Opposition sets up coalition government

THE Serbian opposition announced last night that it had organised a "democratic government" that can take charge if President Slobodan Milosevic fails to recognise the results of last month's local elections.

Mr Vuk Draskovic, leader of Serbian Renewal Movement, told another big anti government rally in Belgrade yesterday that Mr Milosevic had to recognise "the electoral victory of the people".

"We will not let this historic opportunity pass," said Mr Draskovic, whose party is one of three making up the coalition called Together.

The surge of discontent, bravery and good, humour shown by Belgrade's citizens for almost three weeks may indeed bring Mr Milosevic's reign to an end. But if it does the United States and the nations of western Europe could be faced with problems.

Despite his undoubtedly despotic and devious rule, Mr Milosevic is a signatory of the Dayton accord which has brought a ceasefire in Bosnia. The attitudes to the agreement on the part of those who might succeed him are far less certain.

The Zajedno (Together) Coalition which, on the basis of the annulled regional election results, now commands the support of the majority in Serbia is composed of three main strands.

Mr Zoran Djindjic, the leader of the Democratic Party (DS), is likely to become mayor of Belgrade if Mr Milosevic's government manages to stay in place If as the protesters want, it crumbles, Mr Djindjic could become president.

His attitudes to Dayton have been equivocal and, more worrying still, his relations with leaders of the Bosnian Serbs, including Dr Radovan Karadzic who has been indicted on charges of war crimes, cause a great deal of concern.

Mr Djindjic appeared at a rally in Banja Luka with Mr Karadzic last summer. Since then he insists he has dropped contacts with the Bosnian Serbs and is now committed to democracy. He is regarded as an extremely pragmatic politician who is capable of cutting ties with former allies in order to suit his own political advancement.

Mr Vuk Draskovic who leads the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) is a former communist party official and now a somewhat ostentatious member of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He has made unequivocal statements in favour of Dayton but is less popular than Mr Djindjic. A writer and poet, he is regarded by many as "too romantic" in his views.

The junior member of the coalition is the Citizen's Party (GS) led by Ms Vesna Pesic, a sociologist, whose support comes from the more moderate and liberal intellectual, classes.