Through Bosnian Eyes: The Political Memoirs of a Bosnian Serb

IX Kecmanović Goes to Belgrade

M. Pejanovic, THROUGH BOSNIAN EYES , IX. KECMANOVIC GOES TO BELGRADE One night in June 1992, Nenad Kecmanovic was driving home from the Presidency to his flat in Ciglane. Due to the constant shelling, all driving had to be without lights. Near the city center, Kecmanovic had an accident in which he suffered an injury to his spine. He subsequently recovered, although still in pain, and started coming back to work. One Sunday he and I met to discuss the whole situation, which in those days seemed hopeless. Shells rained down on the city, and the death-count rose every day. People were deeply depressed, and distrust for Serbs had grown. We two were constantly faced by the questions of what we should do, and what could we do, to change this state of affairs. We finally came up with the notion that it was worth taking a trip to Belgrade to try and get the attention of people there. We were counting the most on Milan Panic, a man who spoke out publicly for stopping the war and finding a peaceful solution.44 I myself suggested to Kecmanovic that he should travel to Belgrade. He and I called Izetbegovic to tell him we needed to confer. He soon invited us over, and we found ourselves together in his private office. Every meeting between Izetbegovic, Kecmanovic and myself always lasted longer than planned/because 44 Milan Panic is a naturalized American citizen of Serbian origin and President of ICN Pharmaceuticals, a New York stock exchange listed company based in Costa Mesa, California. In June 1992 he challenged Milosevic for leadership and ran against him for the office ofPresidentofSerbia inDecember 1992. After losing this election, Panic was ousted as Federal Prime Minister and returned to California, but he frequently attempted to rally opposition figures in opposing Milosevic. Robert Thomas, The Politics of Serbia in the 19905 (London: Hurst and Co., 1999), pp. 122-135. 101 M. Pejanovic, THROUGH BOSNIAN EYES of IzetbegoviC's particular relationship with Kecmanovic. The two always had plenty of topics to prolong their conversations. There was some kind of magnetism between the two of them - my impression was that each found the other deeply entertaining. We now told Izetbegovic of our idea that Kecmanovic should travel to Belgrade, and if possible try to set up a meeting between Izetbegovic and Panic. Izetbegovic agreed, and preparations for KecmanoviC's journey started. Of course, all this was necessarily kept confidential. None of the other Presidency members knew about our talks. Kecmanovic waited for UNPROFOR to organize the journey, and meanwhile business went on as usual. During one Presidency session Kecmanovic and I were sitting next to each other, and in the middle of the session a message was brought from KecmanoviC's office. He told me in a whisper that his trip to Belgrade was confirmed, and that same afternoon he set off. His only request to me was to try and find the time to help his wife Natasa, who would remain in Sarajevo. Everything carried on as normal until the next day, when we saw Nenad Kecmanovic meeting with Nikola Koljevic, on the Pale television evening news.45 Of course Serbian television made a huge event out of this, claiming matters' had reached such a crisis in Sarajevo that Kecmanovic had come to stay permanently in Pale. This was confirmed by the statement of Jovan Tintor, a leading SDS activist from Vogosca.46 Tintor added that Pejanovic should have left Sarajevo when Kecmanovic did, but that a payment of three million German marks in exchange for his departure had been refused. This was typical of the propaganda featured on Pale television. The next day numerous party offi.cials in Sarajevo gave statements, all of which took the form of personal attacks on Kecmanovic. Almost everyone believed that he had simply gone over to Pale - nobody knew that he was on his way to Belgrade, on a vital mission agreed in advance with Izetbegovic. Since I was the only other person who knew of this mission, I gave a statement to the media, in which I tried to speak mildly and to protect Kecmanovic. I could not publicize all the reasons for his journey to 45 Koljevic was at that time the Vice President of the Republika Srpska. 46 Vogosca is a suburb ofSarajevo that came under control of the SDA early in the war. 102 M...