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 15, 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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    ZAJEDNO PROTEST OVER

    Tens of thousands of Belgraders flocked to Belgrade's Republic
    Square on Saturday night for the eighty-eighth and final Zajedno
    rally protesting at the November election fraud.

    Serbian Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic told a cheering
    crowed that only the first step had been taken in making the
    totalitarian regime cave in and admit defeat, but that that step
    had been a huge and decisive one. Mr Draskovic went on to say that
    Zajedno would insist on free media, new electoral laws and the
    prosecution of those responsible for police violence and electoral
    fraud. He stressed the responsibility of the Serbian Minister for
    Justice in this matter, and warned that if the opposition's
    demands were not met through a dialogue with the government, there
    could be new protests.

    Zoran Djindjic said that Zajedno was giving the government until
    March 9 to establish the independence of media under its control.
    If that liberalisation did not happen, there would be new
    demonstrations. He went on to say that once the free media was
    established, Zajedno would negotiate for new laws on elections and
    party funding. Zajedno's final goal, Mr Djindjic said, would be a
    change of government and economic and political reforms. He urged
    that the unity shown in the demonstrations be preserved, as it
    would be essential in the months ahead.

    Civic Alliance leader Vesna Pesic told the crowd that, even
    without demonstrations, Zajedno's goals were being achieved by the
    Serbian Government itself, as it would probably topple because of
    its own mistakes.

    The Zajedno leaders invited Belgraders to gather on February 21 to
    celebrate the confirmation of Zajedno's local election victories
    after the new Belgrade City Assembly had been constituted.


    STUDENT PROTESTS CONTINUE

    Representatives of Student Protest 96/97 announced on Saturday
    that they would continue to protest until the last seat in the
    city and municipal assemblies had been returned to the citizens.
    This included the municipalities of New Belgrade and Mladenovac,
    which were not dealt with by the lex specialis.

    On the eighty-sixth day of their protest, the students were
    addressed by film director Slobodan Sijan, who asked them to
    continue demonstrating until they had finished their job, the
    democratisation of the country. The students marched through
    Belgrade streets unhindered by police.


    TEACHERS' NEGOTIATIONS FAIL

    Striking teachers on Saturday evening reached a deadlock in their
    negotiations with the Serbian Government. One negotiator, Gordana
    Petrovic, told Radio B92 that the teachers had offered a
    compromise to the government, reducing their demands, but the
    government had refused to accept it and had brought negotiations
    to a halt, saying that the teachers were striking at the system.

    Prepared by: Marija Milosavljevic
    Edited by: Steve Agnew

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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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