The war in Kosovo might be over but independent and pro-opposition media in Serbia are still being obliged by law to broadcast what they believe is government propaganda.

In the southern Serbian town of Leskovac - a Milosevic stronghold - anti-government demonstrators are demanding that the local television station broadcast the names of soldiers from the area who died during the fighting in Kosovo.

The protesters, who have been holding daily rallies this week, are also demanding the release of a local TV technician Ivan Novkovic, who was imprisoned after interrupting the station's output to call for last Monday's rally, which attracted around 20,000.

Leskovac's municipal government is in the hands of President Milosevic's party, which also exerts tight control over the local electronic media.

Elsewhere in Serbia, where opposition parties gained control in 1997, the regional television stations tend to reflect their views.

Long arm of the law

But their ability to counter the pro-government bias of the powerful state-controlled national network is seriously hampered by legislation which applies to all broadcasters, including independent stations.

A media law passed last October bans Serbian radio and television stations from rebroadcasting the programmes of foreign media companies.

When Nato's bombing destroyed most of the transmitters of Serbia's state-run TV, the Ministry of Telecommunications ordered all local stations to carry the main evening news from the national network.

According to the somewhat optimistic predictions of government officials, it will take another week before the state network is back on air throughout the country.