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Yugoslav president bound for election rally in Montenegro |
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September 21, 2000
BERANE, Yugoslavia (AP) - President Slobodan Milosevic ventures Wednesday to northern Montenegro for an election rally, uninvited by the republic's pro-Western leadership, but relying on support from many locals here who favor continued unity with Serbia. Northern Montenegro is considered a stronghold of Milosevic supporters who are opposed to the path toward independence steered by the republic's leadership, which is boycotting Yugoslav presidential and parliamentary elections this Sunday. Officials said Milosevic was expected to land at the airport just outside the town of Berane in early afternoon to deliver a speech - his only one in Montenegro. Before the Yugoslav leader's arrival, hundreds of Milosevic supporters flocked to a military airport here, chanting his name, carrying blue-red-white Yugoslav flags and banners and holding up his picture. Dozens of heavily armed troops from the Yugoslav army, loyal to Milosevic, were providing heavy security around the military base, while the republic's equally armed police, who support Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, were deployed in mass around the town. Western governments, who support Djukanovic and his refusal to work with Milosevic, are carefully watching Montenegro this weekend, fearing possible military clashes between the two sides. Montenegro's leadership has enjoyed substantial support from the West for breaking virtually all ties with Belgrade government, and for taking up market and pro-democracy reforms. The leadership, however, has refused to take part in Yugoslavia's parliamentary and presidential elections, despite appeals from democratic opposition parties in Serbia that are struggling to dislodge Milosevic. Milosevic is to return to Belgrade later in the day to open a sports hall as a finale to his feverish election campaign that has largely focused on accusing his opponents of being "foreign traitors and spies" and glorifying more than a decade of his rule. Serbia's 18 opposition parties are also to hold a rally Wednesday evening in downtown Belgrade, urging people to oust Milosevic and open the way for reforms. Opinion polls show the opposition with a strong lead ahead of Milosevic's ruling communist-nationalist coalition.
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