Fear of Politics

The title "Ratting on Serbia" on Vecernje Novosti's May 18 front page was printed in the biggest bold face type available. While FRY, Serbian and Montenegrin officials were talking to Klaus Kinkel and advocating state and national interests, a select few members of the Serbian opposition used their half hour with the German foreign minister to "rat on their country". The title stood over a photo of DS leader Zoran Djindjic, GSS leader Vesna Pesic and SPO leader Vuk Draskovic sitting at a table and talking to Kinkel.

Draskovic responded effectively at a press conference on May 22: "There's nothing to rat about since everyone knows Milosevic's record as a statesman. What did he say to Kinkel? Why is he hiding? He got an ultimatum. He's the one who thought he could use his media to trick the entire planet. Now the bills here and he's signing it, selling out, giving up, agreeing to everything just to stay in power."

Kinkel's talks with state officials got more air time on state TV than anything else. It isn't clear why all the fuss about the opposition talks, or is it just because of some old state paranoia?

Interestingly, Vojislav Seselj told his Serbian Radical Party (SRS) congress on May 18 that the Draskovic's SPO are "US agents in Serbia". He said he wouldn't allow foreign mercenaries to rule Serbia and added that the SRS would topple the Milosevic regime and destroy the treasonous opposition coalition.

You can't really say the SPS-SRS coalition has been restored but it was clear last week that the SPS and JUL are using Seselj's services. The authorities are marked by the rigid narrowing of the "court" in what could be another indication of the coalition.

The New Democracy (ND), which saw itself as a bridge between the authorities and the democratic center, paid for its stand in the ousting of Governor Avramovic with an internal crisis. The ND must have had a mediation mission between the central bank and the authorities but opted for Milosevic instead of Avramovic. An unforgivable servility since Milosevic didn't need that vote in federal parliament. ND deputy leader Rodoljub Draskovic left the party and sent an open letter (on May 18) to the ND president and leaders saying he was relieving himself of all duties in the ND "because it betrayed Avramovic in parliament". In a letter to Avramovic, Draskovic said it is his moral responsibility to leave the ND.

The party responded with a complaint over his decision and added that the party couldn't comment upon his personal decision. Rodoljub's brother Vuk (of the SPO, the ND's old coalition partner) said he was sorry his brother had joined the ND and was glad he had left.

Djindjic, Draskovic and Pesic told an opposition rally in Uzice that Serbia faces two roads: "one leads to isolation, chaos and poverty and the other to Europe".

Their three parties are still trying to convince voters to continue struggling for what Avramovic represented. Djindjic's Democratic Party (DS) printed a poster saying "Avramovic urged a stable dinar, safe jobs, economic reform and Serbia's return to the international community. By ousting the man who saved us from hyperinflation, Milosevic has shown that he wants to turn Serbia into an isolated Communist island with the people growing increasingly poor and his personal bank account in Cyprus increasingly full. Help us oppose that mad policy which is leading Serbia into ruin and oust the corrupt and incompetent Socialist authorities at the next elections."

The authorities are engaged in their favorite sport - making nothing seem like something.

Federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic told the opening ceremony of the agriculture fair in Novi Sad that the government stands firm in the policy of a stable dinar exchange rate. The opposition is voicing suspicion that money is already being printed.

At his May 21 press conference, Vuk Draskovic asked his spokesman to give him some money and showed reporters newly printed bank notes without a seal, with Avramovic's signature and serial numbers from AO5870401 to AO5870500. He said they got them from dealers on the street who said they came from "an army service", whatever that means.

The authorities are controlling social unrest like a forest fire; putting it out in one spot and shutting it up in another.

They got Nis strikers to quiet down last week. This week the strikes went to Kraljevo (2,000 workers), Pec (2,000) and the rest of Serbia by medical staff.