Foreign Agencies on February 12th, 1997

Associated Press
AP Top News at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997
Wednesday, February 12, 1997 10:58 am EST
SERB-PROTESTS

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Striking teachers, students and independent union workers are demonstrating today against President Slobodan Milosevic despite the opposition's first triumph over his authoritarian rule. Some 20,000 students who want their pro-Milosevic university rector ousted went on their 82nd daily protest march. Meanwhile, thousands of teachers surrounded the parliament building in downtown Belgrade to press their demands for overdue pay and higher wages. Yesterday, Serbia's parliament passed a law that finally conceded local election victories won by the opposition last November.

AP Newsbrief by MARK KENNEDY
(c) Copyright 1997 The Associated Press

Yugoslavia Protests Continue
By JULIJANA MOJSILOVIC
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, February 12, 1997 3:31 pm EST

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP)
...
More than 20,000 students staged a noisy march through Belgrade and unpaid, striking teachers ringed the parliament building.
...
Students, who have kept their protest separate from opposition rallies, said Wednesday they would continue.

"This protest won't stop before all our demands are met. Only one has been fulfilled so far," Misa Gligorijevic, one of the students' leaders, told Radio Index.

In addition to demanding the recognition of opposition victories in municipal elections, students want their dean's resignation and legal action against those responsible for election fraud and police repression.
...

Reuter
Serbian Govt Lashes Out at Protests

(17:31 02/12/97) BELGRADE (Reuter)
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But Zajedno and their student allies, who fought the election fraud by mounting daily demonstrations for 12 weeks, said they would not let up the pressure for the government to make additional reforms.

The students' demands include the sacking of the Belgrade University rector and a student co-rector while one of Zajedno's demands is for greater access to strictly-controlled state media.

Some 15,000 students marched in Belgrade at mid-day on Wednesday and thousands of Zajedno supporters watched in the evening as a red boat, about 1.5 m (five-feet) long, was launched in the Danube River.

Demonstrators chanted "Out, Slobo (Milosevic), out" and sang "And Now Adio" as the boat symbolically carrying the Socialists "out to sea" was set adrift, to an accompanying display of fireworks.
...

CNN
Opposition victory doesn't stop Belgrade street protests
February 12, 1997
Web posted at: 10:50 p.m. EST

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- President Slobodan Milosevic's reluctant acceptance of one opposition demand failed to stop the wave of protests against his rule Wednesday when thousands of marchers demanded more change.

The protests, coupled with foreign pressure, are developing into a broadly based revolt against Milosevic's rule, the biggest challenge to his decade in power.

More than 20,000 students staged a noisy march through Belgrade, and unpaid, striking teachers ringed the parliament building.

In the evening, opposition supporters walked to the banks of the Danube to launch a red-painted styrofoam boat, symbolizing the departure of Milosevic's Socialists, the renamed Communists, from Belgrade.
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In addition to demanding the recognition of opposition victories in municipal elections, students want their dean's resignation and legal action against those responsible for election fraud and police repression.
...

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