After the shocking postponement of the start of accession talks with the European Union, Nacional spoke with State Secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Hido Bišćević, a professional diplomat who participated in the delicate negotiations during the war in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina until the mid 1990s.

NACIONAL: It has been announced that the expanded European troika will meet for the first time on 26 April to assess the cooperation of Croatia with the ICTY. What is the significance of this body and has it at all reduced the role of Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Pone in assessing Croatian cooperation, considering that this is nonetheless an informal body?

The establishment of this EU Task Force is significant and important for Croatia in multiple ways. Firstly, prior to the last meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was to confirm the decision of the European Council on the start of accession talks scheduled for 17 March, there were visible differences among the member states in the assessment of “Croatia’s full cooperation with the ICTY”. The fact is that at the December session for confirming the starting date of talks, clear criteria were not set regarding what is meant by “full cooperation”.
This left space for various options, from those that believe that only with General Gotovina in the Hague can cooperation be considered complete, to those who believe that all the government’s actions to date towards resolving this final outstanding issue with the Hague confirms our full cooperation. Those well informed know that under such circumstances that the communication between the Chief Prosecutor and the EU presidency changed both in content and direction in those few weeks. Under the conditions of this kind of political volunteerism, when a portion of the criticisms are directed at the very credibility of the government, then our basic interest was to return the entire process and relationship with Croatia into the sphere of objectivity.
Therefore, it is not a question of reducing the role of Carla Del Ponte, and it is in Croatia’s interests to continue our cooperation with the Chief Prosecutor and with the Tribunal. This is an issue of creating a mechanism for a broader, more balanced and objective look at the whole of Croatia’s cooperation with the Tribunal, as well as the broader political dimensions of the start of negotiations between Croatia and the EU.

NACIONAL: The next presiding state over that body is Great Britain, which to date has been the greatest advocate of postponing talks. Therefore, it will not be easy for Croatia under these new circumstances.

I think it is very good and important that Great Britain participates in the work of this group. It is not completely correct to say that Great Britain was the greatest advocate of postponing the talks – it would be contradictory considering the fact that the Blair government is one of the greatest advocates for EU enlargement. However, under the circumstances of undefined criteria, which I spoke of earlier, the Foreign Office, together with other members, have assessed “full cooperation” more restrictively. And for that reason, it is positive that Minister Shaw is participating in the work of this group. Furthermore, that will remove the burden from our relations and will strengthen our cooperation and mutual respect in the perspective of Great Britain taking over the EU presidency, which is certainly important.

NACIONAL: How do you believe that our arguments will be stronger than the already usual claims by the Chief Prosecutor?

It’s not an issue of whose arguments are “stronger”. It’s not a game between us and Mrs. Del Ponte. In the end, from the professional perspective, it is obvious that the Chief Prosecutor want to see all those she’s indicted come before the court. Anything else would be illogical. The truth is, there is a certain hesitation, to not say resistance in Croatia due to the impression that the Prosecution is not an unbiased participant in the legal process. However, nothing is gained from the politicization of that impression – nor will politicization remove this indictment, nor will it remove the obligation of cooperation with the Tribunal, according to our own laws and to the fact that we are a member of the United Nations, upon which the Tribunal is based.
We are certain that Croatia has proven and confirmed its full cooperation with the Tribunal. Furthermore, much evidence and information to that respect has been directed at the Hague and European addressed. Finally, were it not for credibility, there would be no open discussion at the Council of Ministers, at which a significant number of members sought the date be confirmed, convinced in our full cooperation. Were it not for this cooperation, perhaps everything would have ended with the final sentence in the Conclusions, that concerning the postponement, without the Negotiations framework and without confirmation that talks will lead to full membership.

NACIONAL: Can we, after all this, decidedly confirm that Croatia will begin accession talks with Brussels in June, as has been informally announced?

That is difficult to say. I personally believe that the first intergovernmental conference will be held during the Luxemburg presidency. Primarily because I am convinced that the Commission will give a positive report, and a positive assessment of our cooperation with the Tribunal. However, there are other circumstances, concerning other issues in this part of Europe and within the EU itself, which also need to be taken into consideration.
In terms of perspectives, for us the start of talks is exceptionally important due to the possible perspective of development within the EU itself. As you know, debates and voting on the EU Constitution is soon to happen, which could open up serious issues on future relations as well as the future structure of the Union. Also, the political resolution of outstanding issues in our Southeast European neighbourhood are also to come, and this is a process which will consume a great deal of political energy of the Union.

NACIONAL: How did the Croatian diplomacy work towards receiving this new decision by the EU on the formation of the European troika?

Firstly, if you consider the history of the emergence of the modern and independent Croatian state, then it is difficult to say that this decision was unexpected. We have not received anything the easy way, without resistance and troubles. All of our most important decisions, from independence till today, have always been met with the resistance of the international community. Our geopolitical position is such that the conflicting interests and views of this part of Europe are unavoidable. For that reason, if you recall, the proclamation of our independence also had a three month postponement, and this is why we had “observers”. This Commission is also a certain form of a “legal-political observer” so to speak, which is to confirm the facts concerning cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and to also concerning other circumstances. Of course, there was also quiet diplomacy, but let that remain quiet.

NACIONAL: How do you comment on the emphatic rise in Euro-skepticism?

The rise in Euro-skepticism seems inevitable, but it is a temporary consequence of public perception by which the European Union is a policeman looking for “our general”. Unfortunately, such a perspective, as well as the public climate, is in part created here by certain circles acting to protect their political and commercial interests, by counting posters, promoting marginal groups and interests, creating an image of Croatia as a nation of intolerance, deep polarization and instability. Therefore, true Euro-skepticism, which would be based on objective and well informed discussion about EU accession would change in Croatian society, still does not exist and we are yet to see this. Just wait until the talks begin, and when particular interests and monopolies are touched upon, either post-Communist, war or post-war, and then you will see how those interests will lobby and create Euro-skepticism. What we are seeing now is no more than ideologicized and politicized Europhobic noise. Its most dangerous dimension is the blending of that Euro-skepticism with the remnants of other ideologies, and a form of “NHD isolation”. No one could do greater harm to the Patriotic War – and give greater arguments to those opposed to the start of talks with the Union from those quasi-patriotic toasters and “graffiti writers” who since recently have begun equating Gotovina with HND-ism, swearing all the whole of the sacred integrity of the Patriotic War.