See You in Court

Twenty two MPs signed a petition for the removal of the Minister for Culture, Miodrag Djukic, for his naming of the opposition as "Serbia's greatest enemy".

Minister Djukic, "expressing pleasure" for the opposition's "attempt to reinstate slander" said that as he had not been criticized from inside the Socialist Party, he does not intend to answer to those who did not vote for him.

Prof. Velimir Simonovic, a Democratic Party MP, emphasized that ruling officials speak strongly of members of the opposition as traitors and that the opposition cannot tolerate these accusations any more.

Mirko Petrovic, also a Democratic Party MP, added that public opinion carries no weight, that last year's election campaign was loaded with slander and that things were reminiscent of times when democracy was suppressed. Radomir Urosevic, a Serbian Renewal Movement MP, tried to point out that the majority of the voters that voted for the opposition is constantly insulted and that this will widen the rift in Serbia if it goes on any longer. The parliamentary majority transformed these endeavors of the opposition into their usual farce and continued with verbal aggression, as it did in March. The President of the Administrative Committee, Dusan Latinovic, "reminded" that "these peoples have had traitors" and that "we also have them now". Tiosav Jovanovic, from the Serbian Socialist Party (SPS), defended Djukic by attacking the opposition for "using such words against the President of the Republic that I would not wish to repeat". Milan Petrovic (SPS) asked for evidence supporting the assertion published in the "Srpska rec" that he forgot a pair of scissors in the body of a patient and for Mihajlo Markovic's alleged statement made in Kraljevo that "Serbia is ruled by riffraff".

Seselj jumped to the Socialists' aid by saying that "this kind of language was introduced by the opposition", that he was "against such off-hand judgements as dealt out by the opposition", that he was relieved not to hear Minister Djukic "mention a single name or political party", that "the one that was under attack could have reacted", that "to call back the reservists from the front was high treason" and that he thought that some MPs "went to the Bundestag in order to resign", etc. In his reply, Mihailo Markovic (SPO) only said: "poor Serbia after such a defense from the 'Spanish knight' ", revoking that Seselj had recently received this title in Spain from an alleged Serbian nobleman.

There is no doubt that Milosevic's praise of Seselj in "Ilustrovana Politika" once again made his policy more than obvious, after which Vuk Draskovic triumphed and Seselj, who is often quoted by Bozovic's ministers ("as Mr Seselj said"), eagerly accepted a coalition in the coming election. However, the Democrats see the President's praise of Seselj as an improper political gesture for which, in any parliamentary democracy, an administration would have to fall. They have announced that they will demand an explanation and, as it appears from the statement of one of their MPs, possibly court redress.

Vojislav Kostunica requested the formation of an Inquiry Committee which would interrogate state institutions and individuals that make incriminating accusations, as well as establish how political parties have been financed from the time of their founding up to the present. The law anticipates the forbidding of political parties that are financed by foreigners - the ban is passed by the Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Public Prosecutor.

The motion was dropped by the Minister of Justice, Zoran Cetkovic, who announced that the administration is about to propose a law dealing with political parties. By the will of the majority, the suggestion for the creation of the Inquiry Committee was glibly rejected, which was open admittance that allegations against the opposition have no basis. With respect to this, Vojislav Kostunica said that this refusal by the parliamentary majority shows that it is not willing to give the public any insight into the funds which are at its disposal. This party, according to Kostunica, is using the prevailing legal vacuum to obtain financial resources - from firms, reserves and in other ways. Kostunica also believes that the Inquiry Committee would reveal the funds the ruling party obtains from leasing.

The Democratic Party announced that it will bring criminal charges against the Serbian Minister of Culture, Miodrag Djukic, for libel and insult. It will institute legal proceedings against the President of the Serbian Socialist Party, Dr Borisav Jovic. Jovic was accused of having "most rudely and perfidiously slandered a private plaintiff, accusing him of not taking into consideration national interests and of being hurried by those abroad who finance him, however, he never presented a single argument in support of this unfounded accusation". Referring to articles 92 (libel) and 93 (insult) of the Penal Law (PL), the conviction of the accused and damages to the sum of 1,000,000 dinars are being sought.

The Democratic Party will also seek an investigation procedure against the officer in the Serbian police force who was responsible for deliberate misinformation, provoking unrest, primarily to ensure that as few people as possible attend the protest meeting on March 9th, 1992 (article 218 of the Penal Law, spreading of false information).

The Democrats say that they will soon present the public and parliament with their proposal of a law on the origin of real estate belonging to public officials, including MPs.

In a country with laws, the efforts of the parliament and courts to force the government into a corner would be considered a correct method and could have some effect. Under conditions of hyperinflation, destruction of the currency and a grave general crisis, the arrogance of those in power seems unbreakable, and Vuk Draskovic's announcement that the government will be prosecuted and sentenced by a court of the Kingdom of Serbia is gaily mocked by the socialists in the halls of parliament.

Litigants

 Accused

• Dr Borisav Jovic, of Niksic, municipality Batocina, President of the Socialist Party, for slander according to article 92, paragraph 2 of the PL, and insult according to article 93.2 of the PL, damages sought: 1,000,000 dinars.
• Miodrag Djukic, of Belgrade, Serbian Minister of Culture, for slander according to article 92 paragraph of the PL, and insult according to article 93.2 of the PL, damages sought: 1,000,000 dinars.
• NN, responsible officer of the Serbian police force, for the spreading of false information according to article 218 of the PL.

 Announced charges

• Petar Skundric, Socialist Party Secretary, as yet unqualified.
• Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic, as yet unqualified.

 Replacements sought

• Miodrag Djukic, Minister of Culture, for insult; demand rejected following parliamentary discussion.
• Sava Vlajovic, Minister of Trade and Tourism, for tax embezzlement; hearing set for next week.
• Vladeta Popovic, Serbian Parliament Secretary, for not allowing MPs into the Parliament on March 9 and as responsible for backdating letters written by the President of the Republic to the Parliament; a hearing has not yet been set.

 Inquiry Committee

• To investigate the responsibility of Sava Vlajkovic (rejected).
• To investigate sources of finance and real estate of the parties (rejected).
• To investigate the efficiency of Emergency Measures in Kosovo (rejected).