Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

---

    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service
    Odraz B92 vesti (by 3 PM), December 16, 1996

    e-mail: beograd@siicom.com      URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/
            odrazb92@b92.opennet.org     http://www.siicom.com/b92/
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    All texts are Copyright 1996 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------



    NEWS BY 3 PM
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


    BILDT: MILOSEVIC MUST SOLVE THE PROBLEM PEACEFULLY

    UN High Commissioner for the region, Karl Bildt, reiterated his
    demand today that President Milosevic solve the crisis with the
    demonstrators in a peaceful way, reports AFP.  Bildt also added:
    ``If the change in Serbia does not happen peacefully, I think that
    the whole region will head towards destruction in a couple of
    years time. Milosevic must admit that he has to step back.
    Democratic processes must exist. Whoever is elected through such a
    process will have to bear responsibility for carrying out
    fundamental reforms.''  Bildt concluded by noting that everyday
    protests in Belgrade have become a part of the city's ``social
    scene,'' a normal occurrence as well as a focus of light-hearted
    socializing.


    MONTENEGRO BEGS TO DIFFER

    The Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro held today its first
    session with the newly elected members. As proposed by the
    coalition ``Narodna Sloga,'' the current events in Serbia are on
    the agenda of the opening session. Prime Minister of Montenegro,
    Milo Djukanovic, has also stated that it would be best if the
    results of the municipal elections in Serbia were accepted and
    added that ``it seems unconvincing that the opposition manipulated
    the elections. After all, the elections were held under the
    supervision of the authorities.''


    KORNBLUM AND DRASKOVIC

    US Assistant Secretary of State, John Kornblum, gave a press
    statement in Geneva last night after a two-hour meeting he had had
    with the leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement, Vuk Draskovic.
    Kornblum emphasized once again that he supports the process of
    democratization in Serbia, reports Reuters. He also said:
    ``Milosevic's acceptance of the election results, continuation of
    the democratic process, and freedom of the media are of the utmost
    importance. We will continue to support the democratic process
    there and we expect the same from Milosevic. My arrival in
    Belgrade would not have any influence on your President, because
    it seems that he neither wants to listen to anyone nor to accept
    what he is told. President Clinton has already appealed to
    Milosevic to accept democracy as an inevitable process,''
    concluded Kornblum. Vuk Draskovic said that the opposition needs
    ``diplomatic support'' from the American government and the
    members of the EU.


    ``BORBA:'' COALITION ZAJEDNO RELIES ON FOREIGN CENTERS OF POWER

    Today's issue of the state-run newspaper ``Borba'' carries an
    article alleging that the coalition Zajedno does not rely on the
    Serbian electorate but on ``some foreign centers of power.''  The
    article in ``Borba'' reads in part: ``The voters have had their
    say. What is left for Zajedno is to turn to some foreign circles,
    whose specialty is the imposition of ''democracy`` around the
    world by the overthrow of legally elected authorities and by the
    installation of their own pawns, i.e. those who would sell a whole
    country for a handful of dollars.''


    PROTEST IN BUDAPEST

    Serbian students residing in Hungary protested today in front of
    the Yugoslav embassy in Budapest. Given the Hungarian laws, which
    bar foreign citizens from holding legal demonstrations there, the
    students put an empty basket in front of the embassy building, and
    all of them (about a hundred) passed by and put an egg in it. In
    the end, they attached a note to the basket saying: ``Greetings to
    President Milosevic and his wife: Good cheer this Holiday
    Season.''


    PROTEST IN OTTAWA

    About a hundred Serbs who reside in Canada demonstrated today in
    front of the Yugoslav embassy in Ottawa in an act of support for
    the current demonstrations in Serbia. The demonstrators appealed
    to the Canadian government to officially support the
    demonstrations and the struggle for democracy in Serbia.


    YESTERDAY IN NIS

    About 20,000 people protested today in Nis. They were addressed by
    the local leaders of the coalition Zajedno as well as some guests
    from Belgrade. The crowd jubilantly greeted the news that the Nis
    Municipal Court has ordered the Electoral Commission to review its
    decision about the annulment of the elections results.


    ``GOING TO THE TOP''

    Today at noon, a delegation of students from the University of Nis
    started marching towards Belgrade, bringing the original electoral
    minutes from that municipality to Belgrade and President
    Milosevic. ``Going to the Top,'' as their march is now popularly
    known, is the focus of much interest in Serbia these days. Half in
    jest, but only half, the students have organized themselves more
    or less as a ``liberation unit.''  To speak to the members of the
    delegation, one must have its official password: ``Is it safe?''
    Response is: ``No, it's very dangerous.''  The delegation is
    supposed to arrive in Belgrade tomorrow.


    ON A LIGHTER NOTE

    At yesterday's protest rally in Belgrade, two blondes carried the
    banner which read: ``Even the Blondes Understand.''

    Since the Yugoslav football team was defeated last night 2:0
    (against Spain), some demonstrators carried a banner which read:
    ``Serbian Supreme Court says: Yugoslavia Won 2:0.''

    Prepared by: Aleksandra Scepanovic
    Edited by: Vaska Andjelkovic (Tumir)

    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service
    e-mail: beograd@siicom.com      URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/
            odrazb92@b92.opennet.org     http://www.siicom.com/b92/
    ------------------------------------------------------------------