[ALBSA-Info] Belgrade sceptical of Milosevic's capitulation

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Belgrade sceptical of Milosevic's capitulation

By Jelena Bozovic

BELGRADE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - It all ended so quickly that many in the crowd 
gathered in front of the burnt-out parliament building found it hard to 
believe their ears. 

Slobodan Milosevic, after ruling the country with an iron fist for more than 
a decade, had thrown in the towel. No bloodshed, no coup, no last stand. 

``Perhaps this is another lie,'' said Nebojsa Vidakovic, a 50-year old 
economist who had joined thousands of others in the city centre to soak up 
the atmosphere of Yugoslavia's quickfire revolution. 

``I'm afraid because he is staying in this country, maybe he will still try 
to do something in the next few hours,'' said 25-year old student Mirjana. 

After a day of wild rumour, Milosevic addressed the nation on television late 
on Friday to announce he had conceded defeat to Vojislav Kostunica in 
disputed Yugoslav presidential elections and now planned to offer stern 
political opposition. 

Although delighted that he was apparently giving up power, many of his 
opponents thronging the streets said they would not be happy until he 
disappeared into exile. 

``It's not clear to me how he can stay here after such a reaction against 
him. Terrible. As long as he is here there is danger in this country. We do 
not need him,'' said Vesna, a 35-year old political scientist. 

Milosevic is renowned as a master strategist and despite scenes of jubilation 
in Belgrade at Thursday's explosion of people power, many secretly feared 
that their former president was biding his time and plotting his revenge. 

So when he announced he wanted to spend more time with his family before 
dedicating himself to opposition, many simply did not believe him. 

``We should not trust the thief. Thieves have honour, but he does not, he 
does not have shame, he has nowhere to go because no one will receive him. He 
knows that we have soft hearts,'' said Milorad, a 55-year old professor. 

An economist called Bane echoed the mistrust. 

``A normal man's reaction would be to disappear, wherever he wants, Paraguay, 
Lebanon, Iraq, and he chooses to remain here, I don't understand.'' 

But not everyone greeted the news with scepticism. 

``I have nothing to say, I believe that he has gone, let us celebrate,'' said 
a driver, Dejan. 

Celebrate is exactly what the crowds did earlier in the day as thousands of 
people packed the heart of Belgrade, soaking up the atmosphere. 

Parents brought their children to see the parliament building wrecked by a 
mob on Thursday, smiling couples walked hand-in-hand along the streets and 
youths sprayed the slogan ``He's finished'' on overturned cars and sooty 
walls. 

``I wanted my boys and girls to see what has happened here. This is 
history,'' said Nedeljka Filovski, with her four children in tow.