Bosnian Muslim officials suspicious about new Serbian democracy

"I don't understand this unnecessary euphoria in the world, probably because I know the situation too well," said the Bosnian deputy foreign minister, Husein Zivalj, on Friday. "Knowing Kostunica's background as a great nationalist and Milosevic's as a communist nationalist, I do not see much reason for Serbia to be declared a democratic country today," he explained. He asserted that so far there had been no results, no acts upon which to make a judgment, nothing that would prove democracy really reached Serbia, but "we welcome the beginning of possible changes," Zivalj said. Asked why he is so cautious about the changes in Belgrade, Zivalj said as a neighbor of Serbia he can only be a "cautious optimistic." "You know who was bitten by a snake is afraid of a lizard," he said. Mirza Hajric, the adviser of the Bosnian Muslim co-president, Alija Izetbegovic, said "after 10 years of Milosevic's dictatorship, every change is welcome." "But we expect changes in Serbia's policy," Hajric said, suggesting one should wait to see Kostunica's performance as president and then decide whether he is really a democrat.
Meanwhile, pro-western Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik told reporters in Banja Luka he does not even believe Milsoevic has definitely given up power in Serbia.
"I do not believe he will escape to another country. He would not be safe there because of the arrest warrant issued by The Hague.
"I believe he is hiding somewhere in Serbia and figuring out how to regain his position and resist the people that have defeated him with dignity," Dodik said.

(news.ch)