Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

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    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service

    Odraz B92 vesti (by 4 PM), March 17, 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 4 PM
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    RADMILA MILENTIJEVIC ON FREQUENCY LICENCING

    Serbian Information Minister Radmila Milentijevic on Monday
    announced that the Serbian Government would conduct a tender
    process for liquence frequencies for those broadcasters which were
    now operating without licences.

    Mrs Milentijevic told a media conference that licences would be
    granted to those companies which met technical, programming and
    financial requirments, as is the practice in all countries in the
    world. Broadcasters would be required to disclose all sources of
    financing, ``because the state wants to know.''

    The minister said that the Serbian Ministry for Transport and
    Communications had identified over 180 radio and 70 television
    stations which were currently operating without licence and that
    the program content of these was undknown to the authorities. She
    added that this was a vast jungle which undermined the concept of
    a legal state.

    Transport and Communications Minister Svetolik Kostadinovic said
    that the authority to approve radio networks which covered more
    than one municipality lay with the republic, and warned that radio
    stations which broadened their registered operations would be
    banned.

    Asked whether Radio B92 and Boom 93 would get licences, Mrs
    Milentijevic said that this was a matter for the government,
    adding that the two stations would have to meet the criteria set
    for the tender process.


    COPENHAGEN MONOLOGUE

    Commenting on the absence of Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan
    Milutinovic from talks with Zajedno leaders and Student Protest
    representatives hosted by the OSCE in Copenhagen, OSCE
    spokesperson Melissa Flemming told Radio B92: ``When the
    invitation was sent by Mr Petersen, it was to the three opposition
    leaders and a senior member of the government. The hope, of
    course, was that all the participants in the dialogue would be at
    one table. We learned a couple of weeks ago that this would not be
    the case, that Foreign Minister Milutinovic had indeed agreed to
    come to Copenhage, but at a later date.''

    Reacting to Mr Milutinovic's comment that he could have talks with
    the opposition in Belgrade, without foreign mediation, Ms Flemming
    said ``That would be well and good, if indeed it takes place. We
    might recall the Gonzalez report, which also urged dialogue, and
    obviously the OSCE Chairman has seen that this has not so far been
    sufficient. He is therefore offering a forum for dialogue under
    international auspices. The OSCE would of course welcome Mr
    Milutinovic beginning these talks in Belgrade on his own.''  Ms
    Flemming confirmed that bilateral talks between the Chairman and
    Mr Milutinovic were expected to take place soon. ``At that
    meeting, the matters which have been raised by Zajedno will be
    relayed to the Foreign Minister, and this does constitute some
    form of dialogue. We see this as a basis for beginning,'' Ms
    Flemming added.


    DJUKANOVIC RETURNS

    Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic told state television
    in Podgorica on Monday that his US visit had been a successful
    continuance of dialogue with US officials and representatives of
    international finance institutions.

    Mr Djukanovic said that the basic topic of all his discussions int
    eh US was the current political and economic reforms in Montengro
    and the possibility of furthering these in the even that the
    current situation in Yugoslavia continues or worsens. The Prime
    Minister said that developments in Montenegro had been commended,
    and that the International Monetary Fund had saluted the
    Montengrin program of reform and expressed its readiness to offer
    certain forms of aid in support of these.

    Mr Djukanovic dismissed allegtions that his visit to the US had
    undermined the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, adding that
    Montenegrin policy and he personally were clearly committed to the
    national interests of the Federation. He aded that all his
    statements had been in line with the policy of all Montenegrin
    state bodies.


    STUDENT PARLIAMENT

    The Managing Board of Student Protest 96/97 on Sunday agreed to
    form a student parliament. The assembly will address all issues
    important for students and Belgrade university. The Managing Board
    has called elections for March 27.

    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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