The Latest Rapprochement of Serbian Opposition

United for Early Elections

The major opposition parties of Serbia, parliamentary and non-parliamentary, have finally agreed to act together against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. If negotiations with the regime about scheduling elections fail, the opposition will start mass protests

AIM Podgorica, 11 January, 2000 (By AIM correspondent from Belgrade)

At the invitation of Vuk Draskovic, leader of the Serb Revival Movement (SPO), on Monday, 10 January, leaders of seventeen opposition parties, coalitions and leagues, with the exception of Momcilo Perisic, signed the agreement on joint action for early democratic elections. They demand from the presidents of FRY and Serbia, the Republican parliament and government an agreement on scheduling elections on all levels by the end of April based on stands adopted at the round table of the opposition held on 14 October. If the regime fails to accept the offer, the opposition will organise protests in March which will last until demands are met.

The opposition demands that a stop be put on state terror, revealing of the culprits of the traffic accident in which four high officials of SPO were killed in the beginning of October, of the murder of Slavko Curuvija, owner and editor-in-chief of Dnevni telegraf and Evropljanin, and clarification of other crimes. They demand that the regime abolish repressive regulations which human rights are violated by, primarily the law on information and on university. Representatives of the opposition agreed to institutionalise cooperation in preparations, in the course and after the elections, and to eliminate "collaboration" with the regime.

At this gathering they also reached an agreement to write a joint letter to the ministers of the European Union, USA, Russia and China. In it, Serbian opposition will demand lifting or suspension of the sanctions the moment an agreement with the regime is reached on scheduling early elections. There is also the demand that FRY return to OSCE, the United Nations, but also that Serbian army and police be enabled to return to Kosovo. In the meantime, they demand from the international community to re-establish air transportation with Serbia, lift the oil embargo and immediately send humanitarian aid.

This agreement was signed by Vuk Draskovic (SPO), Vladan Batic (in the name of the League for Changes), Vojislav Kostunica (Democratic Party of Serbia), Dragan Veselinov (Voivodina Coalition), Miodrag Isakov (Reformist Democratic Party of Voivodina), Rasim Ljajic (Sandzak Coalition), Josef Kasa (League of Voivodina Hungarians), Zarko Korac (Social Democratic Union), Dusan Mihajlovic (New Democracy), Dragoljub Micunovic (Democratic Centre), Vuk Obradovic (Social Democracy), Bishop Artemije and Momcilo Trajkovic (Serb Resistance Movement from Kosovo and Metohija), Nenad Canak (League of Social Democrats of Voivodina) and Nebojsa Covic (Democratic Alternative). General Momcilo Perisic who leads the Movement for Democratic Serbia announced further cooperation with these parties, but refused to put his signature on the offered documents. As he explained, he did it because his proposal that the opposition first demand resignation of the president of FRY in the federal parliament had not been accepted.

At the press conference after the six-hour talks, Vuk Draskovic explained that all agreed about resignation of Slobodan Milosevic, but that this type of activity would mean recognition of legitimacy of the federal parliament where illegitimate representatives of Montenegro are still sitting instead of those elected in the past Montenegrin elections. Zoran Djindjic and Goran Svilanovic, leaders of the League for Changes, did not participate at the meeting at the seat of SPO, which caused various comments before the meeting. Both leaders, however, stressed that on all political gatherings the League was represented by its current coordinator, by which in fact they wish to present the growing firmness of the coalition of their parties. Nevertheless, Djindjic did not conceal fear of leader's ambitions of Vuk Draskovic and openly declared that the League for Changes had no reason to be in a subordinated position in relation to SPO.

However, at least at this meeting, there seemed to have been no reason for such fear. Nenad Canak commented that he saw Draskovic for the first time taking part at a meeting without a wish to be the leader. All things considered, the general demand of the citizens that the opposition unite, the catastrophic situation in the country and political circumstances in its neighbourhood forced Serbian opposition to reach an agreement on the necessary minimum of togetherness against the regime. The participants at the meeting did not conceal this fact either. Vuk Draskovic, as the organiser and host of the meeting, stressed that in the forefront was the concern for the state and citizens of Serbia. According to his words, the current regime is the death penalty for Serbia. All representatives of the opposition agreed that the most important political task of the opposition was to remove the regime of Slobodan Milosevic and thoroughly change the system.

Some of the opposition leaders expected that this meeting would have historical importance, while majority wisely restrained themselves from great expectations. But almost all of them were unanimous that the opposition must bring itself to its senses in the struggle against the destructive regime. Vuk Draskovic was constantly under suspicion, primarily of the League for Changes, partly because of his last year's excursion to the post of the deputy federal prime minister, and partly due to long silent support of the Socialists in Belgrade city assembly after Together coalition had fallen apart.

By refusing support in the recent passing of the city budget in the end of last year, both the Socialists and the Democrats made it clear to the leader of SPO that he finally had to make up his mind: the regime or the opposition. Draskovic turned once again to the Democratic Party, the coalition partner with which he had won local elections in 1996. On the other hand, the ruling party had much more powerful arguments. It began with the unclarified traffic accident on Ibar main road which was assessed by Vuk Draskovic as an attempt on his life. An open threat followed just two days before this meeting of the opposition when Goran Matic, federal secretary of information, accused the leader of SPO of cooperation with French terrorist organisation called "Spider", and the opposition that it was preparing to cause civil war.

Besides, it seems that democratic winds from Croatia have slowly started airing Serbia as well. After the meeting a few opposition leaders did not fail to express hope that Serbia would introduce changes like the neighbouring state. In any case, unanimous estimate of the opposition leaders is that the meeting was a success and that what will follow in the forthcoming period is strengthening of cooperation and coordination towards the set goal. The opposition will first explain on platforms and in media its strategy and call the citizens to fight for them, if need arises even in protests. To the proposal of Bishop Artemije, it was agreed to start from Kosovo, that all the leaders first go to a joint visit to Gracanica in order to show to the people there who among Serb political groups in Kosovo is supported by the opposition.

Ten years after introduction of multipartism in Serbia, streaked with a number of wars, poverty and NATO bombs, Serbian opposition is at the beginning again which could also be its end, if this time it does not take it seriously and if it remains being absorbed in petty interests and leaders' vanity. In the existing order of things, everything has remained in the hands of the regime anyway.

Vesna Vujic

(AIM)