Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

---

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

    Odraz B92 vesti (by 9 PM), February 27, 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
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


    ZAJEDNO LEADERS ON RETURN TO BELGRADE

    Zajedno leaders Vuk Draskovic and Vesna Pesic said on Thursday,
    after their return from an official visit to Spain and Great
    Britain, that they had received support for their struggle for
    fair elections and promises of aid for the cities where the
    opposition have won. Mr. Draskovic added that the Zajedno leaders
    had agreed with the Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, during
    their London meeting with him on Wednesday, that the Serbian
    people should decide whether Serbia should become a parliamentary
    monarchy or a republic whose president would have only symbolic
    authority. He also announced that the Zajedno leaders would soon
    visit the Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
    in Europe (OSCE) to brief him on the results of the local
    elections in Serbia and the real position in the municipalities of
    Sabac, Mladenovac and New Belgrade, where the opposition wins have
    not been reinstated, according to FoNet.


    UNIVERSITY STAFF APPOINTS ACTING CHANCELLOR

    At a meeting on Thursday, UofB staff unanimously elected the
    oldest Vice-Chancellor, Dragan Kuburovic, acting Chancellor. Mr.
    Kuburovic will hold the office until the election of a new UofB
    Chancellor, because the University staff decided that Dragutin
    Velickovic was no longer Chancellor of the UofB.  The newly-
    appointed acting Chancellor Kuburovic called a meeting of the
    University Assembly on March 2, according to FoNet. The University
    of Belgrade sent a letter to the European Conference of
    Chancellors, informing it that 27 school deans and 8 institute
    directors no longer deemed Mr. Velickovic to be the UofB
    Chancellor. The letter asked for the Conference's support in the
    UofB's struggle towards academic freedom and autonomy, and invited
    a delegation from the conference to visit UofB and get insight
    into its current situation.


    MANAGING BOARD OF STUDENT PROTEST SUPPORTS ELECTION OF ACTING
    CHANCELLOR

    Student leaders supported the election of the acting UofB
    Chancellor on Thursday. The Board said that this was a real
    pressure on the Government and the University Council to replace
    the current Chancellor. It added that the students would support
    the move by not going back to lectures until the Chancellor and
    Student Vice-Chancellor resign.


    EXORCISM

    Belgrade students went along their usual ``media route'' after
    protesting in front of the Rectory building on Thursday. After the
    lock-out of the University staff, the students carried out an
    action of exorcism, claiming that vicious forces had taken over
    the Rectory building. They used garlic, holy water and prayers
    hoping that they would drive the dark forces and ghosts out of
    their Rectory, according to FoNet.


    10,000 BELGRADERS SUPPORT TEACHERS

    More than 10,000 pupils, parents and teachers gathered in
    Belgrade's Republic Square on Thursday, to support the teachers.
    They have been protesting for a month, demanding their overdue
    wages and an increase. The Pupil's Parents Forum announced this
    was their third protest against ``the deaf and irresponsible
    government.'' The newly-appointed acting Chancellor, Dragan
    Kuburovic, and the Dean of the Technology and Metallurgy School,
    Fedor Zdanski, supported the teachers. They said that as well as
    struggling for the autonomy of the University, they wished to
    bring all education back to its rightful place, according to Beta.


    US DELEGATION IN NIS

    A delegation from the US Agency for International Development and
    Democratic Reforms (USAID) visited Nis on Thursday. Zoran
    Zivkovic, Mayor of Nis, informed them that the new local
    government had freed the city media from censorship, at the same
    time directing them to make their own 'living' on the market. Mr.
    Zivkovic said that the media in Nis were free but had no licences
    to broadcast, which was the only threat to them. He said that the
    municipal television and newspaper, formerly run by the Socialists
    would also have to compete in the market. He confirmed that none
    of their staff would be sacked, but they would have to undergo
    training in order to improve the quality of their work. The USAID
    delegation announced it would help train the staff of private
    media companies and that the individual journalists of the state
    media would have access to the training, according to FoNet.


    EU MINISTERIAL COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION ON SERBIA

    The Committee of permanent representatives agreed on the final
    text of the EU Ministerial Council's resolution on Serbia in
    Brussels on Thrusday, Mirko Klarin reports for FoNet. The
    resolution said that in the light of positive developments in the
    implementation of the Gonzalez recommendations and cooperation in
    the realization of a mission of the Organization for Security and
    Cooperation in Europe to Kosovo, the next session of the
    Ministerial Council at the end of March might consider closer
    relations with Serbia.


    MONTENEGRIN PEOPLE'S PARTY DEMANDS EXTRAORDINARY ELECTIONS

    The People's Party of Montenegro (NSCG) demanded on Thursday that
    extraordinary elections be held in Montenegro, claiming that the
    Montenegrin ruling Democratic Socialist Party (DPS) had taken ``a
    sharp turn'' in its policy towards the federal Yugoslav state.
    Predrag Drecun, the NSCG leader, said that Montenegro needs
    extraordinary, fair and democratic elections and that the DPS had
    cheated its voters: it had promised a firm unity with Serbia but
    it is now heading towards the independence of Montenegro, Montena-
    Fax and FoNet report. Mr. Drecun accused Montenegrin Premier Milo
    Djukanovic of laying the blame on Serbia and its President
    Slobodan Milosevic for joint decisions. As another reason for
    calling the extraordinary elections, Mr. Drecun cited the alarming
    economic situation in Montenegro and said that ``privatization was
    only a legalization of the looting of the state property.''


    HIBER: PERPETRATORS OF ELECTORAL THEFT SUED

    Dragor Hiber, head of the Zajedno legal team, said on Thursday
    that the coalition would launch legal suits against the members of
    electoral commissions and judges who had falsified the election
    results by the end of the week. He also said that Zajedno would
    sue the individuals who had ordered or participated in the
    violence against peaceful demonstrators as soon as they have been
    positively identified, according to FoNet.


    SPO: FREEDOM OF MEDIA FURTHER CURBED

    The Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO), part of the Zajedno coalition,
    warned on Thursday that the expected Yugoslav Government
    restrictions on the import of printing paper would be another
    method of stifling the independent press. The SPO stressed that if
    the Serbian Ministry of Information allowed such a regulation to
    be passed, it would prove that Serbian Minister of Information
    Radmila Milentijevic had no decision-making powers, just like her
    predecessors, FoNet reports.


    DSS: NATION IN BIOLOGICAL JEOPARDY

    The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) warned on Thursday that ``the
    nation is facing biological jeopardy,'' pointing to the grave
    situation in the health care sector. As well as not having money
    to pay the wages of medical workers, the DSS say there is a
    shortage of medicaments and other elementary necessities. The DSS
    warned that the Serbian Government should immediately come up with
    funding for health care and new ownership solutions. The DSS
    proposed that the Association of Free Cities in Serbia (those
    where the opposition has assumed power) add requests for
    humanitarian aid when they apply for other international help,
    according to FoNet.


    NEWS FROM FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


    ICRC: MINE CASUALTIES

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stated on
    Thursday that, on average, 50 people a month step on anti-tank
    mines and that 5 to 15 of them die, FoNet reports. Stressing that
    every 5th victim was a child, the ICRC expressed fears that the
    number of mine casualties would increase this year.


    STEINER ON ARREST OF NALETILIC

    The UN Deputy High Representative in Bosnia, Michael Steiner,
    confirmed on Thursday that the Croatian police arrested 20 people
    on Wednesday, among them Mladen Naletilic who is thought to
    control Western Mostar mafia, Dragan Golubovic reports for FoNet.
    Naletilic was a general in the Croat Defence Council [ troops
    active in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina], and was notorious as
    the commander of the ``punishing squad,'' suspected of atrocities
    in the war in Bosnia especially during the Croat-Muslim clashes.
    Later on, he was notorious for criminal activities such as
    bootlegging and car-thefts. He is also suspected of heading
    paramilitaries. Mr. Steiner also stated that the policemen named
    in the IPTF report on the February 10 attack on the Muslim
    civilians were not among the arrested. Mr. Steiner said that the
    UN High Representative would demand that these men be arrested as
    well and dismissed from their posts.


    SLOVENE PARLIAMENT VOTES CONFIDENCE TO NEW GOVERNMENT

    The Slovene Parliament expressed confidence in their new
    government on Thursday, AFP and FoNet report. Slovenia remained
    without government for 3 and a half months after no party had won
    an absolute majority in the November parliamentary elections.

    Prepared by: Marija Milosavljevic
    Edited by: Mary Anne Wood

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