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Court declares Socialist win in Belgrade poll
Anti-Milosevic demonstrators flood streets again
December 8, 1996
Web posted at: 5:00 p.m. EST (2200 GMT)BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- The movement to oust Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic intensified Sunday following the arrests of several anti-government protesters and a Supreme Court decision to uphold the annulment of opposition election victories.
Despite opposition claims of vote fraud, the Supreme Court Sunday awarded victory in a November local election to the ruling Socialist Party (SPS) and the allied Yugoslav United Left (JUL), Belgrade's electoral commission said Sunday.
The SPS won 66 seats, the opposition Zajedno coalition 32, the Serbian Radical Party 10 and the Democratic Party of Serbia two, Commission President Radomir Lazarevuic said at a news conference.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party reported that eight protesters had been arrested in the past two days, including a 21-year-old worker who said he had been beaten and denied medical attention in jail.
The man, identified by the party as Dejan Bulatovic, had been one of several protesters who carried an effigy of Milosevic dressed in a prison uniform.
Opposition leaders pledged to carry on with peaceful demonstrations. In downtown Belgrade, a throng of more than 100,000 demonstrators crowded into the streets Sunday, chanting anti-Milosevic slogans and calling for his resignation.
Opposition leader Vuk Draskovic said the choice is to either fight for freedom and human dignity or be Milosevic's "slaves."
"We are not ready to be slaves," he said defiantly.
The protests showed signs of spreading. Demonstrators in dozens of cities and towns across Serbia took to the streets. In Nis, angered residents tossed fireworks and burned pictures of Milosevic.
The Belgrade, protests were triggered three weeks ago when Milosevic and election officials invalidated November 17 municipal elections, which opposition parties won in Belgrade and 14 other major cities throughout Yugoslavia.
A coalition of opposition groups operating under the name Zajedno, or Together, had appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the annulment. And with official word that Milosevic's Socialist coalition retained control of Belgrade, opposition leaders vowed to escalate the protests.
"I'm not surprised. I knew in advance. The name of Supreme Court is Slobodan Milosevic," Draskovic told CNN. "The chief and owner of all lies in Serbia is Slobodan Milosevic."
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Protesters' determination vs. Milosevic's patience
He vowed the protests would continue until Milosevic steps down. But the opposition leader feared authorities would soon quell the demonstrations, even though Milosevic has offered assurances that he would not.
"I am expecting tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, that Milosevic will use police -- maybe even the army. But we will not stop," Draskovic said.
Milosevic thwarted street protests in March 1991 and in June 1993.
Democratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic said he expected protests to spread to some 50 cities throughout Serbia, including Milosevic strongholds.
The question, he said, now is which will be first to give: Milosevic's patience or protesters' determination?
In another development, independent trade unions threatened to go on strike early next week, a move that could bolster the protests. Besides joining the opposition's political demands, leaders of two unions were also demanding that the government ensure decent living standards.
So far, individual workers have participated in the street marches, but organized labor -- some of which supports Milosevic -- has not.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Serb court backs Milosevic in vote appeal - December 7, 1996
- Serbian Supreme Court to review appeal of local elections - December 7, 1996
- Serbian opposition: Protests can end if elections recognized - December 6, 1996
- As protests mount, Serbia's hard line begins to soften - December 5, 1996
- Serbs silence 3rd radio station critical of Milosevic - December 4, 1996
- Independent radio stations silenced in Yugoslavia - December 3, 1996
- U.S. warns Milosevic not to use force against protesters - December 3, 1996
- Anti-Milosevic protesters take to streets despite threats - December 2, 1996
- Belgrade protesters keep up campaign against Milosevic - November 30, 1996
- Students protest on streets of Belgrade - November 29, 1996
Related sites:
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- Letter to police from students of Belgrade
- Public announcement from Supreme Court judge
- Belgrade History
- Yurope Yugoslavia
- Yugoslavia.com
- Yurope on-line
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