Comments on assassination attempt

BELGRADE, Friday -- President of the Vojvodina League of Social Democrats Nenad Canak described last night’s incident as a the direct result of Draskovic’s recent cooperation with the regime saying that what happened to him was the destiny of all those who had dealings with the regime. Canak also said that the fact that the attempt took place in Montenegro was an attempt by the regime in Belgrade to involve the southern republic in 'the Yugoslavian story of unsolved liquidations, just before the introduction of the new notorious law on terrorism.'

Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Dragisa Burzan today accused the regime in Belgrade and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic of attempting to assassinate Serbian Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic describing the incident as an attempt to destabilise the democratic reforms in Montenegro. Burzan said that the motives for this attempt were the same ones as in all previous assassination attempts in Serbia and that the regime in Serbia would stop at nothing to remain in power.

Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for the Balkans Carl Bildt stated today that while other murders in this series could have had a criminal motives, this can only have been political. "There can hardly be any doubt that it was linked to the efforts of the Milosevic regime in Belgrade to retain its power over Serbia. . .Serbia is drawing closer and closer to the abyss" he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov also condemned last night’s attempt on Vuk Draskovic describing it as an act of terrorism which would jeopardise the democratic process in Yugoslavia. In a letter to Draskovic, Ivanov expressed his deep regret and hopes that the regime would take all necessary steps to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.

Source: B92

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