YUGOSLAVIA: DEMONSTRATORS MARK ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS DAY WITH THEIR 51ST CONSECUTIVE DAY OF PROTEST

Record ID: 433958

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: DEMONSTRATORS MARK ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS DAY WITH THEIR 51ST CONSECUTIVE DAY OF PROTEST
  • Date: 7th January 1997
  • Summary: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (JANUARY 7, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN REPUBLIC SQUARE 0.10 2. SV WOMAN RINGING BELL 0.14 3. LV OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN SQUARE 0.17 4. SV WOMAN WITH ICON IN CROWD 0.24 5. SV OPPOSITION LEADER ZORAN DJINDJIC GREETING SUPPORTERS IN CROWD
  • Embargoed: 22nd January 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA9A0CN0WNY78WKUIN39P3OXMO7
  • Story Text: INTRO: Serbian pro-democracy demonstrators marking Orthodox Christmas Day with their 51st consecutive day of protest found their way blocked by riot police despite a charm offensive to win them over to their cause.

    The demonstrators were back on the streets and in Republic Square in Belgrade on Tuesday (January 7) to mark the 51st day of mass street protests.

    A spokesman for the Democratic Party, a partner in Zajedno opposition coalition, said the opposition planned a new tactic to step up pressure on the government.

    Slobodan Vuksanovic said Zajedno has decided to block the work of state authorities by distributing lists of all telephone numbers of all state institutions - ministries, state TV and radio, - and encouraging people to call them.

    Zajedno leaders told their supporters to call the state institutions from dawn until dusk, to block their phones for 24 hours, so they could do less harm to the country.

    "First of all citizens will surround policemen in the streets of Belgrade and start discussions with them," said Vuksanovic.

    "Then there will also be phone calls to block work (of the state institutions)." Reporters said 50 people surrounded one traffic policeman as part of the "Talk to Cops" campaign.

    The police presence in Belgrade was bigger than usual but most officers stayed in their vehicles as thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets.


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