21 years have gone by

21 years have gone by

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over Serbia protested against the non-recognition of the results of the presidential elections by the then regime.

It is 21 years since the mass demonstrations of the citizens of Serbia that led to the departure from power of the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic.

The October 5 protest in the center of Belgrade was organized after the Election Commission disputed the victory of the candidate of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, Vojislav Kostunica, in the elections for the president of the FRY, held on September 24, 2000.

The DOS called on citizens to gather in front of the Federal Assembly on October 5, 2000, and oppose the election theft carried out by the Federal Election Commission on the orders of the Milosevic regime.

The DOS has ultimately requested that Slobodan Milosevic recognize the electoral will of the citizens expressed in the federal, presidential and local elections held on September 24 by Thursday, October 5, at 3 p.m.

It was also demanded that the general director, editor-in-chief and the editorial board of the Serbian Radio and Television resign, that RTS change its editorial policy and provide objective information about the events in Serbia.

The Federal Election Commission announced that Kostunica won 49 percent of the votes, and its president, Borivoje Vukicevic, stated that the preparatory work for the second round of the presidential elections on October 8 had been completed.

A coalition of 18 opposition parties claimed that their candidate won 52.54 percent of the votes and rejected the possibility of holding a second round.

The DOS presidential candidate asked Slobodan Milosevic to admit defeat in the first round of the presidential elections and pointed out the danger of open conflicts in Serbia.

Arrival of demonstrators in Belgrade from all over Serbia

DOS supporters have been arriving in Belgrade since early morning from all over Serbia, led by opposition leaders, and police have tried unsuccessfully to stop protesters heading towards Belgrade on local and regional roads.

A large number of citizens demonstrated, and a group of people entered the parliament building through a window at around 3:35 p.m.

During the clash between the police and the demonstrators, gunfire was heard, and the police threw tear gas near the building of the Serbian Radio and Television, while the excavator started to break through to the entrance.

The RTS building in Takovska Street was then set on fire, and the regular RTS program stopped broadcasting after 5 p.m.

Police officers from the police headquarters in Majke Jevrosime Street laid the weapons down and joined the protesters. In the evening, Vojislav Kostunica addressed the citizens from the terrace of the Belgrade City Assembly, and then via RTS.

A night of anticipation

The protesters were in the center of Belgrade throughout the night, celebrating the victory, but also fearing the possible intervention of the army and other security formations of the former regime.

DSS activist Jasmina Jovanović from Miloševac near Velika Plana was killed in the protests, and she accidentally fell under the wheels of a truck. Momcilo Stakić from Krupanj died of a heart attack. 65 people were injured during the protest.

On October 6, Slobodan Milosevic acknowledged electoral defeat, and on October 7, Vojislav Kostunica was sworn in before members of the Federal Assembly and became president of the FRY.