MONTENEGRO ELECTION RALLIES

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(9 Jun 2000) Serbo-Croat/Nat • XFA • As opposing blocks poised for final election rallies on Thursday, President Slobodan Milosevic's allies in Montenegro warned the small republic's pro-Western leadership against fraud in this weekend's municipal elections. • • On Sunday, Djukanovic's front faces a major test of strength when voters in Podgorica and the coastal resort of Herzej Novi go to the polls to choose municipal governments. • • A third of Montenegro's six-hundred-thousand inhabitants live in the two cities. • • Under the leadership of Djukanovic - a bitter Milosevic opponent - Montenegro has experienced virtual independence from Yugoslavia over the past two years. • • Milosevic's allies in Montenegro, led by Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, have launched a heated election campaign over the past weeks. • • They have repeatedly alleged that Djukanovic won the 1998 parliamentary and the 1997 presidential elections through fraud and claiming their parties enjoy support of 65 percent of voters. • • Speaking to a crowd in Herzej Novi on Wednesday, Bulatovic relayed greetings from President Milosevic, and expressed confidence for the forthcoming ballot. • • SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat) • I would like to use this opportunity in front of all of you to send you the warm welcome and greetings from our President, Slobodan Milosevic and confirm again that in these elections we will win. • SUPER CAPTION: Momir Bulatovic, SNP Leader • • To increase the likelihood of victory in both cities, Bulatovic formed a coalition called Coalition for Yugoslavia with the municipal branches of the Ultra-nationalist Radicals, the Communists and Bojovic's supporters in the two cities. • • The group's major themes are close ties with Milosevic and Serbia. • • After independence-minded Djukanovic's 1998 inauguration, Bulatovic's supporters staged street protests that led to several days of violence in Podgorica. • • If victorious in Sunday's ballot, Bulatovic's group would probably push for early parliamentary elections in a quest to take power from Djukanovic. • • But, at a rally in Podgorica on Thursday, Djukanovic was in a confident mood. • • SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat) • I'm completely confident that in the election, on June 11, people in Montenegro will know who the right person is to chose. I'm sure that our people vote for freedom and for good economic prospects in these elections. • SUPER CAPTION: Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro • • A strong showing by Djukanovic's party would reaffirm popular support for his pro-independence policies and solidify his grip on power. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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