BALKAN CRISIS: MILOSEVIC UNDERMINING PANIC CHALLENGE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005451471
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2010
• Case Number: F-2009-00733
• Publication Date: December 5, 1992

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 Serbian President Milosevic is trying to ensure his position by barring
federal Prime Minister Panic's electoral challenge, using the media to
discredit him, and maneuvering to keep the federal Army in his camp.
Milosevic almost certainly is
behind the decision of the Serbian electoral commission to rule that
Panic fails to meet residency requirements to run for the republic
presidency. A campaign by Milosevic-controlled Belgrade TV to
characterize the Prime Minister as a traitor to Serbia has coincided
with a drop in Panic's standin from second to seventh place in a
recent poll The Serbian government has
also moved to exclude voters who did not participate in the last two
rounds of balloting, one of which was boycotted by the democratic
opposition. Some senior Army officers, meanwhile, have accused the
Prime Minister of politicizing the office of federal defense minister,
which he also holds; Panic yesterday offered to name a new defense
Milosevic's efforts are meeting some resistance. Panic has vowed to
fight the electoral board's decision; opposition leaders are protesting
the tampering with voting lists and are threatening to boycott the
election unless all Serbians can register and Panic is authorized to
Comment: Milosevic and his entrenched Socialist Party machine will
do whatever is necessary to prevent Panic from gaining power in
Serbia. Verbal attacks by elements of the Army almost certainly are
a warning to Panic, to federal President Cosic, to opposition leaders,
to the public, and to military officers with undecided allegiance.
Milosevic, nevertheless, may have miscalculated by trying to force
Panic out of the race. Out of concern that such heavyhanded tactics
could decrease his legitimacy among ordinary Serbians and increase
sunnort for the democratic opposition, he may reconsider.