Informazione
http://emperors-clothes.com/news/submit2.htm
Opposition Leader Djindjic Calls for Complete Yugoslav
Submission to U.S.
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
Comments by Jared Israel (10-09-2000)
Comments: An AP dispatch, reprinted below, gives some glimpse of the
speed
with which the U.S. is consolidating its position in Yugoslavia.
The critical statement in the AP dispatch is made by Zoran Djindjic.
Djindjic is an
open employee of the U.S. and German governments and a key organizer of
the
distribution of US-German bribe money within Yugoslavia. Here is the
account of his
remarks:
"A key Kostunica aide, Zoran Djindjic, signaled the new government's
desire for closer ties to Washington after an election campaign in
which
the opposition sought to distance itself from the United States
because of
public anger over last year's NATO bombing campaign.
'''Without a strategic partnership with America, there is no
solution for
the Serbian national interests,' Djindjic said.'' ('AP', 10-09-2000)
The domination of Yugoslavia by Imperial powers is the precondition for
aggressive
action towards Russia, the Caucuses, Central Asia, Greece and other
countries which
have not entirely folded under U.S. pressure. Even those Balkans
countries where the
US has almost unchallenged domination, like Albania, Bulgaria and the
former
Yugoslav Republics, would find themselves under much harsher conditions
if
Yugoslavia falls to the U.S. For Yugoslavia has stood as a beacon, an
alternative to the
U.S.; if U.S. government behavior got too harsh, there was always
Yugoslavia as a
focal point of resistance. But as Senator Biden said in the July 29,
1999 Senate
hearings on Yugoslavia:
"I mean, for example, it's amazing what can happen when you
eliminate the
extremes. I mean, the single best thing that ever happened to the
Republic of
Srpska is we kicked the living hell out of Milosevic. There ain't no
alternative
left. …It's amazing what a salutary impact that has upon extremes in
countries.
And that's why the single best thing we -- my dream is to visit
Milosevic in
prison. (Laughter.) I mean that sincerely. I'm not being facetious.
Because you
put Milosevic in prison, and things in the region will change
drastically."
(Senator Joseph Biden at Senate Hearings on Serbia, July 29, 1999,
Quoted in
"US Arrogance and Yugoslav Elections', readable at
www.emperors-clothes.com/engl2.htm )
Thus Djindjic's statement is very serious. It translates: the Serbs must
become the
tool of the US in its effort to subjugate a vast section of the world.
There is an obstacle for the U.S. government. The bulk of the Serbian
people as well
as other loyal Yugoslavs who live in Serbia, are opposed to U.S.-German
control of
the Balkans. This is why throughout the century Germany's key
geopolitical goal has
been to crush Serbia. Crushing Serbia was and is the precondition for
firmly
consolidating power in the Balkans and going after the East, the former
Soviet Union.
So how does Djindjic, who is now so openly the dominant leader in the
DOS (the
opposition) - how does he intend to make Serbs and others who oppose US
domination accept US domination? There is only one way: terror. We have
received
first hand reports that terror is going on right now. It is highly
organized. The
terrorist groups, which are controlled by the DOS, have lists of people
who belong to
parties other than DOS or who are non-party, as well as those considered
"nationalist
activists." These, especially the activists, are the target; they are
being physically
attacked or threatened with attack. Institutions (e.g., the Customs
Department) and
key businesses are being illegally seized. The increasing campaign of
terror by
opposition forces is just barely hinted at in the Western media.
The method for dealing with difficult Serbs is long established. It is:
kill them. This
was how the pro-German government in Croatia tried to make Yugoslavia
safe for
German domination: it wiped out over 700,000 Serbs (as well as almost
all Jews and
countless Gypsies.) Get rid of the troublesome elements - that was the
method.
It was done twice after World War II. The Tito government was interested
in
reducing the influence of Serbia in the new Yugoslavia. So it
slaughtered the Cetniks
whom the British turned over. And then, in 1948, when Tito decided to go
all-out
with a Western strategy he ordered the murder of between 50,000 and
100,000
Serbian Communists.
If the Serbian and other loyal Yugoslav people do not resist they will
be eliminated.
Do not be deceived by sweet talking US leaders, NGO activists, and the
like. The US
government, dedicated to efficiency, always applies the simplest
solution to a
problem. When they encountered groups of Korean refugees who might
include
North Korean agents, they simply shot everyone in the group.
If the Serbs do resist, they may face great difficulties; on the other
hand, they may
succeed in stopping the terror. The vast majority of the population does
not want the
coup but they are to some extent cowed by terror, by the indecision of
the governing
forces, who have plenty of weaknesses, by the apparent vacillation of
the Russians and
by the fierce determination of the US side, inside and outside
Yugoslavia. And many
people are of course confused by the false promises of massive economic
aid.
Preparing to defend themselves, not to adopt foolhardy measures, but to
take firm
measures to guarantee the rule of law, including demanding the arrest of
those who
sacked Parliament, who illegally have seized government institutions,
and so on -
taking these firm measures is the only hope of the Serbian people. If
these measures
are not taken there will be great suffering. At this point organized
forces, such as the
Army, may still be able to act.
As for the U.S. government, it can "live with" the possibility of great
suffering in
Yugoslavia and throughout the Balkans if the result is US domination of
the area.
Remember, we are dealing with people like Madeline Albright. When asked
whether
she felt the containment of Iraq was worth the death of the 500,000
children killed by
sanctions, she said "Yes, I believe it is." You see, she felt their
pain, but she endured.
The plan is mainly to use proxy forces to do the dirty work. This is how
the moderate
Muslims and Serbs in Bosnia were fought - by Islamist Muslims working
with the US
Ambassador and an army of US government and semi-government helpers, as
well
as plenty of money and arms. People are silenced by terror and then
recruited by
terror. The anti-racist Croatians were the first target of Mr. Tudjman's
neo-Nazis in
Croatia. The KLA is just the latest example of a proxy force suppressing
"its own"
people.
The use of domestic forces (in this case the "Serbian opposition") to
suppress a
difficult population would allow NATO to bring in troops in the guise of
supporting
native leaders. This is the classic divide and rule policy that colonial
powers have
employed since Rome. It is .much less politically costly at home than
outright
invasion.
Make no mistake: the danger of war, including nuclear war, is increased
rather than
diminished by this most reckless US policy. For one of the key targets
of what Mr.
Djindjic calls "a strategic alliance with the U.S." is Russia. And
Russia is bristling
with nuclear arms.
Whether the Yugoslav people stand up now and fight, or do not, there
will be
suffering, which is a tragedy. But if they fail to stop the opposition's
illegal actions
their suffering will be incomparably worse. The U.S. elite is not a
tolerant winner. Its
goal remains to crush Serbia as even a potential political force.
Yugoslav PM and Police Chief Resign
By DUSAN STOJANOVIC .c The Associated Press
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) - Key remnants of Slobodan Milosevic's regime
crumbled Monday after Yugoslavia's prime minister and the country's most
powerful
police chief resigned. Early elections were set for the Serbian
parliament, a last
bastion of the old order.
Riding the wave of public support that brought him to power, President
Vojislav
Kostunica moved swiftly to drive out remaining Milosevic stalwarts. The
government
in Serbia, the main Yugoslav republic, was expected to be dissolved
Tuesday.
Just two days after formally taking office, Kostunica was also putting
his supporters in
charge of the country's most important institutions, including the
police, judiciary,
banks and state-run companies.
A key Kostunica aide, Zoran Djindjic, signaled the new government's
desire for
closer ties to Washington after an election campaign in which the
opposition sought
to distance itself from the United States because of public anger over
last year's
NATO bombing campaign.
``Without a strategic partnership with America, there is no solution for
the Serbian
national interests,'' Djindjic said.
Milosevic, who has been holed up at one of the president's official
residences in a
Belgrade suburb, remained out of public view Monday.
But two of his key allies, federal Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic and
Serbian
Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic - who controlled about 100,000
policemen -
both stepped down.
All major Serbian parties agreed to early parliamentary elections in
December - a
move that could spell the end of Milosevic supporters' control of the
republic's
government and legislature. Given the current popular support for
Kostunica, his
allies are likely to win a strong majority in the new parliament.
Serbia is home to more than 90 percent of Yugoslavs and whoever rules it
holds the
balance of authority in the country, which includes one other republic,
Montenegro. If
the current Serbian government and the parliament remain in place, they
could block
many pro-democracy reforms pushed by Kostunica on the federal level.
Serbia's president and parliament are elected separately from federal
posts and were
not involved in the contentious federal vote Sept. 24. Serbian President
Milan
Milutinovic and other Serbian government leaders were elected in 1998 to
four-year
terms.
Still, Milosevic's hard-line allies in the Serbian parliament were
trying to keep the
current legislature in place until the new elections, despite calls for
its immediate
dissolution.
``This is a highway robbery,'' said Vojislav Seselj, Serbia's
ultranationalist deputy
prime minister who has been allied with Milosevic. ``You will not get
our blessing for
a coup,'' referring to alleged forceful removal of Milosevic's cronies
from all major
state institutions.
Seselj accused pro-democracy forces of using ``lynching methods'' to
force out rivals.
Seselj, for the first time, acknowledged that Serbia's parliament had
lost control of
the republic's police to pro-Kostunica forces.
As Seselj was leaving Serbia's parliament, he was jostled by an irate
crowd. One of his
bodyguards fired shots in the air, and a photographer was punched and
kicked in the
head by a bodyguard. No one was seriously hurt.
In the streets, factories and other public places, anger against
Milosevic's cronies
sometimes boiled over into violence.
A mob of workers attacked Radoman Bozovic, a close Milosevic aide and
the director
of a major Belgrade trading corporation. He tried to flee from his car,
but he was
caught and beaten. His bodyguards snatched him and moved him into a
nearby
building for safety. Later, Bozovic resigned as the head of Genex, the
biggest
state-run import-export operation.
In the city of Nis, workers stormed the state-run textile factory,
Nitex, demanding the
management be fired. Employees of Investbanka demanded that Borka Vucic,
a top
financial associate of Milosevic, leave the Belgrade headquarters of the
state-run
bank because ``her safety is jeopardized.''
As the vestiges of the old regime were being cleared away, the European
Union lifted
economic sanctions against Yugoslavia and offered it $2 billion in aid
to help rebuild
the country, as well as lifting key anti-Milosevic sanctions.
The decision marked a turning point in Yugoslavia's relations with the
rest of Europe
and was seen as a first step toward integrating the country into the
European
mainstream.
Still, obstacles remained for the Kostunica camp.
Yugoslavia's defense minister attempted Monday to rally opponents of the
new
government, issuing a last-ditch appeal to Milosevic's shaken supporters
not to
abandon the ousted leader.
Gen. Dragoljub Ojdanic said that ``the disunity among the Serbs is
inciting the plans
of our proven (foreign) enemies'' to occupy the country. Milosevic's
allies have
consistently referred to Kostunica and his followers as Western lackeys
bent on
taking over the Serb state.
Ojdanic, a close Milosevic ally who has also been indicted for war
crimes, has not
formally recognized Kostunica as the new Yugoslav president and is not
expected to
keep his position in the new government. He has no direct control of the
military,
which has fallen under Kostunica's command.
Still, he retains influence among the military brass, and any call he
might make to
rally pro-Milosevic forces could be problematic for the new regime.
The military leadership - which consist mostly of Milosevic loyalists -
has only
grudgingly endorsed Kostunica as the new head of state. The top generals
will likely be
all replaced as part of a sweeping purge of Milosevic supporters.
(c) AP-NY-10-09-00 1536EDT Reproduced for fair use only
Footnote
Several articles on Emperor's Clothes have dealt with the G-17 econ
omists. We
especially suggest reading:
* 'The International Monetary Fund And The Yugoslav Elections' by Michel
Chossudovsky and Jared Irael at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/1.htm
* 'Yugoslav Opposition Negotiates Surrender of Yugoslavia' by Michel
Chossudovsky
and Jared Irael at http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/11.htm
***
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We receive all of our funding from individuals like you. We want
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We are
taking steps to improve our security and also to increase the number of
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Small contributions hel and so do big ones. You can make a donation by
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www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
---
http://emperors-clothes.com/news/dos2.htm
DOS leader Djindjic: Yugoslavia is to be no more
Text of statement from Montenegrin Website of the Soros "Open Society"
type.
Comments by Jared Israel, Emperor's Clothes
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
"Djindjic said that he explained DOS’s thinking on renewing FRY.'We
believe the joint state should not be called Yugoslavia but the “The
Union
of Serbia and Montenegro'....Responding to the question of whether
this is
really DOS’s program, given Vojislav Kostunica’s statement on
strengthening the joint state, Djindjic said: “We, in the campaign,
did not
have completely differing views on these issues. I explained these
ideas in
the joint meetings of the DOS leaders and they were positively
accepted
both in the coalition and by the Serbian public."
Comments: It becomes increasingly evident with every passing hour that
Mr.
Kostunica is not the dominant leader in the Serbian opposition. The key
person is
Zoran Djindjic. In the text below, Mr. Djindjic is asked if Mr.
Kostunica accepts his
idea for dissolving Yugoslavia. His response is diplomatic but perfectly
clear: Djindjic
lays down the law, Kostunica follows. And why not? He is the point man
for the US;
he is the guy with the $77 million dollar check.
Djindjic seems slated to be Prime Minister. Mr. Dinkic from the
US/German-
controlled G-17 group of economists is slated to be head of a
colonial-style Central
Bank. [See Footnote near end]
Djindjic Proposes Abolition of Yugoslavia
When Mr. Djindjic opens his mouth it is Madeline Albright talking.
The consequences of the proposal to abolish Yugoslavia, expressed by Mr.
Djindjic in
the name of the entire opposition including Mr. Kostunica, are very
grave. . The
continued existence of Yugoslavia is the critical question in the
Balkans. Yugoslavia's
existence prevents the consolidation of US/German power in the Balkans
and
therefore hinders taking aggressive action toward the former Soviet
Union.
The act of relinquishing the name "Yugoslavia" would be a sharp blow to
the morale
of those who are trying to hold back the US/German assault.
Moreover, if Yugoslavia ceased to exist there would be immediate
consequences.
These would include the loss of all Yugoslav property, currently held by
Yugoslavia or
frozen by order of the U.S. This amounts to over $20 billion US. It
would mean that
the agreement by which Kosovo is legally part of Serbia - UN resolution
1244 - would
be void because that agreement was signed by the UN and Yugoslavia. It
would mean
the Yugoslavs would lose all right to speak in the UN - a right the US
has suppressed.
But up until now the Yugoslavs have had legality on their side. Agreeing
that
Yugoslavia is no more means relinquishing all claim to legal rights.
Here is the full text of the report on the conversation betyween Zoran
Djindjic and
Milo Djukanovic.
Djukanovic and Kostunica schedule a meeting on changes
in the military leadership
President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic and the new president of FRY
Vojislav
Kostunica agreed that a meeting of the Supreme defense council should be
held soon,
where changes in the military leadership could be agreed, it was
confirmed by the
leader of the Democratic party, Zoran Djindjic.
Djindjic said that Kostunica and Djukanovic spoke on the phone and
agreed that a
meeting of the Supreme council should be held within the next three
days.
Djukanovic met Djindjic, who was representing the Democratic Opposition
of Serbia,
last night in Podgorica. Djindjic informed Djukanovic on DOS’s plans to
possibly
form an expert government with the SNP. This government would spend the
first two
to three months around issues connected to the removal of international
sanctions
and for the pledged international financial support for economic
recovery to be
realized, and therefore this government would not interfere in the
authorities of the
Republican governments. This government would “be voted in by the
representatives
of DOS, the Montenegrin SNP, and the occasional patriot from the SPS”,
said Djinjic.
The leader of the Democratic party claims that Djukanovic assessed this
idea as
interesting and “the least bad transitory solution”.
Djindjic said that he explained DOS’s thinking on renewing FRY.
“We believe the joint state should not be called Yugoslavia but the “The
Union of
Serbia and Montenegro”. This union should have much less joint
functions, because at
the moment there is a lot of overlap with the republics. The joint
functions should be
reduced to defense, and if regional stability is enhanced this would
assume a small
army, then also foreign policy and monetary policy based on a
convertible currency. It
is also true that the expensive institutions of the parliament and
government should
be reduced, because we already have this at the level of the independent
states. The
idea is to decrease the size of the federal functions but significantly
improve their
efficiency, which would mean reduced costs”, said the leader of the
Democratic party.
Responding to the question of whether this is really DOS’s program,
given Vojislav
Kostunica’s statement on strengthening the joint state, Djindjic said:
“We, in the campaign, did not have completely differing views on these
issues. I
explained these ideas in the joint meetings of the DOS leaders and they
were
positively accepted both in the coalition and by the Serbian public. I
think we should
first clarify what strengthening the joint state means. If the state has
three functions,
which are strong, this is better than if it has 20 which are weak”,
explained Djindjic.
Djindjic said the talks between the representatives of DOS and the
Montenegrin
government about the future relations between Serbia and Montenegro are
to start
this week.
***
Footnotes
Several articles on Emperor's Clothes have dealt with the G-17 group of
economists,
who are clearly slated to dominate the remaking of Yugoslavia. We
especially suggest
reading:
'The International Monetary Fund And The Yugoslav Elections' at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/1.htm
'Yugoslav Opposition Negotiates Surrender of Yugoslavia' at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/11.htm
We get by with a little help from our friends...
We receive all of our funding from individuals like you. We want
everyone to read our
articles, whether they can contribute financially or not, but if you are
able to
contribute, please do. Recently we were shut down for a wee by a hacker.
We are
taking steps to improve our security and also to increase the number of
people we
reach with our analyses. These improvements cost money.
Small contributions hel and so do big ones. You can make a donation by
mailing a
check to Emperor's Clothes, P.O. Box 610-321, Newton, MA 02461-0321.
(USA) Or
if you'd like to do it by credit card, please call 617 916-1705 between
9:30 AM and
5:30 PM, Eastern Time (USA). .
Thanks for reading and thanks for helping. It's a joint effort, isn't
it?
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
---
http://www.iacenter.org/nato_harvest.htm
NATO is getting ready to pick up the harvest
By Tanja Djurovic
Junge Welt, Monday, 9.10.2000
Belgrade -- "I've just received information from official sources
that Vojislav
Kostunica won the elections. I congratulate Mr. Kostunica on his
election victory...",
said recent Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic in his address to the
nation
broadcast on Yu-Info TV channel on Friday (Oct. 6), admitting defeat in
the
presidential elections by his opponent Vojislav Kostunica, candidate of
Democratic
opposition of Serbia (DOS).
"I personally intend to take a short break, to spend more time with my
family, and
then, afterwards, to primarily strengthen my party...Socialist party of
Serbia will be a
very strong opposition" finished Milosevic his address making it clear
that he has no
intention of fleeing the country, or leaving political life.
This seems to be the epilogue of election crisis in Yugoslavia and
two-week long
fight between Milosevic and Kostunica for presidency of FRY, which
culminated on
Thursday in Belgrade with mass and violent protests orchestrated by
DOS.
Vojislav Kostunica made his oath on Saturday night in Belgrade "Sava
Center", by
which he officially became new president of Yugoslavia. On the joint
constitutive
sessions of both chambers of Federal Parliament, Kostunica bounded
himself to
"respect and implement the Constitution of FRY and federal laws, to
preserve the
sovereignty, independence and integrity of FRY..."
Earlier in the night, both chambers of the Yugoslav Parliament were
constituted for
the new session. The Chamber of Citizens verified 119 out of 138 deputy
mandates,
and Chamber of Republics 39 out of 40 mandates.
In both chambers of the Federal Parliament the representatives of
Milosevic's left
coalition have the majority. This was clear from the start, and even DOS
representatives agreed to it.
Still, Milosevic's obvious presence in Yugoslav capital and appearance
on TV,
putting the end to rumors and wild guesses as to his whereabouts and
intentions, came
as a shock to DOS leaders and their supporters, who had been convinced
that
ex-Yugoslav president had long since left Belgrade, if not indeed the
country. That,
coupled with the fact that a leftist government might be formed soon, is
casting a
shadow on DOS's present advantage.
Zoran Djindjic, DOS campaign manager, gave a statement to the press
immediately
after Milosevic's address on Friday, saying that Slobodan Milosevic is
just preparing a
blow from the back and intends to consolidate the police forces, so he
could come
back on scene as a tough hand. Obviously afraid that someone or
something can still
endanger their "democratic revolution", Djindjic finished rather
paranoically: "I do
not trust Milosevic!"
Still, if Milosevic is not to be trusted, why not accept the
assurances and
congratulations offered to Kostunica by thehighest representatives of
the army and
police? It seems that DOS's fear of one man and his presence is so
great, that not
even the fact that those institutions didn't react during Thursday's
vandalistic
demonstrations can reassure the Serbian opposition.
Perhaps the DOS is simply being aware of its own fragility: from the
very beginning,
it has been highly dependent on foreign support and money. This ad hoc
alliance of
some 18 parties has only one common ground and program - to oust
Milosevic.
Not to forget that the DOS candidate, newly-proclaimed FRY president
Kostunica,
is a leader of a small party with low support from the people, and a man
of low
significance. The person running the show for this particular puppet on
a string is
Zoran Djindjic, who in his own turn is a puppet of the administration in
Washington.
Not to forget that over 2 million Yugoslav citizens voted against
Kostunica precisely
for the above mentioned reasons, knowing who the powers behind DOS are
and not
wanting to be a part of "Pax Americana".
"Slobodan Milosevic had very little or no chance at all" said Petar
Raskov (70), a
Federal court judge on pension, underlining that pressure exercised on
Serbia, of
power, money and media combined, was too heavy for Serbian people not to
yield.
"Milosevic was the only man to preserve the FRY resistance to NATO's
"Drang nach
Osten" (Push to the East) strategy. I couldn't vote for NATO, not even
if it puts on a
disguise of Serbian nationalist with anti-American policy".
As for those who did - a gun at man's temple can be a good incentive,
and endlessly
repeated "international community" treats to Serbian people that as long
as Milosevic
is Yugoslav president, sanctions against their country won't be lifted,
obviously
influenced the ultimate decision, especially with the young people.
"I didn't vote for Kostunica, he is nobody!" says Milan Ristic (24), a
student from
Belgrade. "But his victory might bring better days for Yugoslavia. I
voted against
Milosevic, because the whole world was against him!"
Therefore, after plowing Yugoslav land with bombs and missiles in
Spring of 1999,
after fertilizing it for over a year with media-launched lies and money,
Military
Alliance of the West is getting ready to pick up the harvest.
Tanja Djurovic is a Junge Welt correspondent from Belgrade.
Opposition Leader Djindjic Calls for Complete Yugoslav
Submission to U.S.
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
Comments by Jared Israel (10-09-2000)
Comments: An AP dispatch, reprinted below, gives some glimpse of the
speed
with which the U.S. is consolidating its position in Yugoslavia.
The critical statement in the AP dispatch is made by Zoran Djindjic.
Djindjic is an
open employee of the U.S. and German governments and a key organizer of
the
distribution of US-German bribe money within Yugoslavia. Here is the
account of his
remarks:
"A key Kostunica aide, Zoran Djindjic, signaled the new government's
desire for closer ties to Washington after an election campaign in
which
the opposition sought to distance itself from the United States
because of
public anger over last year's NATO bombing campaign.
'''Without a strategic partnership with America, there is no
solution for
the Serbian national interests,' Djindjic said.'' ('AP', 10-09-2000)
The domination of Yugoslavia by Imperial powers is the precondition for
aggressive
action towards Russia, the Caucuses, Central Asia, Greece and other
countries which
have not entirely folded under U.S. pressure. Even those Balkans
countries where the
US has almost unchallenged domination, like Albania, Bulgaria and the
former
Yugoslav Republics, would find themselves under much harsher conditions
if
Yugoslavia falls to the U.S. For Yugoslavia has stood as a beacon, an
alternative to the
U.S.; if U.S. government behavior got too harsh, there was always
Yugoslavia as a
focal point of resistance. But as Senator Biden said in the July 29,
1999 Senate
hearings on Yugoslavia:
"I mean, for example, it's amazing what can happen when you
eliminate the
extremes. I mean, the single best thing that ever happened to the
Republic of
Srpska is we kicked the living hell out of Milosevic. There ain't no
alternative
left. …It's amazing what a salutary impact that has upon extremes in
countries.
And that's why the single best thing we -- my dream is to visit
Milosevic in
prison. (Laughter.) I mean that sincerely. I'm not being facetious.
Because you
put Milosevic in prison, and things in the region will change
drastically."
(Senator Joseph Biden at Senate Hearings on Serbia, July 29, 1999,
Quoted in
"US Arrogance and Yugoslav Elections', readable at
www.emperors-clothes.com/engl2.htm )
Thus Djindjic's statement is very serious. It translates: the Serbs must
become the
tool of the US in its effort to subjugate a vast section of the world.
There is an obstacle for the U.S. government. The bulk of the Serbian
people as well
as other loyal Yugoslavs who live in Serbia, are opposed to U.S.-German
control of
the Balkans. This is why throughout the century Germany's key
geopolitical goal has
been to crush Serbia. Crushing Serbia was and is the precondition for
firmly
consolidating power in the Balkans and going after the East, the former
Soviet Union.
So how does Djindjic, who is now so openly the dominant leader in the
DOS (the
opposition) - how does he intend to make Serbs and others who oppose US
domination accept US domination? There is only one way: terror. We have
received
first hand reports that terror is going on right now. It is highly
organized. The
terrorist groups, which are controlled by the DOS, have lists of people
who belong to
parties other than DOS or who are non-party, as well as those considered
"nationalist
activists." These, especially the activists, are the target; they are
being physically
attacked or threatened with attack. Institutions (e.g., the Customs
Department) and
key businesses are being illegally seized. The increasing campaign of
terror by
opposition forces is just barely hinted at in the Western media.
The method for dealing with difficult Serbs is long established. It is:
kill them. This
was how the pro-German government in Croatia tried to make Yugoslavia
safe for
German domination: it wiped out over 700,000 Serbs (as well as almost
all Jews and
countless Gypsies.) Get rid of the troublesome elements - that was the
method.
It was done twice after World War II. The Tito government was interested
in
reducing the influence of Serbia in the new Yugoslavia. So it
slaughtered the Cetniks
whom the British turned over. And then, in 1948, when Tito decided to go
all-out
with a Western strategy he ordered the murder of between 50,000 and
100,000
Serbian Communists.
If the Serbian and other loyal Yugoslav people do not resist they will
be eliminated.
Do not be deceived by sweet talking US leaders, NGO activists, and the
like. The US
government, dedicated to efficiency, always applies the simplest
solution to a
problem. When they encountered groups of Korean refugees who might
include
North Korean agents, they simply shot everyone in the group.
If the Serbs do resist, they may face great difficulties; on the other
hand, they may
succeed in stopping the terror. The vast majority of the population does
not want the
coup but they are to some extent cowed by terror, by the indecision of
the governing
forces, who have plenty of weaknesses, by the apparent vacillation of
the Russians and
by the fierce determination of the US side, inside and outside
Yugoslavia. And many
people are of course confused by the false promises of massive economic
aid.
Preparing to defend themselves, not to adopt foolhardy measures, but to
take firm
measures to guarantee the rule of law, including demanding the arrest of
those who
sacked Parliament, who illegally have seized government institutions,
and so on -
taking these firm measures is the only hope of the Serbian people. If
these measures
are not taken there will be great suffering. At this point organized
forces, such as the
Army, may still be able to act.
As for the U.S. government, it can "live with" the possibility of great
suffering in
Yugoslavia and throughout the Balkans if the result is US domination of
the area.
Remember, we are dealing with people like Madeline Albright. When asked
whether
she felt the containment of Iraq was worth the death of the 500,000
children killed by
sanctions, she said "Yes, I believe it is." You see, she felt their
pain, but she endured.
The plan is mainly to use proxy forces to do the dirty work. This is how
the moderate
Muslims and Serbs in Bosnia were fought - by Islamist Muslims working
with the US
Ambassador and an army of US government and semi-government helpers, as
well
as plenty of money and arms. People are silenced by terror and then
recruited by
terror. The anti-racist Croatians were the first target of Mr. Tudjman's
neo-Nazis in
Croatia. The KLA is just the latest example of a proxy force suppressing
"its own"
people.
The use of domestic forces (in this case the "Serbian opposition") to
suppress a
difficult population would allow NATO to bring in troops in the guise of
supporting
native leaders. This is the classic divide and rule policy that colonial
powers have
employed since Rome. It is .much less politically costly at home than
outright
invasion.
Make no mistake: the danger of war, including nuclear war, is increased
rather than
diminished by this most reckless US policy. For one of the key targets
of what Mr.
Djindjic calls "a strategic alliance with the U.S." is Russia. And
Russia is bristling
with nuclear arms.
Whether the Yugoslav people stand up now and fight, or do not, there
will be
suffering, which is a tragedy. But if they fail to stop the opposition's
illegal actions
their suffering will be incomparably worse. The U.S. elite is not a
tolerant winner. Its
goal remains to crush Serbia as even a potential political force.
Yugoslav PM and Police Chief Resign
By DUSAN STOJANOVIC .c The Associated Press
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) - Key remnants of Slobodan Milosevic's regime
crumbled Monday after Yugoslavia's prime minister and the country's most
powerful
police chief resigned. Early elections were set for the Serbian
parliament, a last
bastion of the old order.
Riding the wave of public support that brought him to power, President
Vojislav
Kostunica moved swiftly to drive out remaining Milosevic stalwarts. The
government
in Serbia, the main Yugoslav republic, was expected to be dissolved
Tuesday.
Just two days after formally taking office, Kostunica was also putting
his supporters in
charge of the country's most important institutions, including the
police, judiciary,
banks and state-run companies.
A key Kostunica aide, Zoran Djindjic, signaled the new government's
desire for
closer ties to Washington after an election campaign in which the
opposition sought
to distance itself from the United States because of public anger over
last year's
NATO bombing campaign.
``Without a strategic partnership with America, there is no solution for
the Serbian
national interests,'' Djindjic said.
Milosevic, who has been holed up at one of the president's official
residences in a
Belgrade suburb, remained out of public view Monday.
But two of his key allies, federal Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic and
Serbian
Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic - who controlled about 100,000
policemen -
both stepped down.
All major Serbian parties agreed to early parliamentary elections in
December - a
move that could spell the end of Milosevic supporters' control of the
republic's
government and legislature. Given the current popular support for
Kostunica, his
allies are likely to win a strong majority in the new parliament.
Serbia is home to more than 90 percent of Yugoslavs and whoever rules it
holds the
balance of authority in the country, which includes one other republic,
Montenegro. If
the current Serbian government and the parliament remain in place, they
could block
many pro-democracy reforms pushed by Kostunica on the federal level.
Serbia's president and parliament are elected separately from federal
posts and were
not involved in the contentious federal vote Sept. 24. Serbian President
Milan
Milutinovic and other Serbian government leaders were elected in 1998 to
four-year
terms.
Still, Milosevic's hard-line allies in the Serbian parliament were
trying to keep the
current legislature in place until the new elections, despite calls for
its immediate
dissolution.
``This is a highway robbery,'' said Vojislav Seselj, Serbia's
ultranationalist deputy
prime minister who has been allied with Milosevic. ``You will not get
our blessing for
a coup,'' referring to alleged forceful removal of Milosevic's cronies
from all major
state institutions.
Seselj accused pro-democracy forces of using ``lynching methods'' to
force out rivals.
Seselj, for the first time, acknowledged that Serbia's parliament had
lost control of
the republic's police to pro-Kostunica forces.
As Seselj was leaving Serbia's parliament, he was jostled by an irate
crowd. One of his
bodyguards fired shots in the air, and a photographer was punched and
kicked in the
head by a bodyguard. No one was seriously hurt.
In the streets, factories and other public places, anger against
Milosevic's cronies
sometimes boiled over into violence.
A mob of workers attacked Radoman Bozovic, a close Milosevic aide and
the director
of a major Belgrade trading corporation. He tried to flee from his car,
but he was
caught and beaten. His bodyguards snatched him and moved him into a
nearby
building for safety. Later, Bozovic resigned as the head of Genex, the
biggest
state-run import-export operation.
In the city of Nis, workers stormed the state-run textile factory,
Nitex, demanding the
management be fired. Employees of Investbanka demanded that Borka Vucic,
a top
financial associate of Milosevic, leave the Belgrade headquarters of the
state-run
bank because ``her safety is jeopardized.''
As the vestiges of the old regime were being cleared away, the European
Union lifted
economic sanctions against Yugoslavia and offered it $2 billion in aid
to help rebuild
the country, as well as lifting key anti-Milosevic sanctions.
The decision marked a turning point in Yugoslavia's relations with the
rest of Europe
and was seen as a first step toward integrating the country into the
European
mainstream.
Still, obstacles remained for the Kostunica camp.
Yugoslavia's defense minister attempted Monday to rally opponents of the
new
government, issuing a last-ditch appeal to Milosevic's shaken supporters
not to
abandon the ousted leader.
Gen. Dragoljub Ojdanic said that ``the disunity among the Serbs is
inciting the plans
of our proven (foreign) enemies'' to occupy the country. Milosevic's
allies have
consistently referred to Kostunica and his followers as Western lackeys
bent on
taking over the Serb state.
Ojdanic, a close Milosevic ally who has also been indicted for war
crimes, has not
formally recognized Kostunica as the new Yugoslav president and is not
expected to
keep his position in the new government. He has no direct control of the
military,
which has fallen under Kostunica's command.
Still, he retains influence among the military brass, and any call he
might make to
rally pro-Milosevic forces could be problematic for the new regime.
The military leadership - which consist mostly of Milosevic loyalists -
has only
grudgingly endorsed Kostunica as the new head of state. The top generals
will likely be
all replaced as part of a sweeping purge of Milosevic supporters.
(c) AP-NY-10-09-00 1536EDT Reproduced for fair use only
Footnote
Several articles on Emperor's Clothes have dealt with the G-17 econ
omists. We
especially suggest reading:
* 'The International Monetary Fund And The Yugoslav Elections' by Michel
Chossudovsky and Jared Irael at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/1.htm
* 'Yugoslav Opposition Negotiates Surrender of Yugoslavia' by Michel
Chossudovsky
and Jared Irael at http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/11.htm
***
We get by with a little help from our friends...
We receive all of our funding from individuals like you. We want
everyone to read our
articles, whether they can contribute financially or not, but if you are
able to
contribute, please do. Recently we were shut down for a wee by a hacker.
We are
taking steps to improve our security and also to increase the number of
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reach with our analyses. These improvements cost money.
Small contributions hel and so do big ones. You can make a donation by
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[Emperor's Clothes]
---
http://emperors-clothes.com/news/dos2.htm
DOS leader Djindjic: Yugoslavia is to be no more
Text of statement from Montenegrin Website of the Soros "Open Society"
type.
Comments by Jared Israel, Emperor's Clothes
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
"Djindjic said that he explained DOS’s thinking on renewing FRY.'We
believe the joint state should not be called Yugoslavia but the “The
Union
of Serbia and Montenegro'....Responding to the question of whether
this is
really DOS’s program, given Vojislav Kostunica’s statement on
strengthening the joint state, Djindjic said: “We, in the campaign,
did not
have completely differing views on these issues. I explained these
ideas in
the joint meetings of the DOS leaders and they were positively
accepted
both in the coalition and by the Serbian public."
Comments: It becomes increasingly evident with every passing hour that
Mr.
Kostunica is not the dominant leader in the Serbian opposition. The key
person is
Zoran Djindjic. In the text below, Mr. Djindjic is asked if Mr.
Kostunica accepts his
idea for dissolving Yugoslavia. His response is diplomatic but perfectly
clear: Djindjic
lays down the law, Kostunica follows. And why not? He is the point man
for the US;
he is the guy with the $77 million dollar check.
Djindjic seems slated to be Prime Minister. Mr. Dinkic from the
US/German-
controlled G-17 group of economists is slated to be head of a
colonial-style Central
Bank. [See Footnote near end]
Djindjic Proposes Abolition of Yugoslavia
When Mr. Djindjic opens his mouth it is Madeline Albright talking.
The consequences of the proposal to abolish Yugoslavia, expressed by Mr.
Djindjic in
the name of the entire opposition including Mr. Kostunica, are very
grave. . The
continued existence of Yugoslavia is the critical question in the
Balkans. Yugoslavia's
existence prevents the consolidation of US/German power in the Balkans
and
therefore hinders taking aggressive action toward the former Soviet
Union.
The act of relinquishing the name "Yugoslavia" would be a sharp blow to
the morale
of those who are trying to hold back the US/German assault.
Moreover, if Yugoslavia ceased to exist there would be immediate
consequences.
These would include the loss of all Yugoslav property, currently held by
Yugoslavia or
frozen by order of the U.S. This amounts to over $20 billion US. It
would mean that
the agreement by which Kosovo is legally part of Serbia - UN resolution
1244 - would
be void because that agreement was signed by the UN and Yugoslavia. It
would mean
the Yugoslavs would lose all right to speak in the UN - a right the US
has suppressed.
But up until now the Yugoslavs have had legality on their side. Agreeing
that
Yugoslavia is no more means relinquishing all claim to legal rights.
Here is the full text of the report on the conversation betyween Zoran
Djindjic and
Milo Djukanovic.
Djukanovic and Kostunica schedule a meeting on changes
in the military leadership
President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic and the new president of FRY
Vojislav
Kostunica agreed that a meeting of the Supreme defense council should be
held soon,
where changes in the military leadership could be agreed, it was
confirmed by the
leader of the Democratic party, Zoran Djindjic.
Djindjic said that Kostunica and Djukanovic spoke on the phone and
agreed that a
meeting of the Supreme council should be held within the next three
days.
Djukanovic met Djindjic, who was representing the Democratic Opposition
of Serbia,
last night in Podgorica. Djindjic informed Djukanovic on DOS’s plans to
possibly
form an expert government with the SNP. This government would spend the
first two
to three months around issues connected to the removal of international
sanctions
and for the pledged international financial support for economic
recovery to be
realized, and therefore this government would not interfere in the
authorities of the
Republican governments. This government would “be voted in by the
representatives
of DOS, the Montenegrin SNP, and the occasional patriot from the SPS”,
said Djinjic.
The leader of the Democratic party claims that Djukanovic assessed this
idea as
interesting and “the least bad transitory solution”.
Djindjic said that he explained DOS’s thinking on renewing FRY.
“We believe the joint state should not be called Yugoslavia but the “The
Union of
Serbia and Montenegro”. This union should have much less joint
functions, because at
the moment there is a lot of overlap with the republics. The joint
functions should be
reduced to defense, and if regional stability is enhanced this would
assume a small
army, then also foreign policy and monetary policy based on a
convertible currency. It
is also true that the expensive institutions of the parliament and
government should
be reduced, because we already have this at the level of the independent
states. The
idea is to decrease the size of the federal functions but significantly
improve their
efficiency, which would mean reduced costs”, said the leader of the
Democratic party.
Responding to the question of whether this is really DOS’s program,
given Vojislav
Kostunica’s statement on strengthening the joint state, Djindjic said:
“We, in the campaign, did not have completely differing views on these
issues. I
explained these ideas in the joint meetings of the DOS leaders and they
were
positively accepted both in the coalition and by the Serbian public. I
think we should
first clarify what strengthening the joint state means. If the state has
three functions,
which are strong, this is better than if it has 20 which are weak”,
explained Djindjic.
Djindjic said the talks between the representatives of DOS and the
Montenegrin
government about the future relations between Serbia and Montenegro are
to start
this week.
***
Footnotes
Several articles on Emperor's Clothes have dealt with the G-17 group of
economists,
who are clearly slated to dominate the remaking of Yugoslavia. We
especially suggest
reading:
'The International Monetary Fund And The Yugoslav Elections' at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/1.htm
'Yugoslav Opposition Negotiates Surrender of Yugoslavia' at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/11.htm
We get by with a little help from our friends...
We receive all of our funding from individuals like you. We want
everyone to read our
articles, whether they can contribute financially or not, but if you are
able to
contribute, please do. Recently we were shut down for a wee by a hacker.
We are
taking steps to improve our security and also to increase the number of
people we
reach with our analyses. These improvements cost money.
Small contributions hel and so do big ones. You can make a donation by
mailing a
check to Emperor's Clothes, P.O. Box 610-321, Newton, MA 02461-0321.
(USA) Or
if you'd like to do it by credit card, please call 617 916-1705 between
9:30 AM and
5:30 PM, Eastern Time (USA). .
Thanks for reading and thanks for helping. It's a joint effort, isn't
it?
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]
---
http://www.iacenter.org/nato_harvest.htm
NATO is getting ready to pick up the harvest
By Tanja Djurovic
Junge Welt, Monday, 9.10.2000
Belgrade -- "I've just received information from official sources
that Vojislav
Kostunica won the elections. I congratulate Mr. Kostunica on his
election victory...",
said recent Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic in his address to the
nation
broadcast on Yu-Info TV channel on Friday (Oct. 6), admitting defeat in
the
presidential elections by his opponent Vojislav Kostunica, candidate of
Democratic
opposition of Serbia (DOS).
"I personally intend to take a short break, to spend more time with my
family, and
then, afterwards, to primarily strengthen my party...Socialist party of
Serbia will be a
very strong opposition" finished Milosevic his address making it clear
that he has no
intention of fleeing the country, or leaving political life.
This seems to be the epilogue of election crisis in Yugoslavia and
two-week long
fight between Milosevic and Kostunica for presidency of FRY, which
culminated on
Thursday in Belgrade with mass and violent protests orchestrated by
DOS.
Vojislav Kostunica made his oath on Saturday night in Belgrade "Sava
Center", by
which he officially became new president of Yugoslavia. On the joint
constitutive
sessions of both chambers of Federal Parliament, Kostunica bounded
himself to
"respect and implement the Constitution of FRY and federal laws, to
preserve the
sovereignty, independence and integrity of FRY..."
Earlier in the night, both chambers of the Yugoslav Parliament were
constituted for
the new session. The Chamber of Citizens verified 119 out of 138 deputy
mandates,
and Chamber of Republics 39 out of 40 mandates.
In both chambers of the Federal Parliament the representatives of
Milosevic's left
coalition have the majority. This was clear from the start, and even DOS
representatives agreed to it.
Still, Milosevic's obvious presence in Yugoslav capital and appearance
on TV,
putting the end to rumors and wild guesses as to his whereabouts and
intentions, came
as a shock to DOS leaders and their supporters, who had been convinced
that
ex-Yugoslav president had long since left Belgrade, if not indeed the
country. That,
coupled with the fact that a leftist government might be formed soon, is
casting a
shadow on DOS's present advantage.
Zoran Djindjic, DOS campaign manager, gave a statement to the press
immediately
after Milosevic's address on Friday, saying that Slobodan Milosevic is
just preparing a
blow from the back and intends to consolidate the police forces, so he
could come
back on scene as a tough hand. Obviously afraid that someone or
something can still
endanger their "democratic revolution", Djindjic finished rather
paranoically: "I do
not trust Milosevic!"
Still, if Milosevic is not to be trusted, why not accept the
assurances and
congratulations offered to Kostunica by thehighest representatives of
the army and
police? It seems that DOS's fear of one man and his presence is so
great, that not
even the fact that those institutions didn't react during Thursday's
vandalistic
demonstrations can reassure the Serbian opposition.
Perhaps the DOS is simply being aware of its own fragility: from the
very beginning,
it has been highly dependent on foreign support and money. This ad hoc
alliance of
some 18 parties has only one common ground and program - to oust
Milosevic.
Not to forget that the DOS candidate, newly-proclaimed FRY president
Kostunica,
is a leader of a small party with low support from the people, and a man
of low
significance. The person running the show for this particular puppet on
a string is
Zoran Djindjic, who in his own turn is a puppet of the administration in
Washington.
Not to forget that over 2 million Yugoslav citizens voted against
Kostunica precisely
for the above mentioned reasons, knowing who the powers behind DOS are
and not
wanting to be a part of "Pax Americana".
"Slobodan Milosevic had very little or no chance at all" said Petar
Raskov (70), a
Federal court judge on pension, underlining that pressure exercised on
Serbia, of
power, money and media combined, was too heavy for Serbian people not to
yield.
"Milosevic was the only man to preserve the FRY resistance to NATO's
"Drang nach
Osten" (Push to the East) strategy. I couldn't vote for NATO, not even
if it puts on a
disguise of Serbian nationalist with anti-American policy".
As for those who did - a gun at man's temple can be a good incentive,
and endlessly
repeated "international community" treats to Serbian people that as long
as Milosevic
is Yugoslav president, sanctions against their country won't be lifted,
obviously
influenced the ultimate decision, especially with the young people.
"I didn't vote for Kostunica, he is nobody!" says Milan Ristic (24), a
student from
Belgrade. "But his victory might bring better days for Yugoslavia. I
voted against
Milosevic, because the whole world was against him!"
Therefore, after plowing Yugoslav land with bombs and missiles in
Spring of 1999,
after fertilizing it for over a year with media-launched lies and money,
Military
Alliance of the West is getting ready to pick up the harvest.
Tanja Djurovic is a Junge Welt correspondent from Belgrade.
JOURNAL DE BELGRADE – VENDREDI 6 octobre, 15 heures.
Michel Collon
Les 8 questions du moment
Je vais essayer de répondre aux 8 questions qui ressortent des
événements:
La TV a-t-elle tout montré?
Est-on en présence d'une stratégie de coup d'Etat bien preparé?
Que recherchent les Etats-Unis dans la situation actuelle?
A-t-on vote pour Kostunica ou contre Milosevic?
Pourquoi le pouvoir n'a-t-il senti venir sa défaite?
Les élections ont-elles été régulières?
Ceux qui soutiennent Kostunica se sont-ils pour autant rallies aux
Etats-Unis?
Que va-t-il se passer?
La TV a-t-elle tout montré? Rien à redire sur les images présentées par
la
BBC ou CNN. Il y avait effectivement une foule énorme, les policiers ont
opposé une résistance très faible et ont surtout cherche à éviter des
affrontements graves. Mais ce que je n'ai pas vu exposé dans ces chaînes
occidentales, c'est le saccage du siège du parti socialiste (alors que
Kostunica avait annoncé qu'il n'y aurait pas de revanchisme envers les
partis), et de bâtiments de diverses entreprises publiques. Ni les
vitrines
brisées d'un certain nombre de magasins du centre, qui ont ensuite été
pillés. J'ai personnellement vu des manifestants quittant le centre par
le
pont sur la Sava et emportant sur leurs épaules des ordinateurs voles.
Dans
le centre aussi, des non-manifestants déploraient qu'on détruise des
biens
de la voie publique: "C'est nous qui paierons". Mais le plus important
est
que l'opposition a réussi une mobilisation énorme et que le pouvoir n'a
pu
y opposer de contre-mobilisation.
Stratégie de coup d'Etat soigneusement préparée? Les manifestants
étaient
guidés par quelques centaines de jeunes gens fort actifs, venus surtout
de
Cacak, Kragujevac et autrès place-fortes de l'opposition (Belgrade est
plus
tiède). On constate qu'ils ont procède méthodiquement pour prendre le
contrôle de toute une série d'objectifs-clés. Le Parlement d'abord. Un
symbole évidemment. Encore doit-on remarquer que Monsieur Kostunica,
toujours presenté comme un constitutionnaliste et légaliste convaincu,
s'en
est donc pris à ce parlement au moment où celui-ci vient d'être élu et
que
l'opposition ne conteste pas les résultats des élections parlementaires.
Que veulent donc les USA? Nous y venons bientôt.
La TV RTS ensuite. Comme en Roumanie en 89 et dans chaque coup
d'Etat,
contrôler les grands médias et priver l'adversaire du droit de
réponse semble
devenu l'objectif numéro 1. Ont suivi les autrès médias et
certains bâtiments
d'entreprises publiques.
Ce caractère systématique et bien planifie fait rappeler que
le
chef réel de
l'opposition, Zoran Djindjic, avait déclaré il y a quelques
mois,
à la TV grecque que
s'ils ne gagnaient pas les élections, ils s'en prendraient au
parlement. Pas
nouveau, en 92, a Moscou, Elstine soutenu par les Etats-Unis,
avait carrément fait
incendier le parlement et fait tuer de nombreux députés qui
lui
résistaient.
Une autre dirigeante de l'opposition, Madame Pesic avait,
elle,
évoqué la nécessité
de "créer un syndrome de Bucarest'. Ces choses-là se préparent
longtemps à
l'avance.
Pourquoi les Etats-Unis poussent-ils encore a l'épreuve de force?
Pourquoi
cette recherche de l'affrontement total? Pourquoi refusent-ils tout
compromis négocié qui permettrait d'écarter le risque d'un bain de sang?
Parce qu'ils savent que l'opposition qu'ils sont en train d'amener au
pouvoir souffre de deux faiblesses graves, qui devraient lui être
fatales
sans qu'il faille attendre de longues années pour le constater. Quelle
sont
ces faiblesses?
Premièrement, la coalition DOS est complètement hétéroclite. 19 partis
qui
n'ont en commun que la volonté d'arriver au pouvoir et l'appétit envers
les
dollars de Washington. Dans cette coalition, on trouve en effet des gens
qui se sont disputes a mort pendant de longues années (Djindjic avait
exclu
Kostunica et bien d'autrès), des monarchistes et des republicains, des
unitaristes nationalistes serbes et des separatistes (du Sandjak et de
la
Voivodine) dont les programmes sont diametralement opposes. Une fois au
pouvoir, il est clair que recommenceront de plus belle les dechirements
et
les conflits d'interets. Il sera absolument impossible de realiser les
programmes de tous ces partis. La magie de "l'unite derriere Kostunica"
fera certainement long feu.
D'autant que, et c'est le deuxième facteur, DOS décevra forcement ses
electeurs. Ceux-ci, epuises financierement et moralement par dix années
de
sanctions aspirent a "vivre normalement" (c'est l'idee qui m'a ete le
plus
souvent exprimee par les manifestants d'hier que j'ai interroges), donc
a
rattraper un niveau de vie plus proche de l'Ouest. Mais, comme nous
l'avons
deja explique dans un precedent article, le programme « G-17 » de
l'opposition prevoit la liquidation des protections sociales et des
entreprises publiques, des licenciements massifs et carte blanche pour
les
multinationales afin de racheter les entreprises qui les interessent et
d'exploiter plus efficacement les travailleurs. Quelques uns vivront
mieux,
beaucoup vivront plus mal.
De sorte que, tot ou tard, Kostunica decevra et le souffle de l'espoir
retombera. Y aura-t-il alors une alternative? Les partis de gauche et
defenseurs de l'independance du pays pourraient-ils revenir au pouvoir
(a
condition, nous le verrons plus loin d'effectuer certains examens de
conscience) comme cela devrait etre le cas aux prochaines élections de
trois pays voisins: Macedoine, Republique Serbe de Bosnie et Roumanie?
C'est justement pour eviter cette possibilite de retour, legitime, au
pouvoir, lors des élections suivantes, que les Etats-Unis s'acharnent a
briser l'appareil gouvernemental actuel et celui des partis de gauche de
Yougoslavie.
En Macedoine, aux dernieres élections , le candidat de gauche était en
tete, les incidents violents se sont multiplies au point que le leader
de
la gauche s'est finalement desiste dans la crainte d'affrontements très
violents. Il faut dire que les troupes americaines et autrès occupent le
pays et que leur intervention pour arreter la gauche ne faisait aucun
doute. Ajoutons que, pour l'Ouest qui se dit si soucieux de la légalité,
ces élections-la ont ete "parfaites".
4. A-t-on vote pour Kostunica ou contre Milosevic? La bonne reponse est
la
seconde selon beaucoup de gens avec qui j'ai parle. Malgre dix ans de
pouvoir, Milosevic avait acquis un grand prestige durant la guerre en
resistant fermement a l'Otan, ce qui correspondait a la volonté de tout
son
peuple. Mais le parti au pouvoir a gaspille ses chances en commettant
deux
fautes majeures.
D'abord, il a permis, voire favorise la croissance de l'inegalite
sociale.
Oui, les sanctions (l'embargo) sont un crime de l'Ouest qui fait
souffrir
cruellement la population. Mais celle-ci a vu aussi se developper sous
ses
yeux certaines fortunes insolentes. Il n'est pas exact de pretendre,
comme
on dit dans les médias occidentaux, que « toute la nomenklatura vit dans
le
luxe ». Il m'est arrive d'entrer dans les appartements prives de
certains
cadres intermédiaires de ministeres; ils étaient tout aussi modestes que
ceux de leurs voisins, dans des cites d'immeubles sociaux qui n'avaient
vraiment rien de luxueux. Neanmoins, il y a aussi, dans le business et
dans
les trafics, des trains de vie scandaleux. Pour garder son soutien, le
regime aurait du combattre ces grosses fortunes et consacrer davantage
d'efforts au social.
Ensuite, la stratégie de communication aussi bien des dirigeants que des
médias publics n'a pas ete fructueuse. Il circulait de nombreuses
plaisanteries sur la television RTS et les messages d'en haut ont perdu
leur crédibilite a force de repeter que tout allait bien.
5. Pourquoi Milosevic ne l'a-t-il pas senti venir? Comment se fait-il
que
Milosevic ait décide de convoquer lui-meme des élections anticipees? Et
que, jusqu'a la derniere minute, les partis au pouvoir se montraient
surs
de l'emporter, de sorte qu'ils ont ete pris au depourvu quand ils ont du
"gerer" leur defaite?
La reponse tient dans le poids d'un certain bureaucratisme. On trouve
parmi
les fonctionnaires et les responsables politiques beaucoup de gens très
devoues et pleins d'enthousiasme pour défendre leur pays. On trouve
aussi
un certain nombre de bureaucrates qui ne se fatiguent pas beaucoup pour
chercher des solutions aux problèmes. Et on a l'impression très nette
que
les rapports qu'ils envoient "en-haut" sont du genre "Tout va très bien
madame la marquise". Le pouvoir ne s'est pas rendu compte qu'il avait
perdu
une grande partie de sa popularite de la guerre. Il a cru que les
élections
étaient gagnées d'avance. E sa stratégie de campagne n'a pas ete bonne:
Milosevic absent, des discours autosatisfaits sur la reconstruction qui
est
reelle, mais aussi la negation du problème social et un message
systematique du genre "tout ira très bien" qui a perdu sa crédibilite .
6. Les élections ont-elle ete regulieres? Bien sur, cette tentative
d'analyse des faiblesses des partis en place n'enleve rien au constat
que
nous avons deja fait. Oui, les élections n'ont pas ete regulieres. Quand
on
bombarde un peuple, qu'on detruit ses usines, ses installations civiles
d'electricite et de chauffage, ses routes et ses ponts, quand on lui
jette
des armes horribles comme les bombes a fragmentation et a l'uranium,
quand
on soumet sa population a un chantage repugnant "Votez pour les partis
pro-occidentaux ou vous continuerez a crever de faim", quand on deverse
des
centaines de millions de dollars pour aider certains partis politiques a
tromper les gens grace a des conseillers specialises en campagnes
mensongeres aux methodes scientifiques, alors il faut bien conclure que
ces
élections sont regulieres comme Jamie Shea est un homme objectif et
sincere.
7. Ceux qui soutiennent Kostunica se sont-ils pour autant rallies aux
Etats-Unis? J'ai discute avec des partisans de Kostunica. C'est
instructif.
Comme ces partis d'opposition sont finances – grassement – par
Washington,
on pourrait croire que les partisans de Kostunica sont automatiquement
partisans des Etats-Unis.
Faux. Un proverbe, que les Serbes s'appliquent avec auto-derision a
eux-memes, indique: "Si vous avez deux Serbes, vous avez trois
opinions."
Plusieurs manifestants m'ont dit spontanement "Nous ne sommes pas
l'Otan".
Un coiffeur, d'origine francaise, m'ayant reconnu dans la rue (suite a
des
apparitions televisees) est venu spontanement me signaler qu'il
appreciait
beaucoup mes critiques contre l'Otan, mais que j'avais tort de mettre
les
partis de l'opposition dans le meme sac. "Nous on deteste les
Americains,
on sait très bien ce qu'ils sont et leurs interets".
"Mais on ne veut plus de Milosevic, on veut vivre normalement sans
sanctions et comme vous autrès a l'Ouest." Comme les chomeurs et les SDF
de
l'Ouest ou comme les richards de l'Ouest? Ne se rend-il pas compte que
les
multinationales occidentales n'apportreront pas ici la prosperite mais
une
exploitation plus impitoyable?
Non, ce discours-la, pour l'instant, ils ne veulent pas l'entendre:
"Vous
avez peut-etre raison, mais il faut essayer, on veut du changement, du
changement! Et si ces nouveaux dirigeants ne tiennent pas leurs
promesses,
on changera de nouveau!" Ca, c'est la grande illusion de croire que
l'Otan
permettra une "marche arriere", mais voila l'etat d'esprit ici
actuellement.
Un autre element d'appreciation est que les strateges de la campagne
electorale de DOS ont reussi a faire passer une idee curieuse, mais
efficace: Milosevic serait en fait l'homme des Etats-Unis, il leur
servirait a maintenir leur emprise. Ca ne tient pas debout – pourquoi
les
Etats-Unis feraient tout pour eliminer celui qui leur servirait tant –
mais
ca marche aupres de certains. En fait, c'est une methode classique de
pub:
celui qui vole, crie "au voleur". Celui qui est paye par les Americains,
fait semblant de crier "A bas les Etats-Unis!"
8. Que va-t-il se passer? Cette apres-midi, une vie plus ou moins
normale a
repris dans les rues, encore que les commerces restent fermes. Mais
l'opposition veut maintenir ses troupes dans le centre, pour eviter
toute
intervention policiere de reprise en mains. Elle annonce une
mobilisation
plus importante encore.
D'une part, l'opposition DOS cherche a conclure une alliance au
parlement
en faisant eclater le parti montenegrin de Bulatovic et en y trouvant
les
voix qui leur manquent pour acquerir la majorite. On peut etre certain
que
les dollars de Washington servent d'appat. De l'autre cote, le
gouvernement
cherche la parade sans l'avoir trouve. Il affirme ne pas vouloir lancer
l'armée pour eviter un bain de sang, il demande que la légalité soit
respectee. Il s'efforce de retrouver un média qui lui permette de faire
passer son message. Mais sa stratégie de communication s'avere toujours
aussi lente et chaotique. On attend en vain une prise de position
officielle. Ilosevic pourrait prononcer un discours... On attend. A
bientot!
JOURNAL DE BELGRADE - Samedi 7 octobre, 12 heures
Ce sont les douze mois à venir
qui décideront du sort de la Yougoslavie
MICHEL COLLON
Les nouvelles importantes se sont succédé hier soir. Celle dont parlent
tous les médias
internationaux. Milosevic a reconnu la victoire de Kostunica aux
présidentielles.
Et celle dont ils ne parlent pas mais qui pourrait s'avérer plus
importante encore pour
les huit mois cruciaux qui viennent. La tentative de l'opposition de
débaucher certains
parlementaires monténégrins pour former une majorité gouvernementale de
rechange a échoué.
Sous réserve de confirmation, le prochain gouvernement yougoslave
devrait donc etre
formé du SPS, le parti de Milosevic, son allié traditionnel YUL et les
députés
monténegrins du SNP de Momir Bulatovic. Se retrouverait-on alors dans
une
situation de double pouvoir? Non, car celui du président est moins
important que celui
du gouvernement yougoslave, et moins important encore que celui du
gouvernement
serbe qui dispose de la majorité des budgets.
Kostunica président et Milosevic premier ministre?
Kostunica président et Milosevic premier ministre? Ce scénario
surréaliste que nous
avions envisagé il y a quelques jours, ce scénario serait le cauchemar
de Washington.
Et c'est pourquoi l'Óuest est en train de tout faire pour éliminer
définitivement de la
vie politique Milosevic et son parti.
Depuis Belgrade, j'ai regardé la BBC, CNN et une télé allemande. Toutes
présentaient
une image caricaturale: un peuple entier uni contre un dictateur. La
réalité est
différente. Milosevic conserve un soutien important - l'opposition ne
conteste pas les
résultats des élections parlementaires - et on se trouve plutot face à
un pays divisé en
deux camps, après des mois de pressions et de campagnes extérieures
énormes.
Comme je l'ai écrit hier, les dirigeants de l'opposition ont cherché à
créer un
"syndrome de Bucarest". Milosevic a tout fait pour éviter d'entrer dans
ce piège, il a
attendu dans une guerre d'usure, une guerre des nerfs, comme lors de
précédents
affrontements déclenchés par l'opposition (91 et 96-97) auxquels il
avait survécu:
"En tout cas, nous ne voulions pas envoyer l'armée et provoquer un bain
de sang",
m'ont déclaré des responsables gouvernementaux.
N'aurait-il pas mieux valu reconnaître de suite la victoire de
Kostunica? Beaucoup,
même dans son camp, le pensent: "Les gens ont cru qu'íl allait tenter de
manoeuvrer
et n'ont pas aimé ca", m'explique Ivana, qui a pourtant voté Milosevic.
Mais au camp Kostunica, on peut adresser une autre question: pourquoi
ont-ils refusé
le second tour qu'il semblait assuré de gagner? Nous pensons que
Washington et les
dirigeants de l'opposition ont cherché à provoquer le "syndrome
Bucarest" pour
tenter déliminer définitivement Milosevic de la scène politique.
Mais s'agit-il seulement de Milosevic? Non. Il s'agit de tout un courant
de la société
yougoslave qui résiste à la prise de contrôle par les multinationales.
Le 17 novembre
98, l'agence officielle britannique Reuter mentionnait un sondage auprès
de 300
sociétés selon lequel "la privatisation ne suscite pas l'enthousiasme en
Serbie, les
travailleurs craignent des licenciements massifs. Aucune compagnie n'a
encore été
privatisée depuis la nouvelle loi de privatisation adoptée il y a un
mois."
En outre, la volonté d'éliminer Milosevic ne concerne pas seulement la
Yougoslavie.
Pourquoi Milosevic est-il la bête noire de Washington?
"Parce qu'il symbolise la résistance au Nouvel Ordre Mondial et qu'il
pourrait donner
de mauvaises idées à d'autres forces dans les Balkans, m'explique
Ljliljana,
fonctionnaire dans un ministère. Aux yeux de Washington, Milosevic est
un virus
dangereux qui peut contaminer les Balkans."
Clinton et la démonisation des Serbes
A présent, Kostunica se trouve, lui, face à deux problèmes. L'un
immédiat: l'incendie
du parlement n'a pas été approuvée y compris parmi ses propres
supporters. "Même
l'Otan avait épargné ce symbole, s'indigne-t-on ici. Hitler avait
incendié le Reichstag
comme provocation avant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Et la télévision RTS
avait été
bombardée par l'Otan: 16 victimes. Les traces sont encore fraiches.
C'est indigne."
Deuxième problème: les encombrantes félicitations des Etats-Unis. Hier
soir,
j'entendais le discours de Bill Clinton. En substance: ""Cette victoire,
c?est la notre,
c'est la consécration du combat des Etats-Unis depuis dix ans. Nous
avons empêché
Milosevic de continuer à attaquer la Croatie, la Bosnie et d'autres
pays. Avec la
manifestation de Belgrade, nous avons mis fin à la menace d'un homme qui
avait fait
des centaines de milliers de victimes."
Ah oui? Milosevic aurait tué tant de gens? A lui tout seul? Clinton peut
être assuré
qu'aucun Serbe ne pense ainsi. Pratiquement tous continuent à penser que
leur pays a
été attaqué par les grandes puissances qui ont soutenu des extrémistes
comme
Tudjman et Izetbegovic et se sont montrés injustes envers les Serbes.
Certains - y
compris parmi les électeurs de l'opposition - reprochent même à
Milosevic de ne pas
avoir été assez ferme jusqu'au bout.
Quoi qu'il en soit, ce discours de Clinton poursuit la démonisation des
Serbes
présentés comme des monstres car il est évident que s'il y a "des
centaines de milliers
de victimes", un grand nombre de Serbes sont criminels, et la chasse aux
sorcières va
commencer avec toute la sélectivité et l'arbitraire dont Washington est
capable.
En outre, Washington ne compte nullement rendre justice aux Serbes, par
exemple au
Kosovo. Bernard Kouchner vient d'annoncer qu'il faudrait rester la-bas
une
géneration et que les troupes américaines y resteraient "sans doute dix
ans."(Washington Times, 30 septembre)
Meme avec Kostunica, les Serbes ne verraient pas la couleur de la paix
car les
Etats-Unis ont besoin d'une situation de conflit "de basse intensité"
permanente.
Une situation qui leur permette de maintenir la tension dans une région,
et la pression
contre un pays. Croire que les USA sont au Kosovo pour rétablir la paix
et aider les
Albanais, c'est comme croire qu'Hitler était allé occuper la
Tchéquoslovaquie pour
l'amour des minorités sudètes allemandes. Prétextes, prétextes... Tout
ce qui compte
pour les grandes puissances, c'est d'occuper des régions stratégiques.
Les douze mois qui viennent, avant les élections en Serbie, seront
décisives. La
Yougoslavie deviendra-t-elle ou non une colonie du FMI et de l?Otan?
S'ils veulent
renverser la tendance électorale actuelle - surtout dans la jeunesse -
Milosevic et ses
alliés auront à mener une politique plus sociale encore, une lutte plus
ferme contre les
privilèges. Et une stratégie de communication plus efficace, notamment
envers les
jeunes. Mais les forces progressistes du monde entier auront aussi un
rôle à jouer pour
démasquer l'action de Washington derrière des élections pas vraiment
libres.
Michel Collon
Les 8 questions du moment
Je vais essayer de répondre aux 8 questions qui ressortent des
événements:
La TV a-t-elle tout montré?
Est-on en présence d'une stratégie de coup d'Etat bien preparé?
Que recherchent les Etats-Unis dans la situation actuelle?
A-t-on vote pour Kostunica ou contre Milosevic?
Pourquoi le pouvoir n'a-t-il senti venir sa défaite?
Les élections ont-elles été régulières?
Ceux qui soutiennent Kostunica se sont-ils pour autant rallies aux
Etats-Unis?
Que va-t-il se passer?
La TV a-t-elle tout montré? Rien à redire sur les images présentées par
la
BBC ou CNN. Il y avait effectivement une foule énorme, les policiers ont
opposé une résistance très faible et ont surtout cherche à éviter des
affrontements graves. Mais ce que je n'ai pas vu exposé dans ces chaînes
occidentales, c'est le saccage du siège du parti socialiste (alors que
Kostunica avait annoncé qu'il n'y aurait pas de revanchisme envers les
partis), et de bâtiments de diverses entreprises publiques. Ni les
vitrines
brisées d'un certain nombre de magasins du centre, qui ont ensuite été
pillés. J'ai personnellement vu des manifestants quittant le centre par
le
pont sur la Sava et emportant sur leurs épaules des ordinateurs voles.
Dans
le centre aussi, des non-manifestants déploraient qu'on détruise des
biens
de la voie publique: "C'est nous qui paierons". Mais le plus important
est
que l'opposition a réussi une mobilisation énorme et que le pouvoir n'a
pu
y opposer de contre-mobilisation.
Stratégie de coup d'Etat soigneusement préparée? Les manifestants
étaient
guidés par quelques centaines de jeunes gens fort actifs, venus surtout
de
Cacak, Kragujevac et autrès place-fortes de l'opposition (Belgrade est
plus
tiède). On constate qu'ils ont procède méthodiquement pour prendre le
contrôle de toute une série d'objectifs-clés. Le Parlement d'abord. Un
symbole évidemment. Encore doit-on remarquer que Monsieur Kostunica,
toujours presenté comme un constitutionnaliste et légaliste convaincu,
s'en
est donc pris à ce parlement au moment où celui-ci vient d'être élu et
que
l'opposition ne conteste pas les résultats des élections parlementaires.
Que veulent donc les USA? Nous y venons bientôt.
La TV RTS ensuite. Comme en Roumanie en 89 et dans chaque coup
d'Etat,
contrôler les grands médias et priver l'adversaire du droit de
réponse semble
devenu l'objectif numéro 1. Ont suivi les autrès médias et
certains bâtiments
d'entreprises publiques.
Ce caractère systématique et bien planifie fait rappeler que
le
chef réel de
l'opposition, Zoran Djindjic, avait déclaré il y a quelques
mois,
à la TV grecque que
s'ils ne gagnaient pas les élections, ils s'en prendraient au
parlement. Pas
nouveau, en 92, a Moscou, Elstine soutenu par les Etats-Unis,
avait carrément fait
incendier le parlement et fait tuer de nombreux députés qui
lui
résistaient.
Une autre dirigeante de l'opposition, Madame Pesic avait,
elle,
évoqué la nécessité
de "créer un syndrome de Bucarest'. Ces choses-là se préparent
longtemps à
l'avance.
Pourquoi les Etats-Unis poussent-ils encore a l'épreuve de force?
Pourquoi
cette recherche de l'affrontement total? Pourquoi refusent-ils tout
compromis négocié qui permettrait d'écarter le risque d'un bain de sang?
Parce qu'ils savent que l'opposition qu'ils sont en train d'amener au
pouvoir souffre de deux faiblesses graves, qui devraient lui être
fatales
sans qu'il faille attendre de longues années pour le constater. Quelle
sont
ces faiblesses?
Premièrement, la coalition DOS est complètement hétéroclite. 19 partis
qui
n'ont en commun que la volonté d'arriver au pouvoir et l'appétit envers
les
dollars de Washington. Dans cette coalition, on trouve en effet des gens
qui se sont disputes a mort pendant de longues années (Djindjic avait
exclu
Kostunica et bien d'autrès), des monarchistes et des republicains, des
unitaristes nationalistes serbes et des separatistes (du Sandjak et de
la
Voivodine) dont les programmes sont diametralement opposes. Une fois au
pouvoir, il est clair que recommenceront de plus belle les dechirements
et
les conflits d'interets. Il sera absolument impossible de realiser les
programmes de tous ces partis. La magie de "l'unite derriere Kostunica"
fera certainement long feu.
D'autant que, et c'est le deuxième facteur, DOS décevra forcement ses
electeurs. Ceux-ci, epuises financierement et moralement par dix années
de
sanctions aspirent a "vivre normalement" (c'est l'idee qui m'a ete le
plus
souvent exprimee par les manifestants d'hier que j'ai interroges), donc
a
rattraper un niveau de vie plus proche de l'Ouest. Mais, comme nous
l'avons
deja explique dans un precedent article, le programme « G-17 » de
l'opposition prevoit la liquidation des protections sociales et des
entreprises publiques, des licenciements massifs et carte blanche pour
les
multinationales afin de racheter les entreprises qui les interessent et
d'exploiter plus efficacement les travailleurs. Quelques uns vivront
mieux,
beaucoup vivront plus mal.
De sorte que, tot ou tard, Kostunica decevra et le souffle de l'espoir
retombera. Y aura-t-il alors une alternative? Les partis de gauche et
defenseurs de l'independance du pays pourraient-ils revenir au pouvoir
(a
condition, nous le verrons plus loin d'effectuer certains examens de
conscience) comme cela devrait etre le cas aux prochaines élections de
trois pays voisins: Macedoine, Republique Serbe de Bosnie et Roumanie?
C'est justement pour eviter cette possibilite de retour, legitime, au
pouvoir, lors des élections suivantes, que les Etats-Unis s'acharnent a
briser l'appareil gouvernemental actuel et celui des partis de gauche de
Yougoslavie.
En Macedoine, aux dernieres élections , le candidat de gauche était en
tete, les incidents violents se sont multiplies au point que le leader
de
la gauche s'est finalement desiste dans la crainte d'affrontements très
violents. Il faut dire que les troupes americaines et autrès occupent le
pays et que leur intervention pour arreter la gauche ne faisait aucun
doute. Ajoutons que, pour l'Ouest qui se dit si soucieux de la légalité,
ces élections-la ont ete "parfaites".
4. A-t-on vote pour Kostunica ou contre Milosevic? La bonne reponse est
la
seconde selon beaucoup de gens avec qui j'ai parle. Malgre dix ans de
pouvoir, Milosevic avait acquis un grand prestige durant la guerre en
resistant fermement a l'Otan, ce qui correspondait a la volonté de tout
son
peuple. Mais le parti au pouvoir a gaspille ses chances en commettant
deux
fautes majeures.
D'abord, il a permis, voire favorise la croissance de l'inegalite
sociale.
Oui, les sanctions (l'embargo) sont un crime de l'Ouest qui fait
souffrir
cruellement la population. Mais celle-ci a vu aussi se developper sous
ses
yeux certaines fortunes insolentes. Il n'est pas exact de pretendre,
comme
on dit dans les médias occidentaux, que « toute la nomenklatura vit dans
le
luxe ». Il m'est arrive d'entrer dans les appartements prives de
certains
cadres intermédiaires de ministeres; ils étaient tout aussi modestes que
ceux de leurs voisins, dans des cites d'immeubles sociaux qui n'avaient
vraiment rien de luxueux. Neanmoins, il y a aussi, dans le business et
dans
les trafics, des trains de vie scandaleux. Pour garder son soutien, le
regime aurait du combattre ces grosses fortunes et consacrer davantage
d'efforts au social.
Ensuite, la stratégie de communication aussi bien des dirigeants que des
médias publics n'a pas ete fructueuse. Il circulait de nombreuses
plaisanteries sur la television RTS et les messages d'en haut ont perdu
leur crédibilite a force de repeter que tout allait bien.
5. Pourquoi Milosevic ne l'a-t-il pas senti venir? Comment se fait-il
que
Milosevic ait décide de convoquer lui-meme des élections anticipees? Et
que, jusqu'a la derniere minute, les partis au pouvoir se montraient
surs
de l'emporter, de sorte qu'ils ont ete pris au depourvu quand ils ont du
"gerer" leur defaite?
La reponse tient dans le poids d'un certain bureaucratisme. On trouve
parmi
les fonctionnaires et les responsables politiques beaucoup de gens très
devoues et pleins d'enthousiasme pour défendre leur pays. On trouve
aussi
un certain nombre de bureaucrates qui ne se fatiguent pas beaucoup pour
chercher des solutions aux problèmes. Et on a l'impression très nette
que
les rapports qu'ils envoient "en-haut" sont du genre "Tout va très bien
madame la marquise". Le pouvoir ne s'est pas rendu compte qu'il avait
perdu
une grande partie de sa popularite de la guerre. Il a cru que les
élections
étaient gagnées d'avance. E sa stratégie de campagne n'a pas ete bonne:
Milosevic absent, des discours autosatisfaits sur la reconstruction qui
est
reelle, mais aussi la negation du problème social et un message
systematique du genre "tout ira très bien" qui a perdu sa crédibilite .
6. Les élections ont-elle ete regulieres? Bien sur, cette tentative
d'analyse des faiblesses des partis en place n'enleve rien au constat
que
nous avons deja fait. Oui, les élections n'ont pas ete regulieres. Quand
on
bombarde un peuple, qu'on detruit ses usines, ses installations civiles
d'electricite et de chauffage, ses routes et ses ponts, quand on lui
jette
des armes horribles comme les bombes a fragmentation et a l'uranium,
quand
on soumet sa population a un chantage repugnant "Votez pour les partis
pro-occidentaux ou vous continuerez a crever de faim", quand on deverse
des
centaines de millions de dollars pour aider certains partis politiques a
tromper les gens grace a des conseillers specialises en campagnes
mensongeres aux methodes scientifiques, alors il faut bien conclure que
ces
élections sont regulieres comme Jamie Shea est un homme objectif et
sincere.
7. Ceux qui soutiennent Kostunica se sont-ils pour autant rallies aux
Etats-Unis? J'ai discute avec des partisans de Kostunica. C'est
instructif.
Comme ces partis d'opposition sont finances – grassement – par
Washington,
on pourrait croire que les partisans de Kostunica sont automatiquement
partisans des Etats-Unis.
Faux. Un proverbe, que les Serbes s'appliquent avec auto-derision a
eux-memes, indique: "Si vous avez deux Serbes, vous avez trois
opinions."
Plusieurs manifestants m'ont dit spontanement "Nous ne sommes pas
l'Otan".
Un coiffeur, d'origine francaise, m'ayant reconnu dans la rue (suite a
des
apparitions televisees) est venu spontanement me signaler qu'il
appreciait
beaucoup mes critiques contre l'Otan, mais que j'avais tort de mettre
les
partis de l'opposition dans le meme sac. "Nous on deteste les
Americains,
on sait très bien ce qu'ils sont et leurs interets".
"Mais on ne veut plus de Milosevic, on veut vivre normalement sans
sanctions et comme vous autrès a l'Ouest." Comme les chomeurs et les SDF
de
l'Ouest ou comme les richards de l'Ouest? Ne se rend-il pas compte que
les
multinationales occidentales n'apportreront pas ici la prosperite mais
une
exploitation plus impitoyable?
Non, ce discours-la, pour l'instant, ils ne veulent pas l'entendre:
"Vous
avez peut-etre raison, mais il faut essayer, on veut du changement, du
changement! Et si ces nouveaux dirigeants ne tiennent pas leurs
promesses,
on changera de nouveau!" Ca, c'est la grande illusion de croire que
l'Otan
permettra une "marche arriere", mais voila l'etat d'esprit ici
actuellement.
Un autre element d'appreciation est que les strateges de la campagne
electorale de DOS ont reussi a faire passer une idee curieuse, mais
efficace: Milosevic serait en fait l'homme des Etats-Unis, il leur
servirait a maintenir leur emprise. Ca ne tient pas debout – pourquoi
les
Etats-Unis feraient tout pour eliminer celui qui leur servirait tant –
mais
ca marche aupres de certains. En fait, c'est une methode classique de
pub:
celui qui vole, crie "au voleur". Celui qui est paye par les Americains,
fait semblant de crier "A bas les Etats-Unis!"
8. Que va-t-il se passer? Cette apres-midi, une vie plus ou moins
normale a
repris dans les rues, encore que les commerces restent fermes. Mais
l'opposition veut maintenir ses troupes dans le centre, pour eviter
toute
intervention policiere de reprise en mains. Elle annonce une
mobilisation
plus importante encore.
D'une part, l'opposition DOS cherche a conclure une alliance au
parlement
en faisant eclater le parti montenegrin de Bulatovic et en y trouvant
les
voix qui leur manquent pour acquerir la majorite. On peut etre certain
que
les dollars de Washington servent d'appat. De l'autre cote, le
gouvernement
cherche la parade sans l'avoir trouve. Il affirme ne pas vouloir lancer
l'armée pour eviter un bain de sang, il demande que la légalité soit
respectee. Il s'efforce de retrouver un média qui lui permette de faire
passer son message. Mais sa stratégie de communication s'avere toujours
aussi lente et chaotique. On attend en vain une prise de position
officielle. Ilosevic pourrait prononcer un discours... On attend. A
bientot!
JOURNAL DE BELGRADE - Samedi 7 octobre, 12 heures
Ce sont les douze mois à venir
qui décideront du sort de la Yougoslavie
MICHEL COLLON
Les nouvelles importantes se sont succédé hier soir. Celle dont parlent
tous les médias
internationaux. Milosevic a reconnu la victoire de Kostunica aux
présidentielles.
Et celle dont ils ne parlent pas mais qui pourrait s'avérer plus
importante encore pour
les huit mois cruciaux qui viennent. La tentative de l'opposition de
débaucher certains
parlementaires monténégrins pour former une majorité gouvernementale de
rechange a échoué.
Sous réserve de confirmation, le prochain gouvernement yougoslave
devrait donc etre
formé du SPS, le parti de Milosevic, son allié traditionnel YUL et les
députés
monténegrins du SNP de Momir Bulatovic. Se retrouverait-on alors dans
une
situation de double pouvoir? Non, car celui du président est moins
important que celui
du gouvernement yougoslave, et moins important encore que celui du
gouvernement
serbe qui dispose de la majorité des budgets.
Kostunica président et Milosevic premier ministre?
Kostunica président et Milosevic premier ministre? Ce scénario
surréaliste que nous
avions envisagé il y a quelques jours, ce scénario serait le cauchemar
de Washington.
Et c'est pourquoi l'Óuest est en train de tout faire pour éliminer
définitivement de la
vie politique Milosevic et son parti.
Depuis Belgrade, j'ai regardé la BBC, CNN et une télé allemande. Toutes
présentaient
une image caricaturale: un peuple entier uni contre un dictateur. La
réalité est
différente. Milosevic conserve un soutien important - l'opposition ne
conteste pas les
résultats des élections parlementaires - et on se trouve plutot face à
un pays divisé en
deux camps, après des mois de pressions et de campagnes extérieures
énormes.
Comme je l'ai écrit hier, les dirigeants de l'opposition ont cherché à
créer un
"syndrome de Bucarest". Milosevic a tout fait pour éviter d'entrer dans
ce piège, il a
attendu dans une guerre d'usure, une guerre des nerfs, comme lors de
précédents
affrontements déclenchés par l'opposition (91 et 96-97) auxquels il
avait survécu:
"En tout cas, nous ne voulions pas envoyer l'armée et provoquer un bain
de sang",
m'ont déclaré des responsables gouvernementaux.
N'aurait-il pas mieux valu reconnaître de suite la victoire de
Kostunica? Beaucoup,
même dans son camp, le pensent: "Les gens ont cru qu'íl allait tenter de
manoeuvrer
et n'ont pas aimé ca", m'explique Ivana, qui a pourtant voté Milosevic.
Mais au camp Kostunica, on peut adresser une autre question: pourquoi
ont-ils refusé
le second tour qu'il semblait assuré de gagner? Nous pensons que
Washington et les
dirigeants de l'opposition ont cherché à provoquer le "syndrome
Bucarest" pour
tenter déliminer définitivement Milosevic de la scène politique.
Mais s'agit-il seulement de Milosevic? Non. Il s'agit de tout un courant
de la société
yougoslave qui résiste à la prise de contrôle par les multinationales.
Le 17 novembre
98, l'agence officielle britannique Reuter mentionnait un sondage auprès
de 300
sociétés selon lequel "la privatisation ne suscite pas l'enthousiasme en
Serbie, les
travailleurs craignent des licenciements massifs. Aucune compagnie n'a
encore été
privatisée depuis la nouvelle loi de privatisation adoptée il y a un
mois."
En outre, la volonté d'éliminer Milosevic ne concerne pas seulement la
Yougoslavie.
Pourquoi Milosevic est-il la bête noire de Washington?
"Parce qu'il symbolise la résistance au Nouvel Ordre Mondial et qu'il
pourrait donner
de mauvaises idées à d'autres forces dans les Balkans, m'explique
Ljliljana,
fonctionnaire dans un ministère. Aux yeux de Washington, Milosevic est
un virus
dangereux qui peut contaminer les Balkans."
Clinton et la démonisation des Serbes
A présent, Kostunica se trouve, lui, face à deux problèmes. L'un
immédiat: l'incendie
du parlement n'a pas été approuvée y compris parmi ses propres
supporters. "Même
l'Otan avait épargné ce symbole, s'indigne-t-on ici. Hitler avait
incendié le Reichstag
comme provocation avant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Et la télévision RTS
avait été
bombardée par l'Otan: 16 victimes. Les traces sont encore fraiches.
C'est indigne."
Deuxième problème: les encombrantes félicitations des Etats-Unis. Hier
soir,
j'entendais le discours de Bill Clinton. En substance: ""Cette victoire,
c?est la notre,
c'est la consécration du combat des Etats-Unis depuis dix ans. Nous
avons empêché
Milosevic de continuer à attaquer la Croatie, la Bosnie et d'autres
pays. Avec la
manifestation de Belgrade, nous avons mis fin à la menace d'un homme qui
avait fait
des centaines de milliers de victimes."
Ah oui? Milosevic aurait tué tant de gens? A lui tout seul? Clinton peut
être assuré
qu'aucun Serbe ne pense ainsi. Pratiquement tous continuent à penser que
leur pays a
été attaqué par les grandes puissances qui ont soutenu des extrémistes
comme
Tudjman et Izetbegovic et se sont montrés injustes envers les Serbes.
Certains - y
compris parmi les électeurs de l'opposition - reprochent même à
Milosevic de ne pas
avoir été assez ferme jusqu'au bout.
Quoi qu'il en soit, ce discours de Clinton poursuit la démonisation des
Serbes
présentés comme des monstres car il est évident que s'il y a "des
centaines de milliers
de victimes", un grand nombre de Serbes sont criminels, et la chasse aux
sorcières va
commencer avec toute la sélectivité et l'arbitraire dont Washington est
capable.
En outre, Washington ne compte nullement rendre justice aux Serbes, par
exemple au
Kosovo. Bernard Kouchner vient d'annoncer qu'il faudrait rester la-bas
une
géneration et que les troupes américaines y resteraient "sans doute dix
ans."(Washington Times, 30 septembre)
Meme avec Kostunica, les Serbes ne verraient pas la couleur de la paix
car les
Etats-Unis ont besoin d'une situation de conflit "de basse intensité"
permanente.
Une situation qui leur permette de maintenir la tension dans une région,
et la pression
contre un pays. Croire que les USA sont au Kosovo pour rétablir la paix
et aider les
Albanais, c'est comme croire qu'Hitler était allé occuper la
Tchéquoslovaquie pour
l'amour des minorités sudètes allemandes. Prétextes, prétextes... Tout
ce qui compte
pour les grandes puissances, c'est d'occuper des régions stratégiques.
Les douze mois qui viennent, avant les élections en Serbie, seront
décisives. La
Yougoslavie deviendra-t-elle ou non une colonie du FMI et de l?Otan?
S'ils veulent
renverser la tendance électorale actuelle - surtout dans la jeunesse -
Milosevic et ses
alliés auront à mener une politique plus sociale encore, une lutte plus
ferme contre les
privilèges. Et une stratégie de communication plus efficace, notamment
envers les
jeunes. Mais les forces progressistes du monde entier auront aussi un
rôle à jouer pour
démasquer l'action de Washington derrière des élections pas vraiment
libres.
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 22:58:36 EDT
From: klasber@...
Who is Vojislav Kostunica?
Kostunica is a political personality who not until the presidential
election campaign was introduced by the Western media and who, according to
the reports, previously had played only a subordinate
role in Serbia and Yugoslavia. He is the chairman of a "Democratic Party of
Serbia". For a short time now he has been the presidential candidate of the
"Democratic Opposition of Serbia", a coalition of
several parties in which apparently Zoran Djindic calls the shots, acting
as Kostunicas campaign manager.This union actually already tells essentials
about Kostunica, because among the "opposition" politicians who since long
have been built up by the West, Djindic is the one who during the NATO
terror bombings went so far as to demand to give up the independence of the
country and to have it formally incorporated into the realm dominated by
the aggressors. Since then, of course, he cannot dare any longer to run for
a public office in Serbia, and it seems reasonable to suspect that
Kostunica is serving as a fig leaf for Djindic's direction, for enabling it
to anyway take part in the election campaign and for pushing the West's
objectives nearer to their fulfillment in spite of all of this.
In fact all the signs are that Kostunica is acting as the still relatively
guiltless and unsuspected one who helps Djindic come to power - a Trojan
horse of the US- and NATO-dependent opposition.
Kostunica appears as someone who objects NATO, who condemns the aggression
against his country and the separation of Kosovo, and who also drops
critical remarks about the US' interference into Yugoslavia's domestic
affairs.
It is worthwhile, however, to have a closer look at Kostunica's statements
What, for example, should one think about the following explanations in a
speech by Kostunica of April 14, 2000:
(http://www.bbnet.org.yu/bdnet/elections/eng/0414kostunica.htm)
1. "There is one more thing Serbia desperately needs today -
national reconciliation. First of all, the living Serbs are to
bury the hatchet and allow the dead to make up and bring about
that historic reconciliation. The first step to reconciliation
is to abolish the existing division into patriots and traitors.
After all, the present-day rulers of Serbia, who decreed
themselves patriots, have demonstrated their patriotism to all
but the Serbs. They have built other people� s countries and
demolished their own. They did many a good turn, but caused
their own people to grieve. Slobodan Milosevic has committed a
mortal sin against his own people and his own state.
Accordingly, he has to leave."
Here Kostunica accuses Milosevic who so far has been trying, within the
bounds of his possibilities, to defend Serbia's and Yugoslavia's
independence, of being a non-patriot, whereas he wants figures like Djindic
who definitely represent nothing but serfdom towards the West, to be freed
of the treason accusation.
In the same speech Kostunica continues:
2. "It is my duty to say one more thing. There is another sort
of violence that befell our misfortunate people - external
violence spearheaded by power-wielders in Washington and
Brussels. The forms of the external violence are the long-
standing sanctions, last year� s bombs and support to Albanian
terrorists in Kosovo. Whatever the source, violence is always
violence, despite occasional attempts at presenting it as
humane. It is hard to believe that people are killed, exhausted
and starved by sanctions, and that their environment poisoned
for their own benefit. First and foremost, we have to trample
the domestic violence underfoot. In order to survive as a
people, we have to normalise our relations with the world, but
we must neither disregard nor forget the foreign violence
conceived by the United States and NATO. More importantly, we
must never elevate it in our esteem or present it as anything
else but violence. Otherwise we will forget who and what we
are."
These sentences deserve a more detailed commentary.
Here "the external violence" is criticized, and a critical attitude is at
first taken towards NATO, towards the US and the EU. If however this is at
the same time subordinated to a maxim like "whatever the source - violence
is always violence", this criticism immediately evaporates into cheap talk.
For it is by no means unimportant from which sources violence originates
and which objectives it serves. Violence motivated by neocolonialism, as
exerted by NATO's latest war, by the economic sanctions and the
starvation strategy against the Serbian people, has to be objected and
fought against exactly because of its political goals, whereas military
violence for repelling this aggression is necessary and
must be supported. More generally, the resistance against these objectives
of the West cannot be denied the right to apply force if necessary.
Even more clearly Kostunica speaks in the following when he goes so far as
to declare the "domestic violence" to be the main enemy. This means in
other words: we regret to be the victims of violent
acts by the NATO countries, but it is not our main task to do away with
that but instead with the domestic violence. Having the situation in mind
one has to understand by this "domestic violence"
repressive acts by the Milosevic government, and in the first place such
against the so-called opposition of the Djindic and Draskovic type.
Kostunica here apparently chooses expressions by which the most miserable
forces can be vindicated. He avoids the concrete articulation of just
demands from the people against the bureaucratic apparatus, although he
likes to allude vaguely to the struggle against corruption, but on the
other hand he puts possible justified measures by the government against
treason, or corresponding acts by the people, on the same level as the
suppression of democracy.
Here Kostunica's adaptation to the West's strategy becomes already very clear.
Now a passage from an interview with the magazine
Vreme:(www.freespeech.org/ex-yupress/vreme/vreme79.html)
3."I also believed that we have to distance ourselves from
declarative, conterproductive support coming from the present,
departing, American administration which has proved to be
absolutely useless for the opposition and democratic forces in
Serbia. And that support can cause a lot of harm in the
election campaign. It is common knowledge how they can help the
population in Serbia. It seems that some European states are
far more aware of that, and they have over some small but
important projects, such as energy for democracy, established
some cooperation and assistance and led to a quiet and gradual
abolishment of sanctions."
To publicly play the distance from the US is absolutely necessary for
somebody who wants to act as an opponent of the Milosevic government - this
Kostunica is admitting here. If the connection with the US is all too
clear, if somebody like Djindic appears in Ms. Albright's office for
receiving her orders, if the US from their part are too openly sponsoring,
financing and media-supporting this "opposition", this cannot be but
"counterproductive", therefore its image has to be changed. The substance
of NATO's policy however is what this Kostunica identifies himself with.
The program "energy for democracy" is
nothing but a part, an element of the war and its continuation by different
means. After the bombs had destroyed power plants, refineries and transport
routes and an import blockade had been erected, NATO offered delivery of
oil and food to those regional rulers in Yugoslavia who would associate
themselves with NATO against Milosevic It is a prime example of the
"democracy" of Western capitalism which even after decades will be able to
claim a prominent place in the list of its self-exposures: 'you dance to
our tune and acknowledge the government we selected for you, or
else we look after your dying a wretched death.'
One more clear example for Kostunica's bootlicking of this kind of
"democracy" (from the same interview):
4. "VREME: In first news about your presidential campaign,
foreign news agencies mostly described you as a 'moderate
nationalist, inclined to democratic changes', and 'a fierce
critic of the American administration'.
Would you add anything to or take away from this news agency
portrait of Vojislav Kostunica?
KOSTUNICA: I would add a few things. Above all, there is a
radical dedication to the struggle against corruption,
regardless of its source. That has characterized my political
struggle so far. As far as the fierce criticism of the current
American administration is concerned, it does not at all imply
an anti-western attitude. On the contrary. That criticism is in
a way balanced with a different attitude with respect to
Europe. That criticism is pro-western rather than anti-western.
In as much as it advocates the return of the West to its
original democratic and liberal values."
The European governments which represent this dog's muck of an "energy and
food for democracy" program, are for Kostunica relatively close to the
"original democratic and liberal values" of the West. Enjoy your meal!
Apart from the toadying, Kostunica's analysis completely misses the heart
of the matter. In fact, the EU countries made war against Yugoslavia
shoulder to shoulder with the US, and exactly they in fact are the ones
which continue to exert massive pressure against Serbia and Yugoslavia by
their extortionist policy. Basically they are only subordinates of the US.
Concerning this one more statement by Kostunica. In a "Statement by
Democratic Oppostion of Serbia (DOS) Presidential Candidate
Vojislav Kostunica 18.9.2000" he says:
5. "In what they called a message to the Serbian people, EU
foreign ministers unequivocally pledged to lift the sanctions
against Yugoslavia if the September 24 election results led to
a democratic change, thus furnishing compelling evidence that
Europe� s policy towards Yugoslavia has changed for the better.
Of course, it would have been much more useful for Serbia� s
democracy hadn� t the ministers made the lifting of
international sanctions conditional, but this gesture of
goodwill will no doubt mean a lot to the Serbs, particularly
given the fact that we have already fulfilled their sole
condition - readiness for democracy. This is also yet another
opportunity to pay full respect to France� s diplomacy and
Hubert Vedrine, a man at its helm."
The shameless extortion from the part of the EU which ties the abolition of
the embargo to the installation of a government according to the wishes of
the US and the EU, for him really is "a
change for the better", "a gesture of goodwill".
We don't to withhold from the Serbian people what a special sort of friend
Mr. Kostunica chose for it in the person of Hubert Vedrine, the French
foreign minister. In an interview with the US paper "International Herald
Tribune" of April 20, 1999, Vedrine came to the fore:
(Q.) "The air strikes seem to put the Serbian population
strongly in tune with their leader, Slobodan Milosevic. Is a
harsher Western military blow needed to bring home to people
the consequences of what they've done, perhaps shock them to
their senses after living in denial about the outside world
for several years?
(Answer Vedrine:)
"For 10 years, in fact, ever since Mr. Milosevic seized on the
Kosovo issue to propagate the backward-looking nationalistic
delusions that have done so much harm to the country he runs.
Someday the people of Serbia will have a place in Europe, but
right now they have developed a mood of paranoia - which
existed before the air strikes but has worsened.
After a decade in which Serbian leaders have misled their
people so badly, Western governments can't operate in terms of
collective guilt, we can't make war on a people. We did not
intervene to change the regime in Serbia; we intervened
because the Kosovo situation was intolerable. Now we have to
work for solutions, not think about punishment. It's going to
take the Serbs a long time to recover and we're somehow going
to have to manage for them - until they are again ready to
take responsibility for themselves."
* * *
wg / Editorial staff of Neue Einheit Oct.2, 2000
E-mail: verlag@...
Internet: http://www.neue-einheit.com
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Message: 16
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 22:58:45 EDT
From: klasber@...
THE YUGOSLAVIAN ELECTIONS AND THE WEST
The 1999 war against Yugoslavia, if you look at how the West behaved, how
self-righteously an aggression and a terror bombing against a country were
justified, and afterwards the making up the minds for somebody else and the
threatening were sold as "democratic policy", is truly singular in history.
Such a bold and unconcealed posture was second not even to the most
arrogant gestures of a Hitler. The late Breshnew's theories about limited
sovereignty are just peanuts as compared with how the West of today treats
the whole world and presumes to determine election outcomes in several
countries in advance. It has already become a standard formula if Ms.
Albright, US secretary of state, declares towards the leader of a country
that there "will be trouble" if the election doesn't produce the result
that suits the US. Interference like that would have lead to outcries in
the past; every other country would have been utterly condemned.
All of that is being outdone by what is presently done with Yugoslavia
The present government has without doubt its weaknesses and provides
targets. But indubitably it has kept up the banner of Serbian independence
since 1995 and attempts to assert itself also against the great powers. In
a time when almost all statesmen, especially in Europe, excel by incredible
toadyism and bootlicking in front of US imperialism, this must be regarded
as something exceptional and valuable.
Already before the elections there were warnings that all results which
would not lead to Kostunica's absolute majority would be regarded as
falsifications. And when the counting still was on, the Western media and
statesmen for their part without further ado declared Kostunica the winner,
although besides their own projections no figures were available yet, and
even Kostunica's followers had not yet given figures. There are no
considerable figures yet but Gerhard Schroeder already announces that an
election victory by the so-called opposition is crystallizing itself
clearer and clearer. Where does the chancellor Schroeder know this from?
Still some weeks ago even the men behind this so-called opposition in the
Foreign Office in Washington or in Josef Fischer's office or elsewhere were
very sceptical about the fragmented movement and doubted if it really would
be able to gain ground in the elections.
Several times already there were attempts from the West to build an
opposition in Serbia, in 1997 and later on again, and always this was a
failure. During the war in 1999 probably 95% of the Serbian people backed
the government and condemned NATO's terror attacks.
The main figures of this so-called opposition like Zoran Djinjic are
infamous and discredited in Serbia. Because of their despicable behavior
and their direct partisanship for those who threw bombs on Yugoslavia they
had lost almost any credibility. The discreditation is also valid for the
highly dubious figure of Vuk Draskovic who on the one hand makes deals with
the West, too, and on the other represents an extreme Serbian chauvinism,
in particular also during the time when the Serbian name by the acts of
Serbian chauvinists in Bosnia but also in some other areas of conflict was
deeply connected to wrongdoing - what is to be the pretext in 1999 and 2000.
It is very significant in this context that one of the figures who bear a
good deal of responsibility for certain Serbian forces' latest inglorious
tradition, Seselj - a radical rightist and in the war until 1995
intermediary of the Bosnian Serbs - stabs Milosevic into the back in the
present situation and is working into the hands of the so-called
opposition. And this is actually cherished by the West. Also the infamous
butcher Arkan who not long ago lost his life by an attack, had connections
into the US. And didn't their and German government's most compliant tool
in Serbia, their "model democrat" Djinjic,
demonstratively travel to Pale still in 1995, when the official Serbia
already had more and more distanced herself from Karadzic, and showed
solidarity with Karadzic who is known to bear the responsibility for
innumerable war crimes from the part of certain Bosnian Serbs? Which
standards are employed here? And the same people claim the moral right for
themselves to pass judgement over Serbia, to cover her with terror
bombings, and in face of the present elections they even pretend to
represent the interests of the Serbian people!
Kostunicas nomination as presidential candidate is the attempt to seemingly
show a way out for Serbia with a new figure, in order to actually open the
portal for those who want to get Serbia completely in their clutches; it is
a trick in order to complete the dictate over Serbia by these forces from
the US in coalition with other capitalists in Europe.
Who is that Vojislav Kostunica who bestowed to this so-called opposition at
least a relative success in the elections?
>From all what has become known Kostunica is a relatively unknown quantity,
having so far kept himself more in the background. He is not stigmatized by
open partisanship with NATO as it is the case with Djinjic. He appears as a
patriot, recognizes Kosovo as part of Serbia and has condemned the bombings
by the US and the NATO. There are however several recent interviews in
which he unmasks himself as a fundamental admirer of the US and the EU,
criticizing the US only because of his all too open support for the
so-called opposition which would discredit it completely in front of the
Serbian people. He even goes so far to support the EU 's extortionist
policy to lift the embargo only for
cities which are run by the so-called opposition, and to supply oil and
food to them. [See also "Who is Vojislav Kostunica" at
<http://www.neue-einheit.com/is/is2000-23e.htm> ]
It cannot be called just interference what the West is doing regarding the
elections in Yugoslavia. This would be a gross understatement. From the
outset it is dominated by extortion. Already in July 1999, after the war
was in the main over, Clinton declared that there would be economic aid for
the country destroyed by NATO bombs only if Milosevic would disappear. (See
note) It is impossible to conceive of a more direct interference. And the
same people who talk like this are now posturing
and declare their resolve to look after correctness in the elections.
If the elections were rigged we cannot decide from here. If the
administration or parts of it should have committed something like this it
certainly must be investigated in detail, evaluated and lead to the
corresponding consequences. But also this has to be regarded in relationto
the general situation. One thing however is for certain: to flatten the
economic fundaments of life with bombs, openly declaring that this is for
creating need and hunger, in order to force the people to accept the
government chosen by the West so that they can get oil and food, is the
harshest variant of vote rigging which can be imagined.
Whatever the present government may be reproached of in detail: there is no
right whatsoever for the West, for these terror bombers, these rogue
politicians to raise such moral accusations. Their whole cause is extortion
and interference from the beginning to the end. Serbia would even have the
right to put every politician who sides with the West, and this is also in
fact the case with Kostunica, on the ground of illegality in Serbia,
because a country has the right to act against traitors.
Those who bombed and extorted Serbia now put forward the kind of logic that
Belgrade has to acknowledge "the Serbian people's will" - and they have the
nerve to define that will - in order to prevent "an escalation of violence".
We hope that the Serbian people will prick up their ears here, and that as
much of this extortion as possible is also publicly clarified and denounced.
But even if now those should come to power who make deals with these
criminals and blackmailers and are in cahoots with them, there will be no
democracy at all in Serbia, notwithstanding the election mechanisms which
might be installed. Then the unconcealed and brutal dictatorship of
international capitalism in Yugoslavia will be the consequence, so that any
movement of national independence and autonomy - and this is the
precondition for democracy in Serbia and Yugoslavia - will be impossible
from the start.
We still want to say some words about the hopes which, as it seems from
here, are stirred by the so-called opposition's propaganda. The Yugoslavian
people are promised opening and modernizing of the society, participation
in the international progressive developments, probably also better and
more interesting job opportunities etc. We see such wishes justified,
actually much new has to happen in this respect, not only in Serbia and
Yugoslavia. But to tie such hopes to a change of government towards the
opposition built up by the West must be questioned. Russia also was
promised the opening by the West, what became reality under the government
of the forces supported and
controlled by the West is such a disaster that many millions of Russians,
up to 40 or 50 millions, have left the country.
In particular the integration into the EU as promised by people like
Kostunica will be translated into reality only under the condition that
Serbia makes the total inner kowtow in front of the Western political order
of today, going as far as to self-denial. The European countries' inner
development not only shows positive signals. A doubtful extinction of great
parts of the production basis, the discarding of parts of the own
population, and the extinction of own identity are leading to considerable
social problems which already begin to show and which will show with all of
their consequences in the future.
As a negative example you can take Germany with a development of the own
nation's population towards self-eradication, with its destruction of the
will for independence and for future going to a dangerous limit, a
development which took place in particular during the last 25 years. A lot
is being just a fa�ade here and actually the EU itself is in a deep state
of crisis.
Because of all of these points named here we are not at all able to
sympathize with the so-called opposition which actually is easily
boughtfrom top to bottom, or even hedge the slightest wish that it be
victorious. Very certainly there are social conflicts and problems in
Serbia which must be solved. These however the Serbian and Yugoslavian
people have to settle within their own framework, without any foreign
interference. Here, though, forces are active who work for the complete
occupation of
Serbia by the NATO, the US, France, Great Britain and the Federal Republic
of Germany, and who in order to divert from this fact chose somebody who
speaks of nation, of national independence etc. but who shall only serve
for bringing these forces, with Zoran Djinjic in the first place, to power.
We can afford a prognosis: even if these forces should be successful - the
US and the other NATO countries do not have a solution. How do they intend
to solve the Kosovo question according to their wishes if their allies of
yesterday, the Albanians, urge the total separation? The new government
will have to save face. For that, civil war-like occurrences might be the
consequence in Kosovo. The contradictions which today exist in Serbia won't
be solved by the West by means of this kind of lackeys. Many of their
promises will vanish into thin air. Capitalism does not make such attempts
to corrupt without reason.
If the forces who stand for Serbia's national independence really want to
grasp a chance yet, then they will have to attack the miserable essence of
this so-called opposition to the full extent, and in the future they
certainly will have to fight decidedly against privileges, mismanagement,
corruption and other things within the bureaucratic state apparatus. This
will be a precondition. A renewal of the state is needed but how and under
which preconditions it will take place, this will be the decisive factor.
We want to express the hope that the Serbian people will resist the
infiltrative methods as it resisted the war and the military threatening.
The whole of Europa is required to lift the sanctions against Yugoslavia
immediately!
--------
Note:
In this year's June, concrete sums for the "post-Milosevic Serbia" were
named by the US and the EU to the participating members of the so-
called opposition, at a meeting of the so-called "Balkans stability pact":
$ 4 billions.
===============================================
Editorial staff of Neue Einheit
4.10.2000
E-mail: verlag@...
Internet: http://www.neue-einheit.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
neue einheit
Zeitschrift fuer Politik, Oekonomie und Kultur
-------------------------------------------------------------
copyright 2000, Verlag NEUE EINHEIT (Inh. H.Dicke)
Mallinckrodtstr 177, D-44147 Dortmund Germany
and D-10973 Berlin, Postfach 360 309
Phone: +49-231-838932 resp. +49-30-6937470
---
----- Original Message -----
From: Warren Smith
To: marxist-leninist-list@...
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 8:37 AM
Subject: [MLL]Yugoslavia: what the media is hiding
Yugoslavia: what the media is hiding
While the western mass media is whipping up a tremendous campaign
against Yugoslavia's President Milosevic, the same media has absolutely
nothing to say about the election results for the upper and lower houses of
Yugoslavia's parliament. Yugoslavia has a parliamentary system with two
national leaders. First there is a ceremonial President with no real power.
Second there is a Prime Minister chosen by Parliament.
The real question in the Yugoslav election was always whether the
opposition could muster the votes to gain a parliamentary majority.
As a result of last week's election there is no chance that they can
govern, not even as part of a coalition.
For the first time, Milosevic's Socialist Party and its allies have won an
absolute majority of seats in both the upper and lower houses of
Parliament.
The results of the Presidential vote are being subjected to much (ill-
informed) debate. But nobody contests the parliamentary results.
In Yugoslavia, prior to this latest election, the Government had only 64
seats out of 138 in the lower house. Now they have added eight in the Lower
House to gain a three-vote majority: 72 out of 138 seats.
Up until now the Government had to forge a coalition with one of the minor
parties if it wanted to pass a law. With its new majority in the Lower
House, the Government no longer has to rely on a shaky coalition to pass
much-needed legislation.
The Government scored a bigger victory in the Yugoslav Senate race, the
upper house. They won seven out of 20 senate seats in Serbia and 19 of 20
senate seats in Montenegro. The Opposition won just 10 of 40 senate seats.
The Government is just short of a 2/3 majority.
Milosevic's governing party won a tremendous victory by gaining a majority
in both the upper and lower houses of Parliament.
It is this result that the western powers are out to undo at any cost, even
to the point of attempting to spark a civil war or by cooking up a
provocation to justify an invasion of Yugoslavia.
They are creating an extremely dangerous situation. But first of all, the
West must hoodwink the people into believing that Milosevic lost the
election and has fraudulently rigged the results.
The parliamentary election results explain why the opposition forces are
desperately against any run-off for the Presidency and why the West is
attempting to railroad their chosen representative into the President's
shoes.
* * *
Acknowledgement to Max Sinclair writing for Emperor's Clothes
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/sinclair/governin.htm
for some of the material in this article.
---
Subject:
We do not celebrate
Date:
Sat, 7 Oct 2000 18:20:57 +0200
From:
"ILC" <ilc@...>
To:
<ilc@...>
Clinton and his European satraps are celebrating because they think that
with Milosevic leaving the scene they have taken Belgrade and thus paved the
way for their rule over the Balkans.
They are wrong! It is not enough to oust Milosevic in order to take
Belgrade. Therefore the surrender of the Serb people, the destruction of the
federal army, the smashing of the state apparatus as well as their
substitution with servants of Western interests would be necessary.
Therefore that what happened is definitely not enough. It necessitates that
Nato finds a kind of KLA in Yugoslavia, a people that is ready to be
enslaved.
The latest events only close a phase of the Balkanic turbulences. But they
do not bring the turbulences as such to an end. Those are defined by the
imperialist politics that by trying to destroy all obstacles for its
supremacy are doomed to create new and ever more destructive crisis.
The analysis must be carried out from two different points of view, the
geopolitical and the class viewpoint. Even if they are interlinked it is
useful to regard them separately.
Geopolitically speaking we doubt that Yugoslavia under Serb hegemony could
ever become a protectorate of Nato as the other �republics� of the Balkans.
History teaches that this is highly unlikely. Even Kostunica had to
demarcate himself from the tutelage offered to him by Nato in order to win
the consensus of the masses.
The regime of Milosevic refused the capitulation of Yugoslavia to Nato.
Therefore, and only therefore, the serious anti-imperialist and
revolutionary forces throughout the world did support him. Actually they
never endorsed his domestic politics that � although never becoming
neo-liberal � did neither follow socialist principles nor strived for the
active defence of the interests of the working class and the poorest strata
of the population.
This is the reason for the collapse of the regime facing the waves of the
mass movement led by Kostunica. If the regime is not able to defend the
parliament and the TV station being set on fire by the revolt that means
nothing else than that it has lost the social consensus it used to have.
Already since a certain time this rule has rested on sand and was secured
mainly by the monopoly of force.
The conception that the attack of imperialism, the starvation caused by it,
the sanctions and the embargo could by put down solely by resorting to
nationalist and anti-Western sentiments has been proved to be a catastrophic
illusion.
In order to destroy the magic it was enough that Kostunica by his turn
raised the patriotic banner. Nationalism is an important factor, but not the
decisive one. Such as all feelings it vanishes facing the daily struggle for
bread. In order to secure the social consensus resolute politics for social
justice and intransigent defence of the interests and rights of the workers
and peasants would have been indispensable. Contrary to that Milosevic had
been accepting privatisations and had been demanding unprecedented
sacrifices from the workers, while at the same time he let the mafia
bourgeoisie enrich itself at the black market. While the people had been
starving and had to send its sons to Kosovo to defend the country, the
nomenclature increased corruption and hold its protecting hands over its
sons in order to save them from serving in arms.
>From this point of view we warn the youth that seems to have delivered the
final blow to the SPS JUL regime that the Serb people could fall out of the
frying-pan into the fire. Even if we would assume that Kostunica is the
brave and proper man as which he likes it to present himself we will not be
able to block the bourgeois forces that rally behind him in order to inflict
savage neo-liberal capitalism on the people. They hope for lucrative
business with the reconstruction and thirst for the money being promised by
the West with nice words. If the workers and the Serb people is not vigilant
the �Red mafia� will be substituted by a even more unscrupulous �democratic
Camorra�.
We therefore refuse to participate at the hypocritical chorus of those who
celebrate an alleged �democratic revolution�. There never have been
communists who celebrate political events together with their worst enemies.
We still remember certain �anti-capitalists� who welcomed the collapse of
the USSR between 1989 and 1991 whose result was the creation of several
statelets that serve the Western interests. They claimed that we were facing
revolutions because some movements rallied masses behind them. But the
decisive criteria to evaluate events is not mainly that the masses get into
movement, but in what direction they move. The direction is determined by
the international relationship of forces as well as by the political groups
that take the leadership.
Finally we want to re-iterate that our tenacious support for the resistance
of the Yugoslav people and the Yugoslav army against the Nato aggression was
not erroneous. Certain seeds only carry fruits after a long period. The
current flood, the �democratic� drunkenness will neither eradicate the deep
socialist tradition among the Serb people nor the traces of the tremendous
anti-imperialist solidarity delivered to it mainly in the last year.
The Serb proletarians and among them the genuine communists will need our
help and fraternity.
Executive Committee of the ILC
5th October, 2000
***************************************
International Leninist Current (ILC)
Corriente Leninista Internacional (CLI)
PF 23, A-1040 Wien, Austria
Tel & Fax +43 1 504 00 10
ilc@...
www.comports.com/ilc
www.antiimperialista.com
===
Bollettino di controinformazione del
Coordinamento Nazionale "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono il Coordinamento, ma vengono
fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al solo scopo di
segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only")
Per contributi e segnalazioni: jugocoord@...
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un forum web personale,
una mailing list personale, ...?
Gratis sotto
http://www.ecircle.de/ad173636/www.ecircle.it
From: klasber@...
Who is Vojislav Kostunica?
Kostunica is a political personality who not until the presidential
election campaign was introduced by the Western media and who, according to
the reports, previously had played only a subordinate
role in Serbia and Yugoslavia. He is the chairman of a "Democratic Party of
Serbia". For a short time now he has been the presidential candidate of the
"Democratic Opposition of Serbia", a coalition of
several parties in which apparently Zoran Djindic calls the shots, acting
as Kostunicas campaign manager.This union actually already tells essentials
about Kostunica, because among the "opposition" politicians who since long
have been built up by the West, Djindic is the one who during the NATO
terror bombings went so far as to demand to give up the independence of the
country and to have it formally incorporated into the realm dominated by
the aggressors. Since then, of course, he cannot dare any longer to run for
a public office in Serbia, and it seems reasonable to suspect that
Kostunica is serving as a fig leaf for Djindic's direction, for enabling it
to anyway take part in the election campaign and for pushing the West's
objectives nearer to their fulfillment in spite of all of this.
In fact all the signs are that Kostunica is acting as the still relatively
guiltless and unsuspected one who helps Djindic come to power - a Trojan
horse of the US- and NATO-dependent opposition.
Kostunica appears as someone who objects NATO, who condemns the aggression
against his country and the separation of Kosovo, and who also drops
critical remarks about the US' interference into Yugoslavia's domestic
affairs.
It is worthwhile, however, to have a closer look at Kostunica's statements
What, for example, should one think about the following explanations in a
speech by Kostunica of April 14, 2000:
(http://www.bbnet.org.yu/bdnet/elections/eng/0414kostunica.htm)
1. "There is one more thing Serbia desperately needs today -
national reconciliation. First of all, the living Serbs are to
bury the hatchet and allow the dead to make up and bring about
that historic reconciliation. The first step to reconciliation
is to abolish the existing division into patriots and traitors.
After all, the present-day rulers of Serbia, who decreed
themselves patriots, have demonstrated their patriotism to all
but the Serbs. They have built other people� s countries and
demolished their own. They did many a good turn, but caused
their own people to grieve. Slobodan Milosevic has committed a
mortal sin against his own people and his own state.
Accordingly, he has to leave."
Here Kostunica accuses Milosevic who so far has been trying, within the
bounds of his possibilities, to defend Serbia's and Yugoslavia's
independence, of being a non-patriot, whereas he wants figures like Djindic
who definitely represent nothing but serfdom towards the West, to be freed
of the treason accusation.
In the same speech Kostunica continues:
2. "It is my duty to say one more thing. There is another sort
of violence that befell our misfortunate people - external
violence spearheaded by power-wielders in Washington and
Brussels. The forms of the external violence are the long-
standing sanctions, last year� s bombs and support to Albanian
terrorists in Kosovo. Whatever the source, violence is always
violence, despite occasional attempts at presenting it as
humane. It is hard to believe that people are killed, exhausted
and starved by sanctions, and that their environment poisoned
for their own benefit. First and foremost, we have to trample
the domestic violence underfoot. In order to survive as a
people, we have to normalise our relations with the world, but
we must neither disregard nor forget the foreign violence
conceived by the United States and NATO. More importantly, we
must never elevate it in our esteem or present it as anything
else but violence. Otherwise we will forget who and what we
are."
These sentences deserve a more detailed commentary.
Here "the external violence" is criticized, and a critical attitude is at
first taken towards NATO, towards the US and the EU. If however this is at
the same time subordinated to a maxim like "whatever the source - violence
is always violence", this criticism immediately evaporates into cheap talk.
For it is by no means unimportant from which sources violence originates
and which objectives it serves. Violence motivated by neocolonialism, as
exerted by NATO's latest war, by the economic sanctions and the
starvation strategy against the Serbian people, has to be objected and
fought against exactly because of its political goals, whereas military
violence for repelling this aggression is necessary and
must be supported. More generally, the resistance against these objectives
of the West cannot be denied the right to apply force if necessary.
Even more clearly Kostunica speaks in the following when he goes so far as
to declare the "domestic violence" to be the main enemy. This means in
other words: we regret to be the victims of violent
acts by the NATO countries, but it is not our main task to do away with
that but instead with the domestic violence. Having the situation in mind
one has to understand by this "domestic violence"
repressive acts by the Milosevic government, and in the first place such
against the so-called opposition of the Djindic and Draskovic type.
Kostunica here apparently chooses expressions by which the most miserable
forces can be vindicated. He avoids the concrete articulation of just
demands from the people against the bureaucratic apparatus, although he
likes to allude vaguely to the struggle against corruption, but on the
other hand he puts possible justified measures by the government against
treason, or corresponding acts by the people, on the same level as the
suppression of democracy.
Here Kostunica's adaptation to the West's strategy becomes already very clear.
Now a passage from an interview with the magazine
Vreme:(www.freespeech.org/ex-yupress/vreme/vreme79.html)
3."I also believed that we have to distance ourselves from
declarative, conterproductive support coming from the present,
departing, American administration which has proved to be
absolutely useless for the opposition and democratic forces in
Serbia. And that support can cause a lot of harm in the
election campaign. It is common knowledge how they can help the
population in Serbia. It seems that some European states are
far more aware of that, and they have over some small but
important projects, such as energy for democracy, established
some cooperation and assistance and led to a quiet and gradual
abolishment of sanctions."
To publicly play the distance from the US is absolutely necessary for
somebody who wants to act as an opponent of the Milosevic government - this
Kostunica is admitting here. If the connection with the US is all too
clear, if somebody like Djindic appears in Ms. Albright's office for
receiving her orders, if the US from their part are too openly sponsoring,
financing and media-supporting this "opposition", this cannot be but
"counterproductive", therefore its image has to be changed. The substance
of NATO's policy however is what this Kostunica identifies himself with.
The program "energy for democracy" is
nothing but a part, an element of the war and its continuation by different
means. After the bombs had destroyed power plants, refineries and transport
routes and an import blockade had been erected, NATO offered delivery of
oil and food to those regional rulers in Yugoslavia who would associate
themselves with NATO against Milosevic It is a prime example of the
"democracy" of Western capitalism which even after decades will be able to
claim a prominent place in the list of its self-exposures: 'you dance to
our tune and acknowledge the government we selected for you, or
else we look after your dying a wretched death.'
One more clear example for Kostunica's bootlicking of this kind of
"democracy" (from the same interview):
4. "VREME: In first news about your presidential campaign,
foreign news agencies mostly described you as a 'moderate
nationalist, inclined to democratic changes', and 'a fierce
critic of the American administration'.
Would you add anything to or take away from this news agency
portrait of Vojislav Kostunica?
KOSTUNICA: I would add a few things. Above all, there is a
radical dedication to the struggle against corruption,
regardless of its source. That has characterized my political
struggle so far. As far as the fierce criticism of the current
American administration is concerned, it does not at all imply
an anti-western attitude. On the contrary. That criticism is in
a way balanced with a different attitude with respect to
Europe. That criticism is pro-western rather than anti-western.
In as much as it advocates the return of the West to its
original democratic and liberal values."
The European governments which represent this dog's muck of an "energy and
food for democracy" program, are for Kostunica relatively close to the
"original democratic and liberal values" of the West. Enjoy your meal!
Apart from the toadying, Kostunica's analysis completely misses the heart
of the matter. In fact, the EU countries made war against Yugoslavia
shoulder to shoulder with the US, and exactly they in fact are the ones
which continue to exert massive pressure against Serbia and Yugoslavia by
their extortionist policy. Basically they are only subordinates of the US.
Concerning this one more statement by Kostunica. In a "Statement by
Democratic Oppostion of Serbia (DOS) Presidential Candidate
Vojislav Kostunica 18.9.2000" he says:
5. "In what they called a message to the Serbian people, EU
foreign ministers unequivocally pledged to lift the sanctions
against Yugoslavia if the September 24 election results led to
a democratic change, thus furnishing compelling evidence that
Europe� s policy towards Yugoslavia has changed for the better.
Of course, it would have been much more useful for Serbia� s
democracy hadn� t the ministers made the lifting of
international sanctions conditional, but this gesture of
goodwill will no doubt mean a lot to the Serbs, particularly
given the fact that we have already fulfilled their sole
condition - readiness for democracy. This is also yet another
opportunity to pay full respect to France� s diplomacy and
Hubert Vedrine, a man at its helm."
The shameless extortion from the part of the EU which ties the abolition of
the embargo to the installation of a government according to the wishes of
the US and the EU, for him really is "a
change for the better", "a gesture of goodwill".
We don't to withhold from the Serbian people what a special sort of friend
Mr. Kostunica chose for it in the person of Hubert Vedrine, the French
foreign minister. In an interview with the US paper "International Herald
Tribune" of April 20, 1999, Vedrine came to the fore:
(Q.) "The air strikes seem to put the Serbian population
strongly in tune with their leader, Slobodan Milosevic. Is a
harsher Western military blow needed to bring home to people
the consequences of what they've done, perhaps shock them to
their senses after living in denial about the outside world
for several years?
(Answer Vedrine:)
"For 10 years, in fact, ever since Mr. Milosevic seized on the
Kosovo issue to propagate the backward-looking nationalistic
delusions that have done so much harm to the country he runs.
Someday the people of Serbia will have a place in Europe, but
right now they have developed a mood of paranoia - which
existed before the air strikes but has worsened.
After a decade in which Serbian leaders have misled their
people so badly, Western governments can't operate in terms of
collective guilt, we can't make war on a people. We did not
intervene to change the regime in Serbia; we intervened
because the Kosovo situation was intolerable. Now we have to
work for solutions, not think about punishment. It's going to
take the Serbs a long time to recover and we're somehow going
to have to manage for them - until they are again ready to
take responsibility for themselves."
* * *
wg / Editorial staff of Neue Einheit Oct.2, 2000
E-mail: verlag@...
Internet: http://www.neue-einheit.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
neue einheit
Zeitschrift fuer Politik, Oekonomie und Kultur
-------------------------------------------------------------
copyright 2000, Verlag NEUE EINHEIT (Inh. H.Dicke)
Mallinckrodtstr 177, D-44147 Dortmund Germany
and D-10973 Berlin, Postfach 360 309
Phone: +49-231-838932 resp. +49-30-6937470
*******************************************************
Message: 16
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 22:58:45 EDT
From: klasber@...
THE YUGOSLAVIAN ELECTIONS AND THE WEST
The 1999 war against Yugoslavia, if you look at how the West behaved, how
self-righteously an aggression and a terror bombing against a country were
justified, and afterwards the making up the minds for somebody else and the
threatening were sold as "democratic policy", is truly singular in history.
Such a bold and unconcealed posture was second not even to the most
arrogant gestures of a Hitler. The late Breshnew's theories about limited
sovereignty are just peanuts as compared with how the West of today treats
the whole world and presumes to determine election outcomes in several
countries in advance. It has already become a standard formula if Ms.
Albright, US secretary of state, declares towards the leader of a country
that there "will be trouble" if the election doesn't produce the result
that suits the US. Interference like that would have lead to outcries in
the past; every other country would have been utterly condemned.
All of that is being outdone by what is presently done with Yugoslavia
The present government has without doubt its weaknesses and provides
targets. But indubitably it has kept up the banner of Serbian independence
since 1995 and attempts to assert itself also against the great powers. In
a time when almost all statesmen, especially in Europe, excel by incredible
toadyism and bootlicking in front of US imperialism, this must be regarded
as something exceptional and valuable.
Already before the elections there were warnings that all results which
would not lead to Kostunica's absolute majority would be regarded as
falsifications. And when the counting still was on, the Western media and
statesmen for their part without further ado declared Kostunica the winner,
although besides their own projections no figures were available yet, and
even Kostunica's followers had not yet given figures. There are no
considerable figures yet but Gerhard Schroeder already announces that an
election victory by the so-called opposition is crystallizing itself
clearer and clearer. Where does the chancellor Schroeder know this from?
Still some weeks ago even the men behind this so-called opposition in the
Foreign Office in Washington or in Josef Fischer's office or elsewhere were
very sceptical about the fragmented movement and doubted if it really would
be able to gain ground in the elections.
Several times already there were attempts from the West to build an
opposition in Serbia, in 1997 and later on again, and always this was a
failure. During the war in 1999 probably 95% of the Serbian people backed
the government and condemned NATO's terror attacks.
The main figures of this so-called opposition like Zoran Djinjic are
infamous and discredited in Serbia. Because of their despicable behavior
and their direct partisanship for those who threw bombs on Yugoslavia they
had lost almost any credibility. The discreditation is also valid for the
highly dubious figure of Vuk Draskovic who on the one hand makes deals with
the West, too, and on the other represents an extreme Serbian chauvinism,
in particular also during the time when the Serbian name by the acts of
Serbian chauvinists in Bosnia but also in some other areas of conflict was
deeply connected to wrongdoing - what is to be the pretext in 1999 and 2000.
It is very significant in this context that one of the figures who bear a
good deal of responsibility for certain Serbian forces' latest inglorious
tradition, Seselj - a radical rightist and in the war until 1995
intermediary of the Bosnian Serbs - stabs Milosevic into the back in the
present situation and is working into the hands of the so-called
opposition. And this is actually cherished by the West. Also the infamous
butcher Arkan who not long ago lost his life by an attack, had connections
into the US. And didn't their and German government's most compliant tool
in Serbia, their "model democrat" Djinjic,
demonstratively travel to Pale still in 1995, when the official Serbia
already had more and more distanced herself from Karadzic, and showed
solidarity with Karadzic who is known to bear the responsibility for
innumerable war crimes from the part of certain Bosnian Serbs? Which
standards are employed here? And the same people claim the moral right for
themselves to pass judgement over Serbia, to cover her with terror
bombings, and in face of the present elections they even pretend to
represent the interests of the Serbian people!
Kostunicas nomination as presidential candidate is the attempt to seemingly
show a way out for Serbia with a new figure, in order to actually open the
portal for those who want to get Serbia completely in their clutches; it is
a trick in order to complete the dictate over Serbia by these forces from
the US in coalition with other capitalists in Europe.
Who is that Vojislav Kostunica who bestowed to this so-called opposition at
least a relative success in the elections?
>From all what has become known Kostunica is a relatively unknown quantity,
having so far kept himself more in the background. He is not stigmatized by
open partisanship with NATO as it is the case with Djinjic. He appears as a
patriot, recognizes Kosovo as part of Serbia and has condemned the bombings
by the US and the NATO. There are however several recent interviews in
which he unmasks himself as a fundamental admirer of the US and the EU,
criticizing the US only because of his all too open support for the
so-called opposition which would discredit it completely in front of the
Serbian people. He even goes so far to support the EU 's extortionist
policy to lift the embargo only for
cities which are run by the so-called opposition, and to supply oil and
food to them. [See also "Who is Vojislav Kostunica" at
<http://www.neue-einheit.com/is/is2000-23e.htm> ]
It cannot be called just interference what the West is doing regarding the
elections in Yugoslavia. This would be a gross understatement. From the
outset it is dominated by extortion. Already in July 1999, after the war
was in the main over, Clinton declared that there would be economic aid for
the country destroyed by NATO bombs only if Milosevic would disappear. (See
note) It is impossible to conceive of a more direct interference. And the
same people who talk like this are now posturing
and declare their resolve to look after correctness in the elections.
If the elections were rigged we cannot decide from here. If the
administration or parts of it should have committed something like this it
certainly must be investigated in detail, evaluated and lead to the
corresponding consequences. But also this has to be regarded in relationto
the general situation. One thing however is for certain: to flatten the
economic fundaments of life with bombs, openly declaring that this is for
creating need and hunger, in order to force the people to accept the
government chosen by the West so that they can get oil and food, is the
harshest variant of vote rigging which can be imagined.
Whatever the present government may be reproached of in detail: there is no
right whatsoever for the West, for these terror bombers, these rogue
politicians to raise such moral accusations. Their whole cause is extortion
and interference from the beginning to the end. Serbia would even have the
right to put every politician who sides with the West, and this is also in
fact the case with Kostunica, on the ground of illegality in Serbia,
because a country has the right to act against traitors.
Those who bombed and extorted Serbia now put forward the kind of logic that
Belgrade has to acknowledge "the Serbian people's will" - and they have the
nerve to define that will - in order to prevent "an escalation of violence".
We hope that the Serbian people will prick up their ears here, and that as
much of this extortion as possible is also publicly clarified and denounced.
But even if now those should come to power who make deals with these
criminals and blackmailers and are in cahoots with them, there will be no
democracy at all in Serbia, notwithstanding the election mechanisms which
might be installed. Then the unconcealed and brutal dictatorship of
international capitalism in Yugoslavia will be the consequence, so that any
movement of national independence and autonomy - and this is the
precondition for democracy in Serbia and Yugoslavia - will be impossible
from the start.
We still want to say some words about the hopes which, as it seems from
here, are stirred by the so-called opposition's propaganda. The Yugoslavian
people are promised opening and modernizing of the society, participation
in the international progressive developments, probably also better and
more interesting job opportunities etc. We see such wishes justified,
actually much new has to happen in this respect, not only in Serbia and
Yugoslavia. But to tie such hopes to a change of government towards the
opposition built up by the West must be questioned. Russia also was
promised the opening by the West, what became reality under the government
of the forces supported and
controlled by the West is such a disaster that many millions of Russians,
up to 40 or 50 millions, have left the country.
In particular the integration into the EU as promised by people like
Kostunica will be translated into reality only under the condition that
Serbia makes the total inner kowtow in front of the Western political order
of today, going as far as to self-denial. The European countries' inner
development not only shows positive signals. A doubtful extinction of great
parts of the production basis, the discarding of parts of the own
population, and the extinction of own identity are leading to considerable
social problems which already begin to show and which will show with all of
their consequences in the future.
As a negative example you can take Germany with a development of the own
nation's population towards self-eradication, with its destruction of the
will for independence and for future going to a dangerous limit, a
development which took place in particular during the last 25 years. A lot
is being just a fa�ade here and actually the EU itself is in a deep state
of crisis.
Because of all of these points named here we are not at all able to
sympathize with the so-called opposition which actually is easily
boughtfrom top to bottom, or even hedge the slightest wish that it be
victorious. Very certainly there are social conflicts and problems in
Serbia which must be solved. These however the Serbian and Yugoslavian
people have to settle within their own framework, without any foreign
interference. Here, though, forces are active who work for the complete
occupation of
Serbia by the NATO, the US, France, Great Britain and the Federal Republic
of Germany, and who in order to divert from this fact chose somebody who
speaks of nation, of national independence etc. but who shall only serve
for bringing these forces, with Zoran Djinjic in the first place, to power.
We can afford a prognosis: even if these forces should be successful - the
US and the other NATO countries do not have a solution. How do they intend
to solve the Kosovo question according to their wishes if their allies of
yesterday, the Albanians, urge the total separation? The new government
will have to save face. For that, civil war-like occurrences might be the
consequence in Kosovo. The contradictions which today exist in Serbia won't
be solved by the West by means of this kind of lackeys. Many of their
promises will vanish into thin air. Capitalism does not make such attempts
to corrupt without reason.
If the forces who stand for Serbia's national independence really want to
grasp a chance yet, then they will have to attack the miserable essence of
this so-called opposition to the full extent, and in the future they
certainly will have to fight decidedly against privileges, mismanagement,
corruption and other things within the bureaucratic state apparatus. This
will be a precondition. A renewal of the state is needed but how and under
which preconditions it will take place, this will be the decisive factor.
We want to express the hope that the Serbian people will resist the
infiltrative methods as it resisted the war and the military threatening.
The whole of Europa is required to lift the sanctions against Yugoslavia
immediately!
--------
Note:
In this year's June, concrete sums for the "post-Milosevic Serbia" were
named by the US and the EU to the participating members of the so-
called opposition, at a meeting of the so-called "Balkans stability pact":
$ 4 billions.
===============================================
Editorial staff of Neue Einheit
4.10.2000
E-mail: verlag@...
Internet: http://www.neue-einheit.com
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Zeitschrift fuer Politik, Oekonomie und Kultur
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---
----- Original Message -----
From: Warren Smith
To: marxist-leninist-list@...
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 8:37 AM
Subject: [MLL]Yugoslavia: what the media is hiding
Yugoslavia: what the media is hiding
While the western mass media is whipping up a tremendous campaign
against Yugoslavia's President Milosevic, the same media has absolutely
nothing to say about the election results for the upper and lower houses of
Yugoslavia's parliament. Yugoslavia has a parliamentary system with two
national leaders. First there is a ceremonial President with no real power.
Second there is a Prime Minister chosen by Parliament.
The real question in the Yugoslav election was always whether the
opposition could muster the votes to gain a parliamentary majority.
As a result of last week's election there is no chance that they can
govern, not even as part of a coalition.
For the first time, Milosevic's Socialist Party and its allies have won an
absolute majority of seats in both the upper and lower houses of
Parliament.
The results of the Presidential vote are being subjected to much (ill-
informed) debate. But nobody contests the parliamentary results.
In Yugoslavia, prior to this latest election, the Government had only 64
seats out of 138 in the lower house. Now they have added eight in the Lower
House to gain a three-vote majority: 72 out of 138 seats.
Up until now the Government had to forge a coalition with one of the minor
parties if it wanted to pass a law. With its new majority in the Lower
House, the Government no longer has to rely on a shaky coalition to pass
much-needed legislation.
The Government scored a bigger victory in the Yugoslav Senate race, the
upper house. They won seven out of 20 senate seats in Serbia and 19 of 20
senate seats in Montenegro. The Opposition won just 10 of 40 senate seats.
The Government is just short of a 2/3 majority.
Milosevic's governing party won a tremendous victory by gaining a majority
in both the upper and lower houses of Parliament.
It is this result that the western powers are out to undo at any cost, even
to the point of attempting to spark a civil war or by cooking up a
provocation to justify an invasion of Yugoslavia.
They are creating an extremely dangerous situation. But first of all, the
West must hoodwink the people into believing that Milosevic lost the
election and has fraudulently rigged the results.
The parliamentary election results explain why the opposition forces are
desperately against any run-off for the Presidency and why the West is
attempting to railroad their chosen representative into the President's
shoes.
* * *
Acknowledgement to Max Sinclair writing for Emperor's Clothes
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/sinclair/governin.htm
for some of the material in this article.
---
Subject:
We do not celebrate
Date:
Sat, 7 Oct 2000 18:20:57 +0200
From:
"ILC" <ilc@...>
To:
<ilc@...>
Clinton and his European satraps are celebrating because they think that
with Milosevic leaving the scene they have taken Belgrade and thus paved the
way for their rule over the Balkans.
They are wrong! It is not enough to oust Milosevic in order to take
Belgrade. Therefore the surrender of the Serb people, the destruction of the
federal army, the smashing of the state apparatus as well as their
substitution with servants of Western interests would be necessary.
Therefore that what happened is definitely not enough. It necessitates that
Nato finds a kind of KLA in Yugoslavia, a people that is ready to be
enslaved.
The latest events only close a phase of the Balkanic turbulences. But they
do not bring the turbulences as such to an end. Those are defined by the
imperialist politics that by trying to destroy all obstacles for its
supremacy are doomed to create new and ever more destructive crisis.
The analysis must be carried out from two different points of view, the
geopolitical and the class viewpoint. Even if they are interlinked it is
useful to regard them separately.
Geopolitically speaking we doubt that Yugoslavia under Serb hegemony could
ever become a protectorate of Nato as the other �republics� of the Balkans.
History teaches that this is highly unlikely. Even Kostunica had to
demarcate himself from the tutelage offered to him by Nato in order to win
the consensus of the masses.
The regime of Milosevic refused the capitulation of Yugoslavia to Nato.
Therefore, and only therefore, the serious anti-imperialist and
revolutionary forces throughout the world did support him. Actually they
never endorsed his domestic politics that � although never becoming
neo-liberal � did neither follow socialist principles nor strived for the
active defence of the interests of the working class and the poorest strata
of the population.
This is the reason for the collapse of the regime facing the waves of the
mass movement led by Kostunica. If the regime is not able to defend the
parliament and the TV station being set on fire by the revolt that means
nothing else than that it has lost the social consensus it used to have.
Already since a certain time this rule has rested on sand and was secured
mainly by the monopoly of force.
The conception that the attack of imperialism, the starvation caused by it,
the sanctions and the embargo could by put down solely by resorting to
nationalist and anti-Western sentiments has been proved to be a catastrophic
illusion.
In order to destroy the magic it was enough that Kostunica by his turn
raised the patriotic banner. Nationalism is an important factor, but not the
decisive one. Such as all feelings it vanishes facing the daily struggle for
bread. In order to secure the social consensus resolute politics for social
justice and intransigent defence of the interests and rights of the workers
and peasants would have been indispensable. Contrary to that Milosevic had
been accepting privatisations and had been demanding unprecedented
sacrifices from the workers, while at the same time he let the mafia
bourgeoisie enrich itself at the black market. While the people had been
starving and had to send its sons to Kosovo to defend the country, the
nomenclature increased corruption and hold its protecting hands over its
sons in order to save them from serving in arms.
>From this point of view we warn the youth that seems to have delivered the
final blow to the SPS JUL regime that the Serb people could fall out of the
frying-pan into the fire. Even if we would assume that Kostunica is the
brave and proper man as which he likes it to present himself we will not be
able to block the bourgeois forces that rally behind him in order to inflict
savage neo-liberal capitalism on the people. They hope for lucrative
business with the reconstruction and thirst for the money being promised by
the West with nice words. If the workers and the Serb people is not vigilant
the �Red mafia� will be substituted by a even more unscrupulous �democratic
Camorra�.
We therefore refuse to participate at the hypocritical chorus of those who
celebrate an alleged �democratic revolution�. There never have been
communists who celebrate political events together with their worst enemies.
We still remember certain �anti-capitalists� who welcomed the collapse of
the USSR between 1989 and 1991 whose result was the creation of several
statelets that serve the Western interests. They claimed that we were facing
revolutions because some movements rallied masses behind them. But the
decisive criteria to evaluate events is not mainly that the masses get into
movement, but in what direction they move. The direction is determined by
the international relationship of forces as well as by the political groups
that take the leadership.
Finally we want to re-iterate that our tenacious support for the resistance
of the Yugoslav people and the Yugoslav army against the Nato aggression was
not erroneous. Certain seeds only carry fruits after a long period. The
current flood, the �democratic� drunkenness will neither eradicate the deep
socialist tradition among the Serb people nor the traces of the tremendous
anti-imperialist solidarity delivered to it mainly in the last year.
The Serb proletarians and among them the genuine communists will need our
help and fraternity.
Executive Committee of the ILC
5th October, 2000
***************************************
International Leninist Current (ILC)
Corriente Leninista Internacional (CLI)
PF 23, A-1040 Wien, Austria
Tel & Fax +43 1 504 00 10
ilc@...
www.comports.com/ilc
www.antiimperialista.com
===
Bollettino di controinformazione del
Coordinamento Nazionale "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono il Coordinamento, ma vengono
fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al solo scopo di
segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only")
Per contributi e segnalazioni: jugocoord@...
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THE HAGUE COURT'S INDICTMENT OF MILOSEVIC UNLAWFUL, FATAL KOSTUNICA
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslav PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late on Friday he saw no reason for cooperation with the war
crimes court for the former Yugoslavia and dismissed its indictment of
Slobodan Milosevic as unlawful and even fatal.
Speaking for Serbian state Radio and Television (RTS), Kostunica
said that, of all the problems and troubles facing Yugoslavia, he hardly
thought that the Haguebased tribunal should come "first on the list" for
consideration.
He opined that the tribunal would within some time and for many
reasons become history, as the result of the way in which it had worked,
and because its existence was being called in question even from inside.
He noted that, some months ago, the question had been broached
whether those responsible for crimes committed in Yugoslavia at the time of
NATO's air strikes could be tried at the Hague.
He explained that an international organisation, Human Rights
Watch, had clearly identified a number of civilian killings in Yugoslavia
"that could be brought home to parts of the NATO structures.
"When War Crimes Court Prosecutor Carla del Ponte tells you that
there is no ground for criminal prosecution in this case, then the
Prosecutor herself calls in question the entire Court", he said,
The added that similar instances of the court itself calling in
question its legitimity were numerous.
YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT'S CHAMBER OF REPUBLICS BEGINS CONSTITUTIVE SESSION
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) The constitutive session of the
Chamber of Republics of the Yugoslav parliament began in Belgrade on
Saturday afternoon with the task of verifying the mandates of the new MPs.
The oldest MP on the new composition, Socialist People's Party
(SNP) of Montenegro deputy Mihailo Cetkovic opened the session, which was
attended by outgoing Chamber President Srdja Bozovic.
The Chamber set up a Verification Committee which should make a
report which will serve as the basis for the Chamber's verification of the
new mandates. The upper house will resume work after a 20minute break.
It is expected that the lower house, the Chamber of Citizens, will
also begin a constitutive session this evening.
After the separate sessions end work, the chambers will hold a
joint session at which newly elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
will be sworn in.
YUGOSLAV ARMY SAYS CONDITIONS MET FOR WORKING WITH NEW PRESIDENT
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav Army Command said late
on Friday the announcement of the final results of Yugoslavia's September
24 presidential election "has created the legal conditions for establishing
functional relations with the new Yugoslav president".
The Yugoslav Constitutional Court announced on October 6 that
Vojislav Kostunica won the September 24 presidential vote, which created
the necessary legal conditions for establishing functional relations with
the new president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
With its action in connection with recognising the new president
of the F.R.Y., the Yugoslav Army has proven that it is consistent on its
publicly proclaimed positions, the Army statement said.
"Members of the Army of Yugoslavia consistently adhere to all
constitutional provisions and laws which regulate the question of military
defence of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia is united and unwavering in its efforts to
remain a cohesive force in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia respects the will of the people expressed
in the free and democratic elections, and the procedures and solutions
resulting from the specific features of the multiparty system.
"The Army of Yugoslavia defends and shall continue to defend the
interests of the people of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as
the independence, territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional
system of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia shall not change its attitude to the
institution of president of Yugoslavia in the capacity as supreme commander
of the armed forces, or to any other competent institutions of state
administration.
"The Army of Yugoslavia protects the borders of the federation and
remains a factor of stability and peace on the territory of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia makes no change in its proclaimed
positions, and remains consistent in its efforts to discharge its defence
function.
"After the inauguration of the presidentelect, the military
leadership shall, as before, discharge its constitutional obligations
professionally and honourably, and shall do everything to continue, with
the help of state institutions, the process of its own reorganisation and
modernisation", the statement said.
MONTENEGRIN PREMIER VOWS TO SAFEGUARD STATE, EQUALITY
PODGORICA, October 7 (Tanjug) Montenegro's Premier has said he
believes that Yugoslav PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica will keep his
election promise and work for a democratic accord between the Yugoslav
federal units Serbia and Montenegro.
Filip Vujanovic is quoted by Podgorica's Pobjeda newspaper on
Saturday as saying for BosniaHerzegovina independent television that
Montenegro wants to protect its statehood, the autonomy of the Montenegrin
nation and the equality of its people.
Vujanovic added he expected Kostunica to "carry out in
communication with Montenegro what was agreed at Sveti Stefan (ahead of
Sept. 24 polls) in a meeting between Montenegro's ruling coalition
(Democratic Party of Socialists, National Party, Social Democratic Party)
and the Serbian opposition".
E.U. OFFICIAL: VACANT SEAT ON STABILITY PACT WAITING FOR YUGOSLAVIA
SKOPJE, October 7 (Tanjug) European Union (E.U.) coordinator for
implementing the Pact on the stabilization of southeastern Europe Bodo
Hombach of Germany arrived on a twoday visit to Macedonia on Saturday and
said in Skopje that he would submit concrete proposals on aid for
Yugoslavia to the E.U. Council of Ministers on Monday.
The sanctions against Yugoslavia will be lifted already on Monday,
Hombach confirmed in a talk with reporters after today's meeting in Skopje
with Prime Minister Ljupco Georgievski.
"A vacant seat is waiting for Yugoslavia at the Pact for
stability," he said, as well as in other European institutions from which
it has been absent for years.
Hombach underscored that democratic Yugoslavia has serious tasks
ahead, but that Europe will help it. This will not be done to the detriment
of other countries of southeastern Europe, he added, which have joined the
Pact for stability and which also need help.
Plans about financial assistance for Serbia already exist, and the
E.U. and financial institutions will join in their realization, Hombach said.
Georgievski confirmed to reporters that the main subject at
today's talks with Hombach had been aid to Yugoslavia and its inclusion in
European integration processes.
Hombach will be received by Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
in Ohrid on Sunday.
YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA, MILOSEVIC MEET
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late of Friday he had met earlier in the day with his
predecessor Slobodan Milosevic.
"The meeting was important from the point of view of normal
relations between the incoming and outgoing presidents", Kostunica told
Serbian state Radio and Television (RTS), describing as "positive that the
communication took place".
The meeting shows that the transfer of power will be peaceful,
according to Kostunica, who said he had explained to Milosevic that "power,
once lost, is not lost forever".
He said Milosevic had not congratulated him on his victory, however.
OUTGOING PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONGRATULATES SUCCESSOR KOSTUNICA
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Outgoing Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic said late on Friday he had received official information that
challenger Vojislav Kostunica had won the September 24 presidential
election, and congratulated him on his victory.
The ruling was made by the Yugoslav Constitutional Court, which is
competent under the Constitution to decide on such matters, and the ruling
must be respected, Milosevic said, speaking for YuInfo television.
"I wish to thank all those who placed their trust in me and voted
for me in this election, but I thank also all those who did not vote for
me, because they have lifted from my shoulders a heavy burden of
responsibility that has been weighing me down for ten years.
"As for my party, it will be a very powerful opposition force. I
have always said that a party can never show its strength and its qualities
unless it is in opposition for a while, because the time in opposition
allows it to unburden itself of the opportunists.
"I am sure that the time ahead will be of great use in this
respect both to the Socialist Party of Serbia and to the Yugoslav Left, and
I am sure that it will strengthen them so greatly as to allow them to win
the next election very convincingly.
"Because of the feeling of great relief at the removal of the huge
burden of responsibility that I have carried for a full decade, I plan to
take a short rest, to spend more time with my family, especially with my
grandson Marko.
"Afterwards, I shall continue, first of all, to strengthen my
party so that it should, together with the forces that stand with it, in
the life of Yugoslav society, make a great contribution to the country's
further development, as they had done at the time of national defence, of
postaggression reconstruction and now, in these early development steps,
which have been so successful.
"I congratulate Mr Kostunica on his electoral victory and wish all
people of Yugoslavia success in the term of office of the new president",
Milosevic said.
SERBIAN PARLIAMENT TO HOLD SESSION MONDAY
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug). Serbian parliament Speaker Dragan
Tomic has convened for Monday the first meeting of the second regular
parliament session, the parliamentary press service said.
The agenda includes:
A draft parliamentary statement on the election of Yugoslavia's
president proposed by the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO),
A proposal to create a parliamentary inquiry board to investigate
the death of four high SPO officials on October. 3 last year, presented by
SPO,
A noconfidence motion for Serbian Minister of the Interior Vlajko
Stojiljkovic presented by the Serbian Radical Party (SRS),
A proposal to abrogate the law on public information presented by
SRS,
A bill on Serbia's RadioTelevision proposed by SRS,
A bill on creating a public publishing and broadcasting company
Politika AD presented by SRS,
A bill on privatization presented by SRS.
YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR HALTS
SELLING HARD CURRENCY AND CREDITS FROM PRIMARY ISSUE
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National Bank (NBJ)
Governor Dusan Vlatkovic sent a letter to Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica on Friday to inform him that he has taken all the necessary
measures to ensure the functioning of NBJ, and that he has halted the
selling of hard currency and the granting of credits for any purpose from
primary issue until further notice, a statement issued by the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) said on Friday.
Vlatkovic said in the letter that he has taken all measures in
conformity with his legal and constitutional prerogatives in order to
ensure that NBJ functions are carried out. He added that keeping in mind
the new situation in the country and the NBJ prerogatives, he was halting
the selling of hard currency and the granting of credits for any purpose
from primary issue until further notice.
He noted that he would submit a report on the NBJ activities to
the Yugoslav president and parliament, and added that if the NBJ or his own
work were unsatisfactory, he would offer his resignation, the statement says.
The statement was issued after Vlatkovic met Miroljub Labus and
Dusan Mihajlovic, envoys of President Kostunica.
MONTENEGRIN DJUKANOVIC PLEASED, NOT EUPHORIC AT YUGOSLAV POWER CHANGE
NIKSIC, October 7 (Tanjug) Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic
said late on Friday that this Yugoslav republic "is today prepared to
discuss each separate specific solution for surmounting problems" in
relations with the other Yugoslav republic, Serbia.
Djukanovic said in Niksic, central Montenegro, that Yugoslavia's
PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica could be a partner in the talks only as
"a representative of new democratic thought in Serbia", not in his capacity
as Yugoslav president.
Djukanovic went on to comment on Montenegro's attitude to the
Supreme Defence Council and the Army of Yugoslavia. He said Montenegro was
"very much interested in a transitional Defence Council" being constituted
as soon as possible and "the Yugoslav army being placed under civilian
administration as soon as possible, to avoid the possibility of its misuse".
Commenting on the power transfer in Belgrade, he said this was "no
cause for euphoria in Montenegro, but it is a cause for satisfaction,
because this outcome in Serbia has removed the threat of war to Montenegro".
Speaking about Yugoslavia's outgoing Prime Minister Momir
Bulatovic, a Montenegrin, Djukanovic said Montenegro had learned from the
example of Bulatovic that "a traitor must never again hold the helm of
Montenegro."
MILOSEVIC'S PLACE IS NO LONGER IN SERBIA MONTENEGRIN PEOPLE'S PARTY
PODGORICA, October 6 (Tanjug) President of the Montenegrin
People's Party (NSCG), one of the parties in the ruling coalition in
Montenegro, Dragan Soc said Friday that Serbia has shown its true,
historic, face by legalizing the victory of Vojislav Kostunica in the
presidential election. This has paved the way for putting the relations
between Serbia and Montenegro in order in a peaceful, patient and
democratic manner, and for their full integration into a democratic
community, Soc said.
MILOSEVIC INTENDS TO PLAY IMPORTANT POLITICAL ROLE IVANOV
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
said that the outgoing Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic had told him
he intended to continue playing an important role in Yugoslavia's political
life as the leader of the largest political party in the country.
Asked at a press conference at the Russian embassy in Belgrade
whether Milosevic's statement meant a recognition of Kostunica's victory,
Ivanov said he was only reporting what he had heard and that it was not up
to him to interpret what Milosevic had meant.
The political forces in Yugoslavia are able to resolve the present
difficulties by themselves and need no mediators, Ivanov said.
Ivanov noted that he met Friday with Yugoslav Presidentelect
Vojislav Kostunica, Milosevic and Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, and
that he had paid a courtesy visit to Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian
Orthodox Church.
Ivanov did not wish to say where his meeting with Milosevic was held.
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA - FOREIGN REACTIONS
COUNCIL OF EUROPE MINISTERS SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA
ROME, October 7 (Tanjug) The Council of Europe's committee of
foreign ministers on Friday gave full support to Yugoslavia's
PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica.
Committee Chairman Lamberto Dini of Italy said the Committee fully
supported actions being taken by PresidentElect Kostunica.
The committee invited the civilian and military authorities in
Yugoslavia to cooperate in the establishment of the new administration
elected in the polls of September 24, Dini added.
The Council of Europe committee of foreign ministers invited
Yugoslavia to join the European family of nations, and expressed
willingness to consider new prospects of cooperation between the European
Council and that country.
EU TO LIFT OIL EMBARGO AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ON MONDAY
BRUSSELS, October 6 (Tanjug) The foreign ministers of the
European Union memberstates will, at their Monday session in Luxemburg,
lift the oil embargo against Yugoslavia and definitely lift the ban on
civilian air traffic.
EU spokesman said in Brussels that there were no differences among
the ministers in regard to these two issues and that a decision by
consensus was expected.
The European Commission (EC) will submit to the ministerial
council meeting in Luxemburg an official proposal for the lifting of the
oil embargo, imposed on Yugoslavia last year over the crisis in Serbia's
KosovoMetohija province.
If the ministers agree, the embargo will be lifted within a few
days of the official announcement of the decision.
The same procedure applies to the complete lifting of the ban on
civilian flights, which was suspended last April.
As for the lifting of other sanctions the financial embargo and
the ban on granting visas to a number of individuals close to the Slobodan
Milosevic's regime considerable differences exist among EU members. Their
lifting will consequently be postponed until the memberstates reach agreement.
The arms embargo will remain in force, as it is under the
authority of the UN, not the EU.
Contacts with Belgrade will be resumed shortly and an exchange of
highlevel delegations is expected, EU sources said.
The EC has endorsed the proposal that a mission should travel to
Belgrade as soon as possible to assess Serbia's needs of funding, the EC
spokesman said Friday. The mission will comprise representatives of
the EU and several international organizations.
In an earlier decision, the sum of 240 million euros was earmarked
for aid to Yugoslavia from the EU budget. The funds should be released
after the EU and european Parliament take a decision to that effect on the
basis of the mission's report.
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAVIA'S NEW PRESIDENT
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) British Prime Minister Tony Blair
addressed on Friday a message of congratulations to Yugoslavia's newly
elected president Vojislav Kostunica.
"I welcome the prospect of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
reentering the European mainstream and I will lend my full support to that
goal. As a starting point, I expect the European Union to move quickly to
respond to your call for a lifting of sanctions", Blair said in the message
a copy of which was made available to Tanjug.
SCHUESSEL: WE ARE OBLIGED TO HELP YUGOSLAVIA
ZAGREB, October 6 (Tanjug) We are obliged to help Yugoslavia in
normalizing the situation, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said in
Zagreb on Friday, saying he was certain that Slobodan Milosevic was toppled
and that the new Yugoslav president would be sworn in.
After talks with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan, Schuessel
appealed for restraint from violence in Yugoslavia. He said he hoped
Milosevic would not resort to force in order to stay in power.
Racan said Croatia was interested in its neighbors being
democratic countries and that it supports the creation of a democratic
Serbia. Croatia will confirm this interest through its policy, he said.
During today's visit to Croatia, Schuessel is to meet with
President Stjepan Mesic and parliament President Zlatko Tomcic.
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS TO BE LIFTED AS OF MONDAY
ROME, October 6 (Tanjug) The European Union sanctions against
Yugoslavia will be lifted gradually as of Monday, October. 9, Italian Prime
Minister Giuliano Amato said on Friday.
The EU ministers will meet in Luxemburg on Monday and will first
lift the oil embargo. This will be followed by the lifting of the financial
sanctions and by preparations for closer ties and cooperation between
Yugoslavia and Europe, Amato said.
The election of Vojislav Kostunica as president of Yugoslavia has
drastically changed the overall picture and prospects of relations between
the EU and Yugoslavia, Amato said.
MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES KOSTUNICA
SKOPJE, October 6 (Tanjug) Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
said on Friday in Bitolj, south Macedonia, that he congratulates newly
elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, the new government, all the
democratic opposition and the Yugoslav people on their victory.
According to the statement issued in his cabinet in Skopje, the
historical events in Yugoslavia have become obvious and the Yugoslav
people's wish for freedom and democracy was stronger than all attempts at
deceiving the will of the people.
Trajkovski added that he wants a peaceful transition of power in
Yugoslavia and its reintegration into Europe. He also wants to develop
friendly ties between Macedonia and Yugoslavia.
The new realities open vast possibilities for future development
and the improvement of the bilateral friendly relations between the two
states and their peoples, said Trajkovski.
BOSNIAHERZEGOVINA FOREIGN MINISTRY SUPPORTS KOSTUNICA
SARAJEVO, October 6 (Tanjug) The Foreign Ministry of Bosnia and
Herzegovina said in Sarajevo on Friday that the country "fully supports the
newlyelected president of FR Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, and expects
the legal procedure of his appointment satisifed."
"About the authorities in Belgrade, Bosnia and Herzegovina will
judge by their acts and their relationship towards Bosnia and Herzegovina,"
the statement said and also that it expected from the new authorities to
comply with the Dayton peace agreement and the decisions of other
international conferences about the situation in the region and the
organization of relations between BosniaHerzegovina and FR Yugoslavia.
In that respect Bosnia and Herzegovina is ready to immediately
establish diplomatic relations with FR Yugoslavia without any conditions as
provided by the Dayton agreement and the conclusions of the international
conference in Sintra.
The Foreign Ministry also proposed that soon after the formation
of the new government in Belgrade, an exchange of visits takes place
between the two countries on the ministerial level.
In connection with the situation in FR Yugoslavia, the foreign
minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jadranko Prlic, sent on Friday a
message to Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou in which he made the
initiative that in the next few days be organized a meeting of the
representatives of countries neighbouring FR Yugoslavia to extend support
to the new authorities in Belgrade and review the situation that arose
after the elections in that country the statement said.
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
DEMOCRATIC AUTHORITIES BEGIN TO CREATE YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late on Thursday he had taken his first steps with the
creation of a new democratic authority in Serbia, which the people had
voted into power on September 24. Kostunica said on Serbian state Radio and
Television (RTS) he was referring to the constituting of the Yugoslav
federal parliament, whose deputies were assembling, and to the City
Council, which had been constituted and would make sure all municipal
services were functioning properly, to the wellbeing of the Belgraders.
Expressing pleasure that the vision of Serbia he had cherished for
years was coming to pass, he said this was of a normal democratically
organised state, without internal tension, without disputes, with a normal
relationship between the government and opposition.
"The worst of it is that we have for years lived in a country
where there has been no proper communication between those representing the
government and those representing the opposition, as though it had been
easier to talk to the whole world, as though, in the case of Slobodan
Milosevic, it had been easier to negotiate at Dayton, Ohio, to reach
accords with Richard Holbrooke, like the one of October. 13, 1998, as
though it had been easier to agree to the Kumanovo capitulation, consent to
the deployment of foreign troops to Kosovo, while at the same time
demonstrating total incapacity with a section of one's own nation that
thought differently", Kostunica said.
Stressing that he is "president of state, president of all people,
one who must rise above party interests and reconcile all interests,"
Kostnica said there had been none of this in this country and that the
president of Yugoslavia had represented neither all the people, nor both
federal units.
He stressed that democracy must be the foundation of a state,
which was the image that Serbia was beginning to project, and added that
the RTS would be open both to the positions of those who won the elections
and to all other voices in Serbia.
People belonging to the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the
Yugoslav Left (JUL), the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), must be given space
on state television, which must not serve the interests of one party, but
reflect the mood of the people, he said.
He urged a democratic state, without internal tension, with
normalised relations with other states, noting that this would not be easy
because "among those countries there are those that have gravely sinned
against us."
"These are countries that bombed Yugoslavia last year, which is a
crime and destruction that we cannot forgive, but we cannot live out of the
world, we must adjust to it, while placing high value on our national
dignity and national interests", he said.
He said it was to be expected that the European Union, when it
meets on Monday, will lift sanctions against Yugoslavia, because the
country has set out down the road of democracy.
Lifting of the sanctions and resumption of relations with
international financial institutions will make it possible for the money
that has been draining out of the country to start flowing back in, where
the role of the expatriates interested in investing in the homeland will be
important, according to Kostunica.
"The country's recovery after the lifting of the sanctions will be
swift, because the circumstances we have been living in have been very
difficult", he said, adding that Yugoslavia would immediately be
incorporated in the Southeast Europe Stabilisation Pact, as a way for the
NATO states to repay, in one form, some of the damage they have caused.
Kostunica described as positive the reconstruction of
NATOdestroyed facilities, adding, however, that this has not been the
achievement of one party, but of the people.
He announced a more radical, more widespread reconstruction of the
country, whose chief characteristic would be that it would not be the feat
of any one party.
There must be no revanchism, he reiterated, stressing that he had
given his word there would be no retaliation, and that the people must
learn to live with political differences.
He said many details in the work of the Haguebased tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia made it a shameful institution, adding it was a
political rather than a legal institutions, and in fact not a court at all.
This is not an international, but an American court, under the
control of the U.S. Administration, a weapon for achieving its influence in
this region, according to Kostunica.
He said there could be no cooperation with the Hague court in the
matter of extradition of Yugoslav citizens.
He said that Yugoslavia's new premier must be designated in line
with the Constitution, which dictates that, when the president is from one
federal unit, the prime minister must be from the other.
In this case, the post must be offered to the strongest party in
Montenegro, which is the Socialist People's Party (SNP), and to the person
capable of reconciling the two confronted halves of Montenegro, Kostunica
explained.
He said he would work towards calling new free elections for the
federal parliament within a year and a half, and for drawing up very soon a
new Constitution acceptable to both Yugoslav federal units Serbia and
Montenegro.
KOSTUNICA: SERBIA IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE ITS FREEDOM BY ITSELF
BELGRADE, October 5 (Tanjug). Yugoslav Presidentelect Vojislav
Kostunica told a crowd of several hundred thousand people in central
Belgrade Thursday evening that he was proud to see the people of Serbia
show their trust in him by electing him president of the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia.
Kostunica said he won the election thanks to the fundamental
principles of democracy, in which people exercise their free will, even
under very difficult circumstances in which the Sep. 24 elections were held.
He underlined that the claims of the leftist coalition that the
new authorities were a NATO spearhead were entirely false.
"We need neither Moscow nor Washington. Serbia is able to achieve
its freedom by itself, and your presence here in such numbers is proof of
this", he said.
Recalling that he had been saying at all preelection rallies
throughout Serbia that peace must prevail in Serbia and in its relations
with Montenegro, Kostunica promised that Serbia would be ruled by law only
and that there would be no more violence or theft.
"We shall defend Serbia with our own weapons with truth against
their lies, with nonviolence against their use of force", Kostunica said in
reference to the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. Serbia is the heart and
the shield of Europe, it is the most European part of Europe, but without
Slobodan Milosevic, he stressed.
"There must be no more sanctions against this country", Kostunica
said.
Responding to cries from the crowd calling for a march on Dedinje,
elite residential district of Belgrade where Milosevic has his residence,
Kostunica resolutely said: "We shall not march on Dedinje, it is not our
place. We are here at the parliament, a true system institution where the
people have brought us and where we shall fight our battles".
Kostunica then urged all those present to stay together and
expressed hope that more people would come to the area between the three
parliaments Yugoslav, Serbian and Belgrade to peacefully defend the
election victory.
G17PLUS APPEALS FOR RETURN OF ARMS TAKEN FROM POLICE
BELGRADE, October 5 (Tanjug). The independent thinktank G17plus
urged Thursday evening all persons who have taken arms from police stations
to bring them to the Belgrade city council.
G17plus Coordinator Predrag Markovic visited Tanjug in the evening
and asked the agency to carry the appeal, in order to prevent any unwanted
incidents.
Markovic also urged people celebrating in the streets not to loot
shops or damage any other property.
YUGOSLAVIA SERBIA MINERS
SERBIAN COALMINERS END STRIKE
LAZAREVAC, October 5 (Tanjug). The miners of the openpit coal mine
Kolubara will not allow the Obrenovac thermoelectric power plant near
Belgrade to stop, member of the strike committee Radoslav Jovanovic told
Tanjug Thursday evening.
The Obrenovac plant will have enough coal for minimum power
generation tomorrow (Friday) Jovanovic said.
Jovanovic was unable to say when the plant will be able to operate
at full capacity, but noted that the strike committee will meet early
Friday to discuss details on resuming production at full capacity.
Underlining that the only demand of the miners was the recognition
of the voters' will at the Sep. 24 presidential and federal elections,
Jovanovic said that all miners were present at their jobs and that the
equipment stood ready to be used.
The Kolubara miners went on strike one week ago, and power cuts
started throughout Serbia two days later.
YUGOSLAVIA - ARMY, POLICE
YUGOSLAV ARMY CONTINUES REGULAR ACTIVITIES
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav Army's Combined Chiefs
of Staff ended session early on Friday without releasing a statement, which
sources close to the army command interpret as indicating that the army
will remain committed to its often repeated position that it will act
within its constitutional competence.
TANJUG learns that the army will act only in case of direct
threats to military facilities, personnel and materiel.
According to TANJUG correspondents' reports, no troop movements
have been noticed in any part of the country. According to them, the army
is on Friday morning engaged on its regular duties, training and securing
of the state borders.
BELGRADE POLICE CHIEF SAYS POLICE WILL NOT INTERVENE AGAINST PEOPLE
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Belgrade Police Chief Branko Djuric
has offered assurances to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) that
the police will not intervene against people demonstrating in the streets
of the capital.
According to sources close to DOS, Djuric said the security forces
would intervene only in case of drastic disruptions of public law and order
and threats to property.
E.U.'S SOLANA SAYS ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS TO BE LIFTED AS OF MONDAY
BRUSSELS, October 6 (Tanjug) The European Union will start
lifting sanctions against Yugoslavia as of Monday, when the foreign
ministers of the fifteen E.U. nations are meeting in Luxemburg, according
to E.U. chief foreign policy representative Javier Solana.
Solana told BBC Radio the ministerial meeting was called for
Monday, and the lifting of the sanctions would begin as of that day. He
explained this was a clear signal of a willingness to open new relations
with democratic Yugoslavia, adding the lifting of the sanctions was a
matter of days.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, whose country holds the
E.U. rotating presidency, said late Thursday he would be setting in motion
the necessary procedure for the decision to lift the sanctions to be made
on Monday.
FISCHER SUPPORTS FRANCE'S PROPOSAL FOR LIFTING OF SANCTIONS
BERLIN, October 6 (Tanjug) German Foreign Minister Joseph Fischer
said in Berlin on Friday that Germany supports France's proposal that in
Luxembourg on Monday be discussed the speedy lifting of sanctions against
Serbia.
"Serbia must be accepted with wide open hands into the family of
European countries, because its people said so clearly NO to dictatorship,"
Fischer said.
Fischer repeated on Friday he hoped that, just as 11 years ago in
Eastern Germany, the peaceful revolution in Belgrade will also be conducted
without bloodshed.
The German news agency DPA said in that connection it seemed that
will be case, and carried as urgent a statement to Tanjug by an unnamed
source in the Yugoslav Army that the army had no intention to prevent the
implementation of the will of citizens of Yugoslavia.
CROATIA FOLLOWS YUGOSLAV CHANGES WITH APPROVAL
ZAGREB, October 6 (Tanjug) Croatia, where Belgrade developments
have received unprecedented publicity, is following with approval the
political changes in Yugoslavia and recognises the victory of Vojislav
Kostunica in September 24 presidential election.
Commenting on the Belgrade developments, Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic said that "the events rocking Serbia, where the people, led
by the opposition, have started dismantling the institutions of the regime,
were to be expected."
Mesic said the Yugoslav situation could resolve itself also in the
worst possible way, and that whether or not the "Romanian scenario" is
acted out would depend, in his view, on the army.
He believes it would be "best for Milosevic to go, and for the
winners of the elections to offer a solution to the Serbian people".
The Croatian government, too, has made itself heard in connection
with the Yugoslav developments, expressing conviction that the developments
signal "the end of the undemocratic regime of Slobodan Milosevic" and the
beginning of a normalisation in Serbia.
MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC CHANGES IN YUGOSLAVIA
SKOPJE, October 6 (Tanjug) Democracy won a victory in Yugoslavia
on Thursday, according to Macedonia's foreign minister on Friday.
In a brief statement for state television, Aleksandar Dimitrov
said Macedonia had been urging a democratic settlement of all problems in
Serbia and Yugoslavia, which was what happened on Thursday.
The most important thing now was to keep the peace and avoid
further bloodshed, he added.
According to local media, President Boris Trajkovski has launched
an initiative for heads of state of Southeast Europe to sign a declaration
supporting Kostunica's electoral victory.
Trajkovski explained Macedonia was acting in its capacity as
president of an association of Southeast European nations.
According to sources in Skopje, all Southeast European nations
have upheld Trajkovski's initiative, with the exception of the Romanian
government, which has not responded.
ALBANIA DOES NOT CHANGE POSITION ON SERBIAN KOSOVO PROVINCE
LONDON, October 6 (Tanjug) Albania's foreign minister said on
Friday that Albania would not be changing its position on the Kosovo issue
in the wake of the electoral victory of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
(DOS).
Pascal Milo told the BBC the issue of Kosovo was vitally important
to Albanians, and that Tirana would not be changing its position on it.
Since the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 1244 provides for
giving Kosovo a wide autonomy, Milo urges that Albanians in the province be
allowed to decide about their status in a referendum.
He went on to say he believed that democratic Serbia would change
its attitude to Kosovo and hoped that Vojislav Kostunica, despite being a
nationalist, would be realistic and understand that Kosovo was a closed
chapter to Serbia now.
===
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BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslav PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late on Friday he saw no reason for cooperation with the war
crimes court for the former Yugoslavia and dismissed its indictment of
Slobodan Milosevic as unlawful and even fatal.
Speaking for Serbian state Radio and Television (RTS), Kostunica
said that, of all the problems and troubles facing Yugoslavia, he hardly
thought that the Haguebased tribunal should come "first on the list" for
consideration.
He opined that the tribunal would within some time and for many
reasons become history, as the result of the way in which it had worked,
and because its existence was being called in question even from inside.
He noted that, some months ago, the question had been broached
whether those responsible for crimes committed in Yugoslavia at the time of
NATO's air strikes could be tried at the Hague.
He explained that an international organisation, Human Rights
Watch, had clearly identified a number of civilian killings in Yugoslavia
"that could be brought home to parts of the NATO structures.
"When War Crimes Court Prosecutor Carla del Ponte tells you that
there is no ground for criminal prosecution in this case, then the
Prosecutor herself calls in question the entire Court", he said,
The added that similar instances of the court itself calling in
question its legitimity were numerous.
YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT'S CHAMBER OF REPUBLICS BEGINS CONSTITUTIVE SESSION
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) The constitutive session of the
Chamber of Republics of the Yugoslav parliament began in Belgrade on
Saturday afternoon with the task of verifying the mandates of the new MPs.
The oldest MP on the new composition, Socialist People's Party
(SNP) of Montenegro deputy Mihailo Cetkovic opened the session, which was
attended by outgoing Chamber President Srdja Bozovic.
The Chamber set up a Verification Committee which should make a
report which will serve as the basis for the Chamber's verification of the
new mandates. The upper house will resume work after a 20minute break.
It is expected that the lower house, the Chamber of Citizens, will
also begin a constitutive session this evening.
After the separate sessions end work, the chambers will hold a
joint session at which newly elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
will be sworn in.
YUGOSLAV ARMY SAYS CONDITIONS MET FOR WORKING WITH NEW PRESIDENT
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav Army Command said late
on Friday the announcement of the final results of Yugoslavia's September
24 presidential election "has created the legal conditions for establishing
functional relations with the new Yugoslav president".
The Yugoslav Constitutional Court announced on October 6 that
Vojislav Kostunica won the September 24 presidential vote, which created
the necessary legal conditions for establishing functional relations with
the new president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
With its action in connection with recognising the new president
of the F.R.Y., the Yugoslav Army has proven that it is consistent on its
publicly proclaimed positions, the Army statement said.
"Members of the Army of Yugoslavia consistently adhere to all
constitutional provisions and laws which regulate the question of military
defence of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia is united and unwavering in its efforts to
remain a cohesive force in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia respects the will of the people expressed
in the free and democratic elections, and the procedures and solutions
resulting from the specific features of the multiparty system.
"The Army of Yugoslavia defends and shall continue to defend the
interests of the people of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as
the independence, territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional
system of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia shall not change its attitude to the
institution of president of Yugoslavia in the capacity as supreme commander
of the armed forces, or to any other competent institutions of state
administration.
"The Army of Yugoslavia protects the borders of the federation and
remains a factor of stability and peace on the territory of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia.
"The Army of Yugoslavia makes no change in its proclaimed
positions, and remains consistent in its efforts to discharge its defence
function.
"After the inauguration of the presidentelect, the military
leadership shall, as before, discharge its constitutional obligations
professionally and honourably, and shall do everything to continue, with
the help of state institutions, the process of its own reorganisation and
modernisation", the statement said.
MONTENEGRIN PREMIER VOWS TO SAFEGUARD STATE, EQUALITY
PODGORICA, October 7 (Tanjug) Montenegro's Premier has said he
believes that Yugoslav PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica will keep his
election promise and work for a democratic accord between the Yugoslav
federal units Serbia and Montenegro.
Filip Vujanovic is quoted by Podgorica's Pobjeda newspaper on
Saturday as saying for BosniaHerzegovina independent television that
Montenegro wants to protect its statehood, the autonomy of the Montenegrin
nation and the equality of its people.
Vujanovic added he expected Kostunica to "carry out in
communication with Montenegro what was agreed at Sveti Stefan (ahead of
Sept. 24 polls) in a meeting between Montenegro's ruling coalition
(Democratic Party of Socialists, National Party, Social Democratic Party)
and the Serbian opposition".
E.U. OFFICIAL: VACANT SEAT ON STABILITY PACT WAITING FOR YUGOSLAVIA
SKOPJE, October 7 (Tanjug) European Union (E.U.) coordinator for
implementing the Pact on the stabilization of southeastern Europe Bodo
Hombach of Germany arrived on a twoday visit to Macedonia on Saturday and
said in Skopje that he would submit concrete proposals on aid for
Yugoslavia to the E.U. Council of Ministers on Monday.
The sanctions against Yugoslavia will be lifted already on Monday,
Hombach confirmed in a talk with reporters after today's meeting in Skopje
with Prime Minister Ljupco Georgievski.
"A vacant seat is waiting for Yugoslavia at the Pact for
stability," he said, as well as in other European institutions from which
it has been absent for years.
Hombach underscored that democratic Yugoslavia has serious tasks
ahead, but that Europe will help it. This will not be done to the detriment
of other countries of southeastern Europe, he added, which have joined the
Pact for stability and which also need help.
Plans about financial assistance for Serbia already exist, and the
E.U. and financial institutions will join in their realization, Hombach said.
Georgievski confirmed to reporters that the main subject at
today's talks with Hombach had been aid to Yugoslavia and its inclusion in
European integration processes.
Hombach will be received by Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
in Ohrid on Sunday.
YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA, MILOSEVIC MEET
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late of Friday he had met earlier in the day with his
predecessor Slobodan Milosevic.
"The meeting was important from the point of view of normal
relations between the incoming and outgoing presidents", Kostunica told
Serbian state Radio and Television (RTS), describing as "positive that the
communication took place".
The meeting shows that the transfer of power will be peaceful,
according to Kostunica, who said he had explained to Milosevic that "power,
once lost, is not lost forever".
He said Milosevic had not congratulated him on his victory, however.
OUTGOING PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONGRATULATES SUCCESSOR KOSTUNICA
BELGRADE, October 7 (Tanjug) Outgoing Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic said late on Friday he had received official information that
challenger Vojislav Kostunica had won the September 24 presidential
election, and congratulated him on his victory.
The ruling was made by the Yugoslav Constitutional Court, which is
competent under the Constitution to decide on such matters, and the ruling
must be respected, Milosevic said, speaking for YuInfo television.
"I wish to thank all those who placed their trust in me and voted
for me in this election, but I thank also all those who did not vote for
me, because they have lifted from my shoulders a heavy burden of
responsibility that has been weighing me down for ten years.
"As for my party, it will be a very powerful opposition force. I
have always said that a party can never show its strength and its qualities
unless it is in opposition for a while, because the time in opposition
allows it to unburden itself of the opportunists.
"I am sure that the time ahead will be of great use in this
respect both to the Socialist Party of Serbia and to the Yugoslav Left, and
I am sure that it will strengthen them so greatly as to allow them to win
the next election very convincingly.
"Because of the feeling of great relief at the removal of the huge
burden of responsibility that I have carried for a full decade, I plan to
take a short rest, to spend more time with my family, especially with my
grandson Marko.
"Afterwards, I shall continue, first of all, to strengthen my
party so that it should, together with the forces that stand with it, in
the life of Yugoslav society, make a great contribution to the country's
further development, as they had done at the time of national defence, of
postaggression reconstruction and now, in these early development steps,
which have been so successful.
"I congratulate Mr Kostunica on his electoral victory and wish all
people of Yugoslavia success in the term of office of the new president",
Milosevic said.
SERBIAN PARLIAMENT TO HOLD SESSION MONDAY
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug). Serbian parliament Speaker Dragan
Tomic has convened for Monday the first meeting of the second regular
parliament session, the parliamentary press service said.
The agenda includes:
A draft parliamentary statement on the election of Yugoslavia's
president proposed by the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO),
A proposal to create a parliamentary inquiry board to investigate
the death of four high SPO officials on October. 3 last year, presented by
SPO,
A noconfidence motion for Serbian Minister of the Interior Vlajko
Stojiljkovic presented by the Serbian Radical Party (SRS),
A proposal to abrogate the law on public information presented by
SRS,
A bill on Serbia's RadioTelevision proposed by SRS,
A bill on creating a public publishing and broadcasting company
Politika AD presented by SRS,
A bill on privatization presented by SRS.
YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR HALTS
SELLING HARD CURRENCY AND CREDITS FROM PRIMARY ISSUE
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National Bank (NBJ)
Governor Dusan Vlatkovic sent a letter to Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica on Friday to inform him that he has taken all the necessary
measures to ensure the functioning of NBJ, and that he has halted the
selling of hard currency and the granting of credits for any purpose from
primary issue until further notice, a statement issued by the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) said on Friday.
Vlatkovic said in the letter that he has taken all measures in
conformity with his legal and constitutional prerogatives in order to
ensure that NBJ functions are carried out. He added that keeping in mind
the new situation in the country and the NBJ prerogatives, he was halting
the selling of hard currency and the granting of credits for any purpose
from primary issue until further notice.
He noted that he would submit a report on the NBJ activities to
the Yugoslav president and parliament, and added that if the NBJ or his own
work were unsatisfactory, he would offer his resignation, the statement says.
The statement was issued after Vlatkovic met Miroljub Labus and
Dusan Mihajlovic, envoys of President Kostunica.
MONTENEGRIN DJUKANOVIC PLEASED, NOT EUPHORIC AT YUGOSLAV POWER CHANGE
NIKSIC, October 7 (Tanjug) Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic
said late on Friday that this Yugoslav republic "is today prepared to
discuss each separate specific solution for surmounting problems" in
relations with the other Yugoslav republic, Serbia.
Djukanovic said in Niksic, central Montenegro, that Yugoslavia's
PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica could be a partner in the talks only as
"a representative of new democratic thought in Serbia", not in his capacity
as Yugoslav president.
Djukanovic went on to comment on Montenegro's attitude to the
Supreme Defence Council and the Army of Yugoslavia. He said Montenegro was
"very much interested in a transitional Defence Council" being constituted
as soon as possible and "the Yugoslav army being placed under civilian
administration as soon as possible, to avoid the possibility of its misuse".
Commenting on the power transfer in Belgrade, he said this was "no
cause for euphoria in Montenegro, but it is a cause for satisfaction,
because this outcome in Serbia has removed the threat of war to Montenegro".
Speaking about Yugoslavia's outgoing Prime Minister Momir
Bulatovic, a Montenegrin, Djukanovic said Montenegro had learned from the
example of Bulatovic that "a traitor must never again hold the helm of
Montenegro."
MILOSEVIC'S PLACE IS NO LONGER IN SERBIA MONTENEGRIN PEOPLE'S PARTY
PODGORICA, October 6 (Tanjug) President of the Montenegrin
People's Party (NSCG), one of the parties in the ruling coalition in
Montenegro, Dragan Soc said Friday that Serbia has shown its true,
historic, face by legalizing the victory of Vojislav Kostunica in the
presidential election. This has paved the way for putting the relations
between Serbia and Montenegro in order in a peaceful, patient and
democratic manner, and for their full integration into a democratic
community, Soc said.
MILOSEVIC INTENDS TO PLAY IMPORTANT POLITICAL ROLE IVANOV
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
said that the outgoing Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic had told him
he intended to continue playing an important role in Yugoslavia's political
life as the leader of the largest political party in the country.
Asked at a press conference at the Russian embassy in Belgrade
whether Milosevic's statement meant a recognition of Kostunica's victory,
Ivanov said he was only reporting what he had heard and that it was not up
to him to interpret what Milosevic had meant.
The political forces in Yugoslavia are able to resolve the present
difficulties by themselves and need no mediators, Ivanov said.
Ivanov noted that he met Friday with Yugoslav Presidentelect
Vojislav Kostunica, Milosevic and Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, and
that he had paid a courtesy visit to Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian
Orthodox Church.
Ivanov did not wish to say where his meeting with Milosevic was held.
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA - FOREIGN REACTIONS
COUNCIL OF EUROPE MINISTERS SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA
ROME, October 7 (Tanjug) The Council of Europe's committee of
foreign ministers on Friday gave full support to Yugoslavia's
PresidentElect Vojislav Kostunica.
Committee Chairman Lamberto Dini of Italy said the Committee fully
supported actions being taken by PresidentElect Kostunica.
The committee invited the civilian and military authorities in
Yugoslavia to cooperate in the establishment of the new administration
elected in the polls of September 24, Dini added.
The Council of Europe committee of foreign ministers invited
Yugoslavia to join the European family of nations, and expressed
willingness to consider new prospects of cooperation between the European
Council and that country.
EU TO LIFT OIL EMBARGO AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ON MONDAY
BRUSSELS, October 6 (Tanjug) The foreign ministers of the
European Union memberstates will, at their Monday session in Luxemburg,
lift the oil embargo against Yugoslavia and definitely lift the ban on
civilian air traffic.
EU spokesman said in Brussels that there were no differences among
the ministers in regard to these two issues and that a decision by
consensus was expected.
The European Commission (EC) will submit to the ministerial
council meeting in Luxemburg an official proposal for the lifting of the
oil embargo, imposed on Yugoslavia last year over the crisis in Serbia's
KosovoMetohija province.
If the ministers agree, the embargo will be lifted within a few
days of the official announcement of the decision.
The same procedure applies to the complete lifting of the ban on
civilian flights, which was suspended last April.
As for the lifting of other sanctions the financial embargo and
the ban on granting visas to a number of individuals close to the Slobodan
Milosevic's regime considerable differences exist among EU members. Their
lifting will consequently be postponed until the memberstates reach agreement.
The arms embargo will remain in force, as it is under the
authority of the UN, not the EU.
Contacts with Belgrade will be resumed shortly and an exchange of
highlevel delegations is expected, EU sources said.
The EC has endorsed the proposal that a mission should travel to
Belgrade as soon as possible to assess Serbia's needs of funding, the EC
spokesman said Friday. The mission will comprise representatives of
the EU and several international organizations.
In an earlier decision, the sum of 240 million euros was earmarked
for aid to Yugoslavia from the EU budget. The funds should be released
after the EU and european Parliament take a decision to that effect on the
basis of the mission's report.
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAVIA'S NEW PRESIDENT
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) British Prime Minister Tony Blair
addressed on Friday a message of congratulations to Yugoslavia's newly
elected president Vojislav Kostunica.
"I welcome the prospect of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
reentering the European mainstream and I will lend my full support to that
goal. As a starting point, I expect the European Union to move quickly to
respond to your call for a lifting of sanctions", Blair said in the message
a copy of which was made available to Tanjug.
SCHUESSEL: WE ARE OBLIGED TO HELP YUGOSLAVIA
ZAGREB, October 6 (Tanjug) We are obliged to help Yugoslavia in
normalizing the situation, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said in
Zagreb on Friday, saying he was certain that Slobodan Milosevic was toppled
and that the new Yugoslav president would be sworn in.
After talks with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan, Schuessel
appealed for restraint from violence in Yugoslavia. He said he hoped
Milosevic would not resort to force in order to stay in power.
Racan said Croatia was interested in its neighbors being
democratic countries and that it supports the creation of a democratic
Serbia. Croatia will confirm this interest through its policy, he said.
During today's visit to Croatia, Schuessel is to meet with
President Stjepan Mesic and parliament President Zlatko Tomcic.
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS TO BE LIFTED AS OF MONDAY
ROME, October 6 (Tanjug) The European Union sanctions against
Yugoslavia will be lifted gradually as of Monday, October. 9, Italian Prime
Minister Giuliano Amato said on Friday.
The EU ministers will meet in Luxemburg on Monday and will first
lift the oil embargo. This will be followed by the lifting of the financial
sanctions and by preparations for closer ties and cooperation between
Yugoslavia and Europe, Amato said.
The election of Vojislav Kostunica as president of Yugoslavia has
drastically changed the overall picture and prospects of relations between
the EU and Yugoslavia, Amato said.
MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES KOSTUNICA
SKOPJE, October 6 (Tanjug) Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
said on Friday in Bitolj, south Macedonia, that he congratulates newly
elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, the new government, all the
democratic opposition and the Yugoslav people on their victory.
According to the statement issued in his cabinet in Skopje, the
historical events in Yugoslavia have become obvious and the Yugoslav
people's wish for freedom and democracy was stronger than all attempts at
deceiving the will of the people.
Trajkovski added that he wants a peaceful transition of power in
Yugoslavia and its reintegration into Europe. He also wants to develop
friendly ties between Macedonia and Yugoslavia.
The new realities open vast possibilities for future development
and the improvement of the bilateral friendly relations between the two
states and their peoples, said Trajkovski.
BOSNIAHERZEGOVINA FOREIGN MINISTRY SUPPORTS KOSTUNICA
SARAJEVO, October 6 (Tanjug) The Foreign Ministry of Bosnia and
Herzegovina said in Sarajevo on Friday that the country "fully supports the
newlyelected president of FR Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, and expects
the legal procedure of his appointment satisifed."
"About the authorities in Belgrade, Bosnia and Herzegovina will
judge by their acts and their relationship towards Bosnia and Herzegovina,"
the statement said and also that it expected from the new authorities to
comply with the Dayton peace agreement and the decisions of other
international conferences about the situation in the region and the
organization of relations between BosniaHerzegovina and FR Yugoslavia.
In that respect Bosnia and Herzegovina is ready to immediately
establish diplomatic relations with FR Yugoslavia without any conditions as
provided by the Dayton agreement and the conclusions of the international
conference in Sintra.
The Foreign Ministry also proposed that soon after the formation
of the new government in Belgrade, an exchange of visits takes place
between the two countries on the ministerial level.
In connection with the situation in FR Yugoslavia, the foreign
minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jadranko Prlic, sent on Friday a
message to Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou in which he made the
initiative that in the next few days be organized a meeting of the
representatives of countries neighbouring FR Yugoslavia to extend support
to the new authorities in Belgrade and review the situation that arose
after the elections in that country the statement said.
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
DEMOCRATIC AUTHORITIES BEGIN TO CREATE YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSTUNICA
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's PresidentElect Vojislav
Kostunica said late on Thursday he had taken his first steps with the
creation of a new democratic authority in Serbia, which the people had
voted into power on September 24. Kostunica said on Serbian state Radio and
Television (RTS) he was referring to the constituting of the Yugoslav
federal parliament, whose deputies were assembling, and to the City
Council, which had been constituted and would make sure all municipal
services were functioning properly, to the wellbeing of the Belgraders.
Expressing pleasure that the vision of Serbia he had cherished for
years was coming to pass, he said this was of a normal democratically
organised state, without internal tension, without disputes, with a normal
relationship between the government and opposition.
"The worst of it is that we have for years lived in a country
where there has been no proper communication between those representing the
government and those representing the opposition, as though it had been
easier to talk to the whole world, as though, in the case of Slobodan
Milosevic, it had been easier to negotiate at Dayton, Ohio, to reach
accords with Richard Holbrooke, like the one of October. 13, 1998, as
though it had been easier to agree to the Kumanovo capitulation, consent to
the deployment of foreign troops to Kosovo, while at the same time
demonstrating total incapacity with a section of one's own nation that
thought differently", Kostunica said.
Stressing that he is "president of state, president of all people,
one who must rise above party interests and reconcile all interests,"
Kostnica said there had been none of this in this country and that the
president of Yugoslavia had represented neither all the people, nor both
federal units.
He stressed that democracy must be the foundation of a state,
which was the image that Serbia was beginning to project, and added that
the RTS would be open both to the positions of those who won the elections
and to all other voices in Serbia.
People belonging to the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the
Yugoslav Left (JUL), the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), must be given space
on state television, which must not serve the interests of one party, but
reflect the mood of the people, he said.
He urged a democratic state, without internal tension, with
normalised relations with other states, noting that this would not be easy
because "among those countries there are those that have gravely sinned
against us."
"These are countries that bombed Yugoslavia last year, which is a
crime and destruction that we cannot forgive, but we cannot live out of the
world, we must adjust to it, while placing high value on our national
dignity and national interests", he said.
He said it was to be expected that the European Union, when it
meets on Monday, will lift sanctions against Yugoslavia, because the
country has set out down the road of democracy.
Lifting of the sanctions and resumption of relations with
international financial institutions will make it possible for the money
that has been draining out of the country to start flowing back in, where
the role of the expatriates interested in investing in the homeland will be
important, according to Kostunica.
"The country's recovery after the lifting of the sanctions will be
swift, because the circumstances we have been living in have been very
difficult", he said, adding that Yugoslavia would immediately be
incorporated in the Southeast Europe Stabilisation Pact, as a way for the
NATO states to repay, in one form, some of the damage they have caused.
Kostunica described as positive the reconstruction of
NATOdestroyed facilities, adding, however, that this has not been the
achievement of one party, but of the people.
He announced a more radical, more widespread reconstruction of the
country, whose chief characteristic would be that it would not be the feat
of any one party.
There must be no revanchism, he reiterated, stressing that he had
given his word there would be no retaliation, and that the people must
learn to live with political differences.
He said many details in the work of the Haguebased tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia made it a shameful institution, adding it was a
political rather than a legal institutions, and in fact not a court at all.
This is not an international, but an American court, under the
control of the U.S. Administration, a weapon for achieving its influence in
this region, according to Kostunica.
He said there could be no cooperation with the Hague court in the
matter of extradition of Yugoslav citizens.
He said that Yugoslavia's new premier must be designated in line
with the Constitution, which dictates that, when the president is from one
federal unit, the prime minister must be from the other.
In this case, the post must be offered to the strongest party in
Montenegro, which is the Socialist People's Party (SNP), and to the person
capable of reconciling the two confronted halves of Montenegro, Kostunica
explained.
He said he would work towards calling new free elections for the
federal parliament within a year and a half, and for drawing up very soon a
new Constitution acceptable to both Yugoslav federal units Serbia and
Montenegro.
KOSTUNICA: SERBIA IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE ITS FREEDOM BY ITSELF
BELGRADE, October 5 (Tanjug). Yugoslav Presidentelect Vojislav
Kostunica told a crowd of several hundred thousand people in central
Belgrade Thursday evening that he was proud to see the people of Serbia
show their trust in him by electing him president of the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia.
Kostunica said he won the election thanks to the fundamental
principles of democracy, in which people exercise their free will, even
under very difficult circumstances in which the Sep. 24 elections were held.
He underlined that the claims of the leftist coalition that the
new authorities were a NATO spearhead were entirely false.
"We need neither Moscow nor Washington. Serbia is able to achieve
its freedom by itself, and your presence here in such numbers is proof of
this", he said.
Recalling that he had been saying at all preelection rallies
throughout Serbia that peace must prevail in Serbia and in its relations
with Montenegro, Kostunica promised that Serbia would be ruled by law only
and that there would be no more violence or theft.
"We shall defend Serbia with our own weapons with truth against
their lies, with nonviolence against their use of force", Kostunica said in
reference to the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. Serbia is the heart and
the shield of Europe, it is the most European part of Europe, but without
Slobodan Milosevic, he stressed.
"There must be no more sanctions against this country", Kostunica
said.
Responding to cries from the crowd calling for a march on Dedinje,
elite residential district of Belgrade where Milosevic has his residence,
Kostunica resolutely said: "We shall not march on Dedinje, it is not our
place. We are here at the parliament, a true system institution where the
people have brought us and where we shall fight our battles".
Kostunica then urged all those present to stay together and
expressed hope that more people would come to the area between the three
parliaments Yugoslav, Serbian and Belgrade to peacefully defend the
election victory.
G17PLUS APPEALS FOR RETURN OF ARMS TAKEN FROM POLICE
BELGRADE, October 5 (Tanjug). The independent thinktank G17plus
urged Thursday evening all persons who have taken arms from police stations
to bring them to the Belgrade city council.
G17plus Coordinator Predrag Markovic visited Tanjug in the evening
and asked the agency to carry the appeal, in order to prevent any unwanted
incidents.
Markovic also urged people celebrating in the streets not to loot
shops or damage any other property.
YUGOSLAVIA SERBIA MINERS
SERBIAN COALMINERS END STRIKE
LAZAREVAC, October 5 (Tanjug). The miners of the openpit coal mine
Kolubara will not allow the Obrenovac thermoelectric power plant near
Belgrade to stop, member of the strike committee Radoslav Jovanovic told
Tanjug Thursday evening.
The Obrenovac plant will have enough coal for minimum power
generation tomorrow (Friday) Jovanovic said.
Jovanovic was unable to say when the plant will be able to operate
at full capacity, but noted that the strike committee will meet early
Friday to discuss details on resuming production at full capacity.
Underlining that the only demand of the miners was the recognition
of the voters' will at the Sep. 24 presidential and federal elections,
Jovanovic said that all miners were present at their jobs and that the
equipment stood ready to be used.
The Kolubara miners went on strike one week ago, and power cuts
started throughout Serbia two days later.
YUGOSLAVIA - ARMY, POLICE
YUGOSLAV ARMY CONTINUES REGULAR ACTIVITIES
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav Army's Combined Chiefs
of Staff ended session early on Friday without releasing a statement, which
sources close to the army command interpret as indicating that the army
will remain committed to its often repeated position that it will act
within its constitutional competence.
TANJUG learns that the army will act only in case of direct
threats to military facilities, personnel and materiel.
According to TANJUG correspondents' reports, no troop movements
have been noticed in any part of the country. According to them, the army
is on Friday morning engaged on its regular duties, training and securing
of the state borders.
BELGRADE POLICE CHIEF SAYS POLICE WILL NOT INTERVENE AGAINST PEOPLE
BELGRADE, October 6 (Tanjug) Belgrade Police Chief Branko Djuric
has offered assurances to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) that
the police will not intervene against people demonstrating in the streets
of the capital.
According to sources close to DOS, Djuric said the security forces
would intervene only in case of drastic disruptions of public law and order
and threats to property.
E.U.'S SOLANA SAYS ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS TO BE LIFTED AS OF MONDAY
BRUSSELS, October 6 (Tanjug) The European Union will start
lifting sanctions against Yugoslavia as of Monday, when the foreign
ministers of the fifteen E.U. nations are meeting in Luxemburg, according
to E.U. chief foreign policy representative Javier Solana.
Solana told BBC Radio the ministerial meeting was called for
Monday, and the lifting of the sanctions would begin as of that day. He
explained this was a clear signal of a willingness to open new relations
with democratic Yugoslavia, adding the lifting of the sanctions was a
matter of days.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, whose country holds the
E.U. rotating presidency, said late Thursday he would be setting in motion
the necessary procedure for the decision to lift the sanctions to be made
on Monday.
FISCHER SUPPORTS FRANCE'S PROPOSAL FOR LIFTING OF SANCTIONS
BERLIN, October 6 (Tanjug) German Foreign Minister Joseph Fischer
said in Berlin on Friday that Germany supports France's proposal that in
Luxembourg on Monday be discussed the speedy lifting of sanctions against
Serbia.
"Serbia must be accepted with wide open hands into the family of
European countries, because its people said so clearly NO to dictatorship,"
Fischer said.
Fischer repeated on Friday he hoped that, just as 11 years ago in
Eastern Germany, the peaceful revolution in Belgrade will also be conducted
without bloodshed.
The German news agency DPA said in that connection it seemed that
will be case, and carried as urgent a statement to Tanjug by an unnamed
source in the Yugoslav Army that the army had no intention to prevent the
implementation of the will of citizens of Yugoslavia.
CROATIA FOLLOWS YUGOSLAV CHANGES WITH APPROVAL
ZAGREB, October 6 (Tanjug) Croatia, where Belgrade developments
have received unprecedented publicity, is following with approval the
political changes in Yugoslavia and recognises the victory of Vojislav
Kostunica in September 24 presidential election.
Commenting on the Belgrade developments, Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic said that "the events rocking Serbia, where the people, led
by the opposition, have started dismantling the institutions of the regime,
were to be expected."
Mesic said the Yugoslav situation could resolve itself also in the
worst possible way, and that whether or not the "Romanian scenario" is
acted out would depend, in his view, on the army.
He believes it would be "best for Milosevic to go, and for the
winners of the elections to offer a solution to the Serbian people".
The Croatian government, too, has made itself heard in connection
with the Yugoslav developments, expressing conviction that the developments
signal "the end of the undemocratic regime of Slobodan Milosevic" and the
beginning of a normalisation in Serbia.
MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC CHANGES IN YUGOSLAVIA
SKOPJE, October 6 (Tanjug) Democracy won a victory in Yugoslavia
on Thursday, according to Macedonia's foreign minister on Friday.
In a brief statement for state television, Aleksandar Dimitrov
said Macedonia had been urging a democratic settlement of all problems in
Serbia and Yugoslavia, which was what happened on Thursday.
The most important thing now was to keep the peace and avoid
further bloodshed, he added.
According to local media, President Boris Trajkovski has launched
an initiative for heads of state of Southeast Europe to sign a declaration
supporting Kostunica's electoral victory.
Trajkovski explained Macedonia was acting in its capacity as
president of an association of Southeast European nations.
According to sources in Skopje, all Southeast European nations
have upheld Trajkovski's initiative, with the exception of the Romanian
government, which has not responded.
ALBANIA DOES NOT CHANGE POSITION ON SERBIAN KOSOVO PROVINCE
LONDON, October 6 (Tanjug) Albania's foreign minister said on
Friday that Albania would not be changing its position on the Kosovo issue
in the wake of the electoral victory of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia
(DOS).
Pascal Milo told the BBC the issue of Kosovo was vitally important
to Albanians, and that Tirana would not be changing its position on it.
Since the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 1244 provides for
giving Kosovo a wide autonomy, Milo urges that Albanians in the province be
allowed to decide about their status in a referendum.
He went on to say he believed that democratic Serbia would change
its attitude to Kosovo and hoped that Vojislav Kostunica, despite being a
nationalist, would be realistic and understand that Kosovo was a closed
chapter to Serbia now.
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Bollettino di controinformazione del
Coordinamento Nazionale "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono il Coordinamento, ma vengono
fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al solo scopo di
segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only")
Per contributi e segnalazioni: jugocoord@...
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