Vijesti: Socialists trying to bargain

PODGORICA, BELGRADE, Thursday -- Senior Socialist Party official Nikola Sainovic attempted again yesterday to strike a deal with opposition representatives on the second round of presidential elections but met with categorical refusal, Podgorica daily Vijesti writes today. The paper quotes sources inside the opposition as saying that Sainovic had said to the coalition "Why don't you agree? You'll win the second round as well and in the meantime we'll calm the Yugoslav Left down". The paper claims that Sainovic had already twice before attempted "to buy time-out for Milosevic".

The Socialist Party Central Committee has been in session for most of today, Radio B2-92 learnt. The Democratic Opposition of Serbia has postponed a press conference scheduled for this afternoon because Socialist Party spokesmen Nikola Sainovic has been expected to make a statement.

Slobodan Milosevic today met his party's executive board to discuss organisation of the second round of presidential elections, Radio Belgrade reports today. The state media network confirmed that Milosevic would not concede victory in the first round.

The director of the Yugoslav Left, Mirjana Markovic suffered a nervous breakdown and was under intensive medical treatment, Podgorica daily Vijesti writes today. The paper quotes sources close to the Left coalition leadership as saying that Markovic fell ill on Monday when it became obvious that her husband, Slobodan Milosevic had been defeated in the presidential elections and that the left had lost the majority of Serbian municipalities. Markovic, who was under sedation at the time, appeared on television yesterday for the first time since the elections and expressed "satisfaction" with the election results. Montenegrin television commented that the concerned faces of senior Yugoslav Left officials revealed what kind of satisfaction this was.

Source: B92

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