Protests in Serbia Archive
Odraz B92 Daily News Service

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    ODRAZ B92, Belgrade                             Daily News Service
    Odraz B92 vesti (by 9 PM), December 16, 1996

    e-mail: beograd@siicom.com      URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/
            odrazb92@b92.opennet.org     http://www.siicom.com/b92/
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    All texts are Copyright 1996 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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    NEWS BY 9 PM
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    AWARD FOR RADIO B92: THE SHOW MUST GO ON

    The German-based international media-support organization
    ``Internationale Medienhilfe'' announced today in Hennef that
    Radio B92 has been selected as this year's best radio station.
    Radio B92 won the award in the name of all radio stations
    operating in the region of former Yugoslavia which offer
    ``objective coverage under constant repression by the
    authorities.''  Internationale Medienhilfe's statement said that
    Radio B92 has shown incredible courage and determination and that
    the award it won is considered one of the most important radio
    awards world-wide.


    DJINDJIC AND PESIC TALKED TO EC DELEGATION

    Zoran Djindjic and Vesna Pesic, leaders of Zajedno, had talks in
    Belgrade today with a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of
    the European Council, headed by its vice-president Andrea
    Barsogni. A statement by Zajedno said that the delegation
    expressed support for the democratic processes in Serbia which,
    they said, were the focus of European attention at this time.


    OVER 100,000 OUT FOR A WALK

    Some 100,000 people turned out on the streets of Belgrade today
    for the 27th protest ``promenade'' against the nullification of
    the November 17 electoral results. In their address to the
    demonstrators, the leaders of the coalition Zajedno said:
    ``Although the world supports our struggle, none but us can defend
    our victory. There will be no talks with the regime until the
    electoral results are restored.''  The Association of Branch
    Unions ``Nezavisnost'' [Independence] called on all ``employed and
    unemployed'' workers to gather tomorrow at 11 a.m. for a march to
    the Serbian Parliament.


    STUDENT PROTEST

    The Steering Board of the Student Protest '96 invited the students
    gathered for today's protest march through Belgrade to set out to
    meet their counterparts who are currently on a marathon walk from
    Nis. The welcoming party is to gather in front of St. Mark's
    Cathedral at midnight tonight. The board also announced that the
    students will join the workers' protest, scheduled for tomorrow by
    the Association of Branch Unions. They are to bring refuse and old
    rags to the Serbian Parliament as a symbol of the poverty Serbia
    is facing.


    STUDENTS' MESSAGE: SIDE WITH YOUR CHILDREN

    The Steering Board of the Student Protest in Nis called on the
    parents of UofN students to side with them: ``Our lives have been
    put in great jeopardy by the illegal actions the authorities have
    taken and we have to fight for our existence on the streets.'' The
    students called on the workers of Nis to stage protest strikes in
    support of the democracy movement.


    COALITION ZAJEDNO ON TALKS WITH KORNBLUM

    Vojin Dimitrijevic, member of the Zajedno delegation which had
    talks with US Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum in Geneva
    yesterday, told Radio B92 that Kornblum gave the delegation a
    message of very strong support for the democratic forces in
    Serbia. Dimitrijevic said the delegation presented Kornblum with
    documents concerning the elections and the present situation. The
    talks focused on the conditions Zajedno wants to have in place
    before it can agree either to an OSCE electoral-review commission
    or to any panel discussions with the authorities. Asked what these
    conditions are, Dimitrijevic said that the authorities had first
    to acknowledge the illegality of the third electoral round, which
    was called after the fraudulent cancellation of Zajedno's victory
    in November 17 elections. ``No new elections or concessions can be
    negotiated. Legal rules and respect for the law cannot be
    negotiated politically,'' said Dimitrijevic.


    DINI'S REPLY TO DRASKOVIC

    Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini sent a letter to leader of
    the Serbian Renewal Movement Vuk Draskovic, dismissing the
    criticisms Draskovic made last week, said today the Italian
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to Dini, it was Draskovic's
    own assessment that it is improbable the Yugoslav government would
    meet the opposition's demand for clear and simple acknowledgment
    of electoral results of November 17. Dini's letter stressed he
    finds the initiative launched by the Serbian Government and
    Parliament, inviting an OSCE delegation to Belgrade to look into
    the legality of the recent elections, an important and
    satisfactory development.


    DEMOCRATIC PARTY: HINTS THAT MILOSEVIC HAS OPENED HIS EYES

    The Municipal Court of Smederevska Palanka instructed the
    Smederevska Palanka Electoral Committee today to acknowledge the
    results of the second round of local elections, thus restoring to
    Zajedno its electoral victory in this town. Spokesman for the
    Democratic Party, Slobodan Vuksanovic, said that this ruling --
    together with the decision of the Municipal Court of Nis -- ``are
    the first hints that the Socialists and President Milosevic
    himself have opened their eyes and are beginning to see the
    reality around them. People are protesting in 32 cities across
    Serbia.''  Nevertheless, Vuksanovic added, knowing well the past
    inconsistencies of the ruling party, coalition Zajedno will not
    give in or let up with the intensity of demonstrations until all
    the electoral victories in all the cities are restored to it.


    RADIO SMEDEREVO

    Milan Petrovic, former manager of Radio Smederevo, said today that
    the radio's editorial staff rejected this morning the new,
    municipally appointed editor-in-chief. He said the City Hall acted
    without consulting the editorial staff and appointed somebody who
    had never worked in Radio Smederevo. Radio's Managing Board did
    not, therefore, confirm the decision to appoint an outside editor-
    in-chief, and has agreed to let the editorial staff air their
    objections before the newly-appointed Mayor of Smederevo
    Municipality, Bojan Ilic.


    WORKERS IN NIS DISMISS ANNOUNCEMENTS OF RTV SERBIA

    Several hundred workers gathered today at the Machine Industry of
    Nis to protest against the letter of support they allegedly sent
    to President Milosevic. They told Radio B92 they had in no way
    participated in drafting the letter Radio Television of Serbia
    made public last night. They demand that the management of the
    company, who have misused their authority, take the responsibility
    for promulgating such propaganda.


    MONTENEGRIN ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS SITUATION IN SERBIA

    Montenegrin Assembly decided today to place the current events in
    Serbia onto the agenda of its second session. Novak Kilibarda (The
    People's Unity Party), on whose initiative the issue was included
    in the agenda, said the Serbian regime has violated its citizens'
    human rights. He urged the Montenegrin Assembly to carefully
    determine the republic's policy towards Serbia, especially since
    Montenegro shares army forces with Serbia. Kilibarda also reminded
    the Montenegrin parliament that Slobodan Milosevic, President of
    Serbia, had once before used the army against his people.

    Predrag Bulatovic, member of the Democratic Party of Montenegrin
    Socialists and leader of its parliamentary faction, supported
    Kilibarda's initiative and said the ruling party is ready to
    compromise in framing the Assembly's resolution on the current
    events in Serbia.

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

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    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/
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