Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

---

    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service

    Odraz B92 vesti (by 9 PM), March 11, 1997

    E-mail: odrazb92@b92.opennet.org, beograd@siicom.com
    WWW:    http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/, http://www.opennet.org/b92/
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    All texts are Copyright 1997 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------



    NEWS BY 9 PM
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


    STUDENTS STAY AWAY

    Belgrade students gathered on Tuesday for their 110th day of
    protest. Student Protest Managing Board representative Dusan
    Popovic informed them of the board's Sunday decision to continue
    the protest until March 20. The students made their traditional
    protest march through the streets of Belgrade and announced their
    next rally for Wednesday 14.00 hours, according to FoNet.


    EDUCATION MINISTER: CLASSES THIS WEEK

    In an interview with the state-controlled Radio Belgrade, the
    Serbian Education Minister, Jovo Todorovic, said on Tuesday that
    he expected teaching at the University of Belgrade to be resumed
    in full by the end of the week. He claimed that the majority of
    the university faculties in Belgrade had resumed teaching on
    Monday, adding that ``students and lecturers were united in a
    positive decision to go back to lectures.'' He commended the
    faculty deans who ``have understood the seriousness of the
    situation and who are doing their best to return the students to
    the lectures, in the light of the Government's measures.'' Mr
    Todorovic added that the deans were dissatisfied with ``a small
    group of students, who are still in favour of some decision of not
    returning to classes until all demands have been met.''


    ACADEMICS DEMAND KUBUROVIC

    The University Board for the Defence of Democracy demanded on
    Tuesday that Pro-Chancellor Tomislav Dragovic, make over all
    authorities confered on him by former Belgrade University
    Chancellor Dragutin Velickovic who appointed him, to the acting
    Chancellor to professor Dragan Kuburovic. The Board's statement
    said that professor Kuburovic, who was appointed acting Chancellor
    by the Council of Deans and Institute Directors, was the only Pro-
    Chancellor who had endeavoured to reestablish teaching at the
    University during the Student Protest 96/97.

    The Board said that Pro-Chancellor Dragovic was the epitomy of the
    electoral theft, for he had been defeated in the second round of
    the local elections as a Socialist candidate by student Goran
    Vesic. After the second round electons had been annulled, the
    Board statement continued, Pro-Chancellor ``won'' in the third
    electoral round as the counter-candidate Vesic did not appear in
    the illegal elections. The Board futher specified that the Pro-
    Chancellor had failed to deliver his university lectures during
    the electoral campaign, and held his first lecture on December 9,
    long after the students had begun their protest at November
    electoral fraud.


    DJINDJIC IN GERMANY

    Belgrade Mayor Zoran Djindjic on Tuesday met a number of leading
    German politicians. Dr Djindjic is making a three day official
    visit to Germany. The main topic of the mayor's discussions in
    Germany is the process of democratization in Serbia.


    OSTOJIC: INFORMATION LAW TARGETS INDEPENDENTS

    Zoran Ostojic, the acting general manager of the Belgrade
    broadcaster Studio B, said on Tuesday that the draft law on public
    information in Serbia was targetted against BK Television and the
    future Studio B, which will become a shareholding company once
    again. He said that if the ownership transformation was carried
    out in this company and it became private, rather than financed
    from the public revenue, the regulation limiting the coverage of
    private TV stations to 25% of the overall population would apply
    to it.

    Commenting on the regulation that TV stations were obliged to
    indicate financial and other assistance from abroad in the opening
    and closing credits of every show, Mr Ostojic said that this was
    aimed at hindering financial support from abroad and provoking
    condemnation of the Serbian people. According to Mr Ostojic this
    was a futile move, for the state should follow the route of market
    reforms rather than attempt to frighten the nation with the West,
    market economy and democracy


    TIJANIC TO FIGHT MEDIA REPRESSION

    The Former Serbian Information Minister Aleksandar Tijanic told
    Beta on Tuesday tht the draft law on information in Serbia was
    ``represseive.'' He also announced that he would establish an
    association of private media owners ``to fight against the
    repressive measures taken by the state.''  Mr Tijanic added that
    Serbian Information Minister Radmila Milentijevic had virtually
    legalised the cancellation of the contract between BK Telecom and
    Radio Television Serbia (RTS) by the draft law on information and
    denied BK Telecom the use of RTS transmission facilities, reducing
    its coverage to Belgrade.


    RADICALS TO OBSTRUCT PARLIAMENT

    Tomislav Nikolic, leader of the Radical MPs in Serbian Parliament
    said on Tuesday that the Radicals would obstruct the Parliament's
    work until they are restored their 5 ``stolen'' deputy seats,
    according to Beta.


    RUGOVA FEARS SERB PROVOCATION

    In an interview published in Greece on Tuesday, Kosovo Albanian
    leader Ibrahim Rugova said that the Kosovo Albanians had good
    relations with everybody who was in power in Albania. Asked why he
    continually insisted that Kosovo was on the verge of explosion,
    Mr. Rugova replied that the explosion had not occurred so far due
    to the self-control exerted by the citizens of Kosovo. He said,
    however, that he could not tell how long this self-restraint might
    last. ``I fear that there is great Serbian provocation which may
    lead to a war,'' Mr. Rugova said.

    Prepared by: Marija Milosavljevic
    Edited by: Steve Agnew

    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    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/
    ------------------------------------------------------------------