ELECTION COMMISSION SAYS SECOND ROUND PRESIDENTIAL RACE NEEDED

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005445139
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2010
• Case Number: F-2009-00733
• Publication Date: September 26, 2000

06-23-2010
SPOT COMMENTARY
? 23 rim Election Commission Says Second Round Presidential Race Needed
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
26 September 2000
1600 EDT
Spot Comm #7
The FRY Election Commission said late today that a preliminary vote count of the
presidential race gave Kostunica about 48 percent of the vote to Milosevic's 40 percent,
suggesting that a second round in the presidential election would be held on 8 October
because neither gained the required 50 percent. The commission said this afternoon that it
would release the completed official results by 2000 local time Thursday night-the FRY
election law requires results to be released no later than that.
? The regime appears to be responding to ever more vocal opposition claims that it
won the election outright, which have gained credence both domestically and in
the West. By indicating that Milosevic is preparing to go to a second round,
Milosevic is trying to buy time to reassure his supporters and come up with a
strategy to retain power.
? The pro-Milosevic media late this afternoon began broadly pushing the
propaganda line that the next FRY Government would be formed by Milosevic's
Socialist Party, the United Yugoslav Left. and Momir Bulatovic's Socialist
National Party from Montenegro.
The DOS responded to the Election Commission announcement by denouncing the "huge
fraud" perpetrated in the vote count, but gave few details about its future course of action.
Opposition leader Zoran Djindjic told reporters that the DOS would "defend the opposition
victory to the end," but did not explain what that meant. An hour later, Kostunica told
reporters the opposition would reject a second round, but he did not address what the DOS
planned to do to induce Milosevic to accept a first round Kostunica victory.
In Montenegro, press reports indicate that police forces controlled by President Djukanovic
this morning increased security at a number ding
government and media offices in Podgorica.