YUGOSLAVIA: Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica yesterday ordered the dismissal of army chief-of-staff Gen Nebojsa Pavkovic but the general who rose to prominence under Mr Slobodan Milosevic refused to accept the decision.
The country was braced to see whether the army would back Gen Pavkovic or Mr Kostunica. There was no immediate sign of army action in support of Gen Pavkovic, whose dismissal had long been demanded by reformists and the West.
"However great Pavkovic's merits may be, and they cannot be disputed by any means, the army now needs skills of a different kind," Mr Kostunica said in remarks broadcast by state television. He said he regretted the general objected to the decision but was confident the army and Gen Pavkovic's replacement - his former deputy Gen Branko Krga - would do their duty.
"For the sake of civilian control and for the sake of democracy I decided to take the step I tooktoday," he said.
But Gen Pavkovic, who was promoted by ex-president Mr Milosevic to the army's top job after serving as a regional commander responsible for Kosovo in the 1999 war, branded Mr Kostunica's decision illegal and said he would not respect it. "He has practically decided that my service ends as of tomorrow, as if I were the greatestscum in this state",Gen Pavkovic complained in comments broadcast by state television.
"Of course, I have refused this and I will not carry out this order. I am demanding the protection of the highest state institutions," Gen Pavkovic said.
The general said he had been fired because he had accused Mr Kostunica of using parts of the army in the service of his own political party.
He said he would give more details of alleged abuses by Mr Kostunica later. - (Reuters)