Serbian Opposition Says Protests to End
Serbia’s opposition said Saturday that it will end its three months of unrelenting street protests within days, but it pledged to keep pressing the autocratic president for more democratic concessions.
“This year must be the year of the victory for democratic Serbia,” opposition leader Vuk Draskovic told about 15,000 people who turned out for the 88th straight day of protests Saturday.
Under pressure at home and abroad, President Slobodan Milosevic belatedly recognized opposition victories in Belgrade and 13 other cities and towns in Nov. 17 municipal elections. Milosevic’s annulment of those victories had triggered the protests.
Serbian authorities announced that Belgrade’s City Council, where the opposition won an overwhelming majority, will be established Friday. That will be the first time in 52 years that a government other than Communist or post-Communist Socialist has ruled the city, which is the capital of both Serbia and the rump Yugoslavia.
Opposition leaders plan to celebrate in the streets Friday, but they said the battle for democratic changes must continue.
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