Serbia: Secret Police Chief Refuses To Resign

Belgrade, 3 November 2000 (RFE/RL) - The government of Serbia -- Yugoslavia's dominant republic -- today remained deadlocked after a key ally of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic refused to resign.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Spasoje Krunic -- a deputy prime minister from the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) -- said today the SPO and Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Alliance of Serbia will walk out of the Serbian government unless state security chief Rade Markovic resigns.

The DOS has repeatedly demanded that Markovic -- accused of involvement in politically motivated kidnappings and killings under Milosevic -- resign or be fired. Kostunica's allies and Milosevic's associates from the Socialist Party held more talks yesterday on Markovic's resignation but no progress was reported.

The DOS, SPO, and Milosevic's Socialist Party agreed last month to share power in a transitional Serbian government until early elections scheduled for 23 December.