BELGRADE (15 October 2000) - It didn't take that long for the united opposition, led by newly-elected president Vojislav Kostunica, and Milosevic's Socialist Party to find something they both agree on.

"Chaos" and "Anarchy" are the words most often used by establishment politicians to describe the current state of the country. They are referring, mostly, to the present situation in the state institutions, companies, schools, banks and factories. The wave that was initiated on 5 October is still pretty strong and is crushing everything that dares to stand on its way. Inspired by the recent 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 spontaneously creating "crisis committees" and taking control of their workplaces --thereby putting the newly-elected president in a very difficult situation. Because of it's petty bourgeois shortsighted political platform the united opposition never bothered to establish any stronger ties with the unions. This omission comes back with a vengeance now, because they have absolutely no control over this process.

On one hand, many of these "crisis committees" are openly sympathetic to the opposition forces. However, many stay 'neutral' and state that their only interest is the "well being of the collective." Committees are formed mainly under the banner of "protect the state-owned property from robbery by the ousted criminal buearaucrats." This is going so far that one of the local opposition spokesperson characterised it as "the revival of worker's self management in Yugoslavia".

Of course Kostunica hesitates to give support for this "bottom up" restructuring, insisting that change must come through the institutions of the system as soon as the new "transitional government"(with differnt ministers and parties from elections slated for December) is created, otherwise things might get out of control and the country in chaos.

Indeed, most of the bourgeois politicians are expressing "concern" over this phenomenon and are spreading fear through the media as well. Union bureaucrats join this hysteria, saying that the unions mustn't be "politicised and abused."

But few things in Yugoslavia today aren't politicised. The students are marching through Belgrade once again, this time insisting that the infamous "university law"(passed by Milosevic ic to stop frequent student strikes) must be overturned. Two soccer games were interrupted in Belgrade today as well -- the fans of a local popular soccer club smashed the seats and ran into the field. Apparently, they weren't satisfied with the "way the club officials were treating them," so the usual soccer songs got replaced by chants of "management out!"

Keeping all this in mind, it's not surprising that the opposition's insisting on control of the crucial ministry of internal affairs(police) in the transitional government. Kostunica also has conducted many meetings with the army generals. So the opposition is faced with a worker's resistance from the jumpstart--one can't help but imagine what will happen when the new government establishes itself and starts to conduct it's "economic reform program" which consists of rapid and massive privatisation of the state-owned companies.

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Meanwhile, Milosevic's Socialist Party is in complete disarray with many purges and local chapters asking for "reform", there also are many reports of certain individuals trying to change sides at the last moment .

At the same time, the "united opposition" is not in a much better shape. Formed by a number of different parties and petty bourgeois currents, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia is everything but a coherent political force.

Everything still looks calm on the outside, but now with Milosevic overthrown, they don't have much in common. It's only a matter of time before the stitches break between the various interests. Kostunica has already complained to foreign journalists that "certain members of the Democratic Opposition are compromising [his] authority"

Then today the massive youth anti-Milosevic organization, "the Resistance," issued a statement claiming that they "still support the opposition"while pointedly stating that they're "keeping their eyes wide open" and reminding opposition leaders that the people supported them mainly for being "anti-Milosevic," not for their political program. As I am writing these lines another proclamation comes from the Socialist Party's central committee member and minister for science explicitly stating that no decisions made by the crisis committees will be respected no matter what.

And another indicative statement by Kostunica is published today: "I can not justify everything that is happening."

So on the surface there seems a calm democratic transition, but underneath lies an unpredictable volcano. Admittedly, Mr. Kostunica has a pretty good sixth sense for an average bourgeoisie politician, but he doesn't realize this is no ordinary, small scale volcano. Recent developments suggest that both Kostunica and his imperialist friends are facing a Fuji.

See also 'Nothing Could Stop the Sea of People' - The Overthrow of Milosevic in this issue.