Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

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    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service

    Odraz B92 vesti (by 12 midnight), February 11, 1997

    E-mail: odrazb92@b92.opennet.org, beograd@siicom.com
    WWW:    http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/, http://www.opennet.org/b92/
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    All texts are Copyright 1997 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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    NEWS BY 12 MIDNIGHT
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    ``LEX SPECIALIS'' BILL PASSED

    On Tuesday evening the Serbian Parliament voted in favour of the
    Bill for a ``lex specialis'' -- a special law to recognize, in
    accordance with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
    Europe's recomendations, results from the second round of local
    elections last November, Beta reported.

    The Parliament rejected ammendments to the Bill tabled by the
    opposition coalition Zajedno, whose deputies had earlier decided
    to boycot the session.

    Serbian Radical MPs left the Chamber before the vote was taken,
    saying that they would not participate in a breach of the
    Constitution and that if the Bill were passed they would appeal to
    the Constitutional Court.


    DJINDJIC COMMENTS ON BILL

    After Parliament passed the Bill for a ``lex specialis'' on
    Tuesday evening, opposition leader Zoran Djindjic commented that
    Zajedno would constitute municipal and city assemblies very soon
    and immediately after that free local media, including the
    Belgrade broadcaster Studio B.

    Mr. Djindjic predicted that there could be political clashes with
    central government over the financing of local-government and that
    the opposition would have a difficult task to balance the books in
    many town councils.

    Mr. Djindjic also said that electoral theft was only the tip of
    the iceberg and that people were demonstrating over far wider
    issues, adding that the reinstatement of local electoral wins did
    not close the case. Mr. Djindjic concluded that he expected the
    evening marches to continue in protest at the state monopoly of
    media.


    US GREET PASSING OF BILL WITH CAUTION

    US Presidential spokesman Michael McCurry on Tuesday greeted the
    passing of the Bill on electoral results as an important step, but
    added that it was yet to be seen how it would be implemented, AFP
    reported.


    GREAT BRITAIN SALUTE PASSING OF SPECIAL BILL, BUT CALL FOR ITS
    SPEEDY IMPLEMENTATION

    British Foreign Office spokesman Sir Nicholas Bonsor said on
    Tuesday that he saluted the passing of the ``lex specialis,'' but
    said that the Serbian authorities must implement the Bill without
    delay. Sir Nicholas also said that Britan would continue to press
    for democratisation and a free media in Serbia.


    VESNA PESIC NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

    Vesna Pesic, leader of Civic Alliance, was nominated for the Nobel
    Peace Prize on Tuesday. The International Bureau for Peace
    nominated Mrs Pesic together with Selim Beslagic -- Mayor of Tuzla
    and leader of the Union of Bosnian Social Democrats. The bureau
    also nominated Croat anti-war campaigner Vesna Terselic. The
    bureau's citation described the three as having in common
    opposition to war, violence and social intolerance and as having
    made great sacrifices to improve the quality of people's lives.

    Mrs. Pesic has been a consistant anti-war campaigner throughout
    her political career. She is known as one of the few Serbian
    politicians who has never been linked to nationalism.


    TUESDAY OPPOSITION RALLY IN REPUBLIC SQUARE

    Opposition supporters rallied in central Belgrade for the 84th
    successive day on Tuesday.

    Opposition leader Vuk Draskovic warned the crowd that their
    struggle was far from over and that there would soon be cause for
    a new round of street protests. Mr. Draskovic expressed doubt that
    the Serbian authorities would ever allow free and fair democratic
    elections.

    Opposition leader Vesna Pesic characterised the Serbian goverment
    as an incurably ill patient and said that Tuesday's government
    reshuffle was confirmation of this.


    COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY PROTESTS NEW MINISTER OF
    EDUCATION

    The University Council for Defence of Democracy protested on
    Tuesday the appoinment of Jova Todorovic, Dean of the School of
    Organizational Sciences, as new Serbian Minister of Education.

    The Council warned that this was one in a series of the Serbian
    Government's moves to destroy Serbia's education system.

    The Council stated Mr. Todorovic had refused to support the
    Student Protest and remained one of an absolute miniority of
    teaching staff who sternly opposed that protest.

    The Council concluded that, because of his position on the Student
    Protest, the newly-appointed Minister of Education would have
    virtually no authority.


    GSS WARNS FOREIGN INVESTORS THAT SALES ARE ILLEGAL

    On Tuesday, The Civil Alliance of Serbia (GSS), member of Zajedno
    opposition, warned all potential foreign buyers of Serbian
    infrastructure that contracts they may sign with the current
    Serbian Government would be subject to ``serious revision'' if
    there was a change of government.

    The GSS said that the present government was not authorized to
    sell Serbian public assets, BETA reported on Tuesday.

    The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that 49% of the Serbian
    Telecommunications System would soon be sold the Italian state
    telecommunication company STET, at well below it's market value.
    The GSS accused the government of selling public assets to buy
    itself votes.


    KRAGUJEVAC: HUGE METAL TRUNCHEON LEFT ON POLICE DEPARTMENT
    DOORSTEP

    Several thousand Zajedno supporters in Kragujevac left a 2-metre-
    long metal truncheon on the doorstep of the city Police Department
    on Tuesday. The truncheon was left in protest at police repression
    in Serbia, BETA reported.


    ``WHERE IS THIS SHIP DESTINED FOR?''

    Zajedno announced on Tuesday that Wednesday's evening protest
    would be called ``Where Is This Ship Destined For?'' The
    opposition have invited citizens of Belgrade to gather in Republic
    Square before marching to the Danube where a boat will be launched
    as a symbol of the Socialist government's departure from Belgrade.


    TRADE UNION ``INDEPENDENCE'' CALLS FOR STRIKE

    The independent trade union ``Nezavisnost'' of ``Zastava
    Automobili'' [a large state-owned car plant in Kragujevac] called
    its workers to strike on Tuesday February 13. The strike is in
    protest at the non-payment of January wages.


    ``BORBA'' TO BECOME PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

    On Tuesday the Yugoslav Government decided to transform state-
    controlled press and publishing company ``Borba'' into a PLC.

    However, the Bill for the ownership transformation of ``Borba''
    will allow the Yugoslav Government to retain control of the
    publishing house's management; the government will be able to
    appoint the Chair and members of the company's Managing Board, and
    Director, President and some members of the Supervisory Board.


    SOLANA CALLS FOR CESSATION OF VIOLENCE IN MOSTAR

    NATO's Secretary General Xavier Solana called on Tuesday for a
    cessation of violence in Mostar. Mr. Solana said that the current
    violence had put the Bosnian peace proces in jeopardy, Reuters
    reported.

    Mr. Solana urged all parties to call an immediate halt to violent
    attacks, including unlawful evictions.

    Bosnian authorities imposed a curfew after Monday's clashes in
    which one person was killed and 22 injured.


    UN: THREE MURDERED IN BELI MANASTIR

    UN spokesman Phillipe Arnold stated on Tuesday that 3 people were
    killed in Beli Manastir on Monday. Mr. Arnold said that the
    murders were probably connected to a robbery and that
    investigations into the incident were under way.

    UN spokesman Douglas Coffman told AFP that the three civilians
    were Serb-Hungarians and were killed in the same house, where
    money had also been stolen.


    IVICA VRKIC ACCUSES SERBS OF STEALING CROAT PROPERTY

    Chief of the Croat Bureau of Interim Management, Ivica Vrkic, sent
    a letter on Tuesdasy to the UN Administrator for Eastern Slavonia
    Jacques Klein in which he claimed Serbs had stolen property from
    deserted Croat homes in the UNTAES area and were shipping teh
    goods to FR Yugoslavia, BETA reported.

    Mr. Vrkic also proposed that border crossings to the FR Yugoslavia
    be stopped until it was possible to better monitor them.

    Mr. Vrkic concluded that Serbs who decide to leave Eastern
    Slavonia must have permission from Croat authorities, UNTAES and
    representatives of the local Serb authorities to take property.


    10,000 DEMONSTRATE IN VUKOVAR

    More than 10,000 people marched peacefully past the Vukovar
    barracks on Tuesday. The protesters were demanding that Eastern
    Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem remain a unified demilitarized
    region in Croatia, and that Serbs in that area would not be forces
    to carry out military service in the Croatian Army, BETA reported.


    PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: UN SHOULD RESPECT SERB DEMANDS

    UN Administraror for Eastern Slavonia Jacques Klein met Serbian
    President Slobodan Milosevic on Tuesday. Following that meeting
    state TV reported President Milosevic as saying that the UN
    interim administration had played an important role in the
    development of Serb-Croat relations in Eastern Slavonia, but that
    Mr. Milosevic also stressed that Mr. Klein and his team should
    respect constructive proposals and demands from the Serb side.

    President Milosevic said that it was the responsibilty of the UN
    Interim Government to establish an atmoshpere of trust, personal
    safety, and equal rights for all citizens in the Eastern Slavonia.

    Mr. Milosevic concluded that he expected the equal particiapation
    of all citizens in the forthcoming elections.


    JACQUES KLEIN TALKS TO REPRESENTATIVES OF SERBIAN ORTODOX CHURCH

    UN Administrator for Eastern Slavonia Jacques Klein met with
    representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on
    Tuesday.

    After that meeting, Mr. Klein suggested that the Serbian Orthodox
    Church exercise their influence over clergy in Eastern Slavonia
    and persuade them to remain with their people. Mr. Klien also said
    that Serbs must be assured that they have a future in that region,
    Television ``Politika'' reported on Tuesday evening.

    Prepared by: Marija Milosavljevic
    Edited by: Julia Glyn-Pickett

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    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service
    E-mail: odrazb92@b92.opennet.org, beograd@siicom.com
    WWW:    http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/, http://www.opennet.org/b92/
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