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Text File | 1993-04-08 | 1.6 KB | 40 lines

                                                                                THE WEEK, Page 11

WORLD

Re-electing the Past


Serbs vote for Milosevic, defiance and the continuing catastrophe


    In any normal election, the odd would probably have been
against Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. The U.S. had
publicly charged him with war crimes, the international
community was tightening economic sanctions on his country, and
the inflation rate was running at 20,000% annually. But none of
that mattered. Milosevic, the virulent nationalist, was
re-elected with 55% of the vote in the race for the Serbian
presidency.

     Monitors from other European states said the campaign had
been "tainted by shameless propaganda in the state-run media,"
which labeled Milosevic's opponent, the Serbian-born American
businessman Milan Panic, a spy and a traitor. The poll watchers
also reported that election lists had been rigged in Milosevic's
favor and that 5% of potential voters were prevented from
casting their ballots.

     With nationalist sentiment the ruling emotion, the
war-crimes charges may have added cachet to some candidates.
Washington had linked ultra-nationalist leader Vojislav Seselj
and Serb militia chief Zeljko ("Arkan") Raznjatovic to Bosnian
atrocities. Both were elected to the Serbian parliament. Though
British Prime Minister John Major joined George Bush in pushing
for enforcement of the U.N.-ordered no-fly zone over Bosnia,
the Serbs showed no sign of backing off. The elections only
emphasized their continuing defiance and kept Milosevic firmly
in control.