FRANJO WILL NOT GIVE UP THE LAND

AIM Zagreb, 24 February, 1998

Never more firmly united and never more lonely - that is the impression made by the ruling Croat Democratic Community (HDZ) at its Fourth Convention which took place last weekend in Zagreb. Unity is in fact just an illusion. Similarly to the former ritual congresses of monolythic communist parties, not a single dissonant voice could be heard at the HDZ convention, everything was sublime, lined up, in unison. At all previous conventions of the ruling party, there had been unexpected outbursts of differences as the result of faction struggle for predominance in the party. This time - nobody was against anybody else, but they all competed for Tudjman's favour, aware that it is the only thing that matters. The comfortable pacification of the conflicting factions was accomplished by the president who to the last minute kept it a secret who he had planned to be nominated to take certain party posts. This mechanism became quite obvious after the man who had proclaimed Tudjman the greatest Croat of all times and the first ruler of national blood after so many centuries, was simply co-opted into the highest body of the party. The purpose of the convention was in fact to cement the president's inviolability, so that is what the manifested unity of the HDZ is like.

Loneliness is real, though. There were no representatives of any serious opposition party at the HDZ convention, although they had been invited to attend it. The reason for boycott is the attitude of the authorities towards the anti-regime protest organized in Zagreb the day before. After Tudjman had ordered that thousands of policemen be sent against social protesters, appearance at the convention of the ruling party would be suicidal for any oppositionist. In a letter addressed to the convention of the HDZ, Liberal Budisa assessed the use of force against protesters as a politically harmful decision, and the Social Democrat Racan sent word to the ruling party that it was impossible to solve the growing social problems by empty promises and use of force.

There were no diplomatic representatives at the convention of the HDZ either. Instead to the convention of the ruling party, the most influential foreign ambassadors went to Rijeka to the carnival. The message was quite clear. But they, nevertheless, had to deal with the event - subsequently. With his speech Tudjman has managed to appal not only Bosnia & Herzegovina, but also the whole international community. Furious because of the social protest, but mostly because what the protesters shouted at him (among other "Franjo thief" and "Franjo Saddam") he delivered one of his most rigid speeches at the convention. With the declaration that by constructing the highway across Bosnia Croatia was returning "where our king Tiomislav was from" and other quite explicit expressions of minimization of statehood of Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Croatian president sounded the alarm in Sarajevo.

But he also alarmed the Americans who assessed this as violation of the Dayton accords. Special envoy of American president Robert Gelbard, along with praizes to Milosevic for cooperativeness, very directly said that the USA were "embittered" by Tudjman's rhetoric. "Historical allusions to Croatia being the revival of the kingdom of king Tomislav are scandalous, dangerous and ridiculous", stressed Gelbard, adding that "president Tudjman must take care what he is saying". But it seems that the Americans, stirred up by the convention of HDZ will from now on take better care of what Tudjman is doing as well. The speech of the Croatian president sounded the alarm at important addresses in Brussels as well, where the report about the situation in Croatia is just about being completed. They are astounded not only by open aspirations towards Bosnia & Herzegovina, but also by Tudjman's reactionary stands towards democracy and civil society.

But the greatest alienation of the HDZ is in respect to the people. The distance and estrangement between the ruling party and an increasing number of the Croats is gowing. There had been announcements that the ruling party would initiate solution of social issues at its convention, that it would come forward with a program for rehabilitation of the social catastrophe. But this topic was just superficially mentioned at the convention. In its final declaration, the HDZ forecast improvement of the social situation. The ruling party solemnly promised that full employment would be achieved next year and that the standard of living would be improved. They promised - again! - to check economic crime, bribery and corruption. They took upon themselves to seek answers for unemployment, low salaries and pensions. They stressed that their tasks were achievement of a social state, but social justice as well. They demanded that state officials reject dissolute capitalism and accumulation of enormous wealth by individuals. The need of social solidarity and welfare for the socially most vulnerable groups was mentioned several times. In the end they made a point of proclaiming that the Croatian state existed for the sake of its people and not for the sake of individuals or certain groups.

But, everything outside this declaration was a denial of its content. Everything else was utter social autism. The dissolute luxury in which the party convention took place was just a signal of that. The exhibition of the latest models of limousines lying on the lawns around the Lisinski concert hall testified about it, but also the reckless pomp of this party ceremony. But the predominating rhetoric of the convention speaks best of full social unawareness. Announcements that this convention would bring about a shift in relation to social issues, which are starting to be predominant in Croatia, were shattered. Instead of understanding for social problems, the convention resounded with condemnation of those who made social demands. The president of the state literally called them a mob, and following his initiative the assembly passed a special statement condemning the social protest and qualifying it as an attempt to unstable and overthrow the regime. Wish to create chaos and anarchy was attributed to its participants, they were accused of intending to stir up trouble and of albanisation of Croatia. It was all emphasized by the threat that the authorities would "in the future resolutely oppose every attempt of unstabling the Croatian state under the pretence of freedom of public gathering".

This is actually an open announcement that the police will not resort only to "cramming" of the crowd in some future social protests. In order to give legitimacy to its irrational decision to attack manifestation of social discontent with police cordons and special units, Tudjman's camarilla is trying to present the socially discontented persons as enemies of the state. Because that is the only way to justify application of repression. The party convention turned into a showdown with those who believe that public protest is quite a legitimate way to manifest social discontent. In this series of defamation, accusations and political curses, the campaign of telegrams is comparatively new. Saluting wires, as Tudjman would say, sent to the address of the ruling party convention were used to create the impression that the people were against social protests. But use of telegrams irrestistably reminds of some other time and place. While rising to power, at the notorious Eighth session (of the communist party at the time) Milosevic initiated the campaign with telegrams. Organised spontaneity of this alleged "voice of the people", strengthened his position, spilling hatred on his rivals.

The HDZ convention undoubtedly took place in the shadow of the social protest which had shaken Zagreb and whole of Croatia just the day before. By the manner in which he tried to resolve the problem of social discontent, by sending police against the social protesters and by the rigid convention of his party - which by its rhetoric and chosen cadres signals that the HDZ is sliding to the right - Tudjman sent far-reaching messages. Someone said jokingly: Franjo will not give up the land - whatever that might mean!

JELENA LOVRIC