> >BELGRADE, October 03, 2000 C O N T E N T S : YUGOSLAVIA - ELECTIONS MINIC >ANSWERS KOSTUNICA FEDERAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION: DOS ELECTION STAFF >MISINFORMING PUBLIC INTERFERENCE IN YUGOSLAV INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS INADMISSIBLE, >LUKASHENKO SAYS > >FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA SERBIAN GOVERNMENT DISCUSSES CURRENT >SITUATION YUGOSLAV DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER CONFERS WITH UN OFFICIAL >CANCELLATION OF VIENNA CONFERENCE IS GROSS INTERFERENCE IN YUGOSLAV AFFAIRS >SERBIA'S OPPOSITION ORGANIZES ROAD BLOCKS, STRIKES, PRESSURES > >KOSOVO-METOHIJA - TERRORISM KOSOVO ALBANIAN TERRORISTS HURL GRENADE AT SERBS >IN PASJANE VILLAGE SON KILLED, FATHER SERIOUSLY WOUNDED > >O P I N I O N S AGGRESSOR INFLAMES CHAOS IN YUGOSLAVIA, CLARK > >FROM FOREIGN PRESS FRENCH PRESS GIVES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MILOSEVIC'S ADDRESS >TO > >* * * YUGOSLAVIA - ELECTIONS MINIC ANSWERS KOSTUNICA BELGRADE, October 3 >(Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Parliament's Chamber of Citizens President Milomir >Minic on Tuesday sent a letter to Yugoslav presidential candidate of the >Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) Vojislav Kostunica in answer to >Kostunica's letter sent to the presidents of the two chambers of Yugoslav >parliament. In his answer to Kostunica, Minic said that the federal >parliament, as the country's top legislative organ, acting in keeping with the >federal election laws, had appointed a Federal Electoral Commission from among >the ranks of bearers of legislative functions and prominent legal experts, >whose task it is to organize, carry out and determine the results of the >elections. Representatives of all proposers who nominated presidential >candidates, including DOS representatives, took part in the work of the >Federal Electoral Commission. The entire election process was managed by over >10,000 electoral committees in whose work more than 180,000 citizens >participated - representatives of all parties which took part in the >elections. All participants in the elections on Sept 24, 2000, agreed that the >elections had been fair and passed in a democratic atmosphere, and that they >had been realized in keeping with the elections legislature. This was >confirmed also by 220 observers from 54 countries the world over, Minic said. >In establishing the results of the vote, the Federal Electoral Commission was >guided strictly by original records from polling stations. "In keeping with >the law, every representative of proposers who nominated candidates for >Yugoslav president had the right to review the election material at the >Federal Electoral Commission, which a representative of those who put forward >your nomination also did," Minic said. In keeping with the election results, >it was undeniably established that the Yugoslav president was not elected in >the first round, so that the Federal Electoral Commission, in keeping with the >law, decided that citizens will elect the Yugoslav president in a second round >on Oct 8. "In line with your calling on the understanding of honour, >democracy, and your claims that you are a legalist - I urge you to prevent >manipulations and calls to unrest and violence launched by the DOS Election >Headquarters, to accept the will of the people and to respect the decision of >the Federal Electoral Commission. The citizens of the Federal Republic of >Yugoslavia will choose, of their own will, the Yugoslav president in the >second round in keeping with the Yugoslav Constitution and the Law on the >election of Republican president," said Minic in closing in his letter to DOS >presidential candidate Kostunica. > >FEDERAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION: DOS ELECTION STAFF MISINFORMING PUBLIC BELGRADE, >October 3 (Tanjug) - The Federal Electoral Commission on Monday released a >statement in reaction to "misinformation and false data constantly released by >the Election Headquarters of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)." "The >Federal Electoral Commission points out that authorized persons from the >Democratic Opposition of Serbia had had access to all election material which >they had demanded, and that they had been enabled insight into these materials >in keeping with the Law on the election of the president of the Federal >Republic of Yugoslavia, in the official premises and within the prescribed >deadline." The Commission said "the election campaign headquarters of Vojislav >Kostunica announced in public in the past seven days first that their >candidate won 2,783,870 votes on Tuesday, September 26, 2,649,003 on >Wednesday, September 27, 2,424,187 votes on Saturday, September 30, and today, >on Monday, October 2, 2,414,876 votes." "They bombarded our public with >figures that Vojislav Kostunica won 2,649,003 votes, that this is 52.54 >percent of the 5,041,878 votes cast," the Commission statement said, adding: >"Today, they say that Vojislav Kostunica won 2,414,876 votes and that >4,704,685 voters went to the polls. "In order to maintain a majority in his >favour, they reduced the number of citizens who had voted by close to 350,000 >- erasing all citizens who voted in Kosovo and Metohija and displaced persons >from Kosmet and all citizens who voted in Montenegro. "The Federal Electoral >Commission is not obliged by manipulations or mistakes in the DOS Election >Headquarters. "It was possible for the DOS Election Headquarters, since they >had representatives in all polling stations and all records, to be assured of >the legitimacy of the data released by the Federal Electoral Commission. "The >Federal Electoral Commission has asked the Supervising Committee to warn the >DOS Election Headquarters that spreading lies, threats to members of the >Electoral Commission, calls for lynching, and provocation of unrest present a >form of impermissible pressure and intimidation of voters. "The Federal >Electoral Commission informs the public that all preparations for holding the >run-off to the election of Yugoslav president, set for Oct 8, 2000, are >proceeding in keeping with the law," the Commission statement said. > >INTERFERENCE IN YUGOSLAV INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS INADMISSIBLE, LUKASHENKO SAYS >MOSCOW, October 3 (Tanjug) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said >on Tuesday that foreign interference in Yugoslav internal affairs is >inadmissible. According to Moscow media, Lukashenko said that the Yugoslav >people should express their own free will. The Serbian people are able to >elect the man who will really represent their interests, said Lukashenko. The >Belarussian observers who had monitored the first round of Yugoslav elections >think that everything was fair and absolutely democratic, Lukashenko said. The >friendly ties between the two countries have nothing to do with the names of >current, former or future Russian or Belarussian presidents, they are the >"factual truth", stressed Lukashenko accepting credentials from new Yugoslav >Ambassador to Belarus Milorad Radovic. > >FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA SERBIAN GOVERNMENT DISCUSSES CURRENT >SITUATION BELGRADE, October 3 (Tanjug) - The Serbian Government held a session >on Tuesday chaired by Premier Mirko Marjanovic and discussed the current >situation in the republic. It noted that various foreign agencies are >continuing their special war against Yugoslavia and attempting to cause chaos, >intimidate the people and prevent normal functioning of state institutions. >All political subjects have the right, guaranteed by the Constitution, to >engage in political activities, hold public assemblies and express freely >their political views, but such activities must not endanger the rights and >freedoms of the citizens, the government said quoted in a statement by the >information ministry. Any attempt at subversive activities endangering >personal safety or property of the citizens must therefore be prevented and >sanctioned according to law, the statement says. The violent behaviour of >individuals and groups that threatens citizens' lives, disrupts normal >functioning of traffic, prevents normal work of industry, schools, >institutions and health facilities will be proscribed by law, the statement >says. Special measures will be taken against the organisers of these criminal >activities. These measures also apply to media that are financed from abroad >and are breeding lies, untruths and inciting bloodshed, the statement says. >Due to the attempt at sabotage at the Kolubara mining and power complex, and >in order to maintain stable functioning of the power supply system, the >government adopted a decision on minimum compulsory work in Serbia's power >industry, the statement says. > >YUGOSLAV DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER CONFERS WITH UN OFFICIAL BELGRADE, October 2 >(Tanjug) - Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Zoran Novakovic has received the >special U.N. envoy for human rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and >Yugoslavia Jiri Dienstbier, Yugoslav Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. >Novakovic informed Dienstbier about the dramatic situation in the U.N.-run >Serbian (Yugoslav) province of Kosovo-Metohija which is getting worse daily, >especially after UNMIK chief Bernard Kouchner had scheduled elections for >October 28 despite the fact that no conditions have been provided for them. He >stressed that the situation in the southern Serbian province is characterized >by systematic deliberate violations of Security Council Resolution 1244, >specifically Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and by mass >violations of the human rights of both Serbs and other non-Albanians. >Novakovic urged Dienstbier to oppose the local elections in Kosovo-Metohija >because they encourage terrorism and separatism and also can endanger peace >and stability not only in the province but throughout the region. Dienstbier >once again stressed that he supports sovereignty and territorial integrity of >Yugoslavia and opposes sanctions against the Yugoslav people. He was >specifically interested in the Yugoslav elections held on Sept 24, and >expressed his best wishes for their peaceful outcome, the statement said. > >CANCELLATION OF VIENNA CONFERENCE IS GROSS INTERFERENCE IN YUGOSLAV AFFAIRS >VIENNA, October 3 (Tanjug) - The 2nd Conference on the Implementation of the >Subregional Arms Control Accord (Florence Accord) which is one of the basic >elements of Dayton-Paris accord, was due to be held on October 4 in Vienna. >All preparations for the Conference have been completed successfully and on >time, organized by the Yugoslav delegation which had been appointed to chair >the conference. The Conference, however, will not be held, because delegations >from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation refused to participate, >justifying their decision by the allegedly serious situation in Yugoslavia. >Yugoslav delegation chief, Deputy Foreign Minister Miroslav Milosevic said at >the preparatory committee session convened just before the conference was due >to be held, that this pointless politically motivated act is an attempt at >gross interference in internal affairs of sovereign Yugoslavia. This is one of >the most serious blows to the entire Dayton-Paris accord, Milosevic said. > >SERBIA'S OPPOSITION ORGANIZES ROAD BLOCKS, STRIKES, PRESSURES BELGRADE, >October 3 (Tanjug) - The Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) organized again >on Tuesday road blocks and protests, preventing normal daily activities and >work in some towns and industries in Serbia. Belgrade residents were thus >again forced to walk to work due to traffic stoppages in several city >thoroughfares, organized by DOS, the Otpor organization, the G 17 group and >other so-called independent organizations. DOS followers erected road blocks >around Smederevska Palanka, preventing access to the Belgrade - Nis highway. >However, the Gosa industry and many other companies in the town are working as >usual. In Paracin, DOS followers blocked the Paracin - Bor road at 5 a.m., and >the road towards Krusevac and other access roads some time later. This has >prevented the deliveries of cement from the Novi Popovac plant, where >production has been reduced due to fuel shortage, deputy manager Miodrag >Stefanovic told Tanjug. The Buducnost cable manufacturing industry in Paracin >has also stopped production as imported raw materials and other inputs cannot >reach the plant. Employees, however, come to work every day, Buducnost >executive Dragan Vasic told Tanjug. Workers at the Paracin glass works are, >however, on strike, and the industry is operating at minimum capacity. Several >thousand DOS followers once again blocked the main road through Uzice Tuesday >morning for - they said - three hours, allowing only ambulances through. Food >shops and green markets in Uzice were open only until 10 a.m. Tuesday, while >other shops and restaurants remained closed. Primary and high schools in the >town were closed, but the teachers' college and the technical college are >working normally. In the Uzice municipality which is administered by DOS >parties, the copper and aluminum processing industry in Sevojno and some other >plants are on strike. The Uzice power distribution network has started >alternating four-hour power cuts in town districts. > >KOSOVO-METOHIJA - TERRORISM KOSOVO ALBANIAN TERRORISTS HURL GRENADE AT SERBS >IN PASJANE VILLAGE GNJILANE, October 3 (Tanjug) - Five Serbs were injured in >Pasjane village near Gnjilane shortly after 8 p.m. on Monday when ethnic >Albanian extremists hurled a hand grenade at a group of Serbs standing outside >a store. Zoran Stojanovic, 35, and Ljubisa Maksimovic, 21, were gravely >injured, while Sasa Aksic, 27, Srboljub Stojkovic, 29, and Srdjan Andjelkovic, >31, sustained minor injuries. The international force KFOR medical center in >the village administered first aid to the injured Serbs. The seriously injured >casualties will most probably be taken to the U.S. Bondsteel base near Sojevo >for further treatment, amateur radio operators reported from the U.N.-run >Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija. The three attackers fled from the >scene in a red Golf automobile without license plates in the direction of the >neighbouring village of Vlastica, populated by ethnic Albanians. > >SON KILLED, FATHER SERIOUSLY WOUNDED VRANJE, October 3 (Tanjug) - On the road >near the village Suharno, in the immediate vicinity of Vranje and Bujanovac, >Sasa Rasic, from Vranje, was killed when his vehicle struck a land mine >planted by Albanian terrorists. His father Miodrag was seriously wounded. >Miodrag Rasic has been hospitalized and his wounds are not life-threatening. > >O P I N I O N S AGGRESSOR INFLAMES CHAOS IN YUGOSLAVIA, CLARK NEW YORK, >October 2 (Tanjug) - Retired American General Wesley Clark, who had dropped >thousands of tons of bombs on Yugoslavia and its people, could not refrain >from appearing on American television late Tuesday and inciting to disorder >and chaos in Yugoslavia. Clark openly said that he hopes that tension will >gain momentum, which means that he believes that internal forces will achieve >what he could not - to defeat the country and its people. He worries, however, >as it can be understood from his statement to CNN, whether the provokers of >disorder and chaos will achieve their task. His statement and the statements >of other American officials who had led the brutal aggression against >Yugoslavia, especially U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, reveal not >only that the aims and opinions of the aggressors and those forces in >Yugoslavia which are attempting to cause chaos are the same, but that they are >directly linked, which is best indicated by controlled American press. The >U.S. media, such as New York Times, had "foreseen" even before the elections >what the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) leaders are now trying to >achieve by inciting people to chaos. Those texts published before the >elections in Yugoslavia clearly demonstrated that plans had already been >prepared for violations of law and order through street rallies. > >FROM FOREIGN PRESS FRENCH PRESS GIVES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MILOSEVIC'S ADDRESS >TO YUGOSLAV PEOPLE PARIS, October 3 (Tanjug) - French press and electronic >media have given great importance to Milosevic's Monday address to Yugoslav >people. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic addressed the Yugoslav people on >Radio-Television of Serbia RTS and warned them of external pressures they are >exposed to at the present time, French media said. In his address to the >people before the second round of the presidential election, Milosevic >stressed that the opposition wants to put the Balkans under the control of >western powers, the same which had bombed Yugoslavia in the spring of 1999, >said French television in its prime time news programs. I must warn you about >their false promises. Our policy is the policy of peace, theirs is a policy of >violence, French dailies Figaro and Liberation quoted President Milosevic's >words on Tuesday. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
