Opposition Protests Since 1990

June 13th 1990, the Republic Square, TV Belgrade. After the unsuccessful beginning of negotiations between the government and the opposition, a protest meeting of the opposition was held (the Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the National Radical Party, the Social-Democratic Party of Yugoslavia and the Serbian Renewal Movement) under the motto 'Serbia Requires Freedom'. In front of the building of the state television, the police intervened and more than one hundred people were injured. The one who got the worst of out of it was Ljubisa Mitic, an engineer and the sound organiser of the meeting. The policemen broke his collarbone. Among those who were also beaten up were Dragoljub Micunovic and Borislav Pekic.

March 9th 1991, the Square of Liberty. A meeting against the information monopoly of the 'TV Bastille'. About one hundred thousand people gathered at the square; after the intervention of the police, in which 203 persons had been injured, even more serious conflicts began. One of the demonstrators, Branivoje Milinovic and the policeman Nedeljko Kosovic lost their lives. At the request of Borisav Jovic, member of the Presidency of SFRY, the JNA (Yugoslav National Army) tanks were sent to the streets of Belgrade to help the police and to establish order. Vuk Draskovic, president of SPO and leader of the opposition was taken into custody.

March 10th 1991, the Fountain of Terazije. Owing to brutality exhibited towards the demonstrators by the authorities, as well as subsequent arrests (108 people were arrested on the pretext of having taken part in the demonstrations), students of the University of Belgrade organised a meeting at the Fountain of Terazije, demanding the release of the arrested and resignations of the responsible people of the regime, six editors of TV Belgrade and the Minister of Police, Radmilo Bogdanovic.

March 11th 1991, Usce. A counter meeting organised by SPS in favour of supporting Milosevic. The participants did not accept Dusan Matkovic's call to rise up against the students.

March 9th 1992, the plateau of St. Sava. The opposition marked the first anniversary of the '9 March demonstrations', and, in spite of the alarm caused by the government, about 50,000 people drew together at the meeting.

June 14th - October 1992, Belgrade. After 45 years, a religious procession in which about 10,000 people participated, took place, led by the Serbian Patriarch Pavle. After the procession, the majority of present citizens sent a message to the regime with "the Ultimate Bell" manifestation that their time was up. The Student protest of 1992 began with gathering of about 10,000 students in front of the building with the rector's office (June 15th). The students demanded Milosevic's resignation, dismissal of the Serbian Parliament, scheduling of new elections and formation of a coalition-based government.

June 28th 1992, the plateau in front of the Yugoslav Parliament. The assembly of Vidovdan (St. Vitus' Day) in the organisation of DEPOS (the Democratic Movement of Serbia), began with gathering of approximately 150,000 citizens, and lasted until July 5th. The objective of the assembly was Slobodan Milosevic's resignation, dismissal of the Serbian Parliament and of the Government of the National Salvation.

June 1st - 2nd 1993, the plateau in front of the Yugoslav Parliament. The spontaneous gathering of citizens in front of the Federal Parliament as a sign of protest against the physical attack of the SRS (the Serbian Radical Party) representative Branislav Vakic on the SPO member Mihajlo Markovic. The police was skilful enough to cause conflicts among the citizens and to use force in order to disperse the demonstrators. The MUP (the Ministry of Internal Affairs) specialists entered the premises of the Executive Council of SPO and, without any warrant, arrested everyone who happened to be present there. Vuk and Danica Draskovic were taken into custody where they were beaten up brutally.

March 9th 1996, a meeting at the Square of Liberty. In front of several tens of thousands of citizens, Vuk Draskovic, Vesna Pesic and Zoran Djindjic promoted the coalition 'Zajedno' which appeared at the federal and the local elections in 1996.

November 18th 1996, a celebration of the opposition, on the occasion of winning at the local elections, turned into a protest against the 'election injustices'. During the succeeding 88 days hundreds of thousands of people from about fifty Serbian towns were fighting for 'respect of the citizens' election will'. The civic protests lasted 88 days, whereas the student protests over 117 days.

December 24th 1996, a counter-meeting under the slogan "For Serbia", organised by SPS in Belgrade. The complete leadership of the ruling party participated at the meeting. Slobodan Milosevic spoke. The message from his speech was: "Serbia shall not be governed by a foreign hand". 30,000 supporters of Milosevic were present at the meeting. At the same time, civic and student protests were also held.

January 1st 1997, in organisation of the coalition 'Zajedno', more than 200,000 citizens celebrated the New Year's Eve.

January 13th 1997, on the initiative of the Student protest, at the Square of Liberty, Knez Mihajlova St., Terazije and the surrounding streets, about 500,000 citizens brought together to celebrate the Serbian New Year's Eve. That was the greatest assembly ever seen in Belgrade.

June 29th 1999, Cacak. The meeting of the Alliance for Changes, with about 10,000 of supporters of that alliance, began at the main square in Cacak. The first opposition meeting after the NATO bombardment and after the annulment of the state of war in FRY under the title "the Day After". During the summer and autumn of 1999, the Alliance for Changes held a few hundreds of meetings.

July 1st 1999, a technician of TV Leskovac, Ivan Novkovic interrupted the program, during the break of a basketball game Yugoslavia - Germany, in order to express his personal seven-minute long protest against the death of so many citizens of Leskovac in Kosovo, as well as against the very bad conditions in that county. His appeal instigated the citizens to gather on July 5th at the main town square to demonstrate against the local authorities. The protests lasted for days. Novkovic was arrested. Now, he is a member of the Democratic Party.

July 12th 1999, Bogoljub Arsenijevic Maki, together with the Civic Resistance of Valjevo, organised demonstrations against both the government and the opposition, during which a group of demonstrators tried to enter the Municipal building of Valjevo. The police intervened, after what three police officers and at least five civilians were injured. Arsenijevic was arrested in Belgrade in the mid-August, at the moment of leaving the premises of the Movement for Democratic Serbia. He was beaten up brutally. In the mid-November, he was sentenced to a three-year prison term. In March 2000, he ran away from the hospital in which he was situated. Ever since then he takes part in the public life by means of letters.

August 19th 1999, the Transfiguration Day, Belgrade. A meeting in the organisation of the Alliance for Changes in front of the Yugoslav Parliament. About 70,000 people gathered. Vuk Draskovic was hissed, while the opposition gave Milosevic a deadline of 15 days to resign.

September 21st 1999, the Nativity, Belgrade. A meeting of the Alliance for Changes at the Republic Square. There were approximately 25,000 people. After the meeting, the demonstrators toured around the city. At the same time, similar demonstrations were held in 16 Serbian towns.

December 18th 1999, in Belgrade. The last of the meetings of the Alliance for Changes, which lasted for 89 days. The demonstrations began on September 21st with demands for Milosevic's resignation, for the creation of a transitional government and scheduling of correct elections at all levels. At the beginning of those protests, about 40,000 - 50,000 people gathered at the main square, but later that number decreased. On the 89th day, only about 300 supporters of the Alliance participated at the meeting.