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Serbian opposition: Protests can end if elections recognized
U.S. puts pressure on Milosevic government
December 6, 1996
Web posted at: 7:00 p.m. ESTBELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- As protests continued Friday for the 19th straight day, Serbian opposition leader Vuk Draskovic said he was willing to call them off -- provided that the government of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic validates election results from Belgrade and other Serbian cities.
Crowds have swelled to more than 100,000. At one point Friday, students paraded an effigy of Milosevic dressed in prison garb through the city and erected a brick wall outside the federal parliament.
"We are trying to prove that we are building Serbia up, not destroying it like Milosevic," said a student organizer, explaining the wall's symbolism.
"When the parade passed the first time, I was so excited that at last people were doing something against the regime," said 82-year-old Olga Radovanovic, who lives in downtown Belgrade. "I remember what it was like during the Yugoslav kingdom before the days of the Communists. (Back) then we had something like a democracy, and I want that again."
U.S. turns up the heat on Milosevic
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said the decision to allow independent radio broadcasts was a step in the right direction. However, he said, Washington believes that the Serbian government should now take the next step, and initiate an open dialogue with the opposition in Serbia.
"This is no time for business-as-usual in Serbia. This is a time for the democratic process to move forward," Burns added, saying that the Milosevic government should "take a solid step of respecting the municipal elections of November 17."
The protests were triggered by the decision of Milosevic, a Socialist, and election officials to invalidate the results of November 17 municipal elections, which opposition political parties won in Belgrade and 14 other major cities throughout Yugoslavia. The officials cited unspecified "irregularities" for the annulment.
The United States was slow to react when the opposition demonstrations began. But despite Milosevic's key role in the U.S.-negotiated Dayton accords, Washington increasingly has taken the side of the protesters.
Earlier in the week, the administration warned Belgrade against using force against the protesters and made it possible for two opposition radio stations to circumvent a short-lived government effort to silence them.
Public support for Milosevic drops off
Public support for Milosevic has tumbled since students and opposition leaders began demonstrating against his Socialist government, a magazine poll said Friday.
According to the bimonthly Nin, Milosevic's popularity has fallen nearly 10 percentage points, from 26 to 16.5 percent, in less than three weeks. During that time, demonstrators have taken to the streets of Belgrade to protest what they say is election-rigging by Milosevic's government.
The poll also said opposition leader Zoran Djindjic's popularity has risen from 2 percent to 10 percent.
"For six years, we grew accustomed to defeat, but now that we have tasted victory we are not ready to accept defeat any more," Djindjic told crowds in Belgrade's Republic Square Friday.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- As protests mount, Serbia's hard line begins to soften - December 5, 1996
- Serbs silence 3rd radio station critical of Milosevic - December 4, 1996
- Independent radio stations silenced in Yugoslavia - December 3, 1996
- U.S. warns Milosevic not to use force against protesters - December 3, 1996
- Anti-Milosevic protesters take to streets despite threats - December 2, 1996
- Belgrade protesters keep up campaign against Milosevic - November 30, 1996
- Students protest on streets of Belgrade - November 29, 1996
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