Protests
During half-time of a high-interest basketball game between Yugoslavia and Germany on 1st of July 1999, spectators of the local state-owned "TV Leskovac" were shocked when TV technician of that station surprisingly and unexpectedly appeared on the screens of their TV sets.
In TV technician's five-minute speech of defiance and bravery, to his fellow-citizens, obviously nervous, Mr. Ivan Novkovic broadcasted previously recorded video cassette, stating his strong disapproval with politics of, than in-power, local regime. This act was a precedent for that time, for three reasons:
- "TV Leskovac" was state-owned and operating under instructions and for the interest of the local amnd state regimes. In this, "TV Leskovac" was a clone to the national Radio Television of Serbia.
- Leskovac was traditionally labeled as the "red city" by the rest of the country.
- The verbal attack of the TV technician was not only the attack against local regime, but also attack against the head of the state and his regime, for the first time done in that manner.
During this address, Novkovic has called upon his fellow-citizens, who agree with him, to gather four days later in center of Leskovac. This was the first and the last time that regime-directed media was used to schedule a protest gathering against that same regime.
On July 5, 1999, domestic and foreign media estimated 20 000 citizens of Leskovac and surrounding areas responded to this invitation, gathering into a massive and determined force.
But that wasn't the end of it. After Novkovic and many other leaders of the protest movement have been arrested and sentenced for their acts of defiance towards the regime, protest continued to go on for 44 days in total, under the leadership of Mr. Goran Mitrovic, Managing board president of the People's Parliament.
Shortly after the 44th day, the leaders and supporters of the protests founded association of citizens "People's Parliament", on August 15 1999.
From that time and until the democratic changes in the country (October 5th, 2000), People's Parliament practically functioned as a local citizens-opposition movement.
After October 5th 2000, People's Parliament was restructured to non-profit and non-governmental organization with clearly defined goals and objectives of the future activities on the national level.
