Posted
28th June 2001
Slobo's Hopes of Freedom Fade
Milosevic's family, friends, lawyers and colleagues are in and
out of Belgrade Central Prison, in an effort to raise the spirits
of the former president. But last week, Milosevic suffered a
setback. He lost an important ally: his guard and confidant
Milorad Savic. Savic joined the prison service twenty years
ago. It was his life's ambition to get to the top of his chosen
profession. His promotion to guard shift supervisor came at
an auspicious time - just days before Milosevic's arrest. Savic's
reputation among his colleagues grew when he became the ex-president's
warder. As hopes for Milosevic's freedom bids diminished, Savic
- known as 'Tomcat' to his friends - took sympathy on the man
and moved into a cell next door.
They became friends: Milosevic waking him up in the middle of
the night for a chat, Savic walking with him a couple of hours
a day. But in response to a demonstration of support for Milosevic
outside the prison, the authorities decided to remove Savic
and replace him with new warders who will be regularly rotated
to avoid any more friendships developing within the prison walls.
Savic was just one of a growing entourage pepping up the former
president as he tries every means at his disposal to fight those
who want to see him locked up permanently. Milosevic, despite
ill-health, has been working hard on his freedom campaign. Prison
rules don't really seem to apply to him. The executive board
of the Serbian Socialist Party, SPS, has all but moved into
Central Prison.
They
are organising demonstrations, means of raising money for their
campaign. Top party officials Branislav Ivkovic, Zivorad Igic
and Ivica Dacic are regularly popping in and out for chats.
"The biggest political decisions in the SPS are now being made
together at Milosevic's place," said an IWPR source inside the
prison. "It seems that he is still active although he is politically
dead. He still wields influence on his associates and plans
the SPS strategy in the meetings." Apart from engaging in party
meetings, he has been hard at work on strengthening his own
legal team.
With
the help of his wife Mirjana Markovic he has hired nine lawyers
to join Toma Fila on developing his defense. "Milosevic's case
has acquired an additional political dimension," said Toma Fila.
One of those lawyers Veselin Cerovic told IWPR that Milosevic
believes his trial is being staged for others' political interests.
"He feels like a prisoner of NATO, and sees himself as the leader
of the resistance movement against NATO domination." According
to Cerovic, Milosevic feels that "his people" will not be duped
by "foreign political interests". "He feels innocent and his
conscience is clear," said the lawyer. Zdenko Tomanovic, another
member of his legal counsel, says The Hague indictment has been
wedged between the bars of his cell since the day it was delivered
to him. Tribunal aside, investigations into allegations of financial
fraud against Milosevic were completed on June 18.
The
Belgrade district prosecutor has 15 days to issue an indictment
against him and three others on charges of stealing 197 million
German marks from state coffers. His defence council offered
to pay bail from the sale of his house. Not unsurprisingly this
was turned down. Now SPS supporters are attempting to raise
funds for a successful bail offer. Tomanovic told the Belgrade
daily Blic on June 22 that his team would now be prepared to
stand 250 million marks bail, apparently a sum equal to the
value of SPS property. Public support has been evident, if slim.
Last weekend, some 5,000 Milosevic supporters rallied in downtown
Belgrade and marched to the prison chanting slogans demanding
their leader's release. Zivorad Igic told IWPR that his party
was preparing new protests, focussing their attentions on the
visit of Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, the date of which
will be set pending the outcome of a battle over an extradition
bill. The proposed Law on Extradition will pave the way for
his transfer to the tribunal.
Opposition
to the bill comes primarily from the Montenegrin Socialist People's
Party, SNP, whose votes are needed if the bill is to pass through
federal parliament. But Montenegrin objections could well be
side-stepped if, as seems possible, President Kostunica by-passes
the federal parliament. Preparing for the worst, Milosevic is
developing his defence should a Hague trial go ahead. Using
his tried and tested strategy, that attack is the best form
of defence, he is threatening to shift all blame for any charges
levelled against him on the international community. He is apparently
preparing to reveal the contents of secret talks he had with
certain Western leaders at key moments in the Balkan conflict.
Though the district prosecutor's decision on the financial indictment
is due July 1, it is expected that he will be extradited before
then. All these events play out against increasing concerns
over the former president's physical and mental health. His
defence team is working on his transfer to a military hospital
for what they say is a serious heart condition. What is known
is that Milosevic is taking medication for high blood pressure,
though he shies from any intravenous treatment.
He
is also, according to sources, suffering from one of his bouts
of severe depression. They say he is growing more and more melancholic
by the day. Igic, though, told IWPR this was not true. "I visited
him some ten days ago, and the president is firm and strong,"
he said. Meanwhile, Milosevic receives daily visits from his
wife, who brings him home made food. On June 19, he was visited
for the first time by his daughter-in-law and two-year-old grandson
Marko, which apparently put him in high spirits...
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