NOW IT IS HOT - NOW IT IS COLD

Heating in Sarajevo

AIM Sarajevo, 13 december, 1996

The Sarajevans still remember the system of "odd and even" numbers when they could drive their cars only on alternate days depending on the last numeral in the licence plates of their cars. During the war, they have forgotten blessings of peace, so riding in a car did not even occur to them. There were more urgent matters, and in order to survive the four cold winters, all the trees on surrounding slopes were cut down, and not even the parks were spared. For a time, a sack of fire wood (fir-wood) cost 30 German marks. Then it occurred to somebody that with an ordinary water-hose it was possible to "hook up" on to the gas installation of one's neighbour. And that is how the city gradually became criss-crossed with a mostly improvised gas network.

The "joy" did not last long - in the first postwar winter, there is gas every other day at the most. An explosion of discontent shook up not only the freezing Sarajevans, it is the worst in cold kindergartens, nurseries and schools, but for a moment it even threatened that serious conflicts would break out. It all ended with letters, in the manner of local politicians, which did not make anybody warmer.

What has actually been happening in the past days in Sarajevo? The spokesman of the Office of the High Representative of international community, Call Murphey, resolutely said that there was no reason for shortage of electric power, heating and especially of gas! Carl Bildt was even more specific, laying the blame at the right address, saying that it was one thing to sit in a warm office, and another to live in a cold apartment. Hasan Muratovic, Prime Minister, felt affected the most by these statements and hurried to describe to Bildt and Murphey that he too was cold and that it was not his fault, forgetting that before winter began they had claimed that the gas had been paid for and that it would not at any cost be used for political purposes as it had been more or less the case during the war. Many Sarajevans recalled the standard explanations during the war that "the Chetniks switched off the valves", but also the words of a deputy from Kladanj at a press conference of the Party of Democratic Action that Kladanj had a heroic role, but also and additional specific responsibility: "Whenever President Alija Izetbegovic says switch it on, we switch it on, when he says switch it off, we switch it off". He was talking agout gas valves!?

It seems that the games with gas still have nothing to do with borders. Sarajevo Energoinvest company claims that Novi Sad company NIS is delivering much less than the quantities agreed with Russian Gas Export, costs of transportation through Hungary and Yugoslavia are also mentioned, and especially consumers in Republica Srpska, then those in Zenica and Visoko who are taking as much as they need without paying anything. That is how at the end of the line - in Sarajevo - the gush becomes real tiny, or comes on only on odd or even days - so that one day you have it one day you don't. And when you don't, then you are even colder from all the explanations, such as the one that the war debt for gas was 105 million dollars worth! One cannot get warmer from the allegation that much larger quantities of natural gas were ordered for the needs of Sarajevo either - that out of the total of 75 million cubic metres for December, 48 million were for Sarajevo.

The Government of the Canton, as AIM journalist was able to find out, is trying to find 12 million marks for the ordered quantities of gas, mazouth and oil for the mentioned month. How the people are going to find the money remains to be seen. Veterans, holders of foreign currency saving accounts (with which war years have been paid for as years of service) were promised that they would be enabled to pay 50 German marks a month for overhead costs. Since majority of consumers have not a gas meter, they are expected to pay the advance amounting to 60 marks a month. For the sake of comparison, at the moment a cubic metre of firewood with transportation in Sarajevo costs 70 German marks, and a ton of coal costs 160 marks (there is a possibility of paying for it in installments

• for those who are employed, and for pensioners). If you have money (in foreign currency) and if you wish to heat your home by electricity, you must previously sign a contract with the electric company and pay an advance ranging between 100 and 130 German marks a month. If you don't do that, and turn on an electric stove and use more than the permitted daily quantity (six kilowatts) you will simply be disconnected. And that means a new expenditure for re-connection.

All things considered, the Sarajevans will not get warm this first postwar winter either. It is quite clear to them for a long time who is switching it on and off.

MERIMA BABIC