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Ousted Prime Mininster Kasagic Still Controls Bosnian Serb Government
In one sign all was not normal, Kasagic kept foreign journalists waiting a mere 15 minutes before granting them an unscheduled interview, signaling his need for international exposure as he wages an unprecedented battle with Karadzic for post-war leadership of the Bosnian Serbs.
Wearing a crisp green suit and paisley tie, Kasagic calmly discussed the crisis that could split the Bosnian Serb republic in two: an ultranationalist east led by Karadzic and a moderate west under Kasagic’s control. Under indictment for alleged war crimes during the 43-month war he helped instigate and lead, Karadzic is seen as an obstacle to lasting peace by many in the West. Western powers have courted Kasagic as the Bosnian Serb leader who supports the Dayton peace agreement, and he has courted them.
“We cannot and we should not oppose the world,” Kasagic told The Associated Press, making clear his contrast to Karadzic. “We should cooperate with the world.”
Accusing Kasagic of harming Serb interests, Karadzic fired him as prime minister on Wednesday. Within 24 hours, foreign powers including NATO, Britain and Germany condemned the move and supported Kasagic as head of the Bosnian Serb government. Even the Yugoslav government, dominated by Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, called Kasagic’s firing “worthless” — a significant rebuke of Karadzic indicative of his growing isolation. Banja Luka’s mayor, a former Karadzic supporter, also backed Kasagic in a reversal certain to anger the hard-line leader.
Kasagic looked relaxed in welcoming three U.S. journalists before his meetings with NATO Secretary General Javier Solana, NATO commander in Europe Gen. George Joulwan and Carl Bildt, the former European Union envoy in charge of implementing civilian provisions of the Dayton accord.
Karadzic had the power to fire him, Kasagic said, but the Bosnian Serb Parliament must approve a replacement to abide by the constitution. “I think the assembly will hardly accept a new prime minister ... except me,” he said. Asked if he feared for his safety, he quickly answered no, and said arresting him would be a bigger mistake than firing him.
Kasagic’s native Banja Luka, the biggest Serb-held city in Bosnia, has long chafed at dominance by Pale, a former ski resort that is Karadzic’s power base in mountains east of Sarajevo. “I think there is no split among the people,” said Kasagic, who sat with hands clasped in front of him for most of the 30-minute interview. “That split appeared because of individuals.” He accused Karadzic of favoring the east region of the republic over the west by hogging all the foreign currency and promoting development only in the east.
“They irritate people in the western part of (the Serb republic) because of their behavior,” he said.
Kasagic called Karadzic an illegitimate Bosnian Serb leader because he never faced a popular vote. With thinning silver hair and dark eyes, the 53-year-old Kasagic resembled a thinner Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader, when talking about the need to support the Dayton accord instead of fighting U.N. and Western will.
“If we didn’t succeed to place a government that could comply with the Dayton agreement, we would face isolation,” he said, saying that economic sanctions threatened by the West for noncompliance with the peace accord would make Bosnian Serbs “beggars.” The break with Karadzic was inevitable because “he was not able to have influence on me as prime minister,” Kasagic said. “I was the man with the longest experience in Parliament and it was logical I would be the prime minister with the shortest experience.”
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BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — If appearances matter, then moderate Rajko Kasagic looked firmly in control of the Bosnian Serb government a day after his firing by hard-line leader Radovan Karadzic. Western leaders rolled up in fancy cars for well-publicized meetings. Serb allies indicated their support. People milled peaceably about on the streets of Banja Luka, chatting and smoking in the midday sun.
Berserkistan, May 16 · Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Rajko Kasagic Rejects His Dismissal
Berserkistan May 15 · Radovan Karadzic Dismisses Prime Minister Kasagic
Berserkistan May 10 · Bildt Wins Commitment from Moderate Serbs in Banja Luka
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