They are referring mostly to the present situation in the factories, banks, schools, and other institutions. Inspired by the mass uprising, working people all over Serbia are getting rid of the old managers and directors placed by Milosevic in most state-owned companies. Workers and their unions are creating "crisis committees" to press their demands in the workplaces, putting the newly elected president in a difficult situation.

The petty-bourgeois anti-Milosevic coalition had never bothered to establish strong ties with the unions in the past. As a result, they have little control over this process at the moment. Many of these "crisis committees" are openly sympathetic to the forces that are in the new government. Many, however, have declared themselves "neutral," and state that their only interest is the "well-being of the collective."  
 
Workers protect state-owned property
The committees have been formed largely under this banner: "To protect the state-owned property from robbery by the ousted criminal bureaucrats."

Kostunica has expressed worries about this process of restructuring "from the bottom up." He has insisted that a change must come through the institutions of the system, and after the new "transitional government" is created. Otherwise, he and his allies argue, things might get "out of control" and the country will be in chaos. The transitional government, including ministers belonging to different parties, would hold office until the new elections for the state parliament planned for December.

Indeed, many capitalist-minded politicians are expressing "concern" that this phenomenon is spreading fear through the media. Union bureaucrats have joined this campaign, stating that the unions mustn't be "politicized and abused."

There are few things in Yugoslavia today that are not politicized, though. The students are marching through Belgrade once again, this time insisting that the infamous "university law," which was passed by Milosevic in order to stop the frequent student strikes, must be overturned.

Two soccer games were interrupted in Belgrade recently. The fans of a popular local soccer club ran onto the field and smashed some seats. Apparently, they are not satisfied with the way the club officials are treating them, so the usual soccer songs got replaced by chants of "Management out!"

It's not surprising that the new forces in the government are insisting on control of the crucial ministry of internal affairs--including the police. Kostunica has also conducted many meetings with the army generals.

Given the actions by workers today to assert their rights, one cannot help but imagine the working-class resistance that will be generated when the new government establishes itself and starts to conduct its "economic reform program," which consists of rapid and massive privatization of the state-owned companies.

Milosevic's Socialist Party is in disarray, with many purges and local chapters asking for "reform." There are many instances of Socialist Party officials trying to change sides at the last moment.  
 
Not a coherent force
At the same time, the "united opposition" that is now in the government is not in much better shape. Formed by a number of different petty-bourgeois parties and currents, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) is everything but a coherent political force. Everything still looks calm on the outside, but now that Milosevic has been overthrown they do not have much in common, and it is only a matter of time before their coalition fractures.

Kostunica is already complaining to foreign journalists that "certain members of the Democratic Opposition are compromising my authority." The mass anti-Milosevic youth organization, "the Resistance," issued a statement claiming that they "still support the opposition," but are "keeping their eyes wide open." They reminded the leaders of the new regime that the people supported them mainly because they were opposed to Milosevic, not because of their political program.

Another proclamation recently came from the minister of science, who is also a member of the Socialist Party's Central Committee. He explicitly states that no decisions made by the crisis committees will be respected.

Indicating the worries expressed by the forces in the new government about the restlessness of working people and others aspiring for real change for the better, Kostunica recently declared, "On the surface we have a calm democratic transition, but under the surface we still have some kind of unpredictable volcano."
 
 
Related article:
Workers in Yugoslavia press fight for rights