YUGOSLAVIA: BELGRADE: ANTI MILOSEVIC DEMONSTRATION

Описание: (28 Sep 2000) Serbo-Croat/Nat
XFA
More than 200,000 joyful opponents of Slobodan Milosevic, chanting «He's finished,» swarmed Belgrade's downtown district on Wednesday, in a major demonstration of support for the opposition claim of an electoral triumph over the Yugoslav president.

It was the biggest protest ever against the incumbent president and completely blocked Belgrade's main streets Republic Square.

The whole downtown area teemed with people waving flags and chanting.

Throughout Serbia, the main Yugoslav republic, thousands also streamed into the streets of many other cities, celebrating what seems to be an overwhelming opposition victory at last weekend's presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections.

Vojislav Kostunica, who the opposition claims defeated Milosevic in the Sunday vote, told the crowd that there will be no runoff on October 8, as claimed by the authorities.

Protesters threw firecrackers and flares, and waved thousands of banners reading 'He's done with' - a reference to Milosevic's apparent stunning defeat in the election race against Kostunica.

The huge crowd also marched past the Federal Parliament building, booing and jeering at the state electoral officials who were meeting inside.

The commission is to issue final, official results by Thursday evening

Organizers of the protest called on their supporters to hit the streets again on Thursday if Kostunica is not proclaimed the winner.

Late on Tuesday, the commission signalled a runoff but did not release complete figures.

Such a large opposition turnout - despite fears of clashes with police - indicates that Milosevic's attempts to cower his opponents may fail.

The victorious atmosphere at the Belgrade gathering also suggested that the pro-democracy Serbs no longer fear Milosevic's autocratic government, sensing that he may not be able to hold on much longer.

Opposition leaders sought to avoid an open clash with police, which might give Milosevic a pretext for a crackdown.

They did not contest a police order to move the rally from the initial venue after authorities said it would disturb work of the State Election Commission.

They added they had received assurances from the police that they would not intervene.
There was no visible police presence during the rally.

The opposition, using figures from its poll watchers, claimed Kostunica won 52.54 percent to Milosevic's 32.01 percent - enough for a first round victory in the five-candidate field.

But the State Electoral Commission, which is loyal to Milosevic, says Kostunica finished first with 48.22 percent while Milosevic polled 40.23 percent.

Yugoslav law requires a runoff if no candidate wins an absolute majority.

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"We won, despite the lies and despite the violence from Slobodan Milosevic, despite the sanctions under which we have lived for so many years. We won, despite the NATO bombs which were falling on this country last year and we won despite some, so-called, democrats in Serbia and Montenegro who turned their backs on us. We are strong because we won and in this victory is Serbia, the real Serbia"
SUPER CAPTION: Vojislav Kostunica, Opposition Candidate

UPSOUND: (Serbo-Croat)
"From now onwards Serbia will be ruled by your wishes not by the wishes of one man."
SUPER CAPTION: Vojislav Kostunica, Opposition Candidate

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