YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIANS HAVE BEEN VOTING TO CHOSE THEIR FIRST PRESIDENT SINCE TOPPLING SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC

Record ID: 647797

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIANS HAVE BEEN VOTING TO CHOSE THEIR FIRST PRESIDENT SINCE TOPPLING SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC
  • Date: 13th October 2002
  • Summary: (W4) BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (OCTOBER 13, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV /SCU/MV PEOPLE VOTING (5 SHOTS) 0.37 2. MV VOJISLAV KOSTUNICA, DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SERBIA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (NOW YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT) ARRIVING AT THE POLLING STATION, ESCORTED BY HIS WIFE; MV KOSTUNICA VOTING (8 SHOTS 1.40 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) KOSTUNICA, SAYING "I am convinced this election will show determination to see trough the real reforms, in spite of all difficulties, and that they will show the willingness of the people to move on."/ LEAVING AND SAYING (AFTER BEING ASKED TO SAY A FEW WORDS IN ENGLISH) IN ENGLISH "Everything else tomorrow. And in Serbian, of course." 2.05 4. SCU/MV MIROLJUB LABUS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SUPPORTED BY DOS COALITION (NOW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VICE PRESIDENT), VOTING (3 SHOTS) 2.43 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LABUS SAYING "I did everything to persuade Serbian voters to go out and vote for a modern, pro-European Serbia. I do hope that potential voters did understand that message. Now it's their turn. I do expect everything best from this election and I do hope that Serbia has a bright future." 3.07 6. MV LABUS LEAVING WITH HIS WIFE 3.24 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA152YIHXSF9QUXRX79SCWAP662
  • Story Text: Serbians have been voting in rainy weather to choose
    their first president since toppling Slobodan Milosevic, with
    the outcome likely to trigger new political upheaval as the
    country struggles to recover from his turbulent rule.

    Vojislav Kostunica, the president of the Yugoslav
    federation, is widely expected to defeat liberal economist
    Miroljub Labus in the run-off vote on Sunday (October 13), and
    he has vowed to force out the government led by his arch-rival
    Zoran Djindjic.

    But a large question mark hangs over whether at least 50
    percent of the electorate will turn out, enough to make the
    vote valid.

    Voting got under way at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) in Yugoslavia's
    dominant republic, with people braving rain to cast ballots in
    the capital Belgrade and elsewhere. It is due to end at 8 p.m.

    If the election fails, Western diplomats fear a damaging
    period of paralysis and uncertainty will follow.

    Kostunica and Labus came out ahead in the first round,
    winning 30.89 and 27.36 percent respectively.

    They are vying to replace Milan Milutinovic, whose term
    expires at the end of the year. He is expected to join his
    former patron Milosevic at the U.N. war crimes court, which
    has indicted him over atrocities committed in Kosovo.

    Kostunica, a moderate nationalist, is looking for a new
    job as his current post will change as the federation is
    revamped.

    In his campaign, the 58-year-old has mixed calls for a
    stronger rule of law with criticism of pro-market reforms,
    demanding more social protection for those made jobless.

    After voting near his Belgrade home, Kostunica said he
    believed the election would show Serb's determination to
    continue with real reforms, implicitly denouncing the kind
    advocated by his rival.

    Labus, Yugoslavia's 55-year-old deputy premier, is one of
    the architects of the Serbian government's economic programme,
    which has won praise from the West. He argues swift changes
    are the best way to achieve prosperity.

    "I did everything to persuade Serbian voters to go out and
    vote for a modern, pro-European Serbia," he said after voting.

    Turnout two weeks ago was 55.5 percent of Serbia's 6.55
    million. Ultra-nationalist Vojislav Seselj, who came third
    with more than 23 percent, has urged a boycott of the second
    round and much will depend on whether his voters heed that call.


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