TUDJMAN'S HONORARY LAP
AIM, ZAGREB, May 31, 1997
On the National Day, May 30, the second parade of the Croatian Armed Forces took place at Jarun in Zagreb. The "Victorious Rampart", as this review of the indeed impressive strength of the Croatian Army was dubbed, was occasion for numerous Zagrebers as well as TV spectators to witness for themselves not only the sophisticated modern weaponry, but also the high level of training of units and the new modern structure. There were MIG-21 BIS, UTVA-75, Pilatus PC-9 aircraft, BELL-206B helicopters, as well as MI 24 mortars, and cannon and howitzers, rockets and tanks. But, still, it was nothing new relative to 1995 when Croatian troops flexed their muscle after the "Flash" and before the "Storm". TV spectators, however, could also watch the military exercises at the proving ground near Slunj and the navy parade in the Brac canal. What drew the most attention, however, was the fact that, for the first time after seven years, the Croatian tricolor with a five-pointed star was displayed publicly. Four partisan flags of celebrated brigades from the war fluttered alongside the same number of Domobran (homeguards) flags, whereby President Tudjman, who this time, rather than a white one wore a brown dress uniform, once again wanted to demonstrated in deed, his idea about the reconciliation of all Croats.
However, although the organizers of this costly pageant which was held only a day after the Minister of Health, Dr.Andrija Herbrang, publicly disclosed that even more drastic austerity measures would be introduced in health establishments, claimed that its purpose was to show the Croats and the world that Croatia belongs in NATO, as its army is organized upon the principles of modern Western ones, this entire great show was put on for a much more banal reason. For, if the first parade did have some justification, for it was the fifth anniversary of the National Day, this other one was held seven years after HDZ electoral victory, i.e. seven years after the first multi-party Assembly was constituted. It was, that is, yet another input in Tudjman's electoral campaign for the elections scheduled for June 15.
All the three presidential candidates (apart from Tudjman, the social-democrat Dr. Zdravko Tomac and the liberal Vlado Gotovac) all to be treated on an equal footing, but that is far from being the case. For neither Tomac nor Gotovac can afford a plane with special escort, let alone a private military parade, and apart from that their campaigns will take 17 days as scheduled, whereas Tudjman's started long ago. Although some have named this year's race the "presidential one-man honorary lap", for the maximum the opposition can expect is, possibly, a second round, to be on the safe side television started doing its thing well in advance.
It all started with birthday party on May 14, in the
Croatian National Theatre, where the entire ensemble staged a spectacularly stupid show which the kitch, which used to be put on every May 25 at the Belgrade JNA stadium, can hardly rival. This was followed by monstrous TV serial in which Obrad Kosovac told his, or God knows whose, version of history, all with the objective of showing how the greats of the stature of Radic, Starcevic, Jelacic and many others where but chalk to the cheese of the clairvoyant, courageous, infallible Leader who led us out the dump heap of history to our bright present and even brighter future. This was followed by an extensive TV interview for selected editors (TV, radio, "Vjesnik", "Vecernji list", "Slobodna Dalmacija" and "Vojna glasila") where each of the magnificent five had his cameo part to play, while Tudjman replied from prepared notes.
Wanting to show how really healthy and fit for another term Tudjman is, although sources from the "Walter Reed" Hospital claim otherwise, just like his favourite Minister Gojko Susak, television showed the hail president playing the game of tennis, with even those who could be his grandchildren, no real match for him. A symposium called "Croatia and the World" was also held starring the ex-foreign ministers of Germany, Austria and Hungary - Genscher, Mock and Jesensky, this also with the objective of presenting Tudjman as a great world leader. The height of bad taste in this sweeping campaign to create a European Kim Il Sung or a new Tito, is definitely the documentary called "Tudjman - the Croatian George Washington".
The HDZ electoral headquarters made another strong move - all the dailies published the "Electoral Proclamation of the Presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union and the Central Nominations Committee for the election of Dr.Franjo Tudjman as the Croatian President". The propaganda leaflet rife with glorification of "Franjo Nazionale" and claims to the effect that the Croatian state will be called in question if he is not re-elected, is accompanied by a list of around 800 names of the members of the Central Nominations Committee.
That list indeed makes for interesting reading and is revealing in many respects, clearly showing that the HDZ has intention of hiding the fact that the elections will not fair. For, for example, this list of chosen ones includes the HRT General Manager Ivica Mudrinic, and another eight TV editors and journalists. In addition to countless directors and owners of either state-run or private (which is to say - HDZ owned) enterprises, the list, apart from the entire Cabinet, also comprises a huge group of doctors, writers, actors, singers, beauty pageant winners, athletes, novelists, academicians. And needless to say, Ankica, professor Miroslav, Nevenka and Stjepan Tudjman, listing their names only without occupations or any specific details, for, my God, EVERYBODY KNOWS. Surprisingly enough, the grandson Dejan, banker and young businessman is not on the list, but only his younger brother Sinisa Kosutic, university student.
But, lest it appear that Tudjman is supported only by the rich and famous, as eg. Goran Ivanisevic, Iva Majoli, Mirjana Lucic, Davor Suker, Zvonimir Boban, Patrik Cavar, Arsen Dedic, Gabi Novak, Oliver Dragojevic, Dino Radja, Toni Kukoc, Stojko Vrankovic, Ivan Aralica, Asim Kurjak, Ranko Marinkovic and so on and so forth, the "little people" were also given a place. Among the greats, who have been given the honour of supporting Tudjman, we can also see the names of a school mistress from Velika Pisanica, a farmer from Pitomaca, two postmen from Zagreb, a bus driver, several pensioners, a flower vendor, a skilled milling machine operator, a highly skilled electrician, a highly skilled precision mechanic. There is also a multitude of others whose names only are mentioned but not their occupations and places of residence, and it all seems to be a scam, because of the inevitable impression that many are on the list not because they want to be but because they have to be - for who in his right mind would say: no.
It soon turned out that the impressions were right. The writer Cedo Prica immediately reacted claiming that no one had asked him anything and stated that he would vote for Vlado Gotovac, and the actor Pero Kvrgic called the inclusion of his name in the list of the famous a "Machiavellian manipulation". So far only the two of them have reacted, and who knows whether anyone else will follow suit, or will everyone just dismiss the whole thing and say: keep your mouth shut and save your neck. Just how far the HDZ will go is demonstrated by the inclusion in the list of Mirjana Lucic, a fifteen-year-old exceptionally gifted tennis player, or the still younger brother and sister Ivica and Janica Kostelic, promising skiers, who are practically not yet in their teens.
This year's National Day, which has already been adorned with epithet of greatest Croatian holiday, and everything which attended that celebration was really nothing but Tudjman's honorary lap. The only question is: is it the last? It also revealed the true nature of Croatian democracy. No sooner had he stepped down from his pedestal and put on mufti, than Madeleine Albright came visiting Tudjman to impress upon him once again what Dr.Mate Granic had failed to understand in Washington. In all likelihood, irrespective of the fact that this conversation lasted quite long, the Croats will have to learn about its contents in an indirect way. The timing of the visit was not a matter of chance, but while the President's electoral show is on, only little can be said on the matter.
The Croatian media, judging by all appearance, will again opt for the same method as in the case of the protest note of six Ambassadors: not to publish what was written in it, but to communicate what Tudjman had to say on it. A man who can afford a private military parade can hopefully stop Reuters for a minute. After all, those who watch CNN, BBC, SKY News, or tune in to Free Europe, Voice of America, Radio France International or read foreign papers are a minority in Croatia anyway, as are those who read "Feral", "Novi list", "Arkzin", "Bumerang" or some other paper financed by "thirty pieces of silver". Until the elections are over HTV will stop all gaps and glorify the leader and the leader's great achievements.