Election Statements

AS LONG AS THERE IS HOPE

Aleksandar Nenadovic, journalist: The world is interested in the outcome of our elections and, in America, I could see for myself that there was hope that the elections could bring about changes which are considered the precondition for establishing peace in the Balkans. I cannot say how this latest unfavorable information will affect all this, even though I assume that they there, just like many people here, see this as a form of pressure with which the authorities in Serbia wish to influence the mood of the voters. This method of intimidation brings into question the readiness to democratize the society. Without such a readiness on the part of the ruling party, in whose hands are all the levers of power, it is unlikely that we will get the desired democratic elections. In any case, it is difficult to understand that someone who was invited to come and accept the post of federal prime minister is now being denied the possibility to run for president of Serbia. Still, I think that the elections should not be boycotted as long as there is hope that they will be democratic.

THREE PRESIDENTS - TOO MUCH

Bora Kuzmanovic, professor of social psychology at the Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy: I think that the elections should not be boycotted regardless of the numerous irregularities and bad conditions. There exists the chance that the Socialist Party of Serbia will not win a majority of seats in the republican and federal parliaments, even in an alliance with the Serbian Radical Party. In that event, Cosic's idea about abolishing the post of president of the federal units would stand a chance. According to my opinion, there is really no point in a small country having three presidents. This is the main option, because in that way the situation would take a turn and things would start taking a different course. I think that the voters' mood is not the same as two years ago and that chances do exist.

THE SMELL OF A MILITARY COUP

Professor Miladin Zivotic, philosopher: The obstruction of Milan Panic's candidacy makes the elections absurd and pointless. All those who want to see the democratization of society should abandon this farce. The announcement by some kind of collegiate body of defense ministers in which they distanced themselves from Panic and demanded that he freeze his post of defense minister represents a form of brutal pressure and smells of a military coup. This institution of which we did not hear up to now, nor were we aware of its existence, uses a language that the democratic world cannot understand and the announcement points to the conclusion that part of the military leadership decides whether Panic will be a candidate or not. However, I attended the meeting between Milan Panic and students and I realized the orientation of these young people, who will not give up on their request for Slobodan Milosevic to leave the political scene, cannot be ignored. Those who ignore this kind of orientation of young intellectuals, ready to fight for their country's better future, or who stifle it, can be described as nothing else but criminals.

TRENCH WARFARE

Professor Andrej Mitrovic, historian: In principle, I think that parties must participate in the elections because trench warfare for every seat in parliament lies ahead. Serbia is in the clutches of a big evil, its own policy, and it is necessary for it to fight for a different policy, although it is clear that this cannot be done over night. In any case, Panic's candidacy has not only refreshed the election campaign but has also offered a possibility for a turnabout. It is absurd that in a state with so many irregularities someone is now raising this kind of formal and legal question. In any case, Panic is the federal prime minister and he also has proof that he lived here before. All those who believed that the present authorities would hand over power easily, were mistaken. For this reason, an active and combative stand, which must not rule out elections, is necessary. In order for a real democratization to take place, it is necessary to change things step by step.

A BOYCOTT IS HARMFUL

Predrag Simic, director of the Institute for International Politics and Economics: As regards Panic's candidacy, we should wait for the Supreme court's final decision. A boycott of the elections would be harmful for political reasons, because it would contribute to the destabilization of the situation in Serbia and Montenegro and it would be very risky. In different circumstances (without a war on the borders, without foreign threats from Islamic countries and the West) there would be reason for a boycott, but at this moment it would result in a political vacuum. The opposition's self-isolation would make the vacuum even bigger, and this would, by no means, be good.

TO ACT TOGETHER

Professor Vojin Dimitrijevic, president of the European Movement for Serbia: If it turns out that what is happening to Panic is not just the usual harassment of a political rival, one should seriously consider whether to take part in the elections and whether the elections mean anything at all. Because, if the establishment cannot accept even the candidacy of a person who, according to assessments, does not stand a chance of winning the elections, but who can make the undisputed candidate go to the second round, one could assume that it is absolutely not willing to hand over power to a newly elected president of Serbia. This was intimated even earlier on when it was pointed out that real communists never give up power without a fight. Unfortunately, bearing in mind the increasingly strong foreign pressure, this is no political joke, but a fateful question on which Serbia's survival depends. Up to now this survival was an excuse, but now these words must be taken seriously. For this reason, it is of crucial importance that the opposition be united.