CONTENT
NATO/EU membership will solidify Croatia's historic
links with the West
President
Stjepan Mesic:
Signaling a maturation of Croatian democracy
Zagreb
as a destination:
Croatia's capital should not be overlooked
A
nation resolved to overcomeits tough heritage
Privatized
tourism industry will become engine of growth for Croatia
Croatia's
best lobbyist: its US Ambassador
Croatia's
resilient economy continues to grow
Ron
Brown credited for introducing US business to Croatia
Chemical
warfare conventions changed over fertilizer plant attacks
Film
and television producer Vladimir Kraljevic symbolizes worldwide success
of Croatian-Americans
What's
it like to visit Croatia?
State
of Minnesota develops close relationship with Croatia
Esplanade
hotel captures history and spirit of Zagreb
Spread
the word:
Croatia is an extraordinarily safe place to visit
Mega-Yachts:
the biggest status symbols in the world
Croatia
Airlines:
Creating a national identity during war and peace
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President Stjepan
Mesic:
Signaling a maturation of Croatian democracy
Shortly
after the death of Franjo Tudjman in December 1999 Stjepan Mesic won the
presidency of Croatia with 56% of the vote. His election signaled the
beginning of a new era for Croatia- a restructuring of political authority,
taking responsibility for problems of the past, and a streamlining of
the economy along Western lines.
Mesic was born sixty-seven
years ago in Orahovica, located in northern Croatia. His father was a
civil servant, his mother a housewife. Mesic became involved in politics,
first as an activist fighting for worker’s rights then as a law student
in Zagreb. After graduating Mesic moved back to Orahovica, becoming mayor
in 1966.
His political life
overflows with irony. Imprisoned for his leadership in the "Croatian
Spring" movement of 1971 he later went on to become the last president
of a unified Yugoslavia. Although named President of the Parliament of
Croatia, as a member of Franjo Tudjman’s HDZ party, Mesic broke from
the party due to a dispute with Tudjman concerning the Croatian leader’s
policy towards the division of Bosnia.
During the next several
years Mesic became one of Tudjman’s harshest critics. This did nothing
to boost Mesic’s own political ambitions as he lost in several attempts
to regain political office; however, six years after leaving the HDZ party,
again running in a race most people assumed he would lose, Mesic became
Tudjman’s successor as President of Croatia.
According to recent polls Stjepan Mesic, as president, has become the most popular politician in Croatia. He has followed through on his promise to reduce the powers of the presidency, and has begun investigations into illegal activities by the Tudjman regime.
In foreign affairs,
Mesic has ordered a halt to Croatian support of far right Croatian supra-
nationalists in Bosnia. His most prominent action to date, however, was
in cooperating with the delivery of indicted Croatian generals to the
war crimes tribunal at the Hague. Mesic is also credited with giving Croatia
the political and economic traction it needs to make a strong bid for
EU and NATO membership.
President Mesic is
interviewed here by John Rosenberg and Barry Jagoda of The Washington
Times.
Rosenberg: Mr. President, Washington was never very comfortable working with your predecessor, Franjo Tudjman. You referred to the Tudjman era as having left Croatia a "looted and impoverished country." How can you convince Washington that Croatia is on the right track and that now is the time for the United States to embrace it?
President Mesic: First of all it’s a fact that we left the former Yugoslavia and thereby we left not only a state community, but also the socialist system. By leaving Yugoslavia we also opted and decided for a democratic system and for a European Croatia.
President Tudjman also said that he was for a democratic Croatia, however it’s easy to say that you are for democracy. It’s likewise easy to say that you support the promotion of democratic processes. But on the other hand the establishment of a true democratic system- this is the real essence of the job involved. This is particularly hard for us because we have not familiarized ourselves completely with democracy.
There was a lag in democratic development during President Tudjman’s rule. He did not appreciate the European trends. He didn’t understand democracy. He didn’t understand history. Europe was uniting and he failed to understand this fact. He didn’t understand the benefits that all the countries in a united Europe enjoyed through such an association.
Now the Croatian policies have changed. We looked to European integration. We have left this period of isolation for the country. We are promoting democratic processes and establishing democratic institutions in the country.
Rosenberg: The Bush Administration, early on, said that it wanted to scale-back militarily in this region. Can stability be achieved using diplomatic, political, and economic methods?
President Mesic: Of course for us it would be best if all the political issues were also dealt with by political means- by negotiations in other words. I think that for the responsible forces in Macedonia it would be very important to grasp it- to understand the messages, to learn and draw from the experience other parts of the former Yugoslavia. Because all the outstanding issues in Macedonia can be negotiated and can be settled in line with a democratic procedure. No issue there can be resolved by the force of arms.
We are indeed interested in a political solution to the problem. However the international community will have to be present there for at least some time to come. If anything not to encourage anyone that the problem can be solved by means other than peaceful means.
We were the victims of Milosevic’s aggression. Just as Bosnia-Herzegovina was. But even after the vast number of casualties and the great scope of destruction we all remained within the same borders. Which means that war, in order to expand one’s borders, is simply meaningless. Senseless. Especially, if our common strategic goal is accession to the European Union, because the borders in the European Union will be open. The same financial and economic rules will apply to everyone. Rules decided through a democratic procedure. Through European mechanisms.
Every nation, whether large or small, will continue to live within its own culture and environment. Therefore it will be irrelevant whether an Italian or a Frenchman lived on this or that side of the border. The same then goes true for Hungarians, for Croatians, for Serbs, for Albanians. This, I believe, is the way out for both us and for Europe. I say also that it’s a way out the way for the future for the world because Europe then excludes war as a possible means for settling any issues.
I believe that a united Europe can also help the United States, Japan and China, because it is only economic competition that can promote new technologies. I believe that Europe still can offer a lot in this regard. So we must turn to the future, not the rear view mirror.
Rosenberg: Discuss the importance of getting into NATO. What are Croatia’s chances of gaining entry at this point in time?
President Mesic: Along with one of our strategic goals, accession to the European Union, the second strategic goal is membership in NATO. This will guarantee security for everyone in Europe, and therefore Croatia included. Our military could then be used within the scope of NATO actions and I believe that the defense expenditures [for Croatia] would also be considerably lower than it is at present. We would have the same standards in our armed forces, greater security and lower cost. This is important for countries undergoing transition.
Rosenberg: Where do we stand in terms of the bilateral relations between the US and Croatia today?
President Mesic: I think that over the past ten years our political relations with the United States have always been good and friendly. There was a delay during President Tudjman’s rule. But that was a consequence of his policies in respect to Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as isolationist policy with respect to Europe.
Now I say that our relations are exceptionally good.
We have had no ambitions whatsoever of dictating or having an impact on global processes. We are just one percent of Europe. But we must coordinate our interests with Europe and the United States. I think we are succeeding in the effort.
Rosenberg: It appears that both Zagreb and Croatia are something of a jumping off point for Southeast Europe. Would you agree?
President Mesic: Considering its position, Croatia can also be the generator of development for the entire area and region.
Croatia’s potentials are great. This means both economic and human resources and potentials. Being a Mediterranean country we can also be a gateway to other countries in this part of Europe. But we have to confirm the maturity of our democracy. We must provide and facilitate the return of all our citizens.
Me must ensure the freedom of the media and the civil rights of all our citizens. We must also provide for the democratic functions of all the institutions.
Rosenberg: Do you sense that your nation is moving in the right direction for attaining these goals?
President Mesic: Yes. These are precisely some of the things we are focusing on. Once Croatia is identified as such it will generate the development for the entire region.
It is in Croatia’s interest to enter into the European Union along the regatta model, the racing model- who ever gets there first- not on the basis of a convoy concept. Who ever complies with the standards first- becomes a member the soonest. According to the convoy concept - you always depend on the slowest member of the convoy.
We would like to be the first in this regatta.