YUGOSLAVIA: ZAJEDNO OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS ONCE AGAIN MARCH THROUGH THE CENTRE OF BELGRADE TO PROTEST AGAINST LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS

Record ID: 639940

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: ZAJEDNO OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS ONCE AGAIN MARCH THROUGH THE CENTRE OF BELGRADE TO PROTEST AGAINST LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS
  • Date: 27th November 1996
  • Summary: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (NOVEMBER 27, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING IN STREET 0.08 2. SLV PROTESTERS OUTSIDE TELEVISION STATION THROWING EGGS 0.15 3. SLV EGGS SMEARED ON WINDOWS 0.20 4. GV OF PROTESTERS THROWING EGGS (2 SHOTS) 0.32 5. CU OF EGG, MAN THROWING EGG 0.45 6. GV OF CROWDS, FLARES BEING SET OFF IN CROWD 0.54 7. SV MAN LEAVING FLAG OUTSIDE TELEVISION STATION 1.04 8. SV PROTESTERS THROWING EGGS (3 SHOTS) 1.22 9. SLV BROKEN WINDOWS IN BUILDING 1.27 10.CU SMASHED EGGS ON GROUND 1.30 11.SLV WOMAN EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WAVING A FLAG FROM HER WINDOW 1.36 12.SCU EGG SMEARED ON POSTER ON WALL 1.38 13.GV OF MARCHERS (3 SHOTS) 1.53 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 12th December 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVAD29ZOK2PTD9YW1D7JU5QQIH4Y
  • Story Text: INTRO: Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have once again marched through the centre of Belgrade in freezing rain to protest against a re-run of local elections they say they have already won.

    The leaders of the opposition coalition Zajedno (Together) pledged to repeat Wednesday's (November 27) demonstrations every day until the Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic concedes defeat in municipalities lost to the opposition.

    Opposition leaders told the crowd that this was biggest test for Serbia in 50 years.

    The mood in the headquarters was confident and celebratory as coalition officials declared that instead of fading away after days of demonstrations in deteriorating weather, their campaign was gaining momentum.

    Vuk Draskovic, one of the leaders of the Zajedno, said the coalition had fought to protect its election victory, but now its goal was the resignation of Milosevic.

    The marchers re-traced the route that similar protests have taken each day since local electoral commissions cancelled opposition victories in run-off local elections on November 17.

    The commissions controlled by Milosevic's Socialist Party at first gave Zajedno wins in 15 of Serbia's 18 largest towns, including Belgrade, but then annulled the results citing unspecified irregularities.

    A Supreme Court challenge by Zajedno failed to overturn the annulments on Tuesday (November 26).

    An estimated 50,000 people took part in protests as voters in the disputed municipalities cast their ballots in the re-run election.

    The route took marchers past the state television studios and then to the Politika newspaper offices -- both seen as instruments of Milosevic's power. Protesters hurled rocks and abuse at the buildings.

    Opposition leaders said the protests showed ordinary people were fed up with Milosevic's authoritarian rule and were eager for democratic reforms that have swept across Eastern Europe.

    In other towns, including the industrial cities long considered loyal to Milosevic's Socialist Party, similar protests also took place.


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