Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

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    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service

    Odraz B92 vesti (by 11 PM), February 3, 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 11 PM
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    PROTESTS RALLIES THROUGHOUT BELGRADE

    On Monday evening protesters organized small-scale rallies
    throughout Belgrade. Large group of protesters in the Revolution
    Boulevard kept to the pavements in order to avoid clashes with
    riot police deployed nearby. Close to that area one citizen was
    detained for lying down on the street.


    ROBERT NORMAN IN NIS

    Head of the Political Department of the American Embassy in
    Belgrade, Robert Norman, visited Nis on Monday. After his visit
    Mr. Norman again urged Serbian authorites to accept the OSCE
    report on local elections in Serbia. He then condemned the use of
    police violence in Belgrade.


    SERBIAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

    The Serbian Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that ``on the
    night of February 2--3,1997, police forces had intervened to
    prevent the obstruction of public transport and disturbances of
    the peace, as well as to enable the free movment of citizens.''The
    announcement then confirmed that ``18 citizens had been
    detained.''


    FOUR JUDGES ASK TO BE ARRESTED

    The Chairman and three other members of the Belgrade Electoral
    Commission, all judges by profession, asked Serbian authorities to
    arrest them on Monday. The judges were responding to the earlier
    accusations of Minister of Justice Arandjel Markicevic who said
    the Electoral Commission were ``ideologists of judicial
    destruction and had made illegal decisions.''

    Members of the Commission stated that they respected the will of
    the voters, which was a legal obligation, and that they were
    convinced that all their decisions had been legal and in
    accordance with Serbian law.


    FILMS WITHDRAWN FROM CINEMAS

    The Association of Film Distributors of Yugoslavia decided on
    Monday to withdraw all films from cinemas throughout Yugoslavia on
    February 4 and 5. In their announcement, the distributors said
    that such a step was an act of protest at the use of force against
    their viewers.

    The decision of the film distributors has forced the council of
    FEST, the largest film event in Yugoslavia, to cancel this year's
    film festival in Belgrade.


    ``NOVA DEMOKRATIJA'' CONDEMN USE OF FORCE

    The political party 'Nova Demokratija'(New Democracy), coalition
    partner of the governing Socialists, strongly opposed the use of
    force against peaceful protesters and demanded an investigation
    into the actions of all those police officers who had used
    unauthorized force.

    ``Nova Demokratija'' said the only solution to the current crisis
    was the urgent implementation of the OSCE report and dialogue
    between the authorities and the opposition.


    RICHARD MILES HANDS MILUTINOVIC OFFICIAL US PROTEST

    US Deputy State Secretary John Kornblum confirmed that Washington
    sent an official letter of protest to the Serbian authorities at
    the use of force against the protesters in Belgrade, Reuters
    reported.

    The letter was handed to Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan
    Milutinovic by Richard Miles, Charge d'Affairs at the American
    Embassy to Belgrade on Monday.


    GREEK GOVERNMENT DEMANDS RESPECT FOR LEGITIMATE DEMONSTRATIONS

    The Greek government officialy demanded that Serbian authorities
    respect the legitimate demonstrations of opposition supporters,
    FoNet reported on Monday.

    Governement spokesman Dimitris Repas stated that ``No one can
    support the use of force and the injury of citizens and political
    leaders.'' Mr. Repas also demanded that Serbian authorities
    implement, as agreed during the recent visit of Greek Foreign
    Minister Teodoros Pangalos to Belgrade, the OSCE report in full.

    Prepared by: Goran Dimitrijevic
    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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