YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIAN OPPOSITION LEADER VUK DRASKOVIC GIVES THE MEDIA AN INSIGHT INTO HIS POPULARITY WITH YOUNG SERBS

Record ID: 646120

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIAN OPPOSITION LEADER VUK DRASKOVIC GIVES THE MEDIA AN INSIGHT INTO HIS POPULARITY WITH YOUNG SERBS
  • Date: 27th November 1996
  • Summary: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (NOVEMBER 27, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV OPPOSITION LEADER VUK DRASKOVIC WITH HIS WIFE DANICA AND DOG LUCKY 0.10 2. SV DANICA HELPS DRASKOVIC PUT ON HIS JACKET, WAVES HIM GOODBYE FROM HIS HOUSE 0.22 3. SLV DRASKOVIC WALKS INTO SERBIAN RENEWAL MOVEMENT PARTY HEADQUARTERS 0.31 4. SV DRASKOVIC GREETS HIS ASSOCIATES 0.38 5. SCU ONE OF SEVERAL CAMERAMEN DRASKOVIC WILL GIVE INTERVIEWS TO DURING THE DAY 0.39 6. SCU DRASKOVIC SEATED AT TABLE EXPLAINING THAT THE SYMBOL OF A GRENADE (ON PAMPHLET) IS THE FACE OF MILOSEVIC "HE DESTROYED VUKVAR, HE DESTROYED SARAJEVO. HE IS GUILTY OF ONE MILLION REFUGEES. HE IS GUILTY OF ETHNIC CLEANSING (ENGLISH) 1.05 7. SV REPORTERS 1.11 8. SCU DRASKOVIC SAYING HE CALLED FORTH YOUNG SERBS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN MILOSEVIC'S WAR. I CALLED AGAINST ETHNIC CLEANSING. I CALLED TO ACCEPT ALL PEACE INITIATIVES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FROM THE BEGINNING (ENGLISH) 1.33 9. SLV DRASKOVIC WITH ASSOCIATE 1.28 10.SV SERBIAN SUPPORTERS SHOUTING SUPPORT FOR DRASKOVIC OUTSIDE SERBIAN PARLIAMENT 1.40 11. SV DRASKOVIC IN STREET GREETING SUPPORTERS 2.00 12. GV MARCHERS IN STREET, DRASKOVIC MARCHING IN MIDDLE 2.06 13. SLV DRASKOVIC MARCHING 2.10 14. SCU DRASKOVIC SAYING PEOPLE OF SERBIA DECIDED TO FORCE MILOSEVIC TO RESIGN (ENGLISH) 2.34 15. GV/PA DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEADQUARTERS ,AND SUPPORTERS OF THE ZAJEDNO COALITION 2.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 12th December 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVAEQ47VXRDDC4L5YF9XM9DI1EL7
  • Story Text: INTRO: The charismatic leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement, the most popular opposition to Yugoslavia's government, have given the media an insight into his day during the massive public rebellion on the streets of Belgrade.

    Serbian opposition leader Vuk Draskovic on Wednesday (November 27) gave the media an insight into his thinking and his manner which has made him a popular figure with the young Serbs in the capital Belgrade.

    It is 10 o'clock in the morning and Vuk Draskovic is leaving his home in Belgrade poche suburb seen off by his wife Danica and the German shepherd Lucky.

    His first stop is his party headquarters - Serbian Renewal Movement.

    There he meets with his closest associates and the members of the party's main board.

    But, not only them. Numerous reporters have been queuing up in his office to get an interview.

    In every meeting with the press Draskovic stresses the negative role the Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has had in the past for the country's image in the world.

    He shows propaganda material that was earlier distributed by the ruling Socialist Party on which an image of bomb and two hearts is shown.

    Draskovic say socialists wanted to picture him as a bomb threat. He shows a pamphlet picturing a bomb and says: "This is the symbol of Milosevic. He destroyed Vukovar, Sarajevo, thousands of citizens. He is guilty of thousands refugees. He is guilty of ethnic cleansing", Draskovic says.

    "At the beginning we, I, called openly young Serbs not to participate in Milosevic's war. Don't participate in destroying our country. I called against ethnic cleansing. I called to accept all peace initiatives, from the Hague document to Dayton", he says.

    A little while after the journalists leave, Draskovic meets his coalition partner, the leader of the Democratic Party Zoran Djindjic.

    They have been meeting every day since the protests started eight days ago to give a fine touch to the agreements for the day.

    In Serbian parliament, Draskovic meets the deputies of the coalition Zajedno, who have been on a hunger strike ever since the local electoral commissions cancelled opposition victories in run-off local elections on November 17.

    Tens of thousands supporters shout his name in front of the parliament. He goes out, kisses and hugs them.

    As Draskovic and his supporters approach the state television studios, Draskovic comments: "People of Serbia decided to create a new destiny, a new democratic Serbia. People of Serbia decided to force Milosevic to resign on this way", Draskovic speaks as he walks towards the television building.

    "Milosevic is the main enemy of Serbian nation and Serbian people", he says.

    His final stop is at the Democratic party headquarters.

    Together with coalition partners he addresses big crowds.

    They say the protest must go on.

    The opposition coalition Zajedno (Together) has led more than a week of demonstrations in the capital and towns across the country after authorities annulled results of a municipal poll which went badly for Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic's ruling Socialists.

    The opposition has claimed victory in 15 of Serbia's 18 largest towns, including Belgrade, but authorites annulled the results in most towns, citing unspecified irregularities.

    A supreme court challenge by Zajedno failed to overturn the annulments on Tuesday, but the opposition then declared it would continue its struggle to have the victories recognised.

    Socialist authorities organised another round of voting on Wednesday in municipalities where the opposition claimed victories.

    The opposition called for a boycott in Belgrade of the re-vote, which it described as a "farce".


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