Lost Opportunities

[Ivo Skoric]

Milorad Pupovac - quoted by BBC here - the vice-president of SDSS, 
the leading Serb minority party in Croatia - as one of the founders 
of the Society for Yugoslav Democratic Initiative in 1988, was always 
a part of Zagreb's left-leaning academic circle, which naturally 
supported Racan, and viewed HDZ with suspicion a New York Democrat 
would reserve for George W.

So, how could it possibly be that Racan missed the opportunity to get 
the support of SDSS in this elections? SDSS just sought what Croatian 
law had promised to them, and what the international community asks 
from Croatia as one of the preconditions to be accepted to talks 
about getting into EU: return of Serb refugees.

It remains puzzling why Racan could not deliver. Sanader, 
nevertheless, jumped on the opportunity, showing surprising 
statesmanship and political astuteness. Improbably, the new HDZ-led 
cabinet will help Serbs who fled Croatia during the 1991-1995 war to 
regain possession of their properties by the end of 2004.

Bold promise. Sanader - the supposed right winger - will do the 
Croatia's left wing bidding: something that Racan was promising for 
years to do, but somehow always found a reason to fail, Sanader said 
he would do AND in just one year. Visa regime is not a big issue - 
Racan's government did that already - Sanader just needs to continue 
the policy.

But if Sanader-Pupovac agreement helps return of Serb refugees to 
Krajina - without a major insurgency on the right in Croatia - 
Croatia may be one big step closer to the EU membership, which may 
secure Sanader's ticket to re-election, since good relationship with 
EU seems to be the major vote winner in Croatia, judging by the 
polls. Meaning, that Racan, by missing this opportunity, might have 
lost not just the current elections, but also the future ones.

Of course, Sanader may still fail. But it is very refreshing to see a 
politician in the "Western Balkans" willing to take his chances.

ivo

__________________________

BBC News

Croatian Serbs win minority rights

The main ethnic Serb political party in Croatia has agreed to back 
the nationalist-led government in return for concessions on minority 
rights.

Under the deal, the new HDZ-led cabinet will help Serbs who fled 
Croatia during the 1991-1995 war to regain possession of their 
properties by the end of 2004.

The Serb party, SDSS, said it would also push for Croatia to scrap 
visa regime with Serbia-Montenegro.

Croatia is under pressure to improve its minority rights to join the 
EU.

The deal comes as the HDZ - Croatian Democratic Union - prepares to 
take office next week, after winning elections in November.

The HDZ, which secured 66 of the 152 seats in parliament when it 
defeated the centre-left coalition, will depend on outside support to 
rule.

The SDSS - Autonomous Democratic Serbian Party - has three deputies 
in the parliament.

Political inclusion

"For us, it's a good start that HDZ has agreed to work on resolving 
our main problems," SDSS vice-president Milorad Pupovac told 
reporters.

"We will see how they put it into practice," Mr Pupovac added.

He stressed that the main issues in the agreement were restoring the
property rights of ethnic Serbs and also full political inclusion of 
the Serb community as guaranteed by Croatia's law on minority rights.

The SDSS said it would not formally join the HDZ-led cabinet, but 
would support it in parliament.

HDZ's leader Ivo Sanader says he will ask parliament to vote on the 
deal on Monday.

EU ambition

Analysts say the deal means that the Serb party no longer views the 
HDZ - which led Croatia to independence in 1991 and later into 
international isolation with its nationalist policies - as a threat.

Mr Sanader says he has reformed and moderated the party.

He says his government's priorities will be raising living standards,
resolving unsettled issues with neighbours and acquiring European 
Union membership.

Earlier this month, the EU urged the new Croatian Government to co-
operate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former 
Yugoslavia.

The EU also called on Zagreb and fulfil its promises on minority 
rights and the return of nearly 300,000 Serb refugees. Story from BBC 
NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3336257.stm

Published: 2003/12/20 04:36:20 GMT

© BBC MMIII

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Ivo Skoric
19 Baxter Street
Rutland VT 05701
802.775.7257
ivo at balkansnet.org
balkansnet.org