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20:39 CET (GMT+2) - The walkers dispersed at Slavija. The police officers that retreated were returning with their clubs, but there will probably be no incident. We thus end today’s broadcast of the united opposition rally. Please stay at our site – statements, pictures and video sequences are to come. 20:38 CET (GMT+2) - There was an incident at Slavija Square when someone from the group of demonstrators threw a torch at a parked police motorbike. The policeman standing besides the bike drew his gun, but the young men fled. They had previously forced a police patrol to retreat from the square towards Boulevard JNA. 20:32 CET (GMT+2) - A police car came down General Zdanova Street, but quickly turned their car around when they saw the crowd. 20:27 CET (GMT+2) - After the rally had ended, the gathered citizens started for a spontaneous walk through Srpskih Vladara and Kneza Milosa streets. Our reporter was with them when they greeted a group of traffic police with – av, av [barking] and clenched fists. It seemed the policemen felt discomfort. 19:12 CET (GMT+2) - After giving first aid an ambulance has taken a man to the hospital, but he does not seem to be seriously injured. Witnesses day that it was probably the intention of the driver to cause an incident, not to seriously injure anybody. 19:05 CET (GMT+2) - The rally of the united opposition has ended. There were no incidents, except for this small one. We apologize to our listeners of our audio broadcast for the technical problems at the beginning of the program. 19:03 CET (GMT+2) - A car has entered the crowd in Francuska street, by the National Theatre. When demonstrators started towards the car, the driver retreated and rushed the crowd again, as our reporter has informed us. The injured have been placed inside the National Theatre, where they are being given first aid. The police reacted quickly and arrested the driver. 19:00 CET (GMT+2) - Kostunica added that he knows no state with more terrorists per capita, and that the new law against terrorism should have been passed in 1998, when the rebellion in Kosovo started. “We must continue living and we must not stop”, said Kostunica. “Non-violence and knowledge are the strongest weapons against the regime”. 18:57 CET (GMT+2) - Kostunica said the reason for attacking the university lies in the saying “knowledge is power”. “Too much power lies in the knowledge of the students and professors in order for the regime to allow university autonomy”. 18:55 CET (GMT+2) - Vojislav Kostunica, president of the Serbian Democratic Party is the next to take the stand. “When the university was attacked, everything that thinks well was attacked also” said Kostunica, adding that Miosevic’s musclemen locked the university, and the minister of education is disciplining the university. Kostunica reminded that students have taken exams next to the professors bodyguards. “The infamous law on University is not enough, so its implementation must be even worse” added Kostunica. 18:48 CET (GMT+2) - Comic says women urge transparent politics. 18:46 CET (GMT+2) - The following speaker is Gordana Comic, representative of the Women’s Political Network. “My voice speaks for hundreds of thousands of women’s voices: we will take no more violence!” 18:44 CET (GMT+2) - Nikolic concluded saying it is time to say goodbye to fear, to show whose country this is. He ended his speach with “Resistance for the people, freedom for the Resistance”. 18:42 CET (GMT+2) - “Otpor has three points” says Nikolic, adding that students and professors must defend their Schools, and that on Monday everyone would be in front of their schools until the ministry order is revoked and the student torment stops. Opposition parties must protect free citizens and their fellow citizens. If the police arrest a student – a hundred of his/her colleagues will go on a hunger strike. The following day professors will be invited to join the strike, and opposition leaders on the third. 18:36 CET (GMT+2) - Nikolic explains the way “Otpor” functions, adding that the opposition leaders have wasted seven days with pointless meetings. This statement was greeted with “Otpor!, otpor!”. Nikolic said that the leaders have seven minutes to come to an agreement in front of everybody and that “Otpor” is expecting an answer by may 31, and the new opposition meeting. 18:32 CET (GMT+2) - The following speaker is Nemanja Nikolic, "Otpor" representative, who greeted the gathered crowd with - "Otpor, otpor!" (Resistance, resistance). He says he is being called traitor every day, because he does not want to be pushed out of here, as half a million young people have been in the past ten years. He emphasized that he is only one of 25,000 "Otpor" activists and that he is no leader. 18:29 CET (GMT+2) - Djindjic said that Milosevic could not be struck down by one blow, but that we must fight him every day. He said the elections are important for Milosevic, since if he is defeated in the elections he will be defeated completely. "It is necessary for the opposition to form a wave of two to three million voters, that would topple the regime in the elections", adding that this is not a rebellion and that after ten year we cannot get out of the situation with one move. 18:25 CET (GMT+2) - "We must brace for the coming days for the regime will not stop at Studio B" said Zoran Djindjic. He supported Otpor's project for protecting opposition sympathizers from arrests, adding that the identities of the police officers beating people must be known - for they must not walk the streets. 18:21 CET (GMT+2) - Zoran Djindjic emphasized the necessity for each and every one of us to have a plan what we will be doing a year in advance, and that the opposition needs such a plan more than anybody does. The opposition does not have such a plan, he said, but will put one forth within five days. The first part of the plan is self-defense - since we are at war with the evil. He reminded the gathered citizens of all the independent media that have seized and all the citizens that have been beaten. 18:12 CET (GMT+2) - Janko Baljak concluded his speech holding his fist up (simbol of Otpor movement) and said Resistance until victory. Zoran Djindjic, president of Democratic Party, is speaking now. He said that there have been a lot of promises in the past ten years adding that this is the moment of truth for the Serbian regime and the Serbian opposition. 18:08 CET (GMT+2) - Janko Baljak, film director, is speaking now. He said that the students are being beaten inside the faculty buildings and added that Serbia is no longer the headline story in the world. 18:08 CET (GMT+2) - Now speaking is Nebojsa Kojadinovic, manager and editor-in-chief of Studio B. He says Mira Markovic has attacked Studio B, adding that we must retrieve not only the television and radio station, but also our dignity. He said we should not be ashamed to cross our borders. "Serbia will enter the 21st century without Slobodan Milosevic, or the 19th century with Slobodan Milosevic. 18:05 CET (GMT+2) - According to the last estimates of our reporters, there are close to thirty thousand people in Republic Square. 18:00 CET (GMT+2) - Vuk Draskovic concluded his speech, and is followed by Dragan Kojadinovic, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief of Studio B independent television station. He said that all of us have to defend not only Studio B, but human dignity, because this was Milosevic's target this time. He said that he is not afraid, in spite of arrest threats. He added that no one should be afraid and that Serbia is getting up on its feet. 17:52 CET (GMT+2) - Draskovic said that, if all of us would have enough patience, the opposition would triumph and force the regime to democratic elections. He applauded to the decision of pop singer Momcilo Bajagic Bajaga, who decided to cancel all his concerts as long as the children are being beaten up by the police in the streets of Belgrade. 17:47 CET (GMT+2) - The united opposition rally on Republic Square in Belgrade have started with the speech of Vuk Draskovic, president of Serbian Renewal Movement. He said that the regime have closed down all of independent media in Belgrade, closed the University and is now preparing a new Anti-terrorism Law, which would serve as a new instrument of repression. He reminded of all the crimes committed by Milosevic's regime in Serbia, ending with the recent police repression. NOTE - All of the important information during the rally, including excerpts from the speeches will be published here. For previous news of the day, look at our breaking news section. |
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