The lead story from their fourth issue of the English version of REPORTER Digest:
FROM CONFLICT TO THE WAR
Biljana Plavsic has a slim chance at this moment, but Republic of Srpska will have an
even slimmer chance if she leaves
There has been a conflict between Biljana Plavsic and SDS "hard-liners" for
last few months and this conflict turned into a real war on Saturday when the RS President
suspended the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dragan Kijac.
After what happened, no side will be able to turn back and it remains to be seen
whether Biljana Plavsic, who has become stronger in the past few months, is capable of
opposing a slightly weakened Krajisnik and his courtiers.
Problems with the First Serbian policeman can be interpreted as one reason. Kijac has
dismantled the intelligence service of the anti-terrorist actions brigade of MIA, which
was said to be loyal to Mrs. Plavsic and which supplied her with information and evidence
of the illegal dealings of the "Centreks" and "Selekt-impeks"companies
controlled directly by top-ranking state officials. She had requested the government to
investigate the legality of the business dealings of those two companies two months ago
and the government, as usual, shoved the file away. The RS President collected all the
acquired documents and submitted them as a top confidential file to the District
Attorney's office in Bijeljina.
As "Reporter" unofficially learned from very official sources, there was
evidence, apart from other documents, that "Centrex" and
"Selekt-impeks" had been illegally giving large amounts of money in foreign
currency to both institutions and individuals. The most interesting among them are the
State Security Service of RS and RS president Radovan Karadzic.
Panic stations in Pale: Pale plunged into a state of emergency afterwards and culprits
were found within the anti-terrorist unit, which has been an elite force of the Serbian
Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, Krajisnik is trying to meet Biljana
Plavsic in Bijeljina, which is the halfway between Banja Luka and Pale. But, as soon as he
saw her escorted by men from the First Krajina Corps military police instead of the MIA
policemen, he realized what would come out of the meeting.
Of course compromise had been out of the question and the problem had to be discussed
by Parliament, where the President confirmed she had submitted compromising documents to
the court of law. She also explained why she persisted in talking about the rule of law as
a condition of RS existence. Kijac bore the brunt of it. Krajisnik requested him to find
out who had supplied the President with so many papers and who had dared to touch his MIA,
a possession acquired during his five-year-long involvement in politics.
As an experienced professional and the person who led the State Security Service
throughout the war, Kijac, of course, already knew the answers. The rest was a mere
technicality. Nevertheless Biljana Plavsic could not come to terms with it. She introduced
her decision to suspend Kijac, and then flew to London where she was awaited by members of
the British Government and Serbian emigrants.
According to the statement about the suspension, Kijac has been suspended because of
his arbitrary actions and his disdain for the position of RS President and supreme
commander of the armed forces - which the Ministry of Internal Affairs belongs to, as
well. Biljana Plavsic stated that the First Serbian policeman had issued a sequence of
decisions without engaging in a compulsory consultation with the RS President beforehand.
According to the statement, that was precisely the manner in which Kijac issued his
decision to dismantle the sector of intelligence and counterintelligence service of the
anti-terrorist actions brigade of Banja Luka, a decision to transfer some of the staff of
the brigade, as well as to replace the superintendent of the public security center of
Mrkonjic Grad.
All these decisions issued by the minister of police have been declared null and void.
Plavsic ordered the commander of the anti-terrorist action police brigade, Major Dragan
Lukac, not to send the Sixth unit of the brigade on any assignment out of Banja Luka
unless she gives him permission to do so. She also said the unit was to remain under his
command. Biljana Plavsic sealed her decision: "Nobody can change this decision or
bring a new one on behalf of the President while she is absent from RS."
The Government strikes back: The RS Government called on ministers to meet, and as soon
as 14 of them arrived - they did not manage to contact more - they revoked the decision on
the Kijac suspension. All that was said about Biljana Plavsic was that she was the second
Serbian ruler in this century who had made mistake and then left for London.
The Government announced that "by having such an approach to the state
institutions and bodies and bringing decisions contrary to the RS Constitution, Biljana
Plavsic has taken sides with those who, by wrongful implementation of the Dayton Accords,
want to annul the Republic of Srpska ."
A statement issued after the meeting - which was signed by Velibor Ostojic instead of
Gojko Klickovic who also was in London (but not with Biljana Plavsic) - cited some
previous decisions issued by the President "by which she has taken over direct
control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Brcko and revoked some decrees that
concerned personnel matters within the MIA." The statement also said, "The
Government judged that these decisions coincided with the International community's
intentions to get the MIA of RS under its control which is contrary to the Dayton
Accord."
The President's action obviously correlates with the Parliament's adoption of the law
on the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to Michael Steiner, former deputy High
Representative, this law gives too much power to the MIA. Hence the head of the SDA Club
of Parliament, Safet Bica, requested the Parliament to take this issue off the agenda,
claiming the draft of law was not in accordance with the Dayton Accords.
Commenting on the law, which was passed later, RS Parliament chairman, Dragan Kalinic,
a man famous for being endlessly loyal to his own career, anticipated the way in which
Biljana Plavsic was to be attacked: "These days when one of the fulcrums of our state
is undergoing the most difficult trial since the beginning of war, when some of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs officers are exposed to humiliation and disqualification, not
only from outside but through destabilization from inside too, the Parliament has
supported the police through this law, firmly determined to resist all pressures and
tricks," Kalinic said.
Kijac issued a statement soon after: "I have worked according to the Constitution
and laws of RS protecting our state, its integrity, sovereignty and its people. I could
not let myself enforce unconstitutional orders given by the President of RS and harmful to
the RS people." It seems to be about the Constitution.
SDS has the next move: A high-ranking official from Pale, who wanted to remain
anonymous, told "Reporter" that the conflict between Biljana Plavsic and the RS
Government was the biggest constitutional crisis ever.
According to our source, the main board of SDS (which is to meet on M onday or Tuesday
when this issue will be in the hands of our readers) is expected to come out with a
resolution of this "constitutional" crisis. There is an indication that this
meeting might introduce a new strategy of the SDS towards Biljana Plavsic since there was
a majority opinion earlier that she should not be overthrown before her mandate expired in
September next year.
However people with the ruling party that think the president of RS should share the
fate of Rajko Kasagic, the former prime minister who was replaced a year ago, are getting
louder lately.
According to the RS Constitution, President Plavsic cannot be literally replaced,
although the Parliament can declare her incapable of performing her duties. Another
problem is that the "constitutional crisis" is not going to be discussed in
Parliament, but within the highest body of the ruling party. SDS does not want discuss
most of the ticklish issues because of the presence of Muslims and opposition members.
"We can not discuss anything in this Parliament," said Momir Tosic, SDS
member of Parliament, nodding his head in direction of benches where mainly Muslim members
sat.
Biljana Plavsic, after she had made a tricky truce with Krajisnik two months ago,
agreed that the main board of the SDS would coordinate relations between her and
Krajisnik. After she realized that the main board had been manipulated, she had a bitter
quarrel 20 days ago in which she promised they would see her never again. She went to Pale
only once again when she spoke to the Parliament about economic crimes.
Police reinforcements that have been sent from Pale and Bijeljina to Banja Luka show
that those in Pale have taken this problem seriously. They have not ruled out a possible
dramatic outcome of this situation.
SFOR has taken some additional measures too. It has reinforced its troops in Pale.
Biljana Plavsic is supported by the International community which has proved to be late
and unstable on many occasions so far. She is also supported by most of the discontented
soldiers but the army has not been a significant factor in RS in a long time. Time is on
her side since she is getting more supporters every day.
The social situation in RS is not favorable for Pale leadership either. Because time is
on the President`s side, Krajisnik`s camp`s action is more possible. Because the Serbian
member of the BiH Presidency is still supported by a majority in parliament and the Party,
he controls the media, money and Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Biljana Plavsic has a slim chance at this moment but RS`s chances will be even slimmer
if she leaves. Such a big step as the replacement of the president, who is supported by
the West, would hardly leave Krajisnik in the saddle. Particularly because he hopes to get
a few dollars at the Donors` Conference which is scheduled to take place on July 12 and
13.
No matter what the outcome will be, Plavsic can count on a moral victory even though
from the Serbs` point of view, it is no longer a matter of politics but a matter of
poetics.
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