Investigation of Milosevic Is Planned

With key levers of power firmly in their hands after a sweeping election victory, Yugoslavia’s reformers announced plans Monday to begin an investigation that could force former President Slobodan Milosevic to stand trial for ruining the country.

No date was set for the investigation, but Zoran Djindjic, expected to become prime minister of Serbia, the country’s main republic, said it could begin in the next few weeks.

Djindjic said Milosevic must answer to his own people “for all the terrible things he has done--starting from corruption, crime, election fraud and ordering murders” during his 13 years in power.

Pro-democracy leaders have made similar statements since October, when a popular uprising forced Milosevic to concede defeat to Vojislav Kostunica after a controversial federal presidential election Sept. 24.

However, those statements carry more weight since Serbian voters delivered a crushing blow to Milosevic’s allies in an election Saturday for the republic’s parliament, the last bastion of the former regime.