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Milosevic claims victory in face of continuing protests
November 28, 1996
Web posted at: 4:30 p.m. EST (2130 GMT)BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- The ruling Socialists of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic claimed victory in local elections Thursday as Serbia's opposition kept up an unprecedented wave of protests.
Leaders of the opposition Zajedno alliance, which boycotted the court-ordered repeat of municipal elections, called for calm, but the protests continued.
Demonstrators threw stones as well as eggs and paint bombs at state television and state-run newspaper offices, symbols of Milosevic's autocratic rule.
The protests have continued since authorities annulled the results of a November 17 election in which Milosevic's ruling Socialists were trounced in most areas by opposition candidates.
Zajedno boycotted the re-run of municipal elections held by court order in Belgrade and some other cities Thursday.
Media muzzled
Faced with growing unrest within Serbia and sharpening criticism abroad, the government reportedly was clamping down on independent newspapers and radio stations trying to cover the crisis.
A journalist at B-92, Belgrade's only independent radio station, complained that the stations newscasts were being jammed, although it was not known who was interfering with the signal.
"It's okay as long as we broadcast music, but as soon as we begin our news program, they start jamming us," said the journalist, Aleksandar Vasovic.
Protests show no sign of easing
In Belgrade, one of the president's most outspoken critics enjoyed a massive roar of approval.
Twice jailed for opposing the president's role in the Balkan conflict, Vuk Draskovic called for continued protests and political upheaval without violent confrontation.
"Serbia is sick of the hatred and poverty and of shame and all things produced by Mr. Milosevic," he said. "He must be the past in Serbia, if former Yugoslavia, if Balkans want to have a European future."
The volume of opposition to Milosevic has reached new levels, and the demonstrations have turned into the biggest protests since Serbian riot police and tanks crushed anti-government rallies back in 1991.
In scenes reminiscent of popular protests of communist rule in Eastern Europe, opposition supporters are maintaining a momentum.
The government hopes their stamina will eventually fail and, like previous protests, fade away. But the opposition is determined to keep up the protests until Milosevic steps down.
"They have proved that we cannot bring them down by democratic change," said one Belgrade protester. "The best we can do is keep this up and see what happens next."
Correspondent Brent Sadler and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Serbs go to polls for municipal runoff - November 17, 1996
- Croatia's president said to be seriously ill with cancer - November 15, 1996
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