Lots of interesting photos on Yahoo of the mass march in Belgrade. http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=yugoslav*&n=20&c=news_photos
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/World/Yugoslavia/
Examples of the "official" and "independent" media here. http://www.cdsp.neu.edu/info/students/marko/yupress.html http://www.cdsp.neu.edu/info/students/marko/yumedialinks.html
As always, check out the reportage of IWPR, http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl5?archive/bcr/bcr_20001005_3_eng.txt
and B92. http://www.freeb92.net/
Michael Pugliese Federal Parliament conquered, building in flames Federal Parliament is in flames in several places, the DOS claims the people conquered the parliament, Radio B2-92 reports from the spot.
State television building in flames A dense black cloud of smoke is coming from the direction of the state television building. According to the unconfirmed information, police has left the building. Ljubomir Tadic told Radio B2-92 that former Yugoslav Army chief-of-staff General Momcilo Perisic was in Slavija, negotiating with the army members. Police station in Majke Jevrosime Street was also conquered. According to the unconfirmed information, citizens were joined by about twenty policemen, Radio B2-92 reports.
Yugoslav Army contacts DOS Yugoslav Army has contacted the DOS crisis headquarters inside the Belgrade City Assembly, Radio B2-92 reported. For now there is no information whether any agreement was reached.
Federal Parliament conquered, building in flames 17:32 Federal Parliament was in flames in several places, and the DOS stated that the people conquered the parliament, Radio B2-92 reported from the spot. Around 15.30, during the speech of Vladan Batic, the crowd broke through the cordon in front of the Parliament and reached the gates of the building. A lot of tear gas cartridges were shot from the building, and the crowd withdrew from the terrace in front of the Parliament to the Terazije square. In the meantime, a tear gas cartridges were shot from the back side of the parliament in Kosovska Street too. People tried to enter the building from this side as well, but the police cordon in Kosovska Street refused to intervene. Police vehicles in Kosovska Street were demolished and four firearm shots and an explosion was heard from that direction. For now there was no information on who fired those shots. According to the information from the Anlave Clinic, nine injured people in the stampede fleeing the tear gas cloud were registered for now. It was announced that Vojislav Kostunica would address the people from the City Assembly balcony at 5 p.m. Number of people were returning from Terazije towards the Parliament, pictures of Slobodan Milosevic are being thrown out of the building, cheerful people are waving flags from the windows, although neighbouring windows were still in flames.
Vuk Obradovic claimed earlier that number o policemen joined the people.
Part of the citizens charged at RTS with bulldozer where they were met by the police cordon. Demolished cars are in flames behind the Parliament building, barricades are set up all the way to the Svetogorska Street. Police is throwing tear gas in 27 March Street as well.
DOS called the citizens, as well as the army and the police, on calming down the situation. According to DOS representatives, breaking into the Parliament building was not planned in today's protest. Federal Parliament's basement and subbasement are in flames, firefighters are on their way to the building, our Radio reported.
According to Radio B2-92, RTS building is in flames. A bulldozer attempted to break through to the RTS building, but a machine-gun burst came from the direction of the building. Huge clouds of tear gas have set in in front of the RTS building in the Takovska Street. The crowd charged at the police station in Majke Jevrosime Street.
One armoured army vehicle was seen heading from Slavija Circus toward Terazije, Radio reported.
Mass of pink ballots is being thrown out of the Federal Parlaiment. Sub-ground floor of the Parliament engulfed in flames.
DOS demands Milosevic recognise Kostunica victory by 3 p.m. 16:26 BELGRADE, Thursday - The Democratic Opposition of Serbia has unconditionally demanded that Slobodan Milosevic recognise the election will expressed on September 24 by 3 p.m. today. According to Radio B2-92, hundreds of thousands of people are on the terrace in front of the Parliament building, while thousands more are arriving from all parts of the city. According to some estimations, there are around a million people in the city streets. Radio B2-92 reported that an army helicopter has flown close over the Parliament building dome, followed by loud boos from the crowd.
According to Radio B2-92, fifty kilometres long convoy which has set off from Nis this morning was entering the capital at the moment. The convoy is headed by the Movement for Democratic Serbia President former Yugoslav Army General Momcilo Perisic and Nis mayor Zoran Zivkovic. Police set up trucks in order to block the convoy, but after negotiations with Perisic and Zivkovic, withdrew.
According to some unofficial information, both the army and the police were inside the Federal Parliament. In front of the July 4 army barracks there were no tanks at the moment, but there were tank tracks visible in the asphalt going in the direction of Banjica and Dedinje.
People break through police cordon at the Parliament gates 15:51 BELGRADE, Thursday - The crowd has broken through the police cordon in front of the Federal Parliament and reached the building gates. According to Radio B2-92, police is not using force for now. Speeches were terminated, and the gathered people chant, "He's finished". Tear gas was shot from the Federal Parliament, forcing the majority of people to withdraw from the Parliament staircase. Rocks are being thrown toward the Parliament. Two tear gas cartridges were shot into the middle of the crowd. People are chanting, "No return" and resist to withdraw. Smoke is coming out of the Parliament building, several hundred people are still standing in front of the building gates trying to enter. Numerous windows are broken.
Stosic sentenced to twenty days 15:36 BELGRADE, Thursday - The Association of Free Yugoslav Unions stated that it learnt only today that the president of this union central Dragoljub Stosic was sentenced to twenty days of imprisonment in the Belgrade Central Prison. Stosic was arrested on Tueasday, when he attempted to organise a strike in the Belgrade City Public Transporation.
Police use tear gas in front of Federal Parliament 15:08 BELGRADE, Thursday - The protest rally in front of the Federal Parliament building is to begin at 3 p.m. A large number of demonstrators is already there. Riot police, who have burst out of the Parliament building around noon, used tear gas on protesters, mainly newly-arrived citizens from Kraljevo and Cacak. They have arrived in vehicles with stickers instead of license plates saying, "Where Is My Vote?"
According to the Anlave clinic, a dozen people were slighly hurt in this action. The tear gas was used after a group of citizens had attempted to enter the Federal Parliament. People have gathered in front of the building after the intervention. Beside the Parliament, towards the Nikola Pasic Square, a truck full of rocks was unloaded.
Vice-president of New Serbia and Cacak mayor Velimir Ilic, who came to Belgrade today with a column of demonstrators, called on citizens gathered in front of the Parliament not to throw rocks on police or cause any incidents. About fifty riot police are standing at the entrance to the building.
Citizens have been arriving to the terrace in front of the building from all directions.
Three hundred state television workers on strike 14:45 BELGRADE, Thursday - Over three hundred workers in the Belgrade offices of the Radio Television Serbia in the last several days signed the petition for the change of this house's editorial policy and announced a strike for today, Radio B2-92 learns from unofficial sources. The signatories included cameramen, editors, producers, technical crew and about twenty journalists. Their protest has begun on Thursday at 10 a.m. by gathering in front of the monument to the colleagues killed in the NATO bombing of the state television.
Radio B2-92 learnt unofficialy that beside police, army members were inside the RTS building as well. Military jeeps have been parked in front.
Still no official information from court: Bakarac 14:22 BELGRADE, Thursday - Vojislav Kostunica's election headquarters still haven't received the official document from the Federal Constitutional Court regarding the complaint from the Democratic Opposition of Serbia to the decision of the Federal Election Commission to announce the second round of elections, said Nebojsa Bakarec, the DOS representative.
Bakarec told the press conference that he had attempted to contact the judges of the Federal Constitutional Court, but that none of them responded to his calls.
He declined to comment on the statement from the president of that court Milutin Srdic that the presidential elections had been annulled and that the first round would be repeated.
Bakarec estimated that it was not likely the Federal Constitutional Court had annulled presidential elections only in the election units Prokuplje and Vranje, but that it was more probable that the whole first election round had been annulled.
Lajko Felix vs. water cannons in Subotica 13:54 SUBOTICA, Thursday - Police in the Vojvodina city of Subotica has arrested Otpor activist Robertino Knjur this morning. On their way to the the School of Economics, column of protesters stopped in front of the local police station, demanding his release. Subotica mayor Jozsef Kasza has called on citizens to join them. About 2,000 current protesters were joined by famous Subotica-based violinist Lajko Felix with his band uniformed in "Otpor Subotica" T-shirts. Police has brought two water cannons, an otherwise unprecedented scene in Subotica. Citizens promised not to disperse until Knjur was released.
Leader of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians Jozsef Kasza and President of the Municipal Union in Subotica Miljenko Smiljanic had estimated that the bus of opposition supporters heading for the Belgrade rally would be detained by the police along the way and had given up the trip, Beta reported. Previously, the citizens had broken through the police cordon of about sixty policemen around the local city transportation company, but after the decision by the Subotica mayor, they had set off towards the School of Economics.
Column of Novi Sad citizens crosses Branko bridge 13:46 BELGRADE, Thursday - Group of citizens from Novi Sad, who arrived to New Belgrade in twenty-five buses, crossed the Branko bridge on foot around 1 p.m. heading towards Belgrade, and was currently downtown, Radio B2-92 reported.
Convoy detained at Vladicin Han 13:30 VLADICIN HAN, Thursday - Police at Valdicin Han have detained a convoy of around fifty cars going from Vranje to the Belgrade rally, sending all the vehicles to technical check in Vladicin Han. The column was headed by the leader of the Serbian Resistance Movement from Kosovo Momcilo Trajkovic and President of the Association of Free and Independent Unions Dragan Milovanovic.
More buses on the way 12:52 BELGRADE, Thursday - About a hundred buses have set off this morning from the Raska district for the Belgrade rally today. Large number of citizens from Krusevac arrived to Belgrade last night, fearing the blockades might prevent them from arriving to the rally.
Around 25 buses have set off from Novi Sad, and around 20 buses and more than 150 cars from Nis.
Citizens of Novi Sad on Wednesday night have collected 500 Deutsche Marks and 60,000 dinars of aid to Kolubara coal miners who were on strike since last Friday, demanding the recognition of Vojislav Kostunica's victory in presidential elections.
Opposition buses arrive to Belgrade 12:29 BELGRADE, Thursday - Convoy of fifty buses carrying the Democratic Opposition of Serbia supporters from Kraljevo, Cacak, Uzice, Gornji Milanovac and Kragujevac has arrived to Belgrade. Buses from other cities accross Serbia are still arriving to the capital. They are joining a protest rally scheduled for today in front of the Federal Parliament building. During the trip, convoys broke through several police blockades.
Appeal for help from Kolubara 13:04 LAZAREVAC, Thursday - Workers of the Tamnava surface mine at Kolubara appealed via Radio Lazarevac to citizens of Lazarevac to come to the mines instead of going to Belgrade, "because this was the last chance to defend the mines and what was achieved in the last six days," Beta reported.
Member of the striker committee from Tamnava West Srba Djuric told Radio Lazarevac that the police forces were piling up, while there were few protesters at the mines. Tamnava East also reported that the situation was "critical" and that the "citizens who spent the night there were exhausted and tired and that they needed support". Vice-president of the Democratic Party Lazarevac branch Jelenko Micic had announced earlier that a bus would be organised for the trip to the Belgrade rally. "Due to the new development," the citizens were appealed to to go to the mines instead.
The Democratic Opposition of Serbia representative from Lazarevac Predrag Videnovic told Beta that the arrests have begun in Lazarevac. "Striker committee member Radojko Marinkovic was arrested in his home around 1 a.m." Videnovic said. He added that Marinkovic was one of the miners and the DOS leaders who had been charged by the Belgrade Public Prosecution Office.
Presidential elections to be repeated: Srdic 11:30 BELGRADE, Thursday - The Yugoslav Constitutional Court representative Milutin Srdic stated that according to the decision of the Constitutional Court, the elections were to be repeated. "That means we are doing everything from the beginning, the decision is final and cannot be changed. After this decision, new elections have to be organised, the first round is annulled," Srdic told the Bulgarian-language department of Radio Free Europe, SRNA agency reported. He emphasised that the elections should be held until the current Yugoslav president's mandate expired.
Court decision ultimate cynicism: Djindjic 11:29 BELGRADE, Thursday - The DOS manager Zoran Djindjic assessed that the decision from the Federal Constitutional Court represented the "ultimate cynicism and another fraud" of the ruling parties. "Constitutinal Court has attempted to broaden the subject in order to hide the responsibility of the people who had falsified the elections," Djindjic told the press conference yesterday, adding that the "DOS would not agree to this new fraud just like that".
"This is the ultimate cynicism. Milosevic first wanted to announce that he had won, when he saw it won't do, he announced he was in the lead in the first round. After that he announced Kostunica was in the lead, but that there would be a second round. Then, he wanted to introduce a state of emergency, when he saw it won't do either and that he's finished, he annulled the elections via the Constitutional Court," Djindjic said. He assessed that "Milosevic thought he would prepare a better theft the next time, the one he would be harder to caught in by the DOS. We objected to the voter register processing, not the voting, or the counting. The Constitutional Court should have only adopted or dismissed the complaint," Djindjic said.
Vice-president of the Civil Alliance of Serbia Dragor Hiber stated that the Constitutional Court's decision "basically did not mean a thing". "That decision may indicate the repeat of the first round, annulment of the Kosovo elections, or returning of the documentation to the Federal Election Commission for recount," Hiber told B2-92.
Part of presidential election results annulled 11:08 The Federal Constitutional Court yesterday ruled to annul part of the election process for election of the Yugoslav president connected with voting, counting and declaration of results on September 24.
State media last evening broadcast a statement from the Court saying that after a public discussion and further conferring all members of the Court had voted to annul part of the election process for Yugoslav president.
Opposition candidate and front-runner in the presidential race, Vojislav Kostunica, late tonight warned that the decision could be a trap. The move is also seen as a delaying tactic to give President Slobodan Milosevic more time to manoeuvre.
Protests and blockades in Serbia 10:45 BELGRADE, Thursday - Large protest rally is scheduled for today at 3 p.m. in front of the Federal parliament building. The rally would be joined by opposition supporters from all around Serbia, it was announced.
A convoy of eight buses with the Democratic Opposition of Serbia supporters from Kraljevo has set off towards Belgrade at 7 a.m, followed by a convoy of police buses, ANEM network correspondent reported. After only several kilometres, the DOS supporters faced a police blockade of around eighty riot policemen. Since the police refused to remove a firefighter tanker blocking the road, angry citizens got out and turned the tanker on the side, breaking through the cordon with buses afterwards. Police moved out of the way at the last minute. ANEM network correspondent reported that shortly after breaking through the blockade, the convoy joined the DOS supporters from Cacak.
Before that, the Cacak convoy heading towards Belgrade broke through the blockade in Majdan on the Rudnik mountain, Beta reported. Police had blocked the Ibar Highway with two trucks, and set up a cordon of fifty riot police. Citizens moved the trucks out of the way, and the police did not react.
Convoy of seven buses with the supporters of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia from Pozega and Arilje heading towards Belgrade broke through the police blockade at the Lucani tunnel, Radio B2-92 correspondent reported. Police moved out of the way to the let the buses through. Incidents were avoided.
About a hundred citizens of Kosjeric were on their way to Belgrade via Pozega and Cacak, where they would meet the convoy from Uzice. The DOS headquarters from Kosjeric told Radio B2-92 that the tunnel in front of Guca and Lucani was blocked by police and that the convoy would attempt to bypass the blockade.
--- Original Message --- Doug Henwood <dhenwood at PANIX.COM> Wrote on Thu, 05 Oct 2000 11:13:51 -0400
------------------ Louis Proyect wrote:
>What in fuck's name are you talking about. The story is that
miner's wages
>have gone from $1500 a month to $80 because the country is under
economic
>sanctions and because it is forced to defend itself against
Nato. The
>United States pours $500 million into the coffers of anti-Milosevic
parties
>who broadcast the propaganda message that if they are elected,
the
>punishment will come to an end. This is exactly what Reagan
was about when
>he said that he wanted Nicaragua to "cry uncle". Try reading
a newspaper
>instead of that Zizek bullshit and maybe you'll figure it out
for yourself.
I think the U.S./NATO war against Yugoslavia was a crime, and so are the sanctions, so you're barking, or cussing, up the wrong tree. But the workers of Serbia want your boy Slobo out. Which side are you on: that of the strikers and their 20,000 supporters, or of several hundred cops in riot gear?
Doug
PS: I do read newspapers, 3 a day usually, sometimes more.
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