Slightly Difficult Law

Political opponents of SPS have frequently claimed that the average socialist can be recognized by two things: by the fact that, supposedly, not even under the most extreme tortures, would he not admit to his party's program; and by the fact that he shows self-initiative exclusively when it is necessary to lend support to the state and party head, by sending Slobodan Milosevic a personal telegram expressing support and admiration for the "wise, brave and consistent policies which he is conducting in the interest of the Serbian people and our country."  In fact the telegram is taken for granted, but the self-initiative in the telegram can be quite unbridled: shortly after the signing of the Dayton agreement, the once head socialist of Nis, Mile Ilic, for instance nominated Slobodan Milosevic for the Nobel Peace Prize.  Several days ago, the socialists of Bor demonstrated self-initiative which goes quite beyond the usual party models for such things.  They requested from their party's head that it discontinue the Law on Special Rights and Obligations of Elected Individuals, which was recently adopted by the Serbian Parliament and which accords great privileges to officials.  In order for everything to be outside of the standard model, the socialist of Bor remembered (and without much effort or application), that in their party program it is written that this party must always be with the people, and how the law on privileges is fairly anti-people.  Not used to this type of initiative, the media which usually registers all activity, even that of SPS village organizations, glossed over the opinions of the socialists from one of the biggest industrial centers in Serbia.

CONFUSION:  The news that the SPS community council had risen up against the law on privileges confused even the good people of Bor themselves.  This news was initially reported on local TV, with the speaker reading an "announcement from a just-held session of the Community Council of SPS which was attended by all representatives of this party in the Community Assembly of Bor."  One day later, on Friday, November 18, Radio Bor repeated the text of this announcement several times, in which, after the observation that "today the first and greatest duty of every citizen is to offer maximal support to the leadership of the country in the battle for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity...", it gives at the same time the right to a different opinion by those (dissatisfied socialists and citizens of Bor) who reacted negatively to the law on privileges.  This announcement concludes with: "We believe that the decrees in that law are not fit for the present economic situation in our country and the material standing of the majority of our citizens.  That is why we propose to the Executive Council of the Head Committee of SPS to begin an initiative for not putting into effect any of the decrees in the Law until they are substantially corrected and brought into proportion with objective possibilities."

At first, in Bor it was believed that the Head Committee stands behind the whole matter, that is to say that the socialists of Bor did not simply decide on a whim to raise their voices against the contentious law.  Before that they began to feel ashamed of this law as of a decrepit child, all those who previously voted for it.  For instance, it was concluded in the Serbian Renewal Movement that someone must have duped them, that in voting for this law, SPO MP's in fact voted against their will and beliefs.  Then, supposedly, even Vojislav Seselj went slightly crimson, having according to his personal claims felt somewhat ill at ease while the Law was being adopted (which he only remembered after the fact).  The number of those who appear to have been acting under a spell or hypnosis on the day the Law was passed in the Parliament of Serbia, voting and not even being aware of it, is growing on a daily basis.  That is why in Bor itself, at first, it was believed that it was the socialists' turn to feel a bit of shame and that the party head decided that this sense of shame would begin with one community organization.

ALL ON ACCOUNT OF OUR FOLKS:  At the office of the Community Council of SPS in Bor, the VREME correspondent was told that no particular text of the announcement exists.  "We held a session and we gave the minutes of that session to the media of our choice," stated Dusan Nikolic, SPS Council Secretary.  According to Nikolic's opinion, what was later read on Radio Bor should not be taken as "some special, official announcement."  In Bor it is otherwise possible to hear unofficially that reactions from the party central in Belgrade were forthcoming.  Resistance to the law was probably understood at first in Belgrade as "affectation" by individuals in the Bor Council of SPS, but later the number of "affecting" community organizations began to grow.  Judging from Bor, however, there were fears that because of this affectation it could happen that wages in the judiciary could still be frozen if the law falls.  "And all on account of our folks," states this judge.

One day before the socialists of Bor spoke up, the Syndicate of the Mining-Smelting Pool in this city called on the directors of this enterprise and demanded the resolution of the mounting, above all, social problems of the workers.  Namely, in Bor there is an ever growing number of people who go hungry, ecological problems are reaching virtually genocidal proportions (from January to September of this year 600 people died, while only 400 were born), particular directors get arrested and then simply released from prison, while some who "suffer" the most on account of the workers are developing private businesses, are owners of bus companies, are making private water supplies using public money... Perhaps with the announcement regarding the unjust law on privileges, the socialists of Bor wished to show that they see it all, how they are close to the workers, but that all this does not depend just on that.  Even if only that is at issue, it's no small thing.

One of the socialists of Bor otherwise claims that the attitude of the local organization has nothing to do with the general policies of SPS, and that most probably the "attack" on the contentious law on officials' privileges has nothing to do with a directive sent from Belgrade.  "I do not even believe that information about this initiative in Bor ever got to Belgrade."  At the same time, it is possible to hear among the socialists of Bor that this community council certainly did not get ahead of itself and make a mistake, for it is "clear that in the preparation of the law on privileges, the socialists had no say, and that it was all supposedly an agreement between JUL, the Radicals and SPO in the Serbian Paramount."  The president of the Radicals of Bor, Slobodan Jovic, doubts that the socialists from this town did anything without orders: "Even though I am not personally familiar with the details connected with this announcement, I know that in SPS nothing is done without orders.  In any case, not much should be expected - everything will soon become clear," stated Slobodan Jovic for VREME.

A MATTER OF HYGIENE:  All doubts surrounding the Bor initiative will disappear most likely by the end of this week in which the session of the Head Committee of SPS is scheduled to be held.  At that time the socialist head could distance itself form the recently adopted law on privileges and conclude that it might be better to put it off for some other, of course, better time.  Something of this sort was suggested in Vrbas by SPS Spokesman Ivica Dacic when he observed that the implementation of the law would not come that quickly because it is unrealistic to expect for it to be implemented under such difficult economic conditions.  Only several days earlier, Dacic had stated in his regular press conference that it was necessary to adopt this Law on Special Rights and Obligations of Elected Individuals.  At that time he did not mention difficult economic conditions, but stressed the responsibility of the  jobs of officials.

In the meantime, despite the silence surrounding this law in the media close to the regime, someone even at SPS has slowly begun to realize that the legislation on the privileges of officials could appear, at this time, to be a fairly dangerous way of poking a finger in the eye of a crazed and desperate people.  Even leaders of syndicates who are fairly loyal to the government have begun noticing that this is one of the most shameful laws adopted on this territory, and that it is a matter of political, and every other sort of hygiene not to speak about privileges and not to establish a political aristocracy at a time when on a daily basis in Serbia there is a geometrically growing progression of members of a so-called "garbage can class."  That is why syndicates threatened a general strike.  Dragoljub Ostojic, a pensioner from Belgrade, revolted by the law on privileges, decided to return his medal with a golden wreath to the President of FRY, Slobodan Milosevic.  "While the poor are going hungry and freezing in the winter, when women are giving birth less and less, the price of children's clothes and footwear is going up, shortages of drugs are contributing to ever growing, desperate deaths, yo!
Our followers are adopting a law in which truths are being equated with insults," writes Ostojic in his letter to Milosevic, concluding: "The tragedy is that there is no end in sight to this menace, while you claim that the world has turned its back on us, while it is so clear that your regime has turned its back on the people and the truth."  Even some MP's in the Serbian Parliament spoke up, stating that they are ashamed to accept such high monthly wages and that, because of that, they are giving them up.  Actor Tihomir Arsic, MP for New Democracy, decided to donate his new MP's salary to the faculty of dramatic arts and thus to help some young actor.

ONLY HALF WAY:  A VREME source from the Belgrade central confirms that due to the evident and potentially dangerous popular hubbub, and due to protests on the part of part of the party membership over of the appearance of this law, and in midst of the Kosovo crisis and growing poverty, the party head will certainly have to change its opinion soon and find some excuse for freezing the whole matter temporarily.  "Whatever is done and however it is done, it is not good and it does not sound serious.  The legal procedure for stopping this law is fairly complicated.  The idea of not implementing the law beginning in January but waiting for a time when conditions permit also does not sound serious.  The impression remains that something was desired which is not good and because of which everyone now feels ashamed, so that it is demanded that a way be found out of this situation as soon as possible," our contact stated.

One of the former leaders of SPS, Ph.D. Borisav Jovic, a man who certainly understands the government machinery and how much harm or good certain decisions can do, also spoke up in recent day against the law and its deficiencies in the Reporter of Banjaluka.  "I think that it is a big mistake," stated Jovic his opinion of this law, adding that "however, it should be kept in mind that Milosevic is a fairly skillful politician prone to sudden shifts which get him out of bad situations, so that it is not impossible that he will get out of this also.  It is quite simple, he can postpone it until the situation improves.  But one such thing can do more harm to Milosevic than everything the Americans are doing," claims Ph.D. Jovic.

Because of the ever growing number of those "who were not in the room when the voting was taking place," it is logical to expect that "Serbian legal science," after the famous lex specialis, will be enriched by the end of this year with yet another legal initiative.  For now two ideas are at play.  The first looks like the theory that "a woman can only be half pregnant", and is based on the principle that in the future the law will only be partially applied.  SPO leader, Vuk Draskovic, demands that the law only be applied in those parts where it relates to people in jurisprudence, and that it not be applied in the part which relates to officials’ salaries and privileges.  Until regular payout of pensions and other income is restored, until the state does not take care of all its obligations toward its citizens, and until the program of social security for the population begins to function, the law should not be implemented.

The other idea was mentioned last week by the Serbian Minster of Finance, Borislav Milacic, who attempted to pacify the angered syndicate activists with the statement that the law, "because of a lack of funds" will not be in effect beginning January 1999, but will be in effect from April next year.  In fact this is an idea of "freezing the law" which, even though signed by the hand of the President of Serbia, Milan Milutinovic, will be in a "state of waiting" until its implementation is facilitated by appropriate circumstances.  In any case, both theories "of half pregnancy" and "pregnancy in a state of waiting until appropriate circumstances arise" represent clear additions to legal theory and practice and speak eloquently about the seriousness of a parliament which adopts such laws.

Reacting to the initiative from Bor and the syndicates, a part of the opposition (DSS) noted that a late demand is at issue, and that it is no longer as important to annul one law as it is important to dissolve this parliament whose members vote for personal privileges.  There are also those (Nebojsa Covic, DA) who state that the "Bor initiative" is in fact mere "gamesmanship and manipulation", given that the socialist membership is not in a situation to make decisions regarding anything.  The fact that the socialist membership is not asked much about anything (as is, in any case, the situation with all other parties on our political scene) is not arguable.  However, it would be good if Nebojsa Covic were only a little wrong in his assessment regarding the fact that the Bor protest is mere gamesmanship and manipulation.  It would be far more interesting if at this time, if only briefly, inner democracy had been activated within SPS.  That the members from Bor had initiated a revitalization of a party which for some time has been standing in the blind spot in the love triangle of SPS-JUL-SRS, that it is possible to occasionally send something to the party head other than telegrams of support and admiration - namely of protest.

Even if something of this sort is at issue, that certainly does not mean that the members from Bor, were the law on privileges to be discontinued tomorrow, would not scurry to send Slobodan Milosevic telegrams of support - or to nominate him for one of the Nobel prizes.