Electoral Comeback

Sulejman Ugljanin returned to Yugoslavia on September 30th. Not having much trust in the promises that he would not be arrested, he arrived alone, leaving his family behind. To the gathered journalists at the airport Surcin, Ugljanin said: "I came to strengthen the peace option and win the elections." After that, he left for Novi Pazar in a luxurious Mercedes and announced the creation of the coalition of Moslem parties for the forthcoming elections in FRY. Upon his arrival to Novi Pazar, Ugljanin was greeted by 600,000 supporters and the news that the warrant was withdrawn. The news on his return to Yugoslavia has been announced several times this year, but it became certain only this spring when the Supreme Court of Serbia canceled the verdict for twenty four members of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) who had been convicted in 1993 and 1994 by the decision of the Municipal Court in Novi Pazar to serve the sentence of one to six years in prison. Almost the day after the announcement of the decision of the Supreme Court, the Secretary General of SDA, Semsudin Kucevic announced that Ugljanin might return soon, and the members of the Presidency of the Moslem National Council of Sandzak (MNVS) lobbied with the foreign embassies in Belgrade to support the safe return of Sulejman Ugljanin to FRY.

On May 30th, Sulejman Ugljanin as the president of MNVS asked from that body to decide on his urgent return to Sandzak. On June 1st, the Executive Board of MNVS unanimously decided to satisfy Uglajnin’s wish because it "wishes to contribute to the achievement of the spirit of the Dayton Agreement and to the indication of democratization in SR Yugoslavia". The authorities reacted positively to this announcement. Zoran Lilic, the President of FRY, received the delegation of Moslem parties and said that "Ugljanin is an important political factor in Yugoslavia", and Vukasin Jokanovic, the Minister of the state police, announced that no legal action will be initiated in case of his return, although "the warrant for Ugljanin is still in effect".

Profile

Sulejman Ugljanin

President of the Moslem National Council

Basic Data: Born as the fifth of seven children on November 20th, 1953 in Kosovska Mitrovica. He completed his elementary schooling in Kosovska Mitrovica, high school in Pristina, and graduated at the Faculty of Dental Medicine (major in prosthetics) in Sarajevo in 1980. During his schooling he was professional boxer. He says he supported his brother and himself that way. He started his boxing carrier in "Radnicki" from Pristina, and ended it in "Zeljeznicar" from Sarajevo. After graduation he returns to Novi Pazar and works in the local medical centre. His nationality is Moslem. He is married to Mersija and has three children.

How his political career began: "When I realized the necessity that everyone contributes maximally, gives as much as possible for emancipation of one’s own people. I will not remain within politics longer than objective circumstances require". (June ‘91)

Political Career: He has been the president of SDA from its very beginning, and from May 1991 he has also been the president of the Moslem National Council. In the Serbian presidential elections of December 1990 he gained 109,459 votes (fourth place). At the beginning of 1993 he introduced "martial law" in SDA, which caused open conflicts within the party and he was discharged. After that event and the election of the new president (Rasim Ljajic), Ugljanin’s supporters establish another party "The Real SDA". The authorities in Serbia raised indictment against Ugljanin in October ‘94, accusing him of separatism, terrorism and owning the weapons. Because of the indictment, Ugljanin fled to Turkey in 1993.

Statement Before Exile: "Sandzak will be the country of sehids and gazijas, and I am the last of Moslems to leave it."

Statement after Returning from Exile: "I sent the letter to the representatives of all parties in the country, informing them that I was coming, to meet me and that we greet each other."

Basic Feature: He has two or more opinions on crucial issues.

Whose is Sandzak (1): "Sandzak is Serbia. This is my attitude and the attitude of our party. What could we possibly have against Serbia? We, the Moslems from these parts. We were born here, we were raised here, we are living here." (February ‘91)

Whose is Sandzak (2): "In the event of disintegration of SFRY, our attitude is clear and we will not abandon it. Sandzak will be at least an autonomous area, as in 1945. We have no reason to hide that our final objective is Republic." (June ‘91)

Whose is Sandzak (3): "Sandzak must join Bosnia." (November ‘93).

Is there going to be war in Sandzak (1): "If the plot of Europe and the USA against the Moslem people continues, the war in Sandzak is inevitable." (February ‘92)

Is there Going to be War in Sandzak (2): "It would be insanity to try and solve the Sandzak question with arms. The position of army circles would be strengthened that way. As a human being and as a believer I have the feeling there will not be war. I have never been wrong and I would not be now." (December ‘92)

Does Sandzak Possess Weapons: "We do not, but if necessary - we shall have the planes too."

What is He Accused of: The worst accusation came from inside his party, by Alija Mahmutovic and Rizah Gruda. "Since he established SDA, Sulejman Ugljanin has never openly said how much money came as the assistance to the people of Sandzak, and there are several million of dollars and DEM involved. The money intended for the poor people of Sandzak was used by the profiteers and Sulejman Uglajnin’s subjects to extend his political life." (August ‘92)

The members of JUL in Sandzak claim that he owns several private dentist’s offices, trades with oil and weapons, has embezzled humanitarian assistance coming from the Arab countries. Opponents of SDA say he has made the party marginal by his erroneous moves, he lost the option of influencing the authorities by his decision not to participate in the elections, that he is not tolerant to his opponents...

His Attitude towards Opponents: He is aggressive. In February ‘92 when he had a dispute with Mahmut Memic on the speaker’s platform in Novi Pazar, in front of 700 supporters of Memic he said: "If he is a man and if he wishes well to himself and his family he is going to submit his written resignation immediately, or else..."

His Reaction to Negotiations in Dayton: He informed the American Embassy in Belgrade that "Milosevic and Bulatovic do not represent the interests of the Moslem-Bosniak people from Sandzak and from other regions in Serbian and Montenegro."

Awards: Gold badge from Civil Defense.

Electoral Basket

Judge: The President of the Federal Electoral Committee is the judge of the Federal Court Rajko Nisavic, who held the same position in the previous Federal Electoral Committee.

Immediate Reforms: The Coalition "Zajedno" declares four electoral objectives: 1) creation of the program for economic and social reforms in 1997; 2) democratization of social and political life and of economy; 3) decrease of the influence of the state; 4) abolishment of the state monopoly in media.

Carrot and Stick: In the message of SPS which is at the same time the call for creation of the left coalition, the following objectives are listed: 1) strengthening of the peace; 2) removal of all obstacles for development in economy and culture; 3) accelerated raise of the standard of living; 4) care for the interests of the citizens as the introduction to the 21st century that will be the era of material prosperity, expansion of technology, freedom of culture, humanitarianism and peace.

Accusation: During the rally in Vranje, leader of the Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Seselj accused the authorities and the coalition "Together" of criminal, claiming that the Serbian Radicals did not participate in any of the criminal affairs on the local, republic or federal level. When they broke up the silent coalition with Seselj in 1993, the Socialists accused Seselj’s Radicals for the war-time profiteering, among other things.

The Fist: The workers of the factory "Zastava - Namenski proizvodi" from Kragujevac have been on strike for seven weeks now, and the strike grows into the main electoral clash after the visit of the governor Avramovic to the workers on September 26th.

Church: The bishop of Sumadija, Sava, spoke to the workers of "Namenska", being exposed to the state media afterwards.

Power of Promises: Several hundred workers of the factory for production of motors and tractors IMT gathered in front of the Community Parliament building of Novi Beograd where the President of that body Cedo Zdrnja was handed 4,200 requests to pay off the relief. The day after, on October 1st, during the new meeting the workers were promised to receive their salaries and they discontinued the strike after the promise of the mayor Covic that their tractors will be exported to China.

Unions: The Association of Independent and Free Unions (ANSS) joined the Democratic Coalition of Workers and Peasants "Zajedno" because Dragoslav Avramovic became its leader, a man they trust. United trade unions "Nezavisnost" informed that they did not join the coalition "Together" and accused the Association of being the "transmission extent" of the opposition parties.

Market Barometer: According to the data of the Federal Bureau of Statistics (SZS), retail prices are up by 83.8% in September on the same month last year, while on December 1995 they are up by 47.2%.

Rhythm of Money: The monetary mass in SRY was 4,413.8 million dinars on August 23rd, which is 1,157.7 million dinars or 35% more than at the end of December last year - the information was released at the meeting of the Executive Board of the Chamber of Economy of Yugoslavia (PKJ). The raise in the monetary mass from April to August happened "most of all due to the increased sale of foreign currency, increased net foreign currency reserves and increased amount of credits granted to industry," claims the National Bank of Yugoslavia.

Target: The state controlled media sharpen the focus of the dirty campaign at the governor Avramovic, carrier of the list of the coalition "Together". Their slogan is that the opposition "is selling a pup in a poke" and "abuses the governor’s reputation".

Hampering Elections: The candidate for the Parliament of SPO from Gora, Cerim Ilijazi, was arrested and beaten in the police station in Dragas on September 30th, after he tried to get his certificate of residence from the MUP employee which he needed in order to participate in the federal elections, claims SPO.

Villa: The Fund for the Development of Democracy requests that the legal officer Milos Bojovic brings charges about the house that was, supposedly, given to the Prime Minister Radoje Kontic as a gift.