Noah talks with Steve Erlanger, a New York Times correspondent in Belgrade, about the political situation in Yugoslavia. President Slobodan Milosevic made a surprise address on Serbian television today, as citizens staged strikes and demonstrations to demand he concede defeat in last month's presidential election. Milosevic painted the Yugoslav opposition as traitors and lackeys of the West. People in the countryside seemed to heed the opposition's strike call with more enthusiasm than residents of Belgrade. The government seems particularly worried about work stoppages at two big coal mines. Meanwhile, Vojislav Kostunica -- the opposition candidate who says he won the September 24th vote outright -- repeated his refusal to take part in a second round of voting.
Copyright 2000 NPR