PM adviser meets protesting war vets

A delegation of Leskovac war veterans has met with Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's adviser Slobodan Lalatovic. A statement from the cabinet that confirmed this did not specify if any agreement was reached over the protesters' demands. PM adviser meets protesting war vets Police are securing the government building this afternoon, in front of which more than 1,000 veterans have gathered in protest. They expect the government to pass a decision, as was done for the benefit of reservists from other southern municipalities last year. They are demanding payment of wages owed to them from the 1999 war. President of the strikers council Dusan Nikolic said earlier that he will stay in front of the government until the demand are met, “even if it takes several days.” He added that the received a promise from Lalovic that five members of the reservist delegation will be allowed in for discussions. Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica earlier supported the demands of the Leskovac veterans. There are also about thirty reservists in the Leskovac town hall who have been on a hunger strike for seven days already. Their health is steadily deteriorating, which led to a decision by the ambulance and emergency medical workers to stay with them at the municipal building. Two of the reservists have been taken to the emergency room because of dehydration and their health has stabilized after they received IV fluids. The reservists said that they are not feeling well but stated that they will not end the hunger strike until the government agrees to their demands. The council announced that eleven more reservists in Leskovac would stop consuming liquids as well today at noon. There were about 10,000 reservists from the Leskovac area who fought in during the 1999 war. Meanwhile, the Gorani Civil Initiative has also called on the government to pay war wages to Goranis who served in the Yugoslav Army,VJ, during the Kosovo war. Stating that “during the NATO aggression on our country, 100 percent of Goranis who were called up joined the army, which was not the case in any other municipality in Serbia,” the Gorani officials added that 436 reservists “have been waiting for years to be paid.” If their demands are not met, the initiative has announced that there will be public protests organized, similar to the ones held by other reservists from the south. War veterans protest in Belgrade (Tanjug)

PM adviser meets protesting war vets

Police are securing the government building this afternoon, in front of which more than 1,000 veterans have gathered in protest.

They expect the government to pass a decision, as was done for the benefit of reservists from other southern municipalities last year. They are demanding payment of wages owed to them from the 1999 war.

President of the strikers council Dušan Nikolić said earlier that he will stay in front of the government until the demand are met, “even if it takes several days.”

He added that the received a promise from Lalović that five members of the reservist delegation will be allowed in for discussions.

Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica earlier supported the demands of the Leskovac veterans.

There are also about thirty reservists in the Leskovac town hall who have been on a hunger strike for seven days already.

Their health is steadily deteriorating, which led to a decision by the ambulance and emergency medical workers to stay with them at the municipal building.

Two of the reservists have been taken to the emergency room because of dehydration and their health has stabilized after they received IV fluids.

The reservists said that they are not feeling well but stated that they will not end the hunger strike until the government agrees to their demands.

The council announced that eleven more reservists in Leskovac would stop consuming liquids as well today at noon.

There were about 10,000 reservists from the Leskovac area who fought in during the 1999 war.

Meanwhile, the Gorani Civil Initiative has also called on the government to pay war wages to Goranis who served in the Yugoslav Army,VJ, during the Kosovo war.

Stating that “during the NATO aggression on our country, 100 percent of Goranis who were called up joined the army, which was not the case in any other municipality in Serbia,” the Gorani officials added that 436 reservists “have been waiting for years to be paid.”

If their demands are not met, the initiative has announced that there will be public protests organized, similar to the ones held by other reservists from the south.