OHR SRT News Summary, 28 March 1999 - Office of the High Representative

Headlines

“Sorry, we did not know it was invisible”, is a slogan of the day in the FRY made after shooting down the most contemporary U. S. plane
NATO attacks throughout the FRY continue
Yugoslav air defense system shot down the most contemporary U. S. bomber F 117
In Montenegro NATO used the cassette bombs with radio-active charge
Numerous reactions, protests and demonstrations throughout the world
Inappropriate pressures upon the SRT editorial policy
In Sarajevo, because of the consequences of the assassination attempt, Jozo Leutar, the BiH Federation Deputy Minister of Interior, passed away

In the last 24 hours, 253 NATO missiles have been launched to the territory of the FRY.

For the third time in the course of the day, the air alarm was announced in Belgrade at 16:55.

Three strong explosions were heard in Belgrade this morning at 8:00 hrs.; two missiles were launched to the airports of Surcin and Batajnica. The Monastery Rakovica, in which 20 nuns and 30 refugees are accommodated, was damaged in last night’s attack.

In Pancevo, the targets of the new bombing were the factory of the agricultural planes UDVA, two missiles were launched only about 200m from the TV premises and the settlement mostly populated by Albanians was hit; according to the unofficial data, there is a big number of wounded persons.

In Cacak, the factory “Sloboda” was hit in this morning’s attack, there were no injured persons whereas a big material damage was made. In Prizren, this morning, around 5:10 hrs., NATO aviation hit with 4 bombs the premises of the Emperor Dusan Silni barracks.

The HQ of the FRY II Army issued a press release today which said that 1 person was killed and two persons wounded near Rozaj and went on saying that the cassette bombs with radio-active chemical charge were used although their usage is forbidden.

On the road Pristina – Podujevo, Nenad Stojkovic from Zemun was shot by a sniper this morning while he was driving a team of the Russian journalists to Belgrade.

In the course of the last night, Albanian terrorists were shooting from the machine guns to the building of the municipal assembly, town hospital and the houses occupied by Serbs in Djakovica.

All Belgrade media every hour broadcast the news of the day that the air defense system of the Yugoslav Army, last night about 22:00 hrs., above the village of Budjanovci near Ruma, shot down one of the most contemporary plane of nowadays – the U. S., almost invisible by radar, bomber F 117; Pentagon has confirmed it as well.

The NATO commanders decided to continue the strikes against Yugoslavia and they named it “Phase II”.

The FRY President and Supreme Commander of the Army, Slobodan Milosevic, talked today with the leadership of both the military and civilian defense of the country.

The President of Serbia, Milan Milutinovic, on the occasion of the Day of the Republic, visited the monument of the unknown soldier on Avala and laid down a wreath.

The Serb Patriarch Pavle visited today the Monastery Rakovica, which was damaged in the course of the NATO aviation activities; Patriarch is to address the public in Belgrade tomorrow at 10:00 hrs.

The Day of the Republic was celebrated in Belgrade. The big rock concert named ” Song has helped us survive”(“Pjesma nas je odrzala”) started at noon at the central city square, the Square of the Republic, and is still in progress.

In Kragujevac, the workers of “Zastava” factory spent the last night within the factory expressing in that way their condemnation of the NATO war activities.

200 tones of the humanitarian aid from Russia are ready for being sent to Serbia and Yugoslavia; the consent of the international humanitarian organizations is being expected.

In Podgorica, demonstrations and protests of the citizens have been held for three days already.

The Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Dragisa Burzan held today a press conference on the situation in Montenegro.

Above the village of Budjanovci near Ruma, on March 27 about 22:00 hrs, Yugoslav air defense system shot down F 117, the pride of the U. S. aviation, invisible by radar; the pilot is not injured and has been moved to the NATO HQ in Aviano.

The Deputy PM of the Federal Government Zoran Lilic stated that 9 NATO planes have been either shot down or damaged until yesterday.

Russian media report that Yugoslavs have now in their hands the product of the top-secret technology applied in the production of the F 117 plane; the data on it are valuable information for all the intelligence services throughout the world.

Last night two strong explosions were heard in Bijeljina and were caused by falling down of a NATO plane in the region of Sapna not far away from Teocak; SFOR blocked the spot, which is in the vicinity of the IEBL.

Regarding the NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, the RS Government issued a press release calling upon all the relevant factors to stop bombing.

A regular press conference of the NATO representatives was held in Brussels.

The British Defense Minister George Robertson held a press conference today and announced the second phase of the air strikes against Yugoslavia.

Statements made by the Head of the Yugoslav Mission to UN Vladislav Jovanovic, former Yugoslav PM Milan Panic and former U. S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith for CNN.

The former Yugoslav Republic Macedonia will urgently demand the membership in NATO.

In Greece, the condemnation of the attack against Yugoslavia. Russian and Iranian foreign affairs ministers appealed for the cessation of the NATO air strikes against the FRY.

The Italian Embassy in Belgrade will continue its work. British TV network SKY examined the public opinion regarding the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia.

Protests against the NATO strikes were held throughout the world. Reports from Moscow, Skoplje, Bonn, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, Hague, Sidney, Rome, Madrid and other towns.

Two protest meetings were held in Brcko; in big disorders afterwards the OHR premises were affected most.

After today’s protest along the Banja Luka streets a big number of young Banja Luka persons headed for SFOR HQ in Ramici; they returned after being advised by the police to do so in order to avoid problems. According to the unofficial data, there is a possible moving of some SFOR units to the territory of the BiH Federation.

High Representative Carlos Westendorp addressed a letter of warning to the SRT General Manager Andjelko Kozomara with instructions for acting of the SRT in the conditions of the NATO aggression against the FRY; Simon Haselock also sent a letter to Kozomara; Andjelko Kozomara sent a reply to Westendorp and Haselock.

The BiH Federation Deputy Minister of Interior Jozo Leutar passed away this morning in Sarajevo due to the injuries which was made to him in the assassination attempt 15 days ago; Elizabeth Rehn and Robert Barry expressed regret.