LONDON -- "We are talking about political fraud and blatant stealing of votes," said Yugoslav opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica Sept. 26, after it was announced that he had not defeated Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in the first round of the presidential election on Sunday. "The victory is obvious and will be defended by all nonviolent means."
The victory was obvious. Even Milosevic's own tame State Election Commission admitted that Milosevic had got only 42 percent of the vote compared to Kostunica's 48 percent. But since that still fell short of the 50 percent mark, the electoral commission said, there would have to be a runoff vote on Oct. 8.
The opposition parties, together with most foreign observers, think that the State Election Commission is lying. It says there was only a 64 percent turnout of voters, whereas they estimated the turnout at 73 percent -- and think that all the missing voters were Kostunica supporters.