Montenegro claims poll boycott success

The turnout is believed to have been low

Montenegro's pro-Western government says there has been overwhelming support for its boycott of the Yugoslav elections, alleging that less than 25% of the population turned out to vote.

Most of the republic's newspapers proclaim Sunday's election as a defeat for President Milosevic at the hands of opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica.

But the pro-Belgrade Serbian National Party (SNP) has made counter claims of a far higher turnout, and says its supporters were harassed at the polls.

I'd expect quite a quick removal of Milosevic. It cannot be more than at most a month of manoeuvring"

Montenegrin Deputy Premier Dragisa Burzan

There have also been allegations of widespread vote-rigging. One method reportedly used to bolster the turnout has been the use of postal votes by people apparently too "ill" to go to the polls.

But according to the authorities there is no such epidemic - they say that a possible 18,000 votes cast in this way should be treated as fraudulent.

Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister Dragisa Burzan said he thought President Slobodan Milosevic would be forced from power within a month.

"We believe Vojislav Kostunica won an absolute victory," said Mr Burzan.

"I'd expect quite a quick removal of Milosevic. It cannot be more than at most a month of manoeuvring."

Makeshift polls

Since the election did not have government backing, supporters of President Slobodan Milosevic's party set up their own polling stations in shops and flats, complete with improvised cardboard booths.

Montenegrins voted in makeshift polling stations

Despite recent tension and anxiety in Montenegro, the actual voting passed off relatively quietly.

However, widespread support for the boycott would seem to indicate a further drop in support for the link with Serbia.

Montenegro is the last republic from the former Yugoslavia to remain inside the federation with Serbia - an uneasy union maintained by the presence of 20,000 soldiers who take their orders from Belgrade.

Election 'a farce'

There are some reports that some of them were involved in Sunday's election in ways that are likely to make them even less popular.

Milo Djukanovic has forecast the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic

In the coastal town of Hercog Novi, for instance, a cameraman filmed the takeover of the polling station by special forces, and he reported seeing them bringing in ballot boxes.

The Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, dismissed the election as a farce in which, regardless of the real outcome, Mr Milosevic would claim victory.

In a BBC interview, he forecast the coming downfall of the Yugoslav president and accused Mr Milosevic of being prepared to start a civil war in Montenegro in a last-ditch attempt to cling to power.