By Vesna Peric Zimonjic
BELGRADE, Dec 9 2002 (IPS)

Serbia faces a deep crisis only two years after former leader Slobodan Milosevic fell from power after the re-run for presidential elections failed Sunday for the third time.

"This is the first major political crisis after October 2000 (when Milosevic was ousted)," analyst Vladimir Goati told IPS. "We must try to avoid the paralysis of the institutions of the fragile democracy here."

The three candidates in the Serbian presidential race were President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Vojislav Kostunica, ultranationalist Serbian leader Vojislav Seselj, and Borislav Pelevic, leader of a small nationalist party. Kostunica got 1.7 million votes of the 2.9 million cast.

The voter turnout was 45.2 per cent in an electorate of 6.5 million. Elections would be valid only with a minimum voter turnout of 50 per cent. The last two rounds in September and October also failed because the turnout fell short of 50 per cent.

"A large group of reform-oriented voters clearly did not have their candidate in the elections," says analyst Srecko Mihailovic. "It is a message to the politicians."

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia comprises Serbia and tiny Montenegro with a population of 650,000. Both republics have their own presidents, prime ministers and parliaments.

The term of Serbian President Milan Milutinovic expires January 5. "A flexible interpretation of the Constitution says that the parliament speaker takes over as President of Serbia," says Bozo Prelevic, a constitutional expert with the non-governmental organisation Lex. "No way," Kostunica said Monday. The speaker is a 37-year-old woman, Natasa Micic.

Kostunica blamed Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic Monday afternoon for the failure of the elections. He said the "improper voters register" contains 600,000 names of people who have died or emigrated. "I won’t recognise the result of the elections," Kostunica said, adding that he would launch a judicial appeal over the voters list. "That (the register) was the responsibility of Djindjic’s government," Kostunica said.

Kostunica and Djindjic were together in toppling Milosevic but have been foes for months now. Kostunica is a moderate nationalist and rightist, while liberal Djindjic runs the train of market reforms at a speed painful to many Serbs.

Kostunica’s party has announced it will call for a vote of no confidence against Djindjic’s government later this week. His party could topple the government – but with the help of Milosevic’s Socialists and Seselj’s Serbian Radical Party.

"That would be a destructive move that could endanger the stability of Serbia, its fragile democracy, the reforms, and the image it was trying to improve since Milosevic fell from power," Goati said. "Top politicians must adhere to political wisdom and not to Milosevic’s methods."

The decade of rule of Slobodan Milosevic was marked by laws made to suit him. "Serbia is now entering turbulent times that we thought had ended with Milosevic’s fall from power," Goati said.

Excerpt:

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic
BELGRADE, Dec 9 2002 (IPS)

Serbia faces a deep crisis only two years after former leader Slobodan Milosevic fell from power after the re-run for presidential elections failed Sunday for the third time.

“This is the first major political crisis after October 2000 (when Milosevic was ousted),” analyst Vladimir Goati told IPS. “We must try to avoid the paralysis of the institutions of the fragile democracy here.”

The three candidates in the Serbian presidential race were President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Vojislav Kostunica, ultranationalist Serbian leader Vojislav Seselj, and Borislav Pelevic, leader of a small nationalist party. Kostunica got 1.7 million votes of the 2.9 million cast.

The voter turnout was 45.2 per cent in an electorate of 6.5 million. Elections would be valid only with a minimum voter turnout of 50 per cent. The last two rounds in September and October also failed because the turnout fell short of 50 per cent.

“A large group of reform-oriented voters clearly did not have their candidate in the elections,” says analyst Srecko Mihailovic. “It is a message to the politicians.”

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia comprises Serbia and tiny Montenegro with a population of 650,000. Both republics have their own presidents, prime ministers and parliaments.

The term of Serbian President Milan Milutinovic expires January 5. “A flexible interpretation of the Constitution says that the parliament speaker takes over as President of Serbia,” says Bozo Prelevic, a constitutional expert with the non-governmental organisation Lex. “No way,” Kostunica said Monday. The speaker is a 37-year-old woman, Natasa Micic.

Kostunica blamed Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic Monday afternoon for the failure of the elections. He said the “improper voters register” contains 600,000 names of people who have died or emigrated. “I won’t recognise the result of the elections,” Kostunica said, adding that he would launch a judicial appeal over the voters list. “That (the register) was the responsibility of Djindjic’s government,” Kostunica said.

Kostunica and Djindjic were together in toppling Milosevic but have been foes for months now. Kostunica is a moderate nationalist and rightist, while liberal Djindjic runs the train of market reforms at a speed painful to many Serbs.

Kostunica’s party has announced it will call for a vote of no confidence against Djindjic’s government later this week. His party could topple the government – but with the help of Milosevic’s Socialists and Seselj’s Serbian Radical Party.

“That would be a destructive move that could endanger the stability of Serbia, its fragile democracy, the reforms, and the image it was trying to improve since Milosevic fell from power,” Goati said. “Top politicians must adhere to political wisdom and not to Milosevic’s methods.”

The decade of rule of Slobodan Milosevic was marked by laws made to suit him. “Serbia is now entering turbulent times that we thought had ended with Milosevic’s fall from power,” Goati said.

Excerpt: