Split weekly Feral Tribune, also brought a commentary on the situation in Republika Srpska, written by Gojko Beric in its issue of July 7, 1997.
After she got off the plane with which she ew back from London with her ofcial escorts, Biljana Plavsic was encountered by agents of Milosevics police, who took away her passport, and who kept heart the airport for two and half hour, without any explanation. The action than moves to Raca, a place on the border between Bosnia and Serbia, where Ms Plavsic was given to the police of Republika Srpska. These escort her to Bijeljina, from where she was taken by a helicopter to Banja Luka the next day.
In retrospect, many were surprised when Milosevic accepted that she becomes the president of Republika Srpska. Actually, he designated for her a role of backstage player, which was well played by his protegee Zoran Lilic, at the position of the president of FRY.
But, it seems, the boss has made a wrong calculation this time. Meeting more and more with numerous international mediators, who are skipping Pale more often now, Biljana Plavsic started to believe that her road to the society of European politicians is open. Of course, you have to pay a certain price for that. She accepted a cautious co-operation with the Hague Tribunal, and in a certain manner she softened her relation towards the Bosniaks, opposing the signing of the agreement on special relations between Belgrade and Pale. Today, she is considered as a moderate politician among the Bosnian Serbs, and is garnering big points as a combatant against the mighty Karadzic Mafia and its dirty businesses.
There is no doubt that the arrest of Plavsic at the Belgrade airport could have been done without the consent of Milosevic. This scandalous act testies that Milosevic, who will soon choose himself as the president of Yugoslavia, is mocking the Dayton agreement, particularly the article which exclusively stresses the integrity and sovereignty of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This, of course, ds not mean that he supports Karadzic. On the contrary, Milosevic is applying the tactics of bringing down the kegs in Republika Srpska. Last year, ahead of the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, when personnel combinations for Republika Srpska were being made in his ofce, he said about the whole Karadzic team: All of them will have to go!. And then, the man who gave the main order for the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina will wash his hand from everything and will be left to be forgotten.
The political and diplomatic earthquake caused by the Plavsic case, greatly surpasses the area of Republika Srpska. The SFOR forces have been placed at a higher state of readiness. Confusion, and a good dose of nervousness are felt in the civil institutions of the international community seated in Sarajevo. There are estimates according to which there could be a military conict among Bosnian Serbs, whose participants could be, the army on one, and the police on the other side Biljana Plavsic garnered sympathies of Western circles, but they are aware that her position at home, despite the verbal support which she got from the generals of the army of Republika Srpska, is not so strong. Due to this, the international mediators say, they cannot help her much. The international mediators are still under the impression of the last years asco, when Karadzics unscrupulous lobby was able to unseat from the premiers post their favorite and protegee Rajko Kasagic. The difference between these two persons do exist, since frightened Kasagic gave up without a ght, while Biljana Plavsic announces that she will use all means at her disposal to remain at the position she holds now.
Source: Split weekly Feral Tribune, July 7, 1997
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