SERBIA

JAMES C. O’BRIEN, Former U.S. State Department Senior Adviser, March 14, 2003
CZIKOWSKY: How does this assassination (of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic) affect the efforts towards building democracy? While we may not know for certain, does it seem to be the intent of the assassins to reverse that process? Are the people who hold political influence committed towards democracy, and how stable are pro-democracy advocates in regards to holding onto their positions.
O’BRIEN: Zoran Djindjic’s death hurts the process of building democracy in several ways. First, Serbia has lost a leader committed to democracy and integration into Europe. That’s the long-term answer for Serbia and for the region. Second, he’s left a political vacuum among the pro-European elements of the government. They will take time to sort themselves out. Third, this is a challenge from organized criminals to the government. The government will have to answer—and that will be a difficult time.