than once by Djukanovic’s side, which criticized the Federal Premier for not supporting policies which reflect federal interests, that is to say that he sticks to the policy of not confronting Slobodan Milosevic.  At the same time, on several occasions during the present pre-election campaign, these demands for Kontic’s replacement were cited by Momir Bulatovic who tried to prove that Djukanovic and his people are against everything which belongs to the federal state.  Even RTS journalists, who are often told in advance to prepare for “something important”, found themselves caught by surprise.  It seems that Zoran Lilic, Vice-President of Federal Government, was also caught by surprise, having stated that Radoje Kontic “is a fine man with whom he worked well for years.”  The RTS people did some quick thinking so that in the RTS evening news, the part in Lilic’s statement about Kontic being “a fine man with whom he worked well for years”, was censored.

It appears that Premier Kontic himself was caught by surprise.  Admittedly, Pobijeda daily of Podgorica claims that Kontic was informed on time when Srdja Bozovic, a high official in Bulatovic’s Party and President of the People’s Chamber in Federal Parliament, several days ago brought him “the poisoned cup” with the announcement that Slobo, Seselj and Momir had agreed that Kontic should resign.  One day before the initiative by Bulatovic’s People’s Socialist Party became public, the Federal Premier had opened the Technology Fair in Belgrade, giving a fairly ambitious speech of the kind which is not usually given one day before the dissolution of government.  On the same day, he also spoke to representatives of federal and republican chambers of commerce, and on Monday evening he even sat in the honorary box in Belgrade’s National Theater, where he attended a celebration of the Karic Brother’s Company.  He sat only two or three chairs away from the President of the Directorship of JUL, Mirjana Markovic, whose party, the day after, was the first to offer support for Kontic’s replacement.  Had he known what was in store for him, perhaps he would not have attended.  Or, had they known, perhaps they would not have invited him.

CONDUCTORS AND SINGING: Surprise was also evident in many opposition parties.  Initially, an initiative for replacing a government which is not considered successful by anyone had been supported and signed by representatives of the Democratic Party (DS), which is close to Djukanovic.  Several hours later they probably remembered the aphorism “before you start singing, see who is holding the conductor’s baton”, and withdrew their signature.  In a short statement issued to VREME, Slobodan Vuksanovic, Vice-President of this Party, claims that in DS, people quickly realized that Kontic’s replacement is a mere trick, and they saw to the bottom of the whole affair: “At the bottom of this affair is Momir Bulatovic’s appointment as new Federal Premier before the May 31 elections to be held in Montenegro this year.  In the elections headquarters of SPS and JUL, where Bulatovic’s campaign is directed, it was assessed that their candidate’s chances would be incomparably higher if he goes into the elections from a position of power, rather than from a position of former president of Montenegro.  Even if that does not succeed and Djukanovic manages to win, the new government with Bulatovic at its head will be ideal for continuing the policy of ignoring Montenegro,” states Slobodan Vuksanovic.

Possibilities for “unrest” are becoming real already by the end of May, when parliamentary elections will be held in this Republic.  All public opinion research indicates that the coalition headed by Milo Djukanovic is closer to victory than the pro-Milosevic block.  Were something of the sort to happen, and were the victory to be close, Bulatovic’s people could once again go into the streets with the story that they have been robbed.  Then someone could fire a few shots, someone could get killed, and the new Premier would not dither like Kontic did in January of this year when, instead of instituting martial law, he went to Podgorica and attempted to cool passions and to broker in the transfer of power.
Kontic’s only consolation is that, in the end, political battles are being waged over him, who, as Premier, made no spectacular accomplishments.  If someone were to kidnap him now, the public would certainly notice it more quickly than the disappearance of the President of Serbia, Milan Milutinovic.  That alone, is no small accomplishment.

Career
Since 1978, when he left the Steel Works in Niksic, Radoje Kontic (Ph.D. in Technology Sciences) has continually held positions in different governments.  He was a cabinet member in the governments of Veselin Djuranovic, Branko Mikulic and Milan Panic, and was a member of two Montenegrin governments.  He was always considered “an expert for transitional solutions.”  From every one of these radically different governments, he emerged without political scars and shadows, which points to the conclusion that Kontic in fact got his Ph.D. in the technology of governing, that is to say, in the science of surviving on the political scene.  Perhaps the best indication of his skill is the fact that Kontic was Federal Premier at a time of unprecedented inflation, and that later, no one pointed a finger at him or his government.