BELGRADE - Supporters of new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica have consolidated their hold on power with a deal securing early elections and a role in government in Serbia, the country's dominant republic.
The reformers announced an accord which sets Serbian parliamentary elections for December 23 and provides for a transitional
government sharing power among Kostunica's allies and the Socialists of ousted president Slobodan Milosevic.
Although a mass uprising forced the authoritarian Milosevic to admit defeat in last month's presidential election, the Socialists and their backers remained dominant in the Serbian government, the seat of real power in Yugoslavia.
But the Socialists recognised that the defeat of Milosevic - their absolute leader for more than a decade at the centre of a vast network of power - on a wave of pro-democracy sentiment meant that they could not continue to run Serbia on their own.
"Our goal was to have early elections because we've found ourselves in a very unpleasant situation where existing institutions in Serbia do not have sufficient authority to rule the country," said Zoran Djindjic, a top Kostunica backer.
Supporters of Kostunica, a 56-year-old constitutional lawyer sworn in just over a week ago, were anxious at least to neutralise the Serbian government until the elections, at which they aim to sweep the Socialists from power completely.
However, parallel talks on forming a federal Yugoslav government stumbled late Monday, with Milosevic allies from Serbia's tiny sister republic Montenegro, demanding concessions from Kostunica before agreeing to back a new administration.
Milosevic has been indicted by a UN court for Kosovo war crimes. But a leading reformer predicted he would face trial at home on more mundane charges such as vote- rigging and fraud.
"That is how the career of a dictator will end - not with a huge crime but with simple fraud," Zarko Korac, who has been tipped as a candidate to become Yugoslav foreign minister, told the Croatian weekly magazine Fokus.
Under the terms of the power-sharing deal, the Socialists retain the post of prime minister but the new head of government has to take decisions by consensus with two deputy prime ministers, one from each of the two main reformist forces.
Four ministries, including the vital Interior Ministry with 85,000 police under its command, will be controlled jointly by the three groups in the deal - the Socialists, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia and the Serbian Renewal Movement.
"This agreement ensures that the new government works in the interest of the citizens and their future," said Zoran Andjelkovic, the Socialists' general secretary.
Vuk Draskovic, the Renewal Movement leader, said the new government would mark an end to violent rule under Milosevic.
"In a couple of days, the centres of state terrorism in Serbia will be stripped of authority," he said.
Kostunica plans to travel on Tuesday to Montenegro as he tries to put together a government at the federal level.
Under the constitution, the prime minister must be from Montenegro if the president is, like Kostunica, from Serbia.
However, Milosevic's Montenegrin allies hold the balance of power in the new federal parliament and on Monday they refused to accept a deal to enter into a coalition with Kostunica, raising the prospect of the old hardliners retaining office.
Western powers have indicated that the arrival of financial assistance will depend upon the formation of a new government, but the cash might never arrive if Milosevic's supporters continue to control the federal parliament.
"It would really be a massive disaster and it would stop our country's return to the world. The Serbian people will realise that Milosevic is coming back to power through the Montenegro minority," Djindjic said.
Kostunica's supporters will meet the Montenegrin party in five days for fresh talks, the independent Beta news agency said.
- REUTERS
Herald Online feature: Revolution in Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Serbian Ministry of Information
Serbian Radio - Free B92
Otpor: Serbian Student Resistance Movement
BELGRADE - Supporters of new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica have consolidated their hold on power with a deal securing early elections and a role in government in Serbia, the country's dominant republic.
The reformers announced an accord which sets Serbian parliamentary elections for December 23 and provides for a transitional
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