Serbia's warring politicians got down to the brass tacks of life after Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday after three weeks of euphoria or shock, with the start of a crucial election battle.
Milosevic's Socialists (SPS) and pro-Western reformers, whose interim coalition has been dubbed "a partnership of enemies," will govern Serbia, the real seat of power in Yugoslavia, until the December 23 poll.
Meanwhile the focus of political infighting and cabinet-making has switched to the other piece in the federal jigsaw, with President Vojislav Kostunica putting final touches to a new Yugoslav government.
Kostunica, who assumed the largely ceremonial presidency after a mass uprising on October 5 forced Milosevic to concede defeat in last month's federal elections, was expected to unveil his administration early next week.
The new president's backers in the 18-party Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) fear that international aid to relieve Yugoslavia's short-term economic crisis cannot be delivered until the two-tier government structure is in place.
At the same time, DOS leaders regard the upcoming poll in Serbia as a golden opportunity to wrest long-term control of the levers of power, such as the police and security services, from the Socialists.
On Wednesday, Serbian President Milan Milutinovic dissolved the republic's parliament, still packed with Milosevic loyalists, after the 250-member assembly voted to approve the caretaker government.
Milomir Minic, a Socialist and long-time Milosevic supporter, was appointed interim prime minister in Serbia on Tuesday.
Kostunica was expected to nominate Zoran Zizic of the Montenegrin Socialist People's Party (SNP), which also backed the ousted strongman, as the new federal prime minister.
The SNP profited from an anti-Milosevic boycott in Montenegro to sweep the board in the September 24 elections.
The tiny republic's pro-Western President Milo Djukanovic has reiterated that he will not join a federal government based on the elections, which were shunned by 80 percent of Montenegrins.
Under the federal constitution, if the president comes from Serbia, as Kostunica does, then the prime minister should be Montenegrin and vice versa.
The new federal government was expected to comprise 14 ministries, down from the existing 30, DOS leader Zoran Djindjic said, with 60 percent of the posts likely to be controlled by his faction.
DOS leaders met Thursday to discuss mandate-share, as Belgrade media reported that the pro-Kostunica coalition would control the foreign and interior ministries, with the Montenegrin getting the defense portfolio.
"We have agreed on the main goals and timetable for the future government which should formally be elected next week," Djindjic said.
Earlier, Kostunica and Zizic insisted the new government's energies would be directed towards preserving the Yugoslav federation despite separatist moves in Montenegro – BELGRADE (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
