Yugoslav Daily Survey, 96-12-28

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] SUSPECT OF SERIOUS WOUNDING IN BELGRADE ARRESTED

[02] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ON ELECTIONS IN NIS

[03] YUGOSLAVIA'S BUDGET FOR 1997 - 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS

[04] YUGOSLAV ARMY REMAINS FORCE OF STABILITY

[05] REPORT FROM MR. FELIPE GONZALEZ TO THE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE OF THE OSCE

[06] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER: OSCE REPORT IS CONSTRUCTIVE

[01] SUSPECT OF SERIOUS WOUNDING IN BELGRADE ARRESTED

The police statement says that Sandic was arrested in a joint action of Belgrade and Novi Sad police under suspicion of having opened fire at 13:45 local time Tuesday in Knez Mihailova street in Belgrade center, seriously wounding Ivica Lazovic, 43, from Boljevci.

Sandic was handed over to the investigative judge of a Belgrade District Court, the statement says.

Lazovic was wounded the day when two rallies were being held simultaneously in Belgrade, the rally 'For Serbia' in support to the policy of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and the rally of the followers of the opposition coalition Zajedno.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

[02] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ON ELECTIONS IN NIS

'If it is established that illegal acts had been committed during the elections, the Government of the Republic of Serbia insists that appropriate sanctions be taken', Serbian Information Ministry said in a statement.

The statement says that the Serbian Government had examined a report of the Serbian Minitry of Justice on the election of deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly held on November 17, drawn up by the Ministry at the request of the Serbian President, to whom a delegation of the Nis University had submitted 40 minutes on the work of polling committees in 40 polling stations in 16 election districts during the elections for deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly.

The statement reads as follows: (unofficial translation)

'On that occasion, the students underlined that the minutes demonstrated that in the second round of elections in those election districts, candidates of the political organization Zajedno were elected as deputies, and that the City Electoral Commission did not decide so.'

'The ministry of justice, by examining the minutes on the work of polling committees submitted by the student delegation, and the minutes on the work of the same polling committees submitted by the City Electoral Commission on the basis of which election results were ascertained, established that 20 minutes were identical and that 20 minutes on the work of polling committees were different in content'.

'The Ministry of Justice deems that, as the Nis Municipal Court had entrusted the City Electoral Commission with repeating the process of ascertaining election results in 26 election districts, including those to which the minutes submitted to the President of the Republic by the delegation of Nis students referred, the drawing up of a final report on the election of deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly must be postponed until the City Electoral Commission complete its present job. Only then will it be possible to answer the principal question of how the difference occurred between the minutes submitted by the City Electoral Commission and those submitted by the Nis University student delegation to the President of the Republic.'

'The Ministry of Justice notes that the commission is working on this job in full composition, with the participation of representatives of all parties which had proposed candidates for the elections.'

'Accepting the report of the Ministry of Justice on the elections for the deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly, the Serbian Government underlines that the job being carried out at present by the City Electoral Commission must be completed as soon as possible so that the full truth on election results in Nis can be established, as was requested by the President of the Republic. If it is established that illegal acts were committed during the elections, the Government of the Republic of Serbia insists that appropriate sanctions be taken'.

'The Government has decided to make public the full report of the Ministry of Justice on the elections for deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly through the media. At the same time, the Government has decided that immediately after the election results for Nis are definitely established, the Ministry of Justice should draw up a full report on the elections for deputies to the Nis Municipal Assembly and submit it to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the public.

'The Ministry of Justice, in line with the request of the President of the Republic, will submit a report also on other issues which were the subject of disputes or criticisms', the statement says.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

[03] YUGOSLAVIA'S BUDGET FOR 1997 - 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS

The largest part of the budget - 6.5 billion dinars (70.4 percent) is earmarked for defense, and 2.7 billion (29.6 percent) for financing the other activities of the federation.

Yugoslav Finance Minister Tomica Raicevic told the Lower House (Chamber of Citizens) that the income and expenditures of the budget would be balanced at all levels and financed from real sources.

He underlined that such manner of financing had halved inflation this year.

The goal of the fiscal policy is to make it easier for companies to pay their contributions to public spendings, he said, and added that the Yugoslav Government had this year 'left' to the economy over one billion dinars through exemptions from customs duties for the import of equipment and through reducing duties for products not manufactured in the country.

The share of the planned budget in the planned social product will be 8.94 percent in 1997.

During the debate on the budget, that deputies of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) described as unrealistic, Raicevic underlined that there would be no borrowing or printing of money to meet budgetary needs, as there had not been in the past three years.

By a majority vote, the Lower House rejected a proposal by SRS leader Vojislav Seselj and by a leader of the Montenegrin Popular Concord Coalition (NSCG) Novak Kilibarda that a discussion on the current political situation in the country be included in the agenda.

Kilibarda's proposal to discuss reintroducing live television broadcasts of parliamentary sessions was also rejected, after which NSCG deputies left the session.

Representatives of the opposition coalition Zajedno did not attend either the thursday or the Friday session.

Explaining the draft budget to the Upper House (Chamber of the Republics), Yugoslav Assistant Finance Minister Drago Vucinic said the social product was expected to grow by 13 percent next year, industrial production by 13.9 percent, agricultural production by six percent and other sectors by 15.7 percent.

Vucinic noted that the drawing up of the budget was based on the economic policy goals for next year - the stability of prices and the exchange rate of the dinar, increase of production and exports, structural changes and ownership transformation - which should lay the conditions for improving the living standard of the population.

The Parliament also ratified the agreements concluded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with the Governments of Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Israel, Tajikistan and Romania on economic, trade, medical, scientific and technical cooperation, and the agreement between Yugoslavia and the UNHCR.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

[04] YUGOSLAV ARMY REMAINS FORCE OF STABILITY

Addressing the Yugoslav Parliament's Upper House on the occasion of a debate on the 1997 Yugoslav budget, Bulatovic said that the 1997 defence budget would be reduced by 730 million dinars (about 146 million dollars) in comparison with 1996.

The Minister said that the proposed funds were proportionate to the real possibilities of the economy and citizens and that, as such, they corresponded more to economic possibilities than to the needs and military and political situation in the region.

According to the realistic needs and plans, 9.3 billion dinars should be allocated for the defence, Bulatovic said and expressed understanding for the reduction of the defence budget, saying that this was defence's direct contribution to the country's economic stability.

'The proposed annual allocation for the army amounts to just 95 dollars per capita,' Bulatovic said and added that this was very little in comparison with other countries.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

[05] REPORT FROM MR. FELIPE GONZALEZ TO THE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE OF THE OSCE

2. The framework and guidelines established by the Chairmanship of the OSCE are expressed in the letter of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in annex II. Annex III deals with the composition of the delegation which travelled to Belgrade on the 20 and 21st of December 1996.

3. During its stay in Belgrade and following the mandate received, the delegation met representatives of all political forces, institutions and the judiciary of the FRY. Annex IV deals with the program of the visit which took place as scheduled and in a frank and open manner.

4. Several of the interlocutors presented the delegation with documentation related to its mandate. In annex V. there is an outline of the documents received.

5. At the end of his visit to Belgrade, the Personal Representative published a press release which is also annexed to this document as annex VI.

6. In the fulfilment of his mission, the Personal Representative and the delegation have been guided at all times both by their mandate and by the principles of the OSCE. Particularly, the Personal Representative reminded his interlocutors of the principles adopted by the OSCE Paris Summit held in 1990 and signed by the then Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, particularly of the following paragraphs: We undertake to build, consolidate and strengthen democracy as the only system of government of our nations. In this endeavour, we will abide by the following: Human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human beings, are inalienable and are guaranteed by law. Their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of the government. The respect for them is an essential safeguard against an over-mighty State. The observance and full exercise are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. Democratic government is based on the will of the people, expressed regularly through free and fair elections. Democracy has as its foundation respect for the human person and the rule of law. Democracy is the best safeguard of freedom of expression, tolerance of all groups of society, and the equality of opportunity for each person. Democracy, with its representative and pluralist character, entails accountability to the electorate, the obligation of public authorities to comply with the law and justice administered impartially. No one will be above the law.

7. After having carefully listed to all the Parties and carefully examined all the information and documents, the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office submits to the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE the following conclusions and recommendations in relation to the local elections which took place in the FRY on 17 November 1996. a) I believe that the elections of 17 November, considered in their entirety, and without ignoring some critical observations on the functioning of the electoral system, reflected the will of the majority of the citizens of FRY. b) I have reached the conclusion, on the basis of all the data that I have, that the candidates of the coalition Zajedno, have won the local elections in the municipalities of: Pirot, Kraljevo, Uzice, Smederevska Palanka, Vrsac, Soko Banja, Kragujevac, Pancevo, Jagodina, Nis, Zrenjanin, Lapovo, Sabac, as well as nine municipalities in Belgrade. c) There is no question about the results of the local elections in the rest of the municipalities, nor of the fact that the candidates of the coalition SPS, JUL and ND, won the majority of the votes in the elections. d) It is my opinion that both the authorities and all political forces in the FRY must accept and abide by the results of the local elections of 17 November, as reflected in the above conclusions. e) I recommend that the relevant organs in the OSCE support these conclusions and urgently call upon the authorities and political forces in the FRY to implement the will of the citizens as expressed in the polls, through implementation of the adequate procedures and in a spirit of dialogue and cooperation, while fully respecting human rights and democratic principles.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

[06] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER: OSCE REPORT IS CONSTRUCTIVE

Milutinovic said that the report's main point was exhorting for dialogue within the system and for a constructive approach and discussions within Parliament between the authorities and the opposition.

Milutinovic also said that the report confirmed that the elections were held in the best possible order, that the greatest part of the people were able to express their will, and that the opposition had won in a number of municipalities.

When we look into the list of these municipalities, Milutinovic specified, it is clear that there was a certain measure of confusion among mission members, which is understandable if we know that they stayed in Belgrade only one day.

For example, the report says, Milutinovic added, that the opposition had won in some municipalities in Belgrade, and in a small number of municipalities in Serbia but what is very important and what was said in the report is that the 'United List - Socialist Party of Serbia, Yugoslav Left, New Democracy won the majority of votes in all other municipalities,' out off the 188 municipalities in which citizens voted.

The most important thing, Milutinovic said, is that 'they also consider, as we do, that all problems should be solved within our system.'

Milutinovic then said that the report will be reviewed within the institutions of OSCE (where decisions are brought by consensus) and it should therefore be considered as preliminary.

Milutinovic repeated that the report has been assessed in its entirety as very constructive and balanced.

'The report, and that is our position,' Milutinovic said, 'refers everything to the organizations and institutions of our country within whose competency are elections, to review it.'

Besides that, Milutinovic said, it speaks about the return of the FRY to the international community and lays down a way of approach to the general situation in the country, which is assessed by us in the same way.

All in all, the first reaction is good, and we accept suggestions as well- intentioned and constructive, because they urge that everything be reviewed within adequate procedure, or within the institutions of our system, minister Milutinovic said in conclusion.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-28 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-27

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