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Protests in Serbia Archive
Zajedno report from Nis, Dec. 13

address: Trg Lale Nikolica 2, 18000 Nis,
telephone: +381 18 21 990
fax: +381 18 22 067
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Daily information December, 13th 1996.

After Free Television, Legal System Breaks-through

Court Overruled City Electoral Committee's Objection

Is Court Abut To Confirm The Second Round Electoral Results?

Yesterday, all the world press published correspondence between US State Secretary, Warren Christopher and The President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic. In his replay to the State Secretary, President Milosevic wrote: "It is a matter of course that in case of irregularities, which have not been identified so far, they have to be removed. As with any other omission of this kind, legal institutions of this state are authorized to deal with them. Correction of such irregularities is in the best interest of our country and its citizens so I can assure you that electoral activities, that are in the interest of our Republic, as well as of our citizens, will be subjected to the special care not only of the State institutions but of myself as well".
To the decision passed by the City Electoral Committee, the Coalition ZAJEDNO put an objection to the Municipal Court two weeks ago. The City Electoral Committee appealed to the Court to overrule the objection. Not before today the court denied this appeal. The Municipal Court did something that has so far been in the domain of science fiction. We made a two-weeks' step back in time. According to the law the Court was supposed to act not after November 21st if everything had been done all right. This decision also proves that justice, although slow sometimes, is still achievable. The Court is not solely responsible that this decision was brought with such a delay. Justifying this decision the Court described in details what actions the City Electoral Committee undertook in order to avoid the reception of the Coalition ZAJEDNO objections. After the Court ordered the City Electoral Committee to bring all the questionable documents "in one hour's time", we may hope that the whole odd story about elections in Nis is going to get the epilogue we all long for. Anyway we welcome the first fair gesture of the Court since November 17th.

Today's protest ended with the usual rally along the streets of Nis. A famous DJ Spirko, on top of the truck, heavily armed with amplifiers, loudspeakers and light-show equipment, was at the head of the rally. Free television of Nis broadcasted a short informative programme.
Nis: Civic protest - Beside the citizens who demonstrate their support in the cities all around Serbia, the weather was on the side of the citizens of Nis as well. Over 25000 people who gathered at the Square of liberty on a sunny day, for the 26th time expressed their disapproval due to theft and forgeries after the second round of elections.
"People are a source of power, and all the power must be brought back to them. People elect and people discharge. Authorities must not elect themselves. And that is what the present authority is trying to accomplish"Zoran Cvejic, spokesman of Serbian Liberal Party said.
Dragisa Velkovic, an actor of the National Theater in Nis, read the announcement of the Association of Drama artists of Serbia concerning the arrest of Mr. Baletic, a Belgrade actor. "Four weeks ago the whole world considered the Serbian people responsible for the calamities it faced, today all the world media, thanks to courageous and dignified struggle, applaud and admire the Serbian people", Dusan Bajec, MP from Belgrade, said and added: "Dear citizens of Nis, all this we have accomplished in four weeks' time".

Milan Komnenic, Vice President of SRM, began his speech with these words: "The great city, my dear friends, once again I bow before your magnificent and persistent resistance to dictatorship and unlawfulness. I greet wonderful youth of Nis, the students who demonstrate how the Serbian land is set free, inch by inch". He added: "I want to tell you that the city of Nis is presented in the world media as the main fortress in the struggle for democracy. It is easy for us in Belgrade, as long as we have you here in Nis".

Nis: Student protest - Before the meeting, at 1 p.m. Nis University students occupied the Youth bridge and proclaimed The Student Autonomous Region (SAO) Youth. "Nis is free!" was the rallying cry of a few thousands students. As a passport of this autonomous region, students' index was recognized. Passers-by were given visas to enter and leave the "students' country".

Nis: Political abuse at school - Bosko Stojanovic, the headmaster of a technical school "Nikola Tesla" in Nis, gave an order to all the 4th year class teachers to call the parent meetings. The class teachers were told to urge the parents to force their children not to attend the protest against the election fraud with the explanation that the children could be "politically abused". Since the 4th year students are of age, we wonder if the headmaster is trying to turn the parents into the agitators for the same political cause he himself propagates.
At school, headmaster Stojanovic distributes propaganda material of Socialist Party (badges and alike), openly showing what he considers to be "political abuse". By the way, Stojanovic is a close relative of Mile Ilic, discharged head of Socialist Party in Nis.

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