GOVERNMENT IN THE SERVICE OF ONE PARTY

In Tuzla-Podrinje Region SDA Declared Open Season on its Rivals

AIM TUZLA, May 30, 1998

In the region of Tuzla the SDA, assisted by the Canton Government, is relieving of duty all Management Board chairmen and members, as well as general managers who are not its members.

Months ago SDA has declared an open season in the Tuzla-Podrinje region on economic and other experts, members of the opposition, but also of coalition parties. The process is carried out systematically and when possible "behind the scenes", but has lately provoked a number of public incidents and protests of both different parties and those on "the elimination list".

Recently, three characteristic cases have "surfaced" in Tuzla, Kladanj and Brcko. In order to secure their total supremacy, the SDA ideologists have - assisted by the Canton administration - carried out a classification of enterprises and institutions and proclaimed the most successful ones to be of cantonal interest thereby depriving the communal structures of practically all prerogatives they enjoyed in respect of personnel policy. In Tuzla, the "cantonal team" proclaimed hotels "Tuzla" and "Bristol", as well as some other enterprises to be of "cantonal importance" and forthwith changed Management Boards, appointing their men. There are rumours about new personnel combinations with general managers. In Kladanj, two catering enterprises are of "cantonal interest": "Promet" and another one. Management Boards (UO) were immediately relieved of duty and the new UO adopted a "decree" on the replacement of the General Manager, Ahma Gocic. Workers reacted to this decision and went on strike. The differences have not yet been patched up because the Cantonal and Communal Councils are adamant in their decision to replace the Manager, although "Promet" was the only catering enterprise in the Canton which was operating without losses.

In Brcko too, the authorities are carrying out large-scale dismissals of UO members and general managers, mostly SDP members, and appointing new ones, ideologically - politically suitable SDS members. That is why the OOSDP (basic organization of the SDP) sent a protest note to the Canton Government, and Cantonal and Communal SDA Boards accusing them of totalitarianism, undemocratic and illegal conduct and disregard of the inter-party agreement concluded after the elections.

The letter mentions characteristic cases of the "elimination" of the SDP cadres. Zekerijah Osmic (SDP) was relieved of duty as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Secondary School, and Muhamed Avdic, the SDA Vice-President in Brcko, was appointed in his place. Instead of Izet Banda (SDP), Ibrahim Kamenjasevic (SDA) was appointed Chairman of the Governing Board of the School of Economics who, immediately upon assuming his post, relieved of duty school principal Mrs.Mirzeta Arnautovic, and appointed his own sister Elizabeta Dervisevic. Also, Mirsad Islamovic (SDA) replaced the Chairman of the Management Board of the firm "Sumarstvo" (Forestry), who was a SDP member. In one elementary school, the UO Chairman, Husein Abdicevic and a UO member Kasim Smajlovic, both from the SDP, were replaced with the SDA followers. Identical was the destiny of Enes Serifovic (SDP) who was replaced with Salim Besic (SDA) as Head of the Defence Department.

Apart from the classical "elimination" on account of party affiliation, another method the Government of the Canton resorts to is to deny the approval of the appointment of certain cadres. For example, the firm "Staklorad" (Glassworks) annulled the competition for a job opening at which Senad Besic (SDP) had applied, only to elect Safet Rizvanovic (SDA) at the repeated competition. Arif Makic (SDP) the until-now General Manager of the firm "Sumarstvo" applied for re-election, but for five months now the Cantonal Government has refused to approve his re-appointment. Mirsad Mrkaljevic, General Manager of the construction firm "Novogradnja" (New Construction) resigned after the SDA Communal Board tried to dismiss him. Such cases are numerous, not only in Brcko, but also in other communes of the Canton.

In the letter addressed to the Government of Tuzla-Podrinje Canton (TPK) the SDP in Brcko claimed: "Some four or five months ago an unprecedented campaign was launched against cadres who are not members of the ruling party (SDA). It was followed by totalitarian activities of the authorities, primarily the Canton Government. At the hardest times for the peoples and state of Bosnia an Herzegovina these people, who were unselectively ousted from management boards or were denied approval for their appointment to management functions, gave enormous contribution to the defence of free territories of Brcko and to the economic development of this region, including the organization of educational and administrative institutions. They have all been replaced exclusively by members of the ruling party, contrary to the election results and legal provisions regulating skills, work experience, etc.".

Zekerijah Osmic, President of the SDP Brcko, claimed that after the communal elections an inter-party agreement on the distribution of "spheres of influence" among parties was concluded. Ejup Cengic as President of the State Commission for Arbitration in Brcko was present at the signing of the agreement. The agreement was observed in the beginning, but after the SDA had consolidated its positions in the Parliament and its structures, as well as state institutions, the power-holders became insatiable. In order to take the positions in the economy as painlessly as possible, the TPK Government - in which the SDA is dominant

• adopted decisions on proclaiming enterprises to be "of cantonal interest" so as to deprive the communes of any power to influence the composition of management boards. On the other hand, upon resuming their functions these new boards, as "SDA's cat's paws" immediately replace general managers, even when their term has not yet expired which is contrary to law.

This "elimination" is carried out without any explanation and often with grave consequences for the enterprise in question. In the "triangle" - the Canton Government - Management Board - SDA Communal Board - the roles are assigned depending on the situation. If the communal and management boards are able to carry out the "elimination" on their own, they just do it. If they meet with resistance, then the Canton Government takes over and approves "its" management boards, denying that approval to the "unsuitable" cadres invoking the management board's decision. The Government denies any interference or responsibility for problems that might be caused by the forcible replacement of general managers and points an "accusing finger" at management boards. Such was the case with the catering enterprise "Promet" from Kladanj, whose workers went on strike attempting to protect their General Manager Ahma Gocic.

Where are the causes of the "elimination" of opposition cadres in the Tuzla-Podrinje region?

According to analysts, there are two main reasons for this, namely: on the one hand it is the wish to satisfy the appetites of the loyal SDA members and on the other, purely material interests of the ruling groups and cliques which are, in fact, alienated centers of power of parliamentary (legislative) state structures. This second reason is the most important one. The SDA and other ruling parties in B&H verbally support privatization. However, by appointing their "servants" to leading functions, the cliques gain dominating influence both over the present value (profit) of enterprises, as well as in the forthcoming privatization which is "in full swing" , while the public is offered only promises. In this way the ruling structures behave as the true owners of state property. As an illustration of this hypothesis is the example of the catering enterprise "Promet" from Kladanj. This enterprise is suing the commune for the debt of 350,000 DEM, but at the last hearing, Hidajet Mesahovic, new Chairman of the Managing Board, and Sadik Camdzic, a candidate for the General Manager have, through their attorney, informed the Court that the "new team" would settle the outstanding claims with the commune out-of-court.

Naturally, it is not hard to guess that they intended to write-off the debt and thereby directly stint in the workers of "Promet" and "improve" the material status of the SDA and the authority in which they are in power.

Furthermore, privatization of small-scale enterprises - building, transport, trade - is practically over. With the blessing of the SDA, general managers have sold or leased most of the assets. Naturally, these arrangements are made according to the principle "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours", while nobody asked the workers anything. The enterprises write-off debts because being busy, general managers - again at the suggestion of the SDA top leadership - tend to lose sight of the obligations and thus allow war and post-war profiteers to come by valuable property. As far as the leasing is concerned, they will have priority in the process of privatization. An example of such dealings is the enterprise "Zivinicepromet" which the SDA cadres have sold out or better said "plundered", according to the workers' claims.

That is probably why the SDA members in the TPK are in such a "hurry", because even if they lose power they would thus secure valuable property for pittance which would, in turn, enable them to exert dominating influence on the political events and actual authorities, irrespective of the election results.

The mentioned processes prove that the analysts of social developments are in the right when they conclude that the TPK Government is in the service of only one part (SDA), although according to the law it should the Government of all the citizens of the Canton.

Vehid JAHIC

(AIM, Sarajevo)