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Tudjman, Facing Dissent at Home, Likens Himself to Churchill by Mark Heinrich ZAGREB, May 24 (Reuters) — An adulatory Croatian television commentary likening President Franjo Tudjman to historical giants like Winston Churchill shows his government is unnerved by growing political opposition, analysts say. A poll published in the independent weekly Globus this week gave Tudjman's government mediocre to poor marks on its respect for popular opinion and the rule of law. Diplomats say it was the autocratic Tudjman's failure to start making good on promises to improve democracy that led the Council of Europe, antechamber of the European Union, to put Croatia's long-standing bid for membership on indefinite hold this month. Rattled by reverses, the government resorted last week to denouncing anti-Tudjman soccer fans as dupes of Croatia's enemies. On Tuesday, state television dropped a fawning editorial on Tudjman into the middle of the evening newscast. It hailed him as the visionary architect of Croatian independence from Yugoslavia and its victory over Serb rebels but said foes were bent on weakening Croatia at the behest of foreigners hoping to force it back into a Balkan federation. "There is a desire (by critics) to compare Tudjman with (late Yugoslav communist leader) Tito, so that in the eyes of the world he is seen as a dictator or one-party ideologue. It would be more logical to compare Tudjman with Bismarck or Churchill or even de Gaulle. These statesmen unified their nations, won wars, or created a strong and independent state in a situation of internal decay," the commentary said. Churchill became Britain's most famous 20th-century prime minister for leading its heroic battle to prevent Nazi invasion in World War Two. President Charles de Gaulle built postwar modern France. Bismarck unified Germany in the 19th century. But Tudjman, 74, leader of a small east European republic, is identified in Western minds not as a world-class statesman but mainly as a co-sponsor of the war that tore up neighbouring Bosnia, backing separatist Croats there. The TV commentary, alluding to rival politicians, said "those who digest alien ideas just when Croatia is most stable and strong... are plotting new solutions, of course without Tudjman...(but with) rigged polls in the tabloid press." Western diplomats and independent Croatian analysts said the unusual editorial betrayed deepening anxiety within the government about the next round of elections. "It's another sign of the ruling party realising they are losing bigger and bigger segments of the electorate, including pensioners and war invalids who have traditionally been HDZ voters. They've already lost the young people," Slaven Letica, a former Tudjman adviser, told Reuterss. Grassroots discontent with alleged corruption and economic malpractices by the right-wing government spawned a centre-left coalition victory in Zagreb city elections last October. Tudjman sought to block an opposition takeover in the capital but this month Croatia's Constitutional Court quashed his dissolution of the new council. Polls indicate his HDZ party may be toppled in many cities in regional voting later this year. "The TV commentary illustrates tendencies now strengthened by the Council of Europe setback — anti-Europe and nationalist authoritarian tendencies," a senior European diplomat said. "But Tudjman has this messianic sense of historical mission so his cozying up to Churchill isn't surprising." Independent Radio 101 poked fun at the Churchill reference, noting that he lost Britain's first post-war elections. Diplomats say most Croats no longer accept the HDZ's exclusive claim on power now that Croatia's independence wars have been won, and want to see real democratic change. The Globus poll rated aspects of the government's performance on a scale from one (poor) to five (excellent). Tudjman's tenure in power was rated 2.7 and the overall state of democracy 2.6. Presidential elections are due in mid-1997.

Berserkistan, May 17 · After European Snub, Croatia Promises More Democracy
Berserkistan, May 16 · Europe's Rejection of Croatia Dismays Croats Seeking Democracy
Berserkistan, May 14 · Civil Liberties Crackdown Delays Croatia's European Plans
Berserkistan, May 10 · Croatia Accuses Its Human Rights Chief
Berserkistan, May 9 · Croatia Blamed for Human Rights Abuses
Berserkistan, May 8 · Croatia Charges Journalists with Libeling Tudjman

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