Mrs. Milosevic Talks Of Husband's 'Weaknesses'

Belgrade (WEB Wire Service) - First Lady Mirjana Markovic Milosevic, discussing her husband's 'weaknesses' and 'ethnic cleansing', blames some of his problem on childhood abuse, according to excerpts of an interview published Sunday. The Byeli Dom declined comment on the interview with Vreme magazine, whose first issue was slated to appear Tuesday. President Milosevic attended church services with his daughter but did not respond to a question about his wife's comments. Mrs. Milosevic remained at the Byeli Dom. 'Everybody has some dysfunction in their families,' Mrs Milosevic told the magazine, edited by ex-Stern editor Helmut Schmalz. 'They have to deal with it. You don't just walk away. If you love someone, you help the person,' she said, according to a press release from Vreme. According to further remarks reported by the London Sunday Times and the New York Post, Mrs. Milosevic said she believed his ethnic cleansing problem was under control until the scandal erupted. The president's sworn denials eventually led to the attack by the NATO forces. 'He couldn't protect me, so he lied,' the first lady said. 'You know in Christian Orthodox theology there are sins of weakness and sins of malice, and this was a sin of weakness.' 'Yes, he has weaknesses,' she said. 'Yes, he needs to be more disciplined, but it is remarkable given his background that he turned out to be the kind of person he is, capable of such leadership.' 'He was so young, barely four, when he was scarred by abuse,' Mrs. Milosevic said. 'There was terrible conflict between his mother and grandmother. A psychologist told me that being in the middle of a conflict between two women is the worst possible situation.' Mrs. Milosevic, who has avoided detailed discussion of her thoughts and feelings about her husband's ethnic cleansing, told the magazine: 'I thought he had conquered it. I thought he understood it, but he didn't go deep enough or work hard enough.' Mrs. Milosevic said she expected her husband to remain faithful, even though she frequently is away from the Byeli Dom as she explores the possibility of seeking the nomination for a seat from Montenegro. 'He's responsible for his own behavior whether I'm there or 100 miles away,' Mrs. Milosevic said. 'You have the confrontation with the person, and then it is their responsibility, whether it's gambling, drinking or whatever. Nobody can do it for you.' After Milosevic publicly admitted on Aug. 17 that he had lied about his involvement in ethnic cleansing, and acknowledged causing pain in his marriage, those close to both of them said it caused a chill in their relationship. Their relationship has appeared to warm in recent months, with Milosevic publicly saying he will do whatever his wife wants if she decides to run for the seat in Montenegro, which would be unprecedented for a first lady. Friends of Mrs. Milosevic have been guarded about discussing her relationship with her husband, but several have pointed out that fibbing has been a problem throughout their marriage. The cleansing scandal 'has been particularly difficult for her,' said one friend, who suggested that Mrs. Milosevic's comments to Vreme magazine were an attempt to put it behind her as she readies for her own political race.