The Smell of Gunpowder

Luckily everything passed without incidents. Several hundred journalists arrived from Zagreb aboard a Croatian Airlines plane on Sunday, July 18. They were the first passengers to land at Zemunik airport (Zadar) after a very long time. They were followed by another flight bringing the diplomatic corps and assorted Croatian dignitaries. At exactly 5.35 p.m. Croatian President Franjo Tudjman landed.

A little later he inspected the airport buildings. They were windowless, but had the necessary instruments to direct landings and take offs. Croatian Television described the event as a "historical moment" and carried speeches by Croatian Traffic and Communications Minister Ivica Mudrinic and Tudjman, who said that the opening of Zemunik airport was the first step in the setting up of a constitutional order over the whole of Croatia's territory "which had been wrenched by aggression and was under the occupation of the Yugo-communist army and Serbian rebels". Tudjman underscored that the "inclusion of Zemunik Airport in Croatia's civil aviation network was of great importance not only for Zadar and this part of Croatia, but also in linking Croatia with the rest of the world..."

During the opening ceremony, the three planes left for the island of Krk and Rijeka airport, for security reasons. Namely, the first Serbian lines are only a few kilometers away from Zemunik, which is in range of light mortars. But, the agreement was honored and all was quiet at Zemunik Airport where Croatian engineers claim to have defused over 10 tons of explosives which had been placed under two runways and the apron...

Croatian media then recorded the drive of a long column of vehicles with journalists and other guests through the devastated and torched villages around Zadar. For the first time after the demolition of the Maslenica bridge on September 11, 1991, the gorge at Novska was bridged over, and passengers coming from one direction only, reached the other side safely. During the first few days it will only be possible to cross the bridge on foot, since the tar is being laid. It is expected that around August 1, the first cars will be able to pass from northern to southern Croatia.

The bridge has been opened! Long live the bridge! Interpretations by the Croatian and Serbian sides regarding the agreement over the Maslenica bridge, Zemunik airport and the hydro-electric power plant Peruca, are indicative.

At the opening ceremony, none of the speakers, including Tudjman, didn't mention August 1, the deadline when these vital facilities should be demilitarized and placed under the supervision of the United Nations Protection Force in Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR). There was no mention either, of stipulations concerning the withdrawal of the Croatian Army from the villages of Smokvica, Islam Grcki and Kasic, where police units of the Krajiina authorities are supposed to return on August 1. On the one hand this is perfectly understandable, considering the growing social and economic frustrations of the people in Croatia, especially in central Croatia and Dalmatia, so that it wouldn't do much good to mention the unfavorable parts of the agreement. Analysts of Croatian affairs believe that the failure to mention these annexes, means that it is very likely that the Croatian side will not observe them. According to these interesting speculations, Croatia would keep these controversial areas under control by concentrating the army there in order to repel any possible attacks by the Serbs. It would later try to reach a diplomatic solution with the local Serbs, and put the entire area under its control. Debates on returning the Serbs into the Preamble of the Croatian Constitution, are under way.

The opening of the Maslenica bridge and Zemunik Airport and the agreement signed by both sides, are being greeted euphorically by both sides as their individual achievement. Judging by Radio Knin commentaries, the Krajina Serbs regard the matter as their great diplomatic feat. Radio Knin said that the announced withdrawal of the Croatian Army was proof that Croatia's January action had been one of aggression. Knin believes that this is an indirect recognition of Krajina, adding that the observing of the agreement would mean the beginning of the end for Franjo Tudjman. Krajina's politicians believe that Tudjman is threatened by the right wing of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian leadership. "Tudjman rose on the Croatian issue, but he could fall on the Serbian question," said former minister in the first government of the Serbian Autonomous Region of Krajina Dusan Badza, talking to VREME. He is currently Assistant Commander for Morale and Information in the Republic of Serb Krajina Obrovac brigade.

"We don't believe that the Croatian side will respect the agreement", said platoon commander Bosko Vukcevic pointing to Maslenica bridge some 7 kilometers away as the crow flies. They are also skeptic regarding life with the Croats, while they don't give a joint state a thought. "Too much blood has been spilt so far. It is impossible to forget everything and live together," said Serb fighter Savo Vukanac, adding that they would die, to the very last man for the state of "Krajina".