October 5 – (un)forgotten

October 5 – (un)forgotten

Almost two decades seem to have eaten all the ties that the October 5th spirit has barely held on to, in recent years. The day before this year's October 5th, there were no announcements, no reminders, not even statements by the former main actors of Milosevic's downfall.

Is October 5 really forgotten, suppressed, or temporarily sidelined? Everyone will have the answer to that and many more questions about this day, but it will anyhow remain in history forever.

Protest had begun and people took to the streets in Belgrade because Milosevic refused to accept the results of the presidential election in then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He lost the election on September 24, 2000.

Milosevic lost to Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica, who won 50,24 percent of votes, while Milosevic won 37,15 percent of votes.

After several days' protests and strikes all over Serbia, hundreds of thousands of protesters from all over the country gathered at a plateau in front of the then Federal Assembly on October 5, 2000, on the invitation of Democratic Opposition of Serbia, led by Zoran Djindjic.

The October 5 demonstrations in Belgrade were the culmination of several days of protests and strikes, organized over a decision by the Federal Election Commission to hold a second round of elections for the FRY President.

Cities in the interior of Serbia have been paralyzed by strikes for days.

One of the most striking blows to the regime was inflicted by the workers of the Kolubara Cole Mine, who persisted in the strike despite the daily intimidations of the regime. On October 5, protesters arrived in Belgrade, on a plateau in front of the Federal Assembly, there were motorcades several dozens of kilometers long from all over Serbia, and people used bulldozers to break through police roadblocks.

In the morning, police used tear gas to prevent protesters from entering the Assembly, but to no avail.

Around 3 pm, the Federal Assembly building was demolished and set on fire, as well as the seat of the public broadcaster (RTS) in Takovska Street.

From the state television, also known as the "TV Bastille" in the nineties, journalists who were editing the program emerged from the building, while television director Dragoljub Milanovic was beaten up in a nearby Tasmajdan park. One of the heroes of the protest was Ljubisav Djokic, better known as Joe, who, with his bulldozer, led the assault by protesters on the RTS building. The bulldozer was hit with several bullets during the demonstration.

Soon, the police stopped resisting, and joined the protesters.

In the evening, the new President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, addressed the citizens from the terrace of the Belgrade Parliament. Milosevic acknowledged his defeat on the next day and congratulated Kostunica on October 6.

Jasmina Jovanovic, from the town of Milosevac near Velika Plana, was killed in the demonstrations when she fell under the wheels of a truck, while Momcilo Stakic, from the town of Krupanj, passed away from a heart attack. 65 people were injured in the riots.

A memorial with the image of Jasmina Jovanovic was discovered on October 5, 2002, in a park, not far from the spot where she died.