Straightforward blackmail is operating within state companies, government departments, the police, the army, hospitals and so on. Vote for Milosevic and keep your job, vote for Milosevic and get paid. The scam is simple. Put the ready-made ballot paper in the box on polling day and return the blank one issued at the polling station to your relevant employer as proof you have done as you were told. No, our foreign election monitors will come from friendly China, Russia and, of course, Iraq.
Nothing is left to chance.
The state media makes no mention of a possible second round, and why should they when it's clear that's not in the script. These are not elections. Petar Lukovic is a long-time reporter, columnist and editor in Belgrade.