Anti-government protesters led by Democratic Opposition of Serbia Civic organizations: Federal government of Yugoslavia Government parties: Vojislav KoštunicaZoran ĐinđićVelimir IlićGoran SvilanovićČedomir JovanovićSrđa Popović Slobodan MiloševićMomir BulatovićMirko MarjanovićRadomir MarkovićMirjana Marković President of Serbia and Yugoslavia Elections Family The Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević began in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the general election on 24 September 2000 and culminated in the downfall of Slobodan Milošević's government on 5 October 2000.
As such, it is commonly referred to as the 5 October Revolution (Serbian: Петооктобарска револуција, Petooktobarska revolucija) or colloquially the Bulldozer Revolution[a] (Serbian: Багер револуција, Bager revolucija), after one of the most memorable episodes from the day-long protest in which a heavy equipment operator charged the Radio Television of Serbia building, considered to be symbolic of the Milošević regime's propaganda.
Milošević's rule has been described by observers as authoritarian or autocratic, as well as kleptocratic, with numerous accusations of electoral fraud, political assassinations, suppression of media freedom and police brutality.
Analysing the mistakes of the 1996–97 protests, they realised they needed more effective organisation, strategy, planning, recruiting, and everything necessary for a sustained fight.
[24] On 25 August 2000, Ivan Stambolić, a former mentor and political ally of Milošević, was mysteriously kidnapped and detained from his home and was summarily executed in Fruška Gora.
The election campaign lasted for about two months and was extremely tense, with numerous incidents, accusations of treason, independent media shutdowns and even murders.
The DOS coalition reported that Vojislav Koštunica won over half of the votes, enough to defeat Milošević in a single round.
The government-controlled Federal Electoral Committee claimed that no candidate won over 50% of the votes and that a second round between Koštunica and Milošević would take place.
[citation needed] These unexpected results provoked stronger accusations of election fraud and led DOS to call for peaceful protests to topple the government.
For a year leading up to the elections, the United States-funded consultants played a crucial role in the anti-Milošević campaign.
[8][9][10] In the months leading up to the election, the National Endowment for Democracy provided funding to opposition parties and media, unions and student groups, with Otpor!
[43] Slobodan Homen, head of international affairs at Otpor, recalled how Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said at a June 2000 meeting in Berlin that she wanted to see Milošević removed from power.
[9] Researcher David Shimer wrote that most Serbs did not realize that the U.S. was directing the opposition's electoral strategy and funding the creation and distribution of campaign materials, although this was no secret.
[45] Among other things, U.S. President Bill Clinton instructed the CIA to direct efforts to prevent the Serbian leader from winning the presidential election.
"[45] Douglas Wise, a CIA official who worked in the Balkans, said Milosevic was a "genocidal maniac"; when asked whether U.S. intelligence supported protests against the Serbian president, he said "It was a broad-spectrum involvement.
"[45] David Shimer quotes an unnamed senior U.S. administration official in 2000 who took umbrage at the revelations of former U.S. intelligence officers: "I can’t talk about what we did or didn’t do.
He even said that during Milošević's regime he was the owner of a company which operated with success, but that post-Milošević politicians made such unhealthy economic conditions, that his business failed and he went bankrupt, even selling his iconic wheel loader and living on 180-euro social benefits.