News for March 1st, 1997

Today is the 100th day of the Student Protest at Belgrade University against the violation of the electoral will of citizens. Students of both Belgrade Universities demand the dismissal of Chancellor Dragutin Velickovic and Student Vice-Chancellor Vojin Djurdjevic, since the two have been ignoring the Student Protest. Students are prepared to persist in their intention to make Chancellor Velickovic resign his post.

Several tens of thousands of students started their protest walk along the streets of Belgrade from the square in front of the School of Philosophy this evening. They stopped at all places that had marked the Student Protest 96/97 during these 100 days. A delegation of the Student Protest visited the grave of Predrag Starcevic, who, as they said, was "the victim of the terror campaign conducted by the regime's thugs" and died under unclear circumstances on the day of the counter-rally in Belgrade.

Radmila Melentijevic, the new Minister of Information in the Serbian Government, has stated that Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic is absolutely decided upon leading Serbia towards further democratization, and that the biggest problem in the relations between the authorities and the opposition is "the lack of style in democratic behaviour" of the opposition leaders.

Senior students of two secondary schools in Pirot went on strike today, because of "overmuch work to do", i.e. against the decision of school managements that eight classes be held daily. A procession of 200 secondary school students went through the center of the town, protesting against the too fast pace at which lectures are held due to the teachers' strike. The senior students in Pirot announced that they would state their demands today.

The Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) congratulated today Belgrade students on the 100th day of their peaceful protest.

The Civic Alliance of Serbia (GSS) announced today that Vesna Pesic, the leader of the party, and Vojin Dimitrijevic, the president of the foreign affairs Board of the GSS, would stay in Oslo between March 2 and 4, on the invitation of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.

Zoran Djindjic and Gabor Demsky, Mayors of Belgrade and Budapest, signed a declaration of intentions for cooperation in Belgrade today, whereas the Protocol will be signed during Djindjic's visit to the Hungarian capital, the date of which has not been fixed yet. The declaration stresses the cooperation in the fields of city planning and development, as well as city government and administration.

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