BELGRADE: PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL STRIKE скачать в хорошем качестве

BELGRADE: PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL STRIKE

(1 Oct 2000) English/Nat XFA The opposition party in Yugoslavia launched preparations on Sunday for what they hope will be a nationwide general strike the following day. (Monday) They hope the strike will force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to abandon plans for a runoff next weekend with challenger Vojislav Kostunica and accept defeat in the September 24 elections. In Belgrade, the dress rehearsal on Sunday afternoon involved four major city crossroads where opposition supporters stopped traffic. Some people stopped their cars in the middle of the road and opened up the bonnets, feigning breakdown, in order to bring more chaos to the already blocked roads. Drivers honked their horns while pedestrians blew whistles and shook toy rattles, traditional noisy tools of the opposition protests. Outside of Belgrade, about 60 trucks also succeeded in blocking a key highway south - cheered on by jubilant crowds. But the cautious pace of the opposition's campaign raises questions about whether they will have the momentum to carry out their threats of bringing the entire country to a complete standstill. Authorities in Yugoslavia's main republic, Serbia, warned students against joining the Monday strike, saying "events disrupting school activities" for political purposes "are illegal." Students in Nis and other cities walked out of class during protests last week. Workers have also walked out in vital sectors: the largest coal mine, a key oil refinery, railway lines. The strikes raised the prospect of power and fuel shortages. The independent Beta news agency said about one thousand workers in another coal mine in Kostolac joined the strikes Sunday. SOUNDBITE: (English) "People of Serbia will show their inobedience (disobedience) to this regime after this last deal. " SUPER CAPTION: Djordje Cantrak, Protestor SOUNDBITE: (English) "People of Serbia have shown their own will. Now we are defending our victory. We will succeed." SUPER CAPTION: Milose Kovacevic, Protestor Opposition leaders, using figures from their poll watchers, claim Kostunica won the election with 51.34 percent to 36.22 percent for Milosevic. But the Federal Electoral Commission, in a tally criticised by the United States and other countries, says Kostunica fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...