Outgoing envoy Rajic a 'real Betawi'<\/p>\n
Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Generally, governments appoint ambassadors to foreign countries,
\nwho have had distinguished careers in diplomacy, public service
\nor politics.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, well-known public figures are also appointed as
\nambassadors.<\/p>\n
After all, an ambassador's main function is to represent the
\nview of his or her government and nation in a foreign land.<\/p>\n
Outgoing Bosnia and Hezegovina Ambassador to Indonesia
\nZadravko Rajic was neither a diplomat, nor an official nor a
\npolitician when he was appointed.<\/p>\n
While he says he has enjoyed his work in Indonesia, Rajic says
\nhe initially never wanted a job as an ambassador.<\/p>\n
\"My name was on the list of prospective ambassadors for a long
\ntime. My government was often asking me to accept an
\nambassadorial post. After many requests, I finally took up the
\nposition (as Ambassador to Indonesia),\" said Rajic, who will be
\nleaving Indonesia this week after serving here for almost three
\nyears, when interviewed recently by The Jakarta Post at his
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Rajic -- who was born on June 8, 1941, in Capljina, Bosnia and
\nHerzegovina -- submitted his credentials to then-president
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri on March 18, 2002.<\/p>\n
Looking at his impressive career, it must have been clear to
\nher why Bosnia and Herzegovina -- a small Balkan state that
\nseceded from former Yugoslavia -- wanted Rajic as its ambassador
\nto Indonesia.<\/p>\n
With a multifaceted personality, Rajic is more than a
\ndiplomat.<\/p>\n
He speaks eight languages, including English, German, Arabic
\nand Bahasa Indonesia fluently, and is an mechanical engineer by
\nprofession with a postgraduate degree in management and
\ninformation technology.<\/p>\n
While studying at the University of Sarajevo in the 1960s, he
\nwas not only a bright student but also a top gymnast,
\nrepresenting the university at many international tournaments in
\nItaly, Austria and Hungary.<\/p>\n
\"Gymnastics is my favorite hobby. Despite my age (63), I still
\npractice gymnastics daily -- for about 20 minutes in the mornings
\nand an hour in the evenings. I enjoy the parallel bars.\"<\/p>\n
Rajic later began his career as a lecturer at Sarajevo's
\nSecondary Technical School in 1967.<\/p>\n
Looking younger than his years, he said he faced a dilemma
\nearly on in choosing between education and sport.<\/p>\n
\"Every morning, I used to spend time with my professor, and
\nevenings with the gymnastics coach. Finally, I decided to go
\nahead with my educational career,\" said Rajic.<\/p>\n
Ever active, when he was not at the university or in the gym,
\nRajic headed for the mountains, to climb. The travel he did when
\nmountaineering sparked a third passion, cooking.<\/p>\n
By himself in Jakarta -- his wife didn't join him because of
\nill health -- he continues to cook.<\/p>\n
\"I used to spend time with cooks, instructing them on how to
\nprepare Bosnian food for receptions on our national day (March
\n1). I have two completely different hobbies.<\/p>\n
\"One (cooking) makes me gemuk (fat) and the other (sports)
\nmakes me kurus (slim). Thus, there is a balance,\" Rajic, who was
\nalso an active member of the university's music choir, said with
\na laugh.<\/p>\n
Rajic's life took a new turn when he joined the country's
\nlargest energy firm, Energoinvest Co., in 1968 as deputy
\ntechnical manager. Later, he was promoted to executive manager of
\nthe company's transmission lines division.<\/p>\n
\"My division built 65,000 kilometers of overhead electricity
\ntransmission lines in 33 countries, including Indonesia. We also
\nbuilt cable transportation projects (ski-lifts) in Bosnia and
\nHerzegovna (for the XIV Sarajevo Winter Olympics in 1984),
\nSerbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Russia and
\nKazakhstan.\" In view of these achievements, in 1982 and 1983 he
\nwas elected chairman of the Association of Engineers of Bosnia
\nand Herzegovina.<\/p>\n
Rajic worked in Libya (1983 to 1986) as a transmission lines
\nmanager and built 5,000 km of transmission lines and 200
\nsubstations.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his remarkable achievements in Energoinvest Co.,
\nboth in and outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rajic's name became
\npopular within government circles.<\/p>\n
\"My government wanted to utilize me in a political position.
\nThat happened three times,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rajic was elected as the president of the Municipal Assembly
\nCouncil of Sarajevo for the period 1972 to 1974. Later, he became
\ndeputy mayor of Sarajevo from 1974 to 1975, and from 1981 to 1982
\nwas mayor of the Ilidza municipality in western Sarajevo.<\/p>\n
As a first-time ambassador and diplomat, Rajic's achievements
\nduring the past three years have been remarkable.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his communication skills and vast experience in
\ndealing with senior government officials, Rajic succeeded in
\nstrengthening relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't have any previous experience in the diplomatic
\nservice, but I managed to succeed in my career (as an
\nambassador).<\/p>\n
\"Just after the submission of my credentials in 2002, I
\nconvinced then-president Megawati Soekarnoputri to visit my
\ncountry. She accepted. At the end of my career, our foreign
\nminister visited Indonesia in December 2004.<\/p>\n
\"These two, high-level visits opened a new chapter in our
\ncountries' relations. For a diplomat, what else could you want,\"
\nRajic said.<\/p>\n
Asked about his experiences in Indonesia, Rajic said he
\nenjoyed his job and time here.<\/p>\n
\"It's a nice place to live. I've made lots of friends here. I
\nlove Indonesian culture, which is so diverse and is unique in the
\nworld. Sometimes, I tell my Indonesian friends, \"Saya orang
\nBetawi asli\" (I am a real Betawi),\" Rajic said jokingly.<\/p>\n
When pressed further on being a Betawi, Rajic explained that
\nhe knew Jakarta, notorious for traffic jams, like a native
\nBetawi.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, I attended 260 events and meetings. But I never
\narrived late on a single occasion. You know, several Indonesians
\nand foreigners always came late and gave two common excuses:
\nMacet atau hujan (traffic jam or the rain) for their lateness.<\/p>\n
For me, there is no macet or hujan. I know all the roads, and
\nhow much time it will take to reach a place, and at what
\nparticular time it is crowded or not. That's why I'm always on
\ntime.\"<\/p>\n
Despite his success on the political front, Rajic feels that
\nwhile some progress has been made, the countries' trade relations
\nmust be improved further.<\/p>\n
\"I have already convinced my former company, Energoinvest, to
\ninvest in Indonesia. Businesspeople from my country visited and
\nsigned an agreement with Kadin (the Indonesian Chamber of
\nCommerce and Trade).<\/p>\n
\"Both countries must work hard to improve the situation in
\nthis field,\" Rajic said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/outgoing-envoy-rajic-a-real-betawi-1447893297",
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