AFTER THE DECISION ABOUT THE "HERZEG-BOSNIA" TAX

THE FEDERATION UP A BLIND ALLEY

AIM, SARAJEVO, April 17, 1995 It is impossible to escape from time. And so April 15, came and went, the date and the time limit by which, based on the last month solemnly signed Bonn agreement under the auspices of the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Klaus Kinkel, the foundations of the Bosnia & Herzegovina Federation were expected to be finally laid and thereby the conditions for its true coming to life created. As a reminder, it was expected to have cantons and municipal chambers established by this date, but since it failed to be accomplished, both the Boshniak and the Croat party have started to convince the public with diplomatically hackneyed phrases that they have not abandoned the idea of the Federation and that it is still their common strategic interest.

Phrases like phrases, but as we have grown skillful in using them a long time ago, the question is who will believe them? The problem is that everyday life denies them and that instead of a common interest, partial interests are increasingly and drastically coming out on the surface, and so do misunderstandings and conflicts which speak of two diametrically opposed policies. It happened that just when it was expected to make up the balance sheet to see what has been accomplished of the signed Bonn agreement adopted by the Republican Assembly, another scandal broke out. The Government of the Federation was presented the data according to which about seventy trucks were held up in the port of Ploce due to unpaid deposit introduced by decision of the Government of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia, although they were carrying artificial fertilizers and seeds for spring sowing. According to this decision, the deposit must also be paid for stockpiles of the Republic of Bosnia & Herzegovina which are transported through the territory of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia, for commodities to be exported, and even for UNICEF shipments. This is all contrary to provisions of the Federation Constitution and the federal laws, the starving people of Bosnia & Herzegovina are faced with the uncertainty whether they will have anything to sow this spring and to sustain them, and the already frail economy is put in a hopeless situation. The Government of the B&H Federation, headed by Haris Silajdzic, is brought for who knows how many times into an absurd position since the regulations it adopts are not compulsory for anyone on the territory of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia, that is in a part of the Federation. This appears to be even more curious, or it should be, when it is known that the Vice-President and five Ministers of this Government are from the ranks of the Croat people and at the same time ministers in the government of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia. Besides, the Vice-President of the B&H Federation Government, Jadranko Prlic, is also the President of the Government of "Herzeg-Bosnia". It is true, though, that the mentioned members of the Federation Government are mostly absent from Sarajevo, as the capital of the Croat-Boshniak creation. Only Dr Nikola Grabovac has attended the last few sessions, playing mostly the role of the scapegoat for the rest of his colleagues - Ministers from the ranks of the Boshniak people.

After the introduction of the deposit, a new decision of the Government of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia followed - the decision on registration and verification of all bus lines which pass across "its territory", while special permits are required for freight motor vehicles. The mentioned decisions are just an illustration of the actual state of affairs - a deep dead alley the federation is in. "Herzeg-Bosnia" is, namely, just an officially and legally illegal state creation which should be erased from the geographic and political map of B&H, once cantons of the Federation are established. In other words, the more of the Federation - the less there will be of "Herzeg-Bosnia", whose end is more than certain once the Federation is established. Even the leaders of "Herzeg-Bosnia"

• Dario Kordic, Ivan Bender and Jadranko Prlic - are aware of it and, at least declaratively, cannot escape from it, but they do not feel like letting go the acquired positions, so they often go to Zagreb to be given "their opinion" to Zagreb, by Franjo Tudjman himself, and then seek a thousand ways not to implement the agreed policy. They say they are all in favour of the Federation, they are just interpreting it according to their own judgments.

In such a political game, the Neretva canton not only failed to be established by April 15, but it is completely uncertain when and if it will be. Practically the entire power is in the hands of the leaders of "Herzeg-Bosnia", or better still, in the hands of the local Croat Democratic Community (HDZ) as the branch office of the Zagreb ruling party, and the agencies of the Federation have no instruments for implementation of their measures. A member of the Presidency of the Republic B&H and the President of the Croat Peasants' Party, Dr Ivo Komsic, claims: "The Croat part of the authorities within the Federation cannot be denied the wish to act, but the power of political decision-making is elsewhere - in the hands of those whose interest is not implementation of the Federation". Stjepan Kljuic, also a member of the Presidency of the Republic B&H and the President of the Republican Party, is even more specific when he states: "Several mistakes were made when the Washington Agreement was signed. The greatest was that rules of the game who can implement the agreement have not been set. Therefore it can happen that the HDZ is the exclusive partner as the Croat party, although the HDZ has done the least to bring to peace. In fact, both Tudjman and the HDZ have signed the agreement under pressure exerted by the USA, and not of their own free will. And instead to have those who have caused and waged the war removed, they are appointed as the main protagonists of the federal agreement. That is how it came about that the people who were initiators of the war, and then escalated that same war, are expected to implement peace policy, which is, of course, quite impossible".

This statement also testifies why the Federation is making no progress even after thirteen months, and why the deposit will be replaced by something else, maybe as soon as tomorrow. If establishment of the Federation is really the wished for objective, the rules of the game and its players must be changed both on the Boshniak and the Croat side. For the end of the month, more precisely for April 25, a new confrontation with the international mediators in Bonn is scheduled. Whether it will be just another touristic journey at the expense of the state remains to be seen.

MLADEN PAUNOVIC