The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia has only worsened the situation in the Balkans, and Ireland should be condemning it instead of joining the NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace, the Socialist Workers' Party has claimed.
Publishing its manifesto for the local elections yesterday, the party said a vote for it would be a vote against joining PfP and a protest against the "colonial war" being led by Britain and the US.
A spokesman, Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, said 42 per cent of Irish people opposed the bombing, but their views were not represented by those holding high office in Ireland. The SWP claimed it was the only party "to make the NATO bombing of Serbia and Kosovo an issue on the doorsteps", and said its other chief priority was to have corrupt politicians in the State jailed.