Some clarification:Gavrilo Princip volontered for Serbian army in 1913 during the Balkan Wars but was so seakly that he was rejected on medical grounds.But his patriotic zeal was noted by Vojvoda(Duke) Tankosich,Serbian Army officer and member of the Black hand.Black Hand was a group of powerfull officers members of the military intelligence in Serbian army,who were a law into themselves.The founders of the group were the same officers that had assasinated King M. Obrenovich and his wife in 1903!
Their actions were,esentialy,against the interests of Serbia at that time,and were not officialy sanctioned!
The leaders of the group were arrested ,tried in Thessalonika(Greece) in 1917 and shot!A rogue cabal of influential officers who thought that they were a "true patriots"(sounds familiar??) and their actions had cost Serbia and her people so much!
A believe that a simmilar group of Police/State Sicurity egzists today in Serbia,and that they are behind this horrible crime!They have been killing with impunity for the last 13 years;they had established a close relationship with "businessmen" in Serbia and abroad,and earned a lot of money!Killing Djindjich was not a big deal for them,because,they are(or they think that they are)omnipotent...
Poor Djindjich had made a deal with the devil prior to 5th of October,and according to his latest statements,started to renege on a deal!Remember,all current leaders had inherited sicurity apparatus from Miloshevich`s era.More or less,their bodygards are/were members of police under Miloshevich.I just read that Djindjich was not satisfied with his security and wanted to change them.To late,now!
Powerfull forces are at play in Serbia/Montenegro today,very powerfull!Big money is at stake.Tantacles of Russian Mafia are very present in Yugoslavia,and they are in control of many businesses there.
I believe that this is a turning point for Serbia!
I know what I should do in this situation!But,it wouldn`t be very democratic!
I have known both Zoran Djindjich and his vife,personally.Never liked the man very much.But,I am very sad,today.Assassination of Zoran Djindjich iz assassination of Serbia,of her freedom and her future!
Not because Zoran was Serbia but because when in Belgrade somebody can twice try to kill a Prime Minister within a forthnight and succeed,than where is HOPE for Serbs???
At the end of the day,I believe that Vojislav Seselj was right,and that he knew a lot about Serbian underworld.Now,he is safe in Hague!
I hope that there can be some kind of representative government in Serbia, though.
I do not share your optimism, Brane, that this is a new beginning for Serbia. I base my disagreement on these 'traditional' facts.
One can only speculate which of the many enemies Djindjich had actually pulled this off. According to Vechernye novosti, a Serbian daily, the type of weapon used, the calibre chosen, and the precise execution of the assassination betrays a well organized plan.
For those of you who never heard of the number 1 man in the "Zemun Clan," the so-called Legiya, he used to be a police chief of the so-called "red berets." He used to work for Djindjich until he fell out of grace.
Let's not forget that Djindjich was about to replace the Miloshevich-era general staff, which former Yugoslav president Voyislav Koshtunitsa kept as a counter-weight and a security blanket in his strife with Djindjich.
Djindjich exploited the stupid parliamentary system to get the top executive position without ever being elected. His popularity was usually in single percent points.
Djindjich was accused of having mafia connections many times before. Recently, he has changed his tune from being "pro-Western" to encroaching Miloshevich in his political nationalism, using nationalism as a political vehicle.
Personally, I don't think he deserved what he got, but I think Serbia is better off without him. His tenure was full of disappointments -- driving economy for bad to worse, control of media, even being accused of running things like Miloshevich did.
He made an unforgivable error by turning Miloshevich over to the Hague. He was accused to be doing anything to kep himself in power, just as Miloshevich has.
One more important note: Serbian government, dominated by Djindjich supporters, and his appointed acting Serbian President, Natasha Michich, requested and decreed the State of Emergency in Serbia. The measure suspends civil and political rights, the details of which can be found in Serbia's constitution and the Law on Measures In Case of Eemergency Situations (Paragraph 83.8. and para. 1 and 5 respectfully;the latter being referenced in Official Bulletin of the republic of Serbia, number 19/91).
These measures include, but are not limited to, prohibition of political activities, labor strikes, curtailment of the free press, etc. They authorize police and other organs of the state with additional scope of jurisdiction, including entering private premises without a court order, etc. In other words it is a legalized police state.
In doing so, Serbian sources have made it clear that these measures are to stay in effect until the perpetrators of Djindjich's murder are caught and brought to justice. Given the record of solving similar crimes and the judicial system there, one can safely assume that Emergency Measures will be in effect for a long, long time -- unless the government is somehow forced to resign or is forcibly removed with a replay of October 2000