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Investigative team rules local Serbian elections valid
Riot police, protesters fill Belgrade streets
December 27, 1996
Web posted at: 5:50 p.m. EST (2250 GMT)BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- Riot police were deployed in the streets of the capital Friday as a special envoy acknowledged that opponents of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic won elections the government had annulled.
Thousands of students and members of the opposition coalition Zajedno (Together) defied police warnings and braved bitter temperatures to gather to hear the decision of an international delegation that investigated the elections.
CNN's Steve Harrigan reports from the scene: 
"That OSCE report was widely expected. . ."
(24 sec./264K AIFF or WAV sound)"This report increases the attention on the problems here. . ."
(20 sec./223K AIFF or WAV sound)It was the 38th consecutive day that protesters have turned out, and the second straight day that riot police have blocked their path. On Thursday, police clubbed opposition demonstrators who defied a new ban on protests.
Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, who led the delegation last week at Milosevic's invitation, urged Serbian authorities to respect the will of the people at the ballot box.
"Those elections, despite some problems, reflect the wish of the majority of the citizens," Gonzalez said in Geneva, where he reported to the Organization of Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe.
Leaders of the opposition movement said they were counting on the OSCE to show that the Socialist Party of Serbia had stolen the elections.
Serbian leaders tried Thursday to preempt any outside challenge to their annulment of the November 17 elections in Belgrade and more than a dozen other cities by pronouncing their decisions "final."
"Everything that is related to our country's internal issues will be resolved within the institutions of our country," Nikola Sainovic, Milosevic's closest aide, told reporters when asked in advance about the pending OSCE report.
After the report's release, the official Tanjug news agency in Serbia quoted Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic as saying the government accepted the recommendations as "well-intentioned and constructive."
"I think it was a fairly good, constructive and balanced report," he said. "We accept the suggestions as well-intentioned and constructive because they urged that everything should be considered within the institutions of our system."
A senior U.S. official said the OSCE's findings were an "international mandate" for Milosevic to accept the results of the elections his government had nullified. He also said that for now, the United States will likely hold off on further measures such as renewing sanctions, while it waits to see how Milosevic reacts to the OSCE report.
Serious challenge
The Serbian government, after clashes between opposition and Milosevic supporters Tuesday, banned marches that disrupt traffic. Thousands of police carrying rifles and automatic weapons blocked protesters Thursday from their route to a downtown square.
The daily protests have become the most serious challenge to Milosevic in nine years in power, forcing the Serbian leader into a corner.
Cracking down on the demonstrations would lead to a further loss in popular support and international standing, because Milosevic promised international dignitaries he would not use force against peaceful demonstrators.
But some political observers said backing down and conceding to opposition demands, including tolerance of a free press, would strengthen his critics, and over the long run make his hold on power more tenuous.
Milosevic refused Thursday to meet with U.S. charge d'Affaires Richard Miles, who wanted to warn him against using force against demonstrators, according to independent radio station B92 in Belgrade.
The OSCE statement provided the following list of municipalities where Gonzalez said the Zajedno coalition won the elections:
Pirot, Kraljevo, Uzice, Smederevska Pallanka, Vrasac, Soko Banja, Kraguejevac, Pancevo, Jagodina, Nis, Zrenjanin, Lapovo, Sabac and the nine municipalities of Belgrade.
Related stories:
- Ignoring police ban, protesters gather in Belgrade - December 26, 1996
- Protesters return to Belgrade streets after violence - December 25, 1996
- Milosevic opponents won't back down, despite shooting - December 24, 1996
- Milosevic supporters, foes clash in Belgrade - December 24, 1996
- Opposition reorganizes as Milosevic stages counter-protests - December 22, 1996
- Tensions continue amid talks in Yugoslavia - December 21, 1996
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