Milosevic's fate as SPS leader remains unclear

Quoting "well informed sources", it said the issue of Milosevic's leadership is virtually tearing the SPS apart. According to Politika, the new party president would probably be elected from a group of six top party officials, which includes the caretaker Serbian Prime Minister Milomir Minic and the influential and young chief of Belgrade socialists Ivica Dacic.

"Milosevic is likely to take a stand, then take a break", Politika quoted its source. The Vecernje Novosti daily also said two factions, one in favour of Milosevic staying, the other wanting his departure, are "irreparably" conflicted.

The former wants "all responsible for the electoral catastrophe" at September elections to resign and allow new people to save SPS, while the latter sees Milosevic as the "guarantee of unity and believe that all those thinking otherwise should leave", Novosti said, quoting their own sources.

The Nedeljni Telegraf weekly, claiming it had spoken to sources from Milosevic's immediate, secluded environment, said he was "hyperactive", calling and cajoling local SPS leaders from all over Serbia and aiming to secure their backing.

Sources told the weekly that Milosevic has retained his autocratic manner, dismissing proposals for an open congress, with many speakers - apparently fearing public criticism. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators forced Milosevic to concede electoral defeat on October 5, after he tried for 11 days to manipulate the results of Yugoslav presidential polls in his favour.

The SPS also fared poorly, on federal parliamentary, Serbian local and Vojvodina provincial elections also held on September 24, despite the SPS's full dominance over the state-controlled media and a repressive campaign against the former opposition.

Latest surveys indicate it would do even worse at the upcoming early Serbian parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 23.

(la/dpa)