Protest, Praise From Balkans As Allied Strikes Continue in Libya

Joska Broz, Tito's son, at a pro-Gaddafi protest in Belgrade on Sunday | Photo by : Fonet

A small group of protestors, headed by the son of former Yugoslav President Josif Broz Tito, rallied in Belgrade on Sunday brandishing posters in support of the Libyan strongman, while allied forces launched a second wave of airstrikes on the country.

Meanwhile, in Albania and Kosovo political leaders rushed to praise the western-backed intervention, drawing parallels with NATO air strikes against Slobodan Milosevic, and offered assistance to allied forces.    

Observers note that the picture emerging from the Balkans, as the air campaign against Gaddafi forces intensifies, reflects political grievances over western intervention but also a dose of pragmatism.

An international coalition, headed by the US, France and Britain, began strikes on Saturday on Libyan air defenses. The allied forces aim to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 calling for a no-fly zone and preventing the Libyan regime from inflicting attacking its people.

The strikes against Libya come more than a decade after the NATO led air attacks against Serbia and Milosevic’s campaign of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. 

“Such a reaction from a small fraction of Serbians is in part inspired by Serbia's own memories of NATO's intervention in 1999, but also because of Serbia's historic ties with Libya and the legacy of the non-aligned movement, which Serbia has been eager to revitalize in recent years,” said Mirjana Kosic, executive director of TransConflict, a Belgrade-based think tank.

Gaddafi has rejected overtures to recognise Kosovo independence, which Belgrade staunchly opposes, and was the first country to send aid to Serbia after NATO's bombardment in 1999.

Pro-Gaddafi protesters in Belgrade | Photo by : Fonet/AP

“Given these factors, it is telling that the pro-Gaddafi protests are not actually much larger in number, which may suggest a degree of pragmatism with respect to how Serbians view developments elsewhere,” Kosic added.

She noted, however that pro-Gaddafi sentiment, especially in Serbia, could increase if the air-bombing campaign intensifies.

“Many people remember how NATO's intervention began with solely military targets, but was quickly extended to a broader range - including the RTS building, roads and bridges, and many factories - as the bombing campaign continued longer than expected, with civilian victims regarded as collateral damage,” she said.

Kosic added that unlike the intervention in Yugoslavia in 1999, the current intervention in Libya has been conducted with the prior authorisation of the UN Security Council. She suggested this could provide for a stronger legal basis, but might not be enough to stem opposition.

“Should NATO play an increasingly prominent role, then the anti-interventionist sentiment amongst Serbians will certainly increase, particularly with Russia and China expressing their condemnation and calling for restraint," she said.

In stark opposition to the protestors on the streets of Belgrade, Kosovo president Behgjet Pacolli called the allied air campaign a “humanitarian act aimed at protecting the Libyan people,” and draw parallels with Kosovo’s own struggle for independence.

“Kosovo’s people know very well the importance of the NATO air attack in 1999 against the dictator Slobodan Milosevic, which stopped the annihilation of Albanians,” Pacolli said in a statement.

French fighter jet prepares for mission over Libya | Photo by : Fonet/AP

“These air attacks are to benefit peace and stability in the Mediterranean region and beyond,” he added.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said in statement that the NATO led attack against Milosevic in 1999 had proven the importance of western intervention in protecting the civilian population in Libya against Gaddafi’s assault.

“The air strikes are a humanitarian act to protect the civilian population of Libya and their aspirations for freedom and democracy,” said Thaci, who in 1999 was the head of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the rebel group that fought against Serbian forces.

“Kosovo proved the importance of an intervention of this kind in 1999, which led to its liberation and the downfall of Milosevic,” Thaci added.   

The effect of the no-fly zone imposed in Bosnia from 1993 to 1995 has repeatedly been mentioned in recent days as analysts debate the possible outcomes of the strikes.

Srecko Latal, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, says that a no-fly zone had some unwanted effects in Bosnia.

"...One should recall that in the case of Srebrenica and other massacres that took place during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the imposition of the no-fly zone by NATO not only failed to prevent war atrocities, but also worked in favour of one side - the heavily armed Republika Srpska forces - and against the other - the ill-equipped BiH Army," Latal said. 

"Therefore, the case of Bosnia teaches us that neither the imposition of the no-fly zone nor a military intervention is enough," he added.

Allied fighter jet leaves from the base of Aviano, Italy | Photo by Fonet/AP

The head of Bosnia’s Islamic Community, Mustafa Ceric, expressed concern over the airstrikes against Libya and called on the warring parties to stop the fighting and return to dialogue.

"Expressing regret that there has been a military intervention in Libya, with uncertain consequences for peace and security not only in North Africa and the Mediterranean, we pray to Almighty God to grant the Libyan people the courage and wisdom of dialogue and mutual trust," Ceric told Balkan Insight.

"Also, I call on all responsible people and institutions in Libya to announce a general amnesty and to immediately begin talks to rescue the country and the people," he added.

Other countries weigh in on strikes

Albania’s Prime Minister Sali Berisha has praised the air strikes in light of the UN resolution, and the call for action by the Arab league, while offering Tirana's assistance to the coalition.

“These operations are legal, legitimate, in accordance with international law and aim to protect the lives of the Libyan people and their right to choose their own destiny against the attacks of the Gaddafi regime,” Berisha said in a statement.

“Albania is quick to offer the international coalition necessary assistance in this important mission for peace and stability in the Mediterranean,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said in an interview with local broadcaster TV7 on Monday that the west had a guilty conscience because of its cozy relations with Gaddafi in the past, while voicing concern over civilian casualties caused by the airstrikes by international forces.

"Many European politicians have a guilty conscience regarding Gaddafi's life and attitude for years. And it was not that long ago when he toured European countries and was greeted with honour. When the Bulgarian medics were detained, everyone sympathised with us, knowing they were innocent, but this did not help us,” Borisov said.

“Why didn't they strike Libya then? If there were 200-300 civilians in the compound that was bombed last night, what excuses could we have then? When there are great risks for civilian casualties, this causes me to be much more careful about the support I declare..." Borisov added.


Eldin Hadzovic, BIRN’s correspondent in Sarajevo, contributed to this report.