Belgrade Interview with Zivadin Jovanovic
By Tanja Djurovic, Belgrade
Zivadin Jovanovic is an acting president of Socialist party of Serbia (SPS) and former Yugoslav minister of Foreign affairs.
TDj: A "decree" regulating modalities of Yugoslavian cooperation with Hague Tribunal for war crimes was voted by federal government on June 23. Was there any legal basis for voting it?
ZJ: This is not a "decree about co-operation," but a decree about capitulation. With its passing, and with the procedure by which it was passed itself, the constitutional system of the country has been trodden on, and law-making organs pushed aside. It was adopted by minority in Federal government, by eight members out of the 17 it has in total -- eight members of Democratic opposition of Serbia (DOS).
Montenegrin representatives were not present when text of this decree was adopted at last Saturday's extraordinary session, save one, who voted against. So the Federal government was transformed into a mechanism stamping an official seal on the decisions of politburo of the DOS.
[Montenegro is a separate republic of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia along with Serbia.—editor]
Previous to this decree was the attempt to pass "Law about cooperation with Hague Tribunal" in the Federal Parliament, allowing the extradition of Yugoslav citizens. When DOS leaders realized they did not have the majority in this body of people's representatives, they bypassed it, packing the same material into "Hague decree." Both Law and decree are a direct violation of the Federal constitution of Yugoslavia and Republican constitution of Serbia, which both explicitly forbid the extradition of Yugoslav subjects - regardless to what state they would be delivered.
Furthermore, there are no international obligations whatsoever that would oblige the state of Yugoslavia to deliver its citizens against its own constitution- not even Dayton agreement, for the Hague Tribunal is not mentioned in it.
TDj - What would the extradition of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, or any other of its subjects to Tribunal in Hague, mean for the country?
ZJ -- As for Slobodan Milosevic himself, enormous efforts have been exercised for him to be extradited to Hague. First of all, he was the leader of the country and people at the time of NATO pact’s aggression two years ago. And this aggression was unsuccessful! Furthermore, NATO and the whole world are aware that bombing of Yugoslavia was a crime over all crimes against peace and humanity - so far unrecorded violation of UN-Charter, all international principles and norms.
So with all these pressures to deliver Milosevic to Hague, the "international community" wants to impose the responsibility for all the consequences of NATO war on Yugoslavia and its citizens. NATO wants an amnesty for its crimes. The victim should be proclaimed the culprit, and the culprit proclaimed righteous and just.
This is why the SPS as well as vast majority of Yugoslav citizens is determinedly against extradition of not only Milosevic but any subject of our country to the Hague Tribunal or any other foreign entity. The idea can't exist together with the principle of state sovereignty. Citizens of one country must be sure that their destiny depends on their country, not on someone or somebody from abroad. This is the position of all the countries in the world, and we do not see that Yugoslavia could or should take different position.
TDj -- The DOS justifies its illegal moves by Yugoslavia’s urgent need for economic and humanitarian help, which is conditioned by co-operation with Hague Tribunal.
ZJ -- It is shameful first of all for those two issues to be connected: Donors’ conference and extradition of Yugoslav citizens. It is degrading, for Europe and for the world, and unacceptable for Yugoslavia - a sick reason that actually testifies about the depth of guilt of those who demand it.
The SPS doesn't argue about whether the country needs foreign investments and help -- it does. But even this "international community" wanting to buy off its responsibility is hypocritical as ever: it doesn't give and help, and it never has. It is rich precisely because it takes. Yugoslavia and Serbia won' t be an exception to this rule. Through so-called donations, a "suck-out" system would be established.
Whether or not the DOS extradites Yugoslav citizens, it will get nothing -- but an enormous damage will be done to the country and to the people. This is not what people have given them a mandate to do.
TDj -- What will SPS do to prevent the implementation of DOS-adopted decree?
ZJ -- First of all we appealed on Monday, June 25, to the Federal constitutional court to examine legality of this decree, and to stop all its implementation until final decision. We will also undertake initiatives in both Federal and Republican [Serb] Parliament. On Tuesday, June 26, we're organizing a big people's meeting in Belgrade, where SPS will make a clear demand to annul the illegal DOS decision.
The DOS as well as NATO are in a blind alley here, and the condition we are in right now is abnormal and temporary. The attempt to impose collective guilt to Serbian people is without any perspective. They want this nation to kneel, and throughout all their history Serbs are not used to kneeling.
posted: June 27 2001
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