Enchanted by the "Boss"

A veritable takeover of the state took place over a cup of coffee and with greetings and best wishes. Branko Kostic, Jugoslav Kostic, Borisav Jovic and Sejdo Bajramovic were on one side. Dobrica Cosic was on the other. The new president of the new state found himself alone in a huge, empty cabinet. "Sveta, come immediately! There is just a telephone and a secretary here". That was an invitation to Svetozar Stojanovic, his old friend, but also a man who probably played a crucial role in having Dobrica Cosic finally accept the post of president. Vladimir Matovic, another one of his old friends, also came later on. A writer, a philosopher and a journalist at the helm of the state. No one fully knew what to do and how to operate. The President wanted at least one thing - to be surrounded by competent associates. If they were also friends, all the better. Svetozar Stojanovic, a philosophy professor teaching in Belgrade and at many world universities, became the special advisor of the President of the Republic; he was the first person appointed by Dobrica Cosic. Miodrag Mitic was then appointed the President's secretary general, and Ivan Mrkic head of the cabinet. Both of them are people from diplomacy. Velimir Matovic hesitated. He was a journalist for over three decades - what will he do here now. Matovic also eventually agreed to become part of Cosic's team. He became the deputy special advisor for the domestic policy. Therefore, his direct superior is Svetozar Stojanovic, his school friend from the First Men's High-school in Kragujevac, with whom he was in the same class for six years. Other appointments followed. Dr.Petar Vajovic became the advisor for constitutional matters, Dragoslav Rancic, a journalist for many years, the advisor for information and contacts, Dr.Punisa Pavlovic - the assistant special advisor for the foreign policy. The last two people to be appointed belonged to a younger generation - Dr.Dragana Gnjatovic, senior advisor at the Institute of Economic Studies in Belgrade, became the economic advisor, and Vlado Nadazdin was appointed head of the foreign minister's cabinet and became the advisor for contacts with Yugoslav citizens abroad and with emigrants. There is still one more vacant post of advisor - for national security. However, this advisor will not be a Yugoslav Kissinger or Bzezinsky - because that's Stojanovic - but he will deal with the police, security and intelligence. The President's closest team does not include the field of the army, but this is a separate service because, (and this should not be forgotten), the President of the Republic is also the supreme commander. Meanwhile, the first one hundred days of the rule of the President and his team passed, even though Dragana Gnjatovic and Vlado Nadazdin were advisors for only some twenty days. The first impressions of and experiences from a previously unfamiliar job have already been gained. However, Cosic's friends (Stojanovic, Matovic) primarily recall the days when Cosic wasn't sure whether to accept the post of president or not. Thus, Dr.Stojanovic talks about strong resistance from Cosic's family, primarily because of his health. Cosic had three very serious operations in only two years - in London he operated the main artery leading to the brain, and he had four bypass operations in Milwaukee. ("He paid for all that himself because he has always been careful to separate private affairs from state affairs"). Speaking about his family's fears, Matovic mentions the words of Cosic's wife - "You are not his friends, you're his enemies". A lot has already been said and written about Cosic's walks in the residential quarter of Dedinje where his friends made efforts to convince him to accept the post of president. It is interesting to hear now the arguments used in those "friendly persuasions", and also the reasons why Cosic's advisors accepted the offered posts, that is, what they think about Dobrica Cosic as a president. Professor Stojanovic says that he doesn't see a person on our political scene who could, like Cosic, ensure two things - first of all, radical changes; and secondly, the necessary stability in these changes so that there would be no chaos, big conflicts, or perhaps even a civil war. In this regard Stojanovic has in mind Cosic's moral and political integrity, his biography and the great influence he has on a wide range of people. Matovic explains that he simply doesn't know anyone else who could reconcile this unfortunate country and find a way out of the war and the present despair. For Dragana Gnjatovic the acceptance of this post was a moral issue - since the offer came from Dobrica Cosic whom she respects as a writer and eminent contemporary figure. Vlado Nadazdin admits that he was surprised by the offer. For him too, this was a moral and patriotic act. Mitic stresses that it is a privilege to be with Dobrica Cosic, a man of great experience and a connoisseur of the state of affairs. Ivan Mrkic says that his "boss" is extremely well acquainted with the domestic situation, that he is tolerant and wise. "There is no one like him", concludes Mrkic. Dragan Rancic, who was a journalist for many years in "Borba", "NIN" and "Politika", has a somewhat broader explanation for having accepted the post of advisor: "Two reasons were crucial - one was, if this doesn't sound too pathetic - patriotic, and the other was a journalist's curiosity and the wish to be at the very source of events, that is a direct witness of history". Rancic says that Cosic is a "strong personality of high moral integrity" who can also play and important civilizational role in this undeveloped political culture of ours. For a journalist, Dragan Rancic, (now already a former colleague), is a very interesting figure in the presidential team. Especially since he is, among other things, president Cosic's official spokesman. He is thoroughly getting prepared for this job by "studying the President and his way of thinking", in order to be able to convey his stands as faithfully as possible. Rancic has related a characteristic detail from the Geneva talks with president Tudjman, which were attended by Cyrus Vance and Lord Owen (who were also the signatories of the document). It is characteristic because it suggests that Cosic is a man who is trusted, which the President's other advisors also talked about. Namely, British foreign secretary Douglas Hurd unexpectedly arrived in Geneva and, on behalf of the European Community, told Cosic, among other things, that it would be good for both sides to devote more attention to foreign policy. After difficult talks, Mr.Vance and Mr.Owen unexpectedly appeared in Mr.Cosic's room where the Yugoslav delegation was relaxing over a drink. "We invited ourselves", they said and spent some time in an informal conversation. Rancic has also found points of resemblance between Vance and Cosic. Even though they come from completely different environments and although their roads in life were different, they both, each in their own way, are people of patriarchal morals, who keep to their word. After spending several days at the Federation Palace, and after long and brief talks with the President's team of advisors and Cosic's closest associates, this journalist gained the following impression: all of them are undoubtedly competent, ambitious, hard-working, loyal to the President and honored to be in his team. Perhaps one could even say that they are enchanted by their "boss". Precisely because of this they should constantly bear in mind what Cosic had told them: "I have chosen you to give me your opinion, to tell me the truth as you see it, and not as you think I would like to hear it".