February 7, 1994 Vreme News Digest Agency No 124

Serbs and Russians

Vladimir Zhirinovsky's Flying Circus

by Uros Komlenovic and Velizar Brajovic

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the LiberalDemocratic Party of Russia, left Yugoslavia with a suitable souvenir. He has received an order of the Serbian Volunteer Guard from Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, the famous paramilitary leader and a suspected war criminal, and thus found himself in the company of Dragan Tomic, the new Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, and other recipients of Arkan's decorations. Moreover, the leaders of the biggest party in Russia and one of the smallest parties in Serbia (Arkan`s Party of Serbian Unity) reached an agreement on cooperation, signed an accord, and confirmed their friendship with an eating bout in Hotel ``Jugoslavija.'' Zhirinovsky and Arkan passionately hugged, and, in the end, kissed each other in the mouth.

Arkan was not the only one courting Zhirinovsky. The whole legion of political anonymes flocked around the man all week long. Everything started in Subotica where the Russian ultranationalist was welcomed by a crowd of several hundred. A folklore ensemble danced in a traditional rhythm and unavoidable ultranationalist author Radomir Smiljanic played a prominent role during the reception. The journalists were scarce at the press conference in Hotel ``Jugoslavija'' that evening, as enthusiastic supporters of ``Volodja the Great'' broke into the room and welcomed their idol with a standing ovation, especially after he promised that Russia would never tolerate a possible military intervention against the Serbs. TV personalities Milja Vujanovic, Milijana Baletic, and Dusan Cukic, and at least two ministers in the cabinet of Radovan Karadzic were noticed in the crowd... The finale took place in a posh Belgrade restaurant, in an appropriate atmosphere of drunken hopping and screaming.

The next day Zhirinovsky left for Bijeljina. Judging by the number of state officials his reception there was even more ceremonious. The prominent guest was welcomed first by Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and, subsequently, by everyone else, according to their state function: Biljana Plavsic, Aleksa Buha, Vladimir Lukic, as well as by the Serb Orthodox Bishop for the districts of Zvornik and Tuzla. On the occasion, Zhirinovsky kissed with one of the Russian mercenaries in the Bosnian Serb army. Zhirinovsky described him as a real Russian and a symbol of good will between the two brotherly nations. Afterwards, a rally was held with a tune of kazachok and a song whith a chorus line that said: ``The Russians are coming.'' Zhirinovsky's promise that ``Russia would punish all those who want to divide the Serbian land'' was followed by ovations. The same day, Zhirinovsky arrived in Tovarnik and Vukovar where he met Milan Martic, the new President of the Republic of Serb Krajina. The atmosphere at the rally in Vukovar was similar to that in Bijeljina, especially after he promised Russia's military intervention in case the Serb positions are attacked. ``There is already one Russian battalion in Vukovar,'' Zhirinovsky said referring to the Russian members of UNPROFOR and added that ``thousands of Russian soldiers would come to help'' if necessary.

After he signed the already mentioned paper on political, economic and sporting cooperation with Arkan, Zhirinovsky took off for the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica, where he was received by General Secretary of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists Svetozar Marovic, who had stated beforehand that ``in Montenegro the Russians can feel at home, since Montenegrins do not believe in God only but in Russia as well.'' The two agreed on all issues during their meeting, as was to be learned afterwards. However, Zhirinovsky's opposition to ``creating of small separate Serb states in the Balkans'' and ``inventing new nations'' was hushed up. Marovic afterwards said he did not wish to be a ``cruel judge'' but emphasized ``a need for establishing of new blocks to divide the power in the world.'' At the press conference held at the luxurious villa ``Gorica'' in Podgorica Zhirinovsky spoke about a new weapon which should save the Slavs and help the Serbs defend themselves from ``Western terrorism.''

``There's no one in the world who has such a powerful weapon. It is called `elipton.' It is an electroniclaser weapon that can be used both from the air and from the land. There is no life in its wake. Unlike an atomic bomb, it does not cause radiation when used. In fact, it is an ecological weapon, which we won't use unless we have to,'' Zhirinovsky said.

Zhirinovsky added that several types of new weapons will be used in case of a military intervention by NATO against the Serbs in Bosnia. ``Russian officers who are stationed in Europe and are loyal to me will immediately go into action. As soon as tomorrow my officers will test this weapon in a confined area around Brcko. This will cool the heads of the leaders in the western capitals.'' This press conference will not be remembered only because of the threats. It will also be remembered because of an interesting gaffe. There was a commotion when an elderly man appeared and shouted, ``Heil Zhirinovsky!'' Everything was sorted out when Zhirinovsky thanked him and the journalists were told that the man is a Petar Ivanovic, a businessman from Vienna who paid for Zhirinovsky`s tour.

The atmosphere at the rally staged on Ivan Milutinovic Square in Podgorica was familiar. Apart from wellknown slogans such as ``Serbs + Russians = 200 million,'' other messages, such as ``Peter the Great has arrived'' and ``We love Russia,'' could also be seen. Several thousand people witnessed the efforts of housewife Nada

Lazarevic (of the Serbian National Revival Party for Montenegro) to remove Drago Bakrac, the Radical, from the stage. Bozidar Vucurevic, a poet, a truck driver, and the warlord of Eastern Herzegovina, was also noticed. Kiro Radovic, another member of the Serbian National Revival Party said, ``Rotten America trembles at the sight of you.'' Vladimir Zhirinovsky paid his debt by promising his supporters a change in the Russian foreign policy, lifting of the economic blockade against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, defense of the Slavic peoples against Catholicism and Islam, creating of the East European Community (EEC) ``from Knin to Vladivostok,'' a secret weapon... ``We still have 300,000 soldiers in Europe. They will come to the Balkans and stay there if needed,'' he shouted. ``Let them stay wherever they are. Those who have been here so far have done nothing to be proud of,'' someone from the crowd replied. Those less rational approved of Zhirinovsky's speech by shooting pistols in the air.

``This is nothing,'' Bozidar Vucurevic told one acquaintance of his. ``We are going home to prepare a rally in Trebinje. You'll see what it's like in the youngest and most Serbian of all Serb states.''

Vucurevic fulfilled his promise. A rally was held in Trebinje, while a sentence where Zhirinovsky slightly corrected the wellknown figures stirred up great enthusiasm. He said, ``The Serbs are in a very difficult situation. You are surrounded from all sides. But, they've forgotten that we and you are one people that numbers 300 million.''

It is interesting that the statecontrolled media, Radio Television Serbia in particular, have given a modest coverage to Zhirinovsky's tour of Yugoslavia. Zhirinovsky was not received by any Yugoslav state figure (Svetozar Marovic represents his party and not the state).

It is also interesting that neither Vojislav Seselj, the leader of the Serbian Radical Party, who is considered to be Zhirinovsky's natural ally, did not push to hard to touch the leader of the Russian LiberalDemocrats. He said it was the monopoly of the tour's financier which accounted for his absence in Zhirinovsky's suite. ``I believe that all Serbs have wholeheartedly received Zhirinovsky's visit. But a problem arose in the organization of his tour without Zhirinovsky's fault. There is a striking lack of taste and the atmosphere of drunken kissing does not suit the Serbian Radical Party. We have invited him to our convention but it seems that the organizers have deliberately held him back so he could not make it. Zhirinovsky expressed a wish to meet the representatives of all parties in the parliament but everybody except us rejected him. Now I realize that they planted him the marginal politicians like Jovic and Arkan. As far as the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia is concerned, it is understandable that they ignored his visitcan you only imagine what Mirjana Markovic (Milosevic`s wife and an orthodox communist) thinks about Zhirinovsky! We also learned that the journalists of Radio Television Serbia were ordered not to film in case Zhirinovsky came to our convention,'' Seselj said.

Vojislav Seselj did meet Zhirinovsky but remained reserved. Other opposition leaders did not allow themselves to take the bait. The opposition finally showed a minimum of political competence, regardless whether it was because of the Russian nationalist's distasteful debauchery or the awareness that a pathological Serb love for ``Mother Russia'' has never been adequately requited. On the contrary. There is an impression that the ``flying circus of Vladimir Zhirinovsky'' will soon be forgotten by all, except, perhaps, some local ladies ``fallen'' for ``freedom and unity of all Slavs.''