MILOSEVIC VOWS TO WIN RUNOFF ELECTION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005445200
• 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: October 2, 2000

02 October 2000
1500 EDT
Spot Comm 17
During a rare state television appearance today, FRY President Milosevic lashed out against
the opposition and vowed to secure an election victory in the second round. Milosevic
accused the West of trying to use the opposition to establish a "puppet government" in the
Balkans and warned that those who take part in the opposition's "subversion" are taking on
the responsibility for "the abolition of their country's right to exist" and for "losing control of
their own lives." Meanwhile, the regime is moving forward on plans to hold a second-round
runoff with or without the participation of the opposition.
? The FRY President almost certainly intended to use the television appearance
to demonstrate that he remains in control and to reestablish his credibility
within the regime in the lead-up to Sunday's ballot. The opposit n r e
that Milosevic's speech was meant to threaten the Serbian people.
Opposition strikes and smaller rallies were staged today throughout Serbia. Press reports
indicate that several thousand demonstrators in Nis, Novi Sad, But, Cacak, and Zrenjanin
took to the streets, while several hundred to a few thousand workers and students from cities
including Leskovac, Krusevac, and Mladenovac vowed to boycott their jobs and schools
until Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) presidential candidate Kostunica is accepted as
the legitimate president. The DOS plans a five-hour general strike tomorrow, with a 24-hour
strike to follow if Belgrade still refuses to recognize Kostunica's first round victory.
? Most roads and bridges were paralyzed this morning in Belgrade until police
broke up protesters' roadblocks using minimal force, according to press reports.
Around 30,000 demonstrators marched through the capital city at the peak of
today's opposition protest. Belgrade university students broke into the School of
Electrical Engineering today to hand over an announcement of the general strike
to their dean.
? The miners strike in Kolubara continues and today expanded to the Kostolac
mines. Press reports indicate that Kostunica was expected to show up at the
picket line in Kolubara. Twelve thousand people demonstrated in Milosevic's
home town of Pozaravec and 20,000 demonstrators in Novi Sad surrounded the
local state-run Serbian Radio and Television RTS buildin and have broken into
.the premises, according to press reports.
Djindjic announced today the "climax" of the opposition activity would occur on Wednesday
or Thursday, according to press reporting and called on the Serbian people to obstruct the
Prepared by: DCI Interagen Balkan Task Force. Comments and questions can be addressed to
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 Kostunica today publicly reaffirmed his commitment to boycott a runoff against Milosevic
and criticized Russia for being "too cautious" in helping the opposition resolve the stalemate
over the election results. Kostunica accused Moscow of being "indecisive" and repeated his
charges that Washington is "indirectly helping Milosevic stay in power" by supporting his
indictment at the Hague for war crimes.
? Kostunica is likely frustrated at Moscow's public decision to accept Belgrade's
election results and its insistence that a second round is necessary. Kostunica
said that the Russians "take one step forward and one step back" and "do not have
a specific position on the situation in the FRY."
? Despite Kostunica's public statements, the opposition today accepted Russian
President Putin's offer to host talks on resolving the impasse, but the regime has
yet to respond. The FRY Ambassador to Russia, Milosevic's brother, today said
he is not aware of of the reaction to Putin's offer to mediate, according to
press reporting.
Seselj Rethinks Plans to Bring Down Serbian Government
Serbian Radical Party (SRS) leader Seselj over the weekend said that the FRY elections were
basically "irregular," but stepped back somewhat from his earlier claims that he would bring
down the Serbian Government, according to press reporting.
? Meanwhile, president of the pro-Belgrade Montenegrin Socialist Nationalist Party
(SNP) Momir Bulatovic today said that the SNP supports Milosevic for FRY
President in the second round, but stated that his party is ready to accept the "will
of the people," even is not the SNP's desired choice, according to press
reporting.
RDB Chief Markovic Resignation Still Unconfirmed
We still have seen no information to confirm recent press reports claiming that Milosevic has
replaced Serbian State Security Chief Rade Markovic with FRY Ambassador to Macedonia
Zoran Janackovic, Indeed, a FRY Embassy official in Macedonia today stated that
Janackovic remains in Skopje, where he continues to perform his duties, according to press
reporting.