Opposition parties express anti-NATO sentiment

Opposition Serb Radicals (SRS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) today in Belgrade separately campaigned against an upcoming NATO-organized conference. About a hundred SRS activists were in front of the Presidency building, where they wished to present a protest letter to President Boris Tadic. Opposition parties express anti-NATO sentiment But MUP's Gendarmerie officers, deployed in front of the building, prevented them. There were minor incidents between the activists and police during the gathering. A Gendarme told Beta news agency that the Radicals "would have been allowed to deliver the letter had they appointed members of their delegation, but they wished to have all their officials, MPs and city councilors enter the Presidency". The letter was instead read by MP Zoran Krasic, as a NATO flag was being set on fire. The letter said that Tadic had brought Serbia "to occupation and on her knees in front of Brussels and Washington". "He trampled on all state and national interests with ease. He gave up on Kosovo and Metohija, he jeopardized the existence of the Serb Republic (RS)," Krasic read out. SRS deputy leader Dragan Todorovic also spoke to reporters to say that the fact those gathered were prevented from delivering the letter "showed the nature of Boris Tadic's treasonous regime". "Those who allegedly advocated democracy are today preventing SRS MPs from expressing their protest in a legal manner, over a gathering under NATO, which is supposed to arrive in Serbia." Todorovic continued to say that his party found it unacceptable that Serbia should host "criminals who bombed us in 1999, who are taking away Kosovo and Metohija from us, and who allowed for us to butchered and have our organs snatched in Kosovo and Metohija". Tadic no longer deserves to be the country's president, said Todorovic, and asked the opposition DSS party to support the Radicals in an initiative in parliament that would consider impeachment of the president and dissolving of the current government. The SRS activists today carried party flags, and banners reading, "No to NATO", "We won't forgive the children", and, "The murderer returns to the scene of the crime". Dragan Todorovic, reporters, and police (Beta) Protest drive Meanwhile, DSS officials and activists were at a bridge in Belgrade over the Sava River, where they unfurled a huge anti-NATO banner. They held a news conference there and said military neutrality was the most rational choice for the country, calling on President Boris Tadic and Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac to tell Serbians whether they had made the decision for Serbia to join NATO. The holding of the alliance's strategic conference that also gathers its partner countries in Belgrade is "a clear sign that Serbia's authorities wish to push the state into the military alliance in a covert manner", reporters were told. DSS spokesman Petar Petkovic said that the authorities, knowing that a majority of citizens was against such a move, were now attempting to obscure the fact that a NATO conference would be held here. "If NATO is the organizer, if they send invitations to participants, set subjects for discussion, clearly the host is in Serbia, while the authorities are just silently watching," Petkovic stated. The party's Belgrade branch head Andreja Mladenovic suggested that the conference should be held at the destroyed building of the General Staff or some other location targeted by NATO 12 years ago. Mladenovic also announced that his party would on Tuesday organize a "protest drive through Belgrade", to demonstrate that Belgrade and Serbia will never be "a NATO city and a NATO country". The banner reads, Never in NATO (Tanjug)

Opposition parties express anti-NATO sentiment

But MUP's Gendarmerie officers, deployed in front of the building, prevented them.

There were minor incidents between the activists and police during the gathering.

A Gendarme told Beta news agency that the Radicals "would have been allowed to deliver the letter had they appointed members of their delegation, but they wished to have all their officials, MPs and city councilors enter the Presidency".

The letter was instead read by MP Zoran Krasić, as a NATO flag was being set on fire.

The letter said that Tadić had brought Serbia "to occupation and on her knees in front of Brussels and Washington".

"He trampled on all state and national interests with ease. He gave up on Kosovo and Metohija, he jeopardized the existence of the Serb Republic (RS)," Krasić read out.

SRS deputy leader Dragan Todorović also spoke to reporters to say that the fact those gathered were prevented from delivering the letter "showed the nature of Boris Tadić's treasonous regime".

"Those who allegedly advocated democracy are today preventing SRS MPs from expressing their protest in a legal manner, over a gathering under NATO, which is supposed to arrive in Serbia."

Todorović continued to say that his party found it unacceptable that Serbia should host "criminals who bombed us in 1999, who are taking away Kosovo and Metohija from us, and who allowed for us to butchered and have our organs snatched in Kosovo and Metohija".

Tadić no longer deserves to be the country's president, said Todorović, and asked the opposition DSS party to support the Radicals in an initiative in parliament that would consider impeachment of the president and dissolving of the current government.

The SRS activists today carried party flags, and banners reading, "No to NATO", "We won't forgive the children", and, "The murderer returns to the scene of the crime".

Protest drive

Meanwhile, DSS officials and activists were at a bridge in Belgrade over the Sava River, where they unfurled a huge anti-NATO banner.

They held a news conference there and said military neutrality was the most rational choice for the country, calling on President Boris Tadić and Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac to tell Serbians whether they had made the decision for Serbia to join NATO.

The holding of the alliance's strategic conference that also gathers its partner countries in Belgrade is "a clear sign that Serbia's authorities wish to push the state into the military alliance in a covert manner", reporters were told.

DSS spokesman Petar Petković said that the authorities, knowing that a majority of citizens was against such a move, were now attempting to obscure the fact that a NATO conference would be held here.

"If NATO is the organizer, if they send invitations to participants, set subjects for discussion, clearly the host is in Serbia, while the authorities are just silently watching," Petković stated.

The party's Belgrade branch head Andreja Mladenović suggested that the conference should be held at the destroyed building of the General Staff or some other location targeted by NATO 12 years ago.

Mladenović also announced that his party would on Tuesday organize a "protest drive through Belgrade", to demonstrate that Belgrade and Serbia will never be "a NATO city and a NATO country".