Grand Finale

Volleys echoed for a long time in Bijelo Polje in celebration after the court passed sentence. Milika Ceko Dacevic was found not guilty of the charge of engaging in terrorist activities. The court rejected the prosecutor's request that Mr. Dacevic be sentenced to at least 15 years in prison. The court did, however, assess that Dacevic had committed the criminal act of "violent behaviour and obstructing an official person in carrying out his official duty," and on those counts sentenced him to one year in prison, but also lifted detention. Finally, this enables the just elected member of parliament from the ranks of the Serbian Radical Party in the Chamber of Citizens of the Yugoslav Parliament to appear already at the first March session, an additional reason for the celebrations which seemed to have been prepared several days in advance.

The enthusiasm over the court decision culminated in Pljevlja. Mr. Dacevic was greeted on the road towards Prijepolje by a busload of fans, with more packed into several cars. The column entered Pljevlja to the sound of shots from revolvers and automatic guns, and even the occasional bomb detonation. This kind of welcome followed the column along its entire route, with police and special police watching in silence.

"This is a victory for legal order over the powers of darkness," said Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj, who arrived in Bijelo Polje for the passing of the sentence on Ceko. Seselj accuses the federal authorities for the entire trial, especially Justice Minister Tibor Varadi and former Prime Minister Milan Panic. He spoke convincingly of their conspiracy against Serbianism and the Serbian Radical Party, the failed scenario on the way to liquidate the radicals and then, the secession of Montenegro. "The whole world is against the Serbs," Ceko says with resignation and adds "and on top of that, the Montenegrin authorities are against me."

In the meantime, Seselj is publicly accusing the Pljevlja Moslems, or those who are left in the Pljevlja municipality, of the massacre of 16 Serbs in Cajnice. Fires and murders in neighbouring villages on the territory of Serbia are instilling additional fear. Various forces from Montenegro are being accused. The worst situation is in areas bordering with Bosnia, where people are fleeing for their lives.