Yugoslav Power Struggle Begins in Earnest

Analysis By Vesna Peric-Zimonjic

More than 100,000 people -- 150,000 according to organizers --gathered in the streets of Belgrade August 19 to demand Pres. Slobodan Milosevic's resignation.

Some of their leaders issued a risky ultimatum to the President: two weeks to go or else face civil disobedience.

Analysts pointed out that ten political leaders took to the podium August 19 to address the crowd, signalling the opposition's problems in establishing a united leadership, which must show ability not only to defeat the government but also rule the country afterwards.

They have been joined by the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Serbian crown prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, who lives in exile.

The August 19 rally -- the largest since the massive anti-government demonstrations of 1996-97 -- was organized by the "Group 17" of independent economic experts who have called for the establishment of a transitional government.

The group demands free-market economic reforms, which they deem necessary for the integration of Yugoslavia into the global economy. Battered by wars and sanctions, the already decaying economy of Serbia was further destroyed by two months of NATO air raids this year.

"The people have stood up and will not sit back until the changes are implemented," opposition leader Zoran Djindjic told the crowd. "Milosevic must go for Serbia to be free. This time we'll go all the way. It's either him or us."

Djindjic gave Milosevic two weeks to resign before "the whole of Serbia rises up."

"If not, Serbia will go out into the streets, not only in Belgrade, but in all towns, in 50 towns on the same day. Everybody will go out into the streets with one single message -- we will stay here until you go," he said.

"It's either Milosevic or Serbia, there can be no third solution," he said to demonstrators, who chanted "Slobo go" and "red bandits" referring to the Socialist party, the coalition's main partner.

Opposition parties blame Milosevic's 10-year rule of Serbia for the state of the economy, the country's isolation and the wars lost in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo since 1991, when the former Yugoslavia collapsed.

In a preemptive strike, the Socialists announced on Aug. 17 that they were ready to convoke early elections this year and that they would introduce a proposal to that effect at the Serbian parliament this week.

But "we are not afraid of elections, the others are," Ivica Dacic, a Socialist Party spokesman said. Draskovic, who owns a TV station, also called for early elections but under new laws which must include "free media."

"We are in prison," he said, "because at the helm of the federal state, at the helm of the Republic of Serbia, there are people who are there by pure accident, which did not depend on the will of the Serbian citizens and our people, and who are totally isolated from the world. "

"They must go to the political past so that Serbia goes to the future," he added.

Draskovic was booed, however, when he proposed a political agreement with the ruling coalition of Milosevic's Socialists, the Yugoslav United Left (JUL) and the Serbian Radical party to establish a transitional government.

"The transitional government has to be formed by political agreement among responsible people, from the opposition on the one hand and the ruling parties on the other hand... A large number of the opposition, a part of the opposition does not want this kind of government either," he said.

The two-hour long rally held in front of the federal Parliament building ended without incidents. A canister of tear gas was thrown into the crowd at the beginning, but did not cause turmoil. Police presence in the scene was discreet.

State television partially reported the rally in its evening news show, commenting that the "NATO demonstration ended in total failure."

For days RTS (Serbian Ratio and Television) has reported that the rally coincided with Clinton's birthday and has called opposition leaders "mercenaries of the same people who savagely bombed the country."

Rally organizers say the rally was set for Aug. 19 to make it coincide with the Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of Christ, hoping that it would represent a symbol for the transformation of Serbia.

All those who call for a transitional government "want KFOR (the NATO-led military force in Kosovo) to move into Belgrade" and "pardon Clinton and his satellites of all crimes committed in our country," Serbian deputy prime minister Milovan Bojic said Thursday.

Socialist spokesman Dacic said his party feels there are more important things to do in Serbia than holding elections, but that it was "ready to call them this year" if the opposition so wants. Ordinary elections are due in 2001.

A survey of 1,000 people from 32 municipalities of Serbia, conducted at the beginning of August by the independent Partner agency, showed that the ruling coalition would get 24 percent of the vote against 40 percent by the various opposition forces.

Draskovic's party ranks first with 18.1 percent against 13.7 for the Socialists.