YUGOSLAVIA: SHOCKED COUNTRY MOURNS ASSASSINATED REFORMIST PRIME MINISTER ZORAN DJINDJIC

Record ID: 645809

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: SHOCKED COUNTRY MOURNS ASSASSINATED REFORMIST PRIME MINISTER ZORAN DJINDJIC
  • Date: 15th March 2003
  • Summary: (W5) BELGRADE, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO (MARCH 13, 2003) (REUTERS) SCU NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPHS OF SUSPECTS (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
  • Country: Serbia
  • Topics: Crime,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADTT96QL5RCOSHYMTOR5G154KC
  • Story Text: A shocked Serbia went into mourning on Thursday after the assassination of reformist Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, as the government made moves to hunt down a Belgrade criminal gang it blames for the killing.
    Acting Serbian Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic later said police had arrested around 200 people in connection with the assassination.
    The government announced three days of mourning and a memorial service was held at Djindjic's party headquarters on Thursday (March 13,2003) attended by the murdered prime minister's wife and mother.
    Djindjic, who fought to transform his country from pariah nation to pro-Western democracy, was shot outside Belgrade's main government building on Wednesday (March 12), an act that sent shock waves through the Balkan state and alarmed Western powers.
    Government officials in Belgrade assembled at the memorial service, many expressing their condolences to Djindic's wife Ruzica and his mother Mila.
    "Those who expected us to be scared must realize that the Democratic Party is a party that will take a decisive step forward, rather than back off, Senior Democratic Party official and Djindjic's ally Cedomir Jovanovic told the gathering.
    Belgrade citizens on Thursday continued to light candles and lay flowers in memory of Djindjic.
    Dozens of people were also waiting to sign the book of condolence, which was opened in the Serbian Government building.
    So far, the book has been signed by ambassadors of Italy, Greece, Israel, Cyprus, France, Great Britain and Serbia-Montenegro; representatives of the OSCE and other international institutions, EU foreign policy chief and EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten arrived in Belgrade for an emergency visit to convey a message of support to the people of Serbia in the wake of the murder of Djindjic.
    Solana and Patten held talks with acting Serbia Montengro President Svetozar Marovic and other government officials.
    After the talks, the two men gave a news conference.
    "I would just like to communicate in a very simple manner the sentiment that we have. We are here today to express it, to express it clearly to our friends the people in Serbia, to the government, to the members of the different institutions and the word cannot be other than the word of solidarity that we feel very profoundly after the shock that we lived together yesterday," said Solana.
    Patten said European countries would lend steadfast support in the months to come.
    "We intend to be beside you, we intend to work with you, we intend to help you as you continue on the journey which you've started. There can be no going back, no turning back, the road ahead to being a part of our family is clear and there will be some who will try to stop you taking that road but we want to help you get past every obstacle and every blockage," said Patten.
    Serbia's Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic told reporters that he would do everything to revenge Djindjic's death.
    "As a person, I can tell you I will do everything to revenge Djindjic's death. As a politician, I must say we will continue in our efforts to achieve our common dream and make Serbia a beautiful and democratic country."
    Milan Obradovic, Belgrade's police chief said police had, so far, arrested 40 people directly or indirectly linked to a criminal group form Belgrades Zemun suburb. But he said most members of the group were still at large.
    Later on Thursday, Acting Serbian Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said the number of those arrested had risen to 200, B92 radio reported.
    B92 said it had interviewed Covic, a deputy prime minister in Djindjic's government, and published a partial report on its web site. It said it would air the interview in full later on Thursday.
    It said Covic had also confirmed media reports that police had brought in two Milosevic-era state security chiefs, Jovica Stanisic and Franko Simatovic, for questioning.
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