NATO is getting ready to pick up the harvest
By Tanja Djurovic
Junge Welt, Monday, 9.10.2000
Belgrade -- "I've just received information from official sources that Vojislav Kostunica won the elections. I congratulate Mr. Kostunica on his election victory...", said recent Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic in his address to the nation broadcast on Yu-Info TV channel on Friday (Oct. 6), admitting defeat in the presidential elections by his opponent Vojislav Kostunica, candidate of Democratic opposition of Serbia (DOS).
"I personally intend to take a short break, to spend more time with my family, and then, afterwards, to primarily strengthen my party...Socialist party of Serbia will be a very strong opposition" finished Milosevic his address making it clear that he has no intention of fleeing the country, or leaving political life.
This seems to be the epilogue of election crisis in Yugoslavia and two-week long fight between Milosevic and Kostunica for presidency of FRY, which culminated on Thursday in Belgrade with mass and violent protests orchestrated by DOS.
Vojislav Kostunica made his oath on Saturday night in Belgrade "Sava Center", by which he officially became new president of Yugoslavia. On the joint constitutive sessions of both chambers of Federal Parliament, Kostunica bounded himself to "respect and implement the Constitution of FRY and federal laws, to preserve the sovereignty, independence and integrity of FRY..."
Earlier in the night, both chambers of the Yugoslav Parliament were constituted for the new session. The Chamber of Citizens verified 119 out of 138 deputy mandates, and Chamber of Republics 39 out of 40 mandates.
In both chambers of the Federal Parliament the representatives of Milosevic's left coalition have the majority. This was clear from the start, and even DOS representatives agreed to it.
Still, Milosevic's obvious presence in Yugoslav capital and appearance on TV, putting the end to rumors and wild guesses as to his whereabouts and intentions, came as a shock to DOS leaders and their supporters, who had been convinced that ex-Yugoslav president had long since left Belgrade, if not indeed the country. That, coupled with the fact that a leftist government might be formed soon, is casting a shadow on DOS's present advantage.
Zoran Djindjic, DOS campaign manager, gave a statement to the press immediately after Milosevic's address on Friday, saying that Slobodan Milosevic is just preparing a blow from the back and intends to consolidate the police forces, so he could come back on scene as a tough hand. Obviously afraid that someone or something can still endanger their "democratic revolution", Djindjic finished rather paranoically: "I do not trust Milosevic!"
Still, if Milosevic is not to be trusted, why not accept the assurances and congratulations offered to Kostunica by thehighest representatives of the army and police? It seems that DOS's fear of one man and his presence is so great, that not even the fact that those institutions didn't react during Thursday's vandalistic demonstrations can reassure the Serbian opposition.
Perhaps the DOS is simply being aware of its own fragility: from the very beginning, it has been highly dependent on foreign support and money. This ad hoc alliance of some 18 parties has only one common ground and program - to oust Milosevic.
Not to forget that the DOS candidate, newly-proclaimed FRY president Kostunica, is a leader of a small party with low support from the people, and a man of low significance. The person running the show for this particular puppet on a string is Zoran Djindjic, who in his own turn is a puppet of the administration in Washington.
Not to forget that over 2 million Yugoslav citizens voted against Kostunica precisely for the above mentioned reasons, knowing who the powers behind DOS are and not wanting to be a part of "Pax Americana".
"Slobodan Milosevic had very little or no chance at all" said Petar Raskov (70), a Federal court judge on pension, underlining that pressure exercised on Serbia, of power, money and media combined, was too heavy for Serbian people not to yield. "Milosevic was the only man to preserve the FRY resistance to NATO's "Drang nach Osten" (Push to the East) strategy. I couldn't vote for NATO, not even if it puts on a disguise of Serbian nationalist with anti-American policy".
As for those who did - a gun at man's temple can be a good incentive, and endlessly repeated "international community" treats to Serbian people that as long as Milosevic is Yugoslav president, sanctions against their country won't be lifted, obviously influenced the ultimate decision, especially with the young people.
"I didn't vote for Kostunica, he is nobody!" says Milan Ristic (24), a student from Belgrade. "But his victory might bring better days for Yugoslavia. I voted against Milosevic, because the whole world was against him!"
Therefore, after plowing Yugoslav land with bombs and missiles in Spring of 1999, after fertilizing it for over a year with media-launched lies and money, Military Alliance of the West is getting ready to pick up the harvest.
Tanja Djurovic is a Junge Welt correspondent from Belgrade.International Action Center
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