On Democracy and Party Dictatorship

Believing that there is no party interest worth abandoning democracy, adherence to principles and basic program stands, MPs of the Democratic Movement of Serbia (DEPOS) in the Federal Assembly Chamber of Citizens have opted for acting autonomously in the Parliament, because the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) is not a democratically-oriented party at this moment. The chief decisions are reached without the consent of the Party's bodies and implemented as orders of Party President Vuk Draskovic or figures whose competences are unclear. A political party cannot urge democracy unless it, itself, is democratic.

The frequent oscillations and inconsistency in SPO President's political stands, particularly regarding the Serbian national issue, parliamentary and non-parliamentary activities, the Vance-Owen plan and the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina, have caused major dilemmas and confusion among the party membership and in our public and provoked the SPO rivals and the whole democratic opposition to launch argumented attacks and disqualifications. By his behaviour, Draskovic has turned the SPO, a democratic and national party, into a non-democratic and pseudo-national one whose political stands can be used one time only and for his personal promotion....

Belgrade, January 10, 1994

Signatories: DEPOS Members of Parliament in the Federal Assembly Council of Citizens:

Slobodan Rakitic, writer, Chairman of the DEPOS MP group; Strahinja Kastratovic, lawyer; Dr. Jovan Babic, radiologist; Dr. Vojislav Nedeljkovic, neuropsychiatrist; Radomir Urosevic, SPO Vice-President, B Sc; Dr. Jovan Tomic, surgeon; Radenko Jokovic, attorney; Zoran Cirkovic, professor; Prof. Dr. Pavle Premovic.