Elections Arena

Elections were announced on 14 August , the deadline for handing in lists of candidates is 3 October; verification of lists will take place on 6 October; pre-election black-out is between 1-3 November; elections will be held on 3 November.

Democratic party (DS) began (17 August) a campaign for the inclusion of 100,000 young people in the election registery. It demanded (18 August) the resignation of Vrebalov and Sipovac following the discovery by British experts that there was no epidemic of foot and mouth disease amongst cattle in Serbia.

Democratic party of Serbia (DSS) refused (19 August) to sign the Agreement on media representation; it demanded (20 August) the protection of 740,000 unemployed in Serbia; the Democratic Centre (DC) announced (19 August) intra-party consultations about its participation in the agreement on media representation.

Democratic League of Kosovo (DLK) declared (Ibrahim Rugova, 16 August) that Kosovo Albanians will not take part in the upcoming federal elections; Coalition "Together" (Serbian Renewal Movement-SPO, DS and the Civil Union of Serbia-GSS) suggested (18 August) that parties be represented in the media in proportion to their strength. They also suggested multiparty control of the main media; it refused (19 August) to sign the agreement on media representation and left the negotiations. SPO (15 August) prepared a written document about the coalition based on the results of the 1993 elections; DS (15 August) demanded the inclusion of the DSS, the People's party of Montenegro and the Social-Democratic party of Montenegro. Regional party organizations of SPO and DS in Nis (16 August), Krusevac (17 August), Smederevska Palanka (together with DSS) and Smederevo (18 August) demanded for the coalition to be reinforced with a written document, while in Novi Sad (20 August), local party organizations signed one such document. In Knjazevac (16 August), Draskovic demanded that privatization be consistent with the policies of former head of the bank of Yugoslavia Dragoslav Avramovic, as a foundation of revival. DS agreed (16 August) that Dragoslav Avramovic should become leader of the coalition "Together".

Liberal union of Montenegro (LSCG) boycotted (19 August) the signing of the agreement on media representation of political parties; People's peasant party (NSS) left (19. August) the negotiations on media representation;

People's party of Montenegro (NS CG) authorised (19. August) the president of DS Zoran Djindjic to decide in the name of the NS CG whether the agreement on media representation should be signed.

The Popular Democratic Revival (NDP) was formed in Nis (18 August), which consists of the Party of Independent Democrats of Serbia, Serbia Party of St. Sava, Serbian Popular Renewal, All-Serbian People's front, Serbian Monarchist party and the association "Orthodox league"; The Union of Communists- Movement for Yugoslavia (SKPJ) announced (Latinovic, 20 August) its participation in the elections as part of the Yugoslav United Left (JUL) coalition.

Social Democratic Party of Montenegro (SDP CG) boycotted the signing of the agreement on media representation (19 August). Social-Democratic Union (SDU) offered support (20 August) to the normalization of relations with Croatia, and demanded a solution to the mysterious abduction in Strpci;

Socialist party of Serbia (SPS) is running a campaign in Bosnia. The President of the Belgrade Regional Board Branislav Ivkovic and SPS delegations from a number of Serbian cities visited Bijeljina (18 August); A delegation of the SPS local party organization from Brcko visited Leskovac (19 August).

Serbian Radical Party (SRS) objected (15 August) that the government is already breaking the election rules by failing to print election documents in time; It refused to attend the signing of the agreement on media representation; in Kostolac (16 August), Seselj demanded elections for the Serbian parliament as well as for the local elections. In Golubac (17 August), Guca and Moravicki region (19 August) he demanded from state authorities the protection of social rights, and demanded that the pension fund be turned into an investment fund; SRS is running a campaign in Bosnia- SRS of the Republic of Srpska announced (17. August) that it plans to press charges against the leaders of Social-liberal party (SLS-RS).

The Party of Serbian Unity (SJJ) accused Ibrahim Rugova of being "behind all terrorist attacks on Serbian police stations" and demanded "severe counter-terrorism measures" (Raznjatovic, 16 August); SJJ (B. Pelevic 18 August) began its campaign in the Republic of Srpska.