WILL MONTENEGRO BE THE FLASHPOINT FOR WWIII?
During the Kosovo War, Rumor Mill News published an article called
"Kosovo The Truth Behind the Headlines -- What Is This Current Crisis Really About?"
http://homes.acmecity.com/thematrix/oracle/235/Headlines.HTM
In it we stated that Kosovo was about bringing back the Cold War, the Iron Curtain and a limited Third World War.
WWI started in the Balkans. Most people believe, WWII was a continuation of WWI. Will the Third World War start in the same place? The current events unfolding in Yugoslavia are pointing in that direction.
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http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGITAVQNEAC.html
Jul 7, 2000 - 10:43 PM
Montenegrin Parliament Rejects Yugoslav Constitutional Amendments Photos BEL101-104
By Alen Mlatisuma
Associated Press Writer
PODGORICA, Yugoslavia (AP) - Lawmakers on Saturday backed the Montenegrin government's decision to reject changes to the constitution - amendments aimed at concentrating power into the hands of the Yugoslav president while reducing Montenegro's status.
After a marathon session marked by insults between pro-independence and pro-Yugoslav camps, 35 of the parliament's 53 representatives voted in favor of the resolution adopted Friday by the Montenegrin government. The other deputies in the 78-member legislature were not present or abstained.
The parliament session, which lasted more than seven hours, revealed the deep divisions between supporters of Montenegro's pro-Western President Milo Djukanovic and those who stand behind President Slobodan Milosevic.
A proposed amendment to the government resolution calling for a referendum on the republic's independence and proposed by the Social Democrats was rejected by the lawmakers. The Social Democrats are partners in Montenegro's ruling coalition.
Representatives broke-off for an hour Friday, after Zarko Rakcevic, a Djukanovic ally, accused the pro-Milosevic Socialist People's Party of being "ethnic cleansers who can only go to The Hague," referring to the U.N. tribunal.
Rakcevic refused to apologize for the remark, saying "the man you rally (Milosevic) is indicted and wanted by the tribunal."
The bickering in parliament reflects the overall political situation in Montenegro, Serbia's junior partner in the Yugoslav federation. While backers of Djukanovic support independence, the pro-Milosevic camp see the Montenegrin president's ideas as threatening Yugoslavia.
Despite threats to begin steps toward independence, following the decision in Belgrade Thursday to rewrite parts of the federal constitution, Montenegrin officials declared the changes "illegal, illegitimate ... and unacceptable," but stopped short of making moves toward breaking away.
Instead, the resolution appealed for "the citizens of Montenegro, Serbia's democratic public and the international community to contribute to peace, and the members of the Yugoslav army not to be misused against the citizens and the institutions of Montenegro."
The constitutional amendments passed in Belgrade on Thursday envisage that both the Yugoslav president and the parliament's upper house be chosen in a popular vote, paving the way for Milosevic's re-election, while downgrading Montenegro's position in the federation.
Montenegro has only 600,000 people, compared to Serbia's 10 million. A direct election of the president and the legislators cuts its influence in the federation and concentrates power in Milosevic's hands.
Although Milosevic's popularity is believed to have plummeted since last year's NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, he retains full control of the media and state institutions - limiting the opposition's chances for a fair election race.
Milosevic was indicted by an international war crimes tribunal for atrocities committed during his crackdown in Serbia's Kosovo province, which triggered last year's 78-day NATO bombing campaign. Staying in power would be Milosevic's best guarantee against prosecution.
AP
