Voice of America, 96-12-08

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] HUNGARY REVOLT (S) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

[02] SERBIA MEDIA (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

[03] SERBIA PROTESTS (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

[04] SERBIA OPPOSITION (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

[05] SERBIA PROTESTS ONITER (L) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

[06] SERBIA RULING (S) BY BARREY WOOD (BELGRAD)

[01] HUNGARY REVOLT (S) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

INTRO: FOR THE FIRST TIME, HUNGARY'S SUPREME COURT HAS OVERTURNED AN EARLIER DECISION TO CONVICT TWO MEN FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY DURING HUNGARY'S 1956 REVOLUTION AGAINST COMMUNISM. STEFAN BOS REPORTS FROM BUDAPEST, THE DECISION IS SEEN AS A LANDMARK RULING.

TEXT: THE SUPREME COURT OF HUNGARY SAID THERE IS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT BOTH MEN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY DURING THE 1956 REVOLUTION AGAINST COMMUNISM.

ALTHOUGH THE COURT ORDERED A NEW INVESTIGATION, ANALYSTS SAID IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE TWO MEN WILL BE CONVICTED. THE TWO HUNGARIANS, SANDOR GULYAS AND MIHALY PATAKI, WERE SUSPECTED OF KILLING AT LEAST TWO LEADERS OF THE 1956 REVOLUTION IN THE TOWN OF KECSKEMET.

MR. GULYAS AND MR. PATAKI WERE BOTH OFFICERS IN THE HUNGARIAN ARMY THAT LATER JOINED THE REVOLUTION, WHICH WAS CRUSHED BY SOVIET SOLDIERS. THE COURT DID NOT RULE OUT THAT BOTH MEN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLINGS.

BUT JUDGES APPEAR TO AGREE WITH THE DEFENSE SUGGESTION THAT THIS WAS A HOMICIDE CASE NOT A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. UNDER HUNGARIAN LAW, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONVICT SUSPECTS 40 YEARS AFTER SUCH A CRIME. THE CASE ALREADY LEAD TO A WIDE DISCUSSION IN HUNGARY. HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT ARPAD GONCZ RECENTLY WARNED OF A WITCH-HUNT AGAINST EX-COMMUNISTS. BUT SOME CENTER RIGHT PARTIES FAVOR PROSECUTION AND SAY JUSTICE MUST BE DONE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/CB-T/LWM
07-Dec-96 5:36 PM EST (2236 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] SERBIA MEDIA (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: THE AMERICAN CHAIRWOMAN OF "THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS," KATI MARTON, SATURDAY (TODAY) MET IN BELGRADE FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: JOURNALIST KATI MARTON CAME FROM A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC DIRECTLY TO THE STUDIOS OF RADIO B-92, THE INDEPENDENT STATION THAT WAS CLOSED FOR TWO DAYS EARLIER THIS WEEK. MS. MARTON SAID SHE WANTED TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH B-92 STAFF MEMBERS, WHO ARE PROVIDING THE ONLY LOCAL BROADCAST NEWS OF THE MASSIVE STREET DEMONSTRATIONS THAT HAVE GONE ON DAILY FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS.

MS. MARTON, A FORMER CORRESPONDENT FOR A-B-C NEWS, SAID SERBIA MUST HAVE AN INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA.

IT IS A MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY. I COME HERE NOT REPRESENTING ANY POLITICAL MESSAGE. I HAVE MET WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AND NOW I'M GOING TO MEET THE OPPOSITION. I TOLD MR. MILOSEVIC I WOULD DO THIS AND DELIVER THE SAME MESSAGE TO THE OPPOSITION LEADERS, WHICH IS, YOU CAN'T CALL YOURSELF A DEMOCRAT IF YOU SILENCE YOUR PRESS.

THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS WARNED THE SERBIAN AUTHORITIES AGAINST USING FORCE AGAINST THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATORS. AND THE UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE SERBIA'S FEW INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO STATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/DW/RRM
07-Dec-96 1:21 PM EST (1821 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] SERBIA PROTESTS (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: AN ESTMATED 200-THOUSAND PROTESTERS JAMMED THE STREETS OF BELGRADE AGAIN TODAY (SATURDAY) -- THE 20TH CONSECUTIVE DAY OF DEMONSTRATIONS. THEY ARE DEMANDING PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC OVERTURN HIS ANNULMENT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS WON BY THE OPPOSITION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: TRAFFIC WAS AGAIN BLOCKED FROM THE CITY CENTER AS DEMONSTRATORS KEPT UP THEIR PROTESTS. STUDENTS MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS CARRYING BANNERS AND SHOUTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS. REPORTS ON THE DEMONSTRATIONS WERE BROADCAST LIVE BY RADIO B-92, THE CAPITAL'S ONLY INDEPENDENT RADIO STATION THAT IS NOW BACK ON THE AIR.

OPPOSITION LEADERS SAY THEY WILL KEEP UP THE PROTESTS UNTIL ALL OF THE DISPUTED MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS ARE REINSTATED.

THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE SUPREME COURT IS PREPARING TO RULE THAT THE OPPOSITION DID, INDEED, WIN THE NOVEMBER 17TH ELECTIONS IN BELGRADE. OPPOSITION LEADER ZORAN DJINDJIC SAYS THAT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. HE TOLD THE PROTESTERS THAT THE OPPOSITION WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL EVERYTHING IT HAS WON IS GIVEN BACK.

OPPONENTS OF THE RULING SOCIALISTS CONTEND THEY WON ELECTIONS IN 15 OF SERBIA'S BIGGEST MUNICIPALITIES. MEANWHILE, THE AMERICAN HEAD OF "THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS," KATI MARTON, MET FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS SATURDAY WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC. SHE SAYS THE SERBIAN LEADER PLEDGED NOT TO USE FORCE AGAINST THE DEMONSTRATORS AND NOT TO AGAIN CLOSE DOWN THE B-92 RADIO STATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/DW/RRM
07-Dec-96 1:15 PM EST (1815 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] SERBIA OPPOSITION (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: OPPOSITION LEADERS IN SERBIA SUNDAY VOWED TO KEEP UP THEIR MASSIVE ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT INDICATED IT WOULD NOT REINSTATE LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS WON BY OPPONENTS OF PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: OPPOSITION LEADER VUK DRASKOVIC SAYS THE PEACEFUL PROTESTS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RESIGNS. MR. DRASKOVIC, ONE OF TWO PRINCIPAL LEADERS OF THE ZAJEDNO OR "TOGETHER" OPPOSITION, SAYS HE FEARS MR. MILOSEVIC WILL SOON USE THE POLICE AND THE ARMY TO QUELL THE PROTESTS WHICH HAVE GONE ON FOR THREE WEEKS. ON SATURDAY MR. MILOSEVIC SAID HE WOULD NOT USE FORCE AGAINST THE DEMONSTRATORS.

A MAIN DEMAND OF THE PROTESTERS HAS BEEN THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE OPPOSITION'S LOCAL ELECTION VICTORY LAST MONTH.

THE OPPOSITION SAYS IT WAS TOLD BY THE SUPREME COURT THAT ALL OF THE APPEALS REGISTERED ON BEHALF OF ITS CANDIDATES FOR THE BELGRADE CITY COUNCIL WERE REJECTED. MR. DRASKOVIC SAID THE COURT TAKES ORDERS FROM MR. MILOSEVIC. HE CALLED ON WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO REGISTER A STRONG REACTION TO WHAT HE CALLED STATE TERRORISM.

[05] SERBIA PROTESTS ONITER (L) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: AS EXPECTED, SEBIA'S SUPREME COURT HAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED THE RULING FORMER COMMUNISTS AND THEIR ALLIES VICTORS IN BELGRADE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS INITIALLY DECLARED TO HAVE BEEN WON BY THE OPPOSITION. BARRY WOOD REPORTS THE RULING CAME SUNDAY AFTER MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND PROTESTERS AGAIN MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL.

TEXT: THE OPPOSITION CORRECTLY PREDICTED THE SUPREME COURT WOULD REJECT THE APPEALS TO RE-INSTATE THE OPPOSITION VICTORY IN NOVEMBER 17TH MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. INSTEAD OF THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT ZAJEDNO COALITION HAVING 60 OF THE 110 SEATS ON THE COUNCIL, THE COURT SAYS THE RULING SOCIALISTS AND THEIR ALLIES WILL HAVE 66 SEATS, WHILE ZAJEDNO RECEIVES ONLY 32.

BEFORE THE RULING A ZAJEDNO LAWYER SAID SERBIAN COURTS HAD BECOME TOOLS OF POLITICS INSTEAD OF LAW. VUK DRASKOVIC, A ZAJEDNO LEADER, SAID SERBIA'S COURTS TAKE THEIR ORDERS DIRECTLY FROM PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

MR. DRASKOVIC, WHO HEADS THE SERBIAN RENEWAL MOVEMENT, SAID HE FEARED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SOON USE THE POLICE AND THE ARMY TO QUELL THE PROTESTS.

SUNDAY'S MASSIVE STREET DEMONSTRATION WAS PEACEFUL, BUT DETERMINED. THE PROTESTERS, ABOUT HALF WERE STUDENTS, MARCHED ABOUT THREE-KILOMETERS THROUGH THE CITY CENTER, BLOWING WHISTLES AND CARRYING ANTI-GOVERNMENT BANNERS. POLICE STAYED AWAY.

AT A MASSIVE RALLY AFTER THE MARCH, ANOTHER ZAJEDNO LEADER, ZORAN DJINDJIC, PREDICTED THE PROTESTS WOULD SPREAD TO 50 TOWNS AND CITIES IN SERBIA DURING THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. MR. DJINDJIC ASKED THE CROWD WHICH WOULD PREVAIL, THE PEOPLE'S DETERMINATION TO FORCE CHANGE, OR MR. MILOSEVIC'S PATIENCE WAITING FOR THE PROTESTS TO LOSE MOMENTUM?

MR. DRASKOVIC SAID THE OBJECTIVE IS THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC.

IN ADDITION TO BELGRADE, THERE WERE ANTI-GOVERNMENT MARCHES SUNDAY IN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF NIS AND THE INDUSTRIAL CITY OF KRAGUJEVAC. AS MANY AS 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE MARCHED IN NIS, WHERE ZAJEDNO ALSO CLAIMED VICTORY IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

STATE-RUN RADIO AND TELEVISION EITHER IGNORES THE PROTESTS OR DESCRIBES THEM AS FRINGE ACTIONS BY TROUBLEMAKERS INTENT ON VIOLENCE. THE MOST WIDELY READ NEWSPAPER THIS WEEKEND CARRIED NO PICTURES OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

BUT PEOPLE IN BELGRADE ARE INFORMED OF THE PROTESTS. MOST GET INFORMATION FROM AN INDEPENDENT LOCAL RADIO STATION WHICH BROADCASTS LIVE FROM THE DEMONSTRATIONS. INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS IN BELGRADE, TWO OF WHICH HAVE DOUBLED THEIR SMALL PRINT RUNS, ALSO GIVE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE PROTESTS.

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE, MAKING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS OR APPEARANCES. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/RAE
08-Dec-96 5:12 PM EST (2212 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] SERBIA RULING (S) BY BARREY WOOD (BELGRAD)

INTRO: SERBIA'S SUPREME COURT SATURDAY BEGAN HANDING DOWN DECISIONS ON THE CONTROVERSIAL LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BELGRADE LAST MONTH THAT WERE WON BY THE OPPOSITION BUT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ANNULLED. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: THE DECISIONS APPEAR TO BE GOING AGAINST THE APPEAL MADE BY SERBIA'S DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION. THE SUPREME COURT HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE ANNULMENT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT IN FIVE BELGRADE DISTRICTS WON BY THE OPPOSITION IN THE NOVEMBER 17TH ELECTION. AN OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN SAID THE PARTIAL RULING IS A BAD SIGNAL, SUGGESTING THAT THE OVERALL APPEAL IS LIKELY TO BE REJECTED.

ON SATURDAY, SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC MET FOR OVER TWO HOURS WITH KATI MARTIN WHO HEADS THE U-S COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS. MS. MARTIN SAID THE SERBIAN LEADER PLEDGED NOT TO USE FORCE TO QUELL ANTI-GOVENMENT DEMONSTRATIONS THAT HAD GONE ON IN BELGRADE FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS. THE DEMONSTRATORS PRINCIPAL DEMAND HAS BEEN RECOGNITION OF THE OPPOSITIONS VICTORY IN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS.

THE ZAJEDNA OR TOGETHER OPPOSITION COALITION CLAIMS IT WON THE ELECTIONS IN BELGRADE AND 14 OTHER SERBIAN CITIES. THE SUPREME COURT SUBSEQUENTLY ANNULLED THE OPPOSITION VICTORY SITING ALLEGED VOTE IRREGULARITIES. THE COURT THEN AGREED TO RECONSIDER ITS DECISION. ON SATURDAY, TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE DEMONSTRATORS CONTINUED THEIR PEACEFUL PROTEST IN BELGRADE. (SIGNED)
NEB/BW/CB-T/LWM
07-Dec-96 10:30 PM EST (0330 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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