Current Croatian and Serbian political elite does not create new disputes

Growth of mutual trust
What are the changes that you have noticed and would like to single out as regards the normalisation of relations between the two countries during your ambassadorship?
The road that we have crosses in the last two years in normalising the relations between Croatia and Serbia has been steadily going upwards. The point from which we are judging our relations now is the highest so far. Positive changes can be seen in almost all aspects of our relations. It would be ungrateful to single out only certain events such as the return of the Bauer collection to Vukovar or the establishing of a temporary regime along the south border, because symbolic as they are, these episodes are only a small part of the long-standing negotiations between the two countries that are supposed to overcome the barriers that occurred as a result of what happened in the last 10 years and the relations between the two nations throughout the past. In the past few years, we have shown that we are ready to close certain chapters from our past, while maintaining our dignity, so rather than point out individual changes, let me emphasise the growth of mutual trust, proven by the guarantee of progress in developing bilateral relations.

Liberalisation of visa regime
Does the liberalisation of visa regime make your job as Croatia’s ambassador easier, and if so, in what way?
Since the lifting of visa regime in a way reflects the relations between our countries, it is a reason enough to be satisfied, and it certainly makes my job easier and motivates me to go on. I must stress, however, that the reason for performing consular functions is to provide immediate help to Croatian citizens, physical persons and corporations. Issuing visas is just one of those functions, and we will try to use this six months to solve the best way that we can some other problems such as status, proprietary, domestic, legal and social issues.

What does Croatia expect from the liberalisation of visa regime and is there a chance for this regime to be extended beyond the deadline?
This falls within the field of bilateral relations, and no side can decide by itself. In order to reach a solution, we must first agree among ourselves. In this light, the Croatian government’s decision is indeed very stimulating and should make taking the steps that ought to be taken a lot easier, especially as regards the border issue. Quality and dynamics in dealing with these issues will determine the new time limit for the implementation of this decision.

Traffic upgrade
You have called on the transport officials to introduce more bus lines in both directions. Were there any commercial reasons behind that and when can we expect the first information on the number of passengers, traffic of goods, more intensive economic contacts, etc.?
I have tried, which also falls within my job description, to indulge the interests of the transport people that have told me that the current 57 bus lines would not do, and that we need to introduce new and, I hope, economically profitable lines, for which numerous companies have already shown strong interest. This request has been supported by professional associations of the two chambers of commerce, and that it is justified is proven by the fact that this is the segment where the transportation in the so-called “grey zone” exists, which is against the law and puts the passengers at risk. However, it is not only the road transportation that needs improving. Recently, Croatia’s and Serbia’s transportation ministers had an important meeting at which they discussed the signing of a series of basic agreements on nearly areas of transportation: Road, railway, river, combined and air transportation. We expect to have finished contractual regulations by this fall as the basis for reaching the level of transportation connection that we need. We will have to put some extra effort into modernising the existing and building a new infrastructure, and try to resurrect Corridor 10’s old intensity. Perhaps in this sense is the next year, that will see the Olympics in Greece, a great leitmotif.

Economies are still being evaluated
What is your estimation of the improvement of economic relations so far between Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro, and what should the business people and what the politicians do to further improve them?
First, I would like to point out that the activities of the business people are a sort of a catalyst for the normalisation of not only the economic relations between the two countries. This can be seen by the constant growth of the goods exchange since 2000. At the end of the last year, we had $222,5 mil, and the export totalled $172 mil. This year’s trends again record growth and a slight decrease in the high imbalance that was party the result of protectionism in importing oil and tobacco, which we expect to decrease with the speeding up of Serbia’s approach to European and global economic integration. However, it is not hard to agree that the overall level of goods exchange has not yet reached the limit of needs and real possibilities of the two economies. I would says that our economies are still evaluating themselves, old economic relations are being revitalised, but new ones are being established as well. Also, we should not forget some important projects that have been launched by Agrokor, Podravka, Atlantic, and Končar. However, this area still requires a lot of effort, but we have to keep in mind that our markets are more of a compatible than competitive type, and that there are no serious obstacles, which should all prove highly stimulating to Croatia’s businessmen. In that sense, the Free Trade Agreement, that has already been ratified in Croatian parliament and is soon expected to be ratified in Serbia and Montenegro’s parliament as well, will mark the start of a new period in bilateral economic relations, that include the possibility of appearing on the third world market.

No new disputes
What are the main problems that the two countries must deal with in order to improve their relations?
I would like to point out the fact that all of the problems that exist between the two countries are a legacy from the past. There are no new disputes generated by the current Croatian and Serbian political elite. Dealing with this legacy is no easy matter, but it does present a challenge, as I believe both sides are aware that this is the time to lay the foundations for future relations that will be free from the past. There are other issues that need to be solved as well, primarily the issue of the missing persons. However, it is only through positive relations that these problems can be solved. I personally witnessed the Pope’s message of encouragement on this long and challenging road that leads into the future. It is precisely this positive environment, historical experience, neighbourly predestination, and European and EuroAtlantic ambitions of modern Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro that should continue leading the way in solving the problems that we are facing and will face in the future.

Position of Croats in Serbia and Montenegro is much better
In view of the tragic events of the last decade and the fact that more than 40.000 Croats were forced to leave Serbia and Montenegro, today the Croatian minority’s situation is much better. First of all, Croats have finally been recognised as a national minority. Second, Croatian language has become the official language in Vojvodina, and Croatian National Council has been constituted as a legitimate representative of the Croatian minority in Serbia. In the last two years we have worked intensively with the minority and now it has paid off. A proof of that is the fact that after the last year’s incident, when on a Serbian TV channel Novi Sad a broadcast in Croatian language, as a part of a programme for minorities, was banned, we have not only achieved, through diplomatic efforts, that Croatian broadcasts are no longer being banned, but also that the Assembly of Vojvodina sponsor from its own budget a Croatian publishing house “Hrvatska riječ” (Croatian word).

Wants and needs
European officials in various forums and institutions promote regional co-operation between the ex-YU states. What should Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro do to approach the EuroAtlantic integrations?
I think we should no longer view our co-operation in the light of international community’s interests, but as a result of our wants and needs. On the other hand, the openness of the European perspective that will be brought out at the forthcoming Solun Summit is certainly going to help us in solving our problems. I think these two premises answer your question – we should co-operate and solve the problems that lay ahead, but at the same time we should support each other to meet the required standards and join the European and EuroAtlantic family as soon as possible.