This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Grades 4-6

Yugoslavia's Sore Loser

By Ritu Upadhyay

On a chilly Wednesday night in Yugoslavia, 200,000 joyful people poured into the streets of the capital city, Belgrade, waving flags and shouting, "He is finished!" They were celebrating the defeat of their unpopular President, Slobodan (Sloh-boh-dahn) Milosevic (Mee-loh-shuh-vich), in last week's presidential election. Some were shaking baby rattles-a reference to the local expression "broken like a rattle."

Thousands of supporters for Kostunica crowd the streets to celebrate his victory.

The partying began after poll watchers revealed that Milosevic's opponent Vojislav Kostunica (Kosh-too-neet-zuh) had won 53% of the vote while Milosevic got only 32%.

Some people thought the news was just too good to be true. "I've been waiting for this moment for 10 years," said Djurdja Vojinovic. "Now I don't know. It can't be this easy."

She was right. Milosevic does not plan to go quietly. Days after the election, Yugoslavia's electoral commission announced that Kostunica had failed to win more than 50% of votes, the amount required to take the presidency. They said that Kostunica got 49% and Milosevic got 39%. Milosevic called for another vote on October 8.

Kostunica refuses to take part in a second election. His supporters say the official count was distorted by Milosevic's government. Leaders around the world warn Milosevic to step down. "I say to Milosevic, 'You lost,'" said Britain's Tony Blair. "Go. Your country has suffered enough."

A Rule of Terror
Milosevic has been responsible for terrible bloodshed during his 11-year rule. During those years, two mainly Muslim regions rebelled against his rule: Bosnia in 1992, then Kosovo in 1996. In both cases, Milosevic and his allies responded with tanks, bombs and plans to rid the regions of Muslims. Thousands were killed or forced out. Bosnia finally won independence. United Nations troops maintain a shaky peace in Kosovo.

Last year Milosevic was charged with cruelly breaking the international rules of war during the Kosovo conflict. If he ever does step down, he may face an international trial and prison for these "war crimes."

Some still fear that he'll never leave, but the election brings hope for the broken country. "The genie of freedom and democracy has escaped from the bottle," said Yugoslav Zarko Trebjesanin, as fireworks exploded nearby. "It's impossible to push it back in."

---

A Look At Yugoslavia
Population: 11.2 million
Size: 39, 449 square miles (about the size of Kentucky)
Recent History: 10 years ago, Yugoslavia was made up of six republics. Four are now independent. Only two remain: Montenegro and Serbia. Serbia's Kosovo region is currently controlled by the U.N.

Next: Top 5 Pizza Toppings