BELGRADE: POLITICAL PARTIES DIVIDED OVER PERISIC

BELGRADE, March 16 (Hina) - Political parties in Serbia are divided over whether Serbian Vice-Premier Momcilo Perisic, a former Yugoslav People's Army Chief-of-Staff arrested two days ago on suspicion of espionage and released from detention today, was arrested illegally or is guilty and should face the consequences of his actions. The Democratic Party of Serbia (SDS), led by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, claims the arrest was in line with the law and that legal procedure in the protection of state interests must be carried out. The Radical Party of Vojislav Kostunica shares this opinion, requesting that the parliament strip Perisic of immunity in the interest of the investigation. The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) of Slobodan Milosevic has not voiced its stand on Perisic's arrest and subsequent release. All parties in Vojvodina are unanimous that the arrest was illegal and represented a blow to reforms in the country. Like the Democratic Party (DS) of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, Vojvodina parties believe the incident has caused considerable damage to the country's reputation. Nenad Canak, the leader of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina, believes the arrest was a test coup. Perisic's party, the Movement for Democratic Serbia, claims the incident was caused by the radical wing of the Yugoslav Army which still supports Milosevic and has used the incident to show what could happen if cooperation with the international tribunal for war crimes in former Yugoslavia continues. Perisic told reporters after his release that he was not guilty. (hina) sb rml