Dr. Marko Jaksic, one of the leaders of SNV was the first speaker in front of several thousands of gathered Serbs. "We were deserted by our motherland and left to fight against terror and the so called KLA without an Army and Police. According to the UNHCR data, in the last two months close to 200,000 Serbs, Roma, Montenegrins and others have left Kosmet. KFOR will not be able to protect us until they sever their partnership with the so called KLA," said Jaksic.
"We, the Serbs from Kosovska Mitrovica, must be proud because we were the only ones to offer resistance to the growing tide of Albanian nationalism and the so called KLA. On the bridges we defend, there are no military, police, or paramilitary formations. Bridges of Kosovska Mitrovica are defended by the Serb people - from school pupils to pensioners," said Jaksic. He added that "as far as we are concerned, Slobodan Milosevic can go to the dustbin of history. There are no guarantees that once he's gone our life will be better, but it is certain that if he stays in power, our future will be bleak."
"We have gathered here to let the world know that the Serb people must not pay for the sins of the Serb regime and its wrong policy," said Dr Dragisa Milovic from Zvecan.
"Today, Kosmet has been converted into a concentration camp and a dungeon for Serbs, and all of that is taking place under a UN mandate. The United Nations have an obligation to provide security for all, including Serbs," emphasized Dr Milan Ivanovic. "We, who stayed here are not guilty for what is happening around us. Only the most honest and courageous people have stayed. Today, we are making history on the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica and the people who stopped the march of Albanian gangs from Albania deserve medals which are distributed by a bucketful in Serbia. As a physician and a humanist, I state that we shall not surrender the hospital in Mitrovica at any cost and allow that the ethnic structure of the employees be changed. This is the only remaining Serb hospital in Kosmet, and Kosovska Mitrovica is the only town in Kosmet with a significant number of Serbs," emphasized Ivanovic.
Finally, Ivanovic called on the political leaders representing both the Serbian authorities and the opposition to come to Kosovska Mitrovica and earn the support of the people.
"We were not defended by KFOR, gendarmes, the Yugoslav Army, or Police. We preserved our homes as a civic organization, as self-organized citizens," said Oliver Ivanovic. He continued: "Let us be proud and courageous - like true Serbs. We do not hate nor oppress anyone, but we do not ask for nor will we endure anyone's terror. Kosovo will not be lost as long as we stay here. We hope that the International Community will do its part to help us. Let us give them a chance to do their job properly".
However, as a government member who wished to stay anonymous said to "Glas", every minister "has his copy of the Platform".
"Ministers are divided regarding the possible reaction of the state to an independence referendum in Montenegro. The Radicals believe that the Federal Government must react quickly and squash separatism in Montenegro. According to them, that can be achieved by increasing the number of Yugoslav Army troops in Montenegro and by intensifying a media campaign against Montenegrin leadership. The Radicals believe that Djukanovic would not dare attack the Army, partly because of the small number of policemen under his command, and partly because of lukewarm support he has received from the West. Nobody needs another conflict in the Balkans and, according to the Radicals, that should be used to once and for all get rid of the separatists," said our colocutor.
Unlike the Radicals, claims our source, the Socialists advocate "somewhat more moderate method of dealing with separatists".
"We believe that the Federal Prime minister, Momir Bulatovic, is sufficiently strong in Montenegro to prevent any attempt to secede. One should keep in mind that many Montenegrin citizens are undecided about independence, as well as that there are many of them who do not support Bulatovic but are against secession. A strong campaign by the Serb Populist Party [SNP, Bulatovic's party, second largest party in Montenegro] which would offer a compromise in the governing of the Federal state, can prevent the decision to secede, if not the holding of the referendum. Keep in mind that these are two brotherly peoples who have always in history stood together," said our source, refusing to say anything about "compromise". He added that the final decision about the reaction to the holding of an independence referendum will be made by "the top state leaders".
At the Socialist Party headquarters, they refused to comment on "any divisions in the Serbian government" in connection with the Montenegrin Platform.
"We as a party are against all types of separatism. Especially those which are directed from abroad by the enemies of Yugoslavia. We are convinced that an overwhelming majority of Montenegrin citizens are against secession from FR Yugoslavia and that the result of any independence referendum would show that. Such a referendum would be the end of all separatist wishes and hopes of the regime in Montenegro," we were told at the headquarters of the Socialist Party of Serbia. Unlike the Socialists, their coalition partners in the Serb Radical Party refused to state anything for our newspaper.
The session was chaired by Slobodan Milosevic and it went on for four hours. It was held at the "Jugopetrol" building in New Belgrade. Journalists could not get even close to the building, let alone report about this event.
The statement issued by the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which was sent to "Politika", claims that "the greatest power on the Earth" which "could not enslave Yugoslavia with its bombs" is now "trying to to that by assisting puppet political parties and their corrupt leaders".
The Socialists, the statement continues, will respond to that by implementing reforms and economic measures that will secure economic and social security of the citizens. In that sense, the Chief Council approved the work of the Serbian Government.(...)
Certain members of the Socialist Party of Serbia refused to respond to our attempts to find out more about this gathering, the attitude of the ruling party with respect to the Platform for the Redefinition of the Relations between Montenegro and Serbia as well as the opposition intent to form a transition government.
Since our readers have the right to know what has been agreed at the top of SPS and what is behind bland sentences from the statement, we contacted our sources in SPS. They claim that the Montenegrin Platform has been totally rejected. "It has been agreed that we shall behave as if the Platform does not exist," say our colocutors who were at the meeting.
"There was no discussion of the transition government. A media campaign against all those advocating a transition government and intend to participate at the rally on August 19 is in the works. It will insist that they are all traitors," add our colocutors.
"The recently held Summit about the stability of the Balkans, to which the representatives of FRY were not invited, was also discussed. Our attitude is that we shouldn't have participated at that gathering of worldly hotheads even if they invited us".
To the question about Milosevic's attitude regarding the repeated demand by the [Serb Orthodox] Church for his resignation, as well as the announcement that the Hague Tribunal indictment against him could be expanded, "Glas" was told the following: "The president did not show even a small sign of worry. On the contrary, he showed great determination to persist in the implementation of agreed goals and policies".